--On the Setting--
Note to GM’s…Absolom Station in this setting is much bigger than it is normally. It is essentially an artificial planet that was made to replace the one that went missing. The station is roughly over 2,000 miles across. Its exterior sections comprise the industrial workings of the station that allow it to function/operate and thus maintain the atmosphere of the encased chunk of planet.
It is believed and to a degree known that the section of planet may have been a part of the skull of a god that died who knows how many centuries ago. Natural resources are present (for example, gold was believed to have been a part of its nervous system, and magma – such as what it is – is believed to have been blood that is still circulating). The main reason for the belief that this was part of a god are the deposits of fat that can be mined.
There are a number of regions, as well as there being an ocean. The central and largest city of the station/planet is the city Star-Morbief. An academy of magic is present here, along with many different guilds which more or less run the city as its council…with one small exception. The city is essentially governed by one person, the Regent.
Running a massive city is a difficult thing, more so when the city is the central hub of the station. The Regent is often viewed as an evil man, but this is only do to the fact that in order to keep everyone in line you had to be quite the prick when no one else wanted you to. He also has a practical view toward crime, namely that since there is going to be crime, it best be organized under the rule of order. Thus, there are many guilds that exist in the city as a means of controlling crime. It all works oddly enough.
For example, for a small monthly fee people can avoid being mugged or robbed. There is a guild for almost everything in Star-Morbief.
While the Regent controls the city, it is the Overseer that manages the entire station. She ensures that everything works and stays working. The Regents of the cities all answer to her, though her job is typically busy enough as is that she has time to deal with the Regents. She gets reports, and typically is quite happy with the work of the Regent of Star-Morbief (who is an impossibly clever man who seems to know that is going on in the city even when magic is being used to obscure scrying).
Since the station possesses an atmospheric shield, ships can land directly on the surface instead of in any of the outer landing bays. This is widely frowned upon, and the regents of the various major cities and the outlaying governors & mayors take a hard edge against space vehicles landing on planet with out the proper authorization (often requiring the direct authorization of a person in charge of the surrounding area or getting authorization from the Overseer’s office.
The station is a bit of an oddity. Aside from believing that the land was once part of a god, the station appearing in the place of the planet Golarian and possessing the Starstone (which powers the whole thing and keeps the land alive), it also has roving dungeons which appear in the land for no real reason other than to provide starfinders with a challenge every once in a while, and to spew out monsters.
Additionally, there is the high magical field of the place which causes certain things to manifest an avatar of what they are. Not everyone can see these avatars unless they possess magical capabilities or are under particular conditions that would allow them to. For example, Death is manifested as a skeletal man with a scythe who rides upon a pure white horse. Magic users can see Death for what he is when he is around, while other beings either won’t see him at all or their minds will simply insert a different visage of what they are seeing instead of what is really there. The only other way that Death is visible to normal people (or non-magical folk) is by either being a child, a cat, or being in a heightened state of awareness where death is ever close at hand. Death is not evil, and there is a death on every planet, tending to just that planet. The Death of Golarian is the Death of the station. He knows what happened to the planet, but it is not his place to tell people what really happened, it would be against the rules. And while he may bend the rules, he does not break them. Death cannot be compelled to divulge the truth of this, and even gods are subject to him when their time comes. Death is always polite and finds mortals interesting. However, Death sometimes becomes depressed and wanders off from the job, (but never for too long). He has a love for cats and can become irritated by people who are cruel toward them.
--Oddities of the World--
The world that is the space station is filled with various oddities. Some gods live upon the world, off and on, and a there is a Death that cares for the dead of this place. The players encountering death during life or death circumstances should provide brief light-hearted moments, where time seems to stop, and they get a bit of a parlay with Death. These are brief moments meant to allow a Level 1 character to survive. The player to get to abuse the stop in time for a moment (one free turn of actions). They can hold a conversation with Death who is accommodating but must let time progress normally at a point. He won’t care too much for the abuse of things – all things die eventually, but he would prefer if people would stop taking advantage of these little interactions.
