Escape from Elysium.pdf

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15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE

DRAGONSTAR

The galaxy

...an ocean of stars stretching across the vastness of space,

home to great civilizations built on the twin pillars of magic

and science.

The great war

…a titanic conflict that raged across the stars and devoured

worlds whole as untold legions of dragons battled for suprema-

cy.

The ancient pact

…a truce forged of hope and desperation, giving birth to an

empire ruled in a line of succession by the most powerful

elders of the dragon clans.

The new emperor

…the great red wyrm assumes the Golden Throne after five

millennia of peace.

The future

…a dark and unknown horizon, as unrest grows on a million

worlds and countless races suffer under the tyrannical rule of

the new emperor.

Welcome to Dragonstar, a boundless universe of magic and

machine, science and sorcery. Intrepid adventurers explore the

Outlands in starships powered by fusion fire and arcane rituals.

Dwarven prospectors work veins of pure adamantine in

remote asteroid belts, and elven loremasters conduct secret

experiments in living space stations. Grizzled mercenaries aug-

ment their bodies with bioengineered spellware, and orc raiders

armed with pulse lasers massacre innocents on isolated colony

worlds.

Dragonstar is a unique space-fantasy campaign setting for

the d20 System, coming this fall from Fantasy Flight Games.

Written by veteran designers Matt Forbeck and Greg Benage,

Dragonstar will be released in two hardcover volumes: the

Starfarer's Handbook and the Galaxy Guide. Prepare to take your

adventure to the stars!

This free preview booklet is distributed under the terms of the Open Gaming

License. Material enlcosed in a shaded box is designated as Open Content.

‘d20 System’ and the ‘d20 System logo are Trademarks owned by Wizards of the

Coast and are used according to the terms of the d20 System Trademark License

version 1.0. A copy of the license can be found at www.wizards.com.

a sophisticated and expensive piece of hardware that Lucius

knows the resistance will never be able to produce in quantity:

He simply wanted to be sure that the weapon used to fire the

darkseekers could be ruled out as a possible cause of any defects

or limitations.

The PCs have been assigned to transport the weapon safely

from Lucius' homeworld to a resistance base in the Kadimin

system, hundreds of light-years away. The modular weapon is

disassembled and stored with five 20-round ammunition maga-

zines in an electronically and arcane locked titanium case. The

characters have been instructed not to open the case and have

not been given the keypad combination for the electronic lock.

Opening it requires an Open Lock check (DC 25) by a charac-

ter with the Technical Proficiency feat. All of the PCs in this

adventure are from imperial worlds and have the Technical

Proficiency feat; however, Salassa is the only one with the nec-

essary skill and equipment to open the lock. The arcane lock

can only be opened with a dispel magic or knock spell, as usual.

The characters have booked passage aboard the starliner

Elysium for the long voyage to the Kadimin system. They have

a single cabin with four bunks on the Nebula Deck, which

offers affordable if somewhat confined 10 ft. by 20 ft. berths.

The trip from the inner system to a safe jump point at the

outer edge of the solar system takes several days, and the char-

acters have had plenty of time to get acquainted with the ship.

Escape from Elysium

Escape from Elysium is a short, standalone adventure designed

to introduce players and DMs to the Dragonstar universe.

Included are three pre-generated characters and all the informa-

tion you'll need to run the adventure using the d20 System core

rulebooks. The adventure offers a few peeks into some of the

dark and secret corners of the Dragonstar campaign setting,

so don't read any further unless you're the DM!

Adventure Background

Ever since the great red wyrm Mezzenbone assumed the

Golden Throne, a loosely organized resistance movement has

been growing among the oppressed races of the galaxy. Largely

confined to secret bases and covert organizations operating in

the Outlands worlds lightly governed by the benevolent and

freedom-loving brass and copper dragon clans, the resistance

has nevertheless become strong enough to begin actively—if

quietly—opposing the Empire.

The PCs are three such freedom fighters. Drawn to the resis-

tance for different reasons and from different pasts, they are

playing a minor role in one of the first battles of a brewing

covert war.

The resistance can never hope to match the Empire's tech-

nological resources. However, the leaders of the resistance

hope that magic is something of an equalizer. Magic cannot be

mass-produced. Magical research and invention typically

requires a single spellcaster with vision, skill, and persistence

who is willing to sacrifice some measure of his own life force

to his work.

One such individual, a brilliant wizard named Lucius

Deneven, has developed a new weapon that could aid the resis-

tance in some small way in its fight against evil and tyranny.

This weapon is an arcane technological device, a sophisticated

hybrid of magic and machine that Lucius calls a darkseeker.

