TEXT: The GameMaster’s Apprentice 
  Adventure Guide: Sci-Fi 
   
  Author: Nathan Rockwood 
  Graphic Designer for Cards: Max Johnson 
  Artist: David Tanimura 
   
   
   
  Special Thanks 
  This project was backed on Kickstarter by more than 360 supporters. Without their help, The 
  GameMaster’s Apprentice would never have been more than a pet project in my own home games. 
  Thanks so much! 
   
   
   
  Visit us online at www.LarcenousDesigns.co​m 
   
   
   
   
   
  The GameMaster’s Apprentice deck and documentation, copyright 2014, owned by Larcenous Designs, LLC. 
  Larcenous Designs, LLC, and associated marks are owned by Nathan Rockwood. Graphic design and 
  iconography by Max Johnson. 
   
   
  1 
  
  Table of Contents 
   
  INTRODUCTION
  3 
  What is an Adventure Guide?
  3 
  How to use this guide
  3 
  ADVENTURE FRAMEWORKS
  4 
  Framework Creation Summary
  4 
  Choose a Core
  5 
  Ask a Big Question (Optional)
  5 
  Choose a Doom
  6 
  Create Three Other Problems
  8 
  Ask 1-3 Little Questions (Optional)
  9 
  The Point: Scene Creation
  10 
  Example of a Complete Framework
  11 
  Blank Framework Sheet
  12 
  ADVENTURE PREMISES
  13 
  Fill in the Blanks
  13 
  The Questgiver
  14 
  The Task
  14 
  Reasons
  16 
  Premise Tag Symbols
  17 
  CHARACTERS
  18 
  Professions
  18 
  Character Tag Symbols
  19 
  ENCOUNTERS
  20 
  Premade Combos
  20 
  Encounter Tag Symbols
  20 
  Motion Sensor And Scanner
  22 
  Almost Human
  23 
   
   
   
   
  2 
  
  INTRODUCTION 
  What is an Adventure Guide? 
  An Adventure Guide is a collection of tips for designing and/or running a role playing game, in a 
  given genre, and using The GameMaster’s Apprentice deck of cards. These guides should be helpful 
  whether you are using the base, genre-neutral deck or any of the genre-specific decks, and (up to a 
  point) can even be used without the deck of cards, though that defeats the true purpose of the guide: 
  to provide enough inspiration and enough examples that, once you’ve exhausted the possibilities 
  presented here, you’ll have an easy time creating your own story seeds using just the cards.  
  How to use this guide 
  After this introduction, you’ll find a section dedicated to advice on constructing an open-ended 
  story framework. That framework can serve as structure you fill in, giving you a more complete 
  adventure, or you can use it to help run a more free-flowing story. While this is 100% useable without 
  the cards, this style of adventure prep is also ideal for games where the cards will be used heavily 
  (either as GM support, or as the GM itself), as it provides options to use the cards to choose from, and 
  suggests characters and dangers the cards might be referencing in their random events or story seeds. 
  Next, the guide goes over advice on generating quest seeds. This consists primarily of tables 
  that work both by themselves and with the deck, and which are aimed at the conventions of the 
  science fiction genre. 
  Wrapping it up after that are two sections meant to help tweak the use of the deck to generate 
  sci fi-appropriate characters and random events, and then an example of creating very genre-specific 
  tools for your game: a motion-sensor tool for suspenseful scenes, and an example of using the tag 
  symbols to generate aliens, mutants, or modified humans for your game world! 
   
  These tools can be used independently or in concert, during prep or during play; I recommend 
  reviewing them all briefly before you start, and then you can decide how you will get the most benefit 
  out of them! 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  3 
  
  ADVENTURE FRAMEWORKS 
  The guidelines here are essentially a set of advice on preparing the framework of an adventure, 
  quickly and efficiently. It might seem overly simplistic, but we’re targeting a framework instead of a full 
  adventure because it provides you as a GM with two essential ingredients. First, it ensures you have 
  enough information to always answer the quintessential question, “What happens next?” Second, it 
  gives you the freedom to let the story evolve naturally. 
  One of the biggest problems with a traditional pre-printed adventure is its limited scope of 
  choices and possible outcomes; that’s a large part of what inspired The GameMaster’s Apprentice in 
  the first place. However, even though I love using random content to enhance my games, I do like to 
  be able to keep things consistent--and planning ahead in broad strokes can make that much easier, and 
  makes the stories that result feel more real and engaging. 
  These frameworks are partially inspired by my work on Missions for the Demon Hunters: A 
  Comedy of Terrors Role Playing Game, which was in turn inspired by many other games, some based 
  on the Fate and Apocalypse World systems. If you think the frameworks here work well for your 
  games, you might want to check out those books for more ideas! 
   
