TEXT: Traveller
  ScouT
  1
  On Alell, ferocity and beauty are inextricably 
  entwined. The jungles shimmer a thousand shades 
  of red and gold, but touch the wrong delicate frond 
  with bare skin and the poison stinger will lash 
  out faster than the eye can follow. The Alellian 
  whisperhawk is beautiful even as it stoops on its 
  prey from the green clouds. Even the sky of Alell 
  is perilous; the shimmering auroras that stream 
  across the heavens are caused by bursts of radiation 
  from the primary star.
  The planet was settled in the dying days of the 
  First Imperium. It became fashionable for nobles to 
  hunt the whisperhawk, the malificient, the vicious 
  glittering lambdragon. They opened hunting lodges 
  in the most scenic locations on the planet – atop 
  the perilous glacial cliffs, in the heart of the 
  Dranxi Jungle, in the savannah hunting grounds of 
  the ferocious cadegeree. Each lodge had a staff of 
  technicians, groundskeepers and servants to attend 
  to every whim of the degenerate nobility.
  And then the First Imperium collapsed.
  Several hundred years later, when Alell was 
  recontacted by explorers from the resurgent 
  Imperium, the descendants of those hotel porters 
  and safari guides survived to form a civilisation 
  centred around those hunting lodges. The lodges are 
  now walled cities, keeping out the lethal jungles...
  −	
  Checking In Indefinitely: A History of Alell, 
  Tharsis Djar, Alell Free Press, 1101
  Homecoming is the second adventure in the Secrets 
  of the Ancients campaign. If you’re a player, 
  stop reading now. If you’re a Referee, then you 
  should first read Section 0: Secrets of Secrets 
  to get an overview of the campaign. In Section 1: 
  Bodysnatchers, the characters brought the body of 
  Vlen Backett back from Regina. They may also have 
  recovered a curious statue and a set of data tapes 
  from a smuggler’s space station. If they failed to 
  recover these items, then they can do so in this 
  adventure. See The Statue & The Tapes sidebar.
  This adventure takes place on Alell, in the Regina 
  subsector of the Spinward Marches. The year is 
  assumed to be 1105. The player characters are 
  assumed to have their own ship; if not, then replace 
  references to their own vessel with the passenger 
  ship they arrive on. 
  Adventure Synopsis
  The characters arrive on Alell with Backett’s body, 
  and bring it to the isolated village of Vaca Goya. 
  There, they become enmeshed in a Backett family 
  drama; one side of the family claim that Backett 
  promised his starship to them, another that Backett 
  owes them a fortune, and a third group argues that 
  Backett was a member of their cult and that he 
  signed everything over to them. As the characters are 
  courted by these factions, a strange woman arrives, 
  claiming to be Backett’s wife. She is Arisa, an agent 
  of Imperial Intelligence. 
  Backett’s will is missing, but there may be a copy in 
  Backett’s old lodge in the jungle. After the funeral 
  (or earlier, if they choose), the characters are sent to 
  search the lodge for the will. This requires travelling 
  through the dangerous jungles of Alell. After dealing 
  with the native wildlife, the characters find the lodge 
  – and the secret hangar beneath it. 
  In the hangar is Vlen’s old spacecraft, the Star 
  Hunter, and information confirming that he is 
  involved in an alien conspiracy. Arisa calls in 
  Imperial Intelligence, and marines are dropped onto 
  the lodge. The only way to escape is to take the Star 
  Hunter and flee the system...
  SecretS of the AncientS
  Homecoming
  
   
  2
  SecretS of the AncientS
  ArrivAl on Alell
  Read the following to the players.
  From Regina, you travelled up along the Spinward 
  Main towards Alell. It is a lonely trek – there’s a 
  string of systems between Regina and Alell where 
  there are no starports worth a damn, so you fall into 
  a routine. Jump in, scoop fuel from the gas giant (or 
  refuel at an automated hydrogen harvester station in 
  orbit), turn over, and fly out to the jump limit again. 
  Repeat at the next system. Every day is the same, 
  until it seems that your existence is as static and 
  unchanging as that of the corpse in the cargo hold.
  Finally, you jump into the Alell system. Your ship’s 
  sensors crackle under the buffeting of radiation 
  from the system’s sun; Alell orbits an angry, 
  energetic star. You spin down in the planet’s shadow 
  to spare your hull. Beneath you, you can see the 
  vibrant golds and reds of the jungles that cover 
  most of the land area. In a few spots, you can make 
  out densely packed lights – the walled Resorts of 
  Alell. 
  The Resorts
  Alell has no real Highport – there is a cargo handling 
  station in orbit, a medical facility, and a rapid-
  response emergency services station for rescuing 
  those lost in the jungle, but none of these receive 
  visiting ships. The characters must land at Alell’s 
  starport, a cavernous building that looks more like 
  a Mayan temple than a landing site for spaceships. 
  The starport is a gigantic artificial cavern, big 
  enough to swallow a warship. As the characters’ ship 
  enters the cave, it is sprayed with jets of chemical 
  disinfectants and bathed in strong UV light as part 
  of Alell’s biological control protocols. The supporting 
  pillars and walls are decorated with First Imperium 
  friezes and bas-reliefs, testament to thousands of 
  years of settlement here on Alell. Most of the art 
  depicts the wildlife of the planet. 
  Before leaving the starport, the characters must pass 
  through customs. Alell’s wealth is its biosphere and 
  so the planetary administration has instituted strict 
  protocols to ensure that some alien insect or disease 
  does not run rampant in the jungle. Importing 
  lifeforms from offworld is forbidden. All visitors 
  are tested, probed, scanned and disinfected before 
  being allowed out in Alell; those with any form of 
  genetic engineering, augmentation or other potential 
  biological threat to the biosphere are forced to 
  wear environmental suits while on Alell. Non-human 
  sophonts and even some minor races of Humaniti are 
  also classified as ‘potential hazards’ and so must 
  wear suits. Only ‘pure’ Vilani and Solomani can walk 
  openly on Alell. The environmental suits are a light-
  weight khaki-coloured overgarment, coupled with 
  a light helmet that keeps airborne contamination 
  to a minimum. The resemblance to a Victorian 
  explorer in a pith helmet can be blamed on Solomani 
  traditionalists.
  Weapons are equally restricted on Alell. The only 
  weapon that is permitted is the mister, a gas-based 
  weapon that sprays a haze of caustic chemicals. All 
  known species on Alell are harmlessly repelled by 
  the mister chemicals. The mister spray is mildly 
  damaging to human skin. 
  Technically, the characters are importing biological 
  matter onto Alell, in the form of Vlen Backett’s 
  corpse. The customs official insist on scanning the 
  corpse; when they do so, their sensors momentarily 
  fail to register the corpse, and they have to repeat 
  the scan. They blame this on a systems glitch, but it 
  is actually because of the Ancient technology that is 
  preserving Backett’s mind.
  The Statue & The Tapes
  Before his death, Vlen Backett acquired a curious 
  statue. The statue resembles a winged pillar 
  made of a substance like ivory. It was recovered 
  from a trader in the Boughene system centuries 
  ago. The statue is of unknown, possibly Ancient 
  origin, but it appears to be a work of art, not a 
  technological device. 
  The tapes describe how the trader found the 
  statue on a metal-rich asteroid orbiting the 
  system’s gas giant; they also note problems 
  with the ship’s transmissions in the G-band, 
  just as Professor Ujinka theorised occur in the 
  vicinity of an Ancient site. This is a clue that the 
  characters should search the Boughene system 
  for relics left by the Ancients. 
  There is also a note from Vlen, reminding him to 
  acquire the professor’s G-Band sensor system and 
  use it to scan the Boughene system. 
  If the characters did not find the tapes in 
  Section 1: Homecoming, they can still find this 
  clue. While the statue is lost if they did not 
  recover it from Regina, they can find a copy of 
  the tape in Backett’s lodge.
  
