Singularity - musings
- Thread starter Sigtrygg
- Start date
Jet_Black
Banded Mongoose
In about a week, I'll start running Singularity for my regular group. We have already created characters and they are just missing some finishing touches (names, some pieces of equipment...).
Currently, we are looking at the following cast of characters:
- A male Human scout / surveyor who turned into a merchant / free trader after a few terms. His trading business crashed and burned, so he will be hired as the Fortuna Ventura's main pilot.
- A female Human entertainer / performer. A minor celebrity in the Core Sector, she will be hired to entertain the pampered guests of the Fortuna Ventura. She has a SOC of 12 (!!!), so she will be my "victim" for the adventure Knight Moves...
- A male Irilotok Vargr (rogue / thief) from Aarza Kand, member of the Ekilati Onati. He will be hired as a steward and general labourer. May try to rob the guests... Of course, he will have a starring role in The Offer!
- A female Aslan Imperial Navy engineer/gunner with a university diploma. Became a drifter - wanderer after mustering out and fell in with a rough crowd, the Ekilati Onati. Her best friend is the Vargr thief. The Fortuna Ventura's new chief engineer.
- A female Bwap scholar - physician. She has a healthy interest in sophontology and xenology. Will come in handy during Seas of the Ancients.
Currently, we are looking at the following cast of characters:
- A male Human scout / surveyor who turned into a merchant / free trader after a few terms. His trading business crashed and burned, so he will be hired as the Fortuna Ventura's main pilot.
- A female Human entertainer / performer. A minor celebrity in the Core Sector, she will be hired to entertain the pampered guests of the Fortuna Ventura. She has a SOC of 12 (!!!), so she will be my "victim" for the adventure Knight Moves...
- A male Irilotok Vargr (rogue / thief) from Aarza Kand, member of the Ekilati Onati. He will be hired as a steward and general labourer. May try to rob the guests... Of course, he will have a starring role in The Offer!
- A female Aslan Imperial Navy engineer/gunner with a university diploma. Became a drifter - wanderer after mustering out and fell in with a rough crowd, the Ekilati Onati. Her best friend is the Vargr thief. The Fortuna Ventura's new chief engineer.
- A female Bwap scholar - physician. She has a healthy interest in sophontology and xenology. Will come in handy during Seas of the Ancients.
Terry Mixon
Emperor Mongoose
I hope you have fun. My group is at Anther where I’ve ambushed them with a side adventure at the same time they are recruiting passengers.
I really wish the Anther stretch goal was out as it would be a huge help.
Yup, the first will be very soon!
paltrysum
Emperor Mongoose
Perfect fit! He's got a built-in redemption arc.
Nice! I hope she's up on her swordplay.
He will shine in that adventure and he'll come in handy throughout the campaign.
She'll be front and centre, solving the ship's mysteries. And a good techie will be useful throughout the campaign.
Indeed. And in
The Lost Civilisation of Guun
Technetium 98
Cosmic Mongoose
... is the name non-negotiable
can we at the very least use a pinnace to investigate it
Terry Mixon
Emperor Mongoose
Here they are in their own words, with minor tweaks from me.
They are currently on Anther Highport getting the ship ready for passengers. I have sideswiped them with a third party adventure called The Second Scions’ Society but called in as a makeshift retinue for one of the nobles that the Baron knows when his people get a nasty foodborne illness. It’s a way for them to find an in to high society and recruit passengers.
Arvil Shuugushmi is a performer and steward. He is native of Aashma C00056A-9, Iradu Subsector, Dagudashaag Sector 2602.
He is slightly taller than average with a strong and dexterous build. Arvil has dark hair worn over his ears and brown eyes. His skin is darker as well representing his Vilani heritage. Arvil is considered good-looking and charismatic with a keen wit and well educated mind.
