This adventure I think was inspired by the movie, The Dark Crystal. I just loved the concept behind it and thought it could be done with ancient technology. This influenced a Star Frontiers campaign I later developed.
BASICS
In the middle of what is considered Empire space, on a planet called Rage (or Zorn in German or Ikari in Japanese) torn by a primitive war between two races – the Ror and the Trites, there is a legend of the One-Device or Eingerät in German. This artifact is said to be what they factions are fighting over. According the legend, the artifact will give the faction ultimate power.
The PCs are resistance members implanted within a Japanese corporation involved with exploiting Rage. The corporation has a undersea colony called New Okanawa that is near completion. It is nearly self-sufficient and needs a few more supplies to complete that goal. The resistance has arranged for the PCs to be a part of the escort team to get the last of the supplies the colony needs.
Since the war is on the surface and is primitive, the war between the Ror and the Trites has not bothered New Okanawa. They have hopes they will eventually wipe each other out, leaving the planet to the Empire. Until the war becomes a threat, the Japanese have chosen to leave it be.
PUSH
GIMMICK
In truth, the two races were once one, only referenced in a few ancient texts as the Old Race. This race was once highly advanced, with technology beyond that of modern Erde. Scientists were experimenting on the genetics of their own race to enhance and divide out certain traits – what their government deemed as good and bad traits. Much like Erde, the Old Race had its own ethnicities and their goal was more to filter out those differences genetically to create a single super-race.
Unfortunately, their work backfired and split their species into two distinct species – the Ror and the Trites. It spread like a virus, and eventually wiped out the existence of the Old Race. However, before they were completely wiped out, they developed a device that could cure the virus and unite the race into what they hoped to accomplish. This device can merge a Ror and a Trite into one Old Race, converting their matter into energy and re-integrating it into a single being. This merges their knowledge their being, and their abilities.
Once the Old Race was wiped out, the Ror and Trite separated, living on opposite sides of the planet, disconnected by vast oceans. But over time, they eventually made contact again, and war was inevitable. The two species represented the polar opposite sides of the Old Race personalities – the Duality of their race.
The One Device lies deep in a forgotten cavern that was once the scientists’s lab.