Greetings, My Space-Fairing Challengers!
We interrupt our regular programming with this breaking news. Our Rogue-Trader, Sir Sidney Roundwood, has just returned from his perilous journey to the outer reaches of the mysterious Challenge XII Quadrant. After a lho-stick and and an amasec-laced eggnog, here is what he has to report:
'The Challenges of the last two years have been very much earth-bound. First, we had a long-lost tropical island to investigate, and then a dangerous dungeon under Snow-Lord’s Peak. Nonetheless, for Challenge XII, we leave behind the dark halls of stone, rising up from the sandy shores of Challenge Island. In fact, we leave behind Earth completely, and venture into the vastness of Spaaace... (ed. Sorry, I couldn't resist.)
Imagine for a moment, a sky of inky darkness. But look more closely and, as your eyes adjust, you can see planets and moons, a comet and satellites, and the tiny feathery whorls of dim nebulae.
This year’s Challenge features the Challenge XII Quadrant, drawn from worlds in literature, gaming, roleplaying, cinema, horror and the imagination.
From your observatory, relaxing in your orbiting star-yacht (another Rogue Trader perhaps), you can trace the arcs of meteors and plot the course of the stars.'
So, consulting your star-charts, arcane almanacs, runes, messages from the Warp and perhaps the Hitchhiker’s Guide, you will find the following astronomical destinations, along with their associated challenges.
*Please note that I have kept the challenges (usually two choices per location) purposefully open and flexible, hopefully providing sufficient elbowroom for creative interpretation.
Vulcan: Something Logical; Pointy Ears
Solaris: Deception; Illusion
Arda: Fantasy; Tolkienesque
Caprica: Doomed; Ambush
Death Star: Hubris; Of Questionable Design
Skaro: Strange Doctors; Weird Robots
Klendathu: Bug War; An Invasion Gone Bad
Glorantha: Quest; Runes; Heroes
Istvaan V: Betrayal; Heretical/Heretics or Loyalty/Loyalists
Babylon5: Operatic; Low Budget Fun
The Middle Ring
Perelandra: Venus; Oceanic; Temptation
Noel’s Comet: Friendship described miniature, along with a loquacious story (You know, as Noel would say, 'Why use 10 words when ten thousand will do.')
LV426: Aliens; A Really, Really Bad Idea
Arrakis: Desert; Worms; Spice; Machiavellian
Cybertron: Robot(s), Transformation/Transformative
Vogsphere: Bureaucracy; Black Comedy
Corsucant: Imperial; Good vs Evil
The Inner Ring
Altair IV: Forbidden; Old Robots
Gethen: Ice; Cold; Androgyny
Krypton: Weakness; Superhero
Terra: Earthbound; Home
Lune: Witchcraft; Changing Tides; Moods, Sorcery
Xanth: Never Ending; A Unique Talent
Mars: God of War; Barsoom; A Mysterious Neighbour
You can start your journey at any point along the Outer Ring, or chart a journey on 'Sarah's Star Yacht' if you wish.'Sarah's Star Yacht' will take you to any planet within a your current Ring for the cost of a painted female figure.You can move to an inner Ring by 1) completing 4 locations; 2) travelling through a 'Warp Maelstrom' after finishing a location adjacent to one (along with 3 other locations in the ring) ; or 3) travelling through 'The Great Abyssal' (again, after completing 4 location in the ring).Each completed location (including Sarah's Star Yacht) awards 20 bonus points in addition those points scored from the entry.Locations accessed by a 'Warp Maelstrom' awards 30 bonus points. The destination will be determined randomly by your Daily Minion.