Born to a family of Belters, Arvid excelled in mathematics and music and was awarded a prestigious scholarship for music and languages at the University of Interstellar Harmony on nearby Likhukam. Graduating with honors in both the study of Vilani literature and Terran music composition, Arvid quickly became a very popular performer in the Core Sector. One of his works became a multi-Iridium seller gaining him a healthy income and widespread notoriety.
When widespread food and air riots broke out on his own world Arvil was outspoken in both organizing relief and criticizing the existing government. With the help of friends and other concerned citizens he was directly involved in the overthrow of the government and the replacement by Imperial and Sector troops. Figuring that it was best to depart the scene rather than face arrest and probable death Arvil departed on a highly successful Sector wide performance.
Arvil continued performing but found the fame from his music and the notoriety from the political involvement to be increasingly intrusive and unbearable. The persistent attentions of a bounty hunter made the decision to retire and seek out something different quite easy.
Erasmus Store is a steward. He grew up on Ushba Sind/Dingtra/Core 2924, a rugged animal world near the Sylean Federation border, where he learned to survive, mend wounds, and navigate human nature. A gifted sculptor with a practical streak, he studied art and business before joining the Imperial Navy, where he earned his skills in electronics, unarmed combat, and grav operations.
After his service, he briefly found fame with a single acclaimed sculpture before turning to merchant work, where his stewarding, gambling, and steady nerves won him promotion and a share in a starship. Quiet and adaptable, Erasmus carries both a laser pistol and a sculptor’s chisel with equal familiarity.
Now a respected freelance steward and TAS member, he seeks meaning in both travel and creation.
Ui'a is a steward. She is an Imperialized female Aslan, known as Little Erma is part of the Felna family of merchants originating from Ul\Earle in the Union of Harmony. She's never actually been to Ul, she was born in space and has traveled throughout the 3rd Imperium on family trading vessels. She did attend the University in the Core Sector to earn a business degree but ended up taking engineering and medical courses to help fill the roles needed on the small family far traders.
Over the years, she advanced in the family fleet, mostly as a steward and eventually becoming a first mate before mustering out near the Aslan Heirate so she could spend some time working directly for the clan corporation in a management role. She spent 8 years running the passenger management services and was introduced to the Aslan Kinships Kteakhtiy where she worked with managers from many clans to expand Clan operations and opportunities. When she finally retired, she did so in the Core sector of the Imperium. She has traveled quite extensively, through Solimani and Imperial space, and wanted to explore the Core of the Imperium to see what she could do on her own.
Now, Erma is older and wiser. She is a slightly shorter than an average Aslan female. Her family of traders originates in the Union of Harmony down by Solimani space. She has yellow golden fur, now riddled with streaks of white, especially around her muzzle and ear tips. Her eyes are a watery emerald. Her build is fit, if on the slim side, and not bulky. She is comfortable in simple ship's suits, but being an experienced steward, she knows how to dress for the higher class clientele.
Markus Digby is an engineer. He is a Human male, 1.81m, 77kg, black hair, brown eyes.
Homeworld: Knabbib (aka Zimiin) [Core 2115] A431758-F
UPP: ABBFCC
Markus Digby was born to a large working class family on the planet of Knabbib. He had 4 siblings and money was always tight due to his parents inability to keep a job for an extended period. His home life was very chaotic. Due to his natural gifts, both physically and mentally, he did well in school. Although bright he found pure book learning dull. Desperate to get away he decided to go to university where he would have the breathing space to decide what to do with his life.
Unfortunately, he was rejected by all the universities he approached. In the evening of the day he received the rejection letter from the final university he passed a Navy recruitment centre as he was on the way to a bar to get drunk. On a whim he entered. Within 30 minutes he was snapped up the Navy engineering corps, much to his parents dismay.
After a stellar career that spanned 32 years he retired with the rank of Admiral. Career highlights include chasing pirates and locating the pirates mole on the ship, heroically saving the ship from a catastrophic jump drive malfunction and a successful diplomatic mission.
