Zebulon's Guide to Cadres, Cults, & Criminal Organizations
The meg-corps are not the only "power brokers" in Frontier society. The three others are the various cadres, cults and criminal organizations that have gained substantial followings. They are by no means all public, and some are almost impossible to encounter, but they exist and pursue their beliefs nonetheless.Cadres are organizations of people who are all members of the same profession. There are cadres of teachers, miners, public transportation operators, and so forth. These cadres are constantly battling the mega-corps for more credits, more benefits, and more control over their occupations. Sometimes a cadre is honest, sometimes not, but lately many of them have been studying the renewed militancy with which the mega-corps pursue their goals. Some of the more powerful cadres, such as the Synthfood Workers or the Brotherhood of Spacers, may resort to their own brand of militancy to resolve differences in the future. Star Law is monitoring cadres carefully at the present time.
Cults spring up everywhere but usually fade within the year. Some are religious, some are social, others comprise outright fanatics who like to express themselves in bizarre ways. Of the hundreds of known cults throughout the Frontier, a few have emerged over the last few years that present a very real danger.
Criminal organizations come in every stripe and color, whether they are small street gangs, pirate bands, terrorist associations or organized dralasite mafioso. Star Law maintains detailed records on all that it is aware of. Their modis operendi, beliefs and structure are varied and this category is a broad catch all category used by Star Law for groups that as a habit of general practice operate outside the law.
Cadres & Cults page 1
The Alliance for the Rights of the People (ARP)Classification: Cadre
Intelligence Source: Dragon #109 "Patriots, Terrorists, and Spies" by Kim Eastland
This cadre is a legal, liberal, political organization dedicated to upholding the rights of the citizens of the Frontier. While this appears to be a noble cause, the ARP has recently enacted a policy of political pressure to limit the authority of Star Law and other local law enforcement groups. This campaign includes holo-vid promotions portraying law enforcement agents as looming shadows that are always waiting for the average citizen to slip up.
The ARP also feels that the practice of maintaining penal colonies (currently located on asteroids) is cruel and that criminals should at least be kept planet side, within the influence of civilization. On the other hand ARP also has been the leading organization defending Rim immigrants who wish to live in UPF space against those cults and cadres that want them deported.
The ARP has its headquartered on Laco. It sometimes allies itself with the Frontier Peace Organization.
Anti Satharian League
Classification: Cadre
Intelligence Source: Zebulon's Guide to the Frontier
The Anti Satharian League is one of the youngest cults. It has only existed for a few years, but its numbers have swelled remarkably. It is an ultra conservative group that constantly pushes the UPF for massive military build ups to face the "inevitable Sathar attack." They sometimes ally themselves with the Silver Death Cult in their attempts to root out sathar agents, but they suspect machines and people alike.
The league is an extremely public organization, but recently Star Law has received information suggesting that it has infiltrated many levels of government and is actually behind many covert operations that have been blamed on other cults. The league is led by J. Harrington Farnsworth, a human billi-creditaire.
Clan Renegade
Classification: Criminal organization
Intelligence Source: Star Frontiersman #16 "New Cults & Cadres" by Thomas Verreault/jedion357
Though the modern Clan Renegade claims descent from the historic yazirian fighting unit this claim is spurious. Star Law believes the modern Clan Renegade to be an ultra secret but fully modern movement that plays on the conspiracy theories surrounding the demise of the historic military unit.
What is certain is that the modern Clan Renegade advocated violence against the Family of One but not the outright destruction of its religious beliefs. This is an important distinction since the membership is assumed to be all yazirian. The organization hates the Family One even while its membership still practices that religion. All of its members are believed to have sworn "blood enemy" against the clan controlling the Family of One.
The historic emblems of the classic fighting unit are all used by the modern Clan Renegade. Their catch phrase or slogan is, "Remember the Charge." This is a reference to the classic poem, "The Charge of Clan Renegade" but it also carries the double meaning of remembering the charge they have been given against the Family of One.
The Clear Thinkers
Classification: cult
Intelligence Source: Dragon #109 "Patriots, Terrorists, and Spies" by Kim Eastland
This is a reactionary political group with militant leanings that seek to banish (or destroy) mentalists and enlightened characters in the Frontier. They have strong financial backing and fund projects that will develop items, drugs, and robots designed to thwart mental disciplines or seek out discipline users. This group is extremely politically savvy and has been careful to stay inside the law with its public activities, and is starting to run Clear Thinker candidates for various political positions, including seats on the Council of Worlds. The leader of the Clear Thinkers is a smooth yazirian politician named Hased Kor. He is one of the most powerful individuals on Yast, Athor and expects to be President of the Council one day.
The Defenders of the Divine Will
Classification: cult
Intelligence Source: Dragon #109 "Patriots, Terrorists, and Spies" by Kim Eastland
This cult is a unique conglomerate of various religious groups that believe that the divine will of their individual deities fromed and evolved planets perfectly. They are vehemently opposed to GODCo's terra-forming practices and some members have even threatened violence if it does not cease. Currently, they are considered a legal organization. Mega-corps are worried that the DDW's views may spread to eventually encompass any business that alters the original form of nature (including mining, forestry, and other operations that altar a planet's appearance and possibly cosmetics, plastic surgery, and other products or services that altar an individual's appearance).
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The FirstersClassification: criminal organization
Intelligence Source: Dragon #109 "Patriots, Terrorists, and Spies" by Kim Eastland
This group is a quasi political/terrorist faction that believes all of the Rim races should be sent back to the Rim. Their slogans are such clichés as "The Frontier for the Founders" and "Kick a Rimmer Today." At first this organization was not taken seriously by most inhabitants of the Frontier and became the butt of many a joke, but recent militant activities aimed at members of the Rim races and their businesses have sobered the public to the reality of violent racial prejudice. The Alliance for the Rights of the People is the greatest opponent of the Firster movement.
No Firster headquarters is known to exist, as its operations are completely covert. While none of the leaders are known, a rallying figure is known to be a dead vrusk named G'rch B'on. B'on was a member of the Firsters when they were still a tiny cult. He attacked an ifshnit couple one night, but died in the assault. The coroner's findings indicated B'on tripped over his own feet and broke his neck in the fall. The Firsters insist that witnesses (other Firsters, incidentally) saw the ifshnit pick a fight, killing B'on. B'on is now a martyr for the Firster cause and a rallying symbol for anyone who dislikes beings from the Rim.
