For me, Star Trek has always been about hope and wonder: Hope for a better tomorrow and wonder at what could lay just beyond the horizon. My favorite episodes always involved the crew of the Enterprise (whatever incarnation it may be) finding something truly unique and wonderful. Wonderful – literally full of wonder. My favorite captains have always been Kirk, with his bold willingness to dive headlong into danger in the name of discovery, and Archer, with his earnest sincerity that good things lay just a few light-years away waiting to be found.
But with that implacable Human desire to hope and wonder, to explore and discover, comes a responsibility. The places we go and the people we meet here in the 21st century are changed simply by our presence, however brief. We leave echoes of ourselves wherever we go, for better or worse. That impact brings with it an unimaginable responsibility.
“Unforeseen Consequences” was written with all these themes in mind. The player characters encounter a truly unorthodox species that experience reality itself in a manner completely alien to Human understanding. Moreover, that irrepressible desire for humanity to learn and know and understand could be their very undoing. A choice must be made through the course of this adventure regarding the cost of the knowledge that comes from this exploration.
Star Trek has endured for over 55 years because of its ability to use inhuman circumstances to tell truly Human stories. When a new story is told well, we learn something about ourselves, our responsibilities, and our impact on the world around us. “Unforeseen Consequences” presents a story that asks player characters how far they’re willing to go in that grand education and who will pay the cost of that knowledge.
In the end, we should always strive to learn more about the world, the cultures, and the people around us. But we must always strive to do so with the utmost of respect for those providing another small step towards understanding of what it truly means to be Human.
Grab a copy of “Unforeseen Consequences” now at www.modiphius.net, www.modiphius.us, or DrivethruRPG!
Thanks for reading this article, and thank you for your interest and support of Star Trek Adventures! Keep frequencies open for news about additional STA products in the coming months. Live long and prosper!
