Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

[Mister E]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

Any thoughts about religion? I like God-Brains & Power-Plants.

 

The best thing about psionics in Barsoom was that everyone understood each other. Even animals. I like Beast-Masters.

 

I also like it when they surgically switch brains rather than depend on virtualized/astral psychic-surgery.

[Ian Mackinder]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

A jumble of religions would seem the way to go, considering the circumstances outlined. There were various races and subsets thereof to start with and, given time and all the stuff that has happened , all of their belief systems would have undoubtedly changed, schismed and merged several times over.

[Guest steamteck]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

leigh Brackett's scaith and Mars stuff sounds cut from thedsame cloth as your world also. Highly recomended by me. John Erik Stark s my favorite character of hers. Kind of Tarzan as a mercenary in space.

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

The good thing about a sword and planet setting is that you can just add stuff willy-nilly. You don't have to put the whole thing together all at once, just put together some interesting stuff to get started. When it starts getting a little old, there's an invasion of some new enemy, or the PCs have some reason to go to some strange new area where some weird race/culture rules, or some strange new terrain, or what have you.

 

So if you don't like the mutants now, you can save them for later...they live somewhere else. It's totally in genre, because most of the S&P authors wrote like that.

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

Well, if this ever goes beyond the thought experiment stage (where all too many of my projects stagnate), be sure to post about it. None of the S&P ideas I've ever done have gotten as fleshed out as this already is, sadly enough...

[tkdguy]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

Will do.

[tkdguy]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

Update: I have been considering using the original Traveller system for this campaign (don't fret HERO fans, I'm also thinking of doing a HERO version). For the map of the world, I was thinking of using the map of Volturnus from the Star Frontiers game

 

I found my old copy of an old TSR mini-game, Revolt On Antares, which I had forgotten about. I considered using the map, although it's a bit small and has too much water for such a hot, dry planet like the game world. I'll probably stick to the Volturnus map, but I'll use characters from the Antares game as NPCs.

 

There is an online character generator for Traveller. I don't have Book 4, but I can use some of the careers via the online site. Or I can modify the skills from the original books.

 

Also, I'm thinking of using this star as the planet's sun. Or I can use this one, since I like its medieval name.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

Update: I have been considering using the original Traveller system for this campaign (don't fret HERO fans' date=' I'm also thinking of doing a HERO version). For the map of the world, I was thinking of using the map of Volturnus from the Star Frontiers game

 

I found my old copy of an old TSR mini-game, Revolt On Antares, which I had forgotten about. I considered using the map, although it's a bit small and has too much water for such a hot, dry planet like the game world. I'll probably stick to the Volturnus map, but I'll use characters from the Antares game as NPCs.

 

There is an online character generator for Traveller. I don't have Book 4, but I can use some of the careers via the online site. Or I can modify the skills from the original books.

 

Also, I'm thinking of using this star as the planet's sun. Or I can use this one, since I like its medieval name.

I still have a copy of that game.

This is sounding fairly awesome my friend, and right up my alley. Glad to chime in and help, and if you want to put together a FTF tabletop group I can probably come up with players.

[tkdguy]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

If I ever complete the setting, I'll definitely let you know. Please feel free to share any ideas; input is always welcome.

[tkdguy]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

I just remembered an old issue of Dragon with a Gamma World version of the Morlocks. So I'm thinking, why not Morlocks? The planet was originally a mining colony, so they can be the descendants of miners who decided to live underground.

