What Drives Your Campaign?

In a comment on my A World of Adventure post, the ever emerald TheKelvinGreen responded to my desire for a open world exploration focused campaign by saying, "I've always wanted to play in a completely open exploration game. Alas, I only ever get to play mission-based or plot-heavy games, with little exploration."

My hearts go out to Kelvin to be sure. At the same time, his statement got me thinking about I what such campaigns would be like. TRPGs with 'little exploration' are not something I'm deeply familiar with. More or less exploration I can conceive of but 'little' just doesn't compute in my adventuring-into-the-unknown oriented brain.

I thought I would take this opportunity to talk about campaign design as it relates to games that are Mission Driven, Narrative Driven, and Exploration Driven. 

Mission Driven

In my mind, a Mission Driven campaign has the PCs largely reacting to and engaging with adventures given to them by an outside entity. The typical Mission comes from a patron; an individual or group capable of hiring you to go perform a task for them. It could be a wealthy merchant, a secret government agency, or even a regular person who needs your character's/party's particular set of skills and abilities. 

Examples of strongly Mission Driven campaigns would be most Superhero games, most Star Trek games, Espionage, and Ghostbusters. 

Superheroes are alerted to criminal activity by the Major or the Trouble Alert.

Star Trek characters are sent to investigate strange anomalies by Starfleet Command. Espionage parties get assignments from Control.

Ghostbusters receive a call from the Manager of a Fancy Hotel about a Ghost.

It is also possible the one giving you your Missions is antagonistic towards your party; you work for them to pay off a debt or their harm you or someone you care about if you don't. In either case, the scenarios come to the PCs and they largely wait for that to happen. Like Firefighters, they don't [usually] roam the streets looking for fires but instead are on stand-by until a call comes in. 

Narrative Driven

Narrative Driven campaigns feature the party of PCs going on an adventure for reasons conditional to the story being told. Maybe its to avenge the destruction of their homeland, to prove they are worthy of being the rulers of a kingdom, or because their dying mentor told them of a great treasure hidden in a distant place. The adventures they go on are all tied to a story and driven by emotions and personal goals. It could be THE story, an overarching tale that influences the entire campaign but it could just as easily be about the members of the group helping one another in pursuit of all of their individual stories. 

Examples of this are tough for me to come up with as this sort of campaign can be created in nearly any kind of setting or genre. A Dungeons and Dragons campaign COULD be Narrative but so could a Horror, Superhero, or virtually any other kind of game. The key is story first and everything else after. 

I can see a number of games of this nature also have Missions and Exploration within them, though I'll address more on this towards the end of the post.

Exploration Driven

By far my favorite type of campaign and the one hardest to execute these days (see below) is the full on Exploration game where a map is made or a region described and the 'adventures' depend on where the PCs want to go and what they want to do there.

Often the Exploration is connected to some idea or theme that governs why the group of Player Characters are exploring the area they're in but what happens because of that motivation is anyone's guess. Once the PCs interact with whatever their destination has in-store for them things can literally go in any direction.

This is my preferred way of running Medieval Fantasy games, Traveller and other Spacefaring Sci-Fi, and I've used it to good effect in other genres as well. There are several games that are traditional viewed as Mission Driven that I think benefit from being a mix of Mission and Exploration (keep reading and you'll see what I mean). 

What Actually Drives Campaigns

Generally speaking, most campaigns are a mix of all these classifications. At least mine are and I would imagine so are most of yours.

Granted, the particular 'levels' of each would vary from Gamemaster to Gamemaster, Genre to Genre, and Campaign to Campaign. For the most part, my Star Trek campaigns are mainly Mission Driven with a great deal of Character Narrative and a good amount of Exploration. Likewise for Superheroes. My Traveller, Star Wars, and other Sci-Fi Space Adventure campaigns are mainly Exploration, with a great deal of Character Narrative and a good amount of Missions. While my Fantasy campaigns tend towards a Exploration, Narrative, Mission format, The Winghorn Guard games [being heavily influenced by the Superhero genre) are Mission, Exploration, Narrative. I think Ghostbusters would be considered Mission, Narrative, Exploration. 

A campaign missing any one of these elements would be pretty odd. These are the key ingredients of Tabletop RPG campaign and adventure design at its most basic after all [IMHO]. I can honestly say I would want to run or play in a campaign with no exploration and no story of any kind. No missions? It's weird to say maybe but I feel that's the only one I could do without and at the same time, I can't imagine an ongoing game that doesn't include missions.