   
  3
  Homecoming
  Beyond the starport, in the city of Alell Startown, the 
  characters can purchase passage to the small town 
  of Vaca Goya. The usual method of travel on Alell is 
  by flyer; the flyers carry built-in misters to drive 
  off whisperhawks and other avians. If the characters 
  have their own spacecraft, they must leave it in the 
  starport.
  The Jungle
  The major settlements on Alell are either along the 
  coast, or behind walls. There are smaller settlements, 
  such as Vaca Goya, but these are relatively uncommon. 
  The jungles of Alell are a perilous place to live. 
  The pilot of the shuttle is a woman named Rao; she 
  can give the characters an introduction to Alell 
  if they have not been here before. She knew Vlen 
  Backett slightly, but does not have a high opinion of 
  him. He always struck her as too secretive and aloof. 
  In Alell’s jungles, family and friends must come first. 
  The place is too dangerous for lone travellers, so you 
  must be able to trust your companions. For example, 
  if the thrusters or mist sprayers on this flyer failed, 
  then she would probably never make it to safety, so 
  she has to be able to trust the mechanics back at 
  Startown, or the flyer dispatcher at the control tower. 
  Everyone on Alell learns to stick close – but she 
  never got the feeling that Backett trusted anyone. 
  Once, Backett hired her to bring him into the middle 
  of the jungle. She does not know what he wanted out 
  there, but she dropped him off with a mister, and 
  picked him up a week later. She admits that he was 
  certainly a brave man.
  Rao
  STR 3 
  DEX 7 END 9 INT 9 
  EDU 7 SOC 5 
  Pilot (flyer) 2, Mechanic 1, Navigation 2, Survival 1, 
  Gun Combat 0
  During the flight to Vaca Goya, the characters have 
  excellent views of the jungle through the chemical 
  mists. It is a trackless wilderness, reminiscent of 
  the Jurassic period on Earth. In places, the flyer 
  soars between stands of trees that are taller than 
  skyscrapers; in others, flocks of avians trail the 
  flyer, filling the sky with vibrant colours. As the 
  flyer approaches the village, the clouds overhead are 
  backlight by the fabulous aurora of Alell, casting 
  blood-red shadows on the ground below. 
  Vaca Goya
  The little village of Vaca Goya is located on a hilltop, 
  surrounded by a ring of metal poles. These poles 
  are topped with motion-sensitive mist sprayers. The 
  village was originally founded because of a uranium 
  deposit nearby; the mine is largely exhausted, and 
  the primary industry is now forestry and farming. The 
  population is under 1,000 people.
  The flyer lands on the outskirts of the village, next 
  to four other flyers. The pilot directs the characters 
  to bring the corpse of Vlan Backett to the village 
  hall, where a small crowd has gathered. They should 
  present the corpse to a man named Porter Sajan, who 
  is the local magistrate and spiritual leader.
  Family Ties
  If the Inheritor player character comes from 
  Alell, he or she may already be aware of the 
  family factions present at the funeral. In this 
  case, the Referee should brief the player on the 
  factions before the game begins. The characters’ 
  sympathy may lie with one of the antagonist 
  factions, such as the Parads or Jocells.
  the homecoming
  The village hall is crowded with natives of the 
  village, who are probably here for the free drinks, 
  and a few visitors from the Resorts or from 
  offworld, recognisable by their environmental suits. 
  No-one seems especially saddened by the news of 
  Vlen Backett’s death; there are no tearful mourners 
  or wailing widows. A tall man in some sort of 
  ceremonial robes notes your arrival and hurries over 
  to speak with you. ‘I am Porter Sajan’ he announces 
  in a doleful voice, as if apologising in advance. ‘I 
  presume you have brought the body.’
  Sajan takes the characters aside to explain the 
  current situation to them. Tonight is a homecoming 
  for Backett; tomorrow will be the burial and the 
  reading of the will. Sajan asks if the characters 
  have the will with them – this is the first time the 
  characters have heard any suggestion that they should 
  have a copy of any such documentation. Sajan claims 
  that he was informed that Backett probably had a copy 
  of the will with him when travelling offworld, but 
  that they will deal with the matter tomorrow. There 
  may be another copy of the will elsewhere. For the 
  moment, the characters should just bring the corpse 
  into the hall and then remember Vlen Backett. 
  Family Gathering
  Once the characters have brought the body into the 
  hall, they can socialise with the other mourners. 
  
   
  4
  SecretS of the AncientS
  There are several groups present at the gathering, 
  each of which have their own goals and memories of 
  Vlen Backett. 
  Funeral Random Encounter Table
  1: Porter Sajan or Arisa
  2: The Backetts (1-2: Tomas, 3-4: Hans, 4-6 other)
  3: The Jocells (1-3: Marisa, 4-6: Bard)
  4: Yusul Parad
  5: The Brotherhood
  6: Drunken local
  Porter Sajan
  As the village porter, Sajan is one of the most 
  important dignitaries in Vaca Goya. He takes his 
  responsibilities seriously, and his primary goal here 
  is to ensure that the funeral and related matters are 
  handled smoothly and correctly. 
  Porter Sajan
  STR 5 
  DEX 8 END 8 INT 7 
  EDU 8 SOC 7 
  Admin 1, Advocate 2, Broker 0, Carouse 1, Diplomat 1, 
  Medic 0, Persuade 1
  Playing Porter Sajan:
  •	
  Speak in a dour, dull voice. 
  •	
  Try to defuse any confrontation, but otherwise 
  stay quiet and uninvolved.
  What He Wants:
  •	
  To get this whole affair over with as quickly as 
  possible, with the minimum of fuss.
  What He Knows:
  •	
  Sajan knows that Backett was involved in strange 
  and possibly illegal business. He considered 
  Backett to be a nuisance and an eccentric, 
  the sort of person who brought troublesome 
  offworlders to Vaca Goya.
  •	
  He hoped Backett was carrying a will with him; if 
  they cannot find a copy of the will, then the legal 
  arguments may drag on for years. 
  •	
  He suspects that the Jocells are lying about 
  their claim on the ship, but has no idea about 
  the veracity of the Parads or the Brotherhood of 
  Humaniti. 
  The Backetts
  Backett’s closest living kin; if no will is found, then 
  they will inherit everything. The head of the Backett 
  family is Tomas Backett, a local merchant, and his 
  cousin Hans Backett, a hunter and trapper. If the 
  Inheritor has any other family connections, they are 
  also present. Tomas never liked Vlen, and is here 
  just to see the old charlatan properly buried. Hans 
  believes that Vlen had a fortune hidden in his old 
  lodge, and wants to make sure than no-one else gets 
  their hands on it by legal means. 
  Tomas Backett
  STR 8 
  DEX 4 END 9 INT 6 
  EDU 5 SOC 6 
  Animals (hunting) 1, Carouse 1, Persuade 1, Recon 1
  Hans Backett
  STR 9 
  DEX 9 END 6 INT 5 
  EDU 5 SOC 5 
  Animals (Vetinary) 1, Carouse 1, Gambler 0, Gun 
  Combat (rifle) 2, Medic 1, Melee (Brawl) 1, Navigation 
  2, Recon 1, Stealth 2, Survival 2
  Mister Rifle (2d6), Flak Jacket (4)
  Playing The Backetts: 
  •	
  Base your portrayal of these NPCs on the 
  personality of the Inheritor PC. They are family, 
  and so should have traits in common.
  •	
  Tomas sees himself as the chief mourner, and will 
  be as dignified and polite as possible
  •	
  Hans is shifty and untrustworthy; he claims 
  to be an experienced woodsman, but gives the 
  impression that he would abandon you in the 
  forest if he thought you would slow him down 
  What They Want:
  •	
  Tomas just wants the whole affair over with as 
  quickly as possible, and to claim the remainder of 
  Backett's estate. However, he would settle for no 
  money if the Jocells, Parads and the Brotherhood 
  went away.
  •	
  Hans wants to make any existing copies of the 
  will disappear; if there's no will, it is more likely 
  that the Backetts will get everything.
  What They Know:
  •	
  Vlen's relationship to the family is a curious one; 
  no-one is sure how old he is. Old Nairal Backett 
  is nearly eighty standard years old, and he 
  remembers being introduced to 'old Great-Uncle 
  Vlen when he was a child. There was speculation 
  that Vlen used anagathic drugs, but where he 
  obtained them is a mystery.
  •	
  Vlen had a lodge out in the woods where he kept 
  souvenirs of his offworld trips, and where he 
  took visitors from offworld. 
  The Jocells
  The Jocells are another branch of the Backett family, 
  the descendants of a cousin who left Vaca Goya to 
  find work in the starport. They consider themselves 
  to be cultured and cosmopolitan, and look down on 
  their ‘country bumpkin cousins’, the Backetts. The 
  
   
  5
  Homecoming
  leader of the Jocell delegation is Marisa Jocell, an 
  insufferable socialite. She is accompanied by her 
  son, Bard, who spends his days fawning over offworld 
  nobles and tourists. Marisa wants Backett’s ship to 
  give Bard an income.
  Ten years ago, Vlen arrived at the starport in his 
  private ship, the Star Hunter. At the time, Marisa was 
  a clerk in the starport control office. He secretly 
  contacted her and confided that he was being 
  followed, and that he needed to hide his ship. Marisa 
  agreed to alter the starport record and hide the ship 
  in a disused hangar, and that in return, he would 
  leave her ownership of the vessel when he died. 
  According to her, Vlen agreed. Six hours after the 
  Star Hunter was moved, an Imperial scoutship piloted 
  by a strange officer named Gand Holcess arrived at 
  Alell and questioned Vlen at length. 
  Marisa has the only existing copy of the original 
  documentation associated with the Star Hunter’s 
  landing that day; if she does not get the deeds to the 
  ship, she threatens to turn this evidence over to the 
  starport authorities and have the vessel impounded. 
  Marisa Jocell
  STR 6 
  DEX 6 END 8 INT 7 
  EDU 8 SOC 8 
  Admin 2, Astrogation 0, Comms 2, Computers 1, 
  Deception 0, Flyer 0, Sensors 1, Streetwise 0
  Bard Jocell
  STR 7 
  DEX 7 END 8 INT 4 
  EDU 6 SOC 8 
  Carouse 2, Deception 0, Gun Combat (rifle) 2, 
  Navigation  0, Recon 1, Stealth 1, Survival 1.
  Hunting Rifle (3D6), Flak Jacket (4)
  Playing The Jocells: 
  •	
  Marisa is overblown and self-important, and is 
  very used to getting her way. She preens and 
  dresses as though she was a minor noble, and has 
  ambitions far above her station. 
  •	
  Her son Bard is thoroughly useless, interested 
  only in hanging around with his wealthy 
  offworlder friends and hunting.
  •	
  Both of the Jocells are overawed by anyone with 
  higher social standing than them, and look down 
  on anyone lower.
  What They Want:
  •	
  Marisa wants Vlen's ship, the Star Hunter. It 
  is not at the starport, and has not been seen 
  in some years. She believes Vlen has it hidden 
  somewhere in the jungle.
  •	
  Bard just wants to shoot rare animals in the 
  forest. He has brought a technically illegal rifle 
  with him from Startown, in the hopes he can get 
  out into the wilderness and blast away at the 
  local wildlife.
  What They Know:
  •	
  Vlen travelled offworld regularly, and preferred 
  to avoid the eyes of the Imperium.
  •	
  At one point, six years ago, a scout named Gand 
  Holcess was very interested in talking to Vlen. 
  •	
  Gand Holcess is back on Alell, and unless they get 
  the Star Hunter, they will let him know about 
  Vlen Backett’s mysterious death. Everyone involved 
  may be arrested and questioned by the Imperium!
  The Parads
  The Parads are another family from Alell, unrelated 
  to the Backetts. Ten years ago, Backett borrowed more 
  than 1,000,000 credits from Yusul Parad, and kept 
  promising that this debt would be honoured. Now, 
  Backett is dead, and Yusal wants his money. Yusal is 
  accompanied by two thugs.
  The Parads are criminals with a fearsome reputation 
  on Alell. Anyone who crosses them usually ends up 
  dead; as usual, Vlen has done things in the wrong 
  order.
   
