Set-up: While the characters are on a planet they feel a sudden prickling across their skin… and everyone nearby begins talking in gibberish. Some manner of disturbance has disabled all the translator microbes in the area, and the region will quickly be thrown into chaos unless something is done quickly.

Actions: While the microbes are not functioning, no one in the affected area, (which is several hundred metra across) can be understood by anyone who does not understand the speaker’s native language. This means members of the same race will probably be able to communicate because they speak the same tongue, but communication between different species or language groups is impossible. They can still read, so if anyone has a common written language they can communicate, albeit slowly. Otherwise it means charades for most of the evening.

The disruption of the translator microbes was caused by a group of Ilanic scientists working on modifying the microbes so they could allow radio communication instead of just translating speech. The experiment released an electromagnetic burst that disrupted the translator microbes within several hundred metras of the laboratory. The Ilanics all speak the same language so they have not yet noticed the disturbance. Unfortunately everyone else has and soon riots will begin to break out within the affected area as communication breaks down.

The characters will have to do some research to find out what happened, but with sensor equipment from a ship or well-equipped laboratory, they could find the general location of the center of the burst. Also, if they do some research by asking around (presumably by writing their questions down) or by checking local news broadcasts, they can eventually find out that some scientists were working on modifying translator microbes in the city. Unfortunately, they will have to get to the Ilanics’ laboratory to find out what happened for sure, and lots of confused and scared people will be between them and the lab. The characters will probably have to avoid some looting, some rioting and some police intent on keeping order.

Once they reach the lab and explain the situation, the scientists will be shocked, but with some time (and maybe some help from the characters) they can figure out a way to reverse the effect. Unfortunately, doing so requires several important devices they do not currently have, but such devices can be found at various nearby locations. The characters then have to again brave the confusion outside to get the parts.

Once the characters get back to the lab, they find that several, less reasonable people have also figured out what happened and they are now holding the scientists at gunpoint, demanding they reverse the procedure. Unfortunately the scientists and the rioters do not speak the same language so neither side can understand what the other is saying. The characters will have to act fast if they plan on saving the scientists from the rioters.

Set-up: While on a sparsely inhabited world, the characters hear rumors of a leviathan that has been seen within the planet’s atmosphere, which is a rare occurrence. While on the planet they catch sight of the creature as it plays amongst the clouds, and it is obvious from its size that the leviathan is a child. Shortly after sighting the leviathan the characters are approached by a Delvian mystic named Ba’tan who seeks their help in aiding the leviathan. She tells the characters that the leviathan will soon be too large to continue to live in the atmosphere of this world, but several pirate groups have set watch on the planet to try and capture the creature when it leaves.

Action: The pirates trying to capture the leviathan are a group of Zenetan pirates using a small version of the flax to try and catch the living ship, but thus far it has proven too crafty for them. While up to this point they have been reluctant to harm the creature for fear of seriously injuring it, they are quickly losing patience and will turn to more direct methods soon. The pirates have three ships involved in the hunt — all mid-sized transports with makeshift weaponry. At any given time, two of the transports are docked on the planet while the third is keeping an eye out for the leviathan and watching the flax.

The characters have several ways to stop the pirates. They may try to go up into orbit and attack the Zenetan ship and remove the flax. They may try to sabotage or hijack the ships on the ground, possibly using one of them to attack the ship in orbit. There are fifteen pirates total, five per ship, and most are low level Zenetan members of the pirate class. Most are poorly equipped and their ships are not well repaired.

Also, at some point, the characters will probably try to make contact with the leviathan. The creature makes its home in some of the larger mountains near the characters’ location, occasionally landing in a large valley in the mountains. If the characters record and investigate the sightings of the leviathan, they can determine roughly where its roost is, but it will require someone with metaphysical abilities, such as Empathy and Telepathy, to be able to make contact with the creature. Luckily Ba’tan has such abilities if the characters are lacking.

Alternately, if pirates don’t seem challenging enough the culprits could be a group of Nebari researchers trying to capture the leviathan to dissect it. In this case the opposition will be much more skilled and far better equipped.