Free Frontiersman Foundation
Classification: cult/ criminal organization
Intelligence Source: Zebulon's Guide to the Frontier
The Free Frontiersman Foundation (FFF) once was a legitimate political faction within the United Planetary Federation. Over the years it lost members and political pull, and eventually a right wing group took control of it. While it is still public, many FFF agents and operations are covert and terrorist oriented. The purpose is to overthrow the UPF and supplant it with a fascist, galaxy spanning government. The FFF will stop at nothing to achieve its goals.
The Free Thinkers
Classification: cadre
Intelligence Source: Dragon #109 "Patriots, Terrorists, and Spies" by Kim Eastland
This is a new cadre that has grown in response to the Clear Thinkers movement. This nonprofit organization is made up of various races and individuals, both psionically gifted and the non-gifted. The organization fights its battle in a legal, honest, and public manner. It funds promotional campaigns aimed at educating the masses about the benefits of having psionically gifted individuals in society. It has established legal aid clinics, educational grants, help lines, and other programs to aid both mentalists and enlightened characters. It works with the authorities whenever possible to aid in the location of psionically gifted individuals who can help solve crimes. The Free Thinkers have recently begun to open small offices in every major city, but their headquarters is on Morgaine's World, Prenglar.
The Frontier Peace Organization
Classification: cadre
Intelligence Source: Zebulon's Guide to the Frontier
The Frontier Peace Organization (FPO) believes that too many credits are being spent on Star Law, Landfleet, and Spacefleet. Lately, they have even suggested that one of the reasons for the sathar attacks is the sathar fear of a UPF and Rim military threat to their existence. The FPO promotes isolationism for the UPF and extreme cutbacks in military units on all planets and in the UPF in general. This organization is an arch-enemy of the Anti-Satharian League.
The Guards of Clarion
Classification: criminal organization
Intelligence Source: Star Frontiersman #16 "Data Searches in the White Light System" by Tom Verreault/jedion357
The Guards of Clarion are a radical, violent arm of the Liberation Front seeking the violent overthrow of the Clarion monarchy. It is known for its virulent hatred of the Royal Guards, Royal Marines, and the Royal Mounted Constabulary. Their favored tactics are bombings and assassinations by armed groups. They famously bombed the Raptor's Roost, a popular Royal Marine nightclub. They have a published manifesto:
Declaration of the Rights of the Citizens of Clarion
We the Guards of Clarion do affirm and assert the natural and impresciptible rights of the citizen to liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression. We hereby call for the destruction of aristocratic privileges and the proclaiming of an end to exemptions from taxation. We assert freedom and equal rights for all citizens and access to public office for all citizens based on talent. The monarchy is to be dismantled, and all citizens are to have the right to take part in the legislative process. All citizens, being equal in the eyes of the law, are equally admissible to all public dignities, places and employments according to their capacities and without distinction other than that of their virtues and of their talents and we declare the elimination of the special rights of the nobility.
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The Hatzck Naar pirate bandClassification: criminal organization
Intelligence Source: Star Frontiersman # "Origin of the Species & the UPF" by Thomas Verreault/jedion357
The infamous vrusk pirate, Hatzck Naar, began life as the Hatzck of House Naar. After becoming CEO of House Naar, he conceived a plan to turn House Naar into one of the new breed of vrusk conglomerate companies. Liquidating company assets in the Fromeltar system he made an all out gamble on the newly discovered star system of Madderly's Star. The newly organized Naar conglomerate upstage the long planned human colonization mission by half a year.
From the beginning there was tension between the vrusk and the human colonizers that went further then racial differences. The underlying philosophies of farming methods added to the tension and the feelings of marginalization felt by the human colonist. The Naar conglomerate came to quickly dominate all aspects of the colony's society and its corporate approach to farming quickly made the human colonist irrelevant with their sustainable/ soft impact philosophy. The Free World Rebellion by the human colonizers was quickly co-opted by radicals and led to massacres of the vrusk company personnel. The Naar Conglomerate never recovered. Hatzck with the few remaining company ships and a handful of loyal followers limped back toward Fromeltar. In the Dramune system he occupied the old vrusk observation and mining outpost on Outer Reach and embarked on a career of piracy.
His bitterness against the vrusk business establishment and humanity as a whole made him an exceptionally vicious pirate. His depredations forced the civilized planets of the Frontier to form the First Common Muster. When news of the muster reached him on Outer Reach he embarked on a grand raid determined to destroy all space based industry beginning with the human colonies. The Muster eventually caught and defeated his fleet in Timeon System. Hatzck was boiled alive in his space suit after being ejected from an air lock on a trajectory toward the star.
It has long been rumored that the Red Devil Pirate was one of his lieutenants.
Humma Rookzen
Humma RookXen is a humma separatist cadre headquartered T'Zaan. They believe the current government of Hum in the Fochrik system was complicit with the sathar invaders and blame the sathar bio-engineering and the resulting retrovirus that has infected the humma species on the current leadership. The retrovirus in question changed the humma birthrate to 1 pup per litter on average. The leader of this cadre, Rook, promises a restoration of the old ways and old birthrates and rails against the current Humma system leadership but runs his organization like a gang with autocratic power. Due to the estimated membership of only 100s the authorities in the Rim had paid little attention to this cult/cadre.
HUSP
Classification: criminal terrorist organization
Intelligence Source: Dragon #98 "The Volturnus Connection," Stephen Bonario
Husp is a slang term for the Human Supremacists native to New Pale. The group practices a philosophy called human superiority. The members of HUSP preferred the isolation of New Pale and did not want it "contaminated" by the other races. Pale used its military to bully the weaker government into allowing other races to settle there. Pale saw this as a way to increase food production on New Pale and perhaps drive food costs down. Several months latter, the HUSPs banded together and began terrorizing the new colonists, also attacking Pale's "colonial protection" forces.
