Glisten.pt1.txt

Date: Wed, 04 Jan 1995 13:45:36 -0500
From: alvin plummera <alvin.plummer@sheridanc.on.ca>

* * * * * * 

Prelude - (to referees) don't be afraid to let your PC's fail
        - can cut and paste ideas into other adventures
        - this is an attempt at a "tough" adventure; in order for the PC's to
          earn this much money, a lot of legwork is needed.  The firepower 
          will be needed, but more towards the end of the game.

Glisten  027-1202

The PC's discover a news article regarding an Aslan Female, Hlausau' 
Ktyakuhois, who was last seen over a year ago in the Glisten system.  
Considered a major political figure in her homespace of Ranib subsector 
(Trojan Rift - M), she was exploring business opportunities for
the Oikhoiseaha clan when she vanished.  The article also noted that the 
reward for her safe return has been increased from 30 to 42 MCr.

The wisest course for the PC's is to head for Glisten and contact the local 
representative of the Oikhoiseaha clan, E'ae Kouwoureal.  There will be a 
brief discussion; before the meeting, make an Average roll of Liaison 
(using the highest Liaison rating among the PC's) to see if the PC's
remember the formalities and preparations needed to signal their respect 
towards the clan leader.

During the discussion - which will last only two minutes - make a Difficult 
roll of Liaison. Difficulty should be altered according to the amount of 
preparation the PC's make for their audience.

Outstanding Success = hired indefinitely.  All known information regarding Kty
is later given to the PC's by one of Kty's aides.  All expenses are paid, 
up to a limit of 100,000 Cr per month for a year.  Afterwards a retainer 
of 10,000 Cr is paid per month to the party.

["Kty" : short form for Ktyakouhois.  DON'T use in her presence!]

Success = hired for a year. Basic living expenses are paid for, and a fee of 
1500 Cr per PC is paid out every month.  Basic information about Kty is 
provided to the PC's.

Failure = not hired.  The PC's must somehow foot the cost of looking for Kty,
as well as worry about basic living expenses - Glisten is an expensive 
system to live in. 

Outstanding Failure = not hired.  Moreover, they have challanged the pride of
the clan, and find themselves facing a formal duel.  Even if the PC's 
back down correctly, the clan will work to discourage them in their 
search.  If they manage to find Kty, they may be forced to accept less
than a tenth of the reward money due.

-----------------------

Common knowledge: If this isn't given to the PC's, basic data on Kty can be 
found in a variety of government and clan databases.  To obtain 
unauthorized access to the database of either the local Ministry of 
Commerce and Trade (which handles the main starport, located at Seraiian
Asteroid) or the Police Datachannel (a system-wide Missing Person's report 
exists throughout the system), the following procedure must be followed: 


A) Finding out the physical spec's needed to imitate an authorized 
   terminal & user ID.
   Formidable: Research
B) Altering a regular terminal to fit the electronic signature of a legitimate
   terminal.
   Difficult: Electronics or Communications
C) Forging a low-level security clearance code for the user.
   Average: Forgery
D) Accessing the database.
   Easy: Computer 

The above tasks assume that a sufficent amount of time and tools is used. 
Moreover, all actions are assummed to be at TL F.  Increase Research 
difficulity by one level for every tech era the PC's homeworld is below 
High Stellar: increase the difficulity of all other
tasks by one level for every Tech level below F the PC is operating at.

The PC's may choose to contact the local criminal underground to do the work.
The Referee is advised to negotiate hard for every 'service' required, 
and demand exorbant compensation for these services.  Moreover, the 
Referee should factor in the possibility of scams and double-crossing.  
Finally, there's always the possibility that the criminal didn't do
the job properly, putting the PC's continued stay in Glisten - even their 
freedom - in jeopardy.

If the PC's target the clan's database, they will have to obtain physical 
access to a networked terminal in the clan's holding on Sarodon 
Asteroid.  The clan compound here houses the entire Oikhoiseaha clan, and 
is also the site of the gravitics factory they are constructing.  Once the
PC's have somehow sneaked onto the site, they need to imitate - or 'borrow' - 
an retnial pattern and the voice of an Aslan with the security clearances 
needed.

---------------------

Detailed knowledge: the PC's will only be able to have this level of knowledge
about Kty only by A) having it given to them by the clan leadership B) 
conducting interviews with the *right* Aslans (knowing who to interview is 
a task in it's own right!) C) successfully logging on to the clan
database, getting meaningful data from the right databases, and making the 
right connections with this pile of vaguely related mass of information.

There is another way.  Both researching Kty's background and making the 
connections are definitely easier if they choose to make the trip to 
Kty's homeworld, Lysewekh (Ranib: Trojan Reach/0640 A6205LA-E).  Going on 
regular jump4 Aslan liners (Regency ships are quarrentined
for 6 months before being permitted to travel deep into Aslan space), the trip
covers 14 jumps (about 45 parsecs), takes 28 weeks and costs 14,000 Cr 
per passenger in low berth.  To compare: the typical Regency citizen 
earns about 12,000 Cr a year.

The wise PC will be on his guard, this deep in Aslan space.  Few humans 
routinely travel this far into Aslan territory; thus, only a few 
professional Aslans have tolerance skill. 

The system itself is essentially a trade and military station.  Humans will be
tolerated, but watched carefully.  

----------------------------

Alvin Plummer