Cluster Truck - Coming Tuesday 16th!

[Vormaerin]

You use normal character creation as the PCs do not start as Truckers. There's a section on what careers make sense for folks from the Estuary Cluster and which careers would be outsiders from the Solomani Confederation, as well as a few careers that make no sense at all.

There's nothing explicitly changed about benefits (other than not possessing a ship), since it is theoretically possible for Confederation gear to get to the Cluster even if the PCs aren't from the Confederation in the first place. Ship Shares can be traded for a local knowledge skill, if desired.

The PCs start without a ship and will have various opportunities to become the crew or de facto owners of one or more vessels during play.

How long it takes really depends on your players' style. A super focused "stay on target" group that just does the explicit story beats could probably do it in 6-8 moderate length sessions. Most groups would probably take quite a bit longer than that, especially since the adventure is a mini-setting book and there is plenty of opportunity for the GM to add side quests and normal adventuring between story beats of the main adventure.

Note that it is NOT a shoot'em up campaign. Ships are not intended to be armed and PCs are unlikely to get into combats that require more than Unarmed combat or Improvised bonking weapons.

 

[rinku]

Because of where it's located (the areas rimward from the Solomani Confederation), some backgrounds will be a long way from home. But since you can cross the 3I within a few years, that's hardly a problem. Being an Imperial from Regina would be no more a problem than being a Terran turning up in the Vargr Extents.

If you choose to play a local, you're looking at a Pre-Stellar, non military background. But the Solomani and some more developed colonies are close enough that you could have a soldier or high tech guy that came from there. The cluster itself is basically Human, buy there are a handful of Aslan within a subsector or so, and there's nothing preventing the odd exotic drifting in, or passing through.

 

[Vormaerin]

yeah, there's certainly no problem with an Imperial or anything else being here. But it's mostly a why/how did they pick *this* backwater to end up in.

 

[rinku]

Probably most importantly, if using the presented campaign as intended to be run, you may want to avoid stacking up too many combat or academic skills. A focus on hands on, blue collar spacer stuff and the interpersonal zone will fare better. It's not REALLY a trading campaign either... the marginal economics of the cluster mean that you're hauling freight, not speculating.

If you roll Melee, take Unarmed.

 

[rinku]

yeah, there's certainly no problem with an Imperial or anything else being here. But it's mostly a why/how did they pick *this* backwater to end up in.

Bold of you to suggest choice was involved...

A wild party, a Low Berth, a very poorly recorded cargo manifest, and ten years later...

 

[CordwainerFish]

Bold of you to suggest choice was involved...

"Judge told me to ship out to the Cluster or go to jail. I made the wrong choice."

 

[ColinD]

Great writing, artwork and layout!
First of all this is a great adventure for a non-combat, and hardscrabble campaign. You can't start out with a ship and the technology and trade rules are restricted so as to keep you needing credits.
It shows that the game of Traveller does not have to be inside the the 3rd Imperium. It can be set during the same common time (1105) but far enough away so the rules of trade, available super-technology and even pristine starships are unavailable.
I like that it is in many ways "a new setting" without having to stray too far from the corebook. It is a trade adventure with lots of heart.
Love the writing by Martin Dougherty and the editing by Matthew Sprange. It gives the Referee both inspiration and the mechanics to run a game with the book.
The layout & artwork by Cassie Gregory & Abby Mansion is so inviting, with a sort of future nostalgia. The pictures and they way they compliment the text leave me thinking about it long after I stop reading.
Keep up the amazing work!