Questions about Aslan character creation

[EvilDM]

I recently tried my hands on an Aslan and ran into some question during character creation, namely what happens when a female gains Territory? The book hints that it can be translated as a SOC increase but is there anything more official.

And speaking of SOC, am I the only one who thinks that its quite hard to get high or even average SOC as an Aslan? I did some example characters and many of them ended up with SOC 2 or 3. At least that is with my understanding that the first two points of Ancestral Territory is wasted as the SOC minimum is 2.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

After about 15 Aslan chargens with average/low SOC and no TER stats, I rolled up a female Space Officer that had SOC 16 and TER 13.

Name: Featoeaea' Iykeaearl
Beginning UPP: [B54951]
Female
Middle Daughter
Major Clan
Your ancestors were conquerors and great warriors.
+2 Ancestral Territory.
Your forbear was among the greatest heroes of the clan.
+6 Ancestral Territory.
Your forbear died gloriously in battle. +5 Ancestral Territory.
SOC: 13
Rite of Passage: 4
You're accepted into a Spacer career: Crew
Age: 16
Current rank 0:
You are considered for promotion in the officer caste.
You may add the number of terms served in this career
as a DM bonus if you attempt to qualify for the Space
Officer career next term and may apply even if you
have not served the minimum number of terms in this
career.
Left Spacer career after 1 terms
+1 SOC
You become a Space Officer and specialize in: Navigator
Age: 20
Current rank 0:
You are challenged to a duel over a matter of family
honor. You accept and succeed. Gain 1 in Social Standing.
PROMOTED
Age: 24
Current rank 1: Junior Navigator

blah blah blah

 

[EvilDM]

After about 15 Aslan chargens with average/low SOC and no TER stats, I rolled up a female Space Officer that had SOC 16 and TER 13.

I don't think you add the Ancestral Territory to your TER, except maybe as firstborn son. The rest starts at 0 and has to use events to raise it.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

After about 15 Aslan chargens with average/low SOC and no TER stats, I rolled up a female Space Officer that had SOC 16 and TER 13.

I don't think you add the Ancestral Territory to your TER, except maybe as firstborn son. The rest starts at 0 and has to use events to raise it.

You're right. Doing some more chargens...

ADDED:
I'm getting mostly SOC 3 or less and TER 0 now.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

Finally after about 40 chargens, got a SOC 7 and TER 10 Aslan.

Name: Htakh Taseaa'
Beginning UPP: [585771]
Male
First Son
Minor Clan
Your ancestors were conquerors and great warriors.
+2 Ancestral Territory.
Your forbear conquered his foes. +4 Ancestral Territory.
Your forbear's brother did well as an ihatei. +2 Ancestral Territory.
SOC: 8
Rite of Passage: 4
You become a Space Officer and specialize in: Commander
Age: 16
Current rank 0:
You have the opportunity to establish a landhold in your name.
Gain +2 in Territory.
Age: 20
Current rank 0:

A mishap!

Your vessel is destroyed in battle.
Gain the foe who defeated you as a rival.
+2 EDU
You join the Military as: Flyer
Age: 24
Current rank 0:
Your leader is losing the respect of the pack.
PROMOTED
Age: 28
Current rank 1: Technician
Your organization grows. Gain a benefit point.
PROMOTED
Age: 32
Current rank 2: Technician
Your organization grows. Gain a benefit point.
PROMOTED
Age: 36
Current rank 3: Technician

blah blah blah

 

[Reynard]

Traikhetouh, my female aslan engineer for Pirates of Drinax, has a SOC of 5 mostly for a couple lucky roles in past deeds. SOC for aslans should be fairly mundane except for the luckiest. SOC associated with Territory should increase as part of the game showing rewards of gained lands.

By the way, Trai was driven out of the clan during rivalry issues, became a scavenger then becomes a very vengeful corsair. Her SOC 5 is a bit suspect though could represent bearing and social confidence in herself.

 

[EvilDM]

Ok so as people also have many low SOC Aslans I assume that my interpretation of the rules is correct.

That leaves what to do with Territory as a female as the book is quite clear that this is a male only stat.

 

[JRoss]

You don't get lots of Territory without a luck Ancestral Deeds roll or lots of high stats to pass your Rite of Passage and qualify for the power careers. That's fine because low Territory is a great adventuring motivator. I like acquisition better than defending what you start out having.

