Treacherous Challenges on Tarl
The black, rocky planet of Tarl is nearly unlivable except for a 1000-km wide band that wraps around the equator. The non-livable areas to the north and south of the equator are called wastezones and are void of magon. Even though the equator is livable, it’s far from tolerable as the air is heavy with carbon gases and nearly every creature is predatory to humans. The magon that winds its way between the two wastezones is bright red and is the cause of the stark stripe seen around the planet from space. All bioforms on Tarl are polahydrocarbic in nature—that is to say, they are made of a mixture of pitch, tar, ash, and ink.
Life on Tarl is very difficult. The plants are toxic to touch, every animal seems to be a predator, and the air, while not poisonous, is hypoaerobic and can be deadly if one is not careful. Magon requires several rounds of refinement for stabilization, and even then, it still has a sharp, bitter taste.
There are two colonies on Tarl. The first is a military and defense research complex owned and operated by the country of Armcall. The other is an ecological research settlement owned and operated by the International Center for Astral Projection (ICAP). The two colonies have been settled on separate sides of the planet, and, per the order of Armcall, have no interaction with, allegiance to, or recognition of the other.
Adventure Hooks
The Luxury of Time: As agents for the North Genessa Federal Intelligence Agency (NGFIA), your team has been tasked with setting up surveillance around the Armcall military base on Tarl. This is a highly dangerous mission, as you must survive without the help of any local colonies and refrain from building any shelters of your own. Once teleported, you will have to traverse long distances of harsh environments by foot and get extremely close to the complex while remaining unnoticed. Furthermore, you will need to manually traverse a distance of 10km before teleporting back to base. Can you handle the harsh conditions? How close can you get the gear without getting caught? What exactly are they researching in the complex?
The Edge of Life: As a biological research outfit from ICAP, you have the mission to explore the northernmost band of the “livable region” on Tarl. The extremophiles that inhabit this area have bizarre natural features which might provide insight into new ways to colonize and mine non-livable worlds. Can your team survive the expedition? Will you discover the secret of the extremophiles? What is causing those strange wailing sounds in the northern wastezones?
A Frail Nest Unraveled: The research colony is under attack from the inside! Communications have been hacked, life support systems have been destroyed, the specimens in the biological lab have been released, and the guards to the refinery district are missing. As colony controllers, your mission is to save the colony and capture the saboteurs. What will be your first priority? Fixing the life support systems, searching for and rescuing the missing guards, stopping the saboteurs? How many lives will be lost from this attack? What are those responsible trying to do?
The Hunt for Hyprasaur: As a bioform extraction troop in Armcall’s military complex, your mission is to hunt down the powerful polahydrocarbic predator, Hyprasaur. The giant, feline-like dinosaur is made of ink and ash. This monster is a cunning killer and speedy teleporter. The mission is to find a hyprasaur, immobilize it, and bring it back to the complex. Can you track this beastly behemoth and take it down or will you be devoured as so many helpless victims before?