The biggest issue I face these days is that Exploration Driven games require proactivity on the part of the players. You need the people participating to enjoy looking around and interacting with your world or universe. I ran a Traveller campaign not that long ago wherein the PCs were hired by the Imperial Interstellar Scout Service to help them complete the Grand Survey, since the IISSS didn't have enough ships to cover the entirty of Charted Space. Basically their job was to explore the planets in a particular Subsector, catalog key stats and information on them, and report back to the IISS on their findings. If they found particularly useful data such as major resource deposits, a hidden pirate base, an unusual lifeform, or whathaveyou, the PCs would get a 'finder's fee' bonus.

One of my players just couldn't wrap his head around the idea. He didn't understand what we were doing. What was the 'Mission'. He needed to be told, 'Go to Planet A. Do X thing', or it was all too vague for him. Exploration for exploration's sake wasn't a strong enough motivator for him [even though I made it clear he and the other PCs were also getting paid with bonus for more interesting finds]. The game didn't last that long and it made me overly nostalgic for my own High School campaigns of exploring just for the thrill of finding something new. 

What about you? What's your preferences and what do you actually end up running? 

Let me know. I'm really curious!

AD

Barking Alien

A World of Adventure

A big focus of my Solo TRPG Campaign project, 'Journal of a Mixed Elf Mercenary Hero', is exploration.

The Enchanted Lands

As a Gamemaster, I absolutely love World-Building. It is by far my favorite part of the pastime. It allows me to do something with all these ideas that are constantly forming in my head, threatening to burst out of my skull and spray all over the place. Sorry. I know that's a little intense but that doesn't make it untrue. Besides, no one wants to clean that up, trust me.

As a player, I want to explore the world or universe of the game we're playing. I want to see the Gamemaster's vision, be it an original creation or their take on a known IP, and I would like the opportunity to get to know it up close and personal.

In either role, my preferred way to go about this is through an Open-World Exploration Campaign. That is essentially what I am hoping for with this Solo RPG and I feel pretty confident I can achieve it since I am occupying both positions.

Let's start by looking at the map and filling in some general ideas on what exists and where...

  

The usual recommendation when going about the act of world-building is to start small, really local-like, and then only expanding as you need to. For me, that's crap. I can't work that way for a host of reasons, the biggest of which is I want my players (and in this case myself) to be able to go where they want to go as long as they have some way of getting there. To the age old school question of, 'What happens if we travel beyond the edge of the map?', I like to answer, 'There is no edge to the map'. 

To make this work, I need to 'sketch out' some areas so I have a guide for my imagination. Looking at the second map, some points of interest have been placed in the hope that I can explore those areas during the campaign. Some important or at least interesting bodies of water are also included. The Trading Seas are small-to-medium oceanic bodies constantly plyed by merchants and unfortunately pirates. The Strange Sea is almost completely surrounded by lands, from small islands to the large main continent, with many legends surrounding what it is the sails across and roams beneath the waters of this region. Ghost Ships, Sea Monsters, and Vanishing Island that occasionally appears in the center of the sea. 

While I show the homeland locations of the Dwarves, the Elves, the Hairfoots, and the Humans, I purposely haven't defined how large their domains are, how many settlements or citizens they have, etc. I also haven't given the proper name of these places on account of the fact that I haven't decided on them yet. Furthermore, just because I haven't identified where Beastkin or Goblins live doesn't mean there aren't Beastkin and Goblins. This is best thought of as a Visual Outline. 

To this end, I've also pointed out areas of potential adventure and danger by designating Giants in the Northeast and possibly a Dragon in the Northwest. I wrote it in as 'A Dragon?' because I haven't decided if that information is true or merely a fanciful story. Then, as I've already mentioned, there are lands far away to the Southeast and Southwest that have yet to be explored. I've included these known unknowns for exploration and further development later on.

Of special interest is The Ruinlands of an Ancient Empire; a vast expanse of land with numerous dungeons and crumbling temples that are all that remains of a powerful and very magical civilizations from long, long ago.

Finally, I've also noted where my Player Character, Raelyn Riversprite, came from and the fact that the town was basically destroyed. The port is abandoned now - no one lives there to my character's knowledge. 

Exploration

• • PCs are rewarding for discovering something new – a never before encountered (by them specifically) monster, location, thing about the world, etc. For Solo play, these are notated in the campaign ‘Journal’ as ‘I discovered [name or description of thing]’. 
• • Dungeons are ‘alive’: Traps, rival adventurer parties, sentient doors, patrols of haunted armors, and wandering entities that want to chat.
• • Food & Rest: Cooking plants, animals, or even monster meat gives mechanical buffs and restores Physical and Spell Fatigue (a la Delicious in Dungeon). Skipping meals may cause penalties (hungry adventurer/party = comedic failures). Sleep is similar. 

As per usual, more thoughts as they come to me. I am really eager to actually start playing. Hopefully later today. 

Hope to see you on the road...