  Framework Creation Summary 
  So, to make an adventure framework, follow these steps--a more detailed explanation of each 
  will follow this brief checklist: 
   
  ● Choose a Core 
  ● Ask a Big Question which the game will revolve around (optional) 
  ● Choose a Doom 
  ○ Describe the Doom’s Goal 
  ○ Outline the Doom’s Plan to achieve this goal, in 2-3 stages 
  ○ Create the Cast for the Doom, describing 1-3 characters or features 
  ● Create 3 other Problems 
  ○ Choose a different Type for each Problem (recommended) 
  ○ Give each a Goal 
  ○ Outline the Plan each has, in 2-3 stages 
  ○ Create a Cast for each Problem, including 1-3 characters or features 
  ● Ask 1-3 Little Questions that provide interesting hooks (optional) 
   
   
   
   
  4 
  
  Choose a Core 
  A Core is a central principle of the genre; naturally, a given game will be likely to touch on more 
  than one genre convention, but selecting a single Core when planning out a framework is meant to 
  help you focus on choosing other elements that will work well together. The theory here is that stating 
  your target up front will make it easier to achieve. If you find the Cores to be too broad for your tastes, 
  select the most relevant and refine it; reword it or replace it with a more specific version. 
  Here are three Cores that cover a significant majority of sci fi stories; you can add to the list or 
  modify what you see here, as need be: 
   
  To save the galaxy:​ This Core covers games that cast the players as either true heroes or 
  enforcers of a vast, probably evil empire. Ending wars, resolving conflicts, and defending life in the 
  galaxy from incomprehensibly old forces of destruction are all in the cards. Moral ambiguity will 
  depend on the exact nature of the characters’ motivations and the ‘threats’ they face. When planning, 
  keep in mind that the dangers will need to ramp up steadily in order to keep the pressure on. 
  To seek out new worlds:​ This Core can be about exploring in the literal sense, but can also 
  cover learning knowledge, taming wild space, and similar situations; adventure, in the sense of 
  engaging with the unknown. Moral ambiguity can easily be a feature or not; some sci-fi glosses over 
  the problematic nature of colonialism, but other examples feature such issues as their central 
  question. Your plans will need to involve plenty of initial unknowns and elements, features, and facts 
  for the players to discover and question. 
  To keep flying:​ This Core is for games focused on survival, whether the scale is small or grand: 
  cyberpunk grifters, hard-living freighter captains, and even whole civilizations on the run in massive 
  space convoys, seeking new homes, might find their stories centered here. Classically, these stories are 
  highly likely to force moral questions; work with the players to establish clear guidelines for how dark 
  is too dark, or if the tone should keep to the lighter end, playing difficulties as adventures rather than 
  moral dilemmas.  
   
  Ask a Big Question (Optional) 
  This isn’t a required step, but something I bring into my games because I firmly believe that a 
  game can be as much a piece of literature as a novel or a play--and one of the things that defines 
  ‘literature’ for me is the exploration of a grand question.  
  When it comes to a novel, the answers (or possible answers) to these questions are often 
  discussed as ‘themes’ of the text, but those are actually secondary; the important part, honestly, is the 
  question itself. While the best example I’ve ever seen of a game asking a big question is the classic 
  computer-based RPG from Bioware, ​Planescape: Torment​, I’ve also seen the tactic work well in games I 
  and others have GMed. 
  5 
  
  If you want to give it a shot, after you’ve selected a Core, consider these examples of Big 
  Questions that fit easily into the sci fi genre: 
   
  How far will we go for the sake of duty? 
  What is humanity’s place in the universe? 
  What will we do to survive? 
  What does it mean to be a person? 
   
  There is a nearly infinite variety of questions that could be asked here; think through your 
  favorite books, movies, TV shows, and games if you need more inspiration! 
  Once you have a question, what do you do? Keep it in the back of your mind when planning and 
  making decisions for your NPCs. When considering ​How far will we go for the sake of duty?​ your stories 
  will have to always pose duty against something else, some other loyalty; to address ​What is 
  humanity’s place in the universe?​ they would have to include a galactic community or other important 
  circumstance of the environment that challenges humanity’s purpose. ​What will we do to survive? 
  would lend itself to tales of dark, dangerous worlds that force characters into dire situations, and ​What 
  does it mean to be a person?​ could cover a range of stories, from the development of artificial 
  intelligence to interaction with truly alien beings who some people wish to exploit. 
  But whatever you do, ​you must NOT answer the question​ yourself! Let the players explore 
  possible answers as the story unfolds. The best games will develop their answers naturally, if at all, and 
  will still leave you thinking at the end. 
   
   
  Choose a Doom 
  A Doom is the thing that looms on the horizon. It doesn’t have to be the primary focus of the 
  story as it starts, but it squats in the darkness just beyond the firelight and ​waits​. This is something that 
  will change the world for the worse unless the characters act. 
  The biggest challenge in picking an appropriate Doom is realizing that it doesn’t have to be 
  physical, concrete foe. Yes, ​The Dark Master ​is a useable Doom, but so are ​The Grey Goo​ and ​Fear of 
  the Truth​. 
  Really, any major threat that could vastly change the world if left unchecked could be a good 
  choice for the framework’s Doom. If you’re not sure about an idea, think through these questions: 
   
  Can the ​characters ​(as opposed to the players) potentially see the Doom coming, given 
  warning or reason to be suspicious? 
  Once identified, could the Doom possibly be stopped by the characters? 
  Will the Doom change something significant about the world if it isn’t stopped? 
   
  6 
  
  If the answers to all three are ​Yes​, then you probably have an acceptable Doom.  
  While designing your Doom, keep in mind the Core (and possibly Big Question) you already 
  selected. Whatever it is, the Doom should fit in with a game focused on those elements.  
  If you can’t come up with something that feels worthy of the title, take a look at the Problems 
  section below; the suggested categories of Problems could all apply to Dooms, and might inspire you to 
  pick a Doom you wouldn’t otherwise have thought of. 
  Once you have a Doom, it’s time to fill out some details about them. 
   
