11.1.2: One Hundred Basic Adventure Ideas

If a writer can’t come up with a basic idea upon which to base an adventure, building it successfully is an unlikely prospect. For those occasions when writer’s block strikes an adventure writer, one hundred basic adventure ideas have been prepared and included in this sub-Chapter.

The basic ideas listed herein can be readily adapted for use by any character group, using the information on the races presented in the various sections of Chapter 2.2 as a guide for further development. Some of these ideas refer to "the empire", which is merely a generic way of indicating whatever government the player group happens to work for (or the planet upon which they live). Some of them assume military character groups, while others assume non-military groups; while it is best to use military ideas with military groups and vice-versa, ideas can be adapted for use by the other group type. Also, these ideas assume the character group is composed of members of a single species working within the confines of a single space-faring empire. If this is not the case, the idea will need to be adapted to fit the group. Writers should feel free to experiment with any idea they find interesting, even if they aren’t experiencing writer’s block. In any case, these ideas are meant only to get a writer started; it's still their job to develop the adventure.

The set of basic ideas is numbered from one to one hundred. If a GM can’t decide on a specific idea or aren't particular about which one they would like to use, they may roll d% to select an idea at random. The result of the roll will indicate which idea they should use. Note that in this case a roll of double-zero on the d% indicates a result of one hundred.

1. Intelligence reports that enemy forces have left a critical installation open to attack.
2. Pirates are operating within the empire’s borders.
3. Convoy ships carrying critical supplies haven’t been out of contact for several days.
4. A distress call is received.
5. Lucrative cargo must be delivered to a specific location.
6. A naval crew has gone rogue and taken their ship with them.
7. An expedition into unknown territory is being prepared.
8. Government property must be recovered from a pirate base.
9. A scientific expedition is taking place close to an enemy’s border.
10. A government has sent one of its ships to patrol its borders.
11. A major enemy incursion into the empire’s territory is in progress.
12. Intelligence reports an enemy supply convoy is open to attack.
13. There has been a mutiny aboard a friendly ship.
14. A high-ranking official requires an escort to a conference.
15. Pirates have been spotted guarding a stash of stolen cargo.
16. A major corporation is looking for a mercenary for hire.
17. A council member has gone missing.
18. A reconnaissance team has been captured by hostile operatives.
19. Miners are trapped after a cave-in.
20. Preparations for a colony’s 50th anniversary are underway.
21. A trans-dimensional rift has been discovered.
22. Riots have broken out aboard a space station.
23. An asteroid is about to collide with a friendly colony.
24. A crime lord has placed a very lucrative bounty on the head of a respected writer.
25. Plague has broken out on a friendly world.
26. Contact with an expedition into unknown territory has been lost.
27. A fleet of ships current engaged in battle requests reinforcements.
28. A recent battle has left an enemy ship intact but derelict.
29. Contact with a starbase has been lost.
30. Construction of a new colony is underway.
31. The interrogation of a known criminal leads to a larger conspiracy.
32. Enemy forces have jammed communications with a colony.
33. A supply convoy has requested an escort.
34. A world wishes to secede from their empire.
35. Contact with a border station has been lost.
36. The government wishes to reconnoiter a border territory.
37. A kidnapping on a backwater planet has some peculiar details.
38. Union workers at a major manufacturing facility have gone on strike.
39. Unusual energy readings have been detected in a local nebula.
40. A politician has been diagnosed with a rare illness and the only cure is located deep inside hostile territory.
41. Disgruntled colonists are acting to destabilize the peace with a neighboring empire.
42. A scientist working on a top-secret government project has been found dead.
43. A prototype ship still under construction has been hijacked from its drydock.
44. A national treasure has been stolen.
45. A high level politician must be extracted from a combat zone.
46. There has been a natural disaster on a friendly colony.
47. An enemy empire has established a minefield in a major shipping lane.
48. A distress call has been received from an expedition into unknown territory.
49. A crime lord is offering a large reward to anyone who disrupts the wedding of a leading aristocrat.
50. Unidentified ships have been detected in a friendly system.
51. A powerful artifact is discovered and must be destroyed for the good of the entire universe.
52. An investigative reporter for a major news network has been found dead.
53. A starfaring government has invited other starfaring governments to participate in an interstellar race.
54. A space station’s shields have been sabotaged in the middle of a solar storm.
55. A celebrity has been framed for a crime.
56. A reconnaissance crew has been shot down in enemy territory.
57. The government wishes to establish relations with another government after a coup d’état.
58. The government wishes to establish an embassy on a planet.
59. Construction of a new outpost is underway.
60. Enemy forces have seized a friendly ship.
61. An opposing empire has captured a scientist working on a top government project.
62. A major corporation wishes to reconnoiter a planet.
63. Hostile forces have taken hostages on a friendly world.
64. Planning is underway to land troops on a hostile world.
65. The local communications relay has suddenly gone inoperative.
66. Plague has broken out on an enemy planet.
67. An enemy POW camp has been located.
68. An Intelligence operative urgently requests a rendezvous.
69. Enemy operatives have seized control of a prototype weapon.
70. Religious fundamentalists have seized a military ship.
71. A starfaring Information Exchange has learned a vital, paradigm-shifting secret.
72. A protest over the increasing cost of medical care has turned ugly.
73. There has been an accident at a major manufacturing facility.
74. An influential politician has been assassinated.
75. An artificial organ must be safely delivered to a local hospital.
76. A group of disgruntled colonists have seized control of a military ship.
77. A rich mineralogical vein has been struck on a border colony.
78. Surveyors are needed to look for potential colony sites.
79. A corporation is planning on setting up mining operations on an asteroid.
80. A hostile government is conducting "war games" a little too close to the border.
81. A reconnaissance-in-force fleet is sent on a critical mission deep into enemy territory.
82. A group of rookie fighter pilots have been assigned to a base/planet/colony.
83. A neutral planet has been selected to host peace talks.
84. Evidence has been received that an enemy empire is building a super-weapon.
85. A deep space telescope has gone inoperative.
86. An operative with vital information must be extracted from a hostile location.
87. Intelligence has determined the enemy is preparing to attack a specific colony.
88. Applicants are being sought for a local Skimmer race.
89. A biological weapon has been released on a friendly colony.
90. A fugitive has been spotted on a nearby colony.
91. A shakedown cruise of a prototype ship goes seriously wrong.
92. The government wishes to reconnoiter a hostile world.
93. A local shopkeeper has had several recent thefts.
94. A group of elite fighter pilots have been assigned to a base/planet/colony.
95. Construction on a prototype ship is underway.
96. Civil war has broken out.
97. The leader of the empire has been assassinated.
98. Hostile operatives have seized control of a friendly space station.
99. There has been a theft at the headquarters of a political party.
100. A coup d'état establishes a hostile government in place of a previously friendly one.

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