Freelance Traveller

by Jeff Zeitlin

This article was originally posted to the pre-magazine website in 2002, and appeared in this form in the July/August 2017 issue.

The player-characters are on the resort planet of Carlsmont, perhaps taking a break from routine, perhaps waiting for their ship’s annual maintenance to be completed, perhaps something else - the referee should use discretion in fitting this adventure to the party. One of the party should have a connection to Carlsmont or the neighboring planet of Lumyere; the exact nature of the connection is up to the referee, but should allow for close acquaintances. They should arrive at Carlsmont before 119-1105 (by the story calendar), and still be on-planet at that date. While they’re there, if they check the news archives, they’ll see the following stories.

NewsNet Special Alert

CARLSMONT CITY, 110-1105 - Grand Prince Isharii, Prince Royal of the Principality of Carlsmont, has been seriously injured in an air-raft accident while returning from a ski holiday in the northern mountains. He is undergoing surgery at ...

Grand Princess Eloise was also injured in the accident, though apparently not seriously. She is remaining by her husband’s side during this ordeal. Doctors are maintaining a close watch on her, to ensure that her unborn child, the heir to the Principality throne, is healthy. ...

The young couple, celebrating their second anniversary, had taken this holiday as their last opportunity to enjoy their favorite recreation before Her Highness was to be prohibited by her pregnancy from engaging in overly strenuous physical activity. ...

CARLSMONT CITY, 111-1105 - A weary-appearing Dr. Theoden Kamehameha-Galishakaa reported that Grand Prince Isharii’s condition has been stabilized, although His Highness is in a coma. His condition has been upgraded from Critical II to Critical I, and he is on full life-support in the Critical Care Unit at the hospital. The medical team assigned to His Highness are reporting that they have every hope that he will make a recovery, but caution that His Highness’s injuries are quite severe. ...

CARLSMONT CITY, 113-1105 - Doctors for Grand Princess Eloise have announced that Her Highness will not be able to give interviews in the immediate future. Her personal physician, rushed to the hospital on short notice late last night, refused to do more than say that she is in no danger, although weak from the stress of recent events. ...

NewsNet Special Alert

CARLSMONT CITY, 115-1105 - Although no official word has come from doctors or the Royal Household, NewsNet has learned that Grand Princess Eloise miscarried two days ago. Although distraught, Her Highness is apparently healthy. ...

Doctors remain optimistic about Grand Prince Isharii’s prospects, although he is still deep in a coma. His Highness is progressing well, and there is every likelihood that he will improve enough to be removed from full life-support within the next few weeks. ...

NewsNet Special Alert

CARLSMONT CITY, 118-1105 - Unofficial reports from sources at the hospital indicate that Grand Princess Eloise was rushed into surgery early this morning. One hour later, hospital administrators banned the press from the premises, and the Royal Guard assisted in the expulsion. ...

Reports from the Diplomatic Quarter and from Government watchers seem to indicate that both the State and Foreign Ministries have cancelled all appointments, and called in all personnel who are on leave. ...

CARLSMONT CITY, 119-1105 - Duke Shaamika, the Ambassador to Carlsmont from Lumyere, was abruptly summoned to the Ministry of State this afternoon. He emerged a short time later, but refused to answer any questions concerning his summons. ...

CARLSMONT CITY, 121-1105 - A spokesman for the Ministry of State today officially announced today that Grand Princess Eloise had indeed miscarried eight days ago, when she stopped giving interviews. He professed no knowledge of any subsequent surgery, although he stated that the doctors had Her Highness under close observation. ...

CARLSMONT CITY, 123-1105 - The Ministry of State announced that His Highness, Grand Prince Isharii, had been moved out of the Critical Care Unit and into the Intensive Care Unit, although his condition has not as yet been officially upgraded from Critical I. Grand Princess Eloise is reported to be in good condition, though she continues under observation. The Ministry spokesman again denied any knowledge of surgery subsequent to Her Highness’s miscarriage. ...

CARLSMONT CITY, 124-1105 - Although no statement has come from the Ministry of Defense or from the Lumyere Embassy, observers have reported to NewsNet that the Carlsmont Detachment of the Lumyere Combined Arms appears to have recalled all personnel from leave. ...

NewsNet Special Report - 125-1105

Although Carlsmont and Lumyere have had a close relationship these past three centuries, few people realize just how close - and how fragile - that relationship is. NewsNet’s Historical Research Section has obtained a copy of the Charter granted by the King of Lumyere to the first Grand Prince of Carlsmont, and direct ancestor of Grand Prince Isharii, Lavrenti Artekata. The charter specifies that if the Artekatas cannot produce a male heir to the throne of Carlsmont, the grant shall be revoked, and Carlsmont shall revert to being a province of Lumyere. ...

