Main Quest: Lone Star Ambitions¶

Available after completing Main Quest: Diplomatic Relations. Can be performed in any order with Main Quest: Pirates' Plunder.

Add 2 Action Points per Player Character to the GM’s pool when the quest begins.

This quest expects players to be at Level 3. If they are not, the GM should adjust the difficulty of encounters accordingly.

Summary¶

The player, known in the Gulf Coast Wasteland, receives a message to meet a Lone Star Republic representative in Rice Village. The message's content varies based on the player's past actions.
In Rice Village, they are greeted differently:
If they helped the Bayou Brotherhood, Congressman Theodore Wilcox welcomes them and introduces them to negotiator Sarah Dawson.
If they aided the Lone Star Republic, the President personally acknowledges their presence and introduces them to Sarah Dawson.
For those who responded to the general broadcast, they are met by a Lone Star Republic general who gives an overview of the mission.
Negotiator Sarah Dawson explains the mission: negotiate with the Oil Barons for a Fusion Core Stabilizer under the guise of improving electricity stability.
The player, accompanied by Sarah, heads to Western Reach, meets with Leonard Petrovich of the Oil Barons, and negotiates to purchase the Fusion Core Stabilizer.
Upon securing it, the player and Sarah must take an indirect route to the Spaceport to avoid drawing attention, facing potential challenges from mercenaries sent by the Oil Barons or Galveston Pirates along the way.
Depending on the chosen route, the player may need to convince hostile parties to avoid a confrontation and ensure the safe delivery of the Fusion Core Stabilizer to the Spaceport.

Setting¶

Possibly:

Plot¶

The Call to Rice Village¶

The player, having already established themselves in the Gulf Coast Wasteland through previous quests, receives a message to meet a representative of the Lone Star Republic in Rice Village. Depending on their previous actions, the nature of the message varies:
- If the players helped the Bayou Brotherhood in Quest 1, Theodore Wilcox, a congressman representing Harbor's Rest (formerly Baytown) greets the player, praising their reputation among the Bayou Brotherhood. A courier delivers the message.
- If the players helped the Lone Star Republic in Quest 2, the President himself acknowledges the player's heroic efforts at the Spaceport and sends a message. A courier delivers the message.
- Both of the above may apply, in which case both the Congressman and the President greet the players.
- Otherwise, a General of the Texas Rangers broadcasts a message, seeking mercenaries and couriers for a well-paying job. This is a generic message sent to all potential hires.
The message instructs the player to meet a Lone Star Republic negotiator at Rice Village's town square.

The Message¶

This is an example message sent to the Players. The message's content should vary based on the player's past actions. Details should be more scarce if this is a general broadcast.

My Fellow Adventurers,

I extend to you a warm welcome to the heart of our great Lone Star Republic, the bustling and vibrant Rice Village. As President, it is both an honor and a privilege to call upon your exceptional skills and unwavering courage for a matter of utmost importance. The winds of change blow through our land, and a crucial quest awaits those brave enough to take up the challenge.

Our beloved republic stands at a crossroads, and I beseech you to gather at the Grand Hall in Rice Village. Therein lies a formidable task that requires your unique talents—a negotiation of paramount significance with the formidable Oil Barons. These shrewd business magnates control a critical resource that fuels our nation's prosperity, and your expertise will be vital in securing a trade deal that ensures both the welfare of our people and the prosperity of our great land. May your journey to the capital be swift and your resolve unyielding, for the Lone Star Republic depends on your valor in this critical hour.

With steadfast conviction and high hopes for our shared future,

President Samuel Davis
Lone Star Republic

Rice Village Arrival¶

The player arrives at Rice Village, the de facto capital of the Lone Star Republic. Depending on the nature of the message they received, they are greeted differently:
- If the player helped the Bayou Brotherhood, the congressman representing Harbor's Rest welcomes the player, referring to their prior actions. He introduces the player to the Lone Star Republic negotiator, Sarah Dawson, and their mission.
- If the player helped the Lone Star Republic, the President personally acknowledges the player's presence and thanks them for their previous assistance. He introduces the player to negotiator Sarah Dawson and explains the importance of the upcoming mission.
- If the player responded to the general broadcast, they are met by a Lone Star Republic general who provides a brief overview of the mission and introduces Sarah Dawson.
After arriving, the greeting party may guide the players to the Grand Hall, possibly giving them a tour of the city along the way. The Grand Hall is a large building in the center of Rice Village, and it is where the Lone Star Republic's government is headquartered. It is a large, imposing building, with a large dome and a tall spire. It is surrounded by a large plaza, and it is a popular tourist attraction.