[tkdguy]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

I just ran a game on the fly tonight with a couple of friends. One played a barbarian captured in battle, the other played a petty criminal who was caught by the authorities. The Overlord of the city-state they were in gave them a choice: go on an expedition for crystals and/or lost technology, or die under the Agony Star. They were dropped off at a cave with some basic supplies and their weapons. They explored a bit. Their flashlights started to give out when they were attacked by Morlocks. After a brief skirmish, the PCs escaped. They made their way to another part of the cave. The criminal found a ray gun and some poor-quality crystals, he didn't tell the barbarian what he found. They crossed a chamber with a lava pit and eventually came upon a cavern with several large crystals. They were able to break a couple of them loose. The criminal found a secret stairway, while the barbarian found an unknown artifact in a hidden alcove. The stairway led to a passage out, although the PCs had a nasty encounter with cave bats (or rather this world's equivalent). They were able to bring the artifact and a couple of crystals with them. Taking refuge for the night in an area with dead trees, the PCs had to fight off the Morlocks a couple of times. A group of soldiers working from a different Overlord found them in the morning and took the PCs to a new city. They got a good price for the crystals they found, but the Overlord confiscated the artifact. That's where we stopped for the night.

[tkdguy]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

A couple of other things to steal. When I was describing the Morlocks, one of the players suggested the mutants from The Omega Man and the atomic bomb worshipers from Beneath the Planet of the Apes.

[Steve]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

The leaders could have telepathic mutations from crystal exposure, I suppose.

[tkdguy]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

That would work. I was using characters from the TSR mini-game "Revolt on Antares" where the heads of the noble houses have special powers.

[Erkenfresh]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

I had a spark of inspiration today just thinking about this cool campaign idea. There could be several reasons the rest of the universe hasn't returned to the planet. But, an interesting one would be quarantine. Everyone else believes the planet has some infestation and nobody would dare to land there, lest they too become part of the quarantine. Or... perhaps this "plague" is simply a rumor created by someone in power. For some reason, that someone has something they want exclusive control over the planet to do. That devious someone is also pulling a lot of strings with the people down on the surface. Maybe one of his most trusted lieutenants is a powerful ruler on the planet.

 

How much would this matter to the players? Let's say the plague is real and they finally get off the planet to go to a better planet. Suddenly their ship is blasted to bits to prevent the spread of disease (you can try but you can't win!). Or in the case the plague isn't real and someone is manipulating affairs on the planet, it could become the plot seed for many adventures, even if the players never understand the true intent behind them. Or will they eventually figure it out? Will they willingly work for the evil mastermind or find a way to rebel against him?

 

Hmm, so many plot seeds here my brain can't keep up...

[tkdguy]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

A plague may be one of the reasons the planet was left abandoned. Maybe it happened in other planets, which is why they couldn't return to the world. Unfortunately, the people living under the Agony Star seem to be planet-bound for now.

[Steve]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

They could have adapted/mutated to require something in the environment to stay healthy. Leave the planet, and you sicken and/or die.

[Christopher]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

I had a spark of inspiration today just thinking about this cool campaign idea. There could be several reasons the rest of the universe hasn't returned to the planet. But, an interesting one would be quarantine. Everyone else believes the planet has some infestation and nobody would dare to land there, lest they too become part of the quarantine. Or... perhaps this "plague" is simply a rumor created by someone in power. For some reason, that someone has something they want exclusive control over the planet to do. That devious someone is also pulling a lot of strings with the people down on the surface. Maybe one of his most trusted lieutenants is a powerful ruler on the planet.

 

How much would this matter to the players? Let's say the plague is real and they finally get off the planet to go to a better planet. Suddenly their ship is blasted to bits to prevent the spread of disease (you can try but you can't win!). Or in the case the plague isn't real and someone is manipulating affairs on the planet, it could become the plot seed for many adventures, even if the players never understand the true intent behind them. Or will they eventually figure it out? Will they willingly work for the evil mastermind or find a way to rebel against him?

 

Hmm, so many plot seeds here my brain can't keep up...

Could it something "too dangerous to be commonly availible"?

Ancient alien tech for example. The Quarantine could be a viabel reason for the Government to have a "Security Detail" in the System.

 

They could have adapted/mutated to require something in the environment to stay healthy. Leave the planet' date=' and you sicken and/or die.[/quote']

Perhaps something about the sun allows you to life with the plague, as longs as you life there.

