Drama Seeds

[Holz]

Today we have two Drama Seeds. One is a "classical" dungeoning and the other is a more investigation and role play adventure. I hope you guys enjoy them. Again, hope you can see past my english errors!




Setup: A party willing to do some dungeon exploring. Mix of characters is always good.

Showcase: dungeon exploration, cultist, Antinomy? Golems?

One of the party member’s relatives went to an old church, known for its relics and spirituality, but disappeared for over a week. The temple is just outside of town and easy to reach.

When going to investigate, the church seems rather empty and abandoned. No one can be seen properly in the surroundings and inside the church. When the party is at the middle on the building, a huge congregation rushes, grabs them and throws them into tunnel, sliding to a dungeon, under the church.

The tunnel is covered with moss and it is too slippery to climb up. Exploring the dungeon they find out the priest responsible for the congregation, hurt badly from injuries from the cult members and a creature(s) that dwells in the dungeon.

The party will find lots of traps and creatures to kill, with treasure to loot (GM, make a nice dungeon and make it fun, with rewards after each hazard, it always works IMHO).

In the deep dungeon, they find the altar and the main cultist group. A section is filled with prisoners stuck on cages along the wall. The main leader calls and chants for the greater glory of Seepi’uu. Behind a massive steel wall there can be seen a stair that leads to the surface.

But what is that humming that comes from the walls after the cultist leaders presses the button? Why lights flashes and golems come out of the wall and attack the party? Where are the people being lead to that cave with a green pulsating light, with a yellow sign with a circle and three triangles?





Setup: The party needs at least one guild member or someone with the knowledge of the agora. Reeve or noble with diplomacy skills are a good call.

Showcase: Framing plot, judicial and market issues

On a not so busy part of the Agora, the party roams searching stores for a commodity not easily found. They notice a man, a local tax collector talking to a man near a vendor. As the party approaches, they can hear the collector arguing about a number of problems, including the latest tax payments. The vendor will become aggressive and pushes the collector away from his store.
The tax collector leaves, mumbling, while the salesman fixes his shop entrance and welcomes the party. Inside they find a variety of items not easily found on that planet. Close analysis will show that many of the items are fake or cheaply made.

Returning to the inn (or house) they are staying, the party discovers a body on the floor with a dagger by its side. It is the tax collector! Soon after, guards storm up the stairs and into the room. Being framed, the party must find a way to prove its innocence (or not). They may run, defend themselves on court and/or investigate.

Checking the dagger, players will remember seeing one at the store, the one that the tax collector argued with the shop keeper. Returning to the store, it is burned to the ground with the owner nowhere to be found.

Why are the Scravers so interested in the outcome of the trial? And why are there several fires on shops around the agora? Does the local Inquisition have something to do with it?

[Angelman]

Temple Run: Fading Suns can certainly handle a bit of dungeon crawling, so no problem there! Sometimes it is fun to return to the good old ways of simple fun – players in particular tend to like themselves some dungeon bashing I love the idea of the cult worshiping a deified CPU (which is what I get from the name Seepi’uu). I wonder why there’s a high-tech (apparently) complex beneath the church though… surely it must have been built on an older structure. Or perhaps the dungeon is an artificial pocket reality, created by ageless Second Republic antinomy-scientists during the Fall as a safe haven beyond ordinary time and space. Or perhaps it is simply the church catacombs…

The Market Job: This was a nice little mystery, and I got very curious as to what is going on! Why is the cadre, who’re innocent bystanders after all, framed for the murder of the tax collector? Surly there must be more to this! (Actually, this could be a really good start to an Epic, with the cadre being drawn into all kinds of conspiracies and such when they start investigating the hows and whys of them being framed). Alternatively, this could be a minor side-quest, a one session mystery for when some players are missing and the GM cannot continue with the main story (of course, the Market Job plot would somehow fit into the grander epic, so that 10 session later the real behind-the-scene conspirator is finally discovered to be the main bad-guy of the entire tale, or perhaps, as a plot twist, one of the cadre’s friends who needed to get them out of the way without revealing it at the time). This one got my brain churning!

[Holz]

Well I try to leave these questions open-ended so anyone can fill in their ideas. I think if I get too complex, I might mess up the hole idea or at least turn the seed in a tree.

[Bertjammin]

(I had a mad idea to do a linked set of Sample Fief, NPC and Drama seed....here we go...)


Setup: Near the edge of the Ravenna system sit twin gas giants orbited by a collection of over forty moons and large asteroids. In centuries past a variety of habitats were established on these moons but many have fallen into disuse and disarray but even here on the edge some desperate and fanatical souls still cling to a tenuous existence. One such community is a monastic colony named "The Retreat of St Deimos", populated by Eskatonic and Via Epistimic (Mendicant) monks.

