Timeline Milestones are events and repercussions in the established timeline that affect your crew. This often is an improvement or other change that affects your game during specific periods of time (or other timelines or alternate realities your campaign may end up in). You can grant it alongside other Milestone awards.
TIMELINE MILESTONE: KHITOMER ACCORDS BROKEN (January 2372-July 2373)
This Timeline Milestone, Khitomer Accords Broken, takes place from 2372-2373. Specifically it spans the DS9 episodes “The Way of the Warrior” (49011.4) and “By Inferno’s Light” (50564.2).
It began when the Detapa Council took over the Cardassian Union at the beginning of 2372. Gowron was convinced that the Detapa Council had been infiltrated by Changelings, and plotted an invasion of Cardassian space to end the Changeling threat. The Federation discovered and condemned the invasion, but that caused Gowron to withdraw from the Khitomer Accords.
While that invasion force seized some colonies, the Klingons failed to take Cardassia Prime. They refused to give up the colonies and continued to raid Cardassian space. They also gave the Maquis cloaking devices so that they could further antagonize the Cardassians, and the Cardassians could no longer combat the Maquis.
The Detapa Council refused to go on the offensive, and relied on a defensive posture and the hope for diplomacy. They frequently asked on the Federation for assistance. In mid-2373, Gul Dukat led the Cardassians to join the Dominion, and a Jem’Hadar fleet came from the Gamma Quadrant to raze the Klingon and Maquis forces. The Klingons only rejoin the Khitomer Accords to defend the Alpha and Beta Quadrants alongside the Federation.
EFFECTS
A) Political Tension
Due to the tensions of the Klingon-Cardassian War, during this Timeline Milestone, the Difficulty of Social Tasks is increased by 1 between Klingons and members of the Federation. However, the Difficulty of Social Tasks between Cardassians and members of the Federation are reduced by 1.
B) The Maquis Emboldened
The Klingons were secretly allied with the Maquis at this time, giving them equipment and supplies so that they continue to be a thorn in the Cardassian Union’s side. The Maquis become a stronger threat during this time.
Members of the Maquis have access to the following:
- The Maquis Emboldened: During the Timeline Milestone, all members of the Maquis (including possibly players) have access to an extra Talent: Bold (Security). This does not stack; characters who already have this Talent do not gain additional benefits.
- Cloaking Device: The Klingons gave thirty class-4 cloaking devices to the Maquis. These can be fitted on Maquis ships.
C) The Good Fight
During this time, many Starfleet officers resigned or deserted their positions to join the Maquis, as they couldn’t sit idly by while Starfleet did nothing to save Federation citizens in the Demilitarized Zone. Almost everyone in Starfleet knows of a friend, family member, classmate, or colleague who had joined the Maquis. This is a perfect opportunity to test your players’ feelings about the Maquis, and to develop their backstory.
At the beginning of the Timeline Milestone, each player may ‘create’ a new NPC their Main Character knows off-ship/off-station, who they think might quit Starfleet to join the Maquis (the Old Friend).
At the beginning of each mission during the duration that the Timeline Milestone is active:
- Each player rolls 2 Challenge Dice. If they roll Effects on both dice, they have just heard that their Old Friend has quit Starfleet to join the Maquis. Allow them the chance to roleplay a flashback scene with the NPC, where the friend challenges one of their current Values during a conversation about the Maquis, to test their sympathies. If it’s a good roleplaying scene, the GM may award the character an extra Determination usable at any point during that mission, which goes away after the mission.
- After the Old Friend has joined the Maquis, the player will continue to roll 2 Challenge Dice at the start of each mission. Use the following chart to determine what happened to the Old Friend. Certain outcomes mean that the player makes no future rolls of this type.
- Two blanks: No news.
- Blank and 1 pip: The Old Friend was sighted in a recent Maquis incident.
- Blank and 2 pip: The Old Friend made encoded overtures to the character, in an attempt to recruit them to the cause.
- 1 pip and 1 pip: The Old Friend has risen in the ranks of the Maquis leadership.
- 1 pip and 2 pips: The Old Friend turned out to be a Cardassian spy (with or without surgical alterations), who returned to Cardassia. No future rolls.
- 2 pips and 2 pips: The Old Friend is revealed to have been undercover to infiltrate the Maquis, and has returned to normal duty. No future rolls.
- Blank and Effect: The Old Friend was captured by the Federation. No future rolls.
- 1 pip and Effect: The Old Friend was captured by the Cardassians. No future rolls.
- 2 pips and Effect: The Old Friend was killed in a Cardassian attack. No future rolls.
- Effect and Effect: The Old Friend died heroically in a blaze of glory. No future rolls.
- If a No future rolls result is obtained, the character may roleplay their reaction to the news in a scene involving another player’s (or players’) Main Character. If it is a good roleplaying scene, the GM may award the character an extra Determination usable at any point during that mission, which goes away after the mission.