Freelance Traveller

Formerly Known As…

by Michael Brown

This article originally appeared in the June 2013 issue.

Required Skills: None
Required Equipment: None
No. of Players: 1

While in the planet’s Startown between flights, the PC will notice a large gathering of children nearby; it looks like some local entertainers are putting on a mini-carnival for them. A few booths are included, wherein the kids can play simple games for prizes or receive free treats. The visitor, in glancing at the booths’ proprietors, will be shocked to see that one of them is Xan Aarlen, a notorious terrorist s/he clashed with years prior! Aarlen, responsible for much death and destruction before the hero brought him to heel, is now blithely passing out edible treats and small toys to a group of children, while the parents look on approvingly!

Startown is outside the extrality gates, so reporting Aarlen to the Imperial authorities does no good. The crowd makes it easy to get to Aarlen relatively unseen by him.

Possible Directions to Take This Scenario

1. Aarlen has changed his ways, undergone extensive therapy and behavioral modification, and now seeks only to do good. He will not recognize the PC when approached, treating him or her like any other customer.
2. As 1, except Aarlen will instantly recognize the PC and—thinking (s)he has come to settle old scores—try to escape, incidentally creating a massive disturbance.
3. As 1, except Aarlen is accompanied by his therapist/guardian, who will immediately call police on the adventurer at the barest hint of trouble.
4. Aarlen is fomenting a plot, using innocent children for some nefarious purpose. The adults around him have no idea of his true nature.
5. As 4, except he has disguised agents circulating through the crowd. They will react to any action against Aarlen with deadly force
6. As 4, except he is being closely watched by plainclothes planetary agents trying to see what he is up to. They will not brook any interference by an interloping adventurer.