Naturally, it's a great place to plant spies; and advisors who
shelter and train Ine Givar rebels.
- what would independent world attitude (in general) be to them?
Fearful? Curious? Accepting?
My take: "oh look, it's another Imperium that wants to dominate us.
Let's do some trade witht hem but other than that, )(*#$ those guys."
- if Zhos are not very very rare, would psi-helmets be easily
available?
It's a supply and demand issue. The helmets will be available in
places where Zhos are more common. It's not Imperial proprietary
technology and the few worlds in the District that have a high
enough TL will have the capacity to make them. And don't forget the
Sword Worlds are nearby too.
ADVENTURE SEED #1: A Zhodani noble has set up shop, a small
import-export business, on a D268 world. It's a cover for a psionics
institute. His real purpose is to use telepathy to infiltrate the
planet's society with psionicists who will work their way into the
local government and ultimately give the world over to the
Consulate.
ADVENTURE SEED #2: A disgraced Zhodani war veteran has gone to one
of the more primitive worlds in D268 to "retire." He has begun to
use his psionics to brainwash local tribesmen to form a cult of
personality around him; or even a religion with him as a godhead.
Communications from the Consulate to him have been responded to with
bizarre, cryptic answers that indicate he is insane.
The PCs need a mission. And for their sins, they have been given
one. Terminate, with extreme prejudice.