BORDERLANDS ADVENTURE 1:

WRECK IN THE RING

BY ROBERT L. S. WEAVER
 BORDERLANDS ADVENTURE 1:

WRECK IN THE RING

Credits
Author
Cover Art
Robert L.S. Weaver
NASA Public Domain
Editors
Interior Art
Omer Golan-Joel, Richard Hazlewood, Josh Peters
©Fotosearch
Interior Design & Layout
Ian Stead
Kathy Hazlewood and Omer Golan-Joel
NASA Public Domain
Deck Plans
Ian Stead

This Product is derived from the Traveller System Reference Document and other Open Gaming Content made available by the Open Gaming License, and
does not contain closed content from products published by either Mongoose Publishing or Far Future Enterprises. This Product is not affiliated with either
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Cepheus Engine and Samardan Press™ are the trademarks of Jason "Flynn" Kemp”; Stellagama Publishing is not affiliated with Jason "Flynn" Kemp or
Samardan Press™.
Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e) and are not
open content, and thus are property of Stellagama Publishing: All trademarks or registered trademarks, proper names (characters, organizations etc.),
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Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission. A copy of the Open Game License licence is shown on the last page of this book.
To learn more about the Open Game Licence, please go to http://www.opengamingfoundation.org/.
This artwork is copyright (C)2006 Bradley K McDevitt. You can use this image in commercial or fan projects, however you may not publish it as clip art. Any
company that uses images from 'Clip Art Critters' is required to place the artist's name amongst the credits. For more artwork or to contact this artist please
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visit... www.bradleykmcdevitt.net Sold by Postmortem Studios... www.postmort.demon.co.uk Roleplaying games to DIE for.
 Borderlands Adventure 1: Wreck in the Ring

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 3
Required and Recommended Materials .......................................................................................... 3
References to Other Books .............................................................................................................. 3
About the Author ............................................................................................................................. 3
Stellagama Publishing ...................................................................................................................... 3
Setting Overview ........................................................................................................................ 4
Background ................................................................................................................................ 6
The Ring........................................................................................................................................ 6
The Rock ....................................................................................................................................... 6
Players' Information ..................................................................................................................... 6
Referee's Information .................................................................................................................. 7
Towards Splendor ...................................................................................................................... 8
Locating the Splendor .................................................................................................................. 8
Entering the Splendor .................................................................................................................. 8
Inside the Wreck ........................................................................................................................ 9
Collecting Scrap Parts................................................................................................................... 9
Is it spooky in here or is it just me? ........................................................................................... 10
Restoring Power ......................................................................................................................... 11
Something Down Here is Alive! ................................................................................................ 12
Back from the Ring ................................................................................................................... 14
Selling other goods from the wreck ........................................................................................... 14
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 14
Appendix A: Glossary ............................................................................................................... 15
Appendix B: Non-Player Characters .......................................................................................... 16
Appendix C: 300-ton Terran Shaka-class Light Military Transport .............................................. 17
Appendix D: Deck Plan of Tallmadge's Splendor........................................................................ 18
Open Game Licence Version 1.0A ............................................................................................. 19

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 Borderlands Adventure 1: Wreck in the Ring

INTRODUCTION
The interstellar transport Tallmadge's Splendor crashed on an asteroid moonlet of a remote gas
giant in a barely-explored frontier system. Twenty-four years later, a belter hires some intrepid
adventurers to help him salvage the wreck. Navigating and inspecting a dead ship – most of which
is in hard vacuum – is not an easy job. Worse, the belter's team members have ulterior motives,
and something is still alive aboard the doomed spacecraft.
Wreck in the Ring is a deep space exploration adventure for 3-5 PCs, using the Cepheus Engine
rules and fully compatible with any 2D6 OGL sci-fi game. The default setting is the Parvati system,
on the very edge of Terran space, in the These Stars Are Ours! setting published by Stellagama
Publishing. However, it will fit very easily into almost any interstellar sci-fi setting.
The PCs should have a variety of shipboard skills, whether they have their own ship or not.
Mechanical, Engineering, and Zero-G skill will be most helpful for this job.
Required and Recommended Materials
To use this supplement, you will need a copy of the Cepheus Engine System Reference Document,
from Samardan Press™ available from DriveThruRPG. We also recommend the use of the Cepheus
Engine Vehicle Design System, also available from Samardan Press™.
Alternatively, you may use any other variant of the 2D6 Science Fiction SRD such as the base
System Reference Document (SRD), itself freely and legally available at
http://www.travellersrd.com.
The default setting is These Stars Are Ours! – an interstellar space-opera universe published by
Stellagama Publishing and available both in digital and print formats from DriveThruRPG.
Also, to get the most from this book you will need at least two six-sided dice and some
pens/pencils and paper or a computer.
For more information about the Brothers of St. Cuthbert, and other game-related material, visit
http://ancientfarfuture.blogspot.com/.
References to Other Books
• Cepheus Engine System Reference Document: CE
• Cepheus Engine Vehicle Design System: VDS
• These Stars Are Ours: TSAO
About the Author
Robert L. S. Weaver is a college librarian, who has played science fiction and fantasy RPG’s since
the early 1980’s. He has published a few science fiction stories, although none are currently in
print. This is his first adventure for The Cepheus Engine system. He wrote the index for the These
Stars are Ours! and the Space Patrol setting books. He lives in Virginia with his wife and two sons,
and regularly referees their adventures.
Stellagama Publishing
Stellagama Publishing is a small, independent, international role-playing game publisher focused
on science fiction gaming founded in January 2016. We publish gaming material for Cepheus
Engine, 2D6 Sci-Fi OGL, Stars Without Number, and the White Star™ RPG based on Sword &
Wizardry: White Box. Our interests are first and foremost to put forth enjoyable, immediately
playable supplements, settings, and adventures for these games for the enjoyment of our fellow
players and referee