Maybe some local plant heals/immunizes against the plague, but it also makes you adicted. The people think the withdrawl symptoms are actually a "later phase" of the plague. (stole from Star Trek TNG)

Maybe everone who dies is revived to true life via a virus/nanotech, but that one only works as longs as you are on the planet (this one is from DS9. It also measn immortal PC's).

[Erkenfresh]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

Could it something "too dangerous to be commonly availible"?

Ancient alien tech for example. The Quarantine could be a viabel reason for the Government to have a "Security Detail" in the System.

 

 

Perhaps something about the sun allows you to life with the plague, as longs as you life there.

Maybe some local plant heals/immunizes against the plague, but it also makes you adicted. The people think the withdrawl symptoms are actually a "later phase" of the plague. (stole from Star Trek TNG)

Maybe everone who dies is revived to true life via a virus/nanotech, but that one only works as longs as you are on the planet (this one is from DS9. It also measn immortal PC's).

 

Aww man these are some awesome ideas too. Imagine there's cloaked ships watching the planet, just outside the reach of it's inhabitants, and they are all unaware of their presence. How would this be reflected in gameplay? Perhaps one security ship's cloaking device failed temporarily and was spotted in a telescope. Legends have built up about what it means and worked their way into the belief system...

[Ian Mackinder]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

Aww man these are some awesome ideas too. Imagine there's cloaked ships watching the planet' date=' just outside the reach of it's inhabitants, and they are all unaware of their presence. How would this be reflected in gameplay? Perhaps one security ship's cloaking device failed temporarily and was spotted in a telescope. Legends have built up about what it means and worked their way into the belief system...[/quote']

 

If it is an ongoing quarantine, likely to be mostly satellites and/or stations rather than ships, I reckon.

[Steve]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

You could have one or more AIs overseeing the quarantine, an orbital pantheon.

[tkdguy]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

I was talking to one of the players yesterday. He pointed out that the other player isn't familiar with pulp science fiction, so he has no point of reference to go by if I'm trying to get this type of feel for the campaign. He suggested I do a city adventure, or something that would show how the world is like.

[Christopher]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

If it is an ongoing quarantine' date=' likely to be mostly satellites and/or stations rather than ships, I reckon.[/quote']

The they would still need so short range attack drones to pre-emt any attack or pursue fleeing people.

 

If you go the A.I.-Platform approach, maybe this is a derelict/wild system*?

Maybe it was installed by aliens thousands of years ago. Maybe the goverment who installed it collapsed and it wasn't important enough for others to step in or shut it down.

Or mabye it is some sort of "space pest" that attacks everything in thier "turf" and made the planets orbit to their nesting place.*

 

*these Idea are take from the game "Sword of the Stars". There are are several random encounters when exploring, inlcuding:

Asteriod Monitor (a giant asteriod/battlestation with automatic weapons).

Derelict (a unmaneuverable alien ship, shooting on everything that moves too close).

Attack Drones (old mining drones that went wild or rather modern "colony traps" from a long spacefaring civilisation).

Swarm (a sort of "Nest" of space insects, attackign anything in space on sight).

[Erkenfresh]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

You could have one or more AIs overseeing the quarantine' date=' an orbital pantheon.[/quote']

 

What would happen if those AI's went a little haywire or became sentient? How would they begin to interfere with the surface of the planet? If the party finds a way off the planet, can they find a way to overcome or outsmart the AI security?

[Christopher]

Re: Under the Agony Star: a sword and planet campaign

 

What would happen if those AI's went a little haywire or became sentient? How would they begin to interfere with the surface of the planet? If the party finds a way off the planet' date=' can they find a way to overcome or outsmart the AI security?[/quote']

What if the system is not only in orbit? Or if the system had different A.I.'s with different weapons/abilities?

I could easily make the big three of Greek Mythology:

Maybe one is very good at using flashy orbital Weaponry (mimking Zeus), one is able to controll the weather and water (Poseidon), while one is able to produce earthquakes (Hades).