Pirates... of the Phlogiston!

[Sound of Azure]

Coming to a network near you!

A few of my friends' gaming addiction has gotten so bad that they've asked me to run something for the group. I figured it would be a lot easier on everyone to have a casual style game, not too serious, and full of action... a lot like the swashbuckling movies my circle of friends tends to love.

Eventually, I settled on the idea of using a Spelljammer-esque setting featuring the PCs as early explorers/plunderers in their campaign's local "space" region. I might also have them have some kind of catastrophy (it's a gnome ship, after all ) and have them flung far away from their world, and have the emphasis be on trying to get home instead. I haven't decided yet.

I thought it be a good chance to try out a TV-show type format for my games, since I can easily riff off of themes inherent in shows like Star Trek, Farscape, or Battlestar Galactica. My fingers are crossed for good ratings!

Anyhow, I thought it might be useful to ask the great minds of ENWorld about potential "episode" plots or interesting locations, cultures or encounters that I could use or adapt. All ideas are welcome, even if it's just a line or two.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Piratecat]

Aha! Have you seen Green Ronin's "Spaceship Zero," or read the brilliant storyhour "Q-Ship" by Capellan? All TV show, all the time!

 

[Sound of Azure]

Aha! Have you seen Green Ronin's "Spaceship Zero," or read the brilliant storyhour "Q-Ship" by Capellan? All TV show, all the time!

No, but I'm certainly going to have a look. Cheers!

 

[Klaus]

Go watch Disney's totally underrated "Treasure Planet". It's Spelljammer + Eberron + Treasure Island. And it rocks.

On toast.

 

[Ry]

I'd put it in the astral plane (I mean, make the astral plane into spelljammer - black space and stars and such).

Somehow my players find that less goofy than regular spelljammer.

And Githyanki make for great recurring villains.

 

[Sound of Azure]

Go watch Disney's totally underrated "Treasure Planet". It's Spelljammer + Eberron + Treasure Island. And it rocks.

On toast.

I remember being initially doubtful about that movie when it came out, but I enjoyed it lot. It'll be fun to re-wtch. Thanks for the tip!

I'd put it in the astral plane (I mean, make the astral plane into spelljammer - black space and stars and such).

Somehow my players find that less goofy than regular spelljammer.

And Githyanki make for great recurring villains.

I can see that, yeah. Spelljammer is just acting as the overall premise (ie "D&D in space"), not the true setting. I haven't used Githyanki in ages, great idea!

Since the PCs will actually be physically in the Astral, they're not at risk from Githyanki silver swords are they? Do you have ideas of a suitable replacement? They're probably not really needed though.

Thanks for responding!

 

[Piratecat]

Like Ryan, I dislike the idea of moving through space - but I totally dig the concept of sailing the astral, using color pools to raid individual prime material planes. I think that's awesome.

Imagine if the astral had shipping lanes, where it's simply faster for people and ships to travel. That'd make piracy really likely, and extremely fun.

 

[Ry]

I wouldn't use the silver swords thing: it's too save-or-die for my tastes.

Of course, Githyanki still use magical, silver swords. But the whole astral cord thing doesn't do it for me.

 

[Stormborn]

Well, if you really dont mind "borrowing" heavily from TV:

Episode 1: Have players make a PC for either a pirate vessel or for a heavily armed merchant ship. In the first session run them against each other, using NPCs to fill out the crew of the two small ships. In the midst of their conflict, preferably when the two ships are connected, a sudden color pool opens up and zips them to an unknown and uncharted region of space. In the process massive damage is done to the two ships and all (or almost all) the NPCs die. The two crews quickly realize that if either is to survive they must work thogether (tell the players ahead of time that the two crews will eventually be mingled to avoid problems), possibly to survive an encounter with some nasty astral-space dwelling creatures that attack the ship(s). If there are any roles on the ship that no PC wants to play they can be NPC survivors - or you can have filling those roles be part of early 'missions.' The two ships are cannabalized to make something that can limp along and reach a trading out post on a floating landberg.

Episode 2: Heavy on RP as the new crew deals with each other and interacts with the inhabitants of the station. Now is time to fill those vital roles that no one wants to play. Need an X? Encounter one on the station, begging all passers by for help. His/her/its child/spawn/mate/friend has been captured by a well known group of slaver-thugs and is getting ready to sell it to a slave ship. There are no real laws here and so noone else will do anything about it without pay, which the poor X doesnt have. He will, however, agree to serve the ship faithfully if they will at least try and rescue the slave-to-be. In the end they might free several slaves, all of whom are willing and able to join the crew and be deck washers, cooks, and other suitable NPC type jobs.

Episode 3: Having made enemies of the slavers the PCs are unaware when, en route to a station that is said to have better maps that might help them get home, they are attacked. Big ship battle, boarding parties, the usual stuff. If they survive they just get deeper in trouble with the slavers.

Episode 4: The PC's ship needs Y. NPCs can make several suggestions for a source of Y and the 'crew' has to decide how they are going to get it. Give them options that are difficult but ultimately good and ones that are easier but evil. From here they can begin deciding what they want to be -pirates or travelers.

Future Episode Ideas:

- Great Space Race! Prizes! Intrigue! Hot Alien Babes/Hunks!
- The ship takes on passangers who are not what they seem.
-The crew arent the only ones who have been hurled into this region. Old enemies from home make an apperance.
- Something came aboard at that last stop and is stalking the crew.
-The ship is captured and forced to fight in a war they do not understand.
- Fat merchant ships are ripe for that attack. Are the PCs hired to protect the convoy or do they raid it themselves?

Races:

The Forsaken - a 'race' made of sentient undead (awakened zombies) that travel in vast rune carved stone obalisks fueled by soul energy. Mostly the simply collect dead bodies to add members but some lich-captains attack others to gain crew. Their 'engines' are ghosts.

'Forged - Sentient constructs made by an ancient race for a war that is long over. Now they wander space looking for any surviving members of the Makers as well as a place they can call home. Generally LN, a small sect has grown to hate organic beings and is decidedly LE.

Mi-go- Humanoid shaped fungal colonies that thrive on learning. The source for the best items, but at prices possibly too high to pay.

Klix - No one can pronounce the words of their langauage so they just call them 'klix' for the sound they make. Use stats for Faen from UE but make them insectoid. The members of their race that can commuicate are special Ambassador or Explorer (theones that have metamophesized to have wings) caste individuals that can function away from the hive mind of the colony.

 

[Ry]

If you're doing the astral, one of the ports could be in the Sunless Sea