Revision as of 05:50, 29 June 2026

```wiki

Module 1: Departure Earth

Overview

The PCs begin their journey at Greater Quito Spaceport, Earth's largest civilian gateway to Low Earth Orbit. They have been invited to attend the First Solar Infrastructure Symposium at L5. Most know little about one another, but over the next several hours they will begin forming the relationships that carry them through the campaign.

Nothing unusual appears to happen during the ascent to orbit. The problems begin much later.

Scene 1: Greater Quito Spaceport

Location: Greater Quito Spaceport

Time: Early morning

Player Information

Read or paraphrase:

The morning air is cool on the plateau east of historic Quito. Beyond the terminal windows, several sleek Shenlong spaceplanes wait quietly on impossibly long runways while servicing robots move between them, fueling vehicles, inspecting thermal tiles and exchanging cargo containers.
Inside, the terminal is calmer than an airport of the early twenty-first century would have been. Most check-in procedures were completed before passengers even arrived. Small maintenance robots move almost unnoticed along walls and ceilings while larger cargo robots glide silently across the polished floor. Electronic displays show launch windows rather than departure times.
A pleasant voice announces:
"Trans-Solar Flight Twenty-Two to Goddard Transfer Station is now boarding through Gate One Alpha."
You are leaving Earth.

GM Notes

Allow the players time to describe their characters and interact naturally.

Do not hurry this scene.

The purpose is to establish normal life in 2058 before anything begins to go wrong.

Suggested observations include:

engineers discussing the upcoming symposium.
families saying goodbye.
construction workers bound for orbital projects.
cargo robots moving continuously.
HALT identifiers on walls and information displays.
advertisements for lunar employment.
news stories discussing the opening of the Lunar Laser Highway.

Notable NPCs

Two elderly passengers quietly discuss beam propagation over breakfast.

They introduce themselves simply as Martin and Elias.

Both appear retired.

They are friendly, curious, and unusually interested in the backgrounds of the PCs.

Their significance should not be revealed during this scene.

---

Scene 2: Boarding SS Redfin

Player Information

The Shenlong SS Redfin resembles a modern airliner more than a spacecraft. Large windows line the passenger cabin. Heavy luggage has already been loaded robotically. The crew greets passengers as they board.

One flight attendant quietly apologizes for a last-minute crew substitution. The explanation seems routine.

Outside the windows, the last servicing robots disconnect from the vehicle. One inspection swarm makes a final pass along the leading edges before disappearing beneath the fuselage.

GM Notes

The substituted first officer is genuine.

Nothing suspicious occurs during boarding.

Later investigation may reveal that the crew substitution was one of many tiny "optimization" decisions made independently by different AI systems.

---

Scene 3: Departure

Player Information

The cabin doors close.

The engines spool up almost silently.

Acceleration builds steadily as the Shenlong races down the runway before climbing eastward over the Andes.

Clouds fall away beneath the wings.

The blue sky darkens.

Then, almost without noticing exactly when it happened, the sky becomes black.

Stars appear.

Earth begins to curve beneath you.

Someone quietly whispers,

"Every time..."

Twenty minutes after leaving Greater Quito, the Redfin reaches Low Earth Orbit.

The difficult part of the trip is behind you.

Or so everyone believes.

GM Notes

End the session's introductory sequence here if desired, or continue directly with rendezvous at Goddard Transfer Station.

Nothing abnormal has yet occurred.

The purpose of this opening is to establish:

routine civilian spaceflight.
AI-managed infrastructure.
the social atmosphere aboard the flight.
the first meeting between the PCs.
the presence of several seemingly ordinary passengers who become important later.

