Prerequisite: This scenario assumes that the characters have a starship of their own.
Background: The characters are contacted by an individual who refuses to give his name, saying only that he is someone who, if his identity were to become widely known, it would unnecessarily complicate his intended journey to several worlds in this sector of space. For this reason, he wishes to avoid traveling aboard commercial star liners and would like to book passage aboard the character's starship. He is willing to pay 1000$ a week (paid upfront) if the characters will take him to four different worlds along the same jumpline as the one where he approaches the characters. He asks that, while traveling aboard ship, he not be disturbed and, when visiting each of the four worlds on his itinerary, the characters allow him to undertake his own business without interference or questioning. If the characters agree to his terms he would like to leave for the first leg of his journey as soon as possible.
There are several possible explanations for the mysterious passenger's behavior. Roll 1D12 to determine which is the case here.
1 - The passenger is a disgraced government official whose actions while in office resulted in the deaths of several people under his authority. He is traveling to the homeworlds of each of the people who died because of his misconduct to seek the forgiveness of their families.
2 - The passenger is the son of a powerful aristocrat in the sector who simply wishes to engage in sightseeing on nearby worlds without being harassed by the media.
3 - As 2, except that the passenger is a philandering playboy traveling to buy off the families of former paramours whom he jilted and who are now threatening to expose his conduct to the media.
4 - As 2, except the passenger has become a secret devotee of a religious sect that is either outlawed or considered scandalous by the sector's authorities. He is traveling to sites holy to his faith but wishes to ensure no one knows of his connection to the faith.
5 - The passenger is a journalist doing a piece on traveling the sector by means other than commercial space lines. The characters' conduct, both good and bad, will eventually be transmitted to many worlds in the sector once his piece is completed.
6 - The passenger is actually a criminal on the run from sector authorities. The four worlds he wishes to visit are all home to various contacts he has and home he hopes might shelter him from pursuit. He will jump ship as soon as he finds a world where he can lie low safely.
7 - As 6, except that the passenger is being followed by sector authorities who will attempt to seize him as soon as he lands on the first world on his itinerary. These authorities show little regard for the characters and may threaten them with legal prosecution if they do not cooperate with them.
8 - As 7, except the passenger is being followed by former compatriots in a criminal organization.
9 - The passenger is an assassin traveling incognito on missions to eliminate one individual on each world he visits.
10 - The passenger is crackpot scientist who wishes to confirm his implausible theories by traveling to four worlds where he can collect samples he believes vital to vindicating himself before the scientific community.
11 - The passenger is a private courier delivering sensitive information.
12 - As 11, except that the passenger is pursued by agents who wish to steal the information he is delivering.
Note: This scenario originally appeared on the Rogue Games website in 2008. Its current copyright status is unknown.