Astromundi Cluster: Adventure Ideas

While running the Astromundi Cluster campaign, I had a grab bag of short
adventures to use as filler for slow nights or when the players went off in a
direction that I have not prepaired yet (ie stalling tactics).  Here are some
of the more interesting ones that did not appear to the players to be a
"random" encounter.

Short Adventures in the Astromundi Cluster
* Fight with a Mantis ship and Scro pirates.  They may be NPC (as per the
Complete Spacefarers Handbook) classes and very powerful with their war
priests. The Scro may have trained Gnashers (Monstrous Compendium Annual
Volume One).
* An odd smiling neogi seeks passage aboard the PC's ship, with him is an
umber hulk that has been "altered" by a xixchil, a tatooed half-elven dancing
girl (dagger specialist fighter), a varan bard, and a combat minded xixchil
(thri-kreen).  His slaves are totally weird and loyal (the neogi has paid
great sums to powerful brokers to magically insure this) and might be
interested in "purchasing" more.
* Lizard Men have heard of a ship of outsider (green) lizard men captured by
a pair of Illithids on a remote asteroid.  The lizard men hire the PC's to
rescue them.  The green lizard men turn out to be Aartuk.  The two illithids
would love to have the PC's for dinner since the aartuk have no (normal)
brains to eat, but were experimenting on them for a possible new weapon
against the elves.  When released to attack the PC's, the aartuk may turn on
their captures depending on how well the players are doing in the battle.
* A dwarf mercenary challenges a PC fighter to a dual with his battle axe as
his prize.  He lets the PC win and turns over his bearded, old, nagging
dwarven sister to him instead.  (Dwarves must fight for right to marry).
* Elves go after any elven PC for their breeding program.  A kidnap attempt.
 Half-elven characters might even be considered, but elves from outside the
cluster are greatly desired to strengthen the gene-pool.
* An elderly Antilan mage requests assistance in an experiment to open a
gateway to the Elemental plane of water (a good thing for the dry sphere).
 Of course something unpleasant comes through the gate.  And the Arcane are
interested and waiting with their Dwarven/Giff Mercenaries to take the gate.
* Varan rebel cult of Seltain.  The priests use minion of Seltain (Set) as an
elite guard and undead such as Skeleton Archers as shock troops.  The
illithids will pay handsomely for the heads of high priests of Seltain
(double if still alive).  Snake/servants may be used as guards and attack
creatures.  They players may find out more about the main headquarters (a
major adventure) that is controlled by a high priestess with the abilities of
a greater meduse who guards a valuable treasure.
* Vast ruins of stone are found on a remote asteroid hidden by a vast
permanent illusion (noone has found it before).  A central tower appears to
glow, but spelljamming ships cannot enter the ruins.  Lots of Shivak (like
the ones from The Legend of Spelljammer boxed set) guard the home of the
"Watcher of the Sphere", a contemplator who will give cryptic clues of the
greatest dangers to the sphere (whatever major plotline the DM wishes to
pursue).  The Contemplator/Watcher is not a generous creature and only share
the information because the danger to the sphere
could potentially threaten him as well. (inspired by Marvel Comics Watcher
character)
* Players Ship comes upon a harpooned and bleeding Kindori (space whale).
 The harpoon is of thoric make, do that PC's heal/save the whale or let the
thoric whalers find the dead body.  The Thoric will want their prize and may
have a couple of golden-eyed mages with them.
* A badly wounded space selkie seeks refuge on the ship from Neogi hunters.
 They have observed her exiting and reentering the sphere shell and want to
autopsy her.
* Via Neogi sources, Party finds that Fireliches are created from renegade
Antilian Sun Mages.  The Antilans do not want this secret out and after
silencing the neogi, go after the PC's.  It is a covert operation since the
people they do not want to find out about the secret is their own people.
 Ninja-like Antilan thieves with a fire elementalist and/or a priestess of
Gelanicus do the dirty work.
* After a port stop a pair of frightened stow-aways are found, an oortling
and orbis.  Now why is that beholder ship following the PC's.
* Asteroid belt complete with asteroid spiders and webs.  The webs are spun
between asteroids and are impossible to see at spelljammer speeds.  A caught
ship rapidly slows, throwing objects and crew forward, but no damage to the
ship.  The asteroids that are suddenly moving to the point aft of the ship
should give the players a clue of what has happened.  If the party is
powerful enough scavvers may be waiting to pick up the spiders left-overs and
move in once they spot blood (player or spider).
* Rogue Illithid seeks out the party to transport it to any elven contact.
 It has turned traitor and will exchange military secrets for passage out of
the sphere.  He is, of course being hunted.  The turn-coat is desperate and
will do anything (including charming/dominating the party) to get its way.
 The party may find that their are many rivaling factions (mind-pools) within
the Illithid Empire.
*  A Varan (not illithid allied) farming colony/asteroid is found with
everyone in slain (ripped apart).   A lone survivor is found and it is
revealed that creature of fantastic killing powers overcame the local
malitia.  The creature is a Yitsan that was brought to the colony in its egg
form.  After the battle, survivor seeks transport to another Varan asteroid
nearby and can pay for passage.  The coins that the survivor pays with will
have Yitsan eggs among them however. (inspired by Aliens movie, read entry on
Yitsan carefully)
*  While passing through Antilan controlled space (most of the inner sphere),
the players spot a group of illithid ships (squid and leech scoutships,
several nautiloids, and an octopus flagship) approaching (this should make
the players VERY nervous).  The illithid fleet has no interest in the players
ship however (unless it is of Antilan design) and ignore them.  The players
observe Antilan ships responding with a captured Focoid.  This should be a
spectator encounter for the players (if their smart).  The battle will go in
the illithids favor (due to numbers) until an Antilan Crystal ship comes upon
the scene, in which case the illithids scatter rapidly.
*  The players come across a badly damaged Gnomish Whelk ship adrift with no
crew.  The ship was attacked by a Ontalak Plasmoid that is still in the area.
 There is one survivor however whom the Plasmoid could not
digest (or had not taste for); an Autognome.  This strange creature is
different from other such creations in that it is actually a sentient being
of Genius intelligence, but no worldly experience.  The autognome will try to
learn from the characters and my attempt to imitate one that it particularly
admires.  (inspired by Star Treks Data)
*  The party happens upon a crashed ship of golden hue.  Upon investigation,
they are attacked by a small group of Grell (not all at once, the Grell have
been scouting around the asteroid that they crashed on for possible resources
in their repairs).  The helm is usable only by Grell and of little value, but
their might be other strange treasure to be found.  The Grell would have no
use for common currency and would carry none.
*  The players ship come upon a gnomish colony of Giant Space Hamster
ranchers.  The particular breed take up little air and the meat tastes like
chicken.  A pleasant if somewhat annoying visit (supplies are plentiful and
cheap), but when the players ship leaves, it is infested with lots (hundreds)
of miniature space hamsters that are rapidly eating the food and waters
stores.  The hamsters are also growing at a  fast rate, and some may even
have special powers that develop as they grow.  (inspired by Star Treks
tribbles)