Introduction

This time around, I’m diving into the opening quest for this adventure that I’m creating. There are some big questions that I come across as I worked on the outline, that I don’t quite have answers to yet, but I will definitely need some answers before I can write out the entire quest. Some of these include the name of the planet that the adventure will be taking place on (and all of the associated planet information that will be needed!). I’m also avoiding using any of Paizo’s Intellectual Property to the best of my ability. This quickly made me realize that I needed to replace the agency that Player Characters work for, because it can not be the Starfinder Society. I like the alliteration that comes with Starfinder Society, so I tried my best to do that as well. I ended up landing on: Astronomical Adventurers, but if any of my readers has some interesting ideas feel free to leave a comment here or reach out to me on KD’s Discord Server!

There are some things that I will be doing once all 5 quests are complete that are typically seen in a Quest Pack, and that is putting together the overall summary of all of the Quests and a plane

Adventure Requirements

In the last installment, I went into the requirements of the entire adventure, but this time I needed to dig into the structure of the first quest. 

• Ensure that there is a social encounter with a variety of available skill checks
  • Likely not as robust as a full social encounter in a Society Scenario, but plenty of opportunity to show off different skills
• Give a benefit for doing really well in the social encounter when Gang members come
• Remember, combat in this portion is not the focus, so it doesn’t need to be a tough fight
  • Have the Raktavarna Rakshasa in the combat portion
• Give PCs a chance to identify Raktavarna before it ‘engages’ them.
  • Identify it as a Raktavarna at some point
• Technical: Should have a Setup, Summary, Getting Started sections

Outline

Just as last time, you’ll see that I have shared my hand-written outline with some of my non-linear thoughts included. I also had forgotten some of the decisions I made in my overarching outline so some things will be changed here to account for that. For instance, in my hand-written Overview Outline, I referred to the location as a colony, but in my final outline I had adjusted it to be larger than a colony, more like a small city. This will remind me to look at my final previous outlines when I begin working on the next stage of outlines! 

• Quest Name: TBD
• Planet
  • Name, Qualities: TBD, likely to be used as dressing, as opposed to hazard
• City Details
  • Name: TBD
  • Size: Small City, going through financial decline
  • Ruling Body: Council of City Leaders
• Organization Assigning Mission: Astronomical Adventurers
  • Briefer will be an Iruxi/Lizardfolk (check if Iruxi is IP as opposed to Lizardfolk)
    • Iruxi/Lizardfolk not a Race yet in Starfinder, consider for future creation?
    • Name & Description: TBD
• Setup/Background of Quest #1 
  • Team has been sent by Astronomical Adventurers to discuss terms with Council
    • Planet thought to have been uninhabited in its history
      • Discovered Artifacts & Records in a mine recently
        • Hints to an underground civilization that might have stopped just before the surface for some reason
  • Colony has fallen on hard times due to market price of ‘space ore’ bottoming out 8 months ago
    • RakTech Endeavors behind this manipulation
    • PCs can learn that this market price drop is unprecedented and is peculiar through Profession (Corporate, Accounting, etc…) or a higher DC Culture or Physical Science check
  • Dandasuka Rakshasa named [TBD] is working for RakTech Endeavors [name subject to change]
    • Infiltrated local gang, killed the gang boss -> Dandasuka is imitating boss
  • Gang has increased harassment of city leaders & citizens
    • Gang expresses want a cut of city mining profits
    • Wants a controlling say in city governance
    • Filled with disenfranchised miners
• Summary
  • PCs will arrive on Planet taking 1 of 2 ship choices
    • Need to design these two ships or reskin Drake & Pegasus from Starfinder Society -> Look into IP of the stat blocks?
      • Place in appendix of adventure 
      • PCs will discuss with the Council being able to safely and respectfully explore the found artifacts and records by demonstrating a 
        variety of skills and knowledges
        • This will be interrupted by the appearance of a number of gang members
  • The Gang will include the Raktavarna Rakshasa, hidden on one of the members
  • Afterwards the Council requests help with the gang problem as they fear they may have to accept a predatory loan from RakTech, likely putting them essentially in control
• Getting Starting
  • Mission Briefing by Iruxi handler -> looking to start a good relationship with the council, etc.
  • Allow Culture/Diplomacy on Planet & Colony
    • Give relevant info on market crash at 20+
    • 15+ gives brief history of city
    • 10+ gives planet info and primary export of city (space ore)
  • The PCs will land
    • Describe as what was once obviously vibrant communities as now on the edge of disrepair and faded
• Meeting the Council
  • The council has 6 members (none currently named)
    • A female kasatha -> the City’s Administrator
    • A male human -> Mining Union Rep
    • A female human -> Tech/Business Lead 
    • A male patra -> City’s Protector (an original colonist that used to scout)
    • A host shirren -> BioTech Augmentation to have Sing Song-y voice -> Head of Gaming & Entertainment
      • Highly interested in a tourism angle with the relics 
    • A maraquoi -> in charge of logistics 
      • Worried about ecological impact of increased searches for Relics & Artifacts
      • Does not want to become a ‘Company Town’
  • Skill Challenge (Keep shorter than a full scenario skill challenge)
    • Have each PC perform 1 or 2 checks each (including aids)
      • Life Science, Physical Science, Engineering, Profession(science)
        • Show capable of studying the things found
      • Athletics, Acrobatics, Survival, Profession(construction, mining)
        • Show capable of surviving the environments & doing the hard work
      • Culture, Medicine, Profession(doctor, performer, gambler)
        • Show can provide other skills to help the city grow beyond the mining industry
• Gang Members Arrive
  • Gang arrives, demanding 40% of the city’s income AND no less than ⅚ seats on the council. 
  • If PCs got 4/5/6 successes in Social Above -> Council will provide Harrying Fire to 1 enemy per round
  • If PCs got 6/7/8 success -> Council ALSO provides Covering Fire to first PC attacked in a round
  • Low Tier: Raktavarna + 3 CR 1 Thugs
  • High Tier: Raktavarna + 3 CR 3 Thugs
  • 4 Player Adjustment -> Thugs are sickened from exposure to ‘space ore at main hideout
  • The Raktavarna will ‘activate’ if the wearer of it is attacked in melee or when it is being picked up by the PCs — make sure it activates in this part as it should not persist beyond this encounter
  • Treasure: At least 1 or 2 items usable in a later adventure (but not needed to complete)
• Conclusion
  • At end of fight council asks Astronomical Adventurers for help with gang to relieve pressure as they work out the financials of the city, etc

Conclusion

One of the things I considered as a ‘reward’ for doing well with the Council meeting was a conditional boon that would follow the PCs through the rest of the quest. After a moment of thought I dismissed the idea, since as a quest pack, we cannot 100% guarantee that the quests will be played in order. Next installment, I’ll be turning this 730 word outline into a 2500 word quest with stat blocks and everything!

 

Banner Art Credit: Mykola Holyutyak/Shutterfly