  Yusul Parad
  STR 6 
  DEX 6 END 7 INT 10 EDU 10 SOC 6 
  Admin 2, Advocate 2, Broker 1, Deception 1, Diplomat 
  0, Gun Combat 0, Persuade 3, Streetwise 2
  Concealed Armoured Vest (5)
  Morgan The Bodyguard
  STR 9 
  DEX 9 END 10 INT 6 
  EDU 7 SOC 4 
  Carouse 0, Deception 0, Gun Combat (pistol) 2, Melee 
  (brawl) 2, Recon 1, Stealth 1, Survival 1
  Snub Pistol (3D6-3), Concealed Armoured Vest (5)
  Playing Yusal Parad: 
  •	
  You consider yourself to be a very big fish. Anyone 
  who does not give you due respect must be 
  punished.
  •	
  You are restraining yourself out of respect for 
  the funeral ceremony; normally, the thought of 
  holding out on you would cause paroxysms of 
  rage.
  •	
  Do not get your own hands dirty; you have hired 
  goons for that.
  What He Wants:
  •	
  Money. A million credits, plus interest. His agreement 
  with Vlen was a verbal contract, but Parad believes 
  no-one in the village will dare cross him.
  
   
  6
  SecretS of the AncientS
  What He Knows:
  •	
  Vlen had connections to the interstellar criminal 
  community. He worked with Ven Yasha, the 
  infamous Reginan smuggler. 
  •	
  Vlen was involved in smuggling Ancient artefacts. 
  Those fetch a high price on the black market – if 
  Vlen happened to have an Ancient relic or two, 
  then those might serve as partial payment of 
  Vlen’s debt.
  The Locals
  The villagers of Vaca Goya are here for the free drink, 
  but are a useful source of rumours and gossip about 
  Vlen.
  What They Know:
  •	
  Vlen was an odd bird, and you could never really 
  trust him. He told the most marvellous stories 
  about other worlds, though.
  •	
  He delighted in tricks and games. It would be 
  just like Vlen to put a riddle or a puzzle into his 
  will, or to hide the will itself somewhere in plain 
  sight.
  •	
  Vlen definitely made a will. Either one of the 
  Backett's destroyed it, or Vlen hid it somewhere.
  •	
  Porter Sajan knew Vlen quite well, and knows 
  how tangled Vlen's affairs could get. He probably 
  wants to keep everything simple, and would be 
  willing to overlook some irregularities if it got 
  the whole matter sorted more quickly.
  •	
  The Parads are criminals. Stay away from them, 
  they're dangerous!
  of night and never returned – but as part of his 
  initiation, he signed over all worldly goods to the 
  Brotherhood of Humanity. It has taken the Brotherhood 
  some time to find Zuu’s homeworld, but they are here 
  now to claim what is rightfully theirs.
  Brotherhood Member 
  STR 5 
  DEX 6 END 6 INT 5 
  EDU 7 SOC 6 
  Art (chanting) 1, Life Sciences (genetics) 1, Medic 0, 
  Persuade 0, Steward 1
  Playing Members of the Brotherhood of Humaniti:
  •	
  The Brotherhood are an esoteric religious group 
  who believe that all Humaniti must unite into one. 
  They love and cherish each and every human in a 
  distinctly uncomfortable way. Treat every human 
  as though you want nothing more than to keep 
  them safe forever, like a collection of butterflies. 
  •	
  Non-humans are dangerous monsters who must be 
  destroyed. Anyone who opposes the Brotherhood's 
  deranged scheme of racial unity is probably a 
  secret servant of non-humans.
  •	
  Never stop smiling. You have found the shining 
  bliss of the ur-Human (or are deeply disturbed, 
  depending on the observer). 
  What They Want:
  •	
  Everything Vlen Backett owns. 
  What They Know:
  •	
  Backett somehow found their secret monastery in 
  Victoria/Lanth and applied for membership of the 
  Brotherhood. They have a copy of Vlen's oath of 
  membership, which does bear Backett's signature 
  and identity imprint.
  •	
  He left the order after two weeks. Around the 
  same time, their cherished relic, the Sceptre of 
  Ur, also vanished. They have no proof that Vlen 
  stole the Sceptre, but if he did, then it may still 
  be among his belongings. 
  Arisa
  Just as the homecoming is winding down and the 
  villagers are beginning to depart, another flyer 
  arrives. This is piloted by a woman in a black 
  jumpsuit, with laughing eyes and the close-cropped 
  hair of a spacer. She introduces herself as Arisa 
  – Arisa Backett. Vlen, she says, was her husband. 
  In fact, Arisa is a Scout and an agent of Gand Holcess. 
  His ship, the Alahir, is in orbit over Vaca Goya. Arisa 
  will report any suspicious activity to Captain Holcess 
  during the night.
  Later Arrivals
  The other two factions at the funeral, the 
  Brotherhood of Humaniti and Arisa, arrive after 
  the player characters. Another flyer lands outside 
  the village around an hour after the PCs, and the 
  monks disembark. Arisa arrives in a third flyer 
  soon after that. 
  The Brotherhood of Humaniti
  The Brotherhood is an order of monks. A delegation 
  of four monks, all dressed identically in green 
  robes with shaved heads. The leader of these monks 
  introduces herself as Aail. When she speaks, the 
  other three monks chant a mantra as accompaniment. 
  Aail explains that ‘Initiate Zuu’, known to the secular 
  world as Vlen Backett, was a member of their order 
  some years ago. He fled the monastery in the dead 
  
   
  7
  Homecoming
  Arisa
  STR 7 
  DEX 9 END 7 INT 9 
  EDU 11 SOC 8 
  Admin 0, Advocate 1, Astrogation 1, Carouse 1, Comms 
  0, Computers 2, Deception 2, Diplomat 1, Engineer 0, 
  Gunner (turret) 1, Gun Combat (pistol) 2, Investigate 
  2, Mechanic 1, Medic 0, Navigation 2, Persuade 0, Pilot 
  (starship) 1, Recon 1, Sensors 2, Stealth 1, Survival 1, 
  Vacc Suit 1, Zero-G 1
  Body Pistol (3D6-3), Concealed Tailored Vacc Suit (8)
  Playing Arisa:
  •	
  Her presence here is deliberately provocative; 
  she has no evidence that Vlen was married, but 
  decided that this was the best way to draw out 
  any contacts or allies of Vlen's.
  •	
  She is a highly competent spy, who enjoys the 
  challenging nature of her work. She hates 
  boredom; better to be running from Zhodani 
  border guards and dodging laser blasts than to be 
  trapped behind a desk in some dull office.
  •	
  Her cover identity is as a flighty air-head, 
  the sort who would be incredibly impressed 
  by a battered scout ship and the romance of a 
  traveller.  
  •	
  Never hesitate, always act. Doing something is 
  always better than doing nothing. 
  •	
  Smile and touch people when talking to them. 
  Arisa uses touch to secretly probe for hidden 
  weapons or concealed electronics.
  What She Knows:
  •	
  Secretly, Arisa knows that Vlen Backett was 
  under observation by Imperial Intelligence, and 
  that he is suspected of involvement in a mysterious 
  conspiracy.
  •	
  Her cover story is that she comes from Rech/
  Lanth, an agricultural backwater rimward of Regina. 
  Backett met her at the starport bar and married her 
  after a whirlwind romance; he had to go away on 
  business to Regina with Mr. Yosha, but promised her 
  he would soon return and bring her home to Alell. 
  What She Wants:
  •	
  Information about Vlen; ideally, proof that 
  he was involved in the mysterious conspiracy that 
  Holcess suspects threatens the Imperium.
  Arisa’s Proof: Suspicious characters may ask for 
  proof; Arisa has a ‘genuine’ marriage certificate 
  from Regina. The certificate is real, even if she never 
  married Vlen – Gand Holcess used his connectons in 
  the government to obtain the certificate.  
  Events at the Homecoming
  This section of the adventure should be run in a 
  freeform manner. Split the player characters up and 
  let them mingle at the funeral. If the game drags, 
  use any of the events below to get events moving 
  again.
  Hans Tries Bribery: Believing that the player 
  characters have Backett’s will, Hans Backett 
  approaches whichever character seems the most 
  underhanded and makes an offer. Hans has a cargo 
  of five tons of rare furs and other animal products, 
  with 10,000 credits a ton at least (+4 Sale DM on Rich 
  or High Population worlds). He will trade that for 
  the will. If the character refuses, or says that he 
  does not have the will, then Hans assumes that the 
  character is lying and has something to gain from the 
  actual will coming to light. He then hints darkly that 
  the jungles of Alell are dangerous for offworlders.
  Shouting Match: An argument breaks out between 
  one drunken local and Yusal Parad. The local accuses 
  Parad of being a criminal and a murderer, and shouts 
  that no one in Vaca Goya wants Parad’s sort around 
  here. Parad impassively ignores the local, and has his 
  goons ‘encourage’ the drunk to leave the village hall. 
  After that, the crowd subtly draws away from Parad, 
  creating an empty, silent exclusion zone around him.
  The Brotherhood and Porter Sajan: The Brotherhood 
  of Humaniti approach Porter Sajan to discuss 
  tomorrow’s funeral arrangements. Aail wants 
  Backett buried in accordance with the Brotherhood’s 
  teachings, where a sample of his DNA is taken for 
  interment in the monastery archive, so that in future 
  millenia all believers will be part of the Ur-Humaniti 
  to come. The ceremony she proposes is six hours 
  long, and involves denouncing ‘all races, persons, 
  governments, creeds, groups, species or thoughts that 
  deny the essential unity of all Humaniti’. Porter Sajan 
  is understandably nonplussed by this request, and 
  looks to the player characters to help him deal with 
  the cultists.
  Arisa makes a scene: Arisa wants to provoke a 
  reaction from the other mourners at the funeral. 
  She goes around tearfully embracing her ‘relatives’, 
  claiming that Vlen told her all about them. She tries 
  to get the Backetts and the player characters talking, 
  and may even attempt to draw player characters into 
  compromising situations (‘will no-one comfort the 
  young, emotionally vulnerable widow?’)
  