AD

Barking Alien

What's Fun for Me

The title of the post is both a statement of intent for what I want to talk about but also a question, which I pose to myself; what is it that I enjoy about running and playing Tabletop Roleplaying Games?

This isn't my first time asking myself this. Nor is it the first time I've discussed the answers with all of you. Far from it. What makes this time special? Well...nothing really, other than the subject is on my mind. 

Oh, there's also the matter of a Solo RPG experiment I'd like to try...

Basically, I have two concepts for Solo RPG campaigns, both designed to explore and test out ideas I want to implement in my next long term, open world campaign. I don't believe I'll be able to run both games and so part of what I want to do here is determine which of these two options is the best choice.

Many of the features of the two campaigns will be alike as they share similar DNA: both are open world/universe games, both feature a great deal of player agency, and are going to be 'run' by me (in so far as Solo RPGs have a game facilitator).

Some things may work in one game but not in the other. Some may require tweaking or even need to be heavily reworked in order to fit in a given game. My hope is that the games can both accommodate all the wild antics I have in mind but we'll see. 

As noted above, I can probably only do one of these at a time given various time and obligation constraints, some I'd love to know which one you'd all like to see.

#1. Journal of a Mixed Elf Mercenary Hero

Likely set on my 'D&D-But-Not' world of Aerth, the campaign would follow a young Female Elf of mixed heritage (High Elf and Sylvan Elf) who travels from place to place slaying monsters, defeating brigands, and other such work in exchange for food, shelter, and [I'm thinking] information on the whereabouts of some fiend who decimated her village and killed her family. Yeah, kind of cliche' but it works for this kind of thing. 

The Solo PC would be a Female Elf from a village on the outskirts of Namredel, a nation of Elves of mixed lineages. She herself is descended from a line of High Elf Warriors and Sylvan Elf Mages (though not everyone in her family tree was either a fighter or a magic-user. I'm sure they had shopkeeps and blacksmiths). I see her having 'Nature Magic', spells related to plants, animals, the four elements, and weather. She might seem like a Druid but she comes at it from a very different angle. To me, Druids are Spiritual/Supernatural, while Wizards have a gift that requires study, practice, and skill to use effectively. 

I am curious to explore the character, her personality and interactions, see her in action, develop the world on a smaller more intimate level, and [with any luck] figure out how to create a Medieval Fantasy TRPG campaign that I actually enjoy. I tend to really like my Aerth games but that's largely because of the Winghorn Guard concept, which is actually more like Superheroes than D&D-like Fantasy. By not making her a Winghorn Guard member I am challenging myself to figure out, 'well then what do you do in this setting and how to you go about it'. 

One of the biggest difficulties (and one reason I'm much less into Fantasy) is the lack of dedicated lodging and easy travel. A single PC, or a small party for that matter, can't get from place to place as easily as say, a bunch of flying Superheroes or the crew of a Scout Starship. The whole 'murderhobo' dynamic, sans the murder of course, still leaves one a homeless wanderer. No base to speak of and you know how much I love bases. I could give her a boat or small ship. Hmm. Have to think on this. 

The primary inspirations for this campaign are my previous adventures on Aerth with and without The Winghorn Guard and various Anime/Manga Fantasy series like Delicious in Dungeon, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, and others. 

UPDATE: If I go with a Fantasy game, I may not use my Aerth setting after all. As much as I love it, and I do, it isn't a 'traditional' Medieval Fantasy world in many aspects and I feel like creating something new. 

#2. Diary of a Well Meaning Galactic Outlaw

Set in the Star Wars universe, this campaign follows a Smuggler during an unclear period post-Return of the Jedi/The Battle of Endor, roughly around the same time as the first two Seasons of The Mandalorian. Our 'hero' is a Female Togruta trying to get by in the Outer Rim Territories of the galaxy, with [probably] a price on her head. I see her having done something positive and just while working for a space crime lord and it caused her to fail the job he gave her. No good deed unpunished kind of thing. 

Our PC is, as noted, a Female Togruta (same species as Ahsoka Tano) Smuggler with a decent Light Freighter starship, exceptional piloting skill, a pretty good fighter, and maybe a droid sidekick and/or a co-pilot friend. Not sure. I do want more characters to join her as the campaign goes on but I'm not certain how many allies she should start with. 

In classic Star Wars fashion, her ship is her conveyance, her home, her protector, and in some ways her best pal. It's a little old, kinda beat-up, but it has some kind of unique advantage. Like, for example, maybe it has improved Shields or great Sensors or even a secret Weapon but it's prone to malfunctions and isn't as fast or maneuverable as she'd prefer. Something like that. 