 

[EvilDM]

You don't get lots of Territory without a luck Ancestral Deeds roll or lots of high stats to pass your Rite of Passage and qualify for the power careers. That's fine because low Territory is a great adventuring motivator. I like acquisition better than defending what you start out having.

How do you get Territory with Ancestral Deeds rolls? You can argue that if you play a firstborn male that you sire has died and you inherited it, but otherwise you start with 0 and have to get it through events or benefits.
At least thats how I read it.

 

[Reynard]

A female inherits the territory of either husband or family and that reflects as her SOC. If playing a purely aslan adventure, it makes more sense. In these situations, a female will use that SOC for pecking orders often with other females but I can see one reminding a male or two of lower SOC and therefore family and clan status just who they're talking too!

My character did well for family territory and it becomes background story for her since she was tossed out of all that but I make it come back that she knows who and what she was as a driver for her current situation. Her SOC was based on her family status in aslan affairs but I made it represent how she see herself for interactions within her adopted human environment.

Be creative.

 

[EvilDM]

Be creative.

It is not a problem of being creative, I just want to make sure that I apply the rules correctly and want to know if there is a official ruling on what to do when a female which cant have the TER stat does gain territory during character creation.
A SOC increase does make the most sense in my eyes.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

I treat the TER attribute as an interesting background thing that can be role-played in certain situations. An NPC female with TER can make for an interesting encounter/patron. That's probably why I had TER assigned to females the first time.

 

[Reynard]

Looking deeper into aslan character generation I see Territory and Social Standing is...

Complex.

You generate initial territory as ancestral territory which determines initial SOC. Thereafter your career(s) determine increases in Territory for males and SOC. The benefit - landhold- is a different animal. Territory becomes an abstract value to determine male penis envy and the bigger male always wins in both Territory and Social challenges. Females must make due with their social bearing and confidence inspired by family and persona achievement.

 

[EvilDM]

Looking deeper into aslan character generation I see Territory and Social Standing is...

Complex.

You generate initial territory as ancestral territory which determines initial SOC. Thereafter your career(s) determine increases in Territory for males and SOC. The benefit - landhold- is a different animal. Territory becomes an abstract value to determine male penis envy and the bigger male always wins in both Territory and Social challenges. Females must make due with their social bearing and confidence inspired by family and persona achievement.

I do not think that Ancient Territory translates into the Territory stat except maybe for the firstborn male and only when his father is dead (not automatic). The rest starts with 0 Territory and has to raise it with careers. Also I think from that point on TER and SOC are tracked separatly for males. Still no idea what females do when they get a TER increase.

 

[Reynard]

Reading the Territory descriptor on page 31 of the Aslan module, it is reaffirmed that Territory and Social standing are linked. Before career generation you generate your Ancestral Territory. This is part of your family background and also determines initial Social Standing. During careers you gain personal Territory and SOC and not equally. The Territory gained here is that person's (or the sire or mate if this is a female). Females never own land but they are associated with the Territory in their background. Only males gain the advantage which seems unfair for a female character but, if running an aslan oriented campaign, her association to family or husband and that Territory is still story driven. For female aslan characters like mine, it is all character background I get to play with and use it to round how she is played.

 

[EvilDM]

The Aslan society must be crawling with slum dwellers. Not only is it quite hard to get average SOC, they also do not have a draft as fallback and once you fail a qualification and become an Outcast you are stuck with it barring an event. And there are even events to make you an Outcast.

Speaking of qualification, the Rite of Passage is the only roll I encountered in Traveller where low is good. And females have a hard time qualifying for a military career as the attributes required for survival are not the ones tested for RoP.

 

[Reynard]

A society that discourages all but the best then sends the best into battle to die.

I wonder if Grandfather is a Puppeteer.

 

[EvilDM]

A society that discourages all but the best then sends the best into battle to die.

I wonder if Grandfather is a Puppeteer.

I wouldn't call the Ihatei "the best". It is just a bit frustrating that, compared to other races, there are so many succeed or suck rolls for Aslan characters.

 

[Reynard]

Which could mean it is representing the culture very well. They are an inscrutable and mysterious people.

 

[dragoner]

Trai is a good character, I like her, Ike may volunteer to give her some galanglic lessons though. :mrgreen: