Leviathan and the Outrim Void

[Golan2072]

A year or so ago I was planning to run a Traveller campaign for my spouse, set in Canopus 1248. The campaign was supposed to start late in 2008 or early in 2009. Anyhow, eventually we decided to continue our Basic Fantasy Role-Playing game campaign another year instead and postpone the Traveller one.

Last week we discussed our gaming and decided that we'll switch over to Traveller at the end of 2009. Both due to our conversation (she wants a game with a lot of politics, trade and exploration, especially looking for new market opportunities and political ties) as well as me liking the brand-new Mongoose Aslan book and the Trojan Reach sector set in it (as well as re-reading CT's A4: Leviathan and loving it), I've decided to run a modified (expanded) version of Leviathan for her.

Regardless of this, I will continue my work on Canopus, of course, both as a long-range investment (I might run it in the future) and to eventually publish it as free fan-material (with CT stats) in Stellar Reaches or any similar fanzine.

My spouse wants to run a female Aslan noble (from one of the more "progressive"/teshko (sp?) - clans), involved in political and corporate intrigues and looking for new markets for her clan or her corporation. I'm thinking about making her the decision-maker (purser? factor?) onboard the Leviathan or an equivalent vessel trying to get an economical foothold in the Outrim Void in general and Egryn in particular. She's an avid role-player so I guess that a major part of the game will revolve around dealing with various political factions on various worlds to get freferrential deals for her corporation or clan.

There would be, of course, other kinds of adventures. I'll also try to adapt some of the CT and MGT stuff I have to this campaign. One adventure I have in mind is Project Steel, which I'm going to move to some world in the Outrim Void (possibly adding another world to the map) and replace the Sword-Worlders with Aslan ihatei (the pirates will probably be Belgardian). As a horror/action diversion from political play I'll also possibly add a mix of A1: Kinunir and the Chamax adventure, with a derelict Kinunir-class vanguard cruiser floating around some god-forsaken world in the Outrim Void after it misjumped from Foreven (about two subsectors away) after being infested with Chamax.

I'll go through all the adventures I can access and look what I can adapt. This time, unlike my BFRPG game, I want to be heavily prepared for the game to make my improvisations more coherent and the games more frequent.

I'll also do some changes to the subsectors involved, both to remove glaring problems (such as tiny worldlets with thick atmospheres) and to better fit the campaign and the adventures.

I'm not sure about the scope I want it to encompass. The minimum is Egryn and Pax Ruling (as in A4: Leviathan), but I'm thinking about adding two more subsectors (either to the Coreward like Glisten or to the rimward like Sindal). I'm also not so sure about the variant of the OTU I'm going to use, though Cyborg IM1's 16-sector variant looks pretty much appealing.

I also have a blog for this campaign (see my sig).

The game will start December 21, 2009, which will be my spouse's 25th birthday. I intend to make that game memorable; I might also buy her some Aslan miniatures as a birthday present.

 

[Golan2072]

Other adventures that I might end up using and/or salvaging material from:

Project Steel as mentioned above; the Sword-Worlders will be replaced by Aslan ihatei, and more emphasis will be placed on trying to secure stable trade relations with both factions (Human colonists and Aslan) than on running errands. Negotiating a truce between the two sides in order to repel the pirates should be a major plot point.

A2: Research Station Gamma could easily be located in Pax Ruling, being a backwater and far from the main trade routes. I know that officially there are no Chirper worlds in this subsector but transplanting one will be easy. There might also be a trade-pact with the Chirpers to secure once the adventure will be finished...

A9: Nomads of the World Ocean. I'll have to either find a water-world for it in the ORV or simply add one. This adventure has too much politics and corporate intrigue to risk missing! :twisted:

A10: Safari Ship - I may possibly use the Shriekers as a minor race, either at their original location (if I'll end up using District 268) or moved to a world in the ORV.

DA1: Shadows - I may use the location described and the map with some modifications, but probably not the plot as-is.

DA2: Bright Face - I might use a similar situation on a similar world in the 'Void; however, chances are that the focus will be on playing the local politics; bodyguarding as in the adventure as written is unlikely to be used in this game.

DA5: Horde/Chamax and A1: Kinunir; While I won't be using these adventures in their full form, a derelict Kinunir filled with dormant (?) Chamax will be present in orbit around a backwater world in the Outrim Void. The ship was infested while trying to investigate a Chamax saucer, then, when trying to escape, misjumped due to battle damage to its jump-drive. This may be used around any backwater world I'll want it to.

