Co-written with Skrat.
Genre: Sci-Fi
Primary Focus: Combat
Secondary Focus: Investigation
Time: 1-2 hours
Complexity: 1
The Alien Dig Site is a quick one-shot designed for Level 1 Player Characters. It is an easy-to-run session, making it good for both new players and new GMs alike, while still giving players choices to make for different outcomes!
The players will most likely play as mercenaries or bounty hunters, though if they wish to be something else, that is certainly viable, so long as it makes sense to the narrative.
The party, whoever they decide to be, are individuals hired by Armagon Megacorporation, the largest weapon manufacturer in all the known galaxy. Their job is to investigate an archeological dig site on an alien planet, as all contact has been lost with the original dig team.
Players will need to learn what happened to the original team and secure the site, reporting any and all findings back to Armagon Megacorporation. That is, if they choose not to keep any of the said findings for themselves…
Character Suggestions
You can find a collection of fitting characters in the Generic Fantasy Section of the pregenerated Setting-Dependent Characters page.
The Mission
This adventure takes place in the Observer Universe Sci-Fi setting (which will be published in the future). However, as with many things in the wonderful world of TTRPGs, nobody is forcing you to use this setting. Feel free to use your own homemade Sci-Fi setting or use an already existing one (we won’t tell anybody, don’t worry).
Once you’ve decided on a preferred setting, there are some things that the GM needs to know before running the adventure. If you are the GM, please continue reading. If you’re one of the players, what are you doing? Get out of here before it’s too late! Else you’ll become the forever GM!
Background Information for the GM
The planet the players are being sent to is called Iona. While the atmosphere there is breathable, the planet itself is not very exciting and is mostly a sand-filled desert with a basic ecosystem. Underneath all that sand, however, are alien ruins that Armagon Megacorporation discovered.
The company immediately deployed its archeology team led by Sahra Hamstrung to begin excavation. While digging deeper into the ruins, the crew began to hear voices. A device within the ruins was still functioning and slowly rewriting the DNA of the crew.
They began to develop psionic powers but also lost themselves in the process, becoming an alien hybrid with the sole purpose of protecting the device that changed them, no matter the cost.
This device was originally left behind by The Observers. They were the first intelligent race in the galaxy, and for a long period, the only intelligent race. Loneliness and incredible scientific minds quickly led them to boredom and persuaded them to create all known sentient life in the galaxy.
Perhaps as a science project or merely for their own entertainment, they then returned to a pocket dimension within the center of the galaxy to sit back and observe what they had created with minimal interference. Naturally, Armagon Megacorporation wants anything this mysterious race may have left behind.
List of NPCs
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Unit STC-012 | A handy companion, but sometimes a bit on the sassy side. He takes very good care of his ship and is an excellent pilot. STC was originally built by the robot manufacturing company BotCo, but his attitude is a clear sign that he is no longer running on factory defaults. Who modified him remains a mystery, and the dents and dings on his body suggest that he’s been on adventures he wasn’t designed for. |
| Mrs. Albane Garnier | Corporate executive businesswoman with a scowl that could kill lesser men. She’s been in the game so long that she’s completely forgot what it means to be human. It’s business first, and business later for her. |
| Sahra Hamstrung’s | She is an archeologist first, and a corporate drone second . . . or fifth. Maybe sixth. Actually, she hates working for such a large corporation, but they fund her digs and put food on her table, so she’s willing to take the good with the bad. She’s extremely close to her team and has been working with them for years and would gladly stick her neck out for them. |
| Jonathan Saavedra | Ex-military. Did two tours back in the tundra of Storza in the battle of Usod. Afterwards, he decided he wanted something a little more relaxed. Sahra liked the idea of having a former soldier on the team and gladly brought him on as an apprentice. Years later, he found himself working side by side with her on a partner level. |
The Adventure
The adventure starts with all players aboard their ship flying towards Iona. If any of the players have a Vehicle Handling of at least 1, ask who would like to fly the ship. If none of the players meet the requirements, then Unit STC-012 will fly the ship for them.