CARLSMONT CITY, 127-1105 - The Ministry of State announced today that Grand Prince Isharii has been removed from full life-support, although he still requires assistance to breathe. He has not regained consciousness as yet, though his doctors remain guardedly optimistic. Grand Princess Eloise remains in good condition under observation; the Ministry expressed hope that she will be willing to give at least a short interview in the near future. ...

At any time after the report of 119-1105, the PCs may be approached by someone representing either Lumyere or the Carlsmont Ministry of State. The contact should be a close personal friend of one of the PCs, and both the contact and the PC should have a history of trusting the other to be discreet when necessary. The contact emphasizes that this is certainly necessary this time, to the extent that all of the other times are public announcements in comparison. He then hands the PCs a packet containing a photograph and other information, and briefs the players as follows:

“His Highness is in worse condition than has been made public; his doctors generally agree that it is unlikely that he will regain consciousness. This would not have been a problem had Her Highness not miscarried, as an heir to the throne would have been assured - in-vitro fertilization was used to assure that her child would be male. Normally, even the miscarriage would not be a problem, as we could repeat the procedure to produce an heir. However, Her Highness was indeed rushed into surgery on 118; internal injuries sustained in the accident made it necessary to perform a hysterectomy upon her. Thus, we have no way of producing another heir descended from His Highness.

“However, a re-reading of the Charter, and a consultation with the Ambassador from Lumyere, has given us an interpretation of the Charter that we can use to preserve the independence of Carlsmont. Discretion in this is necessary solely because of the need to avoid panic; while most Carlsmontites would have no objection to Carlsmont becoming part of Lumyere, there is a small nationalist movement that would resort to terrorism to prevent it, if possible. The Ambassador from Lumyere has agreed that stability is essential, and has indicated that his government takes the position that, except to the extent that national defense requires, what Carlsmont does is up to Carlsmont, as long as all laws, treaties, et cetera between Carlsmont and Lumyere are upheld. The local defense forces were put on a low-level alert at Carlsmont’s request against the possibility of terrorism were we to be forced to announce the full state of affairs with no heir to step in.

“The information you have been given in this packet will hopefully be enough for you to find the Grand Prince’s exiled brother, Ramduur, and secretly bring him back here to take over as Grand Prince. His Highness would have brought Ramduur back after his mother’s death last year, but the Privy Secretary, who had served His Highness’s parents until His Late Highness’s death, and supported Ramduur’s banishment, advised against it. The Secretary is fully aware of the current situation, and agrees that Ramduur must be brought back, although he has expressed distaste for the man.

“You are not the only ones attempting to find Ramduur. We have agents on most planets in the area; orders have already gone out. Wear these collar pins at all times; they will identify you to the other agents, who will be wearing similar pins. They will help you to the best of their ability; you must help them to the best of yours. Nobody who is not wearing one of these pins must know of your mission; not even Ramduur, when and if you find him.

“Obviously, speed is of the essence; while we don’t know how long we can keep the subterfuge up, there will be a point beyond which people will be suspicious, and from there, things will degrade. If you can manage to find Ramduur, we can present him right up to the moment that Lumyere accepts that we cannot produce an heir; after that, it won’t matter.

“The packet actually contains information on several cadet branches of the Artekata family; if Ramduur turns out to be dead without male issue, any of the individuals listed as eligible may be brought back instead. The individuals are marked in order of preference, but if you find one who’s not at the top of the list, don’t waste time - bring him in. I’d say to do that even if you’re not sure about Ramduur, but there are political nuances that I’m not prepared to go into right now. Go for Ramduur, and grab one of the others only if Ramduur is an impossibility.

“I can guarantee you a payment of Cr100,000 from the Ministry of State’s discretionary budget if any heir is presented, whether you’re the one that brought him back or not. If no heir is brought back, there won’t be a Carlsmont to pay you. Further payment would necessarily be at the Grand Prince’s discretion.

“I wish I could do more for you on this, but I’m definitely bending - hell, breaking outright - the rules as it is - and quite frankly, the only reason I’m sure I won’t be shot for treason for telling you the situation is because only His Highness can pronounce the death sentence. The agents off-world won’t question you, with the pins, though, so once you’re out of here we’re both safe. Good luck!”

