Burst of Insight—2021 New Year, New Prompts

Well we’re almost a month into 2021 and I haven’t rolled a die in a game yet. Depressing thought, I know, fortunately I have projects and gaming blogs to keep my gaming mind occupied. With that in mind I thought we’d jump right into some science fantasy prompts.

 

  • Garabb is a doppelganger and an Identity thief who takes not only passwords and account records but also mimics full biometrics allowing them total access to their target’s holdings. Recently, Garabb impersonated a key member of a powerful corporate board. Shortly after cleaning out the target’s accounts they were approached by a shadowy figure asking Garabb to continue impersonating the board member. Garabb knows something very strange is going on and is becoming more and more nervous. Slipping their handlers for a few hours Garabb in a previous guise contacts the PCs. Garabb hires them forcibly extract Garabb’s current identity from the corporate compound. Just after the meeting Garabb turns himself back into his handlers berating them for abandoning him.
  • Tanner is a halfling star-yacht racer and a one-time friend of the PCs. While on a time trial, He picked up an unusual anomaly along the race route. Afterward every night since he’s dreamt of something pushing its way through the anomaly into this universe. He’s made two sweeps of the of the race route and hasn’t found any sign of the anomaly but the dreams become more and more vivid and urgent. Finally, after several sleepless nights and a mysteriously vanished racer Tanner reaches out to the PCs certain a terrible alien force is pushing into this universe.
  • The PCs take in the sights, aromas, and exotic wares a forbidden market in a wandering asteroid while searching for [what they require for the current story] one of the PCs discovers an ancient stone puzzle box with silver inlay resembling a circuit board. The box literally speaks to the PC offering up the wealth of its contents if only the PC purchase it and take it away far away from the market. Note: Have a plan for if the PC take the stone box and if they leave it behind.

Andrew Marlowe

placed in the Top 16 of RPG Superstar in 2012 and 2014, one of the few contestants to get that far in the competition twice. Since then, he has contributed to many Paizo and third party Pathfinder products, including one of the network’s favourite releases in the Pathfinder Player Companion line, the Dirty Tactics Toolbox. Every other Tuesday, he will be sharing his Burst of Insight, with design tips for would-be game designers from a decorated freelancer.