Oho I've got lots of little E & D class 2ndary starports spread around, sure they don't have extraterritoriality, but as long as the PC's contribute to the local Bribe Pool who needs it. We call all of them "Roanapur", rules are simple, Pay your Bribes (even when you don't need to) and keep your shenanigans on the QT (or at least out of the Press) and all's good.
The "Shanghai" of your Traveller Universe
- Thread starter Murph
- Start date
salochin999
SOC-13
My hives of scum and villainy tend to be on space stations.
IMATU, the Elestrial Concordat, Ryokan (orbiting the GG Catseye in orbit H, Catseye is in Orbit 0 of an M2V) is a bit of a "New Vegas" kind of feel. Permanent population is 5... The Ryokan Family. Everyone else is transients - employees of Ryokan Hostel Corporation, and patrons of same. The port is run by the Concordat.
That works too.... I kinda like Outer Reno as well...
GypsyComet
SOC-14 1K
Atlantic Station. The hotels are a bit seedy, but you can use just about anything as collateral at the tables.
STOLEN! It's now in TheBrain....
In a campaign I participated time ago, where you had a mercenary group and had to develop it, IIRC Gougeste (SM 0909, C572510-A, amber) was such a world, being also a big mercenary market (law level 0, outside Imperial laws, etc...).
GypsyComet
SOC-14 1K
Somewhere between those and Cold War Berlin.
kilemall
SOC-14 5K
Due to MTU being a TL10 Earth starting out situation, Earth is more then 1 parsec from anything, and so you need refueling stations out in the middle of the void.
Different nations, navies, corps, etc. have their own stations, but they all pale next to fabulous Faust Vegas, the 'spiritual' and economic capital of 'the cloud', namely the Oort Cloud.
Refined fuel is half off, but the deal is you and crew have to take liberty there. They usually get their money's worth.
As you might expect, the old line 'what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas' goes a little further to include illicit experiences and devil's deals, with an iron clad rule that all contracts are honored.
What could go wrong? :devil::devil::devil:
Good point! Definitely a contributor to the spirit of Arden.
(Apologies for a very late reply.)
Frankymole
SOC-12
Sounds a bit like Port Royal(e) in Caribbean pirate lore and associated games!
Has anyone here played the "Thieves' World" supplement which was Approved For Use With Traveller (as well as other games) in the early 1980s? I was always curious how they managed this fantasy world for a SF game (psionics aside), since it was based on a pulpy SF fiction anthology edited by Robert Asprin.
It did seem like "a wretched hive of scum and villainy" but I suspect had more opulent areas and NPCs.
Zephyrinus
SOC-6
In MTU Debarre (in the Darrian subsector) played that role for a while. Similar to Aramis' example, its only "permanent" residents/citizens were one family: the Harrisons. The family company (The Harrisons Corporation) had run the planet for three generations, primarily as a hunting resort. They regularly hosted unofficial meetings between nobility and adventurers of the various surrounding interstellar polities.
This was interrupted, however, when several Aslan Ihatei decided to settle on the planet as well. Interstellar intrigue and politicking combined with racial tension and sudden balkinization combined to create a situation of rapidly escallating tension... which eventually erupted into a nuclear conflict and prompted the Imperium to intervene and occupy the planet with peace-keeping forces.
This was interrupted, however, when several Aslan Ihatei decided to settle on the planet as well. Interstellar intrigue and politicking combined with racial tension and sudden balkinization combined to create a situation of rapidly escallating tension... which eventually erupted into a nuclear conflict and prompted the Imperium to intervene and occupy the planet with peace-keeping forces.
janetfdoss
spammer
Yes you are right i agree with you that it has that kind of reputation which we are thinking about.
Rorroksueknea / Aelluekh (Gvurrdon 2628)
For such a backcountry, Agricultural and processing world with no other draws, this world of 800,000 population of Vargr in the Extents fits the bill due to its Jump-2 neighborhood. With two High Population worlds in need of feeding, this meager planet has plenty of ranchers who'd like to do something else than herd-tipping. The system is quite busy with 11 other worlds and traffic control over the only Gas Giant is kept overworked in prioritizing skimming ships. Plenty of business opportunities are abound in this neighborhood and Rorroksueknea is centered between all of them. Two Puzzle planets will keep Sophontologists busy guessing as to why there are Amber Zones this far out in the Extents. Other than planetary mining, there are no belter draws.
In short, this sleepy world's population wants to get involved in the naughtiness around it. But those worlds keep marginalizing their unwanteds to this planet to brand and inoculate the herds across the 60% landmass and ranches dotting the lakes and rivers.
