Traveller Release Schedule 2026

[Grognardia]

I'd be the author. I'm the office Vargr champion, and yes, I'd approach it from their perspective with no dog jokes. I've had a few players over the years that can't resist making them, and it always rankles me. I'm a staunch Vargr advocate.

A campaign would emphasise the mercurial nature of the Extents, with a collection of Vargr Travellers navigating that environment. The goal is to get players to realise that it's all completely normal (a fish doesn't know it's swimming in water, after all).

Yes, the alpha thing has been debunked, but Vargr are designed around Charisma, and that won't change. We'll refrain from ever using the word "alpha," though.

Fingers crossed there will be a section on what it must be like to be a 'normal' Vargr on a corsair world. Just trying to keep your snout down, go to work at the air/raft manufacturer, care for your family, and maybe go on the occasional holiday.

 

[Terry Mixon]

I'd be the author. I'm the office Vargr champion, and yes, I'd approach it from their perspective with no dog jokes. I've had a few players over the years that can't resist making them, and it always rankles me. I'm a staunch Vargr advocate.

A campaign would emphasise the mercurial nature of the Extents, with a collection of Vargr Travellers navigating that environment. The goal is to get players to realise that it's all completely normal (a fish doesn't know it's swimming in water, after all).

Yes, the alpha thing has been debunked, but Vargr are designed around Charisma, and that won't change. We'll refrain from ever using the word "alpha," though.

I look forward to seeing how they can form large governments with the mindset they have, as well as how trade is even possible with a likely higher than average piracy/corsair issue.

 

[Condottiere]

 

[CordwainerFish]

Yes, the alpha thing has been debunked, but Vargr are designed around Charisma, and that won't change.

Vargr Charisma makes me think of the mahen'do'sat Momentum, and the mahen are more primate inspired than anything else.

(You do not want a species comparable to the kit on your marches...)

 

[Condottiere]

The problem with Vargr charisma, is that it's probably manipulatable, in that success can be perceived, as actually achieved.

Though creating that perception could be counted as success.

Compared to Dungeon And Dragons Charisma, which is a hard characteristic.

 

[hopsnbaer]

The problem with Vargr charisma, is that it's probably manipulatable, in that success can be perceived, as actually achieved.

Though creating that perception could be counted as success.

I think that depends on the circumstances. I like it being an internal mechanic.

A Vargr who hides in a closet and ends up being the sole survivor that is hailed as a hero may not have a Charisma bump because they know the truth. I could even see a Charisma drop.

A Vargr that manipulated something behind closed doors and won could be more self-confident because of their success and have a Charisma bump.

 

[Sageryne]

I look forward to seeing how they can form large governments with the mindset they have, as well as how trade is even possible with a likely higher than average piracy/corsair issue.

My thought is that merchant vessels in Vargr space are well armed with crews ready to counter-board if attacked.

This is like the age of piracy in the Caribbean. Trade didn't stop. The Spanish sailed galleon's full of gold right through the middle of the pirates. But every mechantman had to be ready to defend against attack.

It would seem to me that the way to protect against pirates in 400-dTon Rrazaghz Class Corsairs is to use larger merchant ships, say 5000-dTons, with very long ranged 50-dTon Particle Beam bays able to kill pirates before they get close. The best merchant ship captains would be former pirates with a nose for ambushes and a willingness to shoot first. In this scenario, merchants have the advantage. They would be willing to destroy their enemy as long as they got away safely. Pirates need to close with and capture their prey. Destroying the merchant ship leaves them without any loot.

If you look at the modern day Straits of Bab-al-Mandab, a piracy hot-spot, off the coasts of Yemen, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia, large oil tankers, container ships, and general cargo ships transit there everyday. Yes, some get hijacked, but nations have set up patrols to deter pirates, and the shipping companies have put mercenaries on-board to drive off boarding parties. Merchant ships taken by pirates are more often held for ransom. The pirates don't generally have the means to resell the ships or their contents in any meaningful way.

To me, the Vargr Extents would be Dodge City, everyone armed to the teeth, tip-towing around everyone else who is equally well armed. Yes, your cost of operations would be higher, but so would everyone else's, so the extra cost would just be baked into the cost of doing business.

- Kerry