Thieve's World and Traveller

[Otto Harkaman]

I just noticed that the old AD&D Thieves World box set has rules to convert to Traveller with full non player character stats converted to Traveller. I'll give more information after I've looked it over a bit. The city of Sanctuary would make an interesting E class starport. Looks like the article was written by Marc Miller and Mary Beth Miller.

 

[Timerover51]

I just noticed that the old AD&D Thieves World box set has rules to convert to Traveller with full non player character stats converted to Traveller. I'll give more information after I've looked it over a bit. The city of Sanctuary would make an interesting E class starport. Looks like the article was written by Marc Miller and Mary Beth Miller.

Hmm, somewhere in my game collection, I have those rules. Never noticed the conversion though. Need to try and find them now.

 

[Otto Harkaman]

Marc gives the planet's stats as follows:

World N-68956 0405 X866670-1 Agricultural World. Interdicted. RG.

There are paragraphs on character generation and ideas dealing with Magic. I'll sum them up after I look and think them over. I think it would be a good world to put into the Arden Confederacy and use it as sort of smugglers' cove. It would be a good world for a Dumarest novel

 

[Otto Harkaman]

Reading through the article, Marc has several paragraphs for rational of a planet with magic from outright accepting a system of magic to saying that the whole thing is just a holograph fantasy. I wouldn't have a problem explaining away most things as psionics. I did have an inspiration that it might be some machine of the ancients that enhances psionics on the planet.

 

[Whipsnade]

I wouldn't have a problem explaining away most things as psionics. I did have an inspiration that it might be some machine of the ancients that enhances psionics on the planet.

There's a Challenge article exploring the magic-psionics "link". Just which issue escapes me, but it was from the late MT era.

Anyway, the article explains it all as a matter of perception. Psions on low tech backwater/interdicted worlds would set themselves up as anything from wizards to hedge witches depending on their psionic strength and/or abilities. Arcane artifacts and monsters are actually off-world gadgets and animals. In a neat riff on eyes open/eyes closed nature of current day "psychics", some of these wizards know they're psionic while others actually believe in magic.

 

[JimMarn]

There's a Challenge article exploring the magic-psionics "link". Just which issue escapes me, but it was from the late MT era.

Anyway, the article explains it all as a matter of perception. Psions on low tech backwater/interdicted worlds would set themselves up as anything from wizards to hedge witches depending on their psionic strength and/or abilities. Arcane artifacts and monsters are actually off-world gadgets and animals. In a neat riff on eyes open/eyes closed nature of current day "psychics", some of these wizards know they're psionic while others actually believe in magic.

My AD&D game world, in a pocket universe, is based on exactly this. There are artifacts, but its not Ancient Magic... but Ancient Technology. I modeled parts of the game world on Andre Norton's Witch World series, and part on Philip Jose Farmer's World of Tiers series. With a few things added in, like a village withn clock part street names. Buried about 10 feet down are the gears for the clock. The villagers aren't sure what the metal is, because the clock is several miles across.

 

[BlackBat242]

I just noticed that the old AD&D Thieves World box set has rules to convert to Traveller with full non player character stats converted to Traveller. I'll give more information after I've looked it over a bit. The city of Sanctuary would make an interesting E class starport. Looks like the article was written by Marc Miller and Mary Beth Miller.

Yep, published in 1981... conversion stats for AD&D, Adventures In Fantasy, Chivalry & Sorcery, DragonQuest, D&D, The Fantasy Trip, RuneQuest, Traveller, and Tunnels & Trolls.

That was one fully-packed box set... I still have all the maps, ads, etc that came in it... as well as the box.

 

[JimMarn]

I've read a number of the books. Interesting ideas for scenarios.

 

[Otto Harkaman]

I guess you could use it as kind of a Rosetta Stone to help convert listed characters to Traveller stats?

I have the first of the series in paperback on my bookshelf, the rest I have in epub format. Yeah I need to reread the first couple books. I don't think the later books caught my interest. I do have the Chaosium Thieve's World Companion which covers those later books.

How many people would want a book of characters from other rpg's converted to Traveller stats?

 

[Otto Harkaman]

There's a Challenge article exploring the magic-psionics "link". Just which issue escapes me, but it was from the late MT era.

Anyway, the article explains it all as a matter of perception. Psions on low tech backwater/interdicted worlds would set themselves up as anything from wizards to hedge witches depending on their psionic strength and/or abilities. Arcane artifacts and monsters are actually off-world gadgets and animals. In a neat riff on eyes open/eyes closed nature of current day "psychics", some of these wizards know they're psionic while others actually believe in magic.

I have a lot of those in digital format, I'll have to look through them. Thanks Whipsnade!

 

[Otto Harkaman]

My AD&D game world, in a pocket universe, is based on exactly this. There are artifacts, but its not Ancient Magic... but Ancient Technology. I modeled parts of the game world on Andre Norton's Witch World series, and part on Philip Jose Farmer's World of Tiers series. With a few things added in, like a village withn clock part street names. Buried about 10 feet down are the gears for the clock. The villagers aren't sure what the metal is, because the clock is several miles across.

I haven't read much of Farmer but I've read a lot of Norton. I really enjoy her blend of technology and the occult.

Thats what Traveller needs is enemies like the "Kolder"

 

[Finarvyn]

I have a copy of this, but don't remember ever noticing that there are TRAVELLER stats therein.

I suppose this could be considered the first-ever module for the mythical WANDERER fantasy RPG.

 

[Otto Harkaman]

I didn't know you were on this board!

 

[BlackBat242]

Oh, Fin's been here since January 2007.

But he usually lurks with his cloaking device activated... like any good Rihannsu.

:smirk:

 

[inexorabletash]

Shame the stats here don't match up:

http://travellermap.com/?sector=Far+Frontiers&hex=2527

Thieves' World C257567-D

Dale Kemper may not have been aware of Marc's stats.