  Describe the Doom’s Goal 
  The Goal of a Doom is their endgame; here, you should specify at least one target they have, 
  one thing that will drastically change the world if they can achieve it. Why do this? Because if you know 
  what it wants, you’ll always know how it would adapt to deal with a changing situation. 
  Write a sentence that describes what will happen if the players choose to let the Doom act 
  unchecked. If your Doom is ​The Dark Master​, their Goal might be to ​Take control of the Senate and 
  create an Evil Empire​. A Doom like ​The Grey Goo ​might be ‘trying’ (despite its lack of sapience) to 
  Convert all living tissue on the planet to more nano-bots​, and something like ​Fear of the Truth​ might 
  drive a society to do terrible things or ignore the realities of the world they live in, destroying 
  knowledge in an effort to ​Bring about an Age of Galactic Darkness​. 
   
  Outline the Doom’s Plan 
  With the Doom’s Goal already known, create two or three intermediary steps for it to achieve 
  on the road to that Goal. These things will have to happen (or be replaced by other things mid-game, 
  since plans do sometimes change) before the Goal is reached. They serve a dual purpose: they act as a 
  countdown mechanism to let the characters know that the Doom is threatening to harm the world 
  (because bad things are happening, not because they have access to the checklist or know what the 
  Goal is), and they make it easy to provide a new challenge or scene if you don’t know what else to do.  
  Write a sentence for each step of the Plan, describing both ​what​ the Doom is going to 
  accomplish, and ​how​ it will do so. Before ​The Dark Master ​can ​Take control of the Senate and create an 
  Evil Empire​, he will have to ​Recruit an apprentice ​and then ​Take command of the Republic Military. ​On 
  the other hand, ​The Grey Goo ​will have to ​Escape containment in their origin lab ​and ​Reach critical 
  mass for self-replication​, and​ ​the​ Fear of the Truth​ is going to ​Instill fear in corrupt leaders​ and use 
  them to ​Spread lies that cause citizens to ignore the learned and scholars​, before using them to 
  Eradicate knowledge and communication through the destruction of the InfoNet​. 
   
  Create the Cast for the Doom 
  The Cast is exactly what it sounds like: one to three NPCs who either represent or are involved 
  with the Doom in some way. They could be the Doom itself (​The Dark Master​), or a henchman, victim, 
  bystander, witness, catalyst, the questgiver for the characters…. anyone involved. Of course, more 
  characters will likely be involved later, but this way you’ll have something to draw on.  
  7 
  
  Also, keep in mind that the ‘cast’ for a Doom might include more than sapient characters; 
  critical locations or events might also serve as sources of knowledge or interaction. 
  At this stage, description is more important than mechanics; write a sentence for each 
  character, naming them and pinning down a few important facts. If you feel like adding stats, go for it. 
  The Dark Master ​might have his ​Dark Apprentice, who believes he is doing the Right Thing​. ​The Grey 
  Goo ​might be spread by ​Overly-ambitious scientists who disregard safety procedures​, and also be 
  opposed by ​The Promethean Society, who work to eradicate AI and nanotech for human purity​. The 
  Fear of the Truth​ would have ​Corrupt Leaders ​and ​People proud of their ignorance​ as proponents, and 
  would encourage a general ​Hatred of scholars and the educated​ amongst the populace, as a feature 
  any NPC might have. 
  Create Three Other Problems 
  Since the Doom is the big, long-range issue, Problems are the shorter-term… problems. Most 
  settings worthy of adventure will have more than one thing going on at a time, and these Problems will 
  serve as the driving force behind most of the early game, before the Doom starts ramping up its Plan. 
  Problems can be many things, just as the Dooms can; the key difference is scale. Problems are 
  still bad, and they still have Goals that they want to achieve via their own Plans, but those Goals won’t 
  shatter the world as you know it (or, at least, not all of it). If the Doom could be a ​Dark Master ​whose 
  Goal is ​Take control of the Senate and create an Evil Empire​, a Problem might be a ​Synthetic Army 
  whose Goal is to ​Take over the homeworld of the species who created them. 
  To encourage the creation of three extremely different Problems, I advise that you make each 
  Problem of a different Type. Below are some examples, but you can always add to this list if you want. 
   
  Mercs: ​Small robots, pack animals, corporate military, mercenary grunts, space zombies; they 
  generally present little danger individually, but become a more serious issue in large groups or when 
  ignored and left to enact their schemes. Their Goals usually revolve around destruction motivated by 
  their own survival and/or profit margins. 
  Mothership:​ Prisons, underground caverns, ancient ruins, actual alien motherships, tiny pocket 
  dimensions, temporal rifts; these Problems are actually places, which may pose a danger in many ways. 
  They might disgorge dangerous aliens onto a world, or they could contain something that would be 
  terrible and dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands.  
  Evil One:​ A dark leader with strange powers, an alien warlord, a massive burrowing worm, a 
  master thief; just because they aren’t actually the Doom, that doesn’t mean they are going to sit on the 
  sidelines. A big baddie with a Goal that is less serious than “galactic domination” is still a Problem that 
  needs dealing with; conquering a single planet or driving out a legitimate leader is still bad. 
  Virus:​ A dark curse, a genetically-engineered plague, rampant distrust, murmurs of rebellion; 
  sometimes a Problem is diffuse or abstract in the extreme. These may not be capable of intentional 
  planning, but they still have a Goal, usually one that involves spreading their darkness and causing 
  further chaos.  
  8 
  
  Give each Problem a Goal 
  Once you’ve selected three different Problems with three different Types, give each of them a 
  distinct Goal. Just like the Doom’s Goal, the Problems’ Goals are their grand plans. Write a sentence for 
  each that explains what will happen if the characters choose not to get involved. 
  If you want to be extra tricky, the Goals of the Problems could be used as steps in the Doom’s 
  Plan (possibly meaning you have to go back and edit that), tying them all together into a coherent(-ish) 
  whole. 
   
