Zero Gravity Leap
Instead of a move action, PCs or NPCs may choose to make an acrobatics check (DC 15) and then 5 x (1d6 + acrobatics mod) to determine how many feet in the intended direction they float. Failing the check and gunshots (if currently floating) move the person 10ft backwards. After their initial jump, the floating person will continue to travel in that direction with that speed until redirected or stopped by a gun, or stopped by a wall.
Magical Checks
Refer to arcana checks as technology checks, and religion checks as computer/technology history/function.
Guns
Don't use range limitations (close OR far) for ranged weapons. Those rules suck and I don't like them.
Broken Helmets
If a PC is dropped to zero health, their helmet breaks. While the rest of their armor/space suits are self healing (meaning it will close any holes created in it), helmets are not. If it breaks in an area open to space, the player cannot be stabilized and fails a death save (and does not roll) each turn until the helmet is patched by another PC (DC 10 sleight of hand check). If a PC’s helmet breaks within a section of the ship that is still pressurized, they are exposed to the bioweapon.
Poor Pirate Morale
Pirates will surrender to the PCs if a PC succeeds a DC 15 intimidation or DC 15 persuasion check. All pirates know the same things: The pirate ship attempted to land on the Sol-Crew-Z 86, but were hit by an unexpected amount of resistance from their prey. During the battle, the pirate vessel accidentally crashed and lodged into the cruiser, ripping the hole in the cruiser’s flank. All of the passenger rooms are empty, and it appears there are no civilians on board. They do not know who the government agents are or anything about the bioweapon.
Patriotism
Government Agents are not affected by charisma checks. They will fight to the end and will not divulge any information to PCs no matter what.
ADDITIONAL RULES
FILES
CAMPAIGN
Summary
In this adventure the PCs play as members of an “Inspection Crew,” or a group of contractors hired to respond to erratic distress calls which are expected to turn violent. The PCs must investigate the cruise vessel Sol-Crew-Z 86. At first they enter the cargo bay of the ship, where they are immediately attacked by pirates. After defeating these pirates, the PCs can go to the Captain’s Quarters or the Bridge. In the Captain’s Quarters they find the captain, and information on the containment of a bioweapon in the possession of the government. In the Bridge they will find the black box has been removed. From there, the PCs travel to the ship’s server rooms, in which they encounter more government agents. This provides the information needed to locate the bioweapon, which the PCs can choose whether or not to try and locate, and then what to do with it. If the PCs report it to the authorities, they are killed in the ending, whereas if they destroy it or take some from themselves they may escape unharmed. If any of the PCs remove their helmet at any point while inside of the Sol-Crew-Z 86, they become infected with the bio weapon, and, unless killed or left behind, will give it to the rest of the party, killing them all and leaving their ship to drift, a literal vessel for disease.
Introduction
(Read aloud to players at the beginning of the campaign)
Each of you feel a sudden strong deceleration, the straps of your crash couches tugging hard against your chest. The artificial lighting of the room, which had greatly overpowered the dim glow of a far star, suddenly dims, allowing your eyes to make out a rapidly approaching shape. After a few seconds, you can make out the silhouette of a massive cruise vessel surrounded by floating debris, torn almost in half by gash that spans multiple decks.
Your ship continues to approach the wreck, shuddering as its automated defensive mechanisms begin to blast any chunks of the cruiser large enough to cause damage out of its flight path. Within moments, all of you can make out individual windows of the cruiser’s upper decks, many of which appear shattered, the metal around them warped into a permanent wave.
With a final burst from the ship’s engines, your vessel lands on the surface of the cruiser. Your crash couches’ straps loosen, allowing each of you to unbuckle. A holographic project whirrs to life and the instructions for your mission appear in front of the airlock door.
[INSPECTION CREW 1227]
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Make your way to the bridge to retrieve the black box of the Sol-Crew-Z 86
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Determine cause of distress call, as well as any possible involved factions
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Check personal devices of high ranking crew to determine possible involvement in any perceived sabotage or attack
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Encourage the evacuation of any and all remaining crew members and passengers
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Neutralize all hostiles
[USE OF LETHAL FORCE AUTHORIZED]
At this point, provide Ship Map 1 to the players
1 - C A R G O A I R L O C K
Map 1
This airlock appears to be fairly standard, with two sets of unadorned doors on either end. Two large buttons labelled “pressurize” and “depressurize” jut out from one wall, accompanied by oxygen and pressure meters.