The main obstacle with this kind of campaign is keeping it fresh and exciting. At this point, we all know Star Wars (or at least most of us are) and it can feel like there's nothing new under the twin suns. At the same time, most people I've met tend to play Star Wars RPGs a little differently than I do. I like to mix the swashbuckling action and adventure of it with a cozy, 'slice of life' kind of feel. I love the idea of playing someone who just lives in that universe. They aren't a 'Hero of the Rebellion' or 'The Last of the Jedi'; they're just people doing what they do in this epic, Space Fantasy setting. I kind feel that way about the first campaign as well. That really is my preferred way of running these sort of open universe games. 

Inspirations here, aside from, ya'know...all the Star Wars, are some very specific influences such as recent [and upcoming] computer and video game releases like Star Wars Genesis, Galactic Racer, Zero Company, Outlaw, and of course the animation anthology Star Wars Visions. There's been come cool Star Wars Manga too such as Path of the Lightsaber and Tsukumo, though I don't intend for our Smuggler to be Force Sensitive. Maybe she'll meet a companion who is...

Anyway, those are my ideas. Which do you think I should go for? Which would you want to read about or play? Let me know in the comments. 

Later,

AD

Barking Alien

RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026 - DAY 25

Day 25-Where can I do some shopping?

"While not an alien custom to me, shopping as a pleasurable activity wasn't something I was intimately familiar with prior to joining the Prosperity's crew. 

Growing up on Cheron, shopping was an essential action performed in order to get the goods you needed and that was that. It was only very rarely that my parents would take me shopping for a treat, a toy, or an article of clothing I would choose for myself. 

In the post-scarcity-of-essential-needs-society of the Federation, where everyone is guaranteed to get what they need to live comfortably, shopping seems to be a pastime or hobby to many. It is something they enjoy but it isn't a necessity for life.

*Whispering* Unless you're Lt. JG Kepna Theph, one of Prosperity's top shuttlecraft pilots. How many 'cute' pairs of boots does one being require?" 

Lt. Kepna Theph

Andorian 'Popular Girl'

Apparel and Accessories [Fashion]

Each species and culture has identifying aspects to their fashion; certain elements of their clothes that go beyond practicality and become a mark of their native identity. This then collides with the creativity, philosophy, and aesthetics of the individual. Fashion is a reflection of a people but also a reflection of one person's individuality. 

The design, fabrication, and wearing of particular styles of clothing is considered an artform by many sentients across known space. Shopping for apparel and matching accessories allows one to participate in that art. 

While it seems clothing styles would be a less popular interest out here on the frontier, where survival trumps a nice looking dress, fashion is more prevalent then I ever expected. Out here, what you wear defines who you are. A wealthy merchant and one scraping by are not going to be dressed the same. The prestigous governor of Mozinphar's Planet will surely look more daper than the chief coordinator of New Cheron's struggling new colony.

Andorian fashion is especially interesting in the Tango-9 Sector at present. Lt. Theph is well-versed on the subject and explained it to me in great detail. I will address the highlights here. Apparently, Andorians out here are trying to make one of two statements with their fashion. Some are trying to embrace modern times and welcome Starfleet and other newcomers into the area by wearing clothing reminiscent of Human styles and other widespread, popular designs. Others are doubling down on old Andorian styles, wearing traditional Andorian garb as a way of acknowledging and even reinforcing their cultural identity. 

Lt. JG Kepna Theph, Andorian Fashionista

Old and New combined!

As for Theph herself, always a trendsetter [according to her], she is combining the looks in order to set herself apart and show how mixing the new and the old can result in an overall better outcome. *Whispers* And she's right. She looks amazing. Please don't tell her I said so. I'll never live it down." 

Delicacies and Treats

There are numerous small and portable candies and other edible luxury items that make excellent gifts for friends and family back on the core member worlds. 

One of the most popular and somewhat controversial indulgences are 'The Melting Stars of Enning'. These star shaped 'chocolates', often known simply as Melting Stars, are the invention of a Human confectioner and his Andorian partner, combining centuries of candy-making skill and knowledge with ingredients native to the planet Andor (as well as Mozinphar's Planet).

As previously noted, Andorian cuisine is often perceived as either very bland or overly sweet by non-Andorians, so the couple leaned into the latter to inspire this rather ingenious creation. Each star is a chocolate shell filled with either a honey-like substance made from the wooly moths of Andoria or, less often, a type of paste made from crushed nuts, miteberries, or a combination of the two. The exterior chocolate container is subtly bittersweet and most of the sugary flavor comes from the filling. They are delicious in my opinion but that isn't what makes them so special. They are produced using a rather unusual freeze-drying process that makes them solid and long lasting [without spoiling] but allows them to practically dissolve on contact with the tongue [of most species]. 

