Diplomatic Service - a 76 Patrons style adventure

76 Patrons Diplomatic Service

The Zhodani Base is hosting another 76 Patrons Adventure writing contest!  This is an entry I wrote for the 2012 contest.

Patron: Ambassador Eidelson of Kemasiik

Location: Van Goffs World, in Holtzmann's Corridor

Skills required: weapon skills, reconnaissance skill, intrusion skills

The urban environment creates lots of opportunities, and lots of security headaches.

The PC's are hired by Sterling Eidelson, the Ambassador of Kemasiik on Van Goff's World. The political climate is getting hotter, with local opinion of Kemasiik's bid to separate from Van Goff drawing increased public scorn. Ambassador Eidelson is concerned for his staff's safety, and wants the embassy's security measures tested. The PCs are promised Cr4,000 and official thanks for their work.

The Chief of Diplomatic Security, Ajay Mirgain, will supervise the exercise. The PC's are given 72 hours to conduct surveillance, then they must attempt to breach the embassy's security, show the white flag and end the exercise. The CDS supplies them with battery-pack low-power laser weapons to use; a PC with mechanical skill can disguise them. The PCs and all embassy personnel will wear laser sensors at all times, so that the intruding team can simulate a shooting attack and security staff can counter. Whether or not the attack succeeds, the PC's will have accomplished their task by confirming the extant security measures or revealing weaknesses that can be corrected.

Referee's information:

The referee should provide the players with maps and plans that display most but not all anti-intrusion measures, and strongly encourage the players to take the time to conduct surveillance. Teams that charge right in, frontal assault-style should be easy for embassy security to neutralize. The success or failure of the staged attack should depend on the PC's extent of planning. The referee must give the players a fair chance to breach the security – remember the embassy is on a budget, and the urban location makes overt security measures politically difficult. The embassy security team does outnumber the PCs, but by less than 2-to-1. All embassy security have at least skill-1 in their preferred weapon. Mirgain (776998) has Tactics-2, and knows the building very well. This mission should not be easy unless the PCs are very well coordinated and experienced.

During the operation one of the following complications will arise.

1 Local law enforcement, who were not informed of the exercise, attempt to interdict the PCs.

2 While conducting surveillance, the PCs detect another group also performing surveillance on the embassy. This group is a Van Goff nationalist political outfit, with interests on Kemasiik.They fear a loss of business if Kemasiik gains more autonomy. The referee must determine the group's intended course of action.

3 As with number two, but the other group approaches the PC group and offers significant financial incentives for the PCs to join in on an actual attack. Careless PC's may find one of their members kidnapped by the rival group to persuade them to comply.

4 A mob of local protesters gathers around the embassy during the time planned for the exercise. The embassy security has their hands full keeping the mob out, and provides the PCs with an opportunity to press their attack; but the mob might break in behind them.

5 While conducting the staged attack, one or more of the PC's lasers will switch to full power without warning. If any embassy staff are killed or wounded, the security team will change up to real weaponry and attempt to apprehend or kill the PCs. The PC's must determine what caused the power-up and prove their innocence.

6 During the staged attack, another group uses the distraction to launch a real attack. The attacking group will be of the same number as the PCs and will have standard weaponry, as well as explosive charges. If the PCs refuse to help the referee must decide if the attacking group is defeated. In this case, the Ambassador, if he lives, will not be pleased and accuse the PCs of conspiring with the other group.

Future diplomatic relations between Van Goff and Kemasiik must be determined by the referee based upon the public outcome of this exercise. Eidelson will give them documentation that will benefit them if they travel to Kemasiik. The referee can award +DMs for any interactions with the Kemasiik government, such as seeking weapon permits or looking for more government patrons.