Interested Faction: Foreign Corporation (Xarvon-Tek, a sprawling interstellar conglomerate obsessed with expanding its influence)
Players’ Information:
The characters are approached by a sharply dressed bureaucrat named Kael Dravus, a mid-tier executive from Xarvon-Tek, a foreign megacorporation known for its ruthless pursuit of power. Kael has a polished demeanor but a predatory glint in his eye. He offers the group a discreet contract: represent Xarvon-Tek in diplomatic negotiations with the Ascendancy of Voryn, a major galactic power based in a nearby star system, Voryn Prime. The goal is to secure a trade and resource pact that would give Xarvon-Tek a foothold in the region. The job comes with a tight deadline—24 weeks—because of an upcoming galactic summit where the Ascendancy will complete its alliances. Success means a long-term connection with Xarvon-Tek, potentially opening doors to bigger jobs. Failure, however, could tarnish the characters’ reputations as reliable operators in this sector.
Complicating Faction: Local Organization (The Voryn Sentinels, a powerful council of top officials on Voryn Prime)
Complication:
The Voryn Sentinels, led by High Arbiter Lysara Ten, are the Ascendancy’s gatekeepers. They suspect foreign corporations and fiercely protect their system’s autonomy. Lysara, ranked among the top 10 officials, sees Xarvon-Tek’s overtures as a threat to Voryn’s sovereignty and has rallied local factions to resist the deal. She’s charismatic, uncompromising, and has the ear of the Ascendancy’s ruling council. The characters must navigate their influence while keeping negotiations alive.
What: Galactic Intrigue
The mission revolves around high-stakes diplomacy—backroom deals, subtle espionage, and swaying key figures on Voryn Prime. The Ascendancy is a major power with advanced tech and vast resources, making it a prize worth fighting for. Xarvon-Tek wants to exploit its wealth, but the Sentinels are determined to keep their system independent.
Timescale: 24 Weeks
The galactic summit looms six months away, and Xarvon-Tek needs the pact signed before rival corporations or local resistance derail the plan. Every move will count as the clock ticks down.
Complication: Moral Dilemma (Individual vs. Community)
Midway through the negotiations, the characters uncover Xarvon-Tek’s true intent: the corporation plans to strip Voryn Prime’s outer colonies of resources, displacing millions to fuel its profit margins. The deal would enrich a few Ascendancy elites while leaving entire communities destitute. The characters face a choice—push the deal through for their reward, or sabotage it to protect the powerless, risking Xarvon-Tek’s wrath and their own standing.
Reward: Connection
If the characters succeed, Kael Dravus promises them a permanent line to Xarvon-Tek’s resources—credits, ships, or intel for future jobs. They’d gain a powerful, if unscrupulous, ally in the galaxy’s corporate web.
Consequence: Loss of Reputation/Prestige
Failure—or betrayal—means Xarvon-Tek will smear the characters’ names across the sector, branding them as unreliable or traitorous. Word travels fast in nearby systems, and the stain could haunt them for years.
Location: Nearby System (Voryn Prime)
Voryn Prime is a gleaming hub of spire-cities and orbital stations, surrounded by resource-rich asteroid belts and struggling frontier colonies. It’s a place of stark contrasts—opulent wealth in the core, grinding poverty on the edges—ripe for intrigue and conflict.
Possible Twists:
- Lysara Ten offers a counter-deal: work with the Sentinels to expose Xarvon-Tek, promising local support but no hard credits.
- A rival corporation catches wind of the negotiations and sends agents to sabotage the talks.
- An underground resistance from the outer colonies begs the characters to leak Xarvon-Tek’s plans, threatening violence if ignored.
