 September 23, 2012 - 6:12pm | After reading a thought provoking series of articles here I have been making some changes in the way I am running my campaign with my kids. I am trying to make our SF campaign a lot more character driven than what I ever used to. This is up to and including having my kids use a couple of different PCs that can adventure in different parts of the frontier along a similar timeline to have them participate in the larger story arch from a few different angles. For example, my kids primary PCs joined the Clarion Royal Marines for a 1-year enlistment, took on the White Light Pirates, then were temporarily attached to a UPF rescue mission when some CRM scientists attached to the Volturnus expedition wound up missing. After completing the Volturnus series, they returned to White Light as heroes, and after a couple of tendays - the Osprey was sent to find out what happened in the Waller Nexus system with the Eleanor Moraes... So in the course of a year in-game they have done a few different series - from White Light to Volturnus to Beyond the Frontier. Ok, here's where the next 'layer' comes in... I will eventually have some exploration beyond the frontier down past Liberty and the Waller Nexus. So while the Osprey was in transit to Mahg Mahr, I had my kids make up a couple of science and tech heavy characters to be a part of the UPF eploration service and actually play members of the 'Moraes crew during the mutiny. So their PCs make it back to the landing site, and their characters meet each other when the Osprey arrives. So now they can know each other but for the rest of the series I'll let them run their CRM characters. When the Osprey leaves, the Eleanor Moraes will be able to continue to explore, and at a later point I can have these characters go back on the front burner for additional exploration modules. I'm pretty sure at this point no one is going to read this through, but here goes anyways. I don't plan on following the strict frontier timeline in that I want SWII to be a looming threat, and a large campaign story arc. I want for it to be so big, that instead of a board game type of mechanic, I want several groups of characters to participate in different key parts or scenes of the war, so that the kids get a first hand look at the scale of it first hand by playing a role in battles throughout the frontier. One set of characters will be the explorers off the edge of the map, another group will be the kids' first PC's or their main PC's that will have gotten out of the CRM and will be mixing it up in the center of the frontier with some homebrew plot threads based on the PC's backgrounds, meeting Shat Rat, and getting the Gullwind after doing the Dramune Run. A third area I want to cover, and this is the reason for this post, is over near Zebulun. In my campaign, the Rim races have just gotten involved in the frontier at the conclusion of the Sathar attack on Volturnus. The CFM are playing a key role in getting the UPF to make Zebulun a protectorate and have donated large amounts of equipment and resources to the Eorna to help them fight off the corporate vultures, help establish their case for being a candidate for UPF protectorate and help provide security for the rim without the CFM having to fund it. This area is rich with interesting story lines, first meetings and encounters. In my campaign, the Star Devil escaped from Volturnus and is plotting his revenge. The relations between Frontier and Rim are just beginning in earnest, and the first frontier vessels are about to discover the route to Cappella. Plus, when SWII comes, this will be a hot spot for sure. So, ALLLLL that to say, anyone have some adventure seeds to toss my way in that part of the frontier? Here's some potential sources: My kids FAVORITE BAR NONE NPC is on Volturnus right now. He stayed on after the battle of volturnus to find his brother who was lost when the pirates attacked the original expedition. He has decided to help the Eorna as they seem to be worthy, and they helped him find his brother. Another key NPC is a scientist that went through the volturnus series with the PCs and is studying the Eorna. She has a front row seat to the greatest scientific discovery of a lifetime and has good relationships with the Eorna and the PCs. My kids captured the Star Devil's Corvette in their attack on the Sathar Artifact. It was caught up in red tape by the criminals in the Truane's Star government who were working with the pirates, but the PCs took them down with the information they captured in Slave City One. The kids' NPC friend asked if they would be willing to release their claim to the ship to give it to the Eorna so that they could use it for planetary defense. The kids agreed. Some ideas that would be cool to explore: #1. would be the first frontier ship going to the rim. #2. being some part of the Mechanon revolt #3. taking Streel and/or the Star DEvil another peg #4. SWII fighting with the Rim Coalition The Star Devil and SWII are pretty easy, the first ship to go to the rim is a little more tricky. Any thoughts? |
 September 23, 2012 - 7:27pm | Random w00t thoughts!
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September 23, 2012 - 7:29pm | More ideas here; Content of Adventure Writing Forum project Adventure Writing ForumDocument container for project design documents.
