Shadows of Sindal Thread (Spoilers)

[PsiTraveller]

Another awesome module from Martin J. Dougherty, and for me it is unfortunate that my players have finished the Pirates of Drinax campaign. No matter, I am modifying it to be played after the PoD storyline and use the discovered items as an element in the political realm of the area. I've done some early playing of the module and have these two thoughts on the module, and am looking for input/ideas from the board.

And that brings me to my questions and comments on the module.
1: The crate of cash on the Hustwik: (Pg 88 of module) 60 million in cash is a nice score. The idea of getting only 5% would/will infuriate my players. (greedy, crafty bunch they are). Any thoughts on how a crew with several ships might launder the cash slowly and retain maximum value? My thoughts included a trade mission and buying goods in a far off Imperial port, or a mission into Aslan territory for trade.

The boards have discussed the cash-centric economy of traveller and the lack of interstellar banking ( https://wiki.travellerrpg.com/Imperial_Currency ). Here is an example of a bulk cash movement situation. Players will want to maximize the profit from the situation. The bulk delivery also points out the economic problems of needing to move cash money between worlds. At some point there will be a stagecoach robbery heist and the bandits will end up with piles of cash. How do you handle it?


2: The larger question for me is the nature of the bioweapon. My first thought when I read the module was that this weapon was an awesome DEFENSIVE weapon against the Aslan. IMTU, and based on the PoD adventure Ihatei, the second and third sons genetic drive to take over new land makes the Aslan an eternal threat to peace in the region. Aslan land on human settled worlds and set up colonies. These colonies keep expanding and then they attack the human colonies and enslave the humans. The Borderlands Profile Arunisiir shows exactly that situation.

The bioweapon would allow a world to infect itself to keep Aslan off planet. Using the weapon this way would prevent expansion of the Aslan onto a world that has been 'vaccinated'. Monthly updates would be needed to maintain the level of infection, but this would be possible.

Has anyone else had players come up with ideas like this?

 

[paltrysum]

I must have an empathetic group. While the Aslan are perceived as a lingering threat in the region, the thought of using a bioweapon is anathema to them. Of course, my guys don't even pirate anything. They farmed that out to Miria Silverhand and are instead trying to establish diplomatic and trade ties for Drinax with the worlds of the Outrim Void.

Consequences are a big deal in our campaign. I think they realize that using such a thing might up the ante with the Aslan, who have the ability to retaliate heavily should the stakes be raised to bioweapons. All it might take is one creative female Aslan scientist to examine the chemical components of the toxin and find the inspiration to create one that works specifically on humans. :twisted:

As for Shadows of Sindal, I like it, too. I ran the first one a few months ago when they were on Paal, and I'm planning on getting the second chapter rolling soon.

 

[adzling]

Very devious PsiT, can't wait to see what my players make of it.

 

[Old School]

I must have an empathetic group.

Tactical Officer Grimsbold, Imperial Treasure Ship Martin II. KIA by Pirates in the Trojan Reach, 1105.

 

[paltrysum]

Tactical Officer Grimsbold, Imperial Treasure Ship Martin II. KIA by Pirates in the Trojan Reach, 1105.

ROFLIRL!

Okay, BUT...the murderous player is no longer in my campaign.

Alas, poor Grimsy.

 

[ruhalla]

Just finished the first part of Shadows of Sindal.

1 Cash.
One of my players ended up with a pretty high Admin skill and one of the first things they did was capture a ship that they then paid for to be made "legitimate" cleared out all security systems and tell tales and paid a professional crew
to create false papers for it and a transponder with a fake travel history. They have then been creating a bunch of Holding companies were ever they travel they then use these holding companies to move goods around and sell them and
launder their money so if they grab that cash they are going to end up with more than 5% of it




2 The Bioweapon
I played up the dying flock of birds encounter and had the group also encounter some sick Hoarx showing that while the Bio weapon would not affect other lifeforms the way it did the Aslan it was still a dangerous thing.
I also played up the Angle of the Sick aslan female bringing her cub to the settlement before dying of the bio weapon the Groups Doc is heavy invested in trying to cure the cub.
Caused two of my player who are Vexpexers to freak and create makeshift chem suits out of plastic bags and other materials . They are very motivated to stop this weapon or at least figure out who is behind the bio-weapon.