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 Borderlands Adventure 1: Wreck in the Ring

SETTING OVERVIEW
The Stars Are Ours! Takes place in 2260 AD, two years after the Terran-Cicek victory in the Terran
Liberation War against the mighty Reticulan Empire. This is a time of uneasy peace, when all
former belligerents of the War now vie for political, military, and economic power. Many of the
worlds in the Terran Borderlands were battlegrounds in the War. The War affected the life of
almost every Terran who lived through it. Most human player characters would have actually
fought in the War to liberate their homeworld from alien rule. For Reticulans who support the
Technocratic Movement, the War was fought for liberation from outdated Imperial rule. For
Imperial Reticulans, however, the results of the War are a shameful disaster: the upstart Terrans
had the audacity to challenge the Empire – and the impudence to win. A few Reticulans even plot
revenge.
The United Terran Republic
Terra and the space she carved out of the stars by force of arms is the new thorn in the side of the
Reticulan Empire. Defeating House Thiragin – the wealthiest of the Reticulan Great Houses – the
Terrans established themselves as a force to be reckoned with. The United Terran Republic (UTR)
rules over Terran Space. The UTR is a vigorous power administered by the pragmatic President
Alberto Shen. Militarized and centralized to the hilt during the war years, the UTR now moves to
more pluralistic economy and politics. When the War ended, the UTR demobilized a significant
part of its military, though still retaining an impressive force. The Terrans - are a rising force in
interstellar politics and are aggressively developing their economy, as well as pushing to colonize
the wide-open frontiers of space.
The Reticulan Empire
Immensely old and vast beyond any Terran comparison, the Reticulans rule over more than a
Sector of space. The humanoid Reticulans, sometimes referred to as “Greys”, are rational,
technologically advanced beings. All Reticulans are biologically “female” and reproduce asexually.
The Imperial system is one of vertical and horizontal monopolies held by the nine Great Houses,
on top of which sits the Empress. Both Terran and Cicek were once client species of the Reticulans,
but have recently won their freedom. The Reticulans have been engaged for what seems like an
eternity in an intermittent war against the aggressive Chiwak to the Rimward of Imperial space.
The Reticulans usually fight with warbots and alien, often human, auxiliary troops.
Ssesslessian Harmony
The Terran victory created two new interstellar polities, both of which are Terran client-states. The
first is the Ssesslessian Harmony. Centuries ago, the Reticulans glassed the Ssesslessian
homeworld, forcing them to become nomads and thralls of the Empire. The UTR gave two former
Reticulan worlds to the Ssesslessians as their new homeworlds. Highly spiritual but sectarian, the

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snake-like Ssesslessians maintain multiple mystery-cults to their numberless gods, all presided
over by the Council of Harmony – and its Terran advisors.
The second Terran client state is the Reticulan Technate. Even before the War, many Reticulans
began to question the rationale behind the Imperial system. In its stead, they proposed the
Technocracy – meritocratic rule by experts and scientists rather than by hereditary nobles. This
underground Technocratic Movement supported the Terrans during the War and now control the
Terra-backed Reticulan Technate. Rationally managed in both economy and politics, the Technate
shows much vigor, a characteristic in short supply in the old Empire.
Cicek Confederation
To the Spinward-Rimward of the UTR dwell the tribal, reptilian Cicek. Highly individualistic and
competitive in the case of males, and tribal-community oriented in the case of females, the Cicek
dislike any political framework larger than a tribe. As a male’s Glory can change quickly over time,
so does the Cicek hierarchy. Only a particularly Glorious male may hope to unite several tribes
under his command. The latter happened recently when the warlord Nine Talons accumulated
enough notoriety and Glory to unite the tribes behind him. He formed the Cicek Confederation,
combining multiple tribes into a very loose "government". However, Cicek being Cicek, things are
unstable and the only hope for stability is continued effort by Cicek females to reign in male
competition.
Zhuzzh and Precursors
The insectoid Zhuzzh are opportunistic nomads, traveling space in their many starships and trading
in all sorts of artifacts, trinkets, and other goods. They are not above turning to piracy or
smuggling when the opportunity arises. Zhuzzh are said to originate from a former Precursor
world. They were originally semi-sentient scavengers who filled the vacuum vacated by the
Precursors' fall. The Zhuzzh then quickly evolved sentience and learned how to use Precursor
technology. This allowed them to advance rapidly, though usually through jury-rigging rather than
a profound understanding of the principals of engineering behind their devices.
The Terran Borderlands
Reticulan space stretches many parsecs to the Rimward of Terra, and Terran space expands
further Coreward. This vast universe holds boundless opportunities for adventure and drama
under the light of many distant stars. The greatest drama, however, occurs in the narrow band of
territory called the Terran Borderlands. There, the spheres of influence of the United Terran
Republic, the Reticulans, the Cicek, and the Ssesslessians intersect. There, political machinations,
covert operations, and still-fresh war wounds simmer as these interstellar powers jockey for
dominance in the Post-War universe.
On to Adventure!
This is a time of great danger among the stars, as well as great opportunities. Enterprising people –
both human and alien – can find employment make a name for themselves in a wide variety of
daring enterprises, from the exploration of unknown worlds beyond the frontier, to diplomacy and
espionage along the border, to trade and commerce between the far stars and across borders, to
mercenary work in the many local and interstellar conflicts – or, indeed, active-duty military life in
these interesting times. Adventure awaits!

