Appendix G: "The Gauntlet"

An Introductory Citizen-Level DarkSpace Adventure SETUP In this 0-Level gauntlet style adventure, the players play as Citizens who are thrust into danger. It is recommended that the players use the random generation process to create four 0-level characters each. A gauntlet is a style of absurdly lethal adventure that ultimately funnels a player’s starting Citizens down to one who levels up to Rookie at the end of the adventure. For more details on this style of play, see The Gauntlet section in Shadowdark. The goal of the adventure is to restore the ship’s failing systems and escape the pirates that have attacked. The Citizens begin in area 5, the Passenger Hold. INTRODUCTION Read aloud or summarize to players. You are passengers on The Gauntlet, a long-range transport ship designed to ferry passengers and cargo from sector to sector within the galaxy. At FTL, travel between sectors can still take up to a month. Therefore, passengers are placed in cryo- stasis to minimize the extra resources needed for the long haul. You wake from your cryo-pod to the sounds of claxons and flashing lights in the passenger bay. You look around to see some, but not all, of your fellow passengers also waking from their stasis. None of the crew who helped you into your pods is present. A calm, monotone voice announces over the PA system, “Ship disabled. Critical systems failing. Crew unavailable. Initiating emergency conscription protocols. Please restore systems to operational capacity.” The lights begin to flash and flicker before going out and only the dim red emergency lights remain on, providing just enough direction to the exits. SYSTEMS REPORT

• FTL DRIVE - OFFLINE, DAMAGED (DC 15 check)

• SL DRIVE - OFFLINE, DAMAGED (DC 15 check)

• NAVICOMPUTER - ONLINE

• MEMORY BANKS - ONLINE

• SENSOR ARRAY - ONLINE

• COMMS ARRAY - OFFLINE

• SHIELDS - OFFLINE

• WEAPONS ARRAY - OFFLINE

• ENVIRONMENTALS

• LIGHTING - EMERGENCY ONLY

• GRAVITY - ONLINE

• ATMOSPHERIC - ONLINE

• CLIMATE - ONLINE

RANDOM EVENT TABLE 1D6 EVENT 1 Total Loss of Ship Power (0 hp) 2 Loss of Gravity (Zero-G) 3 Loss of Atmospheric (timer event) 4 Loss of Climate (timer event) 5 Hull Breach! (STR 12 check + space exposure) 6 Pirates! (1 pirate per 2 spacers ) RANDOM EVENTS

Deadly Danger Level. Roll 1d6 every round, an Event occurs on

a 1. Roll on the table for event.

AREAS OF THE SHIP 1. The Bridge The bridge of The Gauntlet is in working order. However, after the pirate strike many of the ship’s systems are offline. These can be restarted (INT DC 9) if the system is in working condition. Otherwise, repairs at the individual system must be performed. 2. Crew Quarters A hole from a projectile has pierced both the topside and keel of The Gauntlet in this area. There is no atmosphere and it is open to space. All pressure doors to this area closed. Opening a door results in sudden decompression which may pull a spacer further into the area (STR DC 12, sucked into space on a critical failure). Without an exo-suit, the spacer loses one point of CON per round. The holes can be repaired with the proper material and tools (WIS DC 12). The quarters contain the personal effects of the former crew who were asphyxiated and sucked into space. Each cabin can be searched for salvage. 3. Galley and Mess The galley of The Gauntlet is stocked with the essentials for sustenance on a long space voyage. Besides the foodstuffs for feeding a crew of 8, there are 8 emergency ration packets.