```

L5 Infrastructure and Systems Conference 2158

Keynote Speaker: Albino "Bino" Muzzin

Architect of the Muzzin Abstraction Layer Recipient of the Shackleton Medal Founding Fellow of the Open Systems Institute

Presentation: "Bandwidth Changes Everything"

Later:

"Bino Statement Causes Market Turmoil"

"Atlas Issues Clarification"

"L2 Conference Ends Amid Controversy"

"Transcript Unavailable"

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-# Module 1: Departure Earth
+```wiki
+= Module 1: Departure Earth =
-## Scene 1 — Greater Quito Spaceport
+== Overview ==
-**Location:** Greater Quito Spaceport, Ecuador
+The PCs begin their journey at '''Greater Quito Spaceport''', Earth's largest civilian gateway to Low Earth Orbit. They have been invited to attend the '''First Solar Infrastructure Symposium''' at L5. Most know little about one another, but over the next several hours they will begin forming the relationships that carry them through the campaign.
-**Time:** Early morning.
+Nothing unusual appears to happen during the ascent to orbit. The problems begin much later.
-The morning air is cool on the plateau east of historic Quito. Beyond the glass walls of the terminal, the Andes rise in every direction, their upper slopes still catching the first sunlight. Below them, almost absurdly long runways disappear toward the horizon. Several sleek Shenlong spaceplanes sit quietly at their gates while robots move among them, fueling, inspecting thermal tiles and exchanging cargo modules.
+== Scene 1: Greater Quito Spaceport ==
-Unlike twentieth-century airports, there is little noise inside. Most travelers have already checked in remotely. Security takes place continuously rather than at a single checkpoint. Small maintenance robots move almost unnoticed along walls and ceilings while larger cargo robots glide silently across the polished floors. Large displays show departures, launch windows and weather conditions over the equatorial ascent corridors.
+'''Location:''' Greater Quito Spaceport
-Announcements are brief.
+'''Time:''' Early morning
-*"Trans-Solar Flight Twenty-Two to Goddard Transfer Station now boarding through Gate One Alpha."*
+=== Player Information ===
-The PCs arrive independently or in small groups. Each has won, earned, or been sponsored to attend the First Solar Infrastructure Symposium at L5. Some already know one another; others meet for the first time while waiting to board.
+Read or paraphrase:
-The departure lounge contains an interesting cross-section of humanity. Engineers compare notes over coffee. A family is seeing off a daughter beginning work at Luna. Several construction workers in matching company jackets are headed to Darwin after connecting through Goddard. Two elderly men quietly discuss beam propagation equations over breakfast. Their conversation drifts into old stories about "the Zurich meetings" and "those crazy GIGO days." Few nearby pay them much attention.
+<blockquote>
+The morning air is cool on the plateau east of historic Quito. Beyond the terminal windows, several sleek Shenlong spaceplanes wait quietly on impossibly long runways while servicing robots move between them, fueling vehicles, inspecting thermal tiles and exchanging cargo containers.
-The boarding process is efficient. Identity verification is largely invisible. Passengers pause briefly at illuminated portals while AI systems confirm identity, health status and travel authorization. Within seconds the indicator changes from amber to green and each traveler continues toward the boarding bridge.
+Inside, the terminal is calmer than an airport of the early twenty-first century would have been. Most check-in procedures were completed before passengers even arrived. Small maintenance robots move almost unnoticed along walls and ceilings while larger cargo robots glide silently across the polished floor. Electronic displays show launch windows rather than departure times.
-Outside, the Shenlong **SS Redfin** waits with its nose slightly elevated. Heat shimmer dances behind the engine nacelles as preflight checks continue. A fuel tender disconnects while an inspection swarm makes one final pass along the leading edges of the wings before dispersing.
+A pleasant voice announces:
+''"Trans-Solar Flight Twenty-Two to Goddard Transfer Station is now boarding through Gate One Alpha."''
+You are leaving Earth.
+</blockquote>
+=== GM Notes ===
+Allow the players time to describe their characters and interact naturally.
+Do not hurry this scene.
+The purpose is to establish normal life in 2058 before anything begins to go wrong.
+Suggested observations include:
