Mysteries of space...

[zanwot]

The only really critical part of the ancients is that they are used to explain the omnipresence of humans in space in Traveller. That is why they were about in a time frame of several undred thousand years ago, and not more.

Appart from that they are meant to be a mystery. The problem with us is we all know about them, or him more precisely, by now. If you find a group of players who know nothing of the setting (and I know quite a few), I am pretty sure the Ancients as written in Traveller can have a lot of charm, so long as you reveal things sparingly.

Of course it is also possible to replace the Ancients as written by another bunch of ancients, the only critical thing tio the 3I setting is to explain somehow the human (and optionnaly Droyne) presence all over known space, and if possible the existence of the Vargr. So somehow something has to happen a couple ou hundred thousand years ago (give or take an order of magnitude) that involves humans being transplanted from earth. In that case the whole setting is pretty much unchanged, only a couple of adventures published 20+ years ago need to be ignored.

 

[alex_greene]

There is very little which is really revealed in "secrets of the ancients" and there is plenty of scope for extensions/alterations of that material.

IIRC, EVERYTHING about the Ancients was revealed in that "adventure" (I put it in quotes because it wasn't really an adventure, it was a railroad that the PCs were strapped into). And then the PCs were let go, with this setting-shaking knowledge.

And it really annoys me how everything is pinned on the Ancients - for a long-forgotten race they sure seem to have fiddled with every damn thing in the setting. They're not even a proper race, for crying out loud, it's just one psychotic mutant and his offspring playing god with the universe, and then the mutant got bored and killed his offspring and took out a few planets as collateral damage. And the race that they came from has conveniently forgotten all about them apparently.

I just loathe the way that they've been implemented in the setting. They're just a deus ex machina that can do anything, a convenient explanation for anything that doesn't make sense, and are too "magical" to fit in a science-fiction setting.

Of course, there's one thing nobody has considered.

Grandfather could have been lying to the characters.

 

[EDG]

Of course, there's one thing nobody has considered.

Grandfather could have been lying to the characters.

But we know that he wasn't, because what he said is what has been said elsewhere for GM information.

 

[BP]

... For one of the worlds I wrote up ages ago, I had a black sphere just appear underground one day - annihilating the rock around it and causing a major quake that brought it to the attention of the colonists. All it did while hovering in the exact centre of the spherical cavern it had created by its appearance was broadcast a powerful, focussed beam of neutrinos through its top and bottom poles. Nobody knows what is it, what it's there for, who it's broadcasting to or what it's broadcasting. Hell, *I* don't even know what it is. It's just there, to confound the people in my SF setting and to show that there are things that they may never find out about.

Hehe - good one EDG! I like it! Did they try to take it home with them?

Cool adventure seed - discover the mysterious hidden meaning behind the meaningless device!

 

[rust]

Of course, there's one thing nobody has considered.

Grandfather could have been lying to the characters.

But we know that he wasn't, because what he said is what has been said elsewhere for GM information.

Well, yes, but the authors could have been lying to the GMs, too. :wink:

 

[BP]

... yes, but the authors could have been lying to the GMs, too. :wink:

Uuh :shock: - what tangled web we weave!

(Are you lying to us? Tell the truth...)

 

[alex_greene]

I know for a fact that I am lying to you, right now.

 

[BP]

... Hell, *I* don't even know what it is.

Hey Mongoose - EDG might be on to something = Supplement M : The Book of Mysteries

Speaking of Mysteries - what the heck is a Stoat?

 

[AndrewW]

... Hell, *I* don't even know what it is.

Hey Mongoose - EDG might be on to something = Supplement M : The Book of Mysteries

Speaking of Mysteries - what the heck is a Stoat?

stoat
the ermine in its brown summer coat with black-tipped tail

 

[BP]

stoat
the ermine in its brown summer coat with black-tipped tail

Ok - i give - (sorry I'm so far off topic) -
what's a ermine?

 

[EDG]

Ok - i give - (sorry I'm so far off topic) -
what's a ermine?

It's a kind of Weasel. Stoats, polecats, weasels... they're variations on a theme. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ermine

 

[EDG]

Back on track... a book of mysteries might be a good idea. DEfinitely something that a third party could do.

 

[Dave Chase]

Of course, there's one thing nobody has considered.

Grandfather could have been lying to the characters.

Now, I am starting to get curious. Do you all have me on ignore or something.

I been saying all along that Grandfather has an Ego and has lied to everyone to cover up his Ego and faults.

sigh

Dave Chase

 

[BP]

What? Did anybody hear something?

This statement is false, was true and, if true, was false.

 

[rust]

Now, I am starting to get curious. Do you all have me on ignore or something.

I been saying all along that Grandfather has an Ego and has lied to everyone to cover up his Ego and faults.

You know, there is this meme created by Grandfather, it infects all human
brains and removes the idea that Grandfather might be able to tell lies.

A couple of minutes after someone hears or reads anything of that kind,
the meme strikes and removes the memory completely.

 

[rust]

By the way, did any of you consider the possibility that Grandfather
was lying ?

 

[Dave Chase]

:lol: :shock: :lol:

:ROFL:

:lol:

Dave Chase

 

[zanwot]

A couple of minutes after someone hears or reads anything of that kind,
the meme strikes and removes the memory completely.

Actually that particular meme has proven to be so successfull, it has fully mutated and multiplied all over internet forums, where it's many variations cause everybody to ask the same things, and give the same answers, again, and again, and again...

 

[kristof65]

A couple of minutes after someone hears or reads anything of that kind,
the meme strikes and removes the memory completely.

Actually that particular meme has proven to be so successfull, it has fully mutated and multiplied all over internet forums, where it's many variations cause everybody to ask the same things, and give the same answers, again, and again, and again...

 

[kristof65]

Back on track... a book of mysteries might be a good idea. DEfinitely something that a third party could do.

That thought had crossed my mind - like the 760 Patrons book, only 760 Mysteries. Gotta finish this first project, though.