Demon’s Realm
Those PCs with Electronics,
©2017 Michael Brown
The fledgling adventuring party survives a starship crash, but
that’s only the beginning.
Overview
While the new teammates are traveling to the subsector capital
to begin the next chapter of their lives, the ship they are aboard
suffers drive and power plant damage. Limping to the only
habitable body in the system, the forbidden world Ageres, the
group survives the crash of the vessel on the surface, but is then
faced with the prospect of lack of resources and the attacks of a
rapacious animal. During some of the attacks, mysterious figures
can be seen at a distance watching the events. The castaways
finally devise ways to deal with the vicious animals and they
track down the mysterious strangers, who turn out to be the
creators of the beasts.
Demon’s Realm is a short, no-frills starter adventure for
Cepheus Engine, starring characters of varied career
backgrounds. The referee should have little trouble adapting the
scenario for other tabletop RPG science fiction games using a
2D6 mechanic, including The Original 2D6 Science Fiction
Game.
The adventure is designed to assemble an adventuring party for
the first time while avoiding the cliché of meeting in a bar or
tavern. The players should be allowed to complete character
generation (including mustering out) before play. No particular
skills or equipment are required, but the following skills may
prove useful: Electronics, Engineering, Mechanics, Piloting, or
Survival.
The adventure begins aboard the Hwanghu Yeong. The referee
must decide exactly what type of vessel this is, although it must
be capable of carrying passengers. Deckplans aren’t necessary,
although an idea of its size and configuration is important (see
text.)
Background
Ageres is an interdicted world on the edge of a minor rift in the
subsector. Because of this, limited permission has been granted
for ships with the capability to do so to refuel at the system’s gas
giant. However, the interstellar government has made it clear
that Ageres itself is strictly off limits. No one knows the reason
for the planet’s forbidden status, although conspiracy theories
are rife.
One: Crash
The heroes, each having recently mustered out of their
respective careers, are journeying to the subsector capital as
passengers aboard the Hwanghu Yeong to begin the next
chapter of their lives.
Soon after jumping into the Ageres system, however, the ship
suffers a catastrophic drive failure. This in turn causes a
cascading power plant failure. The jump drive is now a multi-ton
paperweight; the power plant, although still (somewhat)
functional, will fail at some point, meaning an icy death in the
outsystem. Fortunately, the ship’s maneuver drive is still working
for now, so the captain — faced with the above choice — opts to
make for the only habitable body in the system: Ageres itself. He
asks the PCs to use their skills to help keep the ship functional
Cepheus Engine and Samardan Press are the trademarks of Jason "Flynn" Kemp. The author is not affiliated with Jason "Flynn" Kemp or Samardan Press™.
until it can at least make orbit.
Engineering, or Mechanics skill are especially valuable.
The priority is keeping the power plant functioning until the ship
reaches Ageres. Considering the shape the power plant’s in, this
consists largely of a system of jury-rigs: 10+, Engineering or
Electronics or Mechanics, EDU, 24 hours. Taking additional
measures such as powering down non-critical ship systems and
imposing rationing adds +1 to the throw. PCs who participate
only contribute 1/5 of their skill level, as they’re simply helping
the Hwanghu Yeong’s crew. If the throw is a Critical Success,
the throw for the following day automatically succeeds. If at any
time the throw is a Critical Failure (or Fumble), the power plant
finally dies for good and the crew and passengers must abandon
ship in the lifeboats.
Once at Ageres, however, the crew’s plight isn’t over. Upon
approach, the power plant finally dies. The maneuver drive is
next, as it begins cascading to failure. The pilot has to land the
ship: 10+, Piloting, DEX, 10 minutes. The total time to landing
is 30 minutes. PCs that assist (Piloting skill required) once again
only use 1/5 of their skill level; however, if their skill is higher
than that of the Hwanghu Yeong’s pilot, they’ll be asked to take
over. The PC’s full skill level can then be used for the throw.