Once the PCs push the “pressurize” button, the airlock will pressurize, opening the doors into the cargo bay once it has done so. Upon opening, the players will be attacked by a group of pirates who get a surprise round (see 2).
Prepared For Action - If the PCs assume the presence of hostiles in the cargo bay (see 2), they negate the surprise round the pirates would normally get.
Provide Ship Map 1 to players
2 - C A R G O B A Y
Map 1
A large, open cargo bay greets you, filled with piles of crates, boxes, barrels, and containers. Globs of liquid float through the air, and debris drifts throughout the cavernous space. Most of the supplies nearest the airlock appear to have been ransacked, leaving the nearby air littered with all manner of detritus. Far above the lights flicker, plunging the room into darkness for a second.
The pirates take advantage of this darkness to attack. Roll initiative for four pirates, 2 Pirate Bruisers and 2 Pirate Sharpshooters, and then allow them to make a surprise round on the PCs, unless the PCs are prepared for action (see 1).
Floating Detritus - anyone making a ranged attack from more than 15 feet away attacks with disadvantage.
Pirate Faction - A DC 10 investigation check will lead the PCs to the conclusion that the pirates are an unaffiliated crew, without ties to any known pirate organization.
Pirate Communications Devices - Once the pirates have been defeated, the PCs can use a 10 DC investigation or perception check to find a working communicator on one of the pirates. An arcana check (DC 15) reveals the initial plan of the pirates to loot this cruise vessel, as well as a poor recording of the pirate ship’s crash into Sol-Crew-Z 86. If they bring this with them to the Bridge, they will hear snippets on the communication device.
3 - C A P T A I N ’ S Q U A R T E R S
Map 2
While on their way to the Captain’s Quarters, the players will pass by normal passenger cabins, and find all of them empty, beds made, as if the passengers who should have ridden on this cruise never boarded.
You open the door to the captain’s cabin, revealing a decent sized multi-purpose room. On the far wall, next to two porthole-shaped windows partially obscured by a privacy screen stands the Captain’s bed, a modest double with Sol-Crew-Z branded sheets. Next to the bed sits the Captain’s desk and a closed door. In the center of the room a dining table has been set up, flanked on the left by a coffee table and armchairs and on the right by a small kitchen.
Captain’s Computer - A DC 10 arcana check can be used to uncover that the Captain of the Sol-Crew-Z 86 had no connection to the pirate attacks.
7 - B R I D G E
The Bridge is eerily empty, filled with floating screws and pieces of wire, the consoles normally used to control the ship damaged beyond repair. The lights flicker on occasionally, though most of the light floods in through the massive windows which look over the bow of the ship.
Investigating Damage - A passive or rolled perception of 15 or higher reveals that the consoles and computers were purposefully damaged, and all distress signal buttons are disconnected or destroyed.
Black Box - a DC 10 arcana check reveals the black box has been physically removed, and with all of the computers on the controls destroyed, the PCs will not find the data needed for their mission in the bridge. A DC 10 religion check or a DC 20 arcana check will reveal that they must go to the ship’s server room to recover a backup of the data stored on the black box.
Pirate Communication Device - If the PCs found the pirate communication device in the cargo bay (see 2), they will receive a transmission from a pirate as they leave the bridge. The transmission reveals that the pirates are fighting people dressed as crewmates, but that they seem unusually skilled combatants.
Provide Ship Map 2 to players
8 - O V E R H E A D C A T W A L K
Map 3
While travelling to the server room, you come across multiple banks of escape pods, most of which have been jettisoned. Blood stains and bullet holes cover the walls around the escape pods, and bullet casings still float in the air around you.
A DC 12 Investigation check reveals that it appears people were shot, dragged into escape pods which were then jettisoned. Once the PCs continue on, they reach the overhead catwalk.
The doors open to show a massive 50ft tall circular room occupied by four towering server banks which reach from floor to ceiling. You enter onto a catwalk suspended 40ft above the floor, which meets four ladders arranged around a pillar in the center of the room. Seven other spokes of the catwalk lead to four servers and three gigantic air conditioning units, one of which is leaking Freez-0 into the room around it.
