Classic Traveller Adventure 02 Research Station Gamma with (mostly) THW Future Tales

Introduction

I am back to running the Classic Traveller adventures. I have previously done Kinunir's four scenarios but got side tracked.  I am using my Two Hour Wargames Future Tales  based rules and a spreadsheet to run the games and generate the narrative.  But it is more Traveller based than previously. I have added some dialogue and deleted some content from the generated narrative but otherwise have barely changed the spreadsheet’s output.

Chapter 1 - What's next?

The story begins on Vanejen during the late hours on 300-1106 with the team in the Plantation located in the Settlements area of the rural zone.  The team leader is Ta-ebte with the other members being Sariah Huffman, Douglas Larson and Aweil. The starting tension is low.

Ta-ebte is a calm Bwap male scientist from lnthe with average characteristics. Attributes are Crack Shot Brawler. They are armed with a laser pistol.

Sariah Huffman is an appreciative human female manufacturing worker from Dinornn with average characteristics. Attributes are Medical Investigative. They are armed with a knife.

Douglas Larson is a disagreeable human male hospitality worker from Knorbes with average characteristics. They are armed with a laser pistol and a knife.

Aweil is an agreeable Aslan male soldier from Vanejen with higher than average characteristics. Attributes are Brawler. They are armed with a big slug pistol and power claw.

Vanejen is an Imperial planet located in the Spinward Marches in the backwater cluster in the Rylanor subsector. It is a normal sized world with a breathable atmosphere, some water and is at a agreeable temperature. The tech level is similar to 17th-19th C, population is average and the law level has low restrictions. The government is based on monarchy with a socialist society and a rich economy based on agriculture and industry. It has fuel and repair facilities and no military bases.

In a bar the group listen to Chiree, a Chirpie, about how he has escaped from a prison by jumping into its surrounding icy waters. Some of his nest-mates are still there with terrible experiments planned for them. The team need to rescue the nest-mates. Chiree joins the party.

This is the introduction to the adventure.  The last paragraph above is a summary from the  adventure book.
PCs are randomly generated.  I do have a conversion formula to map the characters and skills back into Classic Traveller (Books 1-3):

Ta-ebte, Scientist 6A8888 Cr2000

Brawling-2 Blade Combat-2 Gun Combat-2. laser pistol

Sariah Huffman, Manufacturing Worker A68886 Cr1000

Medical-3 Administration-2. knife

Douglas Larson, Hospitality worker 8A8886 Cr5000.

laser pistol, knife

Aweil, Soldier A8ADD8 Cr2000

Brawling-2 Blade Combat-2. big slug pistol, power claw cloth

This is useful for mapping adventure characters and tasks into spreadsheet tasks.

Chapter 2 - Find an Object - location of prison

The band of travellers need to find an object - location of the prison. To do this the travellers need to travel to the rural settlements area. Inwardly, the team have no misgivings about the task. Prior to considering this challenge, it seems the band may need to weather a lot of possible difficulties along the way.

It is evening in the settlement's loading docks. No one is around but it is not surprising considering the lack of anything around here of note. In these whereabouts a problem crops up for the group. The group come across four people that they have seen before in the bar. The leader is Ailorl, a disagreeable Aslan police officer.  The band have authorities interfering with progress and converse.  The authorities are looking for a group with a Chirpie. Ta-ebte seeks to settle the issue with higher than average know-how. Ta-ebte ends up in non-committal small talk as Chiree cannot be seen with them.

During the daytime in the Park the journeyers skirt a complication.

It is evening in the settlement's street. The lights flicker as though poorly maintained and act as a comment on the current state of society. While in this location trouble occurs for the party. The travellers cross with six people. The leader is Jamison Cummings, an introverted male human smuggler. They note that Jamison has weird teeth.

The travellers are believed to be stalked or hunted by Jamison’s band and chat. Ta-ebte endeavours to settle the matter with high expertise. Ta-ebte becomes friends and gain information that will assist with the next task.

It is early hours in the settlement's offices. The hustle and bustle of urban life is most obvious all around with movement of people, robots and vehicles. Aweil is drumming their fingers. Finally the party are ready for the undertaking to find the location of the prison. The band of travellers uncover the location.

Two things covered here – the adventure suggests a meeting with authorities looking for Chiree, and also implied is that part of the adventure is also finding out where the research station actually is. I considered adding in t rumours as per the book but elected not too as it would not significantly benefit the story as I am running it.

Chapter 3 - Question a person of interest about acquiring transport

To come closer to the goal involves the band of travellers to acquire transport. To do this the crew need to travel to the rural light industrial area. The team are mentally well rested. Ahead of the challenge, it seems the band may need to weather a few possible difficulties along the way.

It is early hours in the light industrial's warehouse. The large warehouses go on and on.  Never-ending and soulless. While in this location a difficulty arises to deal with.

The band of travellers are confined by tight spaces while navigating the warehouses. Ta-ebte seeks to settle the issue with higher than average capability. Ta-ebte could not get past the barrier and is wounded.