During their trip they will be receiving a brief from Mrs. Albane Garnier, a ruthless executive of Armagon Megacorporation. She is a tall and broad-shouldered woman with blond hair pulled behind her head tight enough to stretch her skin back. Her smile is consistent and fake, and her obliviousness to sarcasm and humor shows that she has completely lost touch with anything that might have still been human about her.
She will inform the players that Armagon Megacorporation had an archaeological team on the planet researching alien ruins before contact was lost a week ago. Her orders are simple and listed in order of importance: secure the site, figure out what happened, and save any members of the original team. 1,000 credits for each player when the mission is done, and up to 1,000 more depending on player performance.
Players will be given the exact coordinates to the dig site so they will know exactly where to land. If they choose to land farther away for safety reasons, use the walk time from the ship to the dig site (or wherever they choose to go) as an opportunity for roleplay.
If the players want to scan the planet, they can do so by rolling Natural Sciences, Engineering, or Vehicle Handling. Use the table below to determine what is learned. The players will learn everything up to the score they rolled.
| 5+ | The atmosphere is breathable, and the planet is safe to walk on with a basic ecosystem. Most of the planet’s life is but a few scarce plants scattered about the desert, though there is likely to be small, harmless creatures as well. |
| 7+ | Scans reveal the location of the archeology team’s ship, confirming the coordinates you were given, as well as confirmation of a structure beneath the ground close to where the archeology team landed. |
| 12+ | There is gamma radiation centered around the dig site. |
| 15+ | The gamma radiation is pulsing from the dig site in a consistent pattern. |
Once the players land, they will have two locations to explore. The Ship, and The Dig Site.
The Ship
Upon approaching the ship, the players will find that it is closed and that there are no visible signs of damage. A Computer check of 7+ or a Raw Force check of 8+ can open the door to the ship. If the players explore The Dig Site first and find a team member’s ID Card, then they can open the door without a check.
1 – Cockpit
If the players have Captain Sahra Hamstrung’s ID Card, they can unlock the captain’s logs. If not, they can attempt to unlock them with a Computer check of 5+.
Log 132-158
Alien ruins? Please. Those execs couldn’t tell the difference between an alien ruin and a toilet. They’re convinced, though, and I’ll admit, I saw the scans myself. Whether or not it’s “alien ruins”, there’s certainly something underneath all this sand, and that’s a win for me. Unfortunately, I doubt the bigwigs will share my enthusiasm for discovery unless it’s profitable.
Log 132-161
Color me surprised. Maybe those execs know what they’re doing after all. It took a few days of shoveling sand, but we found something. We actually found something!
Log 132-163
I still can’t believe it. Alien ruins. ACTUAL alien ruins! It’s the real deal! We’ve been digging around the clock. The discovery has gotten the entire team working like madmen. We have to remind ourselves to stop and take breaks so we don’t pass out from exhaustion.
Log 132-164
The ruins are bigger than we thought. It seems they go on quite a way. But there’s something more concerning. My crew. Some of them claim to hear voices. It was just a couple of them at first, and we thought there might be something alive down here, but they said it was “in their head.” When I suggested they might have worked too hard, they snapped at me. Violently. I’ve known these men for years. I’ve never seen them behave in such a way.
Log 132-165
Nearly the entire team claims to hear the voices. Nobody seems to be able to understand what the voices are saying. Bunch of useless drones! You want to complain about voices, but you can’t tell me what they’re saying? What good are you?
Log 132-166
I hear the voices now. It’s . . . calming. But only when I’m in the ruins. When I come to the ship, I feel angry. So much rage. I should go back to the ruins so I can serve. Serve? I mean, think clearly. Obviously, I need it.
2 – Storage Room
Jonathan Saavedra has locked himself inside the storage room. He is the only remaining crew member who hasn’t mutated due to his resilience and quick thinking. Once he heard the voices and saw what was becoming of his teammates, he immediately fled to the ship and locked himself inside for his own protection.