My fav is Salvage Ops type adventures where you have to role-play situations, then you go on the adventure to recove x, y and z. When you get back, more role-play. |
 September 23, 2012 - 8:11pm | What you are talking about reminds me in general of what some author's do with their novels having a cast of characters involved in a sweeping story so that the reader may observe that sweeping story through the eyes of those characters. It reminds me specifically of "Red Storm Rising" by Tom Clancy, written when Soviet Russia still existed and predicated on a Soviet non nuclear attempt at WW3, IIRC one Russian General is loosely followed, as well as a handful of American enlisted and officers: an Air Force Staff sgt. weatherman on Ice Land who scoops up a handful of Marines but ends up being the highest ranking individual in the group (easily my favorite character in the book and a lot of fun to watch due to the natural marine attitude toward the Air Force), an enlisted man in tanks in Germany who ends up with battle field promotions to Lt since all the officers in his unit bite the curb, a F17 pilot, the Captian of a new tech destroyer or something or ruther. Any other characters in the book I just dont remember at this time but these characters stood out in my mind and gave you a veiw of the whole of WW3 in Europe. In particular I loved the Air Force Staff sgt. and his adventures with the marines and trying to play spotter for us on Ice Land with a satellite phone after Russian special forces over ran it with hover craft and paratroopers. though the F 17 was still new and shiny and tales of how the F 17 squadrons had been built and maintained in secret still abounded at the time before their big reveal during the first Desert Storm, so I also liked following the pilot on the special missions the F 17 got tasked with penetrating enemy lines and lasing targets for waves of F16s and other stuff that came roaring in and salvoed their ordinance after the f 17s had laser designated their targets. I suppose I wrote all that to recommend the book even though its perhaps a bit dated. But back to the original question: Identify the major story elements of SW2- if memory serves the god-awful Zebs time line has important cultural elements being stolen by sathar agents and sequestored on one of their outposts- since one of these is from Capella that suggest a volturnus connection. and you could have some prequel adventures of the spy/ star law variety and "spies like us" have stuff they do during war too so... it goes without saying you what the the naval element- a captain or such on a frigate or cruiser, perhaps even pilots on a carrier but remember fighters are very fragile PC conveyances. The naval element is certainly a major element of the war so.... Explorers distant from the Frontier might encounter advance elements of the sathar and be the cryptic warning back to the Frontier and perhaps be a significant source of sabotage latter on that ends up, unbeknownst them, have a significant impact on a battle. you have significant ground combat on 1-2 sathar outposts- armored or small unit story there SW1 saw major occupation of UPF worlds but I dont remember if this is the case for SW2 but that would be a dramatic story element, perhaps the worms have unfinished business on Laco and desire to get access to the tetrarch pyramids there. As to the issue of changing history- or departing from the inspired time line: it may not be for everyone on the site but it is right for you to do it in your campaign, because its your campaign. keep us posted. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 23, 2012 - 8:31pm | RE: Mechanon's if you disect the Zebs timeline you get: 25FY The mechanon menace on Volturnus first comes to the UPFs attention, but cannot be dealt with because of the Blue Plague. 54FY The Mechanon Revolt on Volturnus , only through quick action on the part of Star Law is a full scale war averted. 70FY upheaval of the Mechanon civilization on volturnus, peacefull mechanons begin emmigrating 77FY Mechano is discovered and settled by mechanons 105FY altered mechanon assassinates Govenor of Voltunrus 106FY mechanons informed by UPF they are not a stable enough society to join the UPF and that they will be treated as wards of the state. there is a lot of material there for you to mine- you get another volturnus connection for your kids, an on line game I played in ran a mechanon revolt scenario modelled on the movie 55 days to Peking with Chuck Heston. I thought that was pretty good- you had all these mega corp contingents standing in for the various Western powers beseiged during the boxer rebellion as well as some of the primitives (our PCs happened to be employed by the eorna) according to timeline the settlement of Mechano is just prior to SW2 so the players might encounter migrating mechanons Hostile mechanons might be threatening the native races- thus explaining the statement in the entry for 25FY. you could certianly compress the timeline and run a mechanon story ark. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 24, 2012 - 12:45pm | What you are talking about reminds me in general of what some author's do with their novels having a cast of characters involved in a sweeping story so that the reader may observe that sweeping story through the eyes of those characters. That was kinda what I was thinking. It's a big story - I want to give it a sense of scale. |
