SSS: Stupid Space Structures

1. A Generation Ship race. It has started approximately 12000 years ago. No one remembers where the end line is.
2. A fake planet made of styrofoam. Entire ecosystem of polystyrene-dependent creatures inhabit its surface.
3. The Yellow Embassy. Occupied by the alien species that communicate by urinating on themselves and their interlocutors. Free beer for everyone.
4. A terraformed "paradise planet" with a functional space ladder as the only safe way to reach its surface.
5. A Great War-era German U-Boat, crewed by Kaiservampires.
6. One trillion-Watt lightbulb, as big as an orbital shipyard. Probably nothing can power it. Cult of Energy Preservation and the Church of the Unborn Light are at war for its control.

Yup this one is really useless. 

Septagram Amulet

A simple magic item. An amulet made of cobalt, depicting a seven pointed star.

• It provides a 7+ saving throw against all clerical spells targeting the Amulet's wearer, even if they are healing spells.
• Each successful saving throw must be noted by the GM, because each third successful saving throw causes the Amulet to drain 7 HP from its wearer. The effect is immediate, no saving throw can save from this Hit Points drain.
• If the amulet is soaked in its wearer's blood for seven straight days (at least 1 HP worth of blood per day), it grants its wearer one-time boon of 7777 XP - and one Hellish Mutation (figure it out yourself). Probably it also does something nasty to the wearer's soul.
• The amulet has no effect on any creatures that aren't alive (eg. undead, automata, golems, spirits) or doesn't possess soul.

Enjoy! 

6 - Navy Transport Ship

Next entry for my 100 random space encounters!

Enlightment-Class Blockade Runner

Hull: FR (18 structure points, -10% basic Pilot skill modifier) 

Armor: carbide (54) 

Reactor: expanded 

Drive Class: B 

Maneuvering Thrusters: one additional set (total Pilot skill modifier +0%) 

Jump Drive: yes 

Sensors: military +50% 

Jamming Systems: -30% 

Armament: 5 light lasers with UV focusing crystals (+1 damage)

Ammo: none 

Shield Generator: Delta

Cargo Space: 225t 

Other: 200t fuel holds, two external docking points, life support in cargo bays.

Enlightment-Class Blockade Runner is long, slender ship with powerful defense systems and ability to fend off smaller ships, such as fighters or pirate vessels. Its military-grade lasers can destroy enemy fighter with one salvo.

In addition, transport ship is guarded by two old but still deadly destroyers, belonging to two different classes, both invented more than 200 years ago.

Hydra-Class Destroyer

Hull: FR (18 structure points, -10% basic Pilot skill modifier) 

Armor: titanium (28) 

Reactor: standard

Drive Class: A 

Maneuvering Thrusters: none

Jump Drive: yes* 

Sensors: military +10% 

Jamming Systems: -10% 

Armament: 3 heavy missile launchers (6 pipes each)

Ammo: 54 XR HE missiles (18 pre-loaded), 12 XR plasma missiles

Shield Generator: Alpha

Cargo Space: none

Other: jump drive auxiliary power core*, launcher automatic feeding systems

"Glass Cannon" destroyer of ancient design, fast but very poorly protected. Despite very weak armor, a salvo of its missile batteries is capable of destroying an enemy cruiser within moments.

Vengeance-Class Destroyer

Hull: FR (18 structure points, -10% basic Pilot skill modifier) 

Armor: ceramite (44+10*) 

Reactor: expanded

Drive Class: B 

Maneuvering Thrusters: two additional sets (total Pilot skill modifier +5*%)

Jump Drive: yes*

Sensors: military +10% 

Jamming Systems: -5% 

Armament: plasma cannon, two heavy lasers, five light lasers

Ammo: none

Shield Generator: none

Cargo Space: none

Other: additional armor plating (+10 durability points, -5% to Pilot skill, already added to total modifier) ,targeting computer able to target 15 ships.