  Outline a Plan for each Problem 
  Harken back to the Plan you made for the Doom and repeat the process here. What are the 
  steps involved in the Problem reaching its Goal? Think up two to three steps per Problem, and write a 
  sentence for each step. 
   
  Create a Cast for each Problem 
  Next, create one to three important characters or features (locations, major events, strange 
  effects, etc) for each Problem. While it’s entirely possible that some characters might be involved in 
  more than one Problem (a mercenary warlord who also passes on a plague to towns he raids), try 
  come up with at least one unique individual per Problem; remember that these are just inspiration, 
  and you will probably add to these lists during play. 
   
  Ask 1-3 Little Questions (Optional) 
  As you wrap up, hopefully you’ve created a number of possible starting points. Once you know 
  who the characters are and where they begin the game, it should be fairly easy to decide which 
  Problem presents itself first.  
  But if you have a real, living setting, there is going to be more going on in the world than the 
  various disasters that strike. 
  Do any of the characters (player or not) have a particular fate they either seek or avoid? Are 
  there any links between characters that might be worth exploring? What is at stake if the Problems or 
  the Doom manage to achieve their Goals--or even just a step of their Plan? Who stands to suffer? 
  Ask some specific questions about situations, characters, or events; questions that can’t be 
  answered until play progresses. These are entirely optional, but force you to consider who or what 
  stands to be lost or changed, depending on the outcomes of the story. Of course, the questions might 
  be voided or necessarily altered before they are answered, but that’s fine--these are just to keep you 
  thinking, and to ensure that you have material to draw on if at any point you can’t think of what the 
  next scene should be. 
   
  9 
  
  The Point: Scene Creation 
  Your newly-created framework is a reference sheet for where the story ​might​ go, without 
  interfering with its natural evolution; it lets you play without either railroading the players down a 
  certain path or letting the game grind to a halt for lack of content. The notes you take for the 
  framework are to make sure you always have a way to generate a new scene. 
  Introducing one of the Problems? That can be a scene. Advancing the Plan of a Problem or the 
  Doom? Scene. One of the Cast needs to be given some screen time? Another scene. If a Problem 
  achieves their Goal, that’s one or more scenes right there, and if the Doom reaches its Goal you’ve 
  probably got one or more whole ​sessions ​just dealing with that. And, for things with a smaller scope, 
  the Little Questions can be dealt with, or the Big Question danced around.  
   
   
   
   
  10 
  
  Example of a Complete Framework 
   
  GMA Framework Sheet 
  Core: ​To keep (our little colony the PCs help settle on a new planet) flying  
  Big Question:​ ​What will we do to survive? 
  Doom: ​MegaCorp 
  Plan:​ 1) Disrupt colony’s supply deliveries; 2) Starve colony into 
  submission; 3) Buy colony 
  Goal: ​Take over the planet for 
  stripmining 
  Cast: ​Mark Ciabarry, CEO of MegaCorp 
  Problem 1: ​Red Corps ​(Mercs) 
  Plan: ​1) Protect the colony at first; 2) Encourage impressed youth 
  to join merc company on bad contracts. 
  Goal: ​Recruit all the 
  able-bodied colonists 
  Cast:​ Gowri Mac, leader of Red Corps; Damodar, kid who joins 
  Problem 2: ​Believers, Inc. 
  (virus) 
  Plan: ​1) Preach in town square; 2) Respond to setbacks as if they 
  are proof of need for conversion; 3) Demand tribute from followers 
  Goal: ​Convert all townsfolk; 
  take their money 
  Cast: ​Tane, High Priest & CEO of Believers, Inc. 
  Problem 3: ​Temple 
  (Mothership) 
  Plan: ​1) Cause crops to fail due to nanotech in soil; 2) AI 
  summons colonists and conveys ‘revelation’ to them; 3) New 
  sacrificial hosts demanded monthly.  
  Goal: ​Force colonists to offer 
  sacrifices willingly 
  Cast: ​Mayor James Daley, uncertain what to do about this. 
  Little Questions: ​Will the townsfolk band together to solve their problems, or will the malcontents 
  have to be exiled/imprisoned/killed? Will Malwon, the brainwashed ‘priest,’ be freed from his 
  compulsion and returned to his family? 
   
