L1.1: Peacekeeper Academy - Challenge 1
This is an opening arc / one-shot for a group of three to five level 1 characters.
It is written with D&D 5e in mind, but should be playable with many TTRPG frameworks. Feedback towards helping achieve a framework agnostic approach would be gratefully recieved.
Prior to the Session
Before running the session, there are a couple of things which should be shared with players.Establish Setting
In order to establish the setting for the session, share a summary of Peacekeeper Alliance, Peacekeeper Territories and most importantly Peacekeeper Academy with the players for them to read. Then share the following text in whatever form you choose:
Congratulations! Your application has been successful. You will be enrolling in Peacekeeper Academy and will be expected to arrive on camus no later than 2 One 4748 PT. Please complete the enrollment form carefully as classes and accommodation will be chosen for you based on your answers. We look forward to welcoming you to our prestigious establishment. Together we will make The Alliance proud. To Seem, To Be, To Light, To Learn
Character Creation
Check out the Character Creation Guidelines for more information about creating characters from within the Peacekeeper Territories. If you are running this as part of a wider campaign, or want to give your players more to work with, it is also a good idea at this stage to get an idea of which of the three specialisations each character is interested in:Opening Scene
What an exciting time to be alive! As you step onto the campus of the illustrious Peacekeeper Academy, you can feel the excitement in the air.
Far above you, outside the protection of the transparent mantle, the sky glows green and yellow with storms that are common place on P'Ache Prime. But here, in front of Lecture Hall 1, the weather is warm, and you are surrounded by other first years, all excited about the opportunities which lie ahead of them.
You arrived the day before, settled into the one-person pod which will be your home for the next four to six years, and been given your wristassist. The delicate electronic assistant wraps around your wrist and provides you with access to the academy servers and detailed itineries as well as physical access to areas of the campus.
Lecture Hall 1 is a large rounded building, with thousands of hexagonal mirrors covering the outside. The matching rounded doorway opens revealing a tall Pachian man dressed in the light blue military uniform with the white chest plate of an educator.
"Welcome, future leaders of the Territories!"
The crowd around you cheer until the man holds his hands out to quiet the crowd.
"Thank you. I am, as I'm sure you know, Peacekeeper F'Dra, Head of the Academy, and it is my pleasure to welcome you and set your first challenge. Your wristassists will put you into your groups and provide you with the details. All I have to say is: remember the motto and you're halfway there."
Your wristassist vibrates, projecting the number 345.5. It takes you a little time to find others with the same number, and as you gather in your group you introduce yourselves to each other.
Now is the opportunity for your players to introduce themselves to each other. Encourage them to:
- Describe what their character looks like
- Introduce themselves as their character
- Describe how their character feels
The Reason for the Challenges
The aim of the challenges from the perspective of the Academy is to understand the skill levels of the first years. They have been grouped with people they believe are likely of a similar level of skill (even if it's not in the same areas).
You can choose when and whether to divulge this information to your players. It can be a useful motivation point, particularly if there is an ambitious character in the group who can light the fire under everyone else.
However, for some parties this may be best revealed at a later point or not at all. It depends on the tone you are trying to set.
The First Challenge
Once you're ready to move on, their wristassists vibrate with the following:FiProWiPM1.13-11.21TraThis is a message in PA Standard Commands, with a use of Categorisation of Peacekeeper Planet Types. It translates to:
Find Problem With P'Ache Micro Treaty
They need to find the record with the P'Ache Micro Treaty and find the error on the first page.
Tips for Using NPCs
If you want to make it more tense, play up the competition with other first years. Feel free to create a group are overly agressive (probably Lcha) or extremely judgemental (Pachian) and make them the antagonists. I like asking my players what to describe these NPCs, and maybe a bit of their behaviour to give you an idea of what they're looking for.
Equally, if you players are struggling too much at any point, you can have them overhear what another group is talking about, or see a group heading in a certain direction.
Decoding the Clue
A good level intelligence check will allow them to recognise it as PA Standard Commands. A very good check will allow them to recognises that PM1.13-11.21 is the planet categorisation for P'Ache Micro (advantage for Macrans). A good level investigation check will allow them to translate the message (you can also point them towards the relevant pages and let them figure it out for themselves).Finding the Treaty
If they ask for it, you can provide players with a list of the locations at the Academy (which they could find on their wristassist).Areas of the Academy:Treaties at the Academy are held in The Data Center. Everything in the Academy is clearly signposted, and they are also able to ask their wristassist, which will lead them to any location they need. If they go to any of the other locations in the Academy, they will meet a member of the faculty, who will turn them down. Some will be more polite than others, but none of them will offer help or advice because they know this is part of the challenge. When they enter the Data Center, read the following:
- Living Pods
- Cafeteria
- Lecture Hall 1
- Lecture Hall 2
- Lecture Hall 3
- Department of Diplomacy
- Department of Efficiency
- Department of Integrity
- Data Center
- Engagement Spaces
- Cultivation Center
- Educators' Offices
- Main Square
As you follow the directions, and walk down the thick stone staircase until you are deep underneath the Academy Campus. The halls have been filled with faux-solar light, and when you finally reach the bottom, you find yourselves in a large circular room with a lime green glowing orb hovering in the middle of it, and giving off low-level static. On the other side of the room you can see a set of large doors.
The green glowing orb is called DATA, it is an A.I. designed to help students find what they're looking for. It has a slightly quirky personality which has been taught some off-colour jokes that it doesn't quite understand by some bored fourth year students. This means it's likely to say things like "That's what she said" without really understanding what makes it a "joke".
If they approach DATA or try to get to the doors, DATA will greet them and ask what they are looking for. DATA will ask them lots of questions, as it's been programmed to collect information, and will ask for a piece of information it doesn't already have from each of the people in the group.
A low to mid level deception check will be enough to decieve it if they choose to lie to DATA.
Once it has what it needs, DATA will provide them with a copy of the first page of the treaty.
Reading the Treaty
This will appear projected onto one of the walls.Peace Treaty
between P'Ache Prime and P'Ache MinorSection 1
1.1.1
This agreement comes into effect on 21 Five 357 PT. 1.1.2
The terms of this agreement were thoroughly discussed and understood between the dates of 17 Four 221 PT and 20 Five 357 PT. 1.2.1
This agreement was signed in the Negotiation Room of SS Diplomacy 7 while landed on P'Ache Micro. 1.2.2
This agreement was thoroughly discussed and understood in the Negotiation Room of SS Diplomacy 7 while landed on P'Ache Micro. 1.3.1
This agreement was signed by a representative of P'Ache Prime, namely Primian N'nee. 1.4.1
This agreement was made with P'Ache Micro. 1.4.2
This agreement was made in connection with the following locations, owned by the Party named in section 1.4.1, and referred to heretofore as The Territory. 1.4.3
This agreement was signed on behalf of the Party named in section 1.4.1 by Macran Kan Di'Nee. 1.5.1
This agreement is signed by the aforementioned individuals and their selected witnesses below.
The title of the agreement states that it's between P'Ache Minor, not P'Ache Micro.
When they recognise this and say it aloud, DATA will glow yellow with happiness and will say the following:
"You did it!" DATA shouts. "I knew you could! I will send you your second challenge now. Get ready, because this is a hard one. That's what she said."
See 'L1.2: Peacekeeper Academy - Challenge 2' for the next part of this session.Related Articles
Plot type
Campaign Opening / One Shot
Related Organizations
Related Locations
Key
Provide to players in whatever form you'd like
Read aloud to players
Character action prompts
Puzzle solutions
GM tips, variations and customisations
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