Selet Davril is a pilot. He is a Cassildan male, Age 38, 2.2 m tall, 120 kg, Brown /Brown
Homeworld: Dagi /Urgusap [Antares 0639] A568503-B 2 Ag Ni Imp
First Officer Selet Davril was born on Dagi /Urgusap in the Antares sector to a family of patriotic Imperial Cassildans. Family tradition held that young adults were to either go to university or serve a term in a community support service before transitioning to their lifelong careers. When he turned 18 Selet felt he was too immature for college and so enlisted in the Imperial Army. As a volunteer he was allowed to select his branch of service and he picked the armored/cavalry forces. Completing Basic, he was eventually assigned to 3211th Armored Regiment as a grav tank crewman.
After completing training, his unit was deployed into a nasty police action /insurgency on Tijrktler /Urgusap [Ant 0435] against a locals rebelling against the policies of Gamma /Urgusap [Ant 0135], the colony's owning world. The situation was nasty, with allegations of war crimes on both sides, and both parties often felt the Imperial Army intervention was interfering in a private fight. While on a foot patrol to disarm a band of bandits/insurgents/'freedom fighters', Davril's unit was brought under fire and the NCO leading the patrol went down. Davril took control of the situation and got his men out of the trap and into a defensible position. He then managed the follow-on reinforcements, and the incident was resolved with the surrender of the insurgents and no collateral casualties. His battalion commander awarded Davril the Medal for Conspicuous Gallantry and praised his leadership abilities. The CO then arranged for Davril to attend OCS.
After OCS he volunteered to test the new Trepida model grav tank, which featured neural link piloting. Inasmuch as 2LT Davril was not a trained grav vehicle driver, he was fitted with a neural jack to test the Trepida's controls under 'lowest common denominator' conditions.
After all this, Davril decided that he'd given the Imperium its due service and chose to muster out. He wandered about for a time until he applied for and was accepted by Achenaar Antilles Lines. He's spent the last 20 years working for the company and has just retired as a respected deck officer.
Notes: Cassildans are race of Humaniti transplanted by the Ancients on a world in Antares Sector with a much lower gravity. They appeared as a paragraph in a larger article in Traveller Chronicle #11 and MWM used them as a species of Human in his novel Agent of the Imperium. This is what we know about them:
a] They're tall. They average 2.2 m tall [7.25 ft] and are nicknamed 'stilts'
b] They seem to be common in the Imperial services. Cassildans are quoted as being in the Imperial armed forces from the Spinward Marches to the Solomani Rim.
c] Culturally, they're dedicated to swordplay. Sword schools are featured in many of their religions and the Imperium makes allowances for them. It doesn't say anything about a code duello, but this seems likely.
d] Some Cassildans are fascinated by Terra and Terran culture... as differentiated from the Solomani and their Cause.
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Terry Mixon
Emperor Mongoose
Look what I found on DriveThroughRPG...
Also, I think the Sourcebook and Act One might have been updated.
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paltrysum
Emperor Mongoose
Great-sounding group, Terry. Your Cassildan Traveller will have a chance to interact with a member of his species in Act 2.
Not yet, I'm afraid. But we'll update them soon.
Terry Mixon
Emperor Mongoose
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I just started running Mysteries of the Ancients, but Singularity sounded interesting (and I wanted to support MgT, of course), so I joined the Kickstarter.
For those people who already looked deeper into Singularity: How have you convinced your players to go along working for a mysterious alien AI who may very well have their own agenda, possibly not beneficial to organic sophonts at all?
I would expect my players to take action to save organic life as we know it, by immediately blowing-up Naalir, right after they realize what is going on. While that might lead to suspenseful (and possibly heroically self-sacrificial) scenes, that is not what the Singularity campaign is about to my understanding.
I guess it could be possible to construct a scenario where my players would not immediately proceed in this fashion. But that would need the demonstration of a "clear and present danger" to the Imperium, which could _only_ be averted by supporting Naalir.
Any comments or ideas are appreciated
For those people who already looked deeper into Singularity: How have you convinced your players to go along working for a mysterious alien AI who may very well have their own agenda, possibly not beneficial to organic sophonts at all?