He is noticeably malnourished and scared out of his mind. His words, while repetitive, are few and broken due to his shaken condition.
A Computer check of 5+ or any team member ID Card will open the Storage Room door. Jonathan Saavedra will be terrified of the players and scream at them, begging to be left alone. A Psychology check of 6+ or a Presence check of 8+ will convince the man you’re not a threat.
Talking with him will still be a struggle, as he is still scared out of his mind and will mostly repeat phrases such as “voices, so many voices. Took the team. Lost the team. They never came back.” Jonathan Saavedra will refuse any and all suggestions of him going back down to the ruins.
Other Rooms
The other rooms may be explored freely, but they contain nothing of narrative importance. If the players say they want to search the rooms for anything useful, feel free to give them some items such as a First Aid kit that is a Simple Heal Ability Consumable of 2 WP (Heals 2d6 Vitality for 2 AP) or a Stimpack, which is a Tier 1 Stimulant. The other rooms are the kitchen/sleeping area with sleeping pods, the bathroom, and the engine room.
The Dig Site
Upon approaching the dig site, players will find a large, gaping hole in the ground, complete with an elevator that takes them all the way down to the bottom. Convenient!
1 – Entry
Scattered across the ground are several digging tools as well as machinery, along with a corridor in pristine condition. The architecture is completely alien, its material appearing to be stone but feeling as smooth as metal and as if it hasn’t aged a single day. A History check of 12+ tells a player that this same style of ruins, while extremely rare, has been found on other planets.
At the end of the corridor is a large solid door with seemingly no devices or electronics connected to it. A player needs only to place their hand upon the door to make it open. However, standing still in front of the door and staring at it, as if waiting for it to open, is Sarah Hamstrung. Though still in uniform, her appearance is no longer human, as her skin has turned pinkish grey and completely shed any and all hair. She simply stands there, staring at the door with her solid black eyes.
If the players are careful, they can sneak up to her. If only one player is attempting to be stealthy, then they will need to roll their Stealth against Sahra Hamstrung’s Perception (1d10 +2). If the entire party is attempting to sneak up to her, then the party will need to perform a Group Skill Check.
Sahra Encounter
If Sahra Hamstrung notices the players, she will use her newly developed psionic powers against the players without hesitation. Her jaw will stretch well beyond its normal limits and fill the room with an inhuman scream that sounds like multiple overlapping voices.
Note:
This should be an easy fight as it is only a single enemy. She is the same Level as the mutants in the other room. Also, if the players defeat her, they will find her ID Card, which can be used to open any door on The Ship.
If the players desire, they can investigate the body with a Medicine or Natural Science check.
| 7+ | Confirms that this was Sahra Hamstrung, and that her once human body has been heavily mutated by unknown means and is most likely not reversible. |
| 12+ | Confirms the previous, along with the fact that mutations were due to Gamma radiation emitting from the next room rewriting her DNA. It was a slow process, meaning the players will be safe as long as they don’t linger for more than a day. |
Note:
If Sahra Hamstrung was taken alive, these checks become 5+ and 10+.
2 – The Missing Crew
Opening the door reveals a room with curved walls that is illuminated with a blue light that doesn’t seem to have a source. Also in the room are the rest of the missing crew members. The crew have the exact same mutations as Sahra Hamstrung and will attack on sight.
There are a few support pillars in here as well, which can be used for cover if needed.
The door to the East is closed and functions exactly like the previous door.