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 Borderlands Adventure 1: Wreck in the Ring

BACKGROUND
The Parvati system, D400485-A, Temperate
(Gliese 408 c-4 M3V, United Terran
Republic)
During the early Terran Liberation War,
Parvati was a secondary waystation in the
"Cicek Run" from Terra to Fei Lian. In later
stages of the War, however, Rudra eclipsed
Parvati as a transit station, and the local
starport fell into disuse. The current
population engages in small-scale mining
operations, exporting raw ore to Cicek
space. This remote world, however, makes
an ideal hiding spot for pirates and smugglers, as any naval presence amounts to monthly visits by
a Patrol Frigate and a rare "showing of the flag" stopover by a Light Cruiser. While any illegal
activity here pales in comparison to what goes on in Lindworm, Parvati is still a hotbed for
interstellar outlawry and all sorts of illicit trade with the anarchic Cicek.
The Ring
Gliese 408f is an unremarkable gas giant with three moons orbiting far beyond its ring system. The
ring is composed of ice and rock; 90% of the ring particles are less than 1m in diameter. Ring
particles are composed of carbonaceous material, silicates, and frozen methane. The patron, Van
Deussen, collects methane chunks but occasionally he will find hydrocarbons or more useful
minerals. His theory is that the ring is the pulverized remains of a small moon that was struck by a
stellar wanderer.
Like all rings, this one is much denser than an asteroid field. However, the ring is only 100m thick
at its thickest points. The ship will have to fly above or below the disk of the ring to reach the
wreck, and the final approach to the wreck will almost assuredly involve some collisions.
Tallmadge's Splendor, or simply the Splendor, lies on one of the largest bodies in the bright outer
edge of the ring, close to, but short of the distance at which particles could gather themselves into
a proto-moon. The rock's relative size does draw smaller particles towards it, but the gravity effect
of the gas giant also pulls particles away. The ring arc is active and dangerous as a result; particles
move about and collide.
The Rock
GX4825, technically a "moonlet" of Gliese 408f but too insignificant in size to be counted as such in
any astronomical document, is a cold tiny lump of rock and dirty methane ice. UWP is 000000-0.
The rock is 0.3 km by 0.9 km by 0.4 km. Its surface gravity is well below 0.01G.
Players' Information
Hiram Van Deussen, a belt miner, contacts the PCs. He wishes to hire them and their ship, if they
have one, for a recovery mission in the outer system. He also has a group of NPCs working for him.
Use any 200-400-ton standard ship type for Van Deussen's ship with subcraft and weaponry
removed for more cargo space.
Van Deussen says he has found the wreck of the Tallmadge's Splendor, and needs the PC's
assistance to retrieve it for scrap. The transport disappeared en-route to the Parvati system 23
years ago. According to a bulletin published by the UTR Navy, the ship is now declared derelict and
will become the property of whoever finds it. Van Deussen explains that he is a belter by trade and

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usually works alone, and is inexperienced at derelict recovery

operations. Thus, he needs some assistance. Once he files the
claim he can sell anything of value that he can find aboard. The
PCs will receive 20% of sale value as payment if he provides the
ship or 50% of sale value if the PCs have a ship. PCs can
negotiate with him for a higher percentage.
Referee's Information:
Aboard Van Deussen’s ship the PCs will meet the rest of the
crew: Hogan, a hired handyman, Eleanor Trask, a descendant of a crash victim, and Brother
Antony, a monk who recovers the bodies of space crash victims to bury them.
The PCs will travel to the gas giant and enter its' ring system, searching for the ship. The trip will
take less than 24 hours. Once they locate the ship they must go aboard and assess it for
recoverable objects, with the goal of selling the scrap. The ship is damaged beyond repair, but the
hull is broken open in several places Inside there will be dangers and obstacles to overcome, as
well as hard vacuum. The ship may collide with orbiting ice and rock chunks. What no one suspects
is that something aboard the ship is still alive. A creature was being shipped in a mobile lab to a
laboratory on Parvati. It is a genetically modified version of a domesticated mammal, which
unexpectedly developed telepathic ability.