A popular beverage is made from warmed or room temperate milk into which a few of the Melting Stars are dropped, quickly flavoring the drink with a mix of chocolate and whatever the interior contains as they breakdown. in addition, a recent variation uses a smaller amount of chocolate mixed into a paste made from nuts, similar to what Humans tell me is called 'Marzipan', to produce Melting Stars of a cream or ivory-white color. It adds a sweet, nutty flavor to the confection that is surprisingly subtle. Absolutely excellent! 

What makes it controversial is that the particular method of freeze-drying used to make these Melting Stars is a time honored Andorian tradition important to various spiritual rituals and holiday foods and many Andorians look down on its use in this way. 

Souvenirs

I once met a Denebian Trader who told me, "Wherever there is commerce, there are people willing to waste their money".

The purchasing of small trinkets and momentos isn't something that ever made sense to me. That doesn't mean I don't have my own modest collection of objects I've gathered over the years that have sentimental value. I didn't buy them though; I came across them in my travels and held on to them for one reason or another.

Considering this, I think I get the idea behind 'Souvenirs' a little better in retrospect. It helps to have some physical proof of where we've been for both our own satisfaction and to share with others. These items say, 'See? I was there.' As we get older it can even help to remind us of great moments of the past, less we forget them. 

Among the keepsakes I've seen that I might recommend looking into:

A shop display on Deep Space Station K-12

Khelayan 'Cracked Crystals': Dark, dull blue rocks with veins of burnished gold running through them that are sold all across the sector. Each merchant hawking these interesting if unimpressive looking stones claims they are authentic pieces of burned out 'Precursor' technology, rendered inert by the Prosperity's crew at the close of the Vault War. The problem with these rocks is, of course, that the vast majority of the crystals are simply fakes. Some are similar looking but not structurally equivalent elements, while others are poorly painted forgeries. Actual pieces of Janissary technology are currently illegal to possess. The entirety of these artifacts are under the jurisdication of the United Federation of Planets Science Council and Starfleet Command. 

That said, if you participated in and/or were effected by the war, you might find this all a bit ghoulish. Others I have spoken to have picked up a stone to remember friends and allies who fell during the conflict. We all grieve in our own way I suppose. 

Mazzulan Welcome Blanket: Beautifully woven blankets, each hand-made and unique, regarded as symbol of hospitality, friendship, and safety. These are given to visitors staying over at a Mazzulan home, inn, or other lodging establishment and the recipient is encouraged and expected to take the blanket with them when they leave. I've heard that some very traditional Mazzulans will actually be offended if you don't take the blanket with you. 

Mozinphar's 'Bright Winter Moon' Andorian Ale: A rare beverage only brewed once every three years and only in limited quantities. Drink it or not but keep the bottle. It notes the location, brewer, and the year it was made. 

Uthaden Luck Puck: In their native language, an 'Uthoo Toose', this is a disc about 5.75-6 cm in diameter and about 2.5 cm thick, carried on ones person, that is made of old fur, claw shavings, and other organic material from an individual combined with a clay from the owner's homeworld. This is super-heated and hardened and then carried around as it is thought to protect one from misfortune and bring good luck. Yes, the idea might be seen as kind of off putting to some but its kind of a fascinating item, no? You cannot just purchase one by the way. You can only get one by having one made for you. Get a haircut, save some of the hair, add a few nail clippings, and some cast off skin cells and you have yourself a very unusual and special memento.

"With that, I think its time we starting heading towards our last leg of the tour and...I hope I used that phrase correctly. There are a few more things to do and tales to tell, so let's all freshen up and meet back here for dinner. Is that acceptable to everyone? Great!".

See you then,

AD

Barking Alien

Hey all, sorry this has been delayed so long. I've been extremely busy with Real LifeTM and a dozen additional TRPG projects. I'm working on so many things, things I REALLY want to discuss, but I also feel driven to finish this first. Does that contribute to the delay?

The frustration in not being done yet can slow my ability to get things done; I know this. I've been down that road before. That said, I can't give up now. I don't want to and I am and have been having a lot of fun doing this Challenge so...I'll see it through. 

Thanks for listening and for sticking with me. We're almost finished.

RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026 - DAYS 23 and 24

Day 23 and Day 24-What are the major exports and imports of the region?

As you can see, I am running over in March. February was just such a wild month for me that I didn't have the time or energy to complete my own Challenge within the 28 day period, regardless of how much I really wanted to. I will be completing it however, hopefully within this first week of March. 

I had originally planned to make this one post but as I tried to fill out the entire 28 days of the month of February, I found I was short an idea for an entry and so I separated exports and imports into two sep

arate posts. As I am already running into overtime on the Challenge, I thought it best to combine them once more. 