The government of New Pale has virtually become a puppet but there is a dissident underground government that claims to be the only legitimate government of New Pale. Members of HUSP and other groups form this congress but it serves as little more than a mouth piece for spouting hate and racially colored speech.
Independent Merchant Association
The government of New Pale has virtually become a puppet but there is a dissident underground government that claims to be the only legitimate government of New Pale. Members of HUSP and other groups form this congress but it serves as little more than a mouth piece for spouting hate and racially colored speech.
Independent Merchant Association
The Independent Merchant Association is a small band of ishnit merchant captians that object to the Capellan Free Merchants. Originally they were formed to compete with the CFM but with the CFM's dominance with in the Rim and conncetions to the Rim Coalition government the Independent Merchants Assoc. has dwindled in importance and influence. IMA chaptains find it almost impossible to land government contracts which typically means they are willing to skirt the law and turn a blind eye to blatantly illegal activities so long as they are getting paid. It has been predicted that it's only a matter of time befor this association disappears altogether.
Investors
Classification: cadre
Intelligence Source: Zebulon's Guide to the Frontier
The Investors is an ultra-covert organization of a few billi-creditaires who wish to be the behind the scenes controllers of the United Planetary Federation. While the UPF is presently an organization that compromises all of the Frontier's planetary system governments, the Investors believe it could develop the UPF into a body that would override all local governments. While its aims and methods are similar to that of the Free Frontiersman Foundation, the Investors is a much smarter and more hidden group. The Investors tries to gain control by financial wars, not by actual military ventures, as the FFF would.
Kraatar Liberation Corps
Classification: criminal organization
Intelligence Source: Zebulon's Guide to the Frontier
The KLC is a secret militant organization that originally started on Kraatar in an effort to end vrusk domination of that once predominately human planet. Over the last few years it has evolved into a Frontier wide terrorist organization dedicated to freeing humans from the "cultural pollution" of the existence of other races. The KLC believes that once humans have taken control of all planetary and system wide governments, the United Planetary Federation, and all mega-corps, then the Frontier is assured of peace. The KLC is a prime target for Star Law investigations.
Liberation Front
Classification:
Intelligence Source: Star Frontiersman #16 "Data Searches on the White Light System" by Thomas Verreault/jedion357
The Liberation Front was the action arm of the Liberation Party (now defunct) on Clarion, White Light system and is responsible for assassinations and terrorist acts. It continues to be active on Clarion but since the loss of its political mouthpiece it has been in decline. A direct result of this decline is that splintering off of the most radical elements to for the Guards of Clarion.
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The Liberation PartyClassification:
Intelligence Source: Star Frontiersman #16 "Data Searches on the White Light System" by Thomas Verreault/jedion357
The Liberation Party had as its major platform plank the abolition of the monarchy and for decades had been part of the opposition parties on Clarion. In the aftermath of the assassination of King Leotus XIX it was discovered that the Liberation Party was little more than the political arm and mouth piece for the terrorist group responsible, the Liberation Front. A backlash of public sentiment ended the Liberation Party's functionality as a viable political party. Many of this party's members, who managed to avoid indictments, joined the Liberal Party to continue their opposition of the Crown.
The Liberators
Classification: criminal organization
Intelligence Source:Dragon #109 "Patriots, Terrorists, and Spies" by Kim Eastland
This is a terrorist organization that is dedicated to "liberating the oppressed masses from the chains of mega corporation tyranny." This is an extremely violent, illegal, quasi-political, economic cult that has already taken credit for hundreds of deaths due to bombings and terrorists raids, usually on mega corporation headquarters. Star Law suspects the Liberators are backed by a few rich individuals or another cult, but they have no leads yet on whom or what finances them. Though the identity of the leader of the Liberators is also unknown, certain terrorist members have been identified and their faces and descriptions are broadcast regularly throughout the Frontier.
MINER
Classification: front/ criminal organization
Intelligence Source:Dragon #98 "The Volturnus Connection," Stephen Bonario
MINER stood for Mining for Industrial use of Natural Earth Resources. It was a front company that was run by the leader of the Red Devil pirates. The company originally bid for and won the contract to develop the Zebulon system but was later liquidated and its assets transferred to secret numbered accounts after the CEO faked his own kidnapping and murder.
The Madderlian Church of Humanity
Classification: cult
Intelligence Source: Star Frontiersman #15 "Opiate of the Osakar" by Thomas Verreault/jedion357
This religious movement originated 17 years ago at Madderly's Star and is considered a dangerous cult by Star Law. However, its leaders have astutely used the legal systems of several planets to gain the status of a recognized religion. Star Law keeps close tabs on the church's activities.
Founded by Schmidt McCormick, a one time follower of Jack Lagrange, McCormick espouses hate against all non humans. The church believes that god is a human and that humanity will inherit the galaxy. The church teaches an Apocalypse is coming where god will cleanse the galaxy of the Daemoniac's evil alien vermin. Once this happens, all the enlightened humans will be given a star system to re-create in their in their own image. Unenlightened humans who never heard the church's message will be relegated to living in these star systems and given a chance to come to enlightenment. Ultimately, god intends for every star system to be the home of a deified human governing enlightened humans. Then he will open gates to other galaxies and thus humanity will inherit the universe.
In the Apocalypse the Daemoniac and his alien vermin will be cast into the Abyss, the huge black hole at the center of the galaxy. Any human that has heard the church's message and rejected it will also be cast into the Abyss to endure eternal torment. The church also teaches that it was never god's plan that aliens should inhabit the galaxy. At the Fall of Man, the first man, Adama, was tricked by the Deamoniac into opening a gate to another galaxy and allowing in the spirits of aliens to infest this galaxy. Once in this galaxy these spirits began recreating star systems in their image. For this reason god has prepared the Abyss for Adama, the Daemoniac and his aliens.
These beliefs of the church produce to particular results among the rank and file believers. One is that they become abusive of those who hear and reject their message, usually telling them, "You'll get what you've got coming!" Secondly, there has been a marked rise in rank and file believers sabotaging archaeological digs or destroying ruins connected to the Tetrarchs or any other ancient alien civilization. The church disavows these actions with one voice then rails against archaeological research from the pulpit with another. Star Law is convince that the attacks are linked to the belief that aliens infested this galaxy through gate technology and the attacks have been ordered from the top down as an institutional policy of the church. Unfortunately, Star Law can't prove yet that McCormick has ordered the attacks.