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 Borderlands Adventure 1: Wreck in the Ring

TOWARDS SPLENDOR
Locating the Splendor
Van Deussen has worked in the ring & moon system of the
gas giant. He knows approximately where the Splendor is.
To locate the Splendor with the ship's sensors: Navigation,
EDU, 1 hour, Average (DM+0). For Van Deussen the task is
Routine.
GX4825 is a cold tiny lump of rock and dirty methane ice.
UWP is 000000-0. The rock is 0.3 km by 0.9 km by 0.4 km.
Its surface gravity is below 0.01G. The ship is lying half-
buried on the surface of GX4825, its spine broken
amidships. The drive section is exposed, while the forward
half with the bridge is buried under a few meters of ice
accretion.
To land safely on the rock: Pilot, Navigation, INT, 1 minute, Difficult (DM-2). Failure means the ship
takes 1 Hull hit. See the Starship combat section for details on Hull hits and explosive
decompression.
GX4825 is subject to occasional collisions. Once per hour aboard the Splendor, the referee should
throw 9+ for a rock or ice chunk to collide with the rock. If one occurs, throw 2D6. 2-6: it is a mild
tremor (from the other side of the rock), 7-10: it is a hard shock, all PCs make a throw to avoid 1D6
falling damage, 11-12: a rock strikes the ship and all PCs are attacked by flying debris as if by a
Shotgun.
To avoid a fall after a hard impact: Zero-G, DEX, 1 second, Routine (DM+2).

Characters in low-gravity environments suffer DM-1 to all skill checks until they acclimatize (CE
Chapter 12), which will not be possible in the short time the PCs will be here. Characters with
Zero-G skill at 0 or better acclimatize instantly.

Entering the Splendor

Characters can enter the ship from the airlocks or through the gap created where the ship's spine
broke.
To force entry into the ship through normal entry points (airlocks): Mechanical, STR, 1 kilosecond,
Routine (DM-2).

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 Borderlands Adventure 1: Wreck in the Ring

INSIDE THE WRECK

The interior of the ship is dark and silent. Areas in
vacuum do not have the diffusion of light normal in an
atmosphere, so shadows will be all black and sharply
defined. PCs will need to bring light sources with them.
Some areas are heavily damaged, other areas are nearly
intact. Some compartments of the ship have remained
sealed but most are in vacuum. The ship's interior decor
was in red and yellow. A layer of fine gray dust covers
most surfaces now; and contact with it will stir the dust
up. This dust will hang there in clouds, and not settle
back down.
Everywhere the deck plates are loose, buckled and bent. The deck plates of the cargo deck (Deck
C) are bent but intact. Walls and ceilings alike are broken, exposing kilometers of cables, wires,
and conduits. The Referee can randomly determine that the PCs actions have caused something
unstable to shift. Many areas show signs of fire damage, but it is not extensive. Whatever fires
were active at the time of the crash were extinguished when the hull broke open. Interior doors
may be fully open (or missing), partially open. or closed. All doors are stuck in their current
position.
To move a stuck door: Mechanical, STR, 1 minute, Routine (DM+2). Locations marked on the map
with an X are somehow obstructed.
Any physical task in low gravity may require a Zero-G skill throw to avoid a mishap. Base throw is
Easy (DM+4). Any mishap that results in a vacc suit breach should be handled according to the
vacuum exposure rule, per CE Chapter 11.
To detect weak structural members before they collapse: Mechanical, EDU, 1 minute, Routine.
To avoid falling or shifting debris: DEX, 1 second, Routine.
Remember that sound needs a medium, so even large object can move silently in vacuum. If a
character does not avoid moving debris they become trapped. Multiple characters can assist in
freeing a trapped character.
To free someone trapped by debris: STR, 1 kilosecond, Very Difficult (DM-4). Debris and fallen
structural beams clog many passageways on the ship.
Make a Zero-G, DEX, 1d6 minutes, Routine (DM+2) throw to successfully pass through any area the
referee determines is blocked. A failed throw means the character is trapped, as above. An Effect
of -3 or worse means the character's vacc suit has been breached. Freeing a trapped character is
as above.
Collecting Scrap Parts
Van Deussen's ship has tools in its locker used for salvaging purposes; there are enough
mechanical tools and metalworking tools for each skilled character.
If the players don’t know what scrap to take, the referee can have Van Deussen suggest the
following types of material for the PCs to collect:
• electronic components
• mechanical parts andpiping/plumbing/conduits
• bulk metal (walls, deck plates, etc.)
• personal effects (Brother Antony will protest this)

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 Borderlands Adventure 1: Wreck in the Ring