"The Tango Super Sector is unusual in that it is considered the frontier; a wild and untamed place far from the civilized ways of the Federation's core member worlds, yet even out here trade and commerce are a vital and powerful aspect of the lives of those who dwell in the region. Whether you find yourself in Sector 001, the Old Colonies of Romulus, or Sector Tango-9 at the edge of known space, an exchange of goods and services remains the lifeblood of sentient society."

The most commonly encountered civilian and commercial

starships in the Tango-8 and Tango-9 Sectors.

Here are the key exports and imports that matter most to the Tango Sectors and its people:

Major Exports

Andorian Ale

As mentioned already, Mozinphar's Planet, orbiting Mozinphar's Star at System GL 667, is an agricultural marvel that raises, among a number of other crops popular with the Andorian people, Thaldrisil - the light blue barely-like grain used to make Andorian Ale.

In addition to the many farms established by the families of the Clan of Provisions, including the nobile and extremely wealthy Endilev Family, there are a least a dozen breweries producing, packaging, and shipping their famous beverage back to the UFP. 

Mined Materials

Metals, minerals, natural chemicals, and gases from minig operations are both the most common and the most lucrative products to be found, sold, and traded. This is in spite of the fact that Dilithium finds are very rare. Instead, more common materials are far more abundant and easy to extract. There are some rarer elements that have been found in notable amounts but their retrieval often requires extra effort and specialized equipment. 

Miners from the Janus Mining Corporation at Asteroid M3 in the Maw Asteroid Field

The Janus Mining Corporation, the second largest such operation in the region after the Andorian Mining Consortium, has brought a number of Horta with them to assist in the excavation of key claims in the Maw Asteroid Field. This is part of a 'Pilot Program' to expand the working relationship between Federation Miners and the Horta of Janus VI. 

One additional note; While Dilithium is difficult to locate out here, Dilithirite much less so. Dilithirite is an inferior form of Dilithium often found in and around Dilithium deposits. In fact, when cutting away impurities in a Dilithium Crystal formation, those impurities are, very often, largely composed of Dilithirite. 

(L) Pure Dilithium and (R) Dilithirite

For the most part the material has few commercial uses. Under normal conditions, the more energy applied to Dilithirite the more unstable it becomes, eventually building to critical mass and exploding. Not a very good stand in for the traditional Dilithium Crystals used in Warp Drive mechanics if they can potentially blow up your ship. It probably comes as no surprise that Dilithirite is sometimes used in the construction of low-yield explosives, mostly by mining corporations funny enough. 

In theory, while you can not recrystalize burned out Dilithium, many theorize there might be a way to filter out the impurities of Dilithirite, repeatedly, and compress the remaining crystals into a Dilithium substitute. My own people, the Cheronians, have a process by which the structure of Dilithirite can be modified by bombarding it with nuclear radiation, resulting in a low-grade Dilithium alternative that they use in their starship auxillary batteries for back-up and emergency power. Recently, with the difficulty in developing and maintaining their New Cheron colony, the survivors of Cheron have resorted to trying to perfect this process so as to be less dependent on imported Dilithium.

Major Imports

To continue with the conversation we were just having, Dilithium Crystals are much in depend, hard to come by, and especially rare in the Sectors of Tango-8 and Tango-9. Dilithium is a vital component of starship operation and Warp travel and there really isn't any way around that. 

Another very necessary mineral that needs to be imported into the region is Ryetalyn, the only known cure for Rigelian Fever and a number of other, similar bacterium based illnesses. 

Nurse Santos displays Ryetalyn raw and in liquid form.

Ryetalyn is incredibly rare in the Tango-9 Sector and much in demand by the Blue Orions, Federation Colonists, and New Cheron Colony at Xices. Blue Orion Pirates often attack medical shipments bringing Ryetalyn into the area in hope of reselling some of it while keeping the majority portion for themselves. 

Starfleet has stepped up convoy escorts and is investigating potential new local sources on as yet unexplored planets in the sector.

"All this talk of commerce; imports, exports, and free trade for all! Hmm...that gives me an idea! Let's go shopping!"

AD

Barking Alien

RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026 - DAY 22

Day 22-Tell us about notable Flora and Fauna.

"I've had more than my fair share of encounters with dangerous wildlife and perilous plants while living on my own all those years ago.

Even so, I am by no means an authority on the subject. You know who is? Ensign Salar, a Xenobiologist in Prosperity's venerable Science Department. One might even say he is 'passionate' about the subject."

"You are attempting to make a humorous comment at my expense. I do not appreciate your teasing attitude regarding my emotional disposition. *Lets out...a sigh?* Nonetheless, I am deeply fascinated by animals, plants, and how they develop and fit into a planet's ecosystem. Therefore, I shall assist you in giving this informative address about the creatures and vegetation we have catalogued in the Tango Super Sector. 

You 'owe me one' as the Humans say."

