Sundown on Starmist (spoilers)

Art by Clyde Caldwell

Sundown on Starmist, having the module code of SF3, is the fourth Star Frontiers adventure (given that the Volturnus trilogy was numbered SF0, SF1, and SF2).  Aside from working on other TSR products, writer Garry Spiegel did design work for Pacesetter.  Prior to providing a plot synopsis, the introductory material claims, “To obtain maximum play value and fun, try to follow this plot outline as closely as possible.”  Unfortunately, the plot is disjointed.  Sundown on Starmist suffers from poor editorial decisions (or perhaps editorial inattention).  My primary complaint is that much of the background information is unknown to the player characters and cannot be discovered.  However, let's start with the background information to which the players are exposed.  The first paragraph of the player character background report reads:

Maximillian Malligigg, a former second-master and navigator of a Vrusk freemerchant ship, has hired you for a private expedition to an uncharted planet he calls Starmist.  During his last voyage, Malligigg made an emergency landing on Starmist.  The planet was within the normal range of for all races.

Normal range of what for all races?  Is it no longer with the normal range?  Anyway, said ship was the VSS Centispeed (with VSS presumably meaning Vrusk Space Ship).  According to the front cover:

Something ancient and powerful is hidden inside the pyramid constructed by a primitive alien culture.  The crew of UPF Centispeed must discover what it is to save the planet.

The ship that Max and the player characters use to travel to Starmist is the VSS Last Legs (alternatively spelled Last Leggs).  Aside from Max, there are no crewmembers of the Centispeed in the adventure.  That's two mistakes in the module's cover description; not a good sign.

The surface of Starmist is frozen and uninhabitable; however, “Huge rifts formed in the surface, much like gigantic canyons, many of them miles deep.”  Eventually, “Water and atmosphere collected in the rifts and they slowly became habitable.”  When the Centispeed made an emergency landing in one of these rifts, the crew encountered “a predominantly nomadic culture” and Max came across a sample of processed metal beyond that culture's ability to create.  Given “an official expedition would be sent to Starmist soon following his captain's report to the authorities,” Max arranged for a private expedition so he could reach Starmist beforehand.  “If he could find evidence of a lost civilization, and perhaps locate some artifacts,” Max thought, “he could become a wealthy man” (or at least a wealthy Vrusk).  Max has retained the services of the player characters for an undisclosed amount. 

Although the module can be used in conjunction with Knight Hawks (according to page 21) and Max is said to be a navigator (and “he completed courses for a degree in science and astrophysics”), he possesses no Spaceship Skills.  “Maximillian's purpose is to aid you in running the adventure,” the referee is told, “He is ambitious and eager but neither brave nor smart.”

The sentient (but primitive) beings on Starmist are called Heliopes.  This suggests some affinity for sunlight, like maybe they're lethargic at night.  In this way, the phrase “Sundown on Starmist” would be meaningful.  This is not the case.  First, Heliopes are not associated with sunlight; no reason for their name is given.  Second, “Sundown” is the name of the sun.  Seriously, who names a sun “Sundown”?  The module's title makes no sense.  I mean, they could have called it The Secret of Starmist.

One might think that the blue cyclops on the cover represents a Heliope.  Maybe it's supposed to be a Heliope, but the pictured entity does not conform to how Heliopes are described in the text.  They have no hands, but instead possess “two pincers, slightly rigid, with a sharp nail along the edges.”  Their “feet are large, long, and splayed.”  They have mandibles and translucent skin.  Also missing from the tail are characteristic painted designs.

The image clearly depicts two moons; however, the text emphasizes, “The nights are very dark on Starmist because there is no moon and few close stars.”  Yet an interior illustration shows two moons.  Also, where did this non-Heliope obtain human skulls?

Part of the background that the players don't know about is that the Heliopes are not native to Starmist.  “They were slaves of a race called the Clikks, resembling the Vrusk,” we learn.  A Clikk exploration vessel in the Sundown system “had problems that required dumping any extra weight.”  Heliopes and various items of non-essential equipment were left on the planet, but not before the Heliopes were subjected to “a mindwipe that caused amnesia.”  This happened 600 years ago, but somehow the space-faring Clikk are unknown to the Frontier races.  In the centuries since they arrived on Starmist, the Heliopes have expanded “to nearly 200 tribes.”