Another ancient ship, armed with mixed weapons systems, thus able to fight different types of enemy ships. Unfortunately, absence of shield generator makes it vulnerable target.

5 - collision course

Sensors are sounding alarm - something is going to collide with PCs ship. Scanning reveals that it's small but very advanced fighter. It's strange but everything seems that it want to ram players' spaceship!

Roll d6 to determine why this situation occured:

1. Fighter's central computer is dominated by AI or virus program
2. Drugged pilot think that's a good and spectacular reason to commit suicide
3. Ship's electronic systems are dead. Fighter's engine is down, although it still runs with maximum speed. Avoiding the collision should be relatively easy task
4. Pilot has lost control of the damaged spaceship; he'll try to communicate with PCs and warn them
5. Fighter's pilot thinks that PCs spaceship belongs to enemy faction; moments before the collision he will change the course and will open fire
6. Pilot is dead. Cockpit was hit several times or life support systems died.

Fighter stats for Terminal Space and Bandits & Battlecruisers:

Hull Type: FT (4 Structure Points, Pilot skill mod +30%)

Armor: ultrasteel (25)

Reactor: standard

Drive Class: A

Maneuvering Thrusters: three additional units

Jump Drive: none

Sensors: military

Jamming Systems: -5%

Armament: light phase cannon, two plasma missiles

Ammo:see above

Shield Generator: none

Cargo Space: none

Other: pilot eject system

4 - "it's empty!"

Here you are! Most fascinating entry for my random space encounters table! PCs find cargo container drifting in space, which is... empty.

If someone cares about it, here is some small random table that can be used to determine container's nature. Roll 1d20:

1: Military

2-3: Civilian, ancient one

4-7: Civilian, old and damaged

8-14: Civilian, standard one

15-16: Civilian, designed for the transport of medical supplies

17: Civilian, designed for the transport of corpses

18: Civilian, blood splattered inside

19: Looks like it's crafted by aliens

20: Made of unusual materials (such as crystal or wood), definitely alien-made

3 - Madman

PCs receive SOS signal from the small, private yacht. Message contains information that three passengers have been terrorized by a madman. He is armed with a handgun and had damaged vessel's cockpit.

Yacht's engines are shut down so docking should be no problem. Airlock is not locked so sneaking on board should be rather easy, of course if docking was done properly (i.e. without ramming the yacht!).

Yacht's crew consists of two males and one female. They look like rich men, travelling for pleasure. "Terrorist" is a young man, apparently a pilot. He is armed with heavy pistol. He shouts something about aliens pretending to be humans, impersonating his friends. His movements are uncoordinated and he has restless eyes, as if he is on some kind of drugs.

Even if PCs want to negotiate, it's highly possible that sooner or later he will attack, but his primary target will be his hostages. Even then, his attack will be extremely uncoordinated and disarming him will be rather simple task (killing him may be even simpler).

After the fight, passengers will calm down really fast. If asked, they will tell that Mark's behavior (pilot's name) was rather strange during the whole cruise. In the past they suspected him to be a drug addict but they never thought that it will lead him that far. They also ask PCs if they can repair the cockpit, shot dead by Mark, as no one of them is able to do it.

The only problem is that Mark was telling the truth - real owners of the yacht were killed and replaced by aliens capable to mimic humans. They will try to drug PCs with psychoactive substances (the same drugs that they previously gave Mark), in example in snacks, cigarettes or wine. Later, they will use their disgusting, violet ovipositors to get through PCs' nasal cavities to their brains and lay eggs there.

Aliens are armed with small, concealable handguns, hidden in ship's safe. Despite size of the weapons, they are apparently alien-made, so their real firepower or exact methods of attack may be not that certain.