Thaldrisil - Andorian Blue Barley

 

Originating on the Andorian homeworld of Epsilon Indii VIII A, more commonly known as Andoria or simply Andor, this light blue colored grain is common across the farmlands of the planet, both North and South of the equatorial regions. 

Known as Thaldrisil in the Andorian language of Graalen, the grain is a vital component in the production of Andorian Ale, a major export of the Andorians in this area of space. While the Thaldrisil was brought to Mozinphar's World from Andor, it has thrived in the remarkably similar climate and soil. 

The Creatures of Dinom II 

(Season 8, Episode 10 'Across he Bright Face')

For a very hot and dry planet, not unlike my native Vulcan, Dinom II has a very diverse selection of animal life. What makes Dinom II's biodiversity even more intriguing is that the world is tidally locked, meaning one side is constantly being bombarded by the rays of its relatively close sun.

All of the animal life on the planet seems to include features similar to sauropods and/or theropods and mammal. This is in addition to whatever other categories it's biological make-up may place it in. For example, a number of creatures seem to incorporate a degree of arthropod-like DNA even though they are clearly not traditional arthropods. Even the avian Crueldactyl or 'Bloody Axe Beaked Flyer' is more closely related to flying mammals and reptiles than it is any sort of bird. 

Serving in Starfleet has taught me that category distinctions are often...complicated. 

Some of the more notable species encountered by the Command Crew include (Left to Right):

Animal Biodiversity on Dinom II

Caesordorsalis or 'Armored Head Slasher': A massive creature with heavily armored backplates, elbow 'spur' talons, and a pair of hard ridged bones on either side of its head that it can use to both cut down prey or deflect incoming attacks to its face and head. The creature's armor is so tough it can ignore a Type II Phaser set for Stun and the slasher ridges on either side of its head can withstand the 'Heavy Stun' setting. 

Laceruda or 'Scorpion Tailed Pincer Lizard': a vicious and fast moving predator with pincher claw forelimbs and a poison stinger equipped tail. It can close distance in record breaking time for similar lifeforms but it is an ambush predator, saving up its energy for the eventual charge and sting. Consider it similar to an Earth Cheetah crossed with an Zaranite Dune Springer.

Crueldactyl or 'Bloody Axe Beak Flyer': a flying predator/scavenger with a rather cunning and effective means of hunting and eating prey. The creatures will flying down from the sky, strike a prey animal in the hind quarters or legs if possible, and then wait until the victim follows behind its pack. They then circle overhead and once the creature dies of blood loss, heatstroke, or even starvation, the horde of them descend upon the carcass to consume it. They travel in groups of three to a dozen individuals of varying ages and sizes. A group of them has been dubbed a 'horde'. 

Mantigris or 'MantisTiger Lizard': Also called the 'Scythe Mantis Cat', this is the second fastest moving creature on Dinom, right behind the Scorpion Tailed Pincher. In fact, this animal has a considerably faster response time to outside stimuli and can strike almost twice as quickly at close range. The Pincer Lizard is faster is a dedicated run/chase. 

Tonivacca or 'Desert Thundercow': This herbivorous animal feeds on 'Succulent Moss' and similar plants that grow near and in the few watering holes on Dinom. When the entire herd of 10-12 beasts has had a sufficient amount of hydration and food, no more and no less, they instinctively migrate to the next body of 'fresh' water. Most herds follow a seemingly nomadic route that has been passed on to the next generation for centuries, changing only when environmental challenges mandate it.  

These are the main prey of the Crueldactyls and Armored Head Slashers and we wondered, 'how have they survived such vicious and powerful predators?'. For one thing, they are extremely tough, like most lifeforms on Dinom II, with remarkable levels of endurance and resistance to physical damage. They are also capable of creating two different sounds that intimidate and confuse predators. One is an incredibly loud, rumbling bellow. The other is the heavy footsteps of the herd in motion. When the Thundercow runs from an attacker the very ground below them shakes and the air is filled with a thunderous pounding [, hence their name].

The Great Wetland Cephalopod of Yed Prior

(Season 8, Episode 3 'Dinner and a Show')

Forced to participate in gladitorial combat in the 'Arena of Yed' by the planet's robot custodians, the world's stranded inhabitants and eventually the Prosperity's Command Crew had to face such dangerous opponents as the Great Wetland Cephalopod. 

A species of large cephalopod dwelling in the massive, unusually deep, tropical swamps of Yed Prior I's Southern Hemisphere. A type of algae or mossy grass grows on the creature, forming a symbiotic relationship that keeps the animal's skin moist while its on land. In exchange, the cephalopod moves the algae into more sunlight or nutrient rich waters and providing other benefits thanks to its mobility. 