For any character pursuing scrap: to find and collect one ton's worth of salvageable material,
throw an INT, Routine (DM+2) task for each half hour spent searching.
To remove one ton's worth of scrap back to Van Deussen's ship: Zero-G, Mechanical, or
Electronics, 1 hour, Average (DM+0). Failure on the throw means a loss of two hours of work for
no scrap collected. Failure by 3 or more indicates a vacc suit breach as well. See CE Chapter 11 for
effect of vacuum exposure.
The ship's cargo, located in its cargo bay (Deck C, area 6), is still in its containers which were
strapped down and so fared better in the crash. The ship was carrying, in standard 1dton cargo
containers:
• 3 tons of 28-year-old business records, in hardcopy and data tapes. Cr65 per ton.
• 3 ground cars, TL10. Two are smashed but the third still works. Cr8000 for the whole one.
• 16 tons of miscellaneous heavy machinery components. Cr3000 per ton
• 11 tons of 28-year-old government records in hard copy. Cr150 per ton.
• 4 tons of TL10 consumer electronics, intact. Cr1500 per ton
• 11 ton crates of foodstuffs, now ruined by exposure to vacuum. Cr0
• 6 tons of kitchenware (spoons, bowls, etc). Cr200 per ton.
• 4 tons of mass produced children's toys. Cr250 per ton
• 16 tons of dirt, for use in orbital station gardens. Cr300 per ton
As the recovery work continues, Hogan will pilfer scrap from one of the PC's collection; anything
that looks valuable. He will take small but intact components or personal possessions from
passengers like electronics or jewelry. He will limit himself to keep from being obvious, but the
targeted PC gets a throw to notice that some of their scrap has gone missing. Brother Antony is
suspicious of him, but will not speak up until someone catches him in the act.
To spot Hogan’s pilfering: Investigate or Perception, INT, 1 hour, Average (DM+0).
PCs will encounter dead crew and passengers in staterooms, at workstations and in passageways.
There were 11 crewmen and 13 passengers at the time of the crash. All are frozen & mummified.
Some of the crash victims died of vacuum exposure, others died from the collision, or from things
falling on them, or crashing into them. Bodies are marked on the deck plans with an A.
At location D, (A deck) there are two bodies next to each other. One died from a gunshot, not the
crash. The other body holds the non-functional pistol.
Is it spooky in here or is it just me?
Any members of the crew without psionic shields will suffer from a vague but persistent fear from
the moment they step aboard. As time passes, the sensation of fear will grow. The resulting
emotional turmoil for the PCs will cause them to make all task rolls with DM-1, and eventually -2.
The referee should not reveal the DM, only telling the players that their characters feel unease
and have a hard time focusing on their tasks.
Characters might naturally feel uneasy while they explore the dead ship. The referee may intimate
to the players that the unease everyone feels is a reaction to the mass casualty situation they are
encountering. The real reason is explained in the section “Something Down Here is Alive!” below.
It is important for the referee to keep track of how much time the PCs spend aboard the Splendor.
Their vacc suits have limited air supplies and characters can only work so long in difficult
conditions without a break. Van Deussen will recommend four-hour shifts, four on then four off.

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Restoring Power
The Splendor is without power, however, the PCs could provide power from Van Deussens' ship.
These areas of the ship can be re-powered: the bridge, the computer, the galley, the common
areas, hallways, staterooms, low berths, vehicle berths, internal and external doors, and the cargo
area. Not all light fixtures will operate; many were smashed in the crash. Referee can throw
[1D6+1*10%] for the percentage of light restored to a room or compartment. The drive section is
a total wreck and cannot be repowered or repaired, but PCs can gather scrap parts.
To supply the Splendor with power: Engineering, INT, 1 kilosecond, Average (DM+0).
Restoring power brings the danger of exposed electrical wires. Any character that touches a hot
wire gets a shock of 1D6-6D6 damage. The vacc suit's AR (6) will reduce the damage. Wires may
not 'spark' as this is a combustion process – and combustion needs oxygen.
To detect 'hot' wires: Mechanical, Electronics, or Engineering, INT, 1 minute, Routine (DM+2).
To isolate a 'hot' spot: same DMs, Easy.
Once the characters restore shipboard power, characters can access the ship’s computer. If a PC
wants to recover the computer's core memory, it can be studied aboard Van Deussen's or the PC's
ship. The computer may provide clues as to the cause of the crash. If it was mechanical or human
error, that information may be of value. A search at the starport will find port officials willing to
pay Cr500-1000 for the data. If there was sabotage, the PCs could be hired by the ship's former
owners to investigate the mystery.
To gain access to the computer records: Computer, EDU, 1 hour, Routine
(DM+2).
To find a buyer for the ship’s logs: Administration, SOC, 1 day, Average
(DM+0).
If the Splendor's bridge receives power, the ships' three general
purpose/repair robots re-activate (CE Chapter 4). The robots will follow
the PCs around, trying to pick up anything they can carry, seemingly at
random. A PC with Computer skill can reprogram them to help with
recovery or debris-clearing. The robots have an effective strength of 15
(DM +3).
To reprogram the robots: Computer, INT, 1 hour, Difficult (DM-2).
Before the end of the operation, Brother Antony will come to the characters with a mystery. There
is one body aboard the ship which is not accounted for by the ship's logs. He was in the common
area of Deck B. Antony asks the PCs if they are heading to Bathala, the Splendor’s last stop. If they
are, would they please accompany the body (The Brothers of St. Cuthbert will pay for shipment)
and attempt to identify the man when they arrive. The referee must determine the subsequent
flow of events.