On one hand, DA6: Night of Conquest look appealing both from the trade/diplomacy angle and the frontier-exploration one. On the other hand, it requires a world which wasn't visited much in the past, and with the amount of raiding in Egryn... well... it might be very difficult to pull off. Anyway, if I'll decide to use it, the original UWP is E667874-4, so it'll require a habitable low-tech world with considerable population (ATM 5, 6 or 8, HYD 5-8, POP 7+, TL4-5).

The Rescue (Signs and Portents #55) will be very easy to utilize. All that is needed is a small world with ATM 2- or A or even a moon of an existing world with these characteristics.

---

World types needed by some of the adventures I might end up transplanting yo the ORV:

Project Steel: original UWP E655000-0. The adventure needs an initially "empty" world (to be colonized) with a thin breathable atmosphere and a moderate amount of water. (ATM 5, HYD 4-7, POP 0).

A2: Research Station Gamma: original UWP C686854-5. Needs a low-tech world with a breathable atmosphere and a good amount of water (ATM 6 or 8, HYD 5-8, POP 7-8, TL 5-7).

A3: Twilight's Peak: original UWP A674120-D. Needs a low-pop world with a tainted atmosphere an a good starport. In a pinch, the starport description can be dropped, and all that will be required is ATM 5, 7 or 9, HYD 4-6 and POP 3-.

A9: Nomads of the World Ocean: original UWP A88A986-E. Needs a high-pop waterworld with a good TL and a breathable atmosphere (ATM 6 or 8, HYD A, POP 8+, TL A+).

A10: Safari Ship: original UWP E532000-0. Needs a "poor" world with no apparent population. In a pinch, the shriekers may be transplanted into the world used for the Project Steel adventure for added fun.

DA1: Shadows: original UWP C7C6503-7. Essentially needs a world with ATM B or C.

DA2: Across the Bright Face: original UWP D100535-A. Needs an airless (or trace atmosphere) rock with moderate population, moderate TL and oligarchic or corporate government (SIZ 4-, ATM 0 or 1, POP 4-7, GOV 1 or 3, TL 8-B).

---

Let's see if any of the ORV worlds fits these adventure requirements:

The best candidate for Project Steel is 985-373 in Egryn. All that would be required UWP-wise will be to change its atmosphere to 6 (and even this can be modded out). However, in A4, this world has the interesting background bit of being a dead world on which the civilization killed itself in a final nuclear holocaust. I don't know if this will work too well with Project Steel, which should probably set on a new (added) world.

The candidate location for A2: Research Station Gamma is T'yana in Egryn. The TL is a bit high, but on the other hand TL8 submarines will probably work well with this adventure like the TL5 ones.... Kydde in Pax Rulin is another option if I'll increase both its Atmosphere and Hydrographics ratings by one.

Kaldamar looks like the best fit for the final part of A3: Twilight's peak. At worst, its atmosphere can be increased to 5.

There are no water-worlds in either of the Leviathan subsectors, so if I'll want to run A9: Nomads of the World Ocean, I'll probably have to add a new world.

Eleson seems like a fine candidate for A10: Safari Ship; the Belgardian base there is very small and they might have simply missed the Shrikers entirely.

I can probably place the pyramids from DA1: Shadows on Walei or Islent. As I've already said, I don't intend to run the adventure as-is but rather scavange its location, and both worlds can hold it.

The best candidate for setting DA2: Across the Bright Face is probably Doradon with a slightly increased population and a slightly different government.

I'll place the Chamax-infested Kinunir on the map later on; it should be found in a remote location.

I'll probably set The Rescue on the same world as the Bright Face.

There are not many fully isolated worlds in the ORV that fit The Night of Conquest's requirements. I'll probably have to avoid using it, or, alternatively, add an isolated world to the map.

 

[Golan2072]

Here is the initial (modified by me) subsector data. I'll modify it further later on.


Egryn

Entry Format:

Belgard       1106 C571621-9  P Ni              A  902 Temp      Bs

Where Belgard is the world name, 1106 is the sector-wide hex location, C371521-9 is the UWP, P is the base code, Ni is the trade code, 923 is the PBG (Population Multiplier, Belts, Gas Giants), Temp is the temperature and Bs is the allegiance code.