After reading this description, also read the description aloud for Server Room (see 9).
There are two Government Agent Sharpshooters on the catwalk, one standing on the far left spoke of the catwalk, and one standing on the top spoke of the catwalk. If the PCs enter silently, the two sharpshooters are standing with their backs to the door, and will not see the PCs until they attack or exit stealth. If the PCs do not enter stealthily, the shooters will immediately attack them (see 9 for this fight).
Prepared For Action - If the PCs assume the presence of hostiles in the Overhead Catwalk or Server Room, they negate the surprise round the government agents would normally get. They can also enter the room stealthily, and will remain undetected if they all pass a DC 12 stealth check.
9 - S E R V E R R O O M
Map 3
The lower half of the server room is cluttered with cables, pipes and wires. One of the four smaller servers stand in the same position as the air conditioning units above has fallen over, and broken pieces of plastic and wire float around it. Four bundles of cables three feet in diameter connect the larger servers to the central pillar.
This part of the room contains three Government Agent Guards, one Government Drone, one Pirate Sharpshooter, and two Pirate Bruisers. Standing with their backs to the ladders in the top left quadrants, Two of the government guards aim their rifles at the three pirates while the third questions them about what they know. The government drone crouches on the fallen server bank behind the pirates. Next to the three pirates float two dead pirates and one badly wounded one, who appears to be--with a DC 15 medicine or perception check--unconscious. Three actual Sol-Crew-Z employees sit tied up in the bottom right quadrant of the room near the ladders, clearly terrified.
Once the fighting starts, roll initiative for the players, government agents, and pirates. The government agents will lose focus on the pirates and start firing at the players. As soon as this happens (meaning any pirates with a higher initiative then a government agent will lose the first turn of action) the pirates attack the government agents with their usual weapons. The Government Sharpshooters will stay on the spokes of the upper level (see 8) unless forced off. The Government Drone will attack the pirates once they have attacked other government agents. The Sol-Crew-Z employees remain tied up and too shellshocked to offer any useful information.
Black Box Data - A DC 10 arcana check can be used on one of the working server banks to recover the black box data, which is unreadable to the players. Additionally, this opens some data that reveals the precise location of the bioweapon.
Government Drone Data - If the players attempt to hack into the government drone (after it has been defeated), a DC 18 arcana check will reveal that there is an antidote for the bioweapon in its containment chamber, as well as the code to retrieve it.
Pirate Allies - If any pirates survive the battle they will explain that they found the location for the bioweapon on the servers before the government agents arrived. If the PCs plan to find the bioweapon, the pirates will offer to accompany them, and if the PCs decide not to, the pirates will curse them, and then head to the bioweapon’s location themselves.
Decision on Continuation - At this point, the players can either decide to continue on to the bioweapon, or leave to their ship, having finished their mission. If they choose the latter, skip to the end. Otherwise, continue on to 10.
Provide Ship Map 3 to players
ENCOUNTERS
4 - C A P T A I N ‘ S B A T H R O O M
Map 2
A well furnished and modestly-sized bathroom, the air is filled with various skin creams, teeth cleaning implements, and makeup knocked from the counter around the sink.
Hidden Device - If the PCs succeed a DC 20 Investigation or Perception check or are told about it by the Captain (see 5) they can check the toilet’s sealed tank, in which they will find a note taking device sitting in the flush vacuum pump chamber. This device will reveal to them that the Captain of the cruiser has been secretly recording the government agents’ actions, including their discovery that the government is using the ship to transport a deadly contagious airborne bioweapon, and that it is being held in one of the cargo bays (unclear which one).
5 - C A P T A I N ‘ S C L O S E T
Map 2
A medium-sized walk-in closet, filled with various variations of the Sol-Crew-Z captain uniform, pyjamas, and a few casual outfits. A pair of trembling smartly-dressed legs can be seen poking out of a hiding spot behind the rack of clothes.
Roll initiative for the Captain, who hides inside the closet and will attack the players (clearly out of fear) until defeated or calmed with a DC 10 persuasion check. This second option can be subtly encouraged by the DM. If killed, no information can be found on them.