   
  Fake Wills
  Creative or unscrupulous players may try faking 
  the will, seeing as no real copy has come to light. 
  Creating a forgery requires a Hard (-4) check of 
  either Advocate, Deception or a suitable Trade. The 
  forgery will not hold up to detailed analysis.
  8
  SecretS of the AncientS
  The gunshot: During the night, after most of the 
  mourners have departed, a shot from a hunting rifle 
  rings out over the village, narrowly missing the 
  player characters. The shooter vanishes into the 
  night. The characters may suspect Parad or Hans 
  Backett, but it was actually Bard Jocell, who mistook 
  the Inheritor for Tomas Backett. 
  Dealing with the Factions
  If the players can eliminate the conflicting claims of 
  the other parties, they will make life much simpler 
  for themselves. The Jocells’ claim on the Star Hunter 
  can be thwarted by pointing out that Marisa is 
  actually the one who committed a crime by abusing 
  her position in the starport to hide the ship all those 
  years ago. If the characters point this out, Marisa 
  blusters and threatens them with informing Gand 
  Holcess, but it is clear that she really has nothing to 
  stand on. 
  Dealing with the Parads is more dangerous; their 
  strength is their reputation as hardened criminals. 
  If the characters are willing to face down the thugs, 
  they can force the Parads out. Yusal will threaten 
  the characters with the wrath of organised crime 
  on Alell, but that will soon be the least of the 
  characters’ problems.
  The Brotherhood of Humaniti has a genuine claim, but 
  a character who succeeds at a Hard (-4) Advocate + 
  Education check taking 1-6 hours can find precedent 
  under Imperial law that such a document is illegal. 
  The Brotherhood may have some rights to Backett’s 
  estate, but certainly not everything they want.
  Arisa’s marriage certificate is a forgery, but it is 
  indistinguishable from the real thing. Under Alell law, 
  unless a will is found, she will inherit the bulk of 
  Vlen’s estate.
  hall to a green field within the mister precincts, 
  where it is buried in an unmarked grave. The original 
  settlers of Alell used the remains of their dead 
  to cultivate ‘safe’ crops, when they did not know 
  which plants in the jungle were edible. The tradition 
  remains to this day – Backett’s corpse will be allowed 
  to slowly decay and feed the village green. (At least, 
  it would if an Ancient ship were not already on its 
  way to pick up his mind-state and reincarnate him.)
  At the ceremony, Sajan gives a brief eulogy of Vlen 
  Backett, and encourages anyone else who wishes to 
  speak to do so. Unless the characters do so, no-one 
  responds to his appeal.
  Sajan’s Eulogy: What can be said of Vlen Backett? 
  He was a mystery to his dying day. Everyone standing 
  here knew him, but we saw only one small part of 
  him. None of us knew the whole, and I do not think 
  anyone ever did. Vlen went beyond the confines of our 
  little world. He travelled further than anyone I have 
  ever known, and saw things we cannot imagine. He 
  had friends and comrades on a hundred worlds, and 
  propped up the bar in a thousand starports. He was 
  not always a good man, or a wise man, but he was 
  always... surprising. 
  Vlen was a stranger in strange stars, and he brought 
  a little of that strangeness back to enrich our lives.
  Goodbye, Vlen. Life here in Vaca Goya will be much 
  duller without you.
  The Question of the Will
  After the funeral, Sajan gathers the Backetts, Arisa 
  and any of the other claimants together with the PCs 
  and meets with them all in his house. He explains 
  that no valid copy of Backett’s will has been found, 
  but he believes that there may be a copy in existence. 
  He has searched Backett’s house in the village to no 
  avail; can anyone suggest another place it might be?
  If the characters do not suggest Backett’s jungle 
  lodge, then Tomas mentions it as a possibility. Sajan 
  requests that the characters travel to the lodge and 
  search it for the will. The exact location of the lodge 
  is not on record, so the characters will have to hack 
  through the jungle and search the area. The lodge is 
  likely to be covered in vines at this point, and may 
  not be visible from the air. 
  Hans Backett immediately volunteers to go as a guide, 
  and Arisa wishes to accompany the expedition too. If 
  still present, then Yusal Parad says that he will send 
  Where there’S A Will
  The next morning, everyone gathers for Vlen Backett’s 
  funeral. Despite the protests of the Brotherhood of 
  Humaniti, he is buried in accordance with the local 
  traditions of Alell. The body is taken from the village 
  
   
  9
  Homecoming
  one of his bodyguards, and Bard Jocell claims to be 
  an expert woodsman and demands to be included. The 
  characters can accept any of these fellow travellers 
  if they wish.
  Outfitting
  Machetes and mister guns can be purchased in the 
  village store, as can jacks, mesh jackets and flak 
  jackets. 
  Full-body armour (Vacc Suits, HEV suits, some forms 
  of combat armour, battle dress) provide complete 
  immunity to mister attacks. Other armour provides no 
  defence. 
  Native creatures of Alell who are struck by a mister 
  attack must make an Instinct check, at a -DM equal to 
  the damage inflicted, or flee. 
  Getting There
  While there are several flyers parked in Vaca Goya, 
  only Rao knows roughly where the lodge is. If the 
  characters try flying, they must make a Difficult (-
  2) Navigation + Intelligence check to find the lodge. 
  Success gives a +4DM to rolls on the wilderness 
  encounter table. 
  Alternatively, the characters can just march out 
  through the mister fields and head roughly in the 
  direction of the lodge. 
  into the Jungle
  Less than half a kilometre outside Vaca Goya, you 
  could have stepped a million years back in time. 
  The jungles of Alell are still primal wilderness, 
  and there is not a single trace of humanity here. 
  You are surrounded on all sides by walls of golden-
  barked trees with blood-red leaves. You hack your 
  way through the underbrush, cutting aside web-like 
  ferns and vines like braided ropes. Insects – or 
  the local analogues of insect life, ugly four-legged 
  things with eyes on their hips – scurry away from 
  you or crawl over your legs. 
  You would have thought finding Vlen’s lodge would 
  be easy, but it quickly becomes apparent how swiftly 
  the plants grow. Leave a vehicle out here overnight, 
  and you will return to find it dusted in spores; leave 
  it for a week, and it will be choked in vines. Leave it 
  over a year, and it will be almost indistinguishable 
  from the forest floor. Any of these little plant-
  covered hillocks could be Vlen’s lodge. 
  Wilderness Encounters
  Rolling on the Wilderness Encounter table below, 
  adding the highest Survival and Navigation scores 
  amid the group as DMs. (If no-one has Survival 0 or 
  Navigation 0, then apply a -2 DM). Each roll represents 
  an hour’s travel through the jungle. Add a +1 DM for 
  every previous roll on the table, representing the 
  characters’ progress along the trail. 
  Roll
  Encounter
  0 to 4
  Minor Obstacle
  5 to 6
  Animal Encounter 
  7 to 8
  Minor Obstacle
  9 to 10
  Animal Encounter 
  11 to 12
  Major Obstacle
  13 or more
  Discovery
  Minor Obstacle: The characters encounter a minor 
  obstacle or hazard, such as a treacherous bog, 
  torrential downpour, extremely thick vegetation or a 
  steep incline. No skill roll is needed to navigate this 
  obstacle, but getting through it saps 1D3 points of 
  Endurance. 
  Major Obstacle: The characters run into a dangerous 
  obstacle. Roll 1D6 to determine what sort of danger 
  they encounter.
  1. 
  Steep Cliff. A 20-metre-tall shelf of shifted 
  rock that runs as far as the characters can see. The 
  only way forward is up. This requires a Difficult (-2) 
  Weapon
  TL
  Range
  Damage Auto 
  Recoil
  Mass (kg)
  Magazine
  Cost (Cr)
  Ammo Cost (Cr)
  Mister 
  Pistol
  9
  Gun Combat 
  (pistol)
  1D6
  No
  0
  1.5
  20
  75
  10
  Mister Rifle
  9
  Gun Combat 
  (shotgun)
  2D6
  No
  1
  6
  20
  150
  20
  Heavy 
  Mister
  9
  Gun Combat 
  (shotgun)
  3D6
  No
  2
  10
  20
  300
  30
  