Aaand yacht's stats for Terminal Space and Bandits & Battlecruisers:

Hull Type: LF (8 Structure Points, Pilot skill mod +5%)

Armor: ceramite (25)

Reactor: standard

Drive Class: C

Maneuvering Thrusters: two additional units

Jump Drive: none

Sensors: civilian +10%

Jamming Systems: none

Armament: two light lasers in automated turrets

Ammo: none

Shield Generator: none

Cargo Space: 5t

Other: luxury passenger apartments, jacuzzi, sauna, small gym, communicator systems in passenger cabins, automated docking system, expensive civilian jetbike in cargo hold.

Sorry for this rather new-school adventure plot, but it was written by me over two years ago, especially for this entry of my random table. Oh, and graphics above is a wallpaper from the awesome Transcendence game.

2 - Courier vessel

Second entry from my random space encounter table. Almost a reprint from the Terminal Space, with some minor additions.

Courier ships are designed for fast delivering of valuable goods. Usually they do not stop during their missions, choosing uncommon travel routes to avoid ambushes. In combat, they often rely on large speed and heavy armor to avoid losing a cargo, so the best way to successfully attack a courier is to do it in places where he can't reach his top speed, such as asteroid fields or dust clouds.

Hull Type: LF (8 structure points, Pilot skill -10%)

Armor: ceramite (25)

Drive Class: A

Maneuvering Thrusters: none additional

Jump Drive: yes

Sensors: military +5%

Jamming Systems: -10%

Armament: heavy laser in automated turret, light missile launcher

Ammo: 18 HE missiles

Shield Generator: Alpha

Cargo Space: 10t

Other: none

Table that may be helpful to determine what type of cargo courier is currently delivering. Roll 1d20:

1. Ship's cargo hold is empty!
2. Coffin with a corpse inside (probably some official, maybe celebrity)
3. Expensive spare parts (such as jump drive components)
4. Medical supplies
5. Illegal drugs
6. Pieces of ancient art
7. Alien artifact
8. Orders in sealed envelope (corporate or military)
9. Hi-tech electronic components
10. Gems and jewelry
11. Expensive consummables (such as old bottle of wine, Earth cigars, caviar and so on)
12. Expensive food
13. Personal weapons
14. Weapon prototype
15. Official / celebrity
16. Local prophet of great renown
17. Prisoner in a stasis cell / cage
18. Alien creature in a stasis cell / cage (13% that it's sapient)
19. Magical / mystical artifact (1% that it's fake)
20. Roll twice, pick both (mix the results if possible!)

1 - Nomads

First entry from my random space encounters list!

Space nomads travel the interstellar void on large, bulky ships, often being conglomerate of smaller vessels merged into one. Their communities are almost self-sufficient, with hydroponic plantations and livestock wandering onboard. Spare parts and resources are often excavated from forgotten or abandoned stations and mines or salvaged from wrecks. Nomad communities can vary - some are loose, almost democratic communes while other are family-based clans with very complicated laws and traditions.

Nomad ship stats for Terminal Space and Bandits & Battlecruisers:

Hull: special (30 structure points, -30% for Pilot tests)

Armor: titanium (20)

Reactor: standard

Drive Class: C

Maneuvering Thrusters: none additional

Jump Drive: yes

Sensors: civilian, +10%

Jamming Systems: none

Armament: 3x heavy laser, 2x light laser, 2x light missile launcher (5 launch pipes each)

Ammo: 25 HE missiles, 10 laser missiles, 5 plasma missiles per launcher

Shield Generator: none

Cargo Space: 300t

Other: hydroponic gardens, onboard farm, refuelling pod, 3 docking points

Random space encounters!