It is daytime in the light industrial's street. Bulk carrier vehicles are in abundance taking and receiving loads. Douglas is chewing something. The team are now able to brave the test to question a person of interest about acquiring transport. The group see one person that they have met before. The leader is Ia, a calm male Aslan mercenary. It stands out amongst the rest in that Ia has visible battle scars. Sariah Huffman is haggling with Ia. Sariah attempts for a favourable outcome with average proficiency.  Sariah successfully negotiates the exchange.

The team have a submersible!

Once knowing where to go, the team need to acquire transport, the best is submersible and the lessor choice would be by air.  If they scored well, they got a submersible, not so well aircraft.

Chapter 4 - Find the nest-mates

To fulfilling the goal requires the party to find the nest-mates. To do this the team need to travel to the barren coastal area. The team arrive uneventfully at the station in the Barren area via submersible. The pressure to complete is starting to weigh the team down. Before facing this challenge, it seems the gang may need to overcome several possible complications along the way.

It is daytime in the station's entrance.  On this occasion a problem crops up for the team.  They need to get into the station. Ta-ebte could not beat the hazard. Sariah overcomes the hazard. failed to endure the hazard. Aweil could not beat the hazard.  Chiree could not beat the hazard. The group are in the station, albeit mostly wounded.

It is daytime in the stations offices and labs.  Sariah is biting their fingernails. The band are ready for the test to see if they can solve the puzzle of what is being researched. The party struggle to fathom the puzzle. Ta-ebte attempts to resolve the task with low ability. Ta-ebte solves the puzzle (!) and gains an understanding of what is the purpose of Research Station Gamma.

The travellers chance on one security robot, Iqip. A confrontation occurs. They open fire at the security robot who fires back at them all. Ta-ebte confronts Iqip and disables it. Sariah Huffman also faced Iqip. Sariah is injured. Douglas is hit badly, is out of the fight and is dead. Aweil versus Iqip but both miss. The robot, believing it job done, elects to leave the fight.

It is now early hours in the stations' vault room.  Sariah is tapping their fingers. At last the party are ready for the undertaking to open the vault. The group seek to open the vault. Aweil endeavours to settle the matter with higher than average talent. Aweil manages to easily solve the puzzle and the vault opens - Cr123,000 is discovered inside!

The team attempts to bypass the robots so they can continue. Aweil leads the way and is successful but is wounded in the process.

It is late hours in one of the globes and the group steer clear of a complication that could have arose with an animal in the fog in one of the globes.

The band of travellers come upon five people in a globe. The leader is Quinton Steele, a closed-minded male human labourer. Ta-ebte tackles discussion with determination with higher than average ability. Ta-ebte ends up in non-committal small talk.  The party leave the globe open and move on.

It is late hours in the station globe area.  Ta-ebte is getting animated while making a point. At last the group are now able to brave the test to find the nest-mates. The group uncover the globe with the nest mates.

The band find time to rest and recuperate. There are medical skills to help. Ta-ebte needs to recover and is now all fine.  Sariah Huffman needs to recover but is badly injured and is no longer able to continue with the team.  Sarah is dropped off at the settlement to recover.  Aweil needs to recover and is now all fine.  Chiree needs to recover and remains carrying an injury.

This chapter covers getting into the station and the various encounters.  It is a bit like a dungeon crawl so just selected the “rooms”/globes of interest and did a task for each.  And there is a possibility of robot encounters and the party managed to get one of those.  They never encountered the professor.  I did not list the research being conducted – you will need to read the adventure for that.

 Chapter 5 - Question a person of interest about returning neat-mates

To achieving the whole purpose calls for the gang to question a person of interest about returning nest-mates. To do this the party need to travel to the rural rough area.

While travelling between areas, the team are accosted by a single military enemy, Danna Larson, a thoughtless female human thief. It was not obvious at first, but Danna has a complete lack of hair. A confrontation occurs. Danna’s idea is to intimidate, not kill. They shoot as they are rushed by Danna

Ta-ebte goes up against Danna Larson. Ta-ebte is out of the fight. Aweil deals with Danna Larson. Aweil has a extremely high savvy and is armed with a big slug pistol. Danna falls in a heap to the ground and out of the fight. Ta-ebte recovers and the team quit the fight.

It is daytime by the Rough's Lake.  Ta-ebte is talking slowly due to his injuries. At last the group are ready for the challenge to question a person of interest about returning nest-mates.

The team contact Dhale, a thoughtful male Chirpie tribesperson. Aweil interviews Dhale. Aweil gives it their best shot with their high talent. Aweil successfully obtains some information from Dhale. Aweil is presented with a gold coin with a human on it.

This covers leaving the station and returning Chiree and the nest mates to their village.  The party did not successfully get all coins, just the one.

Verdict

Running the adventure in the spreadsheet worked out mostly well. I am happy with how it managed to run with Research Station Gamma.  I have modified some of the generated output to be a little more random.  Next up is Twilight’s Peak.  I considered Shadows/Annic Nova next but let us go into the deep end – Twilight’s Peak is different to Research Station Gamma and Kinunir in how it is laid out to play.  I will play a few more adventures before I tackle the one I am completely unfamiliar with – The Traveller Adventure.