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 Borderlands Adventure 1: Wreck in the Ring

SOMETHING DOWN HERE IS ALIVE!

Also in the cargo hold (Deck C area 6) is a 10-ton mobile laboratory with its own power supply. The
lab module held together through the crash, and is still functional. It is fully pressurized, and
operating at low power levels. It is warmer than anything else aboard the ship, so it will show up
instantly if any PC does a thermal scan. The lab had its own small airlock entrance, but the seals on
it have long since failed; opening the module will evacuate all the air from within. PCs who think to
employ a portable airlock should be rewarded, if they survive the encounter below.
The module originally contained an embryonic specimen of a genetically modified mammal,
contained in a custom low-berth type life support cradle. The low berth slowed its growth, but it
has now reached its adult size. The animal, though still 'asleep' is telepathic, capable of life
detection and telempathy. This was not part of its genetic modification, and so none of the
computer records in the lab will note that fact. The background radiation from the gas giant
affected the creature's development and activated its psionic ability.
The animal will detect the presence of the crew once they enter the ship. This will cause it to
'wake up' out of suspended animation. It is scared when it awakens, because it does not know
where or what it is. It projects its fear psionically. Psionic characters can attempt to communicate
with it once they know it is there. See CE Chapter 3. A telepath who attempts contact with it will
not get a response in concrete thought, but telempathy will detect fear, and the telepath can
project calm.
To communicate with the creature psionically: Telepathy, 1 round, Routine (DM+2) (Telempathy) or
Difficult (DM-2) (Send Thoughts).
The creature is bilaterally symmetrical, warm-blooded, and has gray skin and some fur. Its form is
common enough, but none of the PCs will recognize it, as it is the only one of its kind, as it has
been extensively genetically modified. The creature does not think in concrete terms, but rather in
imagery and sensory stimuli – what little it knows. It is hungry but does not know what food it
needs, until it attacks someone and does damage. The taste of blood will confirm its
understanding of how to deal with hunger; it will continue to attack whichever character it bit.
The animal cannot open the life support cradle, but it may be able to break out. For each minute,
a PC or NPC is in the lab module, the Referee should roll 2D6. On a 9+ the creature breaks out. If it
does, it will quickly die (within three minutes), unable to breathe. Before it does, it will attack
anything near it in a panic-induced frenzy. If the PCs open the cradle what little air the creature
had will escape, sending it into a panic.
Fighting in zero-G is difficult. A character's skill levels are limited to the lower of Zero-G skill and
relevant combat skills. Characters with Zero-G skill at 0 use weapons as if untrained, representing
disorientation. Weapons with recoil suffer a DM of -2 in Zero-G. (CE Chapter 5)
If the creature dies, the fear it projected towards the intruders will cease abruptly. This should be
a clue as to the cause of their emotional state.
If a telepath establishes contact before it breaks out of its cradle, the PCs will be able to move the
cradle to safety aboard their ship.
To move the mobile lab: Mechanical, Zero-G, INT, Difficult (DM-2). If fewer than 4 people
coordinate on the task it will be Very Difficult.

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 Borderlands Adventure 1: Wreck in the Ring

Experiment 358G/6
Size: 100 kg Type: Omnivore Terrain: Special Locomotion: 4 legs
Eater
UPP: AB9111 # App: 1 (unique) Speed: 2
Skills: Athletics-0, Natural weapon (teeth)-0, Survival-0, Telepathy (Life Detection, Telempathy)
Weapons: Teeth 1D6 Armor: Hide (1)
Description: It is a bilaterally symmetrical warm-blooded creature with gray skin and some fur. Its form is
common, but none of the PCs will recognize it, as it is the only one of its kind. Its telepathic abilities
are always ‘on’ at no cost.

The creature is now derelict along with the ship, but the company that was shipping it is still in
operation on Chiron, three J-2 jumps from Parvati. They will pay for the intact return of the
creature. The laboratory equipment and the cradle are all clearly identified as the property of
Devanter Genetics, Ltd.
If Devanter learns of the creature's existence (identified as 'Experiment 358G/6') they will demand
its return. As it is derelict property the PCs can return it or sell it to the company. Van Duessen
knows local salvage law well enough to assure the PCs that they have the right to claim 358G and
negotiate a price. The creature is worth Cr300000 alive and unharmed, Cr150000 alive but harmed
and Cr50000 dead. The laboratory equipment, two tons, in any condition, will be worth at most
Cr10000 as it is now a generation old. Devanter is connected to the Reticulan Technate, although
this fact is not public knowledge.