A significant incident in the church's history was the Issaka Incident. An osakar named Issaka, a Capellan Free Merchant, indicated an interest of joining the Church of Humanity but later her body turned up murdered. McCormick and the church denied ever having contact with the osakar but Star Law maintains an open investigation in the matter. The CFM and osakar everywhere are outraged over the incident and there is concern that violence could erupt.
The Malthar
Classification: criminal organization
Intelligence Source: Dramune Run
The Malthar is an individual as well as an organization. Malthar, the individual, is an extremely obese dralasite crime lord who own Dark World Station over Outer Reach. "The Malthar," the organization, is the direct expression of the individual's power and reach. It is an organization involved in piracy, smuggling, murder, drug manufacture and distribution.
Malthar has variously referred to his organization by the name "the Syndicate" and by his own name.
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The Star Devil PiratesClassification: criminal organization
Intelligence Source:SF-0, SF-1, Dragon #98 "The Volturnus Connection," Stephen Bonario
While it has long been rumored that the Star Devil was a lieutenant of the infamous Hatzck Naar, what is known for certain is that the Red Devil ran the Mining for Industrial use of Natural Earth Resources (MINER) as a front company before faking his death. As the Red Devil pirate he operated clandestinely out of the Zebulon system raping the mineral wealth of Volturnus with slave labor.
His actions lead directly to the activating of the sathar obelisk, drawing the sathar back to Volturnus in the first major sathar incursion into the Frontier following the First Sathar War. He pirate band was all but destroyed on Volturnus and though his body was never recovered he is presumed dead.
Silver Death Cult
Classification: criminal organization
Intelligence Source:Zebulon's Guide to the Frontier
The Silver Death Cult is an underground terrorist organization that exists to eradicate all intelligent artificial life forms from the Frontier. The organization actually started when the mechanons began their famous exodus from Zebulon and settled on Mechon. Over the years, the SDC has gathered more militants into its ranks. Its pose as that of a patriotic organization that wishes to keep the sathar out of the Frontier by preventing their mechanical agents from infiltrating society.
Supporters of Mechano
Classification: cadre
Intelligence Source:Dragon #109 "Patriots, Terrorists, and Spies" by Kim Eastland
This is a growing political organization that includes members of all the Frontier races. The Mechanites, as they are called, believe the mechanons are a sentient race (though of artificial origin) that deserves full citizenship in the United Planetary Federation. Though the Mechanites began as a completely peaceful organization, their many encounters with the Silver Death Cult and the Anti-Satharian League have resulted in the death of many Mechanites and the formation of their own security forces. It is rumored that some extremists within the organization are forming a radical splinter group that believes the ends justifies violent means.
Since one of the charges constantly being leveled against the Mechanons is their cooperation with the sathar in subversive activities. Many Mechanites investigations are aimed at discovering the truth behind these terrorist activities, with an eye to clearing the Mechanon name.
The Mechanites have centers on every civilized planet. Their leader, a human named Mathias Pricard, is extremely charismatic( PER/LDR= 99/99) and the driving force behind the cult.
The Universal Family Movement
Classification:
Intelligence Source: Star Frontiersman #16 "New Cadre's and Cults" by Thomas Verreault/ jedion357
The Universal Family Movement, while generally considered a cadre is vigorously denounced by the Family of One as a cult. It began as a dissident movement objecting to the despotic control of the Family of One. Under the leadership of theologians like Stig Slayerian, it adopted a philosophy embracing a pantheistic view of the universe and welcomes all beings into its fold.
The core tenet of the UFM is that the divine oneness of the universe is all and in all, therefore all beings are welcomed. The Family of One has slandered this movement alleging that they would even embrace the sathar. In practice the UFM seeks to promote ethical lifestyles, peace and positive action in its adherents.
The movement is small and dominated by yazirians. It forms small flocks in major cities overseen by a shepherd. Some flocks, usually those dominated by a strong personality, take on a strong anti-Family of One stance, though most flocks concern themselves with the practical life issues of the membership.
The Family of One has reacted strongly to the UFM, calling for arrest and even execution of key leaders. Its unknown if anyone has been detained or executed as a member or leader of the UFM in systems where the Family of One exerts influence, however, flocks outside of yazirian space have begun to institute basic security measures.
The symbol of the Universal Family Movement is a metal ring worn on a chain around the neck. The ring is banded in four colors, green, gray, white and yellow which are said to represent the core four races of the Frontier.
The Zenk
Classification: criminal organization
Intelligence Source:Dragon #109
The Zenk (Vrusk for "family") is a Frontier wide criminal organization that currently is responsible for most high credit criminal activities on the Frontier. The Zenk sells its services to anyone, but it nearly always operates in its own best interests. There is no criminal activity that the Zenk cannot perform, though it prefers to stay away from anything directly relating to Star Law, Spacefleet, or Landfleet. No one knows who governs the organization, but referees should create NPCs who run local operations, as player characters may want (or be forced) to tangle with them at some time.
The Zenk is divided into eight different sections:
Acquisitions: robbery, forgery, embezzlement, etc.
Administration: executives, crime planning, accounting, etc.
Eliminations: murder, arson, body disposals, etc.
Enforcement: strong arm activities that do not usually involve killing, security, etc.
Information: blackmail, bugging, spying, computer crimes, etc.
Leisure activities: providing illegal intoxicants, entertainment, etc.
Research and development: creation of new items or methods that help the other sections, maintaining the Zenk's equipment, etc.
Support services : activities that support the other sections but that are not included in the definitions of those sections, such as fencing stolen goods, buying off the authorities, etc.
Creating an "Octopus" or Spy/Terrorist Network
Networks are made up of characters fulfilling roles. The basic roles are mastermind, administrators, agents and cut outs. The mastermind is the brain of the octopus, conceiving the plot and initiating it. Without the mastermind the network will stagnate or unravel. He is the key to the whole network.The administrators work beneath the mastermind and above the actual field operatives. They are the managers who implement the plot. They maintain a legal cover and rarely commit illegal actions. They are often unidentifiable by the agents and operatives they manage.