The creatures are carnivorous, with a vertical mouth behind an outer rim of flesh consisting of its front tentacles. The sharp, sometimes jagged 'teeth' along the creature's tentacles are actually chitinous hooks for grasping, holding, and tearing at prey. Because the base of the forward limbs surround the mouth, these hooks are indeed used as teeth, in a fashion, slicing up what it consumes into pieces small enough to be crushed by the muscles of its inner jaw. 

The Great Cephalopod is able to travel on land quickly, if clumsily, using its tentacles and the twin-taloned claws at the end of some of them (others have a single claw). Its aquatic movement combines the use of its tentacles with carefully released discharges of stored water and air. 

"Thank you so much for your help Salar and I apologize for teasing you. Please don't be mad."

"I appreciate...Mad? Are you...joking again?"

Well, here we are at the 28th of February and I am by no means finished with the Campaign Tour Challenge. I am way behind on yet another Challenge, only this one is mine. I made it myself and I'm still behind. Good grief. 

I'm going to finish it. I am honestly having too much fun doing this to stop now. My slow down was due to Real LifeTM stuff, not a lack of interest or enthusiasm. Please stick with me until the end.

Thanks. 

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It is with great sadness that I acknowledge the passing of Robert 'Rob' Grant, the British Comedy Writer and Television Producer best known as one of two Co-Creators of the English Sci-Fi TV Series 'Red Dwarf'. 

Mr. Grant passed away suddenly on Wednesday, February 25th, at the age of 70. 

A huge Red Dwarf fan, I am sorry for this loss to his family, friends, fans, and the entertainment industry. 

RPG Campaign Tour Challenge 2026 - DAY 19

Day 19-Any 'Must See' sites?

"Hmm. We covered some of the most spectacular sight-seeing spots the Tango-8 and 9 sectors have to offer in our entry on Day 10 but let me see...what else is here that you absolutely shouldn't miss? 

Oh! I know one you have just got to see!"

USS Prosperity approaches the Vasor Space Ark at 44 Eta Librae II.

The Vasor Space Ark

44 Eta Librae II, 44 Eta Librae System

A very warm Class M planet covered with vast stretches of tropical rainforest and dense jungle, 44 Eta Libra had a small Federation agricultural colony on the planet. Approximately 10 years ago, the farming operations sufferred from an invasion of insects that was not only threatening to the harvests but causing the side effect of altering the soil and atmosphere as they died off.

The situation was becoming dangerous enough to the colonists that a Federation Xenobiologist specializing in invasive species, Dr. Tengar Nal of Catulla, was called in to investigate. She eventually theorized that the insects weren't just from a different region but a different planet. These aliens bugs were going to be a serious problem.

Dr. Tengar Nal, Federation Xenobiologist and the Vasorian Locust

 About 5 years after beginning her research, a massive alien starship approached the planet and the USS Prosperity was dispatched to deal with it. After exploration of the vessel and first contact with its occupants, the ship was discovered to be a Vasor Space Ark. The Vasorians had sent the Vasorian Locusts ahead of their colony ship 50 years earlier to assist in terraforming the planet, which they had observed at that time to be unihabited.

Vasorian and Vasorian 'Locust' next to two Human Starfleet Officers for scale. 

After an initially hostile misunderstanding, Captain Fletcher was able to negotiate with the Vasorian Leader who did not want to endanger the inhabitants of 44 Eta Librae nor did he intend to conquer another people's home. However, the star of the Vasor home system had gone nova and they were only able to develop this Space Ark and the plan they'd committed to before departing. With the help of the Prosperity, the Federation Colonists, and Federation Diplomats, an accordance was reached giving the Vasorian refugees an island continent where they could work with environmental scientists to adapt the land to their biology and the Vasorians' constitutions to the land. 

All this to say that the Vasorian Space Ark, which remains in orbit of 44 Eta Librae II, is open for public viewing via scheduled tours, with Vasorian and Federation guides. The interior of the Colony Ship is amazing to behold, with circular corridors surrounding the central power plant and control deck, before reaching the primary deck's 'Biome Domes'. Within each of these domes is a separate ecology simulating an extinct environment that once existed on the Vasorian homeworld. These biomes include animals and plants once native to their original world that the Vasorians were able to save.

It is sad to think that this is all that remains of their planet. At the same time, it is quite impressive to see what they've been able to accomplish and promising for their future that they're flexible enough to ask for help and work with the Federation to ensure the continued well-being of their people. 

When you are finished exploring a massive starship that contains 8 different alien biomes from a world that no longer exists, go down to the beautiful beaches and wonderous flora of 44 Eta Librae II. The planet is benefiting from the increased tourism brought in by the orbiting Vasor Space Ark, with a tropical resort built on the surface of the world, purposely constructed far from the farming communities as not to interfere with them. 

From the Season 7 episode, 'All That Remains'.

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