Any recomendations for using the B5 Universe and the B5 Station but allow for free-play (ie go on adentures with out being ordered to).
a) The free traders or pirates - see Firefly
b) Escaped prisoners with ancient ship vs the Universe - see Blake's 7
c) Rogue black ops - ie people with a mission but no support or leadership
d) IPX or Mineral Explorers that find something
e) ISN or freelancer reporters on the trail of the evil B5 alien alliance
f) A Centari House attempting to survive republican political war then the Narn War starts
All/any of the above (depending on the group - e) & f) aren't for every PC). For d), see "Indiana Jones", "Tomb Raider" and "Ghosts of Mars".
And add the classic:
g) Freelancer "Operatives" (See below)
Of course, it depends on your players and their characters - What do THEY want (to play)? :wink:
It's easier for the GM if they at least play a "group" - characters who know each other and are "together" in one way or another. Of course, if the GM is good & experienced enough to handle it, it's more fun to have each character start on his own, and have them meet and get their fates thrown together during the game... but that's really not something an beginner GM should invite to complicate his work.
Once you have them together, things will probably be easy for you. If they didn't paint themselves into some military BG on their own, they will have to pay for their lives, and that means they'll have to make money - somehow. And few PC's are built with a steady, boring job on their character sheet... so on B5 they will most likely be looking for the odd job the GM throws their way.
You can find lots of inspiration for such jobs and complications in books and movies - from "Jhonny Mnemonic" to the "Star Risk" series, from "Hardwired" to "Total Recall", from "Death Machine" to "Neuromancer"; take any cyberpunk storyline, remove the cyber and most of the punk and replace it with B5 hardware and feel (the RPG analog to filing off the serial numbers and giving it a new coat of paint :wink: :lol: ) and you have a guideline for your campaign... depending on your wishes you can offer more mercenary type jobs, or take things into a "private detective" like direction, or a life of crime, or whatever you feel best for that group. I can also recommend the already mentioned TFT and ITC supplements - they are really good for tying a group into the B5 storyline. And they as well as the seasonal supplements contain hints for stories to feed your players. Of course, you shouldn't forget to add your own adventures between those - after all, that's what makes the GM's job worth the troubles.