Agents or operatives are the dirty work specialist. They are the ones that get things done and perform the illegal actions. They are usually very committed and will aggressively defend their network.
Cut Outs are used to do "leg work" and know very little of the network. All they usually know is that someone told them to do something. They're used in a network to protect the mastermind, administrators, and the agents from detection because they're more expendable; hence the name "cut out."
Communications between the members of a network can be one way or two way. Two way communications mean that both parties can initiate and contact the other. One way communication means only one member can contact the other in the network. The method of communication can be direct, transmitted or by drop.
Below is a sample Network for the following adventure.
Founder's Day
BackgroundFounder's day is an adventure using the sample octopus network. It is also an important holiday On Gran Quivera, Prenglar system; commemorating the founding of the United Planetary Federation. This year, nearly all of the delegates of the Council of Worlds will be in attendance as the date of the holiday fall's within the last week of the council's session.
There has been a buz on the streets of Port Loren over both the coming parades and speeches by dignitaries and for the anticipated passing of the Corporate Banking Reform Act by the Council of Worlds. This act has been long sought after and stymied repeatedly but in the wake of another mega-corp spawned banking scandle there's a real chance the new banking regulations will pass and curtail the power of the mega-corps in areas of finance.
Naturally, Star Law and the Port Loren Police have stepped up security because of the holiday but also because rhetoric coming form the Free Frontiersman Foundation, the Silver Death Cult, and the Alliance for the Rights of the People during the ramp up to the holiday.
Player Character Intregration
There are a number of ways to integrate the player characters into the adventure, most of which involve them being in security or law enforcement. For a one off adventure or convention style game the player characters could be members of several law enforcement and security agencies detailed to a special task force. Details of how to do this will be left to the Game Referee.
Skills that will be important to the player characters for this adventure, besides combat skills, are demolitions, robotics, and technician, though medical skill could be important for reasons other than patchin up team mates. A team that does not have every single skill listed could still suceed at this adventure but a team without any of the skills listed probably will flounder.
Founder's Day; Referee Background
The building anger in the Frontier over yet another banking crisis resulting from corporate greed has finally put some impetus behind the Corporate Banking Reform Act. There is a real chance it will pass this time.There are many that don't want to see it pass but chiefest among them may be the Investors, the ultra secret billi-creditairs who plan to take over the UPF and overturn planetary soverignty through financial wars and dealings. The reform act, as written would put a major crimp in thier long term plans, so there is a plot in place to either disrupt that process or put the Investor's man in place to influence the wording of the act.
To that end The Investors are manipulating the Zenk, the Free Frontiersman Foundation (FFF), the Silver Death Cult (SDC), and the Alliance for the Rights of the People (ARP) through cut outs; a banker and a politician. The banker is a yazirian named Sharn Occullo who is a VP of a Streel subsidiary bank in Port Loren. The politician is a dralasite named Dak Dollo who is newly elected to the Council of World but wont take his seat till the next session and isn't likely to get a good seat on any of the committees.
Dak Dollo has been snared into the plot through avarice for power, he is hoping to fast track his career. He's been a periferal supporter of the FFF but never publically. He has maintained a acquaintence with a dralasite administrator in the FFF named Gof Ink. Both dralasites believe they're using the other.
Gof Ink manages two FFF agents, a human named Don Salizar and a yazirian named Shin Sting. Don's mission is to facilitate a SDC attack on the robotic brain that manages Port Loren's public utilities as a diversion. However, the SDC requires a Positronic Cerebral Purge module that is held under tight security at Egalt Robotics in Seawell Valley Research Park, halfway around the planet.
Shin Sting is the handler for both Anna Che, an ARP activist and student at Gran Quivera University and for "Maximus Payne", a FFF bomb maker. His mission is to keep the authorities busy during the chaos sewed by the crash of the city grid by the SDC. To that end he has Anna Che is organizing a "demonstration." Maximus Payne is building and planting bombs that will tie up the Port Loren Police and Star Law.
Sharn Occullo, the other Investors cut out, has arranged for "clean up" whether everything goes to plan or if it does not. The "cleaner" is a Zenk assassin named V'llos Ikr'ptr. His mission is to kill Daniel Fellows, a Council of World's representative on the Finance Commitee. If all goes to plan the SDC and FFF branches of the operation will create dual diversions for the police, giving him a clear shot at the politician. It is not strictly neccessary for both diversions to succeed. Daniel Fellows death will interrupt the vote on the bill and allow the Investor's dralasite, Dak Dollo, to be seated on the Finance Committee.
After the successful assassination of Daniel Fellows, V'llos Ikr'ptr has orders to clean up the Goff Ink to protect Dak Dollo's involvement. Should the whole network begin to unravel the master mind will send an order through the banker for the Zenk assassin to clean up the two cut outs that lead to the master mind in order to protect his identity.
Referee Notes
This is not a classic "dungeon crawl" but an mystery solving adventure. A referee should familiarize himself with all of the principle NPCs and be light on his feet to switch up the order of events and encounters in response to player character actions. The players may or may not fully suceed in unravelling the network and the mastermind has been intentionally left undefined and shadowy so that he can be a crafted as a long running foil to match each referee's campaign.
All text highlighted in gray is information that PCs can discover but it should not be given away for free unless the players are floundering and need a nudge in the right direction. The best way to do that might be having an NPC ask a question like, "Is this important?"
Founder's Day, Security Breach at Egalt Robotics
The player characters (PCs) have been summoned to a high level breach at Egalt Robotics Research Labs in Seawell Valley, Gran Quivera, Prenglar system. They arrive in the early morning hours just two hours after a security robot was destroyed by an intruder and the alarm was raised. The details for the intergration of the PCs into this adventure are upto the referee to craft but suffice it to say they should have authority to investigate. In addition, the security firm has requested outside investigators but are being evasive as to why they insist on this.The labs are part of a secure industrial park dedicated to high tech research and development. Security at Seawell Valley is handled by a Vrusk Trade House that specializes in security, named RIK (also seen in "Dark Side of the Moon" module, SFAD6). At the time of the PCs arrival there will be 2-6 patrolling security bots in the vicinity as well as 6 vrusk in RIK issued uniform skien suits. There is also a ground car with a laser rifle armed RIK empolyee standing up through its sun roof that is patrolling broadly around the area. [All RIK personel are vrusk and their body language reads very alert and tense].