   
   
  11 
  
  Blank Framework Sheet 
   
  GMA Framework Sheet 
  Core: 
  Big Question: 
  Doom: 
  Plan: 
   
   
   
  Goal: 
  Cast: 
   
  Problem 1: 
  Plan: 
   
   
  Goal: 
  Cast: 
   
  Problem 2: 
  Plan: 
   
   
  Goal: 
  Cast: 
   
  Problem 3: 
  Plan: 
   
   
  Goal: 
  Cast: 
   
  Little Questions: 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  12 
  
  ADVENTURE PREMISES 
  The premise of a story is the back cover of the module, the elevator pitch for the game, or the 
  message you send a friend to try and hook them into making a character. It doesn't tell you everything 
  about the entire story, but it gives you a place to start.  
  Following these tips, you’ll be creating fill-in-the-blank style adventure premises that will 
  hopefully inspire further ideas. Before you begin, you should decide for yourself if your game is going 
  to lean heavily to space opera, hard sci-fi, bright stars, or dark futures (in any combination); after that, 
  if you wind up with an option that doesn't feel like it fits your concept, choose again! 
  To use these randomizer lists the way I do, follow these steps.  
  Fill in the Blanks 
  Start with this sentence, treating the underlined portions as blanks to fill in: 
   
  The Questgiver​ asks you to ​complete this task​ because ​reasons​.  
   
  If any parts of that sentence 
  are already decided for you (or by 
  you), fill them in first, and then skip 
  the associated steps below; if you 
  know the Questgiver is going to be 
  the character’s boss, there isn’t a 
  reason to randomize it. Also, before 
  you start rolling, review these tables 
  and replace the options you don’t 
  like with ones that fit your style.  
   
   
   
   
  13 
  
  The Questgiver  
  Who is sending you on this quest? For a more down-to-earth game, use the Difficulty Selector 
  to randomize; for a game more likely to involve the strange and powerful, just use a d10. (Note! If 
  there are several ideas listed in square brackets ([Secret society/guild/technomages]), then pick or 
  randomize from that sub-list.) 
   
   
  Roll 
  Questgiver 
  1 
  A tremendously powerful [political/religious/corporate/scientific] leader  
  2 
  The high council of [a secret society/technomages/a religion/a guild] 
  3 
  The [noble/criminal/alien creature/AI] that once did you a favor 
  4 
  The society’s [elders/governor/secretive leader] 
  5 
  The [employer/captain/master/leader/owner] you serve or served 
  6 
  A [family member/friend/old flame/explorer/scientist] 
  7 
  An apprentice  [technomage/priest/scholar/warrior/hacker] in over their head 
  8 
  A [shadowy figure/old wanderer/note on a napkin] at the cantina 
  9 
  A previously unknown [alien species/AI/artificial creature]  
  10 
  A major [corporation’s/government’s/religion’s] military commander 
   
   
   
   
  The Task  
  Here we have a more interesting table. The first column is aimed at more fantastical, 
  fantasy-esque sci-fi games; the second is targeted to harder science fiction (or, at least, sci-fi that goes 
  for the trappings of hard science); and the last is meant to be appropriate for gritty and dark stories. 
  These tables have no particular weight towards the middle, since they are already broken down into 
  three segments; just use a normal d10 after you’ve picked your preferred column. 
   
   
  14 
  
  Roll 
  Space Fantasy 
  “Hard” Science 
  Grim and Gritty 
  1 
  find and bring back [an 
  artifact/ancient 
  knowledge/a cure] 
  escape from a [temporal/ 
  spatial/dimensional] rift 
  claim the bounty on a 
  [criminal/rebel/creature] 
  2 
  seek the aid of a powerful 
  [being/people/location] 
  make peace between 
  [strange alien cultures/ 
  ancient enemies/warring 
  factions] 
  heal a sick or wounded [evil 
  being/dangerous alien/ 
  unknown lifeform] to gain 
  their trust or knowledge 
  3 
  heal a sick or wounded 
  [friend/family 
  member/alien] 
  prove [a crewman/a helpful 
  bystander] innocent of 
  wrongdoing 
  investigate a [murder/theft/ 
  disappearance] 
  4 
  seek out a [being/place] of 
  legend 
  travel on a mission of 
  [diplomacy/military aid] 
  travel on a mission of 
  [espionage/suppression/ 
  assassination] 
  5 
  destroy a [super 
  weapon/dangerous 
  relic/dark artifact] 
  escort a [diplomat/scientist 
  /archaeologist/scholar] to 
  an important location  
  find [food and shelter/basic 
  medicine/a place of safety] 
  for many people 
  6 
  craft a powerful 
  [weapon/defense/piece of 
  gear] 
  [gather/locate] a group of 
  allies and earn their loyalty 
  identify a traitorous [enemy 
  agent/former friend/person 
  of power] 
  7 
  overthrow [a dark master 
  /an evil empire/an 
  occupying force] 
  bring aid or evacuation to 
  people endangered by a 
  [foe/disease/disaster] but 
  who don’t want help 
  conduct business in a 
  dangerous [wasteland/ 
  hostile environment/ 
  wretched hive of scum and 
  villainy] 
  8 
  restore hope and good to a 
  [lost/fallen/corrupted] 
  individual 
  repair someone’s 
  [engine/computer/ life 
  support/beacon]  
  bring [contraband/medicine 
  /supplies/tech] to someone 
  who needs them 
  9 
  stop the rise of [an ancient 
  evil/a new dark army/a 
  mindless destructive force] 
  patrol a [demilitarized 
  zone/border/dangerous 
  region] 
  destroy or circumvent a 
  [dangerous beast/ 
  environmental danger] to 
  escape a planet 
  10 
  find a retired [scholar/ 
  adventurer/leader] who 
  knows important secrets 
  explore a [nebula/planet 
  /star system/massive 
  structure in space] 
  escape a prison or foe in 
  order to [prove your 
  innocence/save a friend] 
   
  15 
  
  Reasons  
  Why must you complete this task? What drives you? Unless some reason has already presented 
  itself (and it might well have, either because you knew it ahead of time or because the task you picked 
  suggests one to you), roll on this table to find out. Like the Questgiver table, this one is weighted to 
  have more ‘reasonable’ motivations grouped in the middle, so use the Difficulty Selector if that appeals 
  to you. 
   
