Noob Question
- Thread starter dutch206
- Start date
far-trader
Mongoose
I envy you your innocence 
Take it, your imagination, and run with it. Run far! Don't mind the history 
Our group's best times (rose coloured glasses maybe) playing Traveller were before we knew much of anything about the OTU (aka Original/Official* Traveller Universe). We rolled our own worlds and subsectors and just went out there into the unkown to trade, hire our guns, run down rumours of glory, etc. etc.. Pirates, greedy merchants, crazed religious zealots with heavy ordnance repeatedly blowing up the Starport around us, a Scout with an apparent death wish engaging the jump drive at 10.1 diameters (or less) for the rush with the excuse they were collecting data on misjumps to break the J6 limit...
...of course all this was in the heady days of just a few simple LBBs (little black books) in the late 70's...
Sorry, rambling
More on topic. The Imperium banned Psionics several hundred years ago. After a long period of free practice and investigation of it. Reasons are unclear. Since then Psionics are frowned on at the least. CT (Classic Traveller, the first rules) had a table of reactions if one was found or suspected to be Psionic, covering such reasonable responses as: tarring and feathering, forced lobotomy, or lynching. Truly it was an enlightened age.
Since then Psionics in the Imperium has operated underground, in fear, though some suspect The Imperium unofficially operates secret Psionic agents this is officially denied and there are no witnesses or proof. Things are different outside the Imperium. The Zhodani (sworn enemies of the Imperium) have embraced Psionics. IMTU the Solomani (we, first Humans, of Earth and the Confederation) use it as a tool with regular testing and indoctrination of the talented into an elite agency.
This Psi Corps you speak of doesn't ring any bells (unless as suggested it is B5 related, they did have a Psi-Corp) but then I don't have the Psi book (or B5) and haven't really digested the Core book yet. Sounds like a MGT variation offhand.
* whatever the difference means in MGT lingo, I can't keep it straight, basically what applies to the Imperium does not necessarily apply to MGT and/or vice-versa, or something like that.
Take it, your imagination, and run with it. Run far! Don't mind the history Our group's best times (rose coloured glasses maybe) playing Traveller were before we knew much of anything about the OTU (aka Original/Official* Traveller Universe). We rolled our own worlds and subsectors and just went out there into the unkown to trade, hire our guns, run down rumours of glory, etc. etc.. Pirates, greedy merchants, crazed religious zealots with heavy ordnance repeatedly blowing up the Starport around us, a Scout with an apparent death wish engaging the jump drive at 10.1 diameters (or less) for the rush with the excuse they were collecting data on misjumps to break the J6 limit...
...of course all this was in the heady days of just a few simple LBBs (little black books) in the late 70's...
Sorry, rambling
More on topic. The Imperium banned Psionics several hundred years ago. After a long period of free practice and investigation of it. Reasons are unclear. Since then Psionics are frowned on at the least. CT (Classic Traveller, the first rules) had a table of reactions if one was found or suspected to be Psionic, covering such reasonable responses as: tarring and feathering, forced lobotomy, or lynching. Truly it was an enlightened age.
Since then Psionics in the Imperium has operated underground, in fear, though some suspect The Imperium unofficially operates secret Psionic agents this is officially denied and there are no witnesses or proof. Things are different outside the Imperium. The Zhodani (sworn enemies of the Imperium) have embraced Psionics. IMTU the Solomani (we, first Humans, of Earth and the Confederation) use it as a tool with regular testing and indoctrination of the talented into an elite agency.
This Psi Corps you speak of doesn't ring any bells (unless as suggested it is B5 related, they did have a Psi-Corp) but then I don't have the Psi book (or B5) and haven't really digested the Core book yet. Sounds like a MGT variation offhand.
* whatever the difference means in MGT lingo, I can't keep it straight, basically what applies to the Imperium does not necessarily apply to MGT and/or vice-versa, or something like that.
I think it might be mentioned in Psion. However, keep in mind that the books are campaign independant; quite a lot of Psion is not appropriate to the 3rd Imperium setting (although some of it works quite well to cover Zhodani while we wait for that module). Psi Corp world work well for the Zhodani Thought Police.
There is no overt Psionic government organisation in the Third Imperium. The possibility of a covert one is left to the Referee's discretion.
There is no overt Psionic government organisation in the Third Imperium. The possibility of a covert one is left to the Referee's discretion.
In the MGT core rulebook, It mentions in the Psion profession that you might have learned your powers by stumbling across a research facility. (Yeah, look how that worked out for Wolverine in the Uncanny X-men)
I have decided that the "Legacy of the ancients" campaign is an invitation to make the power level of the game creep upwards. Therefore, it ain't gonna happen. Verge sector, Begone!
I rolled my first subsector this week. It looks pretty interesting, and the random results were a riot. (Like a culture who ratifies trade agreements with sex and one which burns psions as witches) 8)
I went to Wikipedia to get a general overview of OTU setting history. It will be background information with little bearing on current events.
I have decided that the "Legacy of the ancients" campaign is an invitation to make the power level of the game creep upwards. Therefore, it ain't gonna happen. Verge sector, Begone!
I rolled my first subsector this week. It looks pretty interesting, and the random results were a riot. (Like a culture who ratifies trade agreements with sex and one which burns psions as witches) 8)
I went to Wikipedia to get a general overview of OTU setting history. It will be background information with little bearing on current events.