Many tens of meters away, beyond the compound's fence is a vehicle park with a variety of private ground, hover and air cars and its beginning to fill up with empoyees coming to work. A RIK security squad is very carefully triple checking and scanning everyone before allowing them in. No one is allowed near the site of the breach and though many rubber neck, most go quickly to their individual work sites. As of now there are no news vehicles present but that is likely to change.
Head of security, Rik E'Tic, will greet the PCs, thanking them for coming and brief them on what he knows: "Two hours ago a security robot was destoryed by an intruder. When RIK personel responded they discovered this lab belonging to Egalt Labs was breached. As security personel entered the building an explosion occured deeper in the building so they sent for a demolitions expert and cordoned off the building while initiating a phase one search of the whole park."
At this point the RIK demolitions expert comes out and give the all clear that the building's safe. Rik E'Tic then steps closer to the PCs and says, "That is basically all we know except for one more thing, which is the reason we've called for outside investigators." He extends a hand to a nearby security officer who hands over a plastic specimens bag. Inside the bag is a severed at the knee vrusk leg in a RIK security uniform.
"RIK prides itself on its reputation and it would look bad if we carry on this investigation ourselves when one of our family maybe the culprit. I have accounted for all RIK personel on the sight and none are missing or injured but the law is clear that we cannot investigate while the possibility exists that one of our people is involved."
The show is now the PCs:
The director of the lab is present, Jo Bensen, and she can tell (if asked) whats been taken and disturbed in the labs as well as where the bap bin is suppose to send a transmission. She has no idea why or who would do this other than the PCP module can be used to sabotage any number of computer brains throughout the Frontier. Egalt Robotics is a subsidiary of the mega corp Tachton Instruments which has no declared enemies and was not involved in the recent mega-corp banking scandal.
The Crime: A vrusk theif from the Zenk crime syndicate, named Kz'ick, was hired by FFF agent Don Salizar to steal a Positronic Cerebral Purge Module. Kz'ick use the Zenk crime organization to obtain a forged security badge and a RIK security skein suite. He penetrated the Seawell Park form the employee parking lot via storm drains defeating security locks and detection devices along the way.
Once in the park he defeated the security and locks to Egalt labs then stole the PCP module. He then hacked the passwords protecting the company's bap bin (which is rated for live organizism transmission) and "bapped" the module out of the park. Kz'ick then set a small explosive device with a timer that would go off after he left with the intention of leading security to believe he also bapped out. He could not do this because this bap bin, though normally connected to one in the company's factory outside Port Loren had a spliced shunt in the transmission lines redirecting bapped material to a portable bap reciever (not rated for live organism transmission) set up in a rented apartment next to the Egalt factory where Don Salizar was waiting.
Unfortunately, for Kz'ick, a security bot detected the power surge for the bapping process and began running an investigative program and was waiting for the theif when he emerged from the lab. A short battle ensued at close quarters with the robot grabbing the vrusk's leg and the thief unloading two full clips from autopistols into the bot. The dead robot had a locked grip and half severed the leg. Not willing to suffer the indignity of being caught (due to professional pride) Kz'ick finished severing his leg with a sonic knife and limped away to the unlocked strom drain cover he had come through.
Kz'ick is now in the storm drain waiting for a chance to emerge in the employee parking lot and steal an air car. He's managed to cauterize his amputated leg but is serverely wounded and suffering a penalty from pain to all actions (-10). He will not fight to the death and if he cannot escape he will surrender, rellying on Zenk lawyers to get him off or to simply bide his time for another escape attempt.
Kz'ick: vrusk, RW 50, PS +3, IM +4, RS 40, STA 50 (current 20), Demolitions 40%, Technician(6) 80%, 2 autopistols, sonic knife, skein suit 20pts, 1 radio detonator and transmitter, 30grams of TD-19 explosive (3d10), tech kit, smoke grenade, anti-shock implant.
Inside the lab the only rooms that are disturbed are the locked vault that held the PCP module (expertly cracked) and the bap bin contoll booth. A small ammount of TD-19 was used to blow the bap bin control panel and its impossible to be used nor can the pattern buffer be accessed to see what was transported. Despite Kz'icks ruse to fool security by blowing the controls it is not likely that he could have operated the controls and bapped out. A demolitions expert will almost certainly be able to tell that the TD-19 charge was small (20-30grams) and will spot variable timer (commonly available) fragments in the blast debris. Also the thief managed to defeat 3 level 3 mechanical locks, 2 motion sensors, 1 hand print scanning lock as well as the vault. Nothing else was taken.
Outside, an ichor trail (vrusk blood) could be tracked with environmental skill (-20% due to difficulty) or with a medical scanner sweeping for "blood/ichor" samples that match those in the severed leg.
The storm drain cover also has a vrusk hand print in ichor which could be noticed (INT +15%) to characters within 4 meters of it. This is the only storm drain cover in the park that makes a noise when ground cars travel over it as it is not securely locked like the others (INT check on all PCs if they haven't begun tracking the wounded vursk. Attached to the underside of the drain cover (and viewable through the drain) is 30 grams (3d10) of TD-19 with a radio detonator. If a player critically fails an attempt to disarm the explosive and it goes off Kz'ick will scramble out of a storm drain in the parking lot and begin picking an air car lock and hot wiring it under cover of the explosion's distraction.
Inside the storm drain there is a sound of a dull roar in the direction of the ocean (deeper into the park) travel in this direction will lead to an open grate and stowed scuba gear (for a vrusk). travel toward the parking lot will lead toward Kz'ick.
Kz'ick will make an effort to evade and escape so as to not lose face in the vrusk mafia but he was only a hired thief and will not fight to the death though he will fight if there is a chance of getting away. He'll seek medical aid form a "basement" doctor known to him through the Zenk's network then rent another slum hotel room to rest up in (at this point he may be untracable).