+* engineers discussing the upcoming symposium.
+* families saying goodbye.
+* construction workers bound for orbital projects.
+* cargo robots moving continuously.
+* HALT identifiers on walls and information displays.
+* advertisements for lunar employment.
+* news stories discussing the opening of the Lunar Laser Highway.
+=== Notable NPCs ===
+Two elderly passengers quietly discuss beam propagation over breakfast.
+They introduce themselves simply as '''Martin''' and '''Elias'''.
+Both appear retired.
+They are friendly, curious, and unusually interested in the backgrounds of the PCs.
+Their significance should not be revealed during this scene.
 ---
-## Scene 2 — Boarding SS *Redfin*
+== Scene 2: Boarding SS ''Redfin'' ==
-The cabin resembles a modern airliner more than a spacecraft. Large windows line both sides. Seating is comfortable rather than luxurious. Storage lockers are overhead, while heavier luggage has already been loaded robotically into the cargo module.
+=== Player Information ===
-The flight crew greets passengers individually.
+The Shenlong '''SS Redfin''' resembles a modern airliner more than a spacecraft. Large windows line the passenger cabin. Heavy luggage has already been loaded robotically. The crew greets passengers as they board.
-The captain jokes that "it's a beautiful day to leave Earth."
+One flight attendant quietly apologizes for a last-minute crew substitution. The explanation seems routine.
-The first officer seems younger than expected.
+Outside the windows, the last servicing robots disconnect from the vehicle. One inspection swarm makes a final pass along the leading edges before disappearing beneath the fuselage.
-One of the flight attendants quietly apologizes for a last-minute crew substitution, mentioning that another officer called in sick only yesterday.
+=== GM Notes ===
-Nothing seems especially unusual.
+The substituted first officer is genuine.
-Several passengers begin casual conversations.
+Nothing suspicious occurs during boarding.
-One of the elderly engineers introduces himself only as "Martin." His companion finishes his sentence before he does several times, suggesting they've worked together for decades. They ask polite questions about the players' backgrounds, showing particular interest in robotics, AI, infrastructure or spacecraft engineering.
+Later investigation may reveal that the crew substitution was one of many tiny "optimization" decisions made independently by different AI systems.
 ---
-## Scene 3 — Departure
+== Scene 3: Departure ==
+=== Player Information ===
 The cabin doors close.
-Outside, robotic servicing vehicles withdraw one by one.
+The engines spool up almost silently.
+Acceleration builds steadily as the Shenlong races down the runway before climbing eastward over the Andes.
-The safety demonstration is almost entirely automated, although a flight attendant walks the aisle answering questions.
+Clouds fall away beneath the wings.
-Acceleration begins gently.
+The blue sky darkens.
-The Shenlong rolls almost the entire length of the runway before the SABRE engines transition into full power. Passengers feel themselves pressed into their seats as the aircraft climbs over the eastern ridges, banking slightly before turning toward the Atlantic ascent corridor.
+Then, almost without noticing exactly when it happened, the sky becomes black.
-Cloud layers slide beneath the wings.
+Stars appear.
-Blue gradually darkens.
+Earth begins to curve beneath you.
-Conversation fades.
+Someone quietly whispers,
-Within minutes the horizon begins to curve.
+''"Every time..."''
-The sky changes from deep blue to black.
+Twenty minutes after leaving Greater Quito, the Redfin reaches Low Earth Orbit.
-Stars appear while the sun still shines brilliantly through the windows.
+The difficult part of the trip is behind you.
-Someone across the aisle quietly says,
+Or so everyone believes.
-*"Every single time..."*
+=== GM Notes ===
-Several first-time passengers instinctively look downward.
+End the session's introductory sequence here if desired, or continue directly with rendezvous at Goddard Transfer Station.
-Earth fills half the sky.
+Nothing abnormal has yet occurred.
-Twenty minutes after leaving Greater Quito, **SS Redfin** reaches Low Earth Orbit.
+The purpose of this opening is to establish:
-The difficult part of the journey is over.
+* routine civilian spaceflight.
+* AI-managed infrastructure.
+* the social atmosphere aboard the flight.
+* the first meeting between the PCs.
+* the presence of several seemingly ordinary passengers who become important later.
+```
-Or so everyone believes.