Each time increment requires its own throw, using the following
die modifiers:
 Failure on one throw: additional –1 on the next throw
 The Hwanghu Yeong isn’t designed to enter atmosphere:
–4
 The Hwanghu Yeong is at least 1,000 tons displacement:
–2
The referee has the option of detailing damage to the ship from
the impact using the Ship Combat rules. The crash inflicts 2D6
hits on the vessel, plus an additional 1D6 for every failed throw
above. Alternatively, the referee can simply state that everyone
on board takes 2D6 damage; or reserve such random damage
for the PCs and declare that 10-60% (1D6 x 10%) of the NPCs
died in the crash. Either way, the Hwanghu Yeong will never fly
again.
Two: Survival
The heroes (and a number of the ship’s other passengers) have
survived the crash, but now comes the ticklish task of surviving
the aftermath. After attending to casualties, the group must
assess damage and supplies. This takes a full day. The ship’s
emergency beacon is a total loss on 6+, but PCs with Comms or
Electronics skills can jury-rig a beacon using at least two
portable communicators (8+, Comms or Electronics, EDU, 15
minutes.) The resulting equipment can run off of a surviving
ship battery indefinitely.
Not all of the foodstuffs may have survived the crash. Intact food
stores last each survivor for a month (assuming 1 kg per person
per day.) But throw 8+ for up to 60% of the food to have been
destroyed in the crash. Local resources may or may not be
compatible with humans; referee’s decision. If so, the shipboard
food can be replaced or supplemented by hunting and gathering;
use Survival skill to assist in this.
Two nights after the crash, anyone on watch should make a
successful Recon check to notice a pack of small animals, each
about the size of a housecat, fast approaching the wreck (see
box.) Groups out exploring must also make a Recon check. The
animals immediately attack the survivors by leaping upon them
and trying to stab them with sharp, bony projections at the end of
whiplike tails. The creatures seem adept at finding their victims’
soft tissue. Adventurers vulnerable to acidic attacks (10+, Science, EDU, 1 hour.) The
who try to use 6 kg Eater (Omnivore), Runner creatures’ lair can be sealed with explosives set in the proper
communicators during the (4 legs), 37607E, #App: 4D6 places (8+, Demolitions, 3 hours), trapping any beasts inside
attack find that they’re Athletics-0, Natural Weapons forever (see above for the percentage trapped within.)
being jammed (–4 to all (Stinger)-2, Recon-1, Survival-0
use of communicators at Stinger (1D6); Special (3/8); The strangers: While not presenting an immediate threat, they
Short range.) Speed: 6m* seem to be connected to the creatures somehow. However, they
also represent a chance at getting off of Ageres and back to
The animals are ferocious These creatures are small, civilized space — they must have a way to leave. The PCs and
and attack as berserkers hairless animals vaguely their shipwrecked allies must devise a way to contact the
— once they’ve killed a resembling large rodents, strangers. They don’t respond to any sort of hail, and withdraw
victim, they move on to although with longer legs. immediately if approached. Worse, they’re only seen during
the next nearest one until They’re slippery and hard to attacks by the animals. However, they may be tracked (10+,
they themselves are killed grasp. They can leap up to Survival, INT, 1 hour. Must make three successful rolls or
or the party escapes. twice their normal Move in a lose the trail.) Successfully tracking the observers (who may
Unfortunately for the round. They attack by grasping have a grav vehicle and thus can fly) leads the heroes to a large
castaways, victory doesn’t onto larger creatures with their clearing which has been set up as a field research base. Several
mean the end of the claws and piercing internal Pre-Fabricated Cabins are set up, with auxiliary vehicles nearby
attacks; on subsequent organs with a bony spike at the (referee’s decision whether these are off-road wheeled vehicles
days, the referee should end of a long, whiplike tail. See or grav vehicles.) The main camp is ringed with a metal fence
throw 8+ (DM: +2 if at the text for other capabilities. which can be electrified (6D6 damage.) A starship is present
night) for another attack (again, referee’s choice) on 8+ on any given day, resupplying the
by the creatures. If an attack occurs in the daytime, anyone base. The base supports a scientific staff of 15, with four
outside the wreck may notice (10+, INT) a trio of people in the Guards armed with