If captured he knows that a human who said his name was Frank (Don Salizar) hired him to steal the PCP module and that Frank was waiting at the portable bapping recieving pad at the other end of the shunt. He suspects "Frank" is FFF and can tell the PCs where the drop point is for communicating with "Frank." He has a tellol neutralizing implant keyed to memory engrams about the Zenk (developed by the Zenk) that will allow him to resist questions about the Zenk in particular but at the cost of 5 STA. Once 3 questions are asked the tellol wears off and he does not fall unconscious.
Other lines of investigation:
The Egalt Robotics factory- nothing to find here other then the bap transmission line shunt. The shunt can be tracked back to the anonomously rented apartment with the portable bap recieving pad. There is nothing to discover here but that someone ate algae pizza on a stick.
They can investigate the positronic style robotic brains that could be purged by the PCP module there are 12 scattered about Gran Quivera but 5 in Port Loren. One of those five is managing the Star Law headquarters and unless the PCs are in Star Law they will get nowhere inquiring about it. One manages the enviro-system and security at the Council of Worlds building. Another is at PGC headquarters and manages that building. Another is at the city grid for Port Loren managing the electric grid, the monorails, traffic flow, and the robotic taxis. The last is at the Egalt Robotics factory managing its operation.
Founders Day, On the Trail of "Frank" aka Don Salizar
There are all sorts of ways the Player Characters could have learned about Don Salizar. They may have captured the vrusk thief at Seawall Research Park and used tellol on him (he cant be forced to answer questions about the Zenk but he can give details about how he communicates with "Frank." They could discover the rented room with the portable recieving pad for bapping and thought to check for security camera footage (traffic camera) showing who enters and leaves that building. They may equally have come up with a creative solution to this problem. What is important is that discovering that Don Salizar aka "Frank" is the next link in the chain should not be impossible.Don Salizar is a fairly accomplished agent with a fine "danger sense" and will likely spot the PCs if they are not trying to be natural. He will be suspicious of any communication asking to meet with him as he has already wired the thief's account the final payment. He will likely only visit the message drop site if he sees the vrusk theif leave a message in the pre-arranged drop location (PCs will need a holo screen programmed to look like the vrusk theif to do this). Other wise he will fade away in the crowd - allow for observent characters to spot him being a little suspicious.
Use the Port Loren map. The pre-arranged message drop is a small hole in the trunk of a tree in the central hub of the Port Loren map. Don Salizar will seek to leave the area and board a mono rail. The PC's will need to chase and stop him even if they have to have a shoot out on the train.
Don "Frank" Salizar: human, RW 50, PS +3, IM +4, RS 40, STA 50, Enviromental(3), Technician(2), laser pistol, sonic knife, civilian skein suit 50pts, 2 tangler grenades, anti-shock implant, 2 spare 20 SEU clips.
What Don can tell them:
He gave the PCP module to a female yazirian named Zamira who is a Silver Death Cult cell leader. Don meets with her at her street cart location where she vends algae pizza on a stick outside the zoo in Port Loren. Zamira is suppose to take down the robotic brain that manages the Port Loren city grid (electricity, taxis, the mono rails, and traffic flow) in two days but its a diversion for the true FFF operation but he does not know what the details of the that operation is.
He can also tell who his manager is, FFF operator, Gof Ink and how to find him.
Referee Notes:
Don't forget to dot the map with a handful of civilian/innocent bystanders.
Founders Day, Zamira's Algae Pizza on a Stick
Once Don Salizar is captured he will have to be "forced" to tell the PCs anything as he's too professional of an operator (tellol is the likely method). He coordinates with Zamira by buying algae pizza at her vender's cart.Zamira does not have the PCP module at the cart or her rented room (its in the hands of her second in command in the SDC cell). In fact this close to the planned day she's abandoned her cart and has been lying low at the appartment of a city system's tech named Bob Frett (human) who she has groomed as a "boyfriend." She's played on Bob's fettish for interracial sex and strung him along hinting at a big reward on Founder's Day but she really intends to kill him not sleep with him. Bob Frett is just a patsy being used for access to the city grid computer brain.
The PC's will be able to enquire about Zamira's missing cart which will lead back to the vending company. From the vending company they will be able to eventually track down her appartment. At her appartment, after a search, they'll find plans for the city's sub-systems (service and access tunnels) as well as blue prints for the city grid facility where the robotic brain is located. If they dig enough (attempt to get her chronocom records) they may discover numerous calls between her and Bob Frett which will lead to him.
If they track him down, he's dead and his ID and chronocom are missing. In fact he may be freshly dead and Zamira is literally flying the coop from an open window. If the players are hot on the trail of the SDC plot the timing of it can be moved up by the SDC themselves. The FFF wont be happy about the distraction for their plan being early but the SDC wont care. The PCs will have to take down the SDC cell at the city grid facility.
Zamira: yazirian, Melee 65, RW 75, PS +3, IM +5, RS 50, STA 50, Robotics(4) 80%, Battle Rage 40; Equipment: 4 zamra (yazirian honor weapons), 1 gyrojet pistol, 1 sonic sword, skein suit 50pts, albedo screen, power belt, robcom kit, 2 smoke grenades, anti-shock implant. Zamira is goes by the name for the yazirian honor weapon and is a dead on shot with it as well as the gyro weapons.
The Zamra (From Ares #17): Cost 12cr, Wt. -, Damage: 1d10 (1d6 non lethal variety), Rate: 1, Defense: inertia, Range: 5/10/20/30/40.
8 SDC Mooks: RW 50, PS +3, IM +4, RS 40, STA 50, auto pistol or laser pistol, vibro knife, skein suit 50pts, extra ammo, 2 frag grenades.
Founders Day, Goff Ink the Missing Link
Goff Ink looks like a typical dralasite but his sense of humor is even more on the corny side then normal for his race. He's been a very successful agent for the FFF as he almost never mixes humor and terrorism. In reality he is a reporter for an electronic newpaper, the Port Loren Ledger. In this capacity the PCs may already have been questioned by him. His position as a reporter also means that he'll be able to guess if the operation is in jepordy because of the PCs actions. He'll report his fears to Dak Dollo and the order to step up the operation will come back down the chain from the top.His part in this plot is to manage the two sides of the operation's "distraction." Reporting to Goff is Don Salizar who runs the SDC side and a yazirian named Shin Sting who runs the FFF side.