The encounter with the Aslan Settlement was tense they kept expecting some ferals to come jumping out at every turn and the battles at the human settlement was exciting to say the least.

In the end my players decided the treasure in Ghourmont was worth more to them with the locals rather than trying to bring it home to Drinax so they will be getting a Haven and hidden spaceport in Paal with time .

 

[Ursus Maior]

I must have an empathetic group. While the Aslan are perceived as a lingering threat in the region, the thought of using a bioweapon is anathema to them. Of course, my guys don't even pirate anything. They farmed that out to Miria Silverhand and are instead trying to establish diplomatic and trade ties for Drinax with the worlds of the Outrim Void.

Consequences are a big deal in our campaign. I think they realize that using such a thing might up the ante with the Aslan, who have the ability to retaliate heavily should the stakes be raised to bioweapons. All it might take is one creative female Aslan scientist to examine the chemical components of the toxin and find the inspiration to create one that works specifically on humans. :twisted:

My player's are similar to those of paltrysum. They do not commit acts of piracy, something King Oleb will discuss with them, when they return to Drinax next time, since they just almost lost the Harrier. Bioweapons will likely be anathema to them as well. They gunned down Miria, though and used the ships of Ferrik's posse (sans Mirias Vulture class) to set up a trade run between Borite and Torpol. They rescued the Borites from a vicious Oghman attack after saving Krrsh from the station in system. Now they have a solid income for the time being. Oleb liked that, but he craves piracy really bad...

Nota bene: Bioweapons that were specific to genetic groups were a thing in research during the 70s and 80s. The South African apartheid regime had interests in that field.

 

[GodricTheWell]

It looks like Shadows of Sindal is only available for pre-order... is it recommended to play this adventure BEFORE Pirates of Drinax?

 

[paltrysum]

They rescued the Borites from a vicious Oghman attack after saving Krrsh from the station in system. Now they have a solid income for the time being. Oleb liked that, but he craves piracy really bad...

Ahhh, Krrsh. I loved that NPC. Sadly he got nailed by a sniper on Theev in our campaign. Never ever knew what hit him. As for Oleb, yes, he loves the piracy. My original PoD group did engage in piracy, but with only lukewarm enthusiasm. Oleb threatened to recall the Harrier from them if they didn't start 'pirating it up.'

It looks like Shadows of Sindal is only available for pre-order... is it recommended to play this adventure BEFORE Pirates of Drinax?

In my opinion, it works best squeezed into a PoD campaign, not as a precursor.

 

[Ursus Maior]

Ahhh, Krrsh. I loved that NPC. Sadly he got nailed by a sniper on Theev in our campaign. Never ever knew what hit him. As for Oleb, yes, he loves the piracy. My original PoD group did engage in piracy, but with only lukewarm enthusiasm. Oleb threatened to recall the Harrier from them if they didn't start 'pirating it up.'

This is about what they have coming now, yes. As for Krrsh, he is very much alive and the best boi of the crew; quite incompetent, too, though. Though he is a reservoir (dog) of knowledge about all things pirate. That's a role I had in mind for one of the PCs, an ex-scout and pirate, who had a run in with Petyr Vallis before. Alas, that player has little self-initiative and simply cannot commit himself to the necessary violence that is piracy. So, Krrsh is their connection into all things piratic. With the foreseeable consequences...

 

[ruhalla]

so we finished the first part of Shadow of Sindal and the players returned to Drinax.

Upon their return they found Prince Richter paying a visit to king Oleb having learned of the Travelers assistance to his people on Paal while en route to Torpol to discuss some form of cooperation between the Grehai movement and
the government of Torpol. (the Players aided the Grehai movement in smuggling shipments of industrial stamping machines and other goods needed to start manufacturing weaponry.

Oleb was not happy with the Travellers having left most of the goods from the vault with the Ghourmont survivors and made his displeasure know. Princess Rao on the other hand was quite happy with this development seeing the benefit of
a hidden Base on Paal from which Drinax could direct operations. She then Dispatched an agent of the crown to go to Ghourmont and act as liaison between Drinax and the locals.