The Negotiation: Day 1¶

Warning

This section is written with Sarah Dawson leading the negotiations. From experience, simply having non-player characters negotiate with each other is not very fun for players. Additionally, it makes the player characters' presence feel redundant. The gamemaster should encourage the players to lead the negotiations, with Sarah Dawson providing guidance and support. The gamemaster should also encourage the players to use their skills and abilities to influence the negotiations. Some gamemasters have even had success with giving the players a character sheet and background knowledge about Sarah Dawson, so that they can roleplay her during the negotiations. Use the list below of knowledge and bargaining chips that Sarah Dawson has access to.

Things Sarah Dawson Knows about the Negotiations

Ranger Intelligence says that the Oil Barons have at least six Fusion Core Stabilizers, but they are not willing topart with them or even acknowledge their existence.
Oil Barons want control of Petroclave Oilfields, which is currently controlled by the Lone Star Republic.
Oil Barons have struggled to maintained good relations with the Brotherhood of Steel Texas Chapter, which has recently caused them problems shipping oil and fusion cores west to Caesar's Legion by imposing customs fees and tariffs on caravan shipments.
Oil Barons have been planning a railway to transport oil and fusion cores west to Caesar's Legion and to New Vegas, but they lack the manpower to build or protect it.
Oil Barons are aware of the Emergence of the Spaceport survivors, and that the Lone Star Republic is planning some launch, but they do not know the details, including the secret fact that the mission is manned.
The Brotherhood of Steel, focused on reclaiming pre-war technology, might be interested in the Fusion Core Stabilizer, and might even be willing to use force to obtain it.
Leonard Petrovich convinced her former friend Dr. Emily Wells to join the Oil Barons to lead "special projects" at the Oil Barons' headquarters in the Energy Corridor.
The Lone Star Republic needs the Fusion Core Stabilizer for their upcoming manned space mission
Leonard Petrovich is vehemently opposed to space exploration, believing it to represent the wastefulness and hubris of the pre-war world that led to its doom.

Things Leonard Petrovich Knows about the Negotiations

The Lone Star Republic is interested in the Fusion Core Stabilizer, and that they claim to need it for their outskirt settlements, but Petrovich doubts their intentions.
The Lone Star Republic is planning some sort of launch, but Petrovich does not know the details, including the secret fact that the mission is manned.
Petrovich is working on a secret army of securitrons, lead by Dr. Emily Wells, to protect the Oil Barons' interests.
Petrovich suspects that the Lone Star Republic wants to use the Spaceport to gain control of pre-war military technology which could be used to threaten the Oil Barons and their interests.
Petrovich is vehemently opposed to space exploration, believing it to represent the wastefulness and hubris of the pre-war world that led to its doom.

Sarah Dawson explains the mission: to negotiate the purchase of a Fusion Core Stabilizer (an experimental pre-war device that stabilizes fusion cores when under highly variable, peaky load) from the Oil Barons, under the guise of improving electricity stability in the Lone Star Republic's northern settlements.

The player, accompanied by Sarah, heads to the Energy Corridor, the headquarters of the Oil Barons.

Upon arriving at the Energy Corridor, the player enters Helios Tower, the headquarters of Phoenix Energy, the large of the Oil Barons' companies, as well as the personal office of Leonard Petrovich. In the lobby of Helios Tower, the player and Sarah are greeted by a receptionist Kristi Taylor, who informs them that Leonard Petrovich has asked them to wait in the lobby. This is a stall tactic, to attempt to intimidate the incoming party. Players may choose to simply wait or may attempt to persuade Kristi to let them in.

They eventually meet with Leonard Petrovich, the Leader of Phoenix Energy and of the Oil Barons. Petrovich is initially skeptical of the Lone Star Republic's intentions but is willing to negotiate. Read or paraphrase the following description to the players of the room:

As you are escorted into a conference room, you see the room is incredibly wide, probably 30 feet wide, but only about 10 feet deep. A large elliptical conference room table sits in the middle of the room, in front of large, full-sized windows taking up the entire back wall. The decrepit Houston Skyline is visible in the distance. The table is made of a dark wood, and the chairs are made of a dark leather. The table is empty, except for a small stack of papers in the middle. The room is lit by a large chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and the remaining walls are decorated with various paintings of landscapes and portraits of people. The room is otherwise empty, except for a small table in the corner with a coffee machine and a few cups. Four individuals, Oil Baron executives and managers stand behind the table, and Leonard Petrovich stands in front of the table, facing the entering party.

Petrovich says, enthusiastically, "Ah! Ms. Dawson. A pleasure to work with you again. Welcome to Helios Tower. I trust your journey was uneventful? Please introduce me to your colleagues."

The negotiation takes place, and Petrovich presents two offers: selling oil at a discounted rate or providing fusion cores. Petrovich will continue to play dumb concerning the existence of Fusion Core Stabilizers. The player must attempt to persuade Petrovich to sell the Fusion Core Stabilizer. Regardless, negotiations should fail to come to a conclusion by the end of the first day.