Its imperitive that Dak Dollo's identity be protected so that when the order to step up and/or impliment the operation comes the Zenk assassin will have orders to "clean up" Goff. If the PCs have gotten information out of Don Salizar about Goff allow the PCs to corner him in a public place but as they are arresting him a sniper bullet with a poison payload will strike him directly between the eye spots, killing him.
His elimination prevents him from revealing Dak Dollo's part, especially since he meets with him face to face. His link to Shin Sting is by chronocom so that link in the web or octopus is vulnerable to the PCs discovery. However, since Goff is a reporter his com records will take time to work through to see who he's been contacting, besides Don Salizar. There will be several hundreds of names in the records.
To locate Shin Sting they will want to focus on Goff's com communications for the past month. Don Salizar's name turns up several times. They can try to filter his com records a number of ways:
1. By focusing on all non-newspaper staff; reduces the contacts by half to 200.
2. By focusing on people he went to college with, reduces the list to a dozen
3. By focusing on people with criminal records, reduces the list to about 20
4. By focusing on people that are on Star Law watch lists, reduces the list to about 20.
5. By focusing on people were contacted at close to the same time as Don Salizar, reduces the list to 1, Shin Sting.
6. By looking for any name that turns up on all of the above list, reveals Shin Sting's name as well.
Founders Day, The Sting
Shin Sting has already given Maximus Payne (a pseudonym) his orders but when the PCs track him down he will be meeting with Anna Che to make sure her side of the operation will go off without a hitch.Anna Che is a member of the Alliance for the Rights of the People (ARP) and a student activist. He will be running a student ARP meeting on the 23rd floor of the Student Union Building when the PCs arrive. There are about 20 student leaders in attendance and this is their final planning session before hitting the Founder's Day festivities with placards and shouting. They are, very typically anrgy over Star Law and other police activities and will shout and yell at the PCs while Anna rants on about ARP dogma. Neither Anna nor any of the students have done anything illegal or planned to do anything illegal but they will throng and hinder the movement of the PCs from arresting Shin Sting.
Shin Sting, yazirian, melee 75, RW 50, PS +4, IM +5, RS 50, STA 50, Martial arts (5), civilian skien suite (50), anti-shock implant.
Average Student, Melee 35, PS +3, IM +3, RS 30, STA 35.
The PCs can bring in Anna Che for questioning or arrest her for aiding and abbetting a criminal. Ultimately, she is ignorant of the overall plot and has done nothing wrong and will get off in the end. The PCs can certainly hold her till after Founder's Day and the ARP demonstration will probably be half the size it would have been.
Interrogating Shin Sting:
He will do his best to misconstrue any questions while under tellol. So unless the players are carefull with how they phrase questions while using tellol, they may find their 3 questions used up and Shin Sting knocked out from the drug's side effect.
Shin Meets with "Maximus Payne" directly at a dirty flat in Rook Hill and can give that address. He also knows that his mission is to set up a diversion for tomarrow when the real operation goes down.
Founders Day, Maximum Effect
If the players discover information leading them to the bomber they will not actually find him. He's busy planting the bombs. They are being place around the Council of Worlds complex but at targets with low security priorities (meaning that it was easy to get to these targets but that blowing them up will not actually come close to harming anyone at the Council of Worlds. They are timed to trigger a security reaction that will wisk the CoW delegates to waiting vehicles to wisk them away.This wisking of the politicians away is what the assassin is waiting for and he'll take his shot as his target is getting into an air car. No one else knows this but the Zenk assassin.
The PCs may discover the bomb locations in an encrypted file on the personal computer terminal at the bomber's apartment (presuming they gain that address from Shin Sting). The personal computer is a level one computer with the following level 1 programs: computer security, information storage and entertainment. They encrypted file is in his photo album under the folder: Vacation Photos. Characters with computer skill that are looking for something may discover this with a LOG check to notice that the file takes up an inordinate ammount of memory. Each picture is an innoccent looking picture of the outside of a location to be bombed. A defeat security roll must be made to decrypt each photograph (3 in all) to see the encrypted files hidden within or "behind" the photos. The encrypted files show floor plans and where to hide the bombs.
Founders Day, The Inevitable
Should the PCs manage to intercept all three bombs and/or catch the bomber in the act, Founder's Day will still go forward as planned by its organizers and the Investors Master Mind. The Zenk assassin is very patient and will wait with his bead on the targets air limo and still attempt to kill him.This is where each referee has a choice; they can modify the adventure to allow the PCs to catch everyone involved or allow the plot to succeed in killing the politician and Dak Dollo being appointed to the Finance Commitee. The Investor's master mind will go on to more plots and could become a long running shadowy foil in the background of the campaign.
The events of Founder's Day; bomb plots, sabotage plots, and riots will likely cause the Council of Worlds to adjourn the session without a final vote on the bill. Even if the assassination does not go forward another plot to kill the chief politician could during the recess. Dak Dollo will almost certainly be put on the Finance Committee if a vacancy on it opens up suddenly. During the new session he'll be able to tie up the bill or pull its teeth.
Consequences for the Conspirators
The Zenk participants will either get off through the activities of highly paid lawyers or through escaping and disappearing.
The FFF and SDC members who are captured will likely end up in jail for their activities. Some of them may harbor bitterness against the PCs and will likely make cryptic threats.
The ARP members will, at most, get a slap on the wrist for interfering with an arrest but despite any other charges they will get off. Anna Che will go on to denounce the organization the PCs work for in the strongest terms even suggesting that the events of Founder's Day were a government plot.
The Investor is pretty much teflon; nothing should end up sticking to him.
Dak Dollo stands to lose everything if he's caught. In the aftermath, evidence that fingers him as the master mind will be found on his computer and it will be very convincing. He'll go on about a shadowy figure and wild stories but no one will buy them. In the end he'll commit suicide in prison. That is if he's caught.