   
  10
  SecretS of the AncientS
  Dexterity check to climb, taking 1-6 minutes. Failing 
  with an Effect of -4 or more means the character 
  falls from the cliff and suffers 3D6 damage.
  2. 
  Quicksand. One character chosen at random 
  blunders into a patch of quicksand. The character 
  must make a series of Average (+0) Dexterity rolls to 
  climb out. Keep track of the character’s cumulative 
  Effect. A total Effect of 5 or more is needed to 
  escape; if the cumulative Effect reaches -5, the 
  character slips under the surface and begins to 
  drown. Apply a -1DM to each subsequent check after 
  the first to represent the character slowly sinking. 
  3. 
  Poisonous Plants. One character chosen at 
  random brushes past a dangerous plant and is stung. 
  The character must make an Average (+0) Endurance 
  check or suffer 1d6 damage to his Dexterity and 1d6 
  damage to his Strength.  
  4. 
  Stinging Insects. A swarm of hungry flesh-
  eating insects emerge from a dead tree stump. 
  Terran-descended creatures taste incredibly delicious 
  to these insects. The swarm has an Endurance of 50; 
  characters can either try to destroy the swarm with 
  mister attacks or other area-effect weapons, or 
  else flee. A character caught in the swarm takes 1D6 
  damage per round. Sealed armour protects against 
  the swarm attacks for some time, but the insects will 
  eventually find a way in.
  5. 
  Mudslide. A tide of loose earth and watery 
  mud slips downhill and threatens to engulf the 
  characters. All characters must make a Difficult (-
  2) Strength check to stay standing. Those who fail 
  are knocked prone and take 2d6 damage; those who 
  fail with an Effect of -3 or more are swept away 
  in the flood and become separated from the other 
  characters.
  6. 
  Extreme Rains. A tropical storm breaks 
  over the characters; they must either wait for the 
  storm to pass (taking 2D6 hours) or else continue on, 
  but lose any accumulated +DMs to their Wilderness 
  Encounter rolls.
  Animal Encounter: The characters encounter a 
  dangerous animal. Roll 2d6 to determine which 
  creature they encounter. Statistics for all such 
  creatures are in the Library Data section of this 
  adventure. 
  2-3: Cadgeree
  4-7: Lambdragon
  8-11: Whisperhawk
  12: Maleficient
  Cadgeree
  Habitat
  Strength
  Dexterity
  Endurance Intelligence
  Instinct
  Pack
  Flying Carnivore  
  (Pouncer)
  Jungle
  4 (-1)
  18 (+4)
  5 (-1)
  1 (-2)
  10 (+1)
  2 (-2)
  Stealth 2, Recon 1, Melee (claws) 1
  Thrasher (3D6), Armour 1, Number Encountered 1d3
  Lambdragon
  Habitat
  Strength
  Dexterity
  Endurance Intelligence
  Instinct
  Pack
  Walking Herbivore 
  (Intermittant)
  Jungle
  18 (+4)
  8 (+0)
  14 (+2)
  1
  7 (+0)
  12 (+2)
  Survival 3, Recon 2, Melee (tail lash) 1
  Teeth (2D6), Armour 2, Number Encountered 4d6
  Whisperhawk 
  Habitat
  Strength
  Dexterity
  Endurance Intelligence
  Instinct
  Pack
  Flying Herbivore  
  (Filter)
  Jungle
  5 (-1)
  10 (+1)
  11 (+1)
  0 (-3)
  12 (+2)
  11 (+1)
  Stealth 2, Melee (brawl) 0
  Engulf & Suffocate, Armour 0, Number Encountered 4d6
  Maleficient
  Habitat
  Strength
  Dexterity
  Endurance Intelligence
  Instinct
  Pack
  Walking  Scavenger  
  (Hijacker)
  Jungle
  14 (+2)
  15 (+3)
  13 (+2)
  1 (-2)
  9 (+1)
  9 (+1)
  Stealth 3, Recon 1, Melee (claws) 1
  Teeth (3D6), Armour 1, Number Encountered 3D6
  
   
  11
  Homecoming
  Discovery: The characters come across a sign 
  that they are on the right path. There are three 
  discoveries, which are encountered in the following 
  order.
  1. 
  The Landing Strip: The characters find a flat 
  area of ground. It is heavily overgrown, but it is 
  clear that you could land a flyer here if necessary, 
  and that a few hours work with cutting tools would 
  turn the area into a workable landing site. There is 
  an old path leading towards a nearby hill. As the 
  characters travel along the path, they find a sealed 
  hatch in the ground. This hatch cannot be opened by 
  any tool the characters possess – it is part of the 
  defence system of the lodge.
  2. 
  The Body: In the hollow of a tree, nearly 
  hidden by a curtain of vines and moss, a character 
  glimpses white bone. There is the skeleton of a 
  human, dressed in the tattered remains of an Alellian 
  encounter suit. There are several bullet holes in the 
  chest of the suit, but no sign of any identification 
  or equipment. The body is at least a decade old. The 
  characters will never discover who this was, but it is 
  a hint that Vlen Backett was not a saint.
  3. 
  The Lodge: The characters finally discover the 
  lodge.
  the lodge
  It takes you a second to recognise this place as a 
  building. The jungle has almost reclaimed Vlen’s 
  old lodge, and creepers cover almost every inch of 
  the walls. The roof bows under the weight of moss 
  and vines, but the place still seems structurally 
  sound. After cutting away the vegetation over the 
  door, you find the interior is quite intact, and 
  the environmental seals have kept the plants and 
  moisture at bay.
  The main room of the lodge is crammed with all 
  manner of junk. Papers, books, data terminals and 
  scribbled notes cover piles of curios from offworld. 
  In one corner, a packing crate has spilled its 
  contents of shiny nuggets of some exotic ore all over 
  the floor; in another, there is a framed painting 
  that must have been made by a species with a 
  greater colour sensitivity than humans. Hanging over 
  the fireplace is a collection of weapons that are 
  probably grotesquely illegal. 
  Arisa sighs and sits down. ‘Vlen told me about this 
  place. I dreamed of it...’ She starts flicking through 
  documents, her eyes glimmering with tears.
  Two-Legged Predators
  If the characters are accompanied by NPCs, 
  then there is added danger.
  Hans Backett: Hans is an excellent woodsman, 
  but he wants to eliminate anyone who might 
  have a copy of Vlen’s will. If possible, he 
  will try to convince the characters to turn 
  back and give the lodge up for lost; if they 
  keep going, he will take advantage of any 
  environmental dangers to eliminate rivals. 
  Bard Jocell: Bard is an idiot who believes 
  himself to be an excellent tracker. He will 
  boast to the characters about his experience 
  in survival and hunting, and try to get them to 
  use his Survival and Navigation skills instead 
  of theirs. He will also pursue any wild beasts 
  the group encounters.
  Parad’s Thug: Morgan, the ‘bodyguard’, is 
  actually the most trustworthy of the potential 
  expedition members. He is quiet, professional 
  and uncomplaining. Of course, he will threaten 
  to shoot anyone who suggests giving up and 
  returning to Vaca Goya. Having both Hands and 
  Morgan in the party is a recipe for a firefight.
  Arisa: Arisa pretends to be a clueless 
  farmgirl, but she does have some survival 
  training, and will put these skills to work if 
  she thinks the group is in danger. She will 
  encourage the characters to get to the lodge 
  as quickly as possible. She is also carrying 
  a location beacon, transmitting her location 
  to a squad of Imperial marines who are 
  her backup. The marines are tracking the 
  characters from the skies; their battle dress 
  suits have built-in grav belts, so the marines 
  are holding position above the clouds, waiting 
  for the signal. 
  Once the characters start searching through the 
  contents of the lodge, they find the following clues.
  The Computer
  Vlen’s computer system is a surprisingly advanced 
  (TL14) one, imported from offworld. A Difficult (-2) 
  Computers + Intelligence roll taking 1-6 minutes lets 
  a character access the system; a Very Hard (-6) check 
  is required to get access to the encrypted files.
  