A few days later the group was invited to a luncheon by prince Richter who personally thanked them for their help and asked them to join his network of observers keeping track of Aslan movements and share information with his agents.
The travelers liked his ideas and eagerly promised to work with him in fact so eager that they turned information on the Aslan Camp on Paal and the virus to Ricther.

That night Oleb secretly entered their rooms and discussed his thoughts on Ricther telling them that his displeasure with their job on Paal was an act as way of apology he gave each a Sindalian heavy laser pistol and discussed his thoughts
on Prince Richter and his movement.

( For Pacing i decided i am not running the Next part of Shadows of Sindal Until after i have run Ihatei from the PoD core campaign. I don't want the virus to be a factor in how they deal with the Ihatei problem, instead i am going to have
them do a couple of minor jobs with the Grehai movement one involving a Alsan Ambassador to Pourne the other waylaying a Ihatei Scout vessel

 

[PsiTraveller]

The fusion reactor and machinery allows the creation of an industrial base, and an ongoing source of weapons as pg 34 points out. If the players play it right they might be able to become weapons dealers and work out a profitable trade deal on behalf of Oleb, or for themselves if they want. They might be able to raise troops for boarding parties or extra muscle on planetary operations. They may start thinking big in terms of what they can do with the connections they have made.

 

[ruhalla]

Yup my players have plans to turn Paal into a second Haven for their operations they also made a deal for the Ghourmont survivors to construct a starport which they (the players) will run so they are going to be taking a cut of any trade that comes through.

 

[MonkeyX]

For the cash, I’ve always thought that if you outrun the info that it has been stolen you can spend it but may make a problem for yourself later when you return to the system. Staying away from xboat routes and heading to backwater systems when info travels with traders seems to be the way to go.

 

[dagrillac]

Another awesome module from Martin J. Dougherty, and for me it is unfortunate that my players have finished the Pirates of Drinax campaign. No matter, I am modifying it to be played after the PoD storyline and use the discovered items as an element in the political realm of the area. I've done some early playing of the module and have these two thoughts on the module, and am looking for input/ideas from the board.

Hi,

nothing to do with the post, but how long did it take you to reach the end of the campaign in 3i time.

We've finished sun and shadow and are about half way through 1107, from 001-1105 start ( and we haven't played Demon eye either) ...

Regards

David

 

[PsiTraveller]

We ran the campaign for over a year real time, started with the first edition modules and then shifted to the second edition. I cut three of the modules from the lineup. I cut the Demon's Eye nanotech module and used the intro to Tech-World as an anti GeDeCo segment to get Tech-World as an independent group. I cut the Eurisko section since my players were not pirating, they had sub-contracted that out to Petyr Valis and the group sent ships his way to build up the fleet. I also cut the Prodigal Outcast, the players were very unpopular with the Aslan, so there was no way they could try and operate in the Hierate.

My campaign was more GeDeCo, Aslan expansion and empire building through the political and economic activities of the players. Oleb was kept happy and rich because the players had a merchant character who was making a fortune on spec trade, Oleb got a cut and made a lot of money.

Game time was a couple of years , almost to 1107. I kept track of time in systems and the 1 week in jump space. Time passes pretty quickly. It was one of the reasons I dropped the Demon's Eye, there are months of travel involved in the chase.

 

[ruhalla]

I second what Psi says I am 20 sessions into PoD and ingame i had to campaign start in 1104 to give me a cushion of time and its already 1105

We have only finished the first part of PoD Honor among thieves but before that i ran a mashup of gods of Marduk
and Marooned on Marduk were instead of just giving them the Harrier they tracked it down a crashed vessel in the Seas of
Marduk.

I then ran First prise from the Drinax Companion after which my players did their own thing for a while random acts of piracy and adventures
made by me on Tech-world Ergo Excoset and Clarke.

They then returned to Drinax and began the first part of Shadows of Sindal.

My suggestions is give yourself extra time especially if you are going to be running more material than the official adventures and also let
the players come up with their own things. PoD and Shadows of Sindal are excellent adventures for Sandboxing.