Interstellar Smugglers

Author
Richard Woolcock

Suggestions From
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The untamed frontier of the galactic rim is a dangerous region of space, far beyond the safety of the
core worlds. It is a place where crime pays and the strong prosper—where lucrative opportunities System
Tricube Tales <
await the brave and unscrupulous, as long as they don’t ask too many questions.
From pirates and scavengers to local militias and treacherous clients, those trafficking high-demand Background
Figu Design
commodities must carefully navigate a range of threats and hazards. Narcotics, arms, and machinery all
fetch a premium price from the right buyer, just as many colonists urgently seek medical supplies—and Story Symbols
Delapouite, Lorc, Caro Asercion
then there are the fugitives, those seeking to escape the oppressive regime of the core worlds. Game-icons.net <
You are a ragtag crew of outlaws, smuggling goods between planets on the outer rim. There is always Illustrations
high demand and a tidy profit for your services, as long as you’re willing to take certain risks. Jeshields

Character Creation Resolving Challenges Mission Objectives

Each player creates a character as follows: If a player attempts something risky, they roll 1-3 Roll on the following tables to generate the latest
1. Choose a trait: Agile (used for reflexes, dexterity, six-sided dice and must equal or beat a difficulty mission (see the next page for examples):
stealth, and ranged combat), brawny (covers strength, of 4-6 on at least one die. Succeed on multiple dice The crew needs to smuggle...
vitality, athletics, and melee combat), or crafty (covers for an exceptional success (narrate an additional A Alcohol or narcotics D A fugitive or refugee
smarts, charm, alertness, and mental/social combat). benefit). Rolling “1” on all dice is a critical failure B Medical supplies E Military equipment
2. Pick a concept: Scoundrel, mercenary, doctor, (introduce a complication to the scene). C A dangerous alien F Stolen tech or plans
pilot, mechanic, gambler, or robot (specify type). The GM chooses a trait and difficulty for each To and from (roll for both locations)...
3. Choose a perk: Gunslinger, hulking physique, challenge. Most are difficulty 5, but a particularly A A mining world D A large starship
perceptive, close combat specialist, gift of the gab, easy or hard task might be difficulty 4 or 6. Some B A fetid swamp planet E A tidally locked planet
technophile, or cybernetic implant (describe it). challenges (e.g., combat) require multiple rolls. C A distant rim world F An artificial world
4. Select a quirk: Greedy, cynical, trigger-happy, Players usually roll 2 dice, but roll 3 dice if the While dealing with...
mercenary, big mouth, cocky, or loose cannon. challenge matches their trait. If a challenge falls A A bounty hunter D A deadly pursuit
5. Grab 3 karma tokens and 3 resolve tokens. completely outside the scope of their concept (e.g., B A tight time limit E Technical difficulties
6. Make up a name and introduce yourself to the a doctor repairing the ship), they lose 1 die. C A fickle client F Unexpected hazards
group (e.g., “I’m Gan Boldstar, an agile pilot who is

Karma and Resolve Running the Game

perceptive, but also a loose cannon”).

Each player has 3 karma and 3 resolve. Spend 1 The GM should describe the opening scene, react
karma after rolling to reduce the difficulty by 1, if to the players’ decisions, and assign the traits and
you can justify how your perk helps you. Recover difficulties for challenges. Offer players karma in
1 karma if you increase the difficulty by 1 before return for complications based on their quirks!
rolling, narrating how your quirk hinders you. The players should make all the rolls, narrate
If you use a quirk and succeed at the challenge, the outcome of their actions, and drive the story
you may recover 1 resolve instead of 1 karma. forward whenever possible. They can also spend
For dangerous actions (such as combat), failure 1 karma to influence the story or discover a clue
costs 1 resolve (or 2 on a critical failure). If a PC through their perk, at the GM’s discretion.
runs out of resolve, they are eliminated from the If a challenge is potentially deadly (i.e., running
scene—but death is primarily a narrative conceit, out of resolve results in death), the player should
and the PC usually returns later at full resolve. be warned before they roll.
 Objectives Locations Complications
Described here are examples of objectives for the Described here are examples of locations for the Described here are example complications for the
mission generator (first table): mission generator (second table): mission generator (third table):

1. Moonshine Monopoly 1. The Spice of Life 1. Debt Collector

The crew is hired to deliver a big batch of highly- This planet is the source of a high-demand illicit One of the smugglers owes a lot of money, and a
flammable alcohol to a colony that has very strict substance sold on black markets throughout the bounty hunter has come to collect the credits—or
prohibition laws. galaxy. The drug has a variety of purposes. failing that, the crew member’s head.

2. Designer Drugs 2. Prison Planet 2. Race Against the Clock

A secretive client requests a shipment of chemical The colonists of this deadly swamp planet are the The shipment is needed urgently. Any delays will
substances—ostensibly “medical supplies,” which hardy descendants of a penal colony. reduce its value—and the crew’s payment.
must be delivered to the leader of a colony.
3. The Far Frontier 3. Altering the Deal
3. Deadly Predator This farming planet is on the frontier of explored The buyer decides to alter the terms of the deal at
A wealthy collector has purchased a carnivorous space. The folks enjoy a rustic lifestyle, somewhat the last moment, much to the smugglers’ dismay.
cephalopod on the black market. This dangerous reminiscent of the Wild West. Pray they don’t alter it any further!
animal must be handled with great care.
4. Mendacious Middleman 4. Tracking Device
4. Military Scientist The pirate captain Jak Raith acts as a middleman Someone secretly places a tracking beacon on the
An infamous scientist is paying a lot of money for for many smuggling jobs, protecting a buyer’s or spaceship. Are the characters being followed by
safe passage for herself and her family. She claims seller’s identity in return for a cut of the profits. pirates? A bounty hunter? The authorities? Or is
to be the victim of a political smear campaign. their client just keeping a close eye on them?
5. Eternal Twilight
5. Scout Walker Half of this tidally locked planet is blazingly hot, 5. Malfunction
The crew is offered a handsome sum of money to while the other half is ice-cold. Only the narrow The smuggers’ spaceship suffers a malfunction at
transport a two-legged reconnaissance vehicle to band of the “twilight region” is habitable, and it is the worst possible time. It will require dangerous
a mysterious group of outlaws. prone to terrible storms. emergency repairs mid-flight if the crew hopes to
complete the mission on time.
6. Battleship Blueprints 6. Ring Realm
A nervous client is offering premium payment to An enormous ring of ancient alien design rotates 6. Patrol Ships
deliver military blueprints to a group of freedom around its star. The rocky exterior is pitted with A large warship is in orbit around the destination
fighters. But the authorities from the core worlds countless impacts, while the inner surface offers planet, and a dozen smaller ships patrol the area,
are already hot on the client’s heels! a livable habitat for dozens of colonies. searching for something—or someone.

Adding a Twist to the Mission

For further inspiration, roll two dice on the table below and use the symbol as an improvisational prompt (you don’t need to interpret it literally). For example,
A E might indicate a laser blaster, a gunslinger, a sniper, or a shoot-out, while rolling E C could mean a wardrobe malfunction, fabric repairs, basic machinery,
or clothing, and E E might represent navigation equipment, astronomical measurments, or interstellar travel.
AA AB AC AD AE AF BA BB BC BD BE BF CA CB CC CD CE CF DA DB DC DD DE DF EA EB EC ED EE EF FA FB FC FD FE FF