I've had a couple of sessions since my last posting, and all is going reasonably well, though I've hit a bit of writer's block.
In an effort to turn my Klingon campaign a little more intellectual
(NO SNIDE REMARKS FROM THE GALLERY, PLEASE) , I'm looking for traps, puzzles, and similar obstacles.
As I myself have never been very good at solving (let alone devising) logic puzzle or the like, I'm open to suggestions. My players are reasonably bright, capable individuals, and their characters are late-Movie era Klingons.
Suggestions for puzzles and traps are most welcome, as are places to find such on the Web.
The kind of puzzles that would work best with these characters, I think, would be those that pit goals against the moral code; that is, if you can put them in a position where honor demands one course of action, and the mission demands another.
Have an antagonist (deliberately or not) create a situation where the group must kill him to proceed -- and can't honorably do so, perhaps because he is weaponless or a poor combatant or does not wish to fight.
Tactical situations may also present opportunities: what to do when the tactical situation is not to your advantage, but you cannot retreat, either.
Environmental problems might also work: how to handle the case where the planet's air is poisonous (but not immediately so), or where the animal and/or plant life is trying to kill the characters.
Traps and puzzles aren't the only way to make a campaign more intellectual. Have you ever thought of introducing some political intrigue? The late-movie era Klingon Empire would most probably be full of it - the alliance with the Romulans is collapsing, the chancellor wants peace with the Federation, etc. Plenty of room for political machinations.
However i's always better to come up with clever plot twists to keep the characters guessing what's going on. if your players have made fairly typical - minmaxed - klingons with lots of fighting feats - and no t much else.. have them fly a spaceship.. then they'll find out how hard it is to do when System OPS can't be used unstrained!
Could be amusing to have the 'take off from the planet - without crashing' trap etc
My Klingon campaign is going RELATIVELY well, and I am emphasizing the political intrigue. Perhaps it's a creeping burnout, but I'm having a hard time coming up with plots that are neither hackneyed nor cliched.
As things stand now, the PCs are the heirs apparent of two minor, but growing Houses. They and their crew command a single custom-built Bird of Prey as the House flagship.
As a "shakedown/get to know the characters" period, the heroes are working on containing pirate activity along the Klingon/Federation/Romulan border. Even their arch-nemesis (the Houses have been fueding for nearly a hundred years) is cooperating nicely.
Soon, though, the sector will be torn by civil war. Working behind the scenes, the Romulans and the arch-nemesis have co-opted a smaller House and are using them to undermine the older power structure. Using drugs and other coercion, the puppet House will cause the sector governor to declare his sector independent of the Empire.
Teaming with the arch-nemesis, the heroes must hold the line until reinforcements arrive from the Empire proper. Meanwhile, the Romulans are massing along sectors depleted by the crisis. Just as the civil war comes to a head, with the Empire at its weakest, the Romulans invade and the Empire must unite to repel the invaders.
Complicating the matter is the fact that the father (and Head-of-House) of one of the PCs is conspiring with the arch-nemesis in order to enrich his House and "restore its honor." There are several conspiracies to assassinate both the PCs and bring down the other PC House.
As the campaign is resolved, first the assassins will be exposed, then the PCs will discover the father's treachery (and execute him to avoid the dishonor), and finally discover the Romulan plot. Whether or not they expose the arch-nemesis depends upon how good they are.........
Well that does sound like an interesting story line. Of course theory and practice can be two different things.. What looks good on paper might not be so hot in reality. I look forward to hearing how it went. I might use some of those elements in my game as I'm fancying trying out the klingons in the campaign - especially if they bring out the sourcebook to give me something to use.
Puzzles, Obstacles, and Traps
, I'm looking for traps, puzzles, and similar obstacles.
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