The base codes are:
N = Naval Base
S = Scout Base
P = Pirate Base
2 = Naval and Scout Bases
M = Military Base
W = Imperial Way Station

The allegiance codes are:
Bs = Belgardian Sojourn
Cs = Imperial Client State
Cz = Zhodani Client State
Im = Third Imperium
Na = Non-Aligned
Sf = Senlis Foederate

Subsector Data:

Walei         0902 E7B4776-5    Fl              A  811 Roast     Na
Pa'an         0909 E649633-4    Ga Ni           A  513 Temp      Cz
Gorgon        1005 E690264-6    De Lo           A  504 Frozen    Bs
Belgard       1106 C571621-9  P Ni              A  902 Temp      Bs
Velscur       1110 X574679-3    Ag Ga Ni        A  302 Cold      Na
Kaldamar      1201 E755626-7    Ag Ga Ni        A  403 Temp      Na
Nabeth        1202 C526679-8  S Ni              A  823 Frozen    Cs
985-373       1209 X775000-0    Ba Ga           A  020 Cold      Na
Gollere       1305 D574756-7    Ag Ga           A  720 Temp      Na
Ganulph       1307 E200164-8    Lo Va           A  111 Roast     Bs
Eleson        1308 E541100-8    Lo Po           A  323 Temp      Bs
Selshor       1402 D530576-7    De Ni Po        A  913 Temp      Na
Goria         1410 E522475-6    Ni Po           A  200 Temp      Na
Carben        1502 X5555A9-1    Ag Ni           R  114 Temp      Na
Stahl         1504 E655000-0    Ba Ga           A  014 Temp      Na
Ashley's Rock 1601 D100120-8    Lo Va           A  614 Hot       Na
T'yana        1602 C568752-8    Ag Ga Ri        A  200 Temp      Na
Vior          1605 X500401-8    Va Ni           A  301 Temp      Na
Braudel       1608 X543500-3    Ni Po           R  903 Frozen    Na

Note that the life-support tech on Walei is TL9, but many other technologies are TL5.

 

[Golan2072]

Pax Rulin

Entry Format:

Belgard       1106 C571621-9  P Ni              A  902 Temp      Bs

Where Belgard is the world name, 1106 is the sector-wide hex location, C371521-9 is the UWP, P is the base code, Ni is the trade code, 923 is the PBG (Population Multiplier, Belts, Gas Giants), Temp is the temperature and Bs is the allegiance code.

The base codes are:
N = Naval Base
S = Scout Base
P = Pirate Base
2 = Naval and Scout Bases
M = Military Base
W = Imperial Way Station

The allegiance codes are:
Bs = Belgardian Sojourn
Cs = Imperial Client State
Cz = Zhodani Client State
Im = Third Imperium
Na = Non-Aligned
Sf = Senlis Foederate

Subsector Data:

Candia        1801 D4006A9-8    Na Ni Va        A  703 Temp      Na
Kydde         1810 B644779-5    Ag Ga           A  804 Cold      Na
Bantral       1906 C886589-9  S Ag Ga Ni        A  503 Hot       Cs
Kryslion      2002 D583AA9-9    Hi                 520 Temp      Im
Orsasch       2008 E541364-7    Lo Po           A  223 Temp      Sf
Cyan          2102 C5689B9-B  W Hi Ga              510 Temp      Im
Berengaria    2105 B566744-7  2 Ag Ga Ri           304 Temp      Im
Dagon         2106 C86A976-B    Hi Wa              304 Temp      Im
Senlis        2108 B671633-A    Ni              A  510 Hot       Sf
Doradon       2202 A400535-B  S Ni Va              100 Temp      Im
Perrior       2203 A633966-B  N Na Po              330 Temp      Im
Pax Rulin     2204 A402731-E  N Cp Ht Ic Na Va     413 Cold      Im
Rhysk         2304 E413730-8    Ic Na Po        R  613 Frozen    Im
Caraz         2306 E311959-A  N Hi Ic In Na     A  222 Temp      Im
Magen         2309 C543550-9    Ni Po           A  902 Cold      Sf
Islent        2402 BAC0789-A    De              A  103 Hot       Im
Alexin        2405 B000720-C    As Ht Na Va        230 Temp      Im

 

[Golan2072]

I've noticed that Caraz has a Naval base; therefore I think that it should start at Starport-C.