Conversation - The PCs can convince the Captain to explain what happened with a DC 10 persuasion check. The Captain will list the series of events leading up to the crash as best they remember: They were in the bridge when their automated defences started up, at which point they pulled the SOS. The government agents on the bridge quickly disabled this, and then forced all of the crew to leave. Not long after the entire ship was rocked by the collision of the two ships. In addition, a DC 15 persuasion check will get them to reveal information on the device found in the bathroom (see 4), as well as the fact that government agents are disguised as Sol-Crew-Z employees, but are the only ones allowed to carry weapons (they disarmed the normal crew when the ship was commandeered).
Bathroom Device - If the PCs show the Captain the device found in the bathroom, they will tell the PCs to never remove their helmets while inside the ship.
6 - C R E W H A L L W A Y
Map 2
For a second this unimpressive hallway looks peaceful but dishevelled, the rug which runs down the center floating up in some places. A loud pop breaks the silence as an employee shoots through the doors at the end of the corridor. A pirate flies through them, hitting the wall near the captain’s cabin.
If the PCs do nothing, the Government Agent Guard (who has an initiative roll of 18) will kill the Pirate Bruiser (who has an initiative roll of 12) in 2 turns (hitting for ½ the pirate’s health each turn). If the PCs help the government agent the agent will immediately attack the PCs once the pirate is defeated. If the PCs help the pirate, see Poor Pirate Morale for conversation.
After they finish talking to the pirate, the pirate will leave for the escape pods in another part of the ship. At this point, the PCs can open any number of other doors, which lead to smaller, less homey crew cabins, but no matter what they will not find anything useful.
10 - D I S E A S E C A R G O B A Y
A massive cargo bay is revealed as the elevator doors open. Containers and boxes float around the space, making it difficult to grasp the actual size. Your eyes follow a path of disturbance evident in the way the smaller debris floats to a giant hole in the far wall, through which you can see the other side of the gash which divides the cruiser nearly in half.
The PCs will need to leap over the gash in the Sol-Crew-Z 86 to get from the cargo bay (the initial housing of the bioweapon containment chamber) to the observatory on the other side (where the bioweapon is now).
Jump - A DC 15 acrobatics check is used to cross the several hundred foot gap from the cargo bay to the observatory (see 11) the disease containment room crashed into. If the PC fails, they can use firing a gun to redirect themself, rolling DC 10 acrobatics checks until 3 successes (makes it across) or 3 failures (flies off into space). Once succeeded, enter the Observatory (see 11).
Provide Ship Map 4 to players
11 - O B S E R V A T O R Y
Map 4
You enter the large, rectangular room through the hole torn in the reinforced glass that covers much of the floor. Around the edge of the room runs a raised platform which contains the remains of a fully furnished viewing area, those most of the furniture seems to have been blown out of the room as air exited through the newly created hole. The disease containment chamber, a reinforced metal cube roughly the size of two shipping containers, floats in the center of the observatory, having come to a stop after destroying one corner of the room.
As soon as the PCs arrive through the hole in the top left of the map, the battle begins. Roll initiative for two Government Drones, the Lead Agent, three Government Agent Muscle, and one Government Agent Sharpshooter, as well as the players and any pirate companions (see 9). One government drone stands on each side of the map (the two bottom corners), the three muscle agents congregate near the center top near the door, and the sharpshooter stands in the center right near the edge. See 12 for actions of the lead agent.
No Air - this room is depressurized, and so everyone must keep their helmets on. See Broken Helmets in additional rules.
12 - D I S E A S E C O N T A I N M E N T
Map 4
The doors to this floating container appear to have been wrenched open, revealing the smooth-walled interior. A pillar-like operatus in the center of the room contains two tiny vials, one clear, and one filled with some sort of mold or fungus.
The Lead Agent (see 11 for initiative) stands inside the containment chamber, attempting to remove the virus. They will not attack the PCs or allied pirates (see 9) until two government agents (see 11) have died, or a pirate or PC has entered the chamber. At this point, the agent will do everything they can to keep the PCs from getting the bioweapon or its cure.
Extracting the Bioweapon - It takes a DC 15 arcana check to extract the bioweapon, and a series of DC 12 arcana checks (using the death saves system) to extract the cure.
CONCLUDING THE MISSION
The players can decide for themselves how they want to finish this mission, but there are a few general categories as to what can happen, and can be combined where necessary.
If the PCs did retrieve the bioweapon:
-If the PCs decide to destroy the bioweapon they will receive the pirates help in destroying it, which can be done by exposing it to space or burning it.
