in Rogue Space
- The Ishmaelian Isthmus has recently been hit by a devastating series of hurricanes and mega-storms that have disrupted just about everything, including the local schools of fish and those things that prey upon them. There have been a number of sightings (as yet unconfirmed) of what appear to be at least three different Megasharks acting in cooperation to re-direct the disrupted schools of macro-cod and other fish. The Planetary Institute and various other concerned and/or interested parties are scrambling to send research teams, monitors, and others out to these dangerous, storm-wracked waters in order to determine just what is going on...and what, if anything, the local fishing fleets, Coastal Defense Forces and Maritime Authorities can really do about it.
- Your team has been approached to provide security and/or transport to a research team from the Planetary Institute who are headed completely the other direction as everyone else. These scholars believe that the recent spate of freak storms are more problematic than a few gargantuan and potentially proto-sentient fish with big teeth herding smaller fish through frigid near polar waters. This group has reason to believe that the storms of late are not natural. They also have pin-pointed what looks to be a site that suspiciously resembles some sort of ancient pre-human ruins. Pack for cold weather and bring lots of ammunition.
- A consortium of Achernarians have arrived at Lithus and they have negotiated fishing rights with some of the Selak Tribes. They have just landed their first Megashark using massive derricks and hoists arranged upon fortified floating platforms.
- A rival band of Selak Tribals wants help with a special project. Their representative--the chieftains' eldest daughter--is cagey and coy, until someone finally agrees to take on the job. If the player character group takes on the job, it'll be to disrupt the new Achernarian fishing platforms so that this band can negotiate with the aliens to get their own fishing operations going. If the player characters turn down the mysterious job, despite the young Selak-woman's best attempts to flutter eye-lids, act seductive, etc., then the group will notice that she is extremely determined and will eventually find someone to hire-on. This could be the opportunity to introduce a rival group of NPC adventurers. Things will get...fishy..ahem...when covert agents of the Maritime Authority or the Board of Tourism start asking questions about the recent interview...
- Another, lesser tribe of down-on-their-luck Selak have been given the opportunity to migrate to another water-world under the aegis and auspices of the Merellon Corp. But this is a mess that needs sorting out--not all the tribe wants to go, factions are forming. One very influential group is advocating for joining with the much more successful tribe that is working with the Achernarians, which would mean the breaking-up of their tribe, but would get them in on the lucrative dividend-deal. The conservatives, mostly elders and those already doing as well as could be expected now that aliens are mucking about in their waters, are horrified at this idea and are violently opposed. The rest are caught in the middle, like it always happens. The player characters will quickly find themselves petitioned by multiple factions for multiple tasks...many entirely contrary to one another. The tribe does not currently have a lot of cash, but some of their traditions, lore and artifacts are potentially very valuable, if anyone ever discovered what these people really know, and what they've been keeping secret all these generations. Should the player characters discover some of these secrets, they might be forced into marriage, adopted by the tribe, or sentenced to death by the shamans. It can get really wild, wooly and weird at this point...
- A private researcher, one of the Scientist-Condottierri that have recently arrived in Lithus has determined that there are extremely valuable substances present in the cartilaginous mesh-skeletons of the Megasharks. The local reps of various companies and cadres are currently locked in a bidding-war for rights to this person's research. They need protection and are looking to beef-up their personal security, which is practically unheard of--these people travel heavily-armed and know how to take care of themselves. But in this case, most of the team that came along with this researcher are engaged in some sensitive projects and currently unavailable. Some of the local reps are sniffing around for the usual suspects, patsies, fall-guys and disreputable types and of course the ever popular cheap muscle. This is going to get really nasty. The only real question is what side do the player characters want to be on?
- A hermit has arrived mysteriously in a major coastal megaplex from some dinky little island (atoll, really) out in the far reaches of the Southern Polar Ocean. She claims that the storms of late are the wrath of ancient and inscrutable gods. She claims that these same deities have charged her with reintroducing their proper worship and propitiation. There is no doubt that this hermit-prophet is quite fanatical and probably very insane...but her charisma is off the scale and people are beginning to wonder about the recent storms. There are disturbing reports that the prophet has been killed on at least three prior occasions. Either she leads a charmed life, is protected by her faith, or something darker and more sinister is going on. Who is behind this, what the ultimate aims of the prophet and her gods might be, and the so-called 'truth of the matter,' all have yet to be revealed.
- A pleasure liner has capsized in the South Polar Ocean. Its position places it well within the known activity zone of the strange Megasharks mentioned in entry 1 above. A major storm is headed right for this spot, and the survivors have less than two hours to get evacuated or go down with the ship. The niece of the leader in charge of a major research team from the Planetary Institute is aboard. So are various off-world spies, but that's all for another day. These ships are supposed to be practically fool-proof. The Maritime Authority will be recovering the AI-core to determine what happened. The player characters might receive an evapomail offer to make the AI-core disappear or at least be made non-recoverable by unidentified 'disinterested third party employment brokers.' Oh, and there's a priceless collection of sculptures by a Very Significant artist on-board that is worth a lot, both in terms of recovery, salvage or theft--but also to the insurers and those of their agents who suspect sabotage in order to collect the pay-out...I shan't bother you with the penguins.
- Selak dispossessed, young and somewhat educated and semi-urbanized orphans abandoned as per tradition, have begun to protest the dismantling of their culture, people and world by outsiders. One major rising star within this movement is backed by a major pharmaceutical combine. Another, rival leader is the puppet of Graxusian handlers. A third is semi-legit, but is being manipulated by a cabal of reformers who want to break the back of the conservative leadership of the council of tribes and take over the council one way or another. Should the reformers gain control of the council, they intend to 'nationalize' the assets of the tribe working with the Achernarians and use that wealth to assert dominance or at least strong political influence upon the fate of their world once and for all. But as with all such things, the best laid plans and intentions are all well and good, it's those details, compromises and bad decisions that drive history...and this is a group destined and doomed to make some history, one way or another.
- A strange little man in khaki-overalls and wearing a battered antique Kevlar fedora is trying to assemble a small but competent crew to go out towards the Equatorial Reaches, away from all the storms, Megasharks and other politics, emergencies and turmoil to go take a look at those lush and verdant islands that seem to be extremely inviting...but where the Selak will not go. Ever. For any reason. Oh come on; it'll be fun...
- Don Margulies Consigliere has invited the player characters to a little pleasure cruise on the Don's new yacht. The boat is practically a battleship, despite appearing to be a converted plankton-tanker. The Consigliere has a problem. He'd appreciate the player characters' help in this time of uncertainty and unrest. The phrase 'sleeping with the fishes' takes on a whole new layer of meaning in Lithus...
- A crack team of interstellar crime-fighters equipped with all the latest and greatest gadgets and gizmos has come to Lithus on the trail of a very, very bad person who has already destroyed (1d4) worlds through various means. Unfortunately, these people can be a bit prim and proper at times, and as such not terribly convincing as undercover-types. They walked into a trap and have earned the displeasure of the local Don, as well as unintentionally having interfered with an underground cell of Selak radicals. In fact, ever since this group has arrived, crime in general has sky-rocketed by more than 900%, and political instability has become far, far worse. Agents of the Maritime Authority Investigative Service are now looking at these would be crime-fighters as persons of interest. These inadvertent agents of bollixification might be player characters, a rival group, would be patrons of dubious merit, a general nuisance or possible complicating factor, or they could just break down and attempt to hire some help...like the player characters maybe...
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