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 Borderlands Adventure 1: Wreck in the Ring

BACK FROM THE RING

Selling other goods from the wreck
When the PCs return with whatever they have collected, they can sell it to the scrap market for
market prices.
The ship's owner must disclose to the Port Authority the location and identity of the derelict, if
they want to go back for more. Publishing the claim is part of the process, but it will be up to the
claimants to enforce the claim. Claim jumpers may try to recover scrap from the ship while the PCs
are planet-side. The local navy can send the occasional patrol ship by, but cannot protect the
claim.
The ship can be worked several times. The referee should throw 5D6x5 for the number of ton lots
of scrap available before the ship is nothing but bare bones.
Conclusion
At the end of the adventure, the PCs have learned the basics of derelict recovery, so they can
pursue Rumors of other derelict vessels. They will have some cash to spend and contacts with
Devanter Genetics and the Brothers of St Cuthbert.

The Brothers of St Cuthbert

The Brothers are a Christian monastic order. Most monks, like Br. Antony, are not priests. The
Brothers’ purpose is to tend to the mortal remains of those who have perished in space.
Starship crashes and battle deaths leave many floating in space or lost on unpopulated worlds.
The Brothers work with salvage operators, Navy rescue craft and any private missions to
recover lost starships or spaceships.
Brothers of the order all have the Zero-G skill of at least 1, and many bring other space or
technical skills from their pre-monastic careers. The Church and other sponsors support the
Order. They do not work for pay. When a body is recovered, the Brothers work to identify the
person and return him to his family or at least to his home planet. If a body cannot be
identified, the Brothers will perform the funeral and burial rites on Church grounds.

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 Borderlands Adventure 1: Wreck in the Ring

APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY
Recovery is the correct term for this job, rather than salvage. Recovery is the acquisition of
salable material from a vessel that is no longer legally the property of any party.
Salvage is the act of recovering a vessel still legally claimed by another party; the salvager can
claim compensation from the owner for the service of salvaging. Salvage law also applies to a
rescuer that saves a vessel or cargo from peril.
Salvage must be accomplished within a period of time specified by the polity which controls the
space the derelict is in. Once that time is expired, any party may claim a derelict. That party can
take from it what they will, with no expectation of payment other than by sale of the property. In
the United Terran Republic, this time limit is one decade, though this is subject to abandonment
and insurance claim, as described below.
Abandonment is the legal act of an owner/insured party surrendering all rights to damaged or
lost property before the legal salvage limit. Abandoned property is considered a total loss and
allows an insurance claim. This is subject to the specific insurance policy covering the starship, but
Terran law considers a ship automatically abandoned and lost after a decade since its initial loss,
guaranteeing an insurance payment
A derelict vessel is a vessel abandoned in open space, or on the surface of a solid celestial body,
to which its crew/owners have no hope or intention of returning, according to the laws cited
above. Vessels 'lost with all hands' are derelict. Such vessels may be boarded and claimed by any
party which discovers it, provided that the locally decreed time has passed or that the owner has
legally abandoned the ship.
There are standard definitions of peril that must be acknowledged before salvage may be
attempted. Most court cases involve disputes over the existence of a state of peril for any vessel.
A ship which is threatened with, or in immediate danger of, damage or destruction can be said to
be in peril. Situations of peril include loss of control in a gravity well, massive hull breach, under
attack (not just threat) from hostile ships, or fire aboard ship. Salvage operations are a recognized
and regular business in many star nations, such as the United Terran Republic and the Reticulan
Technate. Salvage operators are not obliged to secure a contract or agreement from the vessel
salvaged prior to the salvage operation.

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 Borderlands Adventure 1: Wreck in the Ring

APPENDIX B: NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS

Each NPC has a purpose or goal once aboard the Splendor. Van Deussen has deck plans of the ship
but no cargo manifest. He wants to find salvageable components from the ship. The ship itself
cannot be moved with the equipment he has. Eleanor knows where the ship's computers are and
wants to go to them first. Hogan wants to go right to the cargo area and start opening crates.
Brother Antony wants to go to the staterooms and begin locating bodies. The stats below only
show skills relevant to this adventure; Referees can add any skill deemed necessary, according to
the NPCs prior career, at their own discretion.
Name Hiram Van Duessen UPP 777777 Age 50 Sex Male
Career Belter (7 terms) Cash 5000 Cr 20000 Pension No
Species Human Traits
Skills Prospecting-3, Zero-G-2
Equipment Metalworking tools, vacc suit
Description Van Deussen is an old spacer, a gruff middle-aged man wearing worn coveralls twenty years out of
style. He's spent most of his life in zero-g and lacks people skills; he enjoys rambling on about
mining, as it's the only subject he really knows well. He is practical and hard-headed, drives a hard
bargain and won't be easily fooled about money. He will avoid talking about himself if possible.