   
  Roll 
  Reasons 
  1 
  you were promised [true power/land and title/amazing technology]. 
  2 
  your [fate/birthright/family/life] hangs in the balance. 
  3 
  you are compelled to by a [compulsion/debt/oath/duty]. 
  4 
  a [lover/friend/mentor/dependent] of yours could die otherwise. 
  5 
  you were promised [access/a favor/fame/cold hard cash]. 
  6 
  you must, to prevent [the deaths of innocents/major destruction/being fired]. 
  7 
  you must, as this is [a personal trial/a singular opportunity/your only hope]. 
  8 
  you need the [personal healing/self-confidence/secret knowledge] it will bring. 
  9 
  you are the only ones who can [complete this task/know about it/survive the challenge]. 
  10 
  you must, to prevent [war/plague/the destruction of the galaxy]. 
   
   
   
   
   
  16 
  
  Premise Tag Symbols 
  These can be used in the creation of any sci-fi adventure, using the premise system or not; 
  consider this an example of how to create a tag symbol table for your own games. 
  After filling in the blanks in the premise, draw one card and look at the three tag symbols that 
  result; if at all possible, find a way to apply their meanings to your game. Only redraw if you can’t fit 
  two of the three into your concept; if just one seems to be an outlier, just ignore that one.  
   
  Tower 
  A mighty fortress; this bastion could 
  be either good or evil, new or old, 
  spacefaring or planetside. This is 
  likely a destination or way-station 
  on the quest. 
  Moon 
  Recent events leave loyalties confused 
  and uncertain. Who is ‘good’ and who 
  is ‘evil’ may be in question, and the 
  party should be suspicious of traitors, 
  betrayal, replacements, body 
  snatchers, clones, mind control... 
  Crown 
  Some form of nobility or 
  power-broker is involved deeply. 
  They may be joining the party, or 
  may be the subject of the quest (a 
  poisoned ruler to cure, the 
  money-man wants to come along to 
  see the job is done right, etc). 
  Sword 
  Open conflict begins; if it already had, 
  it escalates or moves into a new arena. 
  This implies a military conflict, but it 
  could be social, religious, ideological, 
  or corporate instead. 
  Heart 
  Family, friendship, or romance are at 
  stake; if they were already involved, 
  then the situation becomes more 
  extreme, or the relationship is 
  threatened. 
  Shield 
  The characters must protect someone 
  or something vulnerable--either 
  constantly, or it becomes part of their 
  overall goal. A rescue might be 
  involved, or playing bodyguard. 
  Skull 
  Fatal consequences are likely; death 
  may already have struck. Someone 
  could be dying, or have recently 
  been killed, or could be sentenced 
  to death. 
  Target 
  A new, secondary goal is introduced; 
  completing it will help with the 
  primary quest, but failing to do so will 
  NOT stop the characters from reaching 
  their objective. 
  Sun 
  A recent discovery (scientific, 
  archaeological, technological, etc) 
  has revealed something extremely 
  important; this discovery must be 
  acted upon quickly. 
  Wand 
  Powerful technology, ability, or 
  authority is granted to the characters, 
  though it is temporary or limited in 
  nature--the boon is probably necessary 
  to complete their quest (which means 
  the quest is that much harder). 
  17 
  
  CHARACTERS 
  You can already randomize characters with the deck, but to tweak them for a sci-fi game, here 
  are two suggestions. 
   
  Professions 
  Before you draw for any other components of the character, consider giving them a random 
  profession appropriate to the current setting--that may give you some ideas to start with, and will help 
  cut down on the problem where 90% of people encountered on the street are either a pickpocket or a 
  fat merchant. 
  This table is weighted with more statistically common professions towards the middle, so draw 
  for the Difficulty Selector instead of rolling a d10 if you want the randomization to be more “realistic” 
  (scare-quotes because the percentages are weighted in the direction of real life, but I make no claims 
  to a specific level of accuracy for any human society, and your setting may balance jobs differently).  
   
  Roll 
  Professions 
  1 
  Leader (political, religious, CEO, nobility) 
  2 
  Celebrity (ultra-rich, star, athlete, artist) 
  3 
  Vehicle owner/operator (captain, pilot, driver) 
  4 
  White-collar (doctor, scientist, accountant, lawyer)  
  5 
  Blue-collar (mechanic, engineer, electrician, programmer, designer) 
  6 
  Explorer (hiker, photographer, researcher, ‘urban explorer’) 
  7 
  Armed Forces (soldier, marine, mercenary) 
  8 
  Criminal (thief, con artist, hacker, assassin, saboteur) 
  9 
  Specialist (psychic, sniper, technomage) 
  10 
  Master (dark forces, light forces, ancient cult, supertech) 
   
   
   
   
  18 
  
  Character Tag Symbols 
  As with anything else, you can modify characters by drawing one card and applying the Tag 
  Symbols; here is an example table to get you started. When you draw, try to fit at least two of the 
  results into your NPC! 
   