So, Max and the player characters land and travel overland to the single Heliope village.  On the way, “nomad Heliopes...attack and village Heliopes...come to the rescue.”  When Max was on Starmist previously, he learned the Heliope language.  One can suppose that, having Max as a translator, the player characters can communicate with the Heliopes.  However, Heliopes and the PCs can communicate with one another when Max is not present.  The only exception to the ability to communicate happens in Village Encounter 11 for some reason.  Otherwise, we learn that “the Heliopes will be friendly and curious about [the player characters]; however, they shy away from Vrusks.”  Their attitude toward Vrusks might be explained by a racial memory of the Clikk slavers.  Yet if this is the case, why did they interact with Max?

The Heliopes developed a religion featuring Clikk relics.  Of course, the piece of metal Max found was left behind by the Clikk, but neither he nor the player characters ever learn about the Clikk or the history of the Heliopes.  The module relates that, “Massive tools and heavy structural members from the Clikk ship are corroded and broken from age and lack of proper maintenance.”  However, the Heliope aristocracy possess “sophisticated” weapons that are still functional after six centuries despite “lack of proper maintenance.”  Acquisition of ammunition does not seem to be problematic.  Also fully functional is the War Tank.

Three pages of text, a page of diagrams, and three tables are devoted to the War Tank and its weaponry.  “The tank is designed to be played with,” we read, “and the characters should be allowed to explore and experiment.”  One problem is that the tank is encased in a pyramid which happens to be “the holiest place of the Heliopes.”  The module explains that the “Heliopes will allow the PCs free range of the village but will fight anyone who approaches the pyramid, temple or river huts.”  Are the player characters supposed to decimate the Heliopes to get the tank?  One of the reasons the tank possesses religious significance is that its defense field produces intoxicating effects in Heliopes.  Another problem is that:

The tank is provided with a special security device to keep it out of enemy hands.  Once the tank is under power, the code must be entered daily from the captain's position; otherwise a self-destruct sequence is activated.

(Seemingly, having the defense field activated does not count as “under power.”)  Of course, the player characters don't know about the self-destruct sequence and – once the sequence is activated – it cannot be countered.  According to page 13, “The time required for self-destruct is up to [the referee] as the length play time will vary from game to game.”

At some point, the priests kidnap Max, requiring that the player characters invade the priests' river complex.  “Most important,” during the incursion, “the PCs must obtain one of the black and red rods which will give access to the tank.”  The next required encounter is an attack upon the village by Self Addressed Stamped Envelopes – no, wait – in Star Frontiers, S.A.S.E. means Sathar Attack Simulacra Exterior.  These should not be confused with Sathar Attack Simulacra Interior but, honestly, the differences between the two seem negligible.  According to page 7, the attacking 'robots' appear to be “four Heliopes who seem to be moving without quite touching the ground.”  However, according to page 24, both S.A.S.E. and S.A.S.I. have “secondary tentacles” (which implies the presence of primary tentacles).  Heliopes don't have tentacles.

The S.A.S.E. attack a second time once “PCs are familiar with the tank and begin to move around the village with it.”  After the second attack, “The PCs should follow the robots to the hidden base and bunker.”  Alternatively, “If the robots are destroyed, their signal beams will still operate and be traceable back to the base.”  So, there's a Sathar base:

During the day the players will see the hologram...The hologram projects an image of the bluff and rolling hills as well as the pond. At night the holograph is turned off and the PCs will be able to see the buildings by means of night vision or a light.

Apparently none of the Heliopes have ever seen the base at night.  The Sathar base serves three purposes:  (1) “a training base for [non-Sathar] espionage agents,” (2) “a heavy weapons bunker,” and (3) for “work on bio-genetic constructs.”  Somehow, “The Heliopes provided excellent cover for the Sathar operation.”  At the time of the adventure, the base is undergoing an evacuation:

A while ago the planet was discovered by the merchant ship carrying Maximillian Malligigg.  Alarmed, the Sathar decided to use the delay between the time they sent their official report and the resulting investigation to evacuate the base.  When the warships arrive and after evacuation is complete, the Sathar plan to destroy all lifeforms on Starmist.  The Sathar will let the PCs land since they plan mass destruction anyway, but they will shoot the PCs down if they try to leave.

The Sathar base has a weapon “capable of shooting down aircraft and/or spacecraft in orbit.”  Through the simple expedient of shooting down the original merchant ship, the Sathar could have obviated the need to evacuate their base and “destroy all lifeforms on Starmist.”  Also, just because “you plan mass destruction” at some point, people you allow to land aren't prevented from foiling your evil plans.

Upon infiltrating the Sathar base and reaching the power room, player characters – assuming they have appropriate skills – “will be able to determine that the [nuclear power] unit will explode in three hours.”  How or if the base personnel planned to survive is not disclosed.  Nonetheless, should the base commander perish the base will self-destruct in twelve hours (according to page 17) or merely one hour (according to page 20).