Random Encounters: Remote Frontier Starport

Today's Random Encounter Table takes us to a distant star system at the edge of explored space. The spaceport can be either an orbital station or an outpost on the surface of a planet. Because this is the frontier, equipment is patched-together and law enforcement is lax and ad-hoc. 

Use this table to generate roleplaying adventures, story hooks, or excuses for being late tomorrow morning.

ENCOUNTERS AT A REMOTE FRONTIER STARPORT

(As always, roll d20 when moving, d10 when stationary)

1. Roll Twice and Combine
2. Plot-advancing encounter: A person or thing related to the reason the player-characters have come to this remote frontier starport.
3. Alien: Nobody knows where it's from or can understand what it wants, but it's obviously desperate. It has amazing technology and unknown powers. Will you help?
4. Animal breakout! Someone left the gate of the quarantine pens unlocked and now 2d6 animals are loose in the starport. Some are valuable, some are dangerous, and all might be carrying diseases or parasites which could ravage the local ecosystem.
5. Bounty Hunter: A tough free-lance lawman has caught up with the player-characters. Either he's after them for something they've actually done, or he's got the wrong suspects but is determined to bring them in anyway.
6. Merchant: She's got a valuable cargo which needs to get off-planet at once — but her ship's down for repairs for at least a week.
7. Smuggler: She's also trying to move some valuable merchandise off the planet, but this has to be done without anybody finding out. The merchandise is definitely illegal, and may be dangerous or morally horrifying.
8. Space Force Officer: He just finished up his tour of duty and is looking for people to help him take down a slave-trader who has powerful allies in the government.
9. Storm! Intense weather shuts down the port for 1d6 hours.
10. Wealthy Traveler: She's obviously rich and apparently completely scatterbrained. She needs a little help and will reward the player characters handsomely. Actually it's a con game and once she gets their money (or their ship, or their identity chips) she vanishes completely.
11. Brawl! A band of 2d6 space pirates have squared off against 2d6 Star Force crewmen. The port's lone security officer isn't getting involved. Pick a side and wade in — or take advantage of the distraction.
12. Broken-Down Spaceman: He's too old and sick to fly in space, and depends on charity to survive. But he knows a few things nobody else does: lost ships, secrets, exotic worlds. Some might even be true.
13. Contamination! There's been a leak — could be radiation, or toxic chemicals, or biological material — and this whole section of the starport must be sealed off until it's cleaned up.
14. Courier: She's got a vital message which needs to reach someone, but there are enemies hunting her. The player-characters have to take the MacGuffin (they may not be aware of it).
15. Pirate Hangout: This bar's been taken over by 2d6 space pirates. Merchants or scouts get mocked, but Star Force crews are going to get a fight.
16. Scientist: He's recruiting for an expedition to study something weird in a dangerous place. Alien ruins, or deadly creatures, or perhaps an isolated tribe with bizarre customs. The pay is adequate. What could go wrong?
17. Scout: She just got back from the outer frontier and she's acting kind of odd. It might have something to do with the alien parasite that's slowly consuming her from the inside.
18. Vermin Lair: A nest of 2d6 mutant spider-rats. They're clever, capable of setting crude traps (and avoiding traps set for them). They steal things, possibly valuable or dangerous items. They fight viciously when cornered.
19. Wreck: A ship which is too beat-up to sell. Might contain useful salvage — or something hidden.
20. Tracks/aftermath (reroll)

SITUATIONS

(Roll 1d6 to generate a situation, then consult the table above to see who is involved.)

1. A desires B
2. A wants to capture B
3. A wants B dead
4. A wants to go somewhere
5. A wants to solve a mystery
6. A wants X

For more bizarre encounters with shady characters in remote locations, buy my ebooks:  Outlaws and Aliens and Monster Island Tales!