Notes to the Referee

This is obviously suitable as a background for other adventures, and it can develop in any direction that the referee wants. Further developments in the news are at the referee’s discretion; remember jump lag in dating them if they go off-world at all.

Ramduur was exiled by the current Grand Prince’s father because of a sex scandal. It will be trivial for the PCs to learn this. By now, most Carlsmontites have forgotten the scandal, or would brush it off as a minor indiscretion, so if Ramduur can be found, he will readily be accepted as the new Grand Prince, if the populace of Carlsmont know that the Grand Prince is unlikely to recover, or as Regent if they don’t. Lumyere will accept him, as well. Other heirs will not gain such easy acceptance; Lumyere will insist on verifying the lineage, and the populace won’t trust the heir or the Government. If this comes to pass, there will be an upsurge in nationalist feeling, and growing unrest that can only be assuaged after the people have seen that the new Grand Prince is fair and friendly, like the old, and in control of the Government, not under the Government’s thumb.

While he has not been prominent, Ramduur has made no effort to hide his identity, and it should be easy to pick up his ‘trail’. However, he joined the Imperial Navy about seven years ago, and at last report was a Lieutenant in a squadron that has seen action and taken casualties recently. It is up to the referee’s discretion whether Ramduur - who is/was serving under his own name - is dead, alive, or somewhere in between. If Ramduur is alive and in possession of his faculties, there will be no problem persuading him to return to Carlsmont, although he will question the circumstances of the revocation of his exile. It is up to the players what to tell him, within the limits of their mission.

Several of the other individuals are quite suitable as heirs, being business, government, or military leaders; others may be adequate, being followers rather than leaders; a number of them are absolutely unsuitable (but may be the only ones available), being ‘dropouts’ of one type or another (convicted criminals, substance abusers, etc.) or incapable of even understanding the situation (mentally retarded or victims of brain damage/injuries, etc.). Physical handicaps are no problem (and several of the cadet candidates have them), provided that either (a) they already have male issue to be their heir, or (b) they are capable of siring children so that they can have an heir after ascending the throne. Note that if a heir is incapable of siring children, it would naturally be advisable for the PCs to bring back both the heir and the heir’s male issue (who will be children), although this wasn’t said or implied in the briefing.

At the referee’s discretion, an added twist can be that Ramduur is Isharii’s twin brother, which opens up the possibility that Carlsmont can use him to make the Grand Prince have a “miraculous recovery”. If Ramduur is a twin, the players will not be told this, although if any of the PCs knows what the Grand Prince looks like (referee’s discretion), it will be evident from the (old) photograph that there is a strong family resemblance. In order for this to work, Lumyere must be kept from knowing that Ramduur has been found. In that event, it is entirely possible that the Government of Carlsmont will feel it necessary to take actions to ensure that the PCs do not blow the plot.

In generating further events on Carlsmont, remember that crises like this seem to have a flurry of activity at the beginning, when the situation is first developing, then they settle down to a stable state, where everyone is waiting for a change, and then either they degrade slowly when it is apparent that things aren’t going to change, but those in charge aren’t willing to acknowledge it, or they rapidly come to a head, when something serious happens, possibly (though not necessarily) making it clear that the truth had not been told earlier. The Carlsmont government will try to keep the lid on as long as possible, but the longer they do so, the more complex the lies have to get, and the more pressure from Lumyere will be brought to bear.

Other possible twists:

• There may be a nationalist spy in the Carlsmont Ministry of State. The spy may cause conflicting orders to be issued to the agents offworld, or may pass information to nationalists to allow them to try to interfere with the PCs’ mission.
• The PCs’ contact’s statement concerning the acquiescence of Lumyere to Carlsmont’s efforts may have been false, and Lumyere is preparing to revert Carlsmont to their control. More, the Lumyere government is currently headed by a militantly irredentist party, who do not want any possibility of Carlsmont finding a heir to the throne. Lumyere has far more resources to throw at stopping the PCs than any Carlsmont nationalists.
• As the PCs are bringing back a heir, news reaches them that the Prince has made a miraculous recovery. Depending on the story that the PCs told the heir, the whole plot could start to collapse around their ears at this point.
• The PCs’ contact may not be as safe as he believes.  While it is true that only the Prince can pronounce the death sentence, imprisonment for treason is not a problem for the government. The PCs need not worry about treason themselves, but they are certainly liable for charges of attempted subversion (for supporting the purported heir’s attempt at usurping the throne). Instead of getting a Cr100,000 (or more) payoff for their help, they may end up on the run, or in a jailbreak attempt to save their contact.