distance watching the assault through binoculars. The watchers submachine guns. All Guards
leave once the attack is over, regardless of the outcome. They wear distinctive jumpsuits
are only seen during subsequent attacks, and then always at a with no visible logos or 878665
distance. patches, although the Gun Combat-1, Melee Combat
guards’ jumpsuits are the (Unarmed)-1, Recon-1, Vehicle-
Three: Discovery
equivalent of Cloth armor 1
The castaways’ attention will no doubt turn toward the relentless (see box.) Two guards
assaults by the creatures and the appearance of the mysterious patrol the grounds in the Equipment: Cloth armor (AR 9);
strangers. The effort to get more information about their daytime, and the others at Submachine Gun (2D6 dmg. P);
implacable opponents gives them two avenues of investigation: night, although all can be Knife (1D6 damage P/S);
marshaled quickly in case Personal Communicator (5 km
The animals: These are the immediate threat; their attacks come of trouble. The range); Binoculars. Night
at irregular times, mostly come at night (mostly), and they’re a researchers are total guards also have Electric
drain on precious survival resources. The party might decide that noncombatants and won’t Torches
destroying the critters is of paramount importance. They’re easy directly oppose the
to track (6+, Survival, INT, 30 minutes. Must make three heroes.
successful rolls or lose the trail.), but the main body of the
creatures consists of hundreds of them, inhabiting a cave The base is dedicated to bioengineering work. Several species
complex several kilometers from the wreck site. If they detect the of creatures, both native and non-native, are undergoing
adventurers, they attack immediately. If the adventurers find the construction and tests. The base computer (12+, Computer,
caves during planetary day, many (1D6+3 x 10%) of the EDU, 15 min. to break in; subsequent throws are cumulative
creatures are within. Scientists examining one or more dead or –1 to check. Failure locks the computer; Critical Failure also
captured animals might also (8+, Science, EDU, 1 hour) make erases the drive) holds all the details of the work and the
the following discoveries: patron. The animals (not native to Ageres, as Scientist heroes
may have discovered) are being built to fight a species of large,
 The creatures are not only alien to Ageres, they’ve been highly dangerous, and astonishingly fecund predator which uses
optimized to attack a particular, as-yet-unknown, creature. acid as an attack and which has been known to destroy entire
The bony spike is designed to penetrate soft tissue and worlds. The predator, which also uses biological radio signals to
rupture internal organs. seek prey and communicate with its own kind, is resistant to
 Their hide exudes a substance that makes them hard to conventional weapons; the bioengineered animals the party
grasp; helps deflect melee weapons; and is highly acid- fought are designed to kill the predators by piercing and
resistant, acting as ablative armor vs. acid-based attacks. rupturing the marauders’ internal acid sacs, killing it with its own
 They have a structure in their craniums that allows them to weapon. The arrival of the castaways was fortuitous — it gave
interfere with radio signals at short range. The team may the researchers a chance to observe how their creation would
already have discovered this feature (see above.) The same fare against sentient targets.
structure, however, makes the critters vulnerable to sonics; Apparently, the reason Ageres is interdicted is because it’s a
a strong enough ultrasonic pulse can disorient them, proving ground for bioengineered weapons. The referee should
imposing a –4 to their DEX and attack rolls for 2D6 minutes. decide whether the ongoing work is sponsored by the interstellar
Given the information, it’s possible to build defenses against the government, or through a licensed subsidiary. Alternatively, the
creatures: communicators can be adapted to send out ultrasonic operation may be a wildcat, undertaken by a single patron or
pulses (8+, Electronics or Comms, EDU, 30 minutes; but 1D6 group of patrons (such as a corporation or a conglomerate.)
damage against the wielder with each use unless ear Either way, the burden of explaining their presence falls on the
protection is used). And a counteragent can be thrown PCs and the other castaways. The outcome of subsequent
together that neutralizes their anti-acid secretions, making them events depends heavily on the outcome of the adventure.
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