This was the source world for the Gentleman-Slaver, Senior Scout Gevaudan Cannagrrh. Corsair bands are nearby in two or three distinct flavors. This planet of 800K has just enough Vargr to get the ranching done and not get noticed by polity Navies of the Thoengling Empire (though it does become annexed during the New Era, circa 1200 for need of its food. The world doesn't know the term Naval Base since there isn't one for 7 parsecs, two at 8 parsecs and a single at 9 parsecs distant. Corsairs rule the skies here, making this little world a farmboy recruitment for a life of priacy, scum and villany. Again, every Vargr that's sick of raising cattle and spices plants wants to leave for anywhere in the Jump-2 neighborhood or parts beyond. It was this desire to leave coupled with the eras of Rebellion, Hard Times, Collapse and especially Virus that the Gentleman-Slaver took advantage. Folk here are largely accepting of Vargr, (Gvegh and Aekhu mainly), Humanity (Vilani and Solomani and the Spinward Marches melting pot, plus the Zhodani), but you might not find any Aslan this far Coreward unless they are ihatei looking to score some Territory. Rorroksueknea is a prime target world for that sort of conquest.
There's a good spread of A, BBBBB, C and E Starports. Likewise the Tech Levels are not to high nor too low for a campaign of Travellers or Merchants due to the DD, AA, 88, 77 in the neighborhood. This keeps players from drooling over super High-Tech goodies but keeps things interesting enough in the space age, stellar and interstellar ages. This is another means for the inhabitants of Rorroksueknea to emigrate. Else it's back to the ranch and the Podunk Bar & Grill at the crossroads of the nearest Blink-And-You-Miss-It town.
For the Black Marketeers and Smugglers, Rorroksueknea is perfect at its central location to its Jump-2 Neighborhood, boring and lawless enough to not worry about Navies, polity Guard or even the local sheriff. With a Government of 0 and a Law of 0, the ranchers have to police their own hands, guard their herds and nobody has time for paying for law enforcement. So, there can be a middle-of-nowhere tavern atmosphere while enjoying the local, seasoned steak just outside the world's anomalous B Starport. There's no Extraterritoriality here and spacers stay Suit-and-Tie just incase there's blasters. Corsairs can find a good Temporal Tonic imported from the Spinward Marches. Ol' Dawg makes for a good Rum substitute. Finally, this world makes an innocent-looking jump-off point to start a piracy run to the three High Population worlds two or three parsecs away. With most Corsairs having Jump-3 capability, it's a prime staging after that steak and ale.
If you can stand the haze from the butchering, processing, packaging, freezing of herd meat and the reek it produces out to a radius of a mile, (unless you are Vargr, then it smells great!) Locals offer up various recipes and the livestock Fairs have plenty of contests for rare cuts and dried jerky recipes. Rorroksueknea is a world where a spacer could sell of his ship and stop Travelling with no Government (no taxes!), almost non-existant Law (no Big Brother) and just enough Tech Level to settle comfortably at the Startown or to really head to the outback.
Since there's only 40% Hydrosphere on Rorroksueknea, there's little threat of hurricanes and typhoons. It's those twisters a ranch hand has to watch out for and bring in the herds in time for a rare supercell to form. Sure the summers are hot. The winters are mild and a second solar body keeps the ice ages at bay.
Rorroksueknea. It's quiet and ripe for adventure and back in time for the dinner triangle chime. Just keep your Shotgun and Autopistol close, where you can reach it.
For such a backcountry, Agricultural and processing world with no other draws, this world of 800,000 population of Vargr in the Extents fits the bill due to its Jump-2 neighborhood. With two High Population worlds in need of feeding, this meager planet has plenty of ranchers who'd like to do something else than herd-tipping. The system is quite busy with 11 other worlds and traffic control over the only Gas Giant is kept overworked in prioritizing skimming ships. Plenty of business opportunities are abound in this neighborhood and Rorroksueknea is centered between all of them. Two Puzzle planets will keep Sophontologists busy guessing as to why there are Amber Zones this far out in the Extents. Other than planetary mining, there are no belter draws.
In short, this sleepy world's population wants to get involved in the naughtiness around it. But those worlds keep marginalizing their unwanteds to this planet to brand and inoculate the herds across the 60% landmass and ranches dotting the lakes and rivers.