   
  12
  SecretS of the AncientS
  The easily-accessible files are Vlen’s notes from 
  his travels. He has obviously travelled all over 
  the Spinward Marches and beyond. It is not easy 
  to determine exactly what Vlen was doing on his 
  voyages; while there are a few references to trade, 
  the cost of the trip greatly exceeds any profit from 
  speculative trade. Despite that, Vlen seems to have 
  access to virtually unlimited funds. On some worlds, 
  he visited scientific institutions or met with political 
  and corporate leaders; on others, he just wandered 
  the countryside, visited museums, prospected in the 
  asteroid belt, or did not record his activities. 
  If the characters manage to access the encrypted 
  files, they hear an unimaginable complicated hubbub 
  of recorded voices, as vast amounts of data scroll 
  across the screen. The computer has a copy of the 
  intercepted data from Regina (Ven Yosha’s hidden 
  space station in Regina can intercept and decrypt 
  even ‘secure’ Imperial transmissions). This is a 
  treasure trove of information.
  There is a similar, smaller interception device 
  monitoring transmissions at Alell starport. As soon 
  as the characters start looking at the secure files, it 
  flashes up a series of intercepted messages between 
  a vessel in orbit and the starport authorities – give 
  the players Handout #1.
  Ancient Research
  One wall contains books and notes on the Ancients, 
  gathered from a hundred worlds. There is everything 
  from scholarly dissertations and ponderous tomes on 
  archaeology to secret military reports and lunatic 
  fringe rantings. Professor Ujinka’s previous works on 
  the Ancients have pride of place. One file is a list 
  of Ancient artefacts held in various museums and 
  research institutions across the Imperium and beyond 
  – and Vlen has notes on each one of them, including 
  whether or not the artefact is genuine. How Backett 
  knows this is unclear.
  The Sceptre: Wrapped in a tattered blanket is the 
  Sceptre of Ur, the relic stolen from the Brotherhood 
  of Humaniti. This relic is a half-metre long object 
  made of a greenish stone that is strangely warm 
  to the touch. It is engraved with strange markings 
  reminiscent of Droyne glyphs. 
  The Statue: One holophoto depicts a strange, semi-
  abstract statue that resembles a winged pillar. If 
  the characters recovered the statue from Ven Yasha’s 
  station on Regina, they recognise it as the same 
  piece. According to the metadata on the holophoto, 
  the picture was taken at an auction house on 
  Rhylanor. 
  The Data Tapes: Attached to the photo are a set of 
  data tapes, describing how the statue was discovered 
  in the Boughene system. See The Statue and the 
  Tapes.
  Weapons
  The weapons above the fireplace are decorative, but 
  opening a closet reveals an arsenal of heavy weapons. 
  Backett has a pair of gauss pistols, a plasma rifle, 
  an ACR with underslung RAM grenade launcher... and a 
  FGMP (TL15). Even the pistols are illegal on Alell, while 
  that Fusion Gun is illegal anywhere in the Imperium. 
  There is also an aerosol injector with four doses of 
  combat drug, and a TL14 Tailored Vacc Suit. 
  Identity Cards
  One folder contains Vlen’s identity papers, 
  certificates and other documention – as well as the 
  documentation of a dozen other identities. All of 
  the photographs are of Vlen, but according to these 
  documents, he is also a spice miner on Keanu, a 
  bartender on Rhylanor, a diplomat, a mechanic, a 
  minor noble... and he is also Ven Yasha of Regina. The 
  dates on the identity papers range between twenty 
  and six hundred years ago. 
  The Will
  Under a pile of old Journal of the Traveller’s Aid 
  Society, the characters find a copy of Vlen’s will. It 
  leaves everything to the Backett family. His spaceship 
  goes to ‘any of his kin who are willing to fly the damn 
  thing’. The one curious thing about the will is that 
  it specifies Backett’s burial conditions – he must be 
  interred ‘as whole as possible, preferably in a non-
  metallic coffin, no more than two metres below the 
  surface’. 
  The Trapdoor
  In the bathroom of the lodge is a trapdoor in the 
  floor. This trapdoor leads to a narrow set of stairs, 
  which goes down to the cavern below...
  Beneath the Lodge
  As you reach the bottom of this staircase, which 
  was apparently cut out of the bare rock with a 
  laser, harsh electric lights come on automatically. 
  You are standing at the edge of a cavern that has 
  been outfitted as a ship’s hangar. A battered but 
  apparently functional starship stands before you. 
  
   
  13
  Homecoming
  The name ‘Star Hunter’ is emblazoned on the rear 
  engine cowling. 
  This is Vlen Backett’s personal ship, originally 
  built as a military scoutship. The Star Hunter is 
  fully fuelled and ready to fly. Better yet, the ship’s 
  security systems are disabled, so the characters can 
  just fly it out of the cave and into orbit. 
  Statistics for the Star Hunter are on page 17. 
  The cave mouth is concealed by hanging vines and 
  roots, making it virtually invisible from orbit. The 
  characters can easily clear the obstacles away, or 
  just fly straight through them.
  Weapons Systems
  Also in the cave is a computer terminal attached to 
  a large grey metal structure. A quick examination 
  reveals that it is the control system for a defensive 
  network, similar to the one surrounding Professor 
  Ujinka’s house on Regina. Whatever this system is 
  controlling, though, has a lot more firepower than 
  Ujinka’s drones. 
  The weapon system is currently monitoring half-a-
  dozen small targets that are holding station 2,000 
  metres above the lodge. 
  rApier Strike
  At a suitably dramatic moment (either when the will 
  is found, or when the characters uncover the Star 
  Hunter), Arisa secretly signals for her backup to 
  arrive.
  ‘ATTENTION! SURRENDER IN THE NAME OF THE EMPEROR!’ 
  booms an electronically-boosted voice from outside. 
  An armoured figure drops down out of the sky – an 
  Imperial Marine, in full battle dress and carrying 
  a huge plasma weapon. Another two marines hover 
  nearby, like angry angels.
  The marine strides towards the house, the ground 
  shaking with each step he takes. You spot more 
  marines swooping low over the house to land on the 
  far side. There are at least six marines out there. 
  You’re surrounded.
  NPC Reactions
  If any of the NPCs from Vaca Goya accompanied the 
  PCs, their reactions are as follows:
  Hans Backett: Hans panics when he sees the marines 
  land, and assumes (correctly) that old uncle Vlen 
  must have been a criminal or a terrorist or a spy or 
  something. He flees into the cavern under the lodge 
  and out through the cave mouth, where he is grabbed 
  and arrested by a marine.
  Bard Jocell: Jocell is confused by the whole matter. 
  He has no idea who the marines are, or just how 
  outmatched the characters are. He wanders out to 
  berate them about intimidating Imperial citizens.
  Morgan: The criminal leaps to the conclusion 
  that this trap is meant for him, and believes the 
  characters are undercover agents sent to lure him. 
  He attempts to take the weakest or highest Social 
  Standing PC hostage. 
  Arisa: Arisa hangs back, hoping the PCs will 
  surrender. If they show signs of trying to flee, she 
  drops the false farmgirl persona and reveals herself 
  as an Imperial Intelligence agent. She pulls out 
  her hidden pistol and attempts to force the player 
  characters to surrender. 
  Negotiations
  If the characters try talking their way out, they 
  are patched through to Captain Gand Holcess of the 
  Alahir.
  ‘Surrender, or face the consequences. I have an 
  Imperial Writ giving me the right to restrain and 
  question you. Failure to comply is an act of treason. 
  Vlen Backett may have gotten away, but I’m damned if 
  I’m going to let you out of my grasp.’
  The characters can question or plead with Holcess at 
  this point, as the marines close in. Likely questions:
  What the hell is going on?: Vlen Backett was 
  suspected of sedition and conspiracy against the 
  Imperial government. You are potential accessories 
  to his crimes. Surrender!
  We surrender!: Remain where you are. Place all 
  weapons on the floor in front of you and make no 
  threatening moves.
  We Don’t Know Anything About Vlen Backett!: That 
  has yet to be determined to my satisfaction. 
  It All Goes Wrong
  Some players may skip right to stealing the Star 
  Hunter and trying to escape at this point, or turning 
  
   
  14
  SecretS of the AncientS
  the ship’s turret guns on the marines. Others may 
  grab Chekov’s FGMP and start blasting away. 
  Even if the characters want to surrender, they are not 
  going to get that option. Backett installed a defence 
  system to deal with unwanted attention from either 
  the Imperium or agents of a rival Ancient, and it is 
  powerful enough to obliterate even a marine in battle 
  dress. When the firefight starts, read the following:
  There’s a subsonic thud that runs through your spine 
  as a projectile is launched from somewhere under 
  the lodge. A bright projectile soars into the sky, 
  then arcs around and heads straight for one of the 
  hovering marines. He tries to dodge the incoming 
  missile, but it’s too fast. The sun is momentarily 
  outshone by a harsh white light, and shards of hot 
  metal rain down from above. Thud, thud, thud. More 
  missiles launch. The marines scatter, and their 
  weapons spit plasma fire into the air. 
  One globule of sun-hot plasma scorches past the 
  lodge, blowing a hole in the roof and far wall. There 
  are more explosions outside as the area turns into a 
  war zone. 
  Imperial Marines
  STR 8 (13) DEX 8 (12) 
  END 9 INT 9 
  EDU 8 SOC 6 
  Battle Dress 2, Gun Combat (rifle) 2, Heavy Weapons 2, 
  Melee (brawl) 2, Recon 2, Sensors 1, Tactics (military) 
  1, Zero-G 2
  Laser Rifle (5D6+3) or PGMP (12D6), Battle Dress (18)
  There are five surviving marines. Each round, roll 
  1D6; if it is under the number of marines, one marine 
  is obliterated by Backett’s defenses. The walls of the 
  lodge provide XX cover against attacks, but remember 
  that fusion weapons treat such walls as soft cover. 
  The natural rock of the cavern is hard cover. Player 
  characters who stand and fight with the marines are 
  likely to be incinerated in short order. 
  The marines are now uninterested in taking prisoners. 
  From their perspective, the PCs suddenly attacked 
  them with unknown weapons. Protecting themelves 
  is their first priority, and if they are doing to do 
  that by levelling the lodge and the surrounding 
  countryside, so be it. Encourage overly brave player 
  characters to flee through the trapdoor into the 
  cavern below.
  If the characters fall back to the cavern, they can use 
  the Star Hunter’s weapons on the marines.
  Taking the Hunter
  Getting the Star Hunter prepared for take-off 
  requires a task chain:
  Average (+0) Mechanic + Education (1-6 minutes) to 
  check systems
  Average (+0) Engineering (P-Plant) (10-60 seconds) to 
  bring the fusion reactor up to full power
  Average (+0) Engineering (M-Drive) (10-60 seconds) to 
  charge the grav plates
  and finally
  Routine (+2) Pilot (starship) (10-60 seconds) to fly the 
  ship out of the cavern and into the air. 
   