Dungeons don’t often appear in cities, but when one does its never a good thing. While smaller than those found outside, the monsters inside are exceptionally dangerous and they don’t typically stay confined. The city police often can keep these occurrences confined, but outside help is never turned away.
There is also something that grows on the land here called Sapient Pear Wood. It is magical, though its true properties aren’t revealed until you make something with it. Staves and wands are the most common things made, but people have also been known to make chests and trunks out of the stuff. Its virtually indestructible (has a lot of HP and DR), will follow its owner anywhere (somehow), and seems to have its own personality. It acts in a similar capacity as a bag of holding, save that it’s as if it has several bags of holding…as well as being able to act like a mimic in that it will eat beings that cross it.
Wands & Staves made from the stuff are semi intelligent and won’t allow any other magic user to use them except for their owner (they are magic items, and grant the user the ability to use one or more magic feats in addition to what the user already knows. The wand or staff will also teleport to its owner when called. Armor and weapons are not typically made out of the stuff due to the difficulties in working with the wood, though if a weapon has a portion of wood as part of it (like a hilt, or stalk) then the item will teleport when called coming to their hand. Even though the wood could be sharpened to have an actual cutting edge, the problem there is that you could end up cutting your fingers off or impaling your hand.
Armor is no better either. You could call on it, but it could manifest on you backwards, upside down, or even correctly. But it also could appear inside you. Luggage made of it though doesn’t have this property and is more sapient than items are. Chests and similar objects made of the stuff get around on dozens or hundreds of little legs but can pass through dimensions and bash their way through walls, doors and the like with single minded purpose. They can even travel in the void of space somehow, but it’s best not to think about how it happens. Luckily few people want sapient pear wood things due to the problems involved with it.
--Character Creation--
Characters can be of any type from the PHB. In terms of background, however, all PC’s are required to have a common desire to explore and understand the universe. The PC’s are each a scholar in their own ways. As such all PC’s are required to have at least 1 knowledge related skill (Culture, Life Science, Mysticism, Physical Sciences, or Profession).
--The Starting Adventure Hook--
The game starts with the PC’s on Absalom Station. They have recently joined the Starfinder Society out of a curiosity to see the galaxy and understand it’s wonders. The roving dungeons of the station are considered a good testing point for new Starfinders. These dungeons often are an irritation when they appear around cities, but the further out that they appear, the more dangerous they become (typically).
As a test of their capabilities, the Players will be tasked with exploring a dungeon that has been annexed by the society on the outskirts of Star-Morbief. It will be up to them to locate the dungeon, and then explore it. If they meet any difficulties that exceed their level of capability they can either, choose to press on or raise the alarm to the test’s overseers.
The dungeon should be two levels and is meant to take PC’s from level 1 to level 2. Encounter difficulties are meant to be “average”. Make the encounters low tech for this dungeon if possible. Skeletal Undead are a good starting foe, as are Space Goblins (though they should be treated as just normal Goblins for this dungeon.
There is also a dungeon master, a monster that is essentially the final guardian of the secrets of the dungeon. This should be a single creature that is a “Challenging” or “Hard” opponent for the entire group.
At the end of the dungeon is the riddle of 3 qualities.
- Which is the greatest quality; Might, Intelligence, or Power?
o The riddle must be answered by each person present, it must be their own answer. When an answer is chosen, a door opens to admit one person at a time into the room beyond. A magical force will keep anyone else from forcing their way in.
o If answered wrong, after entering the door and it closes, the person finds themselves back at the entrance of the dungeon, and unable to enter again.
o The answer is different for each person. It is a riddle of self-value. What does the person value most? Strength has many meanings. A character that enjoys exercise could see that valuing physical strength is most important to them. But a strong moral compass may also be an acceptable answer. Intelligence also has its meanings, is it over all intellect, or is it knowledge of a particular thing? As for power, it should be self-explanatory, but power also has many meanings as well. Is it the power to influence others, or magical power?
