Aslan Background Skills

[Varulv]

So, it’s time to create the first Aslan character using the rules in Pirates of Drinax. I have read through the Aslan Traveller chapter but I’m puzzled whether the Aslan character receives background skills or not.

In the Aslan Traveller Creation Summary on page 70, the second step has the heading “Background and Background skills”, but no further reference to background skills below the heading. Further, background skills are not mentioned anywhere else in the book.

How do you interpret this? Should the Aslan character get background skills as in CRB?

[Ursus Maior]

Absolutely! Aslan have childhoods, too!

[paltrysum]

I've generated quite a few Aslan and the thing I've noticed is that the system is brutal on their SOC. Statistically, most will have little to no Territory (TER) and therefore little to no Social Standing (SOC), which is tough on skills that rely on it. I recommend either using the Effective SOC rules in The Traveller Companion or finding a way to let Aslan use other characteristics to provide DMs for skills that are normally SOC-based. Otherwise, they suffer a bit of a handicap vs. human characters.

[Condottiere]

Social mobility usually involves moving into territory unclaimed by clan members (referred to as a freehold), squatting, establishing a stronghold, and successfully defending it, occupation being nine tenths of the law, the final tenth being recognition by the clan elders.

[Varulv]

Absolutely! Aslan have childhoods, too!

When you put it that way.

[Linwood]

I've generated quite a few Aslan and the thing I've noticed is that the system is brutal on their SOC. Statistically, most will have little to no Territory (TER) and therefore little to no Social Standing (SOC), which is tough on skills that rely on it. I recommend either using the Effective SOC rules in The Traveller Companion or finding a way to let Aslan use other characteristics to provide DMs for skills that are normally SOC-based. Otherwise, they suffer a bit of a handicap vs. human characters.

I've noticed that. I've also had miserable luck in generating characters that survive for more than a couple of terms. Does this mean that Aslan characters are expected to have careers that are brutal and short? Is that meant to reflect Aslan society in general, or just the types of Aslan that leave the clan holds and go out and about seeking adventure?

[Ursus Maior]

I'd say Aslan society produces a lot of outcasts and ihatei, which is good for adventuring and narrative game play. The Aslan player in my group has a TER 1 character who has abysmal SOC nonetheless, but was sent by his (minor) clan to work on relationships with the humans or the Trojan Reaches. The character is ideally suited for that: Good skills for combat or talking to humans (from an Aslan point of view), but he would be absolutely second class (at most) in the Hierate.

I think the rules work well for the Aslan of the Trojan Reaches, who are still very expansive. But for the Aslan Hierate proper - rimward of the Great Rift and its J-5 crossing - the rules might need some modifications. There is less territory to expand into, making the Hierate very static and less volatile. More Aslan there seem to have TER, but perhaps it tends to be smaller but better developed.

[Old School]

Playing an Aslan in the Hierate proper is about as appealing to me as a campaign in Core or Massilia. Things are too settled there. The fun is out on the frontier.

[Linwood]

Playing an Aslan in the Hierate proper is about as appealing to me as a campaign in Core or Massilia. Things are too settled there. The fun is out on the frontier.

Agreed!!!!

[paltrysum]

Playing an Aslan in the Hierate proper is about as appealing to me as a campaign in Core or Massilia. Things are too settled there. The fun is out on the frontier.

About that...

I'm going to try to change your mind on that with a little book that's coming out next year.

[Ursus Maior]

Playing an Aslan in the Hierate proper is about as appealing to me as a campaign in Core or Massilia. Things are too settled there. The fun is out on the frontier.

Yes, indeed, that's what I would think, too. However, with a book on the core regions of the 3I upcoming, something similar could be done for Aslan in the respective Aliens volume.

[ShawnDriscoll]

Playing an Aslan in the Hierate proper is about as appealing to me as a campaign in Core or Massilia. Things are too settled there. The fun is out on the frontier.

Like how today's Earth is settled.

There's lots going on with that world, in case you haven't been paying attention.