  If the Pilot check is failed, the pilot scrapes the Star 
  Hunter off the cavern, inflicting damage equal to the 
  negative Effect of the check. 
  An Average Sensors + Intelligence check picks up the 
  Alahir in orbit; the violent electromagnetic activity 
  of Alell’s upper atmosphere makes it difficult to get 
  precise readings, but it looks as though there is a 
  window to fly past the larger ship and make it to the 
  hundred-diameter jump limit and escape. Alell is an 
  unusually dense planet, so it has a correspondingly 
  small jump limit. The electromagnetic distortions 
  also make it difficult for the Alahir to blast the Star 
  Hunter with its weapons.
  Desperate Flight
  Before the characters can escape, though, they have 
  to deal with other hazards.
  Whisperhawks: As the ship lifts off from the jungle, 
  it disturbs a flock of native avians, including several 
  whisperhawks. A sizeable portion of the precious and 
  This Pile of Carbon Used To Be Me
  Players whose characters get incinerated 
  in this fight will have to generate new PCs. 
  Alternatively, if they wish, they can take 
  over Morgan, Bard Jocell or Hans Backett. 
  Surrender Is An Option
  Players who are overawed by the presence 
  of Imperial marines and the implication 
  that they are rebelling against Imperial 
  authority may wish to surrender. Try 
  to avoid this by having Vlen Backett’s 
  automated defences go off just as the 
  player is about to surrender.
  
   
  15
  Homecoming
  rare ecology of Alell flies straight into the path of 
  the ship. The pilot must make a Difficult (-2) Pilot + 
  Dexterity check to dodge the flock, or else can plough 
  straight through them. 
  If the character chooses to dodge, and succeeds, he 
  is able to spin the ship and avoid the avians. If he 
  ploughs through, or fails the Pilot check with an 
  Effect of -3 or less, then birds are splattered all 
  over the nose of the ship, inflicting a single Exterior 
  Hit. If the pilot check is failed with an Effect of 
  4 or more, he not only hits the flock of birds, but 
  also sends the ship into a spiral heading towards 
  the jungle. He must make a second Average (-0) Pilot 
  check to avoid crashing (a crash inflicts 1d6 hits on 
  the ship). 
  The Marines: Read the following to the players. The 
  ship flies into a bank of thick cloud, and you hear a 
  pair of thumps from the hull.  
  Two marines were stationed in reserve in the clouds, 
  hovering there supported by grav belts. They have just 
  landed on the hull of the Star Hunter and are making 
  their way across the ship to the nearest airlock. 
  There are several ways to force the marines off the 
  ship:
  •	
  Spinning the ship: Pilot + Dexterity vs the 
  marine's Zero-G + Dexterity 
  •	
  Using the jump grid to demagnetise the hull: Hard 
  (-4) Mechanic + Intelligence
  •	
  Shooting the marines with the turret weapons: 
  Difficult (-2) Gunnery + Dexterity; a miss means 
  the blast hits the ship
  •	
  Tackling the marines as they come in the airlock: 
  Melee (brawl) + Strength vs the marine's Melee 
  (brawl) + Strength
  Incoming Fighters!: A trio of fighters dive towards 
  the Star Hunter. These fighters are under orders to 
  disable the Star Hunter without destroying it, so they 
  will target the ship’s fuel tanks and jump drive. The 
  fighters are light ten-ton fighters (see page 95 in 
  High Guard) , and will retreat after a few rounds of 
  combat – they do not want to destroy Captain Holcess’ 
  only lead. 
  eScApe!
  You break atmosphere, leaving the bloody world of 
  Alell behind you. The Alahir laboriously turns to 
  pursue you, wallowing in the gravity well below, but 
  there is no way they can catch you now. 
  At least, not with interceptor fighters or boarding 
  shuttles. You’re still well within range of their 
  lasers and particle beams, and no longer have the 
  protection of the planet’s atmosphere.
  Captain Holcess hails you. ‘Star Hunter, stand down 
  now. I don’t want to blow you out of the sky, but if 
  you give me no other choice...’
  You’re still a hundred thousand kilometres away 
  from the jump limit.
  What do you do?
  Let the players decide what they want to do next. 
  Once they make a decision, read the following text.
  Your sensors light up. There’s something else out 
  there, something that sent a burst of energetic 
  particles cascading through the system. It’s like 
  the burst associated with a ship, a really big ship, 
  jumping in, but it happened well within the jump 
  limit... which should be impossible. You can’t see 
  anything out there, but your sensors are telling you 
  that something bigger than a warship is out there. 
  The Alahir seems equally confused. You pick up 
  bursts of unencrypted transmissions between her 
  and the starport – and then communications and 
  sensors go dead, drowned out in a flood of static. 
  A section of the atmosphere below is warped by an 
  invisible force that whips up a cyclone. 
  If you’re going to jump, this may be your only chance.
  The Son has arrived to collect Vlen Backett’s mind. 
  The characters will encounter the Ancient again in 
  Section XX, but for now they can use it as cover to 
  escape. Jumping out of the Alell system ends this 
  adventure.
  the StAr hunter
  The Star Hunter is Vlen’s personal ship. It is a heavily 
  refitted Far Trader, with part of its cargo capacity 
  replaced with fuel tankage and an upgraded real-
  space drive,  and sensor suite. While there is no 
  Ancient technology in the Hunter, it is built with 
  cutting-edge components and is much more capable 
  than its battered appearance suggests.
  The original Far Trader’s manoeuvre drive and power 
  plant have been replaced with Type-D drives, giving 
  it a range of jump-2 and 4g of accelleration. There 
  are six staterooms, usually equipped for double 
  
   
  16
  SecretS of the AncientS
  Handout #1: Intercepted Messages 
  X-From: Captain Gand Holcess, ISS Alahir
  X-To: Alell Starport Control
  X-Priority: Gold
  X-Encrypt: Meson Secure-8
  ASPC: Transferring you to the administrator now sir. Full encryption activated.
  ASPC: This is Alell Actual, go ahead.
  ALAHIR: Administrator, this is Captain Gand Holcess of the Alahir. I need to appraise you of an 
  ongoing operation within your airspace.
  ASPC: Is this part of the Scout Service, or is it military? We’re reading your identity beacon as a 
  scoutship, but - 
  ALAHIR: I’m afraid it’s classified, administrator, but yes, we’re armed and there may be weapons 
  fire. 
  ASPC: Are we under attack?
  ALAHIR: No, this is effectively a police action. 
  ASPC: A police action... with potential naval weapons discharge?
  ALAHIR: I’m afraid so.
  ASPC: What do you need from us, Captain Holcess?
  ALAHIR: We have an agent en route to you via shuttle. We need you to facilitate her passage through 
  the starport, and to provide her with documention. There’s also a security detachment – they’ll need 
  a briefing on the area around Vaca Goya, and their movements are to be kept off the records.
  ASPC: Anything else?
  ALAHIR: We may need you to shut down all travel and keep all ships grounded if the targets attempt 
  to escape. 
  ASPC: I’ll make the arrangements.
  ALAHIR: Do you have a ship called Star Hunter berthed at the moment?
  ASPC: Checking... no. She’s been here before, and she’s registered to Alell, but she’s not in the port 
  right now. Last docking was...fifteen months ago.
  ALAHIR: Never mind. Holcess out. 
  X-From: Captain Gand Holcess, ISS Alahir
  X-To: Team Rapier
  X-Priority: Gold
  X-Encrypt: Tightbeam Laser Secure-8
  ALAHIR: Rapier, sitrep?
  RAPIER: Rapier-one, sir. Targets have located a structure. Scanning with d-meters – picking up a 
  large natural cavern directly below, plus a metal object. Big enough to be a ship. 
  ALAHIR: Give me a firing solution for that ship. 
  RAPIER: Sir, targeting data is being problematic because of the auroras.
  ALAHIR: All right, we’ll pick them up as they break atmo if they get past you.
  RAPIER: Acknowledged, Alahir.
  ALAHIR: Wait for the signal, then secure the structure. Non-lethal weapons only, please. 
  RAPIER: Sir. 
  ALAHIR: Holcess out.
  occupancy. The ship has enough fuel for a month of 
  normal operations, plus a two-parsec jump; three tons 
  of high-capacity fuel reprocessors allow it to quickly 
  cycle scooped hydrogen. 
  The Star Hunter carries a 20-ton launch and an air/
  raft. When docked, the launch’s cargo bay opens into 
  that of the main ship, increasing the Hunter’s limited 
  capacity to 43.88 tons. 
  For defence, the Star Hunter has crystalliron 
  armour and two double turrets. The aft turret has 
  a sandcaster and a missile rack loaded with smart 
  missiles; the forward turret has a pair of beam 
  lasers. The ship’s library is bizarrely empty, as if 
  someone had recently blanked it and replaced it with 
  a standard-issue TAS database. 
  