  Tower 
  The NPC is taciturn and generally 
  unwilling to talk to anyone without 
  significant motivation. 
  Moon 
  The NPC is hiding a secret, either or 
  big or small, that has at least a little 
  bearing on the story. Characters are 
  likely to spot this, but may not be able 
  to divine the secret. 
  Crown 
  Regardless of current circumstances, 
  the NPC has a powerful family, 
  bloodline, or corporation backing 
  them. 
  Sword 
  The NPC is a more capable fighter 
  than might otherwise be apparent. 
  Their talents might lie in technology, 
  special powers, or simple deception 
  and skill. 
  Heart 
  Either the NPC is a potential (or 
  former) romantic interest for a 
  character, or the NPC is linked to the 
  story through romantic or family ties. 
  Shield 
  The NPC is highly protective of their 
  friends and loved ones, and is 
  extremely dedicated; they would 
  willingly sacrifice themselves for their 
  duty. 
  Skull 
  The NPC is sick--not necessarily with 
  fatal consequences, but that depends 
  on the circumstances. The disease, its 
  spread, or its interaction with other 
  problems may prove serious. 
  Target 
  The NPC has an agenda that they want 
  the character’s help to fulfill-though 
  the characters may not be aware of it 
  at first, and it may or may not align 
  with their own goals in the end. 
  Sun 
  The NPC is naturally curious or 
  adventurous, and would be easily 
  persuaded to join the party, and may 
  likewise be hard to dissuade from 
  trying. They will ALWAYS push the 
  red button. 
  Wand 
  The NPC has special abilities; perhaps 
  they can command unusual forces, 
  read minds, use alien powers, or 
  simply have access to tech that few 
  others do. 
   
   
   
   
  19 
  
  ENCOUNTERS 
  Here are two tools to help keep things moving if you need a quick random encounter. They can 
  be used separately or together. 
  Premade Combos 
  If you draw for a random event, but get a combination of Noun + Verb you don’t think makes 
  any sense (or if you just want to start your game with some pre-made suggestions available), roll on 
  this table!  
  Because it only provides a Noun and Verb, you can also then draw an Adjective to further 
  modify the encounter, extending the table below from 10 results to 1200.  
   
  Roll 
  Verb, Noun, and Suggestions 
  1 
  Find/Mentor: The crazy old man from the hills, someone from the local guild, or another mentor 
  of some kind becomes available to the party. 
  2 
  Poison/Belief: Either someone’s faith is damaged by events, or a poisonous belief (rumors of 
  betrayal, etc) begins to spread. 
  3 
  Confuse/Beast: A wild (alien?) animal is unsure what to do about the characters, and this could 
  lead to a new pet or a big fight. 
  4 
  Merge/Technology: Alien technology implants itself in someone! What does it do? 
  5 
  Cleanse/Affliction: A disease or condition (perhaps thought incurable) is miraculously fixed. But 
  will there be consequences as yet unseen? 
  6 
  Reveal/Ship: Decloaking off the port bow--or otherwise suddenly detected nearby--is a ship! 
  Friend? Foe? 
  7 
  Replace/Goal: The goal of the current quest suddenly changes completely! The target is killed; the 
  questgiver is fired and replaced; something like that. 
  8 
  Deny/Weapon: At the beginning of a fight, one or more characters lose their weapons! 
  9 
  Begin/Crime: Either someone attempts to rob the party, or they are offered a job that is more or 
  less obviously criminal. 
  10 
  Delay/Stockpile: Vital supplies are late in arrival! How will the crew last until they make it? 
  Encounter Tag Symbols 
  This sample tag symbol table is geared towards modifying events and encounters. These can be 
  used with any encounter (random or not) with suggestions appropriate for the genre. Try to find 
  applications for at least two of the results. 
  20 
  
   
  Tower 
  The encounter introduces a new or 
  unexpected obstacle in the path of 
  the player’s main quest. This could be 
  environmental, adversarial, or 
  accidental. Explorers and problem 
  solvers will be front and center here. 
  Moon 
  The encounter provides information 
  that contradicts something previously 
  known or discovered. Whether this 
  revelation can be trusted, or is simply 
  a red herring, is unclear. Investigative 
  or detective characters may have more 
  to do after this. 
  Crown 
  The encounter is much more 
  significant than it appears at first; 
  rewards and consequences are more 
  severe. The implications could be 
  world- or galaxy-spanning. Political or 
  intrigue-interested characters will 
  have their work cut out for them. 
  Sword 
  The encounter includes a direct 
  confrontation of some kind--physical, 
  social, mental, or otherwise. If it 
  already did, the difficulty of that 
  confrontation (or the difficulty of 
  avoiding it) increase. Combat 
  characters may earn themselves a new 
  enemy here. 
  Heart 
  The encounter is personal for one or 
  more characters; something related to 
  their family, their love, or their past is 
  involved or brought to light, even if 
  just because of a passing 
  resemblance. Social characters will be 
  highly engaged. 
  Shield 
  The encounter gives the characters a 
  chance to rest and recover, or any 
  immediate danger (physical or not) is 
  partially mitigated by circumstances or 
  a third party. Doctors, care-givers, 
  psychologists, and similar characters 
  will be called upon. 
  Skull 
  Death is a potential consequence of 
  the encounter; if it already was, then 
  part of the challenge may be that 
  someone is mortally wounded, and 
  that must be dealt with. Leaders will 
  have to make tough choices, and the 
  allocation of their forces and 
  team-mates could make the 
  difference between a suicide mission 
  and a success. 
  Target 
  The encounter is a critical moment for 
  a character, either a PC or an NPC; it 
  may have been arranged or sought out 
  intentionally, in order to further an 
  agenda. Something about it helps 
  them fulfill a goal. At least one 
  character has a personal ‘sub-quest’ 
  advanced. 
  Sun 
  The encounter seems certain to yield 
  clues or information the characters 
  would value, but it may take digging 
  or puzzle-solving to sort them out; 
  perhaps it indicates or leads to future 
  research for science-oriented 
  characters. 
  Wand 
  The encounter introduces or includes 
  unusual creatures, technology, or 
  powers of alien or other unusual 
  origin; they may be helpful or harmful. 
  Specialists in these things may be 
  useful here. 
   