Overnight Stay¶

The player and Sarah Dawson are offered an overnight stay at the Oil Barons' headquarters. They are given a suite (or multiple suites, if the party is large). The party should also be offered a tour, and are welcome to explore the headquarters, including the following locations: - The lobby of Helios Tower, where they can interact with the receptionist Kristi Taylor. - The cafeteria, where they can interact with Oil Barons employees. - The gymnasium, where they can interact with Oil Barons employees.

As the players discuss their next steps, they should roll some sort of perception checks to notice that their rooms are bugged. They may also actively search for the bugs, in which case the gamemaster should adjust accordingly. The following listening devices are present in the rooms, with the following difficulties for each check to notice them: - A listening device in the room's light fixture, Difficulty 1 - A listening device in the room's air vent, Difficulty 2 - A listening device in the room's radio, Difficulty 3 - A listening device in a book on the room's bookshelf, Difficulty 4

Leonard Petrovich (and the other negotiators) will be aware of any conversations the players have in their rooms (if the players do not successfully find and remove the bugs). The Oil Barons will use this information to their advantage in the next day's negotiations. The players may also opt to use the bugs to their advantage by feeding the Oil Barons false information.

The Negotiation: Day 2¶

The player and Sarah Dawson return to the conference room in Helios Tower to continue negotiations. Leonard Petrovich is accompanied by the same Oil Baron executives and managers as the previous day. They are also accompanied by Dr. Emily Wells, who has intimate knowledge of the Fusion Core Stabilizer. The Oil Barons will use any information they gathered from the previous night's bugs to their advantage. The player must attempt to persuade Petrovich to sell the Fusion Core Stabilizer. One point that the Oil Barons will not concede is that the Fusion Core Stabilizer cannot be used for anything related to the spaceport or space exploration.

After the negotiations, Dr. Wells will approach Sarah Dawson, away from any other Oil Barons. She will ask Sarah to talk to President Davis about allowing Dr. Wells to return to the Lone Star Republic. She will explain that she feels like she has completed her time with the Oil Barons and would like to return home. Sarah, who took her original leaving (see Dr. Wells' backstory for more details) as a personal betrayal of trust, is skeptical that she would be met with anything but as a traitor. Dr. Wells points out that she never did commit anything resembling treason, and had every right to work with the Barons. But she also admits he time with the Barons could make her incredibly useful to the Lone Star Republic, and that she would be willing to share it if she is allowed to return. Sarah is still skeptical, but she agrees to talk to President Davis about it. The player might also attempt to intervene, and convince Sarah to allow Dr. Wells to return.

Securing the Stabilizer¶

The player and Sarah successfully negotiate with Petrovich, convincing him of the importance of the Fusion Core Stabilizer for energy stability in the region. The Oil Barons agree to sell it to the Lone Star Republic. The player is entrusted with the Fusion Core Stabilizer, and they, along with Sarah, embark on their journey to deliver it - to the Spaceport. Sarah explains that President Davis had instructed her to personally oversee the delivery, to avoid making it appear suspicious and without drawing attention to it even among Lone Star Republic citizens. Complicating matters, one of the Barons reminds the player that they agreed that the Lone Star Republic would not use the Stabilizer for anything related to the Spaceport or space exploration. The Baron operative insists on escorting the party, but can be easily convinced that is not necessary, or could be convinced to have Dr. Wells escort the party.

Regardless of the player's choice, the Oil Barons will secretly send mercenaries to follow the party for a brief period of time.

(Without the game-master telling the player), the player must take an indirect route that first goes Northward to not blow their cover. They must also avoid the Galveston Pirates, who are still interested in the Spaceport. - If the player takes non-initially-northern route, then they are accosted by mercenaries sent by the Oil Barons, including a high-up Oil Barons leader with an angry message from Petrovich. The mercenaries attempt to take the Fusion Core Stabilizer by force, unless the player can convince them otherwise. - If the player takes a route that is initially south or south-east, then they are accosted by Galveston Pirates, who are still interested in the Spaceport. The Pirates attempt to take the Fusion Core Stabilizer by force (not knowing what it is--only that it appears valuable), unless the player can convince them otherwise. - If the player takes a route that uses the Bayou, then they are accosted by Pirate Cutter ships at the entrance to Clear Lake.

Players should make perception checks at pre-determined checkpoints along the way to notice the mercenaries following them or pirates along the path. The difficulties of these checks should progressively increase, with the final checkpoint before reaching the Spaceport being difficulty 5.

Quest Rewards¶

Experience points for completing quest objectives.
Reputation changes based on the player's choice.
- If the player successfully delivers the Fusion Core Stabilizer to the Spaceport, then they gain favor with the Lone Star Republic and the Spaceport Survivors.
- If the player tactfully negotiates a deal with the Oil Barons (i.e. they do not use force or intimidation to obtain the Fusion Core Stabilizer), then they gain favor with the Oil Barons.
Access to additional faction-related quests for the faction(s) the player supported.

Purpose¶

This quest further explores the Lone Star Republic's resource ambitions and introduces the player to the Oil Barons.