| Number of Players | Easy | Medium | Difficult | Hardcore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Psionic Mutant (lv 0, half damage) | 1 Psionic Mutant (lv 0) | 1 Psionic Mutant (lv 0) | 1 Psionic Mutant (lv 1) |
| 2 | 1 Psionic Mutant (lv 0) | 1 Psionic Mutant (lv 1) | 2 Psionic Mutants (lv 0) | 2 Psionic Mutant (lv 1) |
| 3 | 2 Psionic Mutants (lv 0, half damage) | 2 Psionic Mutants (lv 0) | 3 Psionic Mutants (lv 0) | 3 Psionic Mutants (lv 1) |
| 4 | 2 Psionic Mutants (lv 0) | 3 Psionic Mutants (lv 0) | 4 Psionic Mutants (lv 0) | 4 Psionic Mutants (lv 1) |
| 5 | 3 Psionic Mutants (lv 0) | 4 Psionic Mutants (lv 0) | 4 Psionic Mutants (lv 1) | 4 Psionic Mutants (lv 2) |
| 6 | 4 Psionic Mutants (lv 0) | 4 Psionic Mutants (lv 1) | 4 Psionic Mutants (lv 2) | 4 Psionic Mutants (lv 3) |
3 – Device Room
In the center of the room is a large device pulsing with a blue light. If players passed the previous check to learn about the Gamma radiation, they will instantly know this device is the source of it.
In front of the device is a large ball of biomass made of limbs from previous explorers who had discovered the ruins from years past. It will also attack on sight and protect the device at all costs by using telekinetic abilities, as well as its many limbs to swipe, punch, claw, and slam players into the ground.
Damaging the device will cause it to leak excessive amounts of radiation, dropping the once 24-hour safe window to 1 hour. If it is damaged a second time, that hour is reduced to 10 minutes before mutations start to develop. Should it be damaged a third time, the device will explode and blast everyone in this room and the adjacent room for 5d10 Heat Damage. If they are behind cover, then they will be hit for 2d10 Heat Damage instead.
If the players stay in the radiation beyond their safe window, they will have to roll a Perseverance check of 7. If they fail, they will be unwilling to leave the Dig Site on their own but will not start to mutate yet. Other players may forcibly drag or carry them away.
If the players stay longer than twice their window of safety, whether or not they passed the previous check, they will begin to lose their minds and mutate, forever changing their bodies as there is no way to return them to normal.
Finish the Mission
The ending to this story is determined by the choices the players make. While some endings are listed below, players tend to be crafty and throw the GM for a loop, such as going completely rogue and taking the device for themselves or even deciding that being a mutant sounds cool and willingly staying behind.
Should they decide to do the mission they were set out to do and report back to Mrs. Albane Garnier, they will be rewarded once Armagon Megacorporation investigates the site as follows:
- If the device is secured and undamaged, players will be rewarded the full 1,000 Credits bonus with many thanks. Later, they will begin to hear rumors of Armagon Megacorporation developing unstable psionic super soldiers. If the players delivered a live mutant to Armagon Megacorporation, then the super soldiers will be stable.
- If the device is damaged but not destroyed, players will receive a 500 Credit bonus and a slight scolding from Mrs. Albane Garnier. If players admit they were the ones who damaged the device, no bonus will be given. Later, the players will hear rumors that Armagon Megacorporation had to nuke an entire testing lab. While you can’t know for sure, it’s probably safe to assume that it was due to the entire science team mutating.
- If the device is destroyed and they report it to Mrs. Albane Garnier, they will not be paid in any capacity and receive a rather harsh lecture on their incompetence. If they don’t tell her of the device at all or tell her that it was broken on arrival, she will (unhappily) pay the originally promised 1,000 credits.
As mentioned above, players can always come up with their own ending to the story. That’s the beauty and freedom of TTRPGs! If your players decide to take a completely different path, feel free to give them one final challenge to determine how their story ends. A check between 8 and 12 is a good range depending on what they’re trying to do. Some examples are listed below:
- The players decided the device was too dangerous to hand over to Armagon Megacorporation! Now they have to go into hiding. A Street Smarts or Stealth check of 8 allows them to avoid Armagon Megacorporation and disappear.
- The players took the device for themselves to help the world instead of a megacorp! On a Natural Science check of 12+, they manage to do their own research and develop gene manipulation technology to give other people psionic abilities. However, if they fail the check, they mutate themselves!
- The players decide the device is worth more than what Armagon Megacorporation is paying, so they take it to the black market! A Persuasion or Street Smarts check of 10 will allow them to sell the device for 100,000 Credits.