Themes IYTU

[Spinward Scout]

I was wondering how people handle themes in the different areas of YTU. For example, the different Domains IMTU are handled like this:

Domain of Sylea - highly technological and cosmopolitan

Domain of Sol - Battle-hardened and slightly facist

Domain of Ilelish - basically Fading Suns, but without the um, er, fading suns. Lots of religion and tradition and some ideas from Dune.

Domain of Vland - Elvish/Faery stylings

Domain of Antares - as Alien as I can get

Domain of Deneb - war-torn and frontierish

Secretagent had a really neat campaign idea in his last post (Victorian/Edwardian), and I think I might look more into adding some new styles into MTU. What else could I add that wouldn't make it too much like Battlestar Galactica.

Looking for a new path to Scout,

Scout

 

[mark_rotteveel]

Hey Daemon.

IMTU, my PC's are members of the Humano-Vargran Confederacy. It's a group of systems, sort of like the Confederate States of America. No, they're not into slavery. They're more like this.

Each system/planet etc has it's own government, own laws and own customs. They are all autonomous, but are also in the confederacy. If you think of each system like a state of the CSA it comes into some sort of sense. The laws of North Virginia were different to those of Georgia, but they both realised that there's power in numbers. The same is with the HVC. The actual military forces of the HVC are very small. Each planet has their own forces. But they also support the HVC - sort of like the UN, but with teeth - as it has the jurisdiction to protect the area from the Virus (yes, it's TNE - but it's very late TNE).

I've found it really handy to have as a backdrop for the campaign, as it free's up a lot of story lines, because even within the HVC there's lots of independant legislation etc.....

Have I made any sense at all, mate?

 

[Ranger]

It's a great idea. IMTU regionalism is the growing problem for the Imperium as it ages, but I never actually sat down and developed the specific regional variations. The only thing I would probably change from what you have done so far is Vland. I would do it more as modern Italy or Greece. A once great civilization or empire, surrounded by the decaying reminders of its former greatness, but reduced to perifieral status now (and always wondering why other people don't study their language or culture as much as they should). I also always thought that the Darrians were the Traveller version of 'Elves in Space'.

As for other ideas, how about a Carribean one (maybe in the Old Expanses). A border reagion with lots of trade and most people speaking at least a couple of languages. Lots of bright colors and a relaxed feel for the visitor, with lots of poverty just under the surface, and a smugglers haven to boot. You also can bedevil players with that 'Don't worry, be happy' attitude. "If they don't deliver the cargo today, it'll get here tomorrow. Why don't you just relax a bit in town till it gets here?"

Just some thoughts

 

[Jame]

MTU is rather cosmopolitan. Or at least the nation the PCs are from is.

MTU is centered around the Maniche Consortium, and is set about 1,600 years (or so) after the fall of a very large Republic. How large? So large that they literally needed (and had) J100 engines - this republic was tl 20, and the Consortium is tl15. Now the Consortium is trying to restore the Republic, or perhaps surpass it, along with its allies - allies who have their own agendas and reasons.

 

[Golan2072]

IMTU:
Solar Triumvirate: Cyberpunkish, centralized military/corporate "strong state" - think USA/France/Israel in the 1950's. Big consumer base in the core systems; the rest of the colonies exist to satisfy it's ever growing demands. Big state impersonal beraeucracy. Bigger corps. Generally traditionalist.

Serpentis Quadrant Alliance: Opposite of the Triumvirate, but still on the same "plane"; decentralized counter-culture democracy, quite cosmopolitan, has elements of both a regulated market economy and a democratically-planned economy (with barter added in on most worlds). Mostly frontier, has far more raw resources than people/machines to utilize them. Constantly under construction and semi-planned industrialization. Likes big terraformation projects. Has many political parties and organizations, sometimes with conflicting agendas. In constant, though currently low-key, war with the Consortium; in an uneasy peace with the Triumvirate.

Post-Planetary Matriarchate: Radical thinking, "posthuman" belter neo-tribal group. Sometimes seems very "alien" due to excessive use of biological and cybernetic implants, as well as a wierd culture. Live mostly in space habitats. Strange habits, stranger religion.

Coreward Autonomous Zone: Chaotic and loose confederation of independant worlds, each with it's own government. Ripe with Alliance/Triumvirate/Matriarchate espionage as well as internal conflict. Quite lawless. Very vaqried in terms of culture, politics, tech levels and economics.

The Consortium: High-tech military dictatorship with strong corporate backing; far more extreme than the Triumvirate, and far more opressive. Formed by generals, admirals and execs from the Triumvirate who refused to accept the cease-fire agreement with the Alliance; therefore, in constant war with it, and has lately lost two systems to it.

 

[Jame]

I've written (not typed) a new one, which I'm trying to get hunter to respond on (no luck). If anyone wants to take a look and give feedback, I'd be happy to type it up and send it.

 

[soloprobe]

Gee..... I guess MY TU is an anachronisim. I'm running the rule of man- That's right it's the Terran empire against all comers.........

 

[jwdh71]

MTU:
Terran Confederation, main government of local space, kind of a Star Trekish style, very paternalistic, slightly corrupt under the surface, yet actually does things to help it people, whether they want help or not.

Alliance of Free Planets, breakaway from the TC, settled by libertarian and survivalist types, unhappy with the shiny happy TC. Now a very free-wheeling group of planets that mostly don't get along, but have to stay together to defend against the TC. Think Yankee traders in space for these guys.

Islamic Republic, very Islamic, not so much republic. The end result of everyone on Earth and the Core colonies getting sick of religious extremism and terror. Only a few planets, which are fairly abundant in resources, but are not being utilized well. Don't like either the TC or the AoFP.

There are several other independant human planets out there, that I haven't fleshed out yet, and so far none of the human polities have met any aliens yet. YET...