Good Dragonstar Adventures?

[Chris Tavares]

So I've started running a Dragonstar campaign, and I've been writing the adventures myself so far, and it's generally falling flat. So I'd like to get some more professionally written stuff to help take the load off.

I've got Raw Recruits, but I can't use most of it since the players are based on a space station in the middle of nowhere. I've done the "explore the abandoned habitat" thing already, so those pieces of Raw Recruits I can use will need to wait for a little bit so I don't repeat myself.

The current setup is that the players are a security team on an out-of-the-way space station orbiting a mining colony. I have a pilot who makes darn sure that she's always at her ship, and then complains whenever the party does anything that doesn't involve her flying somewhere. I've got a rogue computer hacker who hasn't given me any subplots to work with, a former legionnaire who just wants to kill things, and two soulmechs who spend most of their time playing the "everything you can do I can do better" game.

So, anyone else got suggestions for good adventures to steal from? Any system? And anyone got any suggestions for taking fantasy adventures and rebalancing them for this motley bunch?

My DM'ing mojo is looking pretty weak right now. Any suggestions?

 

[Omega Lord]

Well first off, welcome to the boards. Secondly, for a great dragonstar community go to jojostarfinder.net. Its a small community but very supportive.

[shameless self plug] Perhaps this mining station could have a run in with a small scout ship. This scout ship contains a being whose species they cannot determine, however it is very similar to humans. This traveler initially seems merely eccentric, however after a few run ins with him it is apperent that he has strange powers (psionics) and has access to even stranger technology (psitech, see my posts at jojo's for a few ides ). The PC's find out that he is an advance scout of a large intersteallar empire (the crystal empire) whos sole purpose is to bring down the draconic system of government and establish a repiblic. The PC's could either help this mysterious traveler (perhaps by joining him, perhaps by pointing the way to the nearest rebel cell), or they could do the "right" thing and report him to the authorities. [/shameless self plug]

really that story idea could be adapted to a rebel cell type adventure, but I like plugging my own material . Good luck man!

 

[Kamard]

out that he is an advance scout of a large intersteallar empire (the crystal empire) whos sole purpose is to bring down the draconic system of government and establish a repiblic.

Huh? Why would someone from an empire want to establish a republic.

heh...

Here is a thought. Introduce a bunch of new soulmechs to the station. Once they are there, have all the systems of said station start going haywire. Make it seem excessively related- like the soulmechs brought a computer problem with them.

But they didn't, of course, that would be too easy.

Anyway, this computer glitch starts affecting the soulmechs. Thus giving you a ton of NPCs who need to be subdued by Legionnaire boy. Finally, Bobo the Real Villain tries to escape in his ship, and Pilot Boy has to catch him and kill him, or what have you.

Anyway, thats just playing up to your party's hooks.

 

[Omega Lord]

Huh? Why would someone from an empire want to establish a republic.

Unless I'm mistaken, an empire dosent neccisarily mean a monarchy. I.e. the roman empire was not always a monarchy. Besides I like "The Crystal Empire" rather than "the confederation of psionic worlds" . And besides its my world .

Like I said there are a few good adventure ideas at jojo's.

 

[Kesh]

If you're on a space station, just crib a few episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine or Babylon 5. There's plenty of interesting stories to be made when you're trapped in a big tin can in space.

So, a few ideas:

• Invasion - Something is trying to infiltrate the station. It could be Mind Flayers, convincing people they aren't there... pirates hacking the computers to steal materials out of the cargo bay... puppeteers (d20 Modern) trying to gain control of the command staff... etc.
• Isolation - For some reason, no ship can enter the station's space. The characters have to deal with panic as people wonder when their next food shipment will come in, how they'll get home, etc.
• Accident - A sensor malfunctions and traps people behind an airtight bulkhead. Oops. How well do they get along when stuck together in cramped space for hours, cut off from the outside?
• Lawyers - Someone sues the characters for property damage (hey, they're adventurers, right? ).
• Politics - A diplomatic envoy is on the station, and asks a favor of the characters. Or, someone is plotting to kill/kidnap/embarass/blackmail the diplomat, which would be disasterous for the characters.
• Lost Love - Someone the characters previously thought dead shows up on the station. This could be good, or very, very bad... especially if necromancers are involved.

 

[Chris Tavares]

Thanks for the suggestions, folks. I'll keep trying.

I'm going to try running them through "Of Sound Mind" first. It should be fairly easy to translate to a mining colony, and I don't really care if the pilot has nothing to do - she's annoying like this in every game she's in. After that, I'll take the other suggestions and see what I can do.

Oh that, and my other idea - Meenlocks in the air ducts. Gotta do that one.

Thanks again,

-Chris

 

[paqman]

Banewaren.

I am actually playing the banewarren with my DS group and they seem to enjoy it a lot.

They also are from a space station but the station is orbiting a planet that has a semi fantastic society (Incorporated in the Empire 30 years ago).

The banewarren is threatening the entire star system, but what is worse, I decided to continue the Idea of the space station with portals in each of the dragon empire and added one station to the effective up and down of the empire. And the place where my players are is exactly to the up of the imperial seat but considered the outer rim nonetheless. The station is connected to the 11 others and is thus an open door to the rest of the Galaxy. If anything ever escapes the banewarren(be it monster, sickness or curse) it has the potential of infecting the entire galaxy.

The stakes are much higher like this.

In your case you said it is a mining colony, what if this colony was an ancient world that had been destroyed by some magical holocaust and the Spire and the banewarren had survived and somehow been opened by and organization... like the ISPD looking for evil artifacts. (I also implicated the ISPD, they fit in so well)

Anyway, Banewarren is a module by www.MonteCook.com, check it out and look at the forum over there, it might help you decide if it could be interested.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Many classic "non-dragonstar" adventures still fit to it.

I will ("in 4 levels") attempt to run "If Thoughts Could Kill" (Malhavoc Press). I think the adventure needs extremely few changes. (Basically, only the weapons and maybe spellware)

For the Pilot:
Remember, that pilots do not automatically have to fly starships. Let him drive a car


Mustrum Ridcully

 

[Chris Tavares]

Whoops! I meant "Of Sound Mind"

I have both adventures. I recently picked up "MindScapes" as well, so I guess I just have Malhavoc on the brain.

I also have a copy of the Banewarrens - I agree, it would fit pretty well. My characters need to gain about 10 levels first, though. I just hope I can keep the campaign fun long enough to get there. It's not off to the greatest start.

 

[paqman]

I don't know if you are talking about Banewarren but it starts at 6th level.

It takes the players from 6th to 11th.