Name Eleanor Trask UPP 777977 Age 38 Sex Female

Career Bureaucrat (5 terms) Cash 500 Cr 20000 Pension Yes
Species Human Traits
Skills Admin-2, Computer-2, Drive (wheeled) -1
Equipment Hand computer (Model/1, TL9)
Description Ms. Trask believes that her father was aboard the Splendor and she wants to get at the ship's
computers and logs to find out for sure. Her family suffered a financial misfortune with his
disappearance, and the truth will help restore their family name, at least. The truth is that her
father had nothing to do with the crash, but her father's body is on Deck B, area 3. She is not there
to collect scrap. She paid Van Deussen for transport out so she can access the ship's computer.
Trask will argue for sparing the creature in the lab, on ethical grounds. She will help Brother Antony
with the recovery and preparing of bodies.

Name Hogan UPP 777676 Age 30 Sex Male

Career Drifter (3 terms) Cash 25 Cr 200 Pension No
Species Human Traits
Skills Jack of all Trades-1, Mechanical-1, Zero-G-1
Equipment Mechanical tools, Vacc suit
Description Hogan is non-descript in appearance. He cultivates this anonymity so that he will be overlooked.
This makes it easier for him to steal things and get away with it. He is only interested in the cargo,
and whatever he can sell. He is greedy and will not put himself in danger for anyone who can't
make it worth his effort. His business acumen is slight. He is limited in his imagination and he will
have no interest in protecting or saving the creature in the lab. If it attacks, Hogan will try to kill it.

Name Brother Antony UPP 8798A9 Age 34 Sex Male

Career Technician (2 terms) Cash 100 Cr 0 Pension No
Monastic (2 terms)
Species Human Traits
Skills Engineering-1, Mechanical-1, Social Science (Theology)-1, Zero-G-1
Equipment Mechanical tools, Vacc suit
Description Brother Antony is a Christian monk, and a member of the Brothers of St Cuthbert. (See boxed text).
Br. Antony will assist with recovery, but only after all the crash victims are accounted for. He is calm,
fit, quietly friendly, and willing to help, but his chief concern is his mission. He wears only black,
usually a cassock, with a simple cross on a necklace under his huge beard.
Van Deussen has allotted Br. Anthony a one-ton cargo pallet to store the bodies. He has a quota of
five tons of scrap to pay for his passage to the wreck. If the PCs want to help Antony they can, but
this will take away from collecting for themselves.

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 Borderlands Adventure 1: Wreck in the Ring

APPENDIX C: 300-TON TERRAN SHAKA-CLASS LIGHT MILITARY TRANSPORT

Interstellar military operations often require small, nimble ships to carry out supply missions and
"plug the holes" in the larger logistics plan. This is where the Shaka-class Light Military Transport
comes in. Names after famed historical African warriors and generals, the Shaka-class ships carry
cargo and troops between systems. While not heavily armed, it can still use its missile racks to
provide fire support for disembarking troops. A common modification is to install 50 Low Berths at
the expense of the cargo hold, allowing the ship to carry over a whole platoon of combat ready
soldiers alongside its equipment.
Using a 300-ton hull (6 Hull, 6 Structure), the Shaka-class light military transport mounts jump
drive C, maneuver drive C, and power plant C, giving a performance of Jump-2 and 2-G
acceleration. Fuel tankage of 72 tons supports the power plant for 4 weeks and 1 jump-2. Adjacent
to the bridge is a computer Model 3. Standard software load includes: Evade/1, Fire Control/1, and
Jump Control/2. The ship is equipped with Very Advanced sensors (+2 DM). There are 10
staterooms and 20 low berths. The ship has 3 hardpoints and 3 tons allocated for fire control.
Installed on the hardpoints are Triple Pulse Lasers, Triple Particle Beams, and Triple Sand Caster-
weapons. Cargo capacity is 84 tons. The hull is Streamlined, and is armored with Crystaliron (4
points) with Self-Sealing options. Special features include a Ship’s Locker, Fuel Scoops, Fuel
Processors (80 tons per day), and 18 Escape Pilots. The ship requires a crew of 7: Pilot/Captain,
Navigator/1st Officer, Engineer, Medic and 3 Gunners. The ship can carry up to 6x additional
passengers at double occupancy and 20 low passengers. The ship costs MCr99.550 and takes 52
weeks to build.

Shaka Reliability
The Shaka-class Transport is famous for its reliability and ruggedness. While Spartan in its
fittings, its engines and other systems can take much of a beating and still work well.
Therefore, when a Shaka misses its maintenance due date, it does not suffer a penalty or make
a system degradation roll in the first month following the missed date. Also, any roll made to
jury-rig a damaged system on a Shaka enjoys DM +1.

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 Borderlands Adventure 1: Wreck in the Ring

APPENDIX D: DECK PLAN OF TALLMADGE'S SPLENDOR

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 Borderlands Adventure 1: Wreck in the Ring

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System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, Andy Collins, David Noonan, Rich
Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, John D. Rateliff, Thomas Reid, James Wyatt, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

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