A cadre could be contracted to help take supplies to the station, may be following a fugitive who has sought refuge there, could head there for assistance in deciphering and occult mystery or could simply be forced there due to disruption caused by the asteroid field.
Alternatively the Retreat could be repositioned in any isolated quarter of the Known Worlds or beyond.

Showcase: Paranoia, isolation, madness, the occult, science vs magic, religion, Church vs Merchant League

(See the Sample Fiefs thread for more details on The Retreat of St Diemos)

Run by Proctor Pelagius, an Eskatonic monk and Theurgic practionioner, the stated purpose of the community is "Contemplation of the entirety of the Empyrean with specifically relationship to the manifestation of those satellites known by the names Dro and Madro". A variety of geomantic and celestial research and experimentation is done but the community generally keeps itself to itself.

In recent months tensions have risen with their nearest neighbours in the field of asteroids and moons that they call home; Facility SOE/8807, a R&D laboratory owned and run by the Supreme Order of Engineers.

A number of the clerics have been troubled with visions and dreams indicating that a doom hangs over the SOE facility and that its impact will be far reaching indeed.

The lab itself dates back to the Second Republic and the monks have noted increased activity there that they believe is related to ancient and heretical technology that the engineers have finally got to work once again.

The priests have been becoming increasingly suspicious of the Engineers and fear that they have made new discoveries and are up to no good. Unfortunately they have little to go on other than visions and portents of foreboding and so will entreat the cadre to investigate.
To complicate matters further young novitiates start to turn up murdered. Is it the work of the Engineers, either remotely or via a hidden agent within the Retreat, or another, internal threat?

What of the SOE? Are they truly up to no good or have the priests misinterpreted the visions when the doom is actually closer to home?

If the Engineers are the source of the danger is it intentional or have they unknowingly released something that should have remained hidden?

Are the SOE working under contract to another party? Possibly an old adversary the cadre have crossed before?

Is this all related to Dro and Madro, "The Eyes of Azzurayelos"? Is there more sinister and occult powers at work?

[Angelman]

Awesome stuff

[Holz]

Boy... you guys have been busy!
Here is a small drama for the adventurers.




Setup: A mix of characters, maybe a more combat oriented group if making things messy.

Showcase: Noble intrigue, treason, PC are to blame, “Why I am the only one talking here”

The young Tatiana Aurelia wedding with Count Nazar Yusuf Havryil at the cathedral, was to be a great weeding. If she were wedding the man she loved, Alexander a freeman, and not a man that is 30 years older than her (and maybe 30 times her weight!).

Sadri, is the leader of the caravan that will take the newly wed to the Count’s estate. It will take some time since the raining season destroyed the road, and rumors of bandits roam the region. The party is hired/invited (guests of Tatiana or the Count)/businessmen and will follow the caravan to the Count’s estate.

The journey is slow and boring. Most of the “vehicles” are beastcraft and tend to take a toll on the mussy road. Out of the 25 carriages/cars, at least 1 or 2 are stuck and need help. A mercenary party involved in the protection gets more drunken than actually doing something. One of the mercenaries is extremely annoying with one of the party members (make sure to choose the most fun of all to make the situation more dramatic).

The picky mercenary is found dead, along with one of the weapons of the party and mistrust flies between the mercenaries and the party. The count delegates all trouble to Sadri, who sides with the mercenaries.

Now, why is Sadri sidding with the mercenaries if he knows the truth? Why is the count so condescending? Why is a young man always near Tatiana’s carriage? Why are horses and some animals missing at night? Why some of the mercenaries seem to be new to the caravan after days on the road?

[Angelman]

Another sweet tale of romance and intrigue. Should work great as a stop-gap story between main sessions, or as the beginning of a new plotline entirely. Again, interesting stuff, peoploids!

[Holz]

I was thinking of this on drama seed as a trap for the invaders. A trap on a trap, maybe...
I hope you enjoy!



Setup: I recommend a more experienced (maybe veterans on the system) group in this one, since it might take some time to know the town and its dwellers. Make it feel like a western, people making money and spending on the bar/saloon, violent types all over the place and the wrong expression on your eyes is enough to start a fight.

Showcase: Exploration, detective, barbarian vs. husk vs. party

For many years the Cisra fief has been raided by the Vuldrok barbarians. Last time they took most of the grains and the livestock, starving the population.

The local lord is a known coward; he hides himself in his keep, closes the door and only comes out when the barbarians are gone. The church changed more times its priest than a man can count the deeeds of the prophet’s works. The guilds simply closed their shops, representations and took they’re personnel away.

But, a rumor caught the region by surprise! It seems that the lands around the village are rich in Uranium and Nocxium, valuable minerals for power generation and high end technological materials. The influx of people is making the town boost again.

Yancy is tired of the raids, he lost most of his family and house countless times. He is the leader of the small village and is trying to make its economy boom again, bringing a priest, guild investment and help from the Royal Houses (maybe even the Emperor)! Each section will bring faith, money and security; at least, that is what he hopes.