September 24, 2012 - 12:48pm | there is a lot of material there for you to mine- you get another volturnus connection for your kids, an on line game I played in ran a mechanon revolt scenario modelled on the movie 55 days to Peking with Chuck Heston. I thought that was pretty good- you had all these mega corp contingents standing in for the various Western powers beseiged during the boxer rebellion as well as some of the primitives (our PCs happened to be employed by the eorna) I remember you mentioning this in the Volturnus Revisited project. I finally watched the movie for the first time. Good ideas there. Care to shed any light on other details/background in your 55 days to Volkos campaign? |
September 24, 2012 - 5:13pm | there is a lot of material there for you to mine- you get another volturnus connection for your kids, an on line game I played in ran a mechanon revolt scenario modelled on the movie 55 days to Peking with Chuck Heston. I thought that was pretty good- you had all these mega corp contingents standing in for the various Western powers beseiged during the boxer rebellion as well as some of the primitives (our PCs happened to be employed by the eorna) I remember you mentioning this in the Volturnus Revisited project. I finally watched the movie for the first time. Good ideas there. Care to shed any light on other details/background in your 55 days to Volkos campaign? PCs each took a section of wall of the city of Volkos with assigned troops and had to defend it, there was a fall back position at the city center and kurabunga gliders on a roof top. After some intense fighting we suddenly opted (at referee's insigation for a drive on the mechanon mounds and a huge fire fight there that felt more like the referee cutting to the chase and trying to wrap it up because he may not have planned well. I would start it off with investigating attacks on biologicals by the mechanons but no one knows that the mechanon are doing it at the start and they find this out. An embassy to the mechanons triggers the mechanon revolt this can be role play or a running combat (vehicle chase) to excape the mechanons. one episode of trying to get primitive refugees into the city and having to hold off mechanons. transitioning to seige- various components of corporate security, star law and primitive warrios on sections of the wall., PCs are ready to plug holes when there is a breach. Give them one combat here and have a meeting of minds or leaders to figure a way out and entertain ideas from the kids and let them try one. Ultimately a negotiated settlement needs to be come to an perhaps its Star Law holding a gun to the head o f the mechanon collective or the PCs dealing yet again with the ghost of the eorna who programed the mechanons in the first place- perhaps he's actually been in cryo and is suddenly woken to have a "My god, what have I created moment?" becuase it was is downloaded personality that ran amok and now he helps the PCs to trigger a sub routine in the programing that is a self destruct feature which will let the PC negotiate a settlement with the mechanons. or something along those lines. the mad eorna allows for the PCs to negotiate a cease fire but realizes the destruct routine is dangerous to his creation and after the end of the shooting blows up the computer and himself to protect his children. That gives you an 4-6 episodic mechanon campaign , allows some opportunity for problem solving, role play and a hefty dose of combat. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 24, 2012 - 5:37pm | That gives you an 4-6 episodic mechanon campaign , allows some opportunity for problem solving, role play and a hefty dose of combat. Be honest - you're one of the tetrarchs, aren't you?!? Thanks for the great ideas! I think I'll have my kids play characters that support the favorite NPC - drawing on his relationship with the Eorna in order to work out them being a part of the first frontier people going to Capella. Need to find a simple idea to make it exciting, but nothing too open ended. Afterwards, I'll have them be a part of the Mechanon uprising... Perhaps the Mechanon trying to destroy the nurseries with all the newly hatched Eorna eggs will be a great motivator. |
September 24, 2012 - 9:06pm | Be honest - you're one of the tetrarchs, aren't you?!? Thanks for the great ideas! You're getting warmer. As for lead ins i had toyed with an idea to have someone arming the edestikai with flint locks so as to use them as pawns and they happened to be using the flint locks on the Ulmor because of the Ulmor's propensity to kill their "god" of justice in their manhood ceremonies. this idea would have cast the PCs as a Native Protecitve agency agent. Never envisioned that it could be the mechanons but rather some greedy turd from the Core Four races or a corporate entity. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 October 1, 2012 - 11:01pm | Hmmm... Edestekai with flintlocks... Lots of good ideas flying back & forth here. I also wanted to make my version of SWII a bit bigger, and so I had other events happening around the perimeter of the Frontier at the same time, that affected other campaign groups. I tried to keep it consistent with their presence in the Heliope, Notui & Mhemne systems. It worked out pretty well. Good luck to you, Once! |