o When answered correctly the door leads to another room. A scroll is present. When read, the magic vanishes but the words on the scroll remain, its language after this is indecipherable by the PC’s (DC 35-40 for an appropriate skill roll without the right tools, or time). Players who chose Strength will gain a +1 to either STR, DEX, or CON (choose one to apply it to), or they can gain a combat related feat. Those that chose Intellect can apply a +1 to either INT, WIS, or CHA, or they can gain a skill related feat. For those that chose Power they may know 1 additional level 0 & 1 spell, or a feat that enhances magic or some other class ability. With those that have no magical power they instead can choose to know a single level 0 spell (if a DC is needed for the spell then it is generated like it would be for any other class).
Once everyone has left the dungeon it vanishes, their Health is also restored upon leaving.
Awaiting everyone outside will be a small group of thugs.
[NOTE: This group is present to help put PC’s up to level 2 if they are not already there.]
The thugs are there to take what ever riches the PC’s have found. Its not an uncommon practice to do this, the Regent of the city does frown upon the practice when not done in the city and under the licensed supervision of the Thieves Guild.
Guilds
This city of Star-Morbief is home to a number of different guilds, and with a suitable petition and $2000 credits you can start your own guild as well. While there are a number of guilds there are certain guilds that stand above the others.
The Thieves Guild – Since there is going to be crime, it may as well be organized. For a small monthly payment, a citizen or visitor to the city can ensure that they are not mugged or robbed by one of the many licensed thieves of the city. Killing by a licensed thief is prohibited, but accidents do happen. On the other hand, an unlicensed thief does not want to be caught by the guild, especially if they want to keep all of their limbs intact. People who want to steal and not pay guild dues typically work outside the city, but there’s still many people who are gutsy enough to work with in the city.
The Assassin’s Guild – While one would think that assassination is an underhanded profession, the assassin’s guild makes it look cool. Aside from offering one the best educations money can buy; assassination work requires paperwork from clients and thus contracts to be set up and full filled. The guild has the right to raise the payment for fulfilling contracts on certain people, as well as black listing possible targets. Their job is largely seen as a public service since most people who can afford an assassin are those with wealth who by large see the work of offing a competitor or government lacky as a good service to them as they are a part of the public.
They do travel, however, and thus typically operate outside of the cities confines. Not all assassins survive the years of training, and some choose to quite with an excellent education under their belts. Most law enforcement agencies in the galaxy know that once an assassin returns to the city, their off limits. For the sake of decency, the guild is referred to as the Dark Scholar’s Guild, but everyone knows that it really is. Assassin’s do work that doesn’t involve murder, often sending a very pointed message.
The Red Light Guild – If the name wasn’t obvious enough, the guild is one that women and men of “negotiable affections“ are members of. The guild offers a high degree of safety for its members and of course offers them great healthcare. Before new people can visit their chosen “date” they do have to undergo a health screening or provide current documents on one’s health. Discretion is always apart of their business as well.
Other Guilds – For most major types of businesses, there is a guild.
Starfinder Society Guild – While the guild works largely the same as that of other guilds in the city, they are the only guild with noted operations across the galaxy. In the city, and generally on the station, it is the job of the Starfinders to explore the dungeons that spring up. The on-station work pays decently (free room & board at guild houses, + 1,000 credits a month {minus membership fees, with raises based upon activities and experience}, + the right to keep certain findings or have certain discoveries named after them {for good or bad}.
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Once the players get back to the guild with their information, they are told that the guild’s experts will need 24hrs to decrypt the scrolls. The magics had a purpose that was served, but the scrolls contain imbedded micro-circuitry in the paper in addition to the strange language on them.
The end of the game session is here. There is a new adventure hook waiting that involves the scrolls if they want to pursue that, or they can choose to find something else to do.
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