I would expect my players to take action to save organic life as we know it, by immediately blowing-up Naalir, right after they realize what is going on. While that might lead to suspenseful (and possibly heroically self-sacrificial) scenes, that is not what the Singularity campaign is about to my understanding.
I guess it could be possible to construct a scenario where my players would not immediately proceed in this fashion. But that would need the demonstration of a "clear and present danger" to the Imperium, which could _only_ be averted by supporting Naalir.
Any comments or ideas are appreciated
paltrysum
Emperor Mongoose
My advice would be to keep reading the campaign as each Act is doled out. There would be many ways to continue the narrative. There are events that will happen regardless of whether Naalir still exists. Plus, it might not be quite so simple to destroy it just by blowing it up as you will see. 
J. L. Brown
Emperor Mongoose
I am also having trouble with this.
The pitch-to-referees included the concept that Naalir is genuinely benevolent and wishes to aid all sophonts; choosing to deliberately murder all the passengers is directly contradictory to that. The 'Oops, I did not know' line seems a bit dubious given an ultra-tech super-intelligence which has taken years to plan. Anything which is obvious to a TL-7 simpleton like me (who, within minutes of reading 'Hiding from the Imperial Authorities', figures out 'Better have a plan to destroy all the evidence') should have taken TL-16 INT-16 Naalir about three picoseconds, and those three picoseconds should have happened years before 'Looks like I need to recruit some Travellers'.
The resolution is obvious -- Naalir CANNOT be benevolent.
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Terry Mixon
Emperor Mongoose
Not wrong. I already have plans in place to have him help save the passengers. This really needs to be cleaned up as it isn't well thought out.
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To keep thinks as on track as possible by having all the same events occur, give travellers a reason to Trust Naalir AND give INI a reason to pursuit the Travellers I suggest we ignore 1 line from the end of Act 1 "While Naalir informs the Travellers about what it is going on in the vault of the Ventura Fortuna, it does not tell them that its transformation will take a violent, destructive turn at its conclusion."
There is no reason not to tell the Travellers. Like, actually no reason. Keeping that information a secret doesnt just make Naalir neutral / no longer benevolent it makes it an actual malevolent entity.
I suggest Naalir tells the Travellers what to expect and encourages them to evacuate the ship as he has calculated that there is sufficient time for everybody to get to a safe distance.
Tension and danger can come from passengers not cooperating and / or panicking and that delays the evacuation. Which was maybe not accounted for.
The Travellers trust Naalir because he gave them notice to escape. The INI investigates the Travellers because they sounded the alarm before anything had started to happen which means they had advance notice and therefore were in cahoots with whomever / whatever destroyed the ship.
Terry Mixon
Emperor Mongoose
This. A hundred times this.
J. L. Brown
Emperor Mongoose
And possibly add a wrinkle -- there is a covert Imperial Agent on board. Perhaps they are specifically investigating Naalir, or maybe they are on another assignment (having to do with another passenger, or a destination along the route) and stumble into something. This forces Naalirs transformation to happen 'early'. Maybe the Imperial Agent has an 'special duty issue' Ancients artifact of some sort, an infallible code-breaker or something innocuous -- which has an unanticipated interaction with Naalir.
Even so, this should be an eventuality that Naalir should have (at least somewhat) foreseen, prepared for, and warned the Travellers might happen.
I'm probably going to start running this campaign in the next month or two and I'm thinking about gathering up some potential side quest material that can be dropped in along the way. I'm kicking around a couple of ideas of my own, but I'm curious if anyone who's familiar with JTAS can recommend anything from any of those that would slot in easily to this campaign - I've skimmed the tables of contents but they're not very helpful in that regard . Or maybe short adventures/encounters from DTRPG or other sources that work well in a Core Worlds setting?
. Or maybe short adventures/encounters from DTRPG or other sources that work well in a Core Worlds setting?