The darkseeker is a miniature rocket designed to be fired from

a conventional gyrojet weapon. The rocket is driven by a solid

propellant and equipped with an electronic guidance system

and maneuvering fins that allow it to alter course in flight. Due

to a number of design limitations, gyrojet weapons are uncom-

mon in the Empire. The feature that gives the darkseeker its

name, however, makes it a promising development for the

resistance: The darkseeker rocket is enchanted to detect and

home-in on evil targets.

The resistance hopes that enough of the darkseeker rockets can

be produced to provide its covert warriors with some small

advantage in their fight against the daunting forces of the

Empire. Such weapons will make even largely untrained recruits

effective marksmen against the right targets. The lack of popu-

larity of gyrojet weapons will even work in the resistance's

favor, as they will be able to acquire them at very low prices

from eager arms dealers and gunrunners across the Outlands.

With the assistance of a dwarven gunsmith and devoted cler-

ic, Lucius enchanted a military-grade gyrojet rifle to serve as

the test platform for the darkseeker rockets. This holy weapon is

Pirate Attack!

Escape from Elysium is set up as a race against time, a running

battle in which the PCs must make their way across the Nebula

Deck and reach the ship's escape pods before being killed or

captured by the attackers. To begin the adventure, simply read

or paraphrase the following text.

There are three orc mercenaries in the corridor (see stats at

the end of the scenario). They are posing as pirates—and in

truth, they have done some freebooting in their day—and they

have been hired by the Imperial Police to attack the Elysium.

There's no way for the characters to know it, but this whole

crisis centers on them: The Imperial Police have discovered the

existence of the resistance movement and their darkseeker

You are members of a covert resistance cell and you've

been charged with transporting a valuable package to a hid-

den base in the Kadimin system. You weren't told what is in

the electronically and magically locked titanium case, but

you figure it must be pretty important. You've booked pas-

sage on the starliner Elysium for the long voyage.

Interstellar ships like the Elysium jump between the stars

instantaneously using powerful magic, but it takes several

days to travel under conventional acceleration from the

inner planets to a safe jump point at the outer edge of the

star system. During that time, you've had ample opportunity

to get to know the ship. While your cabin on the Nebula

Deck is a far cry from the penthouse suites you read about

on the ship's network, it's still quite comfortable, if a little

confined.

You've been aboard for the better part of two days when

bybassed the cameras they pass (Technical Proficiency, Disable

Device DC 20).

Assuming the orcs are prepared for the characters, they will

have taken cover behind the large equipment lockers in the

escape pod bay. The lockers count as one-half cover. Knowing

that their lives depend on preventing the characters’ escape, the

orcs will shoot to kill.

trouble arrives. You're relaxing in your cabin, anxiously pass-

ing the time before the jump, when an alarm chime sounds

on the cabin's computer console. The message freezes the

blood in your veins:

Attention all passengers, this is the captain speaking. It is my

unwelcome duty to inform you that the Elysium has come under

attack by an unidentified hostile party. Attempts to hail the attacking

vessels have been unsuccessful. Please stay calm and remain in your

cabins until this crisis has been resolved.

Moments after the message ends, you feel the first explo-

sions shudder through the ship. Somewhere far away, alarm

klaxons begin to sound. The cabin's lights dim and flicker

ominously. After what seems like hours, the explosions stop

and the ship is quiet but for the harsh blaring of the emer-

gency alarms.

Suddenly, the cabin door unlocks and slides open. An

obviously panicked security officer is standing in the door-

way, his laser pistol out of its holster and held at his side.

"He…hello, my name is Officer Ridgewell, with sh…ship

security. I was sent to warn you! Pirates have crippled and

boarded the ship. You have to get to the escape pods!

They've come…"

The young man's warning is cut short as a blaster pulse

tears through his body. Eyes glazing, he crumples to the

ground. Hulking figures are visible in the corridor outside

the cabin.

concluding the adventure

If the characters defeat the last group of orc mercenaries,

they will be able to get to the escape pods. Unfortunately, they

will discover that the attackers have locked out the control sys-

tems and they can’t get into the pods, let alone launch them.

There is a network terminal in the bay, but gaining access to

the control systems requires a Use Computer check (DC 20). If

the check is successful, the characters will be able to climb into

one of the miniature four-passenger spacecraft and launch. If

the check fails, the player may try again but each failure will

result in the arrival of three more orcs.

If the PCs manage to launch the emergency pod and escape

from the Elysium, they will eventually be picked up by a free

trader working for the resistance. The free trader transports

them safely and stealthily to the secret resistance base in the

inner system. The characters are debriefed, congratulated

(assuming they did not lose the darkseeker prototype), and given

a few days to relax and recover before beginning their next

mission.

weapon and have attacked the starliner to apprehend the couri-

ers and capture the prototype.

As soon as Officer Ridgewell is shot, have the players make

initiative checks. The orcs have been ordered to capture the

characters alive, and they'll make at least a token effort to do

so. The first will shoulder his way into the door, level his

blaster rifle, and command the characters to surrender. That is,

of course, if he is given the opportunity.