This was the source world for the Gentleman-Slaver, Senior Scout Gevaudan Cannagrrh. Corsair bands are nearby in two or three distinct flavors. This planet of 800K has just enough Vargr to get the ranching done and not get noticed by polity Navies of the Thoengling Empire (though it does become annexed during the New Era, circa 1200 for need of its food. The world doesn't know the term Naval Base since there isn't one for 7 parsecs, two at 8 parsecs and a single at 9 parsecs distant. Corsairs rule the skies here, making this little world a farmboy recruitment for a life of priacy, scum and villany. Again, every Vargr that's sick of raising cattle and spices plants wants to leave for anywhere in the Jump-2 neighborhood or parts beyond. It was this desire to leave coupled with the eras of Rebellion, Hard Times, Collapse and especially Virus that the Gentleman-Slaver took advantage. Folk here are largely accepting of Vargr, (Gvegh and Aekhu mainly), Humanity (Vilani and Solomani and the Spinward Marches melting pot, plus the Zhodani), but you might not find any Aslan this far Coreward unless they are ihatei looking to score some Territory. Rorroksueknea is a prime target world for that sort of conquest.
There's a good spread of A, BBBBB, C and E Starports. Likewise the Tech Levels are not to high nor too low for a campaign of Travellers or Merchants due to the DD, AA, 88, 77 in the neighborhood. This keeps players from drooling over super High-Tech goodies but keeps things interesting enough in the space age, stellar and interstellar ages. This is another means for the inhabitants of Rorroksueknea to emigrate. Else it's back to the ranch and the Podunk Bar & Grill at the crossroads of the nearest Blink-And-You-Miss-It town.
For the Black Marketeers and Smugglers, Rorroksueknea is perfect at its central location to its Jump-2 Neighborhood, boring and lawless enough to not worry about Navies, polity Guard or even the local sheriff. With a Government of 0 and a Law of 0, the ranchers have to police their own hands, guard their herds and nobody has time for paying for law enforcement. So, there can be a middle-of-nowhere tavern atmosphere while enjoying the local, seasoned steak just outside the world's anomalous B Starport. There's no Extraterritoriality here and spacers stay Suit-and-Tie just incase there's blasters. Corsairs can find a good Temporal Tonic imported from the Spinward Marches. Ol' Dawg makes for a good Rum substitute. Finally, this world makes an innocent-looking jump-off point to start a piracy run to the three High Population worlds two or three parsecs away. With most Corsairs having Jump-3 capability, it's a prime staging after that steak and ale.
If you can stand the haze from the butchering, processing, packaging, freezing of herd meat and the reek it produces out to a radius of a mile, (unless you are Vargr, then it smells great!) Locals offer up various recipes and the livestock Fairs have plenty of contests for rare cuts and dried jerky recipes. Rorroksueknea is a world where a spacer could sell of his ship and stop Travelling with no Government (no taxes!), almost non-existant Law (no Big Brother) and just enough Tech Level to settle comfortably at the Startown or to really head to the outback.
Since there's only 40% Hydrosphere on Rorroksueknea, there's little threat of hurricanes and typhoons. It's those twisters a ranch hand has to watch out for and bring in the herds in time for a rare supercell to form. Sure the summers are hot. The winters are mild and a second solar body keeps the ice ages at bay.
Rorroksueknea. It's quiet and ripe for adventure and back in time for the dinner triangle chime. Just keep your Shotgun and Autopistol close, where you can reach it.
I have been to Cold War Berlin, I can tell you this Cold War Berlin was a party city 24 seven. I rather enjoyed my trip to Berlin but I hated that damn wall. So I think it would probably be a pretty good approximation without the parties
Another excellent reference source is: http://www.amazon.com/YANGTZE-PATRO...52470944&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=yangtse+patrol by Rear Admiral Kemp Tolley who details that Yangtze Patrol in China.
This is a fun concept. Actually, rather than having the "biggest and best" as the 'Shanghai', I'd pick a run-down, down-at-the-heels station. Coupled with a highly balkanized Earth(a la 2300AD), this sounds very attractive to me.
"The Coalition Pan-Afrique(CPA) is a real up and comer and it shows in their large well-appointed wheel-style waystation. With the recent economic woes and fragmentation of the Eurasian League of Nations(ELON), their station has become increasingly seedy and ill-maintained, but you can get anything there, and they'll turn a blind eye to pretty much anything that doesn't put the station's physical integrity at risk as long as you have the valuta."
Something like that, anyway.
I'm guessing Faust Vegas is run by a large consortium of ethically-challenged-korporatsiya for stability. Individual zaibatsus may be fly-by-night, but the group as a whole maintains a certain dynamic equilibrium.