-If the PCs retrieved the antidote, they can heal any of their own members who have been exposed to the bioweapon, as well as any crew members or pirates who have been exposed, saving them. This will use most of the available antidote, which the PCs can decide what to do with.
-If the PCs decide to keep the bioweapon the pirates will attack them, as they all want to destroy it. Place everyone in the containment chamber and roll initiative. The pirates will stop attacking if they are given the bioweapon.
-If the PCs decide to report the black box data, they will ultimately parish. As soon as they transmit, a government ship catches up to them, which docks, killing everyone inside (not in a fight) and retrieving the bioweapon and antidote if the PCs had it with them
-If the PCs decide to go off the map, they successfully avoid the government agents, but only for now. As they leave the cruiser, the PCs receive a notification that new ships without any broadcasted identification are decelerating toward the Sol-Crew-Z 86.
If the PCs did not retrieve the bioweapon:
-If the PCs decide to leave after retrieving the black box data from the server room, they return to their ship, which takes them to a hub where they can transmit the black box data and records on the pirates. Handing in the data as per usual, the PCs continue to go about their lives. Not long after, as they travel through a dead spot in space, their ship is destroyed by a cloaked government vessel that they don’t catch a glimpse of until it is too late.
Read orange sections aloud to players
NPCs
Government Agent (Muscle)
Patriotism
Goblin Guard (CR 2), A brutally average looking person, they are dressed in Sol-Crew-Z cargo inspector space suit, their orange-vested disguise broken by the large shotgun they carry menacingly. Weapon Changes: [Javelin becomes Low Power Shotgun.], [Shortsword becomes Machete.] Health: 31 + 1d4 HP.
Government Agent (Guard)
Patriotism
Goblin Warrior (CR 1), Thoroughly unremarkable looking, this agent wears a Sol-Crew-Z guard space suit, and carries their rifle with an air feigned incompetence. [Scimitar becomes Company Nightstick.], [Shortbow becomes Company Air Rifle.] Health: 19 + 1d4 HP.
Government Agent (Sharpshooter)
Patriotism
Hobgoblin Archer (CR 1), A dark figure clad in a black, tactical looking space suit, their lack of disguise stands out starkly. A long, silenced sniper rifle is held with a frightening level of familiarity. Weapon Changes: [Longbow becomes Low Power Sniper Rifle.] Skill Changes: [Nimble Escape: The agent can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns.] Health: 16 + 1d4 HP
Government Drone
Clockwork Hound (CR 2), A four legged drone, this particular robot looks astonishingly military-grade compared to much of the rest of the ship. Its surface seems to shift colors with the environment around it, making it difficult to pin down as it shifts on its segmented limbs. No Weapon Changes. Health: 69 + 1d4
Lead Agent
Patriotism
Goblin Leader (CR 3), An exceptionally bland looking woman dressed in a Sol-Crew-Z employee space suit. Her disguise is only broken by the combat knife tucked into her belt and strangely lethal looking tranquilizer gun clutched in one hand. Weapon Changes: [Light Crossbow becomes Poison Dart Tranquilizer Gun.] Health: 60 HP.
Pirate (Sharpshooter)
Poor Pirate Morale
Bugbear Archer (CR 1/2), A lythe pirate, already aiming a polished air rifle, dressed in a practical but lightweight space suit, they seem ready to fire at a moment’s notice. Weapon Changes: [Longbow becomes Long-Barrelled Air Rifle.] Health: 20 + 1d4 HP.
Pirate (Bruiser)
Poor Pirate Morale
Bugbear (CR 1), A beefy pirate, clutching an air rifle in one hand and an improvised shield in the other, dressed in battle worn but well cared for reinforced space suit. Weapon Changes: [Morning Star described as A metal ball on a chain (used to break helmets), which if used to reduce a PC to 0 health will crack their helmet, exposing them to the bioweapon.], [Javelin becomes Compressed Air Rifle with Bayonet.] Health: 24 + 1d4 HP.
Captain
Commoner (CR n/a), A tall, lean person, the captain looks as though they might normally have a fairly commanding air about them normally, but that has now been replaced by one of terror. Their uniform looks wrinkled and their hair unkempt, further adding to that air.
Read orange sections aloud to players