   
  17
  Homecoming
  THE STAR HUNTER
  Tons
  Cost
  Hull
  200 Tons
  4 Hull
  8800000
  Streamlined
  4 Structure
  Armour
  Crystalliron
  4 Points
  10
  1600000
  Jump Drive
  B
  Jump 2
  15
  20000000
  Manoeuvre Drive
  D
  Thrust 4
  7
  16000000
  Power Plant
  D
  13
  32000000
  Bridge
  10
  1000000
  Computer
  Model/3
  Rating 15
  2000000
  Electronics
  Very Advanced
  5
  4000000
  Weapons
  Hardpoint #1
  Double Turret
  1
  500000
  Beam Laser
  1000000
  Beam Laser
  1000000
  Hardpoint #2
  Double Turret
  1
  500000
  Sandcaster
  250000
  Missile Rack
  750000
  Fuel
  56 Tons
  One jump-2 and 4 
  weeks of operation
  Cargo
  38
  Ammunition
  3 Tons
  2 Tons smart missiles 2
  60000
  1 Ton sandcaster
  1
  10000
  6 Staterooms
  24
  12000000
  0 Low Berths
  Extras
  Fuel Processor
  3
  150000
  Launch
  20
  13569000
  Air/Raft
  0.59
  210000
  Software
  Manoeuvre/0
  Library/0
  Jump/2
  200000
  Evade/1
  1000000
  Fire Control/1
  2000000
  Maintenance Cost (monthly)
  8991
  Life Support Cost (monthly)
  18000
  Total Tonnage & Cost
  154
  197843990
  
   
  18
  SecretS of the AncientS
  the AlAhir
  According to the registry of Imperial Scout Ships, 
  the Alahir is officially a ‘heavy scout’ designed for 
  extended missions into perilous regions of space, 
  mapping pirate sectors, performing observations of 
  hazardous stellar phenomena and other tasks that a 
  basic scout ship could not accomplish. There are only 
  two other ships of this design in the Marches.
  The Alahir is a thousand-ton Jump-4 ship, capable of 
  5g accelleration. She carries four smaller craft – a 
  modular cutter for fuel scooping and cargo transfer, 
  and three Light Fighters (on some scouting missions, 
  these ten-ton fighters are replaced with more probe 
  drones or a 50-ton surveyor in a docking cradle). The 
  prow-mounted particle bay gives her surprising punch 
  for a scout ship, while the six turrets give ample 
  protection. Her armour is augmented with radiation 
  shielding, and her computer systems and sensors are 
  hardened. 
  On board, the ship carries enough fuel for more than 
  a month of standard operations and a single Jump-
  4, as well as extra fuel for the fighters and cutter. 
  The Alahir has twenty staterooms; her usual crew 
  includes six pilots, one navigator, six engineers, ten 
  gunners, twelve marines and six scientists along with 
  other deckhands and specialists. 
  
   
  19
  Homecoming
  librAry dAtA
  Alell
  Population: 400,000,000  
   
  Law Level: 12 
   
  Tech Level: 10
  Originally settled by the descendants of hotel 
  staff, Alell has become a rich and influential world 
  despite its extremely dangerous native wildlife. 
  The population is clustered into a small number of 
  fortified cities, although modern technology makes it 
  possible to live in more rural areas. Alell’s primary 
  industry is tourism; secondary exports include wood, 
  furs, pharmaceuticals and other material harvested 
  from the jungles that cover 30% of the planet’s 
  surface area. Alell has a Class B starport whose 
  original structure dates back to the First Imperium, 
  and is considered an excellent example of fin-de-
  siecle Vilani design.
  Brotherhood of Humaniti
  A quasi-religious group that arose following the 
  confirmation of the Solomani Hypothesis that all 
  Humaniti stems from a single source. The Brotherhood 
  believes that all humans should come together as 
  one species, united under a common government. As 
  such, any government or institution that opposes such 
  radical unity is an enemy of the species and must be 
  destroyed. Since its inception, the Brotherhood has 
  moved towards mysticism, attributing increasingly 
  unlikely supernatural powers to ‘true Humaniti’, the 
  ur-race that was destroyed when the Ancients divided 
  Humaniti into different ‘tribes’.
   
  Cadgeree
  The cadgeree resembles a winged snake with a spiked 
  tail. Cadgeree are extremely effective predators, who 
  attack by hurling themselves down on prey from a 
  great height, embedding their tail spikes deep into 
  the foe’s flesh. The serpent then thrashes wildly, 
  snapping the spine of its victim with ease. Cadgeree 
  usually attack smaller creatures, but have been 
  known to attack humans when hungry.
  Hos (Staff)
  Term used to denote an inferior or servant in Alell 
  culture; derived from old Vilani dialect term ‘hos’ai’, 
  servant or staff used in the catering industry.
  Lambdragon
  Large herbivore common to the Alell jungles. 
  Lambdragons slowly graze through the forest, eating 
  from the treetops. They have few natural predators, 
  due to their size and the protection of the pack. The 
  term ‘lambdragon’ was given to them because of their 
  percieved gentleness, but attacks by lambdragons are 
  not impossible. The creatures have surprisingly sharp 
  teeth for a herbivore (more accurately, they have 
  two sets of teeth – an exterior set of flat teeth for 
  feeding on leaves, and a retractable set of sharper 
  teeth used in defence and mating rituals), and a 
  stampede of lambdragons can flatten a tank. 
  The creatures reproduce by depositing egg sacs in 
  hollows in trees. The larval lambdragon feeds on 
  the interior of the tree, and ‘hatches’ when the 
  weakened tree collapses. The passage of a large herd 
  of lambdragons can cause sizable seismic tremors, 
  causing trees to fall and thus bring new dragons into 
  the herd.
  Malificent 
  Infamous and mysterious predators of the Alell 
  jungles, maleficients are fast and brutal creatures. 
  They are jet-black in colour, although markings can 
  be seen under ultraviolet light. They travel through 
  the trees by means of tentacles, snaking along the 
  canopy in search of prey. Little is known about their 
  biology, but some scientists believe that they are not 
  originally native to Alell. 
  Siu (Guest)
  Term of respect used on Alell, derived from old Vilani 
  dialect term ‘Siu’ch’, meaning guest or honoured 
  visitor.
  Whisperhawk
  One of the most common sights in the jungle, 
  whisperhawks are beautiful avians with prodigeous 
  wingspans. The hawk’s wings are both locomotion and 
  feeding organs – whisperhawks feed by digesting the 
  insects that are caught in the sticky underside of the 
  wings. A flock of hawks can glide across the jungle 
  canopy at twilight, catching hundreds of thousands of 
  insects as they fly. The buzzing of the trapped insects 
  and the susuruss of the wind gives the whisperhawk 
  its name.
  They are notoriously stupid creatures, and have been 
  known to attack humans and vehicles (as well as 
  flagposts, fences, houses and even small trees). 
  If threatened, whisperhawks attack by wrapping their 
  wings around a larger foe and trying to smother it. 
  A character engulfed by a whisperhawk can hold his 
  breath for a number of rounds equal to 1D6 plus his 
  Endurance DM; after this time, he takes 1d6 damage 
  per round.
  
   
  20
  SecretS of the AncientS
  Tons
  Cost
  Hull
  1000 tons
  Hull 20
  100000000
  Structure 20
  Armour
  Crystaliron, Radiation Shielded
  50
  270000000
  Jump Drive
  P
  Jump 4
  75
  140000000
  Manoeuvre Drive
  S
  Thrust 5
  33
  68000000
  Power Plant
  S
  43
  112000000
  Bridge
  20
  5000000
  Computer
  Model 5/fib
  Rating 25
  15000000
  Electronics
  Very Advanced
  5
  4000000
  Weapons
  Hardpoint #1
  Particle Bay
  51
  20000000
  Hardpoint #7
  Double Turret (Sandcaster/Missile 
  Rack)
  1
  1500000
  Hardpoint #3
  Double Turret (Sandcaster/Missile 
  Rack)
  1
  1500000
  Hardpoint #4
  Double Turret (Beam Laser x2)
  1
  2500000
  Hardpoint #5
  Double Turret (Beam Laser x2)
  1
  2500000
  Hardpoint #6
  Double Turret (Pulse Laser)
  1
  1500000
  Hardpoint #2
  Double Turret Pulse Laser)
  1
  1500000
  Fuel
  1 Jump-4, 
  6 Weeks of 
  Operation
  484
  Cargo
  88
  Ammunition
  4 tons sand, 6 tons missile 
  ammunition
  10
  20 Staterooms
  80
  10000000
  0 Low Berths
  Extras
  Fighters x 3
  30
  29511000
  Cutter
  50
  19458000
  Probe Drones
  5
  2500000
  Fuel Processors
  2
  100000
  Software
  Jump Control/4
  400000
  Manoeuvre/0
  Library/0
  Maintenance Cost (monthly)
  50677
  Life Support Cost (monthly)
  60,000
  Total Tonnage & Cost
  1000
  550760000 
  THE ALAHIR
  
   
  21
  Homecoming
  Chair
  Bed
  Locker
  Access hatch
  Hatch
  Hatch Floor
  Hatch Ceiling
  Hatch Both
  Low Berth
  Escape Pod
  Fuel Processor
  Fusion Power Plant
  Jump Drive
  Manoeuver Drive
  Iris Valve
  Iris Valve Floor
  Iris Valve Ceiling
  Iris Valve Both
  Sensors
  Lift
  Fuel
  Fuel
  Particle
  Bay
  Main Cargo
  Hold
  1
  1. Crew Common Area
  2. Sandcaster Storage
  3. Missile Storage
  4. Airlock
  Fuel
  Cargo
  2
  3
  Fighters
  (Double Stacked)
  Cutter
  4
  Turret Access
  Bridge
  Lower Deck
  Mid Deck
  Upper Deck
  Probe
  Drones
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Traveller/08 - Mongoose Traveller/Third Party Materials/Campaigns & Settings/Secrets of the Ancients Campaign/sota2homecoming.pdf