Captain Jonah
Mongoose
dutch206 said:
And the problem here is
:twisted: Captain Jonah
Mongoose
Jame Rowe said:Captain Jonah said:dutch206 said:
And the problem here is
Burning the witches, instead of having sex with them!(What?!? The sex-ratifying-trade-agreements one has it right! :lol: )
Yes but he didn't say burning witches, he said burning psions. I mean, psions. Sex. Thats just wrong. You will be making nice to the Zhodani next. :shock:
Captain Jonah
Mongoose
dutch206 said:
Burn them at the stake. Get a mob together with pitchforks and burning torches, grab the psion, take them to the middle of the town or village and have a nice fire. Bring snacks and marshmallows for the children. :twisted:
If you are not happy with them then leave them out to start with, psions are old wives tales, stories to frighten little children etc. Then if you want them later they can appear, having been in hiding for generations. This way if you want them then the stories are true, if you decide against them then they are just stories. Starting with them makes it hard to get rid of them later. Well not without needing a lot of firewood anyway
:twisted:If you dont want to roll anything more than the cultural differences, or if you just want to save yourself some time, heres a site for you that provides a detailed map of charted space with world stats 8)
http://www.travellermap.com/
Its helped me a lot in my gaming, and it is supposed to be the stats of the OTU c1105.
http://www.travellermap.com/
Its helped me a lot in my gaming, and it is supposed to be the stats of the OTU c1105.
I don't believe that there is anything you need to know about Traveller beyond what Mongoose has already published, or will publish for it. If you get confused about something, I think the best thing is to figure out your own solution that works for you.
Canon is for book authors to worry about, not ordinary players like you and me; it's just too much of a headache to deal with. Go your own way, make your own maps and subsectors, do whatever works for you, and don't worry about whether it agrees or disagrees with anything that anyone else had said. You'll have way more fun that way.
Canon is for book authors to worry about, not ordinary players like you and me; it's just too much of a headache to deal with. Go your own way, make your own maps and subsectors, do whatever works for you, and don't worry about whether it agrees or disagrees with anything that anyone else had said. You'll have way more fun that way.
Captain Jonah
Mongoose
Blix said:
True, very true. Enjoy the magic. In 30 years you could be as jaded as they rest of us old farts but for now jump in and have fun
But, but, but... Damm. Guess that means I got kicked out of the ordinary players guild. What now, do I have to hang around with the wierdo's and developers in the kitchen at parties. :lol:
Seriously its your game so make of it what you will, cannon is for consistancy (sort of) for the OTU and not a problem unless you start getting into deep levels of discussion (and probably cow droppings
)See a few of the threads here abouts for examples :roll:
IanBruntlett
Emperor Mongoose
Hi. the Traveller main rule book acts as the core of the game rules. Its not cheap but you will get a lot of mileage out of it.dutch206 said:
Supplementing the core books (typically those with black covers), there are other "universe" settings.
In traditional Traveller style there is OTU (Official Traveller Universe, based on the 3rd Imperium of Mankind, part of which is documented by the Spinward Marches supplement). Once a referee starts running an OTU campaign it becomes a MTU (My Traveller Universe) with differences and similarities at the GMs discretion.
A number of other Traveller Universes have been published in book form or on internet websites. Here's an incomplete list:-
* Babylon 5
* Reign of Discordia
* Hammer's Slammers
* 2000 AD - Judge Dredd
* 2000 AD - Strontium Dog
* Cthonian Stars - not yet published
* Twilight Sector - published by Terra/Sol games
far-trader
Mongoose
All the suggestions that background, rules, whatever be damned and just play the way you want and make up your own stuff is fine. We learn best from making our own choices and mistakes. I've often said as much, and even led with that here in reply. But the fact is dutch206 asked a specific question.
The right course then is to offer an answer that fits the question. Heaping platitudes of steer your own course are great advice in many cases, but insufficient in themselves when one is looking for specific answers to a stated question. Offer some guidance with the advice. Even suggest your own invented ideas that cover the question as an option. Some players may not have the confidence yet to trust their own invention, others may not have the time, some will have realized there is a wealth of knowledge out there already waiting for them to access if they only knew where, and a few may even realize that Canon is a good place to start looking for answers as the questions may have already been asked and covered in it.
The right course then is to offer an answer that fits the question. Heaping platitudes of steer your own course are great advice in many cases, but insufficient in themselves when one is looking for specific answers to a stated question. Offer some guidance with the advice. Even suggest your own invented ideas that cover the question as an option. Some players may not have the confidence yet to trust their own invention, others may not have the time, some will have realized there is a wealth of knowledge out there already waiting for them to access if they only knew where, and a few may even realize that Canon is a good place to start looking for answers as the questions may have already been asked and covered in it.
far-trader said:
The question has already been answered in the second post of the thread. The Psi Corps is specific to the Babylon 5 setting (published for Traveller rules), not part of the OTU; therefore they are not relevant to the Imperium. OTU Traveller canon is not relevant to answering his question.
As for the rest, threads drift.
far-trader
Mongoose
Blix said:
Yep, beaten to the submit button while looking for references and not finding it
Blix said:
Not quite though. The OP was asking about TI setting and as you point out the B5 Psi-Corp not being part of that it seemed reasonable that they were conflating sources and could use the right background info.
Blix said:
Naturally.
Well, I'm kicking the law level on Psions down to 5. (Illegal for everyone except government agents).
I figure it's the same thing as gun laws; If you outlaw guns, then only the outlaws will have them. This way, there is a government agency responsible for hunting down outlaw psions.
Get ready for your next big shock. I've never seen an episode of B5. :shock:
I figure it's the same thing as gun laws; If you outlaw guns, then only the outlaws will have them. This way, there is a government agency responsible for hunting down outlaw psions.
Get ready for your next big shock. I've never seen an episode of B5. :shock:
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