EDIT: While Ganulph itself is a radioactive wasteland, is there anything preventing Belgard from setting up a refueling base near its gas giant? This will make getting to Eleson much, much easier...

EDIT #2: I think that adding a world - preferably backwater or non-inhabitated - in Pax Rulin's 1706 will be very useful for the game. Setting up a base there will open up the majority of the Egryn subsector to J-2 trade (after the completion of the Project Steel adventure on Stahl, that is). Of course, setting up a reliable base on a backwater or non-inhabitated world should be a major challenge...

 

[Golan2072]

Draft referee's starmap (click on the thumbnail for a full-scale map):

 

[Golan2072]

Let's flesh out the various Egryn worlds using both MGT's cultural differences (and factions) and Path of Tears' government traits:

Walei
(Pop 7, Gov 7, Law 9; Moderate Corruption, High Talent, Low Cruelty, Moderate Aggression, Moderate Paranoia)
3 Factions (dome-states on this balkanized world) - Participatory Democracy (Minor), Feudal Technocracy (Significant), Feudal Technocracy (Notable)
Cultural Difference - Unusual Customs: Technology (use relatively little electronics)

Paan
(Pop 6, Gov 3, Law 3; Low Corruption, Moderate Talent, Low Cruelty, Low Aggression, High Paranoia)
3 Factions - Non-Charismatic Oligarchy (Minor), Non-Charismatic Oligarchy (Significant), Civil-Service Bureaucracy (Fringe)
Cultural Difference - Unusual Customs: Nobility (Ruled by Psions)

Belgard and the Belgardian Sojourn
(Pop 6, Gov 2, Law 1; Low Corruption, Moderate Talent, Moderate Cruelty, High Aggression, High Paranoia)
1 Faction - Representative Democracy (Notable) - an elected arbitration body between different pirate crews?
Cultural Difference - Remnant

Velscur
(Pop 6, Gov 7, Law 9; High Corruption, Moderate Talent, High Cruelty, Moderate Aggression, Moderate Paranoia)
4 Factions (nations on this balkanized world) - Representative Democracy (Minor), Non-Charismatic Dictatorship (Significant), Feudal Technocracy (Notable), Non-Charismatic Oligarchy (Significant)
Cultural Difference - Ritualized

Kaladmar
(Pop 6, Gov 2, Law 6; High Corruption, Low Talent, Low Cruelty, Moderate Aggression, Moderate Paranoia)
3 Factions - Corporation (Overwhelming), Participatory Democracy (Notable), Feudal Technocracy (Notable)
Cultural Difference - Artistic

Nabeth
(Pop 6, Gov 7, Law 9; Moderate Corruption, Moderate Talent, Low Cruelty, Moderate Aggression, Low Paranoia)
3 Factions (the largest orbital habitats) - Representative Democracy (Minor), Representative Democracy (Minor), Representative Democracy (Notable)
Cultural Difference - Unusual Customs: Travel (jumping between orbital habitats)

985-373
Uninhabited.

Gollere
(Pop 7, Gov 5, Law 6; Low Corruption, Moderate Talent, Low Cruelty, Moderate Aggression, Low Paranoia)
2 Factions - Civil-Service Bureaucracy (Notable), Captive Government (Significant, a pro-Belgardian conspiracy)
Cultural Difference - Progressive

Ganulph
Uninhabited.

Selshor
(Pop 5, Gov 7, Law 6; Low Corruption, High Talent, High Cruelty, Low Aggression, Low Paranoia)
2 Factions (nations on this balkanized world) - Civil-Service Bureaucracy (Notable), Non-Charismatic Oligarchy (Significant)
Cultural Difference - Unusual Customs: Conspiracy (!)

Goria
(Pop 4, Gov 7, Law 5; Low Corruption, Moderate Talent, High Cruelty, High Aggression, High Paranoia)
3 Factions (nations on this balkanized world) - Feudal Technocracy (Notable), Non-Charismatic Oligarchy (Significant), Non-Charismatic Oligarchy (Significant)
Cultural Difference - Barbaric

Carben
(Pop 5, Gov A, Law 9; Low Corruption, Low Talent, Moderate Cruelty, Low Aggression, High Paranoia)
2 Factions - Non-Charismatic Oligarchy (Obscure), Feudal Technocracy (Significant)
Cultural Difference - Conservative

Stahl
Uninhabited.

