Author: Aaron Griffin

Brainstorm with me:

I mentioned in a previous post that my players had found their way inside a solid, almost crystalline dyson sphere of unknown origin. We faded to black at that moment.

I have a handful of rough ideas and images for what’s inside (but intend to play to find out). However, I am going to offer this up as a “sword and planet” style adventure, where it’s basically their high tech against the rigors and strangeness of an alien world. So what sort of custom moves do you see for something like this?

I already have this idea of a supply/resource move based on the AW Hardholder/Hocus stuff, to give them resource pressure without the need for tracking rations and crazy shit like that.

I’m also considering some variation of DW’s perilous journey, but haven’t fully fleshed that out. I’m still not sure if this will take (about 75% confident right now).

The bones of a long dead society spill out across the horizon as far as you can see. Homes, offices, infrastructure – it’s all here, looking vaguely and eerily like any city you’d find back home… just bigger.

But it’s not like home. Here all is silent. All you find as you walk these echoing streets are these lamps on nearly every street corner. A few still glow with faint light.

What do you do?

(Image via Michael Prescott​​ at http://blog.trilemma.com/2016/12/the-call-of-light.html)

The Setup: During our Session 0 the players and I constructed a local cluster connected by jump gates. Earth is off the table for the game, but is still connected – it’s just like a year journey to get back.

One of the local stars that the original explorers happened upon was encased in a dyson sphere of unknown origin (at approximately Venus orbit). The structure appears almost crystalline and reflects/refracts all incoming EM waves and sensors. No seams or entrances were ever founds. But the frozen planets still orbiting the sphere were ripe with unique materials, and the system became a destination for mining.

Now: The characters have discovered with enough concentrated plasma fire, the crystalline structure of the sphere will “melt” away. It reseals itself in moments, but they are able to fire a sustained blast from their ship long enough to get their shuttle and mech suit through while the ship waits outside in position. It is set to re-bore the hole once per day until fuel gets low, then it will do it once a week.

The session ended as they flew into the borehole before it sealed up behind them.

WHAT DO THEY FIND INSIDE?

Spitballing Idea:

This idea is stolen from Coriolis and Blades in the Dark… part of character creation should include a selection of a Group Role – like a Career, but for the group as a whole, and should have moves/skills that apply to all members of the crew.

For example: Merchants / Smugglers / Explorers / Military

Merchants would have 3-4 skills based on trading, Smugglers would have 3-4 skills based on stealth or crime, etc

Each Group Role could also have rules for creating the setting specific to that role. Maybe the four listed above include special rules for starship creation, while others might include planet or city creation.

I think something like this would address two of my concerns in the base system:

1. Group cohesion isn’t built in in the manner that Bonds/Debts/Hx from other PbtA games do it. Adding mechanics to your group as a whole could encourage that cohesion more.

2. Setting creation is a bit TOO open to me, so allowing the players to flag what they want (explorers and smugglers fit into very different settings) helps with knowing where the setting should be pointed to.

Just a quick credit system for a game not based around cargo trading. I have not used this precisely in play, but will over the next few weeks.

BUY (+Credit)

When you demand important services or Assets from a market able to supply those demands, Roll+Credit you’re willing to pay for it.

On a 10+, the deal goes through.

On a 7-9, the deal will only go through if you pay a higher cost, perform a task, or accept a lesser asset/service instead of what you asked for.

SELL (+Cargo)

When you sell cargo for the Credit it is worth, Roll+the class of the Cargo.

On a 10+, you receive Credit equal to the Cargo’s class

On a 7-9, you receive Credit equal to the Cargo’s class, but the GM chooses one:

• It is local credit, not good outside this system, planet, city, or market

• You will need to deliver the Cargo somewhere before payment

• Selling this specific Cargo draws unwelcome attention

EXCHANGE (+rep)

When you exchange Credit, local or otherwise, for Cargo or other forms of Credit, Roll +1 if you’ve successfully done business in this market, -1 if you’re done business but it didn’t go so well, or +0 otherwise.

On a 10+ the exchange goes through as expected

One a 7-9, the exchange happens, but the GM chooses one:

• They don’t have as much as you asked for

• The cost or exchange rate is lower than expected

I’m still looking side-eyed at some of this, and will probably wing the 7-9 and 6- results to see if anything solidifies in play