But there is another rumor on the street, that there is another raid coming to the fief, and the Vuldrok heard about the rich minerals and the wealth it generated. This rumor makes everybody in town have a weapon on their hands, making it a place high with murder rates and “accidental” gun fire.

Why are the people been killed not showing up at the graveyard burial grounds? Even with the incoming invasion, Yancy does not seem worried, why is that so? At night behind the shouting, singing and music, you can hear moaning coming from some of the basement of the houses.

If I may suggest, if the barbarians do invade, release the husks (not the kraken) on the middle on the invasion, making all hell worse!

[Angelman]

This one feels very Western to me. I can see this as something Clint Eastwood may find himself trust into Very good!

[Holz]

I hope I am not getting too cheessy over here.
If I am getting repetitive, please give a heads up, so I can think a little, better.
Planning on doing church, guild and freeman dramas!

I need to start doing more sinners and saints and maybe fief's. Bert's trio makes a great gaming idea.
Here are a couple more Drama Seeds:



Setup: I recommend at least a noble duelist and a tech-savvy character (charioteer or engineer). A church member would be good for pointing out the dichotomy of the situation and solving “supernatural” features. Make sure that the atmosphere is scary, with storms, lightning striking the darkness, and always the more impending and urgent situation needs to be addressed.

Showcase: Duel of nobles, sins of the father, revenge/vendetta,

Count Rodrigo Manuel Rojas de Aragon won the estate he now resides in an atypical situation. His son, Fernando Pedro Rojas, died of a Crusade in Hira, where he was able to fend off the attackers and guarantee his house victory. The sacrifice was in such way honorable and decisive, that they presented his father with lands.

Terraformer number 12 is the main engine for the continent, were Count Rodrigo has the estate. The engine, located in his fief, started to show serious problems and the weather started shift toward more extreme conditions.

The Supreme Order of Engineers was contacted to solve the problem. But all the technicians that showed up, never were able to fix it, due to a ghost. The ghost says it wants to a duel of honor to the “death”. Anyone that tries to go by him or harm him, he slashes the enemy an “X” symbol, which sends a burning sensation when hit. And the ghost is a formidable opponent.

The Count himself, an old man and not very athletic, ask for a champion to represent him in battle, and says as a reward the champion with “indescribable riches”. His daughter thinks it is the brother back from the grave looking for vengeance, since it was his father, not him to receive such riches and honors. The Count scoffs at such ideas and is sending her to the Crusade, since she is of age and skilled in combat.

But why does the ghost tamper with the Terraforming engine? Why the ghost only fends off and scares, never injuring too much or killing its foes? Is there a relation with the ghost and the late son of the Count? Why are the local Scravers so quiet? Why the supply for fusion cells in the market plumped to a few old ones?



Setup: A mix of characters is ok. I recommend that the players get involved in the whole process, from the ailment to finding the medicine, to the duel. They even may participate! Since this is probably in Li Halan space, center on japanese/chinese style enviorments and concepts.

Showcase: Lost love, dueling, Noble issues, samurai-like situation

Kirido is a great swordsman. His style and execution are perfect, leaving all duels victorious. His sword was also a legend on its own, said to be crafted from a special alloy. Lord Takeda was very envious of Kirido sword skill and he was a thorn in his plans. And he knew Kirido’s weakness, his adopted daughter, Asuma. Both were romantically involved, but they didn’t have permission to date each other.

One day, Asuma fell very ill and into a deep coma. Priest and doctors came to her aid, but no medicine or technique could heal her. Kirido became depressive and started to ask favors where he could, but no one knew what to do or how to heal. Lord Takeda approached Kirido and said he knew how to heal her.

Lord Takeda said if he lost a duel with him and after his defeat he renounced his sword, his love and his will to hold up a sword, he will say were to find the blue rose, which is known to heal any ailment. But it is very rare and hard to find. Kirido said he would, only if he first returned with the rose and then he would fight the duel.

Kirido in his desperation took Takeda’s advice, although he knew not to trust him. Takeda told him that on the far side of the mountains, on the top, there is a place where a blue rose grows, which is known to heal any ailment. But it is very rare and hard to find.

It has been 3 days since Kirido left behind to find the blue rose. Asuma is still in coma, been taken care of. Lord Takeda starts to consolidate his plans and got the approval of the local bishop to marrying him and Asuma. He is only waiting for Kirido to return and complete his nefarious plan.

Why does Lord Takeda know how to heal Asuma? Why he needs to marry her? Why is the Bishop condescending with the whole idea? Why he hates Kirido so much to the point of destroying his life? Why Lord Takeda is so afraid on the sword Kirido uses?

Yes, some names and ideas came from the anime Sword Art Online. Not the best, yet got me ideas! Names have been changed!