Ashley's Rock
(Pop 1, Gov 2, Law 0; Low Corruption, Moderate Talent, Moderate Cruelty, Moderate Aggression, Moderate Paranoia)
2 Factions - Anarchy (Notable), Corporation (Minor)
Cultural Difference - Unusual Customs: Social Standings

T'yana
(Pop 7, Gov 5, Law 2; Moderate Corruption, Moderate Talent, High Cruelty, Low Aggression, Moderate Paranoia)
3 Factions - Non-Charismatic Dictatorship (Fringe), Impersonal Bureaucracy (Minor), Civil-Service Bureaucracy (Fringe)
Cultural Difference - Sexist

Vior
(Pop 4, Gov 0, Law 1; Moderate Corruption, Moderate Talent, High Cruelty, High Aggression, High Paranoia)
2 Factions (the largest tribes)- Participatory Democracy (Notable), Anarchy (Significant)
Cultural Difference - Unusual Customs: Eating (semi-cannibalistic)

Braudel
(Pop 5, Gov 0, Law 0; Low Corruption, Moderate Talent, High Cruelty, Moderate Aggression, Moderate Paranoia)
3 Factions (the largest tribes)- Non-Charismatic Oligarchy (Minor), Corporation (Notable), Non-Charismatic Oligarchy (Minor)
Cultural Difference - Unusual Customs: Nobility (Tribes are controlled by psionic shamans)

 

[Golan2072]

I've now added Ganulph to the Belgardian Sojourn. Sure, the mainworld in that system is a worthless radioactive wasteland, but Belgard has set up a tiny refueling post on one of the moons of its gas giant, making access to the Eleson colony easier.

The Belgardians probably trade with the agricultural world of Gollere. They might even set their eyes on it and try to make it a vassal world, from which they will have easier J-2 access (through Stahl and Carben) to the rich raiding grounds of T'yana and Nabeth. I've added a pro-Belgardian conspiracy as a Faction to Gollere's info above.

Thinking of this, the pirates in the Project Steel adventure I'm going to run on Stahl are probably Belgardian raiders looking to turn that world into a stepping-stone towards T'yana.

EDIT: I'm thinking about adding specific base (or trade?) codes both to the UWPs and the map representing the locations of Factors for the three main local corporations: the Baraccai Technum, the McClellan Factors and the Arkesh Spacers.

 

[Golan2072]

I now have an important decision to make regarding the Leviathan adventure. I have two options in front of me:

1) Use the Baraccai Technum as presented in A4: Kinunir and have them hire the Aslan PC (which should be an experienced manager) as the Leviathan's owner onboard (actually ship's manager and the Technum's representative on board).

2) Replace the Baraccai Technum wholly or in part by an Aslan clan (probably the PC's clan), which should be a clan with a strong trading tradition.

Which do you thing should work better?

 

[Golan2072]

So far it's just me (the Referee) and my spouse (playing an Aslan); so it'll probably be an Aslan ship, though a BT-Aslan joint-venture is also a possibility to keep the recurring cast interesting.

Anyhow, I was thinking about her character coming from a minor Tsekho ("progressive") clan from somewhere in the Trojan Reach, which would make contact with humans a little bit more easier (especially when the matters at stake are the females' business), though, of course, cultural differences between Aslan and the alien "apes" will still show up to a certain degree. There would also be a fair bit of Aslan politics involved and probably competition with Glories under the Claw, as well as cultural differences and conflicts between traditionalist Heirate Aslan and less traditional Trojan Reach Tsekho.

As this is a single-player game the focus will be more on diplomacy, politics and the "big picture" than on the small details, though from time to time I intend to inject a more hands-on adventure into the mix to keep things interesting.

 

[alex_greene]

The Outrim Void, aka Trojan Reaches, is detailed in the Aslan Alien Module. I have seen it, and I want.

Maybe after I get Tripwire and Geist for the WoD, I'll get that one.

 

[Golan2072]

The Outrim Void, aka Trojan Reaches, is detailed in the Aslan Alien Module.

Yep. It is detailed both in Mongoose's AM1: Aslan and in CT's A4: Leviathan. This is a very interesting area of space which is far more of a frontier than the 'Marches.

Also, I heartily recommend the MGT Aslan module: it is an excellent book!