I suppose that lots of you have already seen this list in Terminal Space. Reason why I'm reposting it here is very simple - I plan to write something about each of these entries. One encounter - one post. Once I tried to do it in Polish but I failed - I hope that this time I'll be more focused on it :D

1. Space nomad ship
2. Courier vessel
3. Small private vessel overtaken by a madman
4. Abandoned cargo container (empty)
5. Small fighter on collision course
6. Military transport with small escort
7. Smugglers hiding something on a nearby asteroid
8. Dead body in a space suit
9. Ship of swindlers selling fake alien artifacts
10. Bounty hunter
11. Small private vessel (spies of an enemy faction)
12. Freighter (absolutely ordinary one)
13. System militia patrol
14. Space treasure hunters
15. Miner base ship
16. Lifepod (living survivors inside it)
17. Ramshackle mothership of a space barbarians
18. Blazing battleship suddenly jumped out from hyperspace
19. Cloud of spore parasites that can damage ship’s hull
20. Temple ship of the sect of mystics
21. Cloud of ordnance still running with momentum
22. Small ice asteroid with an alien artifact sunken inside it
23. Lone naval mine
24. Space tug
25. Pirate ambush in the small asteroid field
26. Space scrap gatherers
27. Freighter full of refugees
28. Lone asteroid with an abandoned mine
29. Abandoned cargo container (booby trapped)
30. Space pilgrims
31. Private yacht stolen by thieves
32. Navigational buoy
33. Giant ancient battlefield
34. Space trader ship
35. Remains of destroyed convoy
36. Colossal space ray
37. Space storm of unknown type, disturbing instrument reading
38. Battleship transmitting SOS signal (plague on board)
39. Deserters posing as system militia
40. Mercenary base ship
41. Giant city ship
42. Lifepod (all aboard are dead)
43. Wreck of a courier vessel
44. Freighter transmitting SOS signal (decoy of pirate ambush)
45. Frozen body of alien creature
46. Freighter under attack of pirates
47. Asteroid hollowed out by space ants
48. Research vessel
49. Prison ship
50. Freighter being a grave of a space barbarian king
51. Freighter transmitting SOS (main drive malfunction)
52. Small private vessels (ordinary travelers)
53. Slaver ship
54. Special purpose freighter, carrying dangerous cargo
55. System patrol frigate attacking pirate ship
56. Colonist ship hundreds of years old (crew still sleeping in cryo!)
57. Antique satellite controlled by an insane AI
58. Giant superfreighter
59. Sealed military cargo container (weapons inside)
60. Enemy fighter pilot calling for help
61. Ship of sect of assassins disguised as pilgrims
62. Wreck crashed on a surface of a lone asteroid
63. Huge mine field
64. Enemy patrol ship willing to switch sides
65. Alien vessel of unknown origin (no crew aboard)
66. Lifepod (lone, insane survivor)
67. Carrier ship
68. Abandoned cargo container (full of illegal drugs)
69. Luxury private yacht
70. Bounty hunter vessel pursuing his prey
71. Burned out wreck hauled by a tug
72. Diplomatic vessel of another faction / from another system
73. About dozen of asteroids and giant bugs feeding on them
74. Smuggler’s freighter
75. Prison ship taken over by inmates
76. Freighter convoy protected by military vessels
77. Navigational buoy leading to pirate ambush
78. Luxury liner
79. Ancient unexploded missile fitted with nuclear warhead
80. Battleship transmitting SOS signal (mutiny on board)
81. Wreck robbers at work
82. Wreck of a freighter with space ants / bugs inside
83. Cloud of space debris several kilometers wide (remains of a battleship)
84. Two civilian vessels fighting each other (old enemies)
85. Sealed military cargo container (deadly viruses)
86. Space tanker
87. Small cluster of asteroids and miners working there
88. Giant space monster waiting for prey (such as small vessels)
89. Pirate mothership
90. Lone fighter lost in space
91. Wreck of a freighter adapted by a hermit
92. Enemy frigate on a corsair run
93. Huge cloud of space dust
94. Heavily radiated wreck of a small military vessel
95. Luxury private yacht converted into a pirate ship
96. Sealed military cargo container (empty - a provocation)
97. Alien ship speeding in its own direction
98. Hundreds years old exploration ship
99. Enemy battlecruiser
100. Roll two times an pick both

Screen was taken from the awesome Transcendence game. Check it out - it's free!