Orcs: CR 3; Medium-size humanoid; HD 1d8; hp 6; Init

+0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 18 (touch 10, flat-footed 18); Atk +3

melee (1d12+2 diamond sword) or +1 ranged (4d10 blaster

rifle); AL LE; SV Fort +2, Ref +1, Will –1; Str 15, Dex 10,

Con 11, Int 9, Wis 8, Cha 8.

Skills and Feats: Listen +2, Spot +2; Alertness.

Possessions: Assault armor, blaster rifle, diamond sword,

personal communicator.

escape!

Once the characters have dealt with the orcs, they will pre-

sumably heed the dead security officer’s advice and make a run

for the escape pods in the aft section of the Nebula Deck.

As the characters make their way to the escape pods, feel

free to throw more squads of orc mercenaries their way, identi-

cal to those in the previous encounter. The characters’ progress

might also be delayed by encounters with wounded crewmen

and hysterical passengers.

When the characters reach the emergency bay holding the

escape pods, 10 more orcs will be waiting for them.

The attackers have taken the Elysium’s bridge and are in con-

trol of the ship’s computer network. Using the security cameras

mounted throughout the corridors in the ship (Spot DC 25,

Search DC 20; cameras are marked with dots on the map), the

orcs have been monitoring the characters’ progress. The merce-

naries will be ready for them unless they have disabled or

+2 Holy Darkseeker Gyrojet Rifle: Gyrojet weapons

fire small, self-guided rockets. Darkseeker rockets are enchant-

ed to detect and home-in on evil targets. Attacks against evil

targets receive a +20 enhancement bonus. In addition, the

attacker is unaffected by the miss chance that applies to

attacks against a concealed target. Damage: 3d6 + 2d6 holy;

Range Increment: 200 ft.; Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft

Magic Arms and Armor, detect evil, true strike; Market Price:

34,000 cr; Cost to Create: 17,000 cr + 1,360 XP.

Kael Loston

Male human Ftr3: Medium-size humanoid (human);

HD 3d10+9; hp 50 (30 base plus 20 trauma symbiote); Init

+3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 19 (touch 13, flat-footed 16); Atk +8

ranged (4d10, masterwork blaster rifle) or +5 melee

(1d12+1/19–20, masterwork diamond sword); AL CG;

SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +1; Str 13; Dex 16; Con 17;

Int 10; Wis 11; Cha 11.

Skills and Feats: Climb+3, Demolitions +3, Jump+3,

Pilot +4, Spot +1, Swim +3; Point Blank Shot, Precise

Shot, Quick Draw, Rapid Shot, Technical Proficiency,

Weapon Focus (blaster rifle).

Possessions: Masterwork blaster rifle, blaster pistol, mas-

terwork diamond sword, light combat armor, personal

communicator, 2 power cells, 394 cr.

Spellware: Darkvision (60 ft.), trauma symbiote.

new items and equipment

Blaster Rifle: Blasters are energy weapons that fire pulses of

highly ionized particles that pack the punch of a lightning bolt

in a thunderstorm. A standard power cell is good for 20 shots

with the rifle. Cost: 250 cr; Damage: 4d10; Critical: x2; Range

Increment: 200 ft.; Weight: 10 lbs.; Type: Energy (electricity).

Blaster Pistol: This sidearm fires pulses of ionized particles.

It is more powerful but slightly bulkier than a laser pistol. A

standard power cell is good for 30 shots with a blaster pistol.

Cost: 150 cr; Damage: 3d8; Critical: x2; Range Increment: 100 ft.;

Weight: 6 lbs.; Type: Energy (electricity).

Diamond Sword: This longsword is edged with laminated

industrial diamond. Cost: 50 cr; Damage: 1d12; Critical:

19–20/x2; Weight: 2 lbs.; Type: Slashing.

Light combat armor: This common armor is consturcted

from a light ballistic fiber and plasti-ceramic plates. Cost: 200 cr;

Armor Bonus: +6; Max Dex Bonus: +6; Armor Check Penalty: –1;

Arcane Spell Failure: 15%; Speed: 30 ft./20 ft.; Weight: 20 lbs.

spellware

is reduced to –10 hit points, it dies. Symbiotes can be healed

just like any other living being, including magical healing.

Spellware is a form of arcane biomodification. Different

modifications provide a wide range of special and even magical

abilities. Unlike standard magic items, the user the spellware is

implanted in pays the XP cost.

Darkvision: This spellware allows the user to see in the dark

up to 60 feet.

Trauma Symbiote: A living organism implanted in the

user’s abdomen, the trauma symbiote projects its own life force

as a protective field around its host’s body. Damage taken by

the host is applied to the symbiote first. If the symbiote is

reduced to zero hit points, it no longer protects the host. If it

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