  21 
  
  Motion Sensor And Scanner 
  When dealing with the exploration of hostile environments or a recon mission that might turn 
  up a surprise, a fairly classic ‘random’ event is the detection of something unknown on a radar, 
  sensors, or motion detector.  
  To simulate this in a game being run wholly or partially by the GMA deck, rather than simply 
  relying on the advice in the core instructions for the triggering of random events, use the scatter die as 
  well. Normal random events can still occur, but this additional tactic can provide a focus on detection, 
  identification, and avoidance. 
  This is suggested for any situation where a sudden “blip” might appear, but where you have 
  some other objective and don’t simply want to ask the Yes/No question, “Do our scanners detect 
  something?” over and over again. When drawing for any Yes/No answer, sensory snippet, or die roll, 
  also look at the scatter die field. An arrow or the dash indicate that nothing unusual is detected; the 
  starburst means you have incoming! 
  At that point, of course, the motion detected might just be the ship’s cat, and not the rubbery, 
  drooling monster that spawned from a crewmate’s corpse.  
  How you decide what happens next will be highly dependent on the exact nature of your game 
  and the situation; I suggest drawing a second card specifically for the scatter die, and using it to 
  indicate the direction of the blip. If you draw the dash, you can’t tell, or it vanished; if you draw the 
  starburst again, it’s right on top of you! 
  If you already know that the blip is either definitely or probably a particular target, you can 
  simply ask a Yes/No question of the Likely Odds generator; if you need more information, you can 
  tackle that in a number of ways. A random event verb/adjective/noun set, or a card of sensory 
  snippets, might give you some indication.  
  I prefer to draw for the Likely Odds on the most likely candidate I can think of, and then fall 
  back on the other options if the cards say No. If they come up with an emphatic ​No!​, that’s when the 
  jump-scare turns out to be just the ship’s cat, or what you thought was the missing ship you were 
  looking for is actually the pirate craft that brought it down! 
   
   
   
   
  22 
  
  Almost Human 
  What makes this alien, robot, or human-offshoot unique? Draw a set of tag symbols to find out! 
   
  Tower 
  They are highly logical and organized, 
  individually and as a species. They are 
  likely to be scientifically or militarily 
  oriented, as cultures go, and are 
  likely to eschew emotional 
  attachment (though that might be 
  more of a trend than an actual rule). 
  Moon 
  They are socially regressive compared 
  to the humans (or other player 
  baseline species), in at least one major 
  way. They may or may not be “evil,” 
  but their culture is highly 
  differentiated by this. 
  Crown 
  They are extremely materialistic. 
  Whether their focus is on money, 
  goods, art, or even the organs of 
  other species, they want, take, steal, 
  buy, or collect ​things​.  
  Sword 
  They are highly dangerous, but--and 
  this is important--not necessarily 
  aggressive. They may have training, 
  technology, in-born genetic abilities, 
  or some other advantage, but they are 
  generally stronger/deadlier than most 
  others. 
  Heart 
  These beings are highly social or 
  empathic, and form strong family 
  bonds or intense ties of friendship. 
  They may or may not be open with 
  outsiders, but they are certainly 
  going to take care of their own, at 
  least. 
  Shield 
  They are physically imposing and/or 
  hard to hurt. That doesn’t necessarily 
  mean they are especially dangerous, 
  but they ARE hard to kill. This could 
  mean high rates of regeneration, 
  self-repair, redundant organs, or 
  almost anything defense. 
  Skull 
  This species or culture is dying, 
  doomed, obsolete, or otherwise in a 
  bad way. Perhaps their birth rate is 
  low, or their home planet was 
  destroyed, or they are extremely 
  isolationist, but whatever it is, they 
  are suffering. 
  Target 
  They are highly aggressive. This could 
  manifest in physical violence, vicious 
  capitalism, mental domination, 
  religious expansionism, or in other 
  ways. They may or may not be 
  particularly dangerous as a result. 
  Sun 
  They are socially progressive 
  compared to the humans (or other 
  player baseline species), in at least 
  one major way. They may or may not 
  be “good,” but their culture is highly 
  differentiated by this. 
  Wand 
  They have an ingrained, widespread 
  mystical tradition. This could be 
  religious, philosophical, or even linked 
  to special abilities (psychic powers, 
  telekinesis, body control, etc).  
   
  23 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Collections/Solo/2. GM Emulators & Generic Solo Rules/Gamemasters Apprentice/Sci-Fi Deck/GMA AG Sci Fi.pdf