What makes your MTU different from the OTU?
- Thread starter Quint
- Start date
Nova Roma had a different FTL mechanism (sungates / wormholes), stutterdrive and causality bubbles for STL travel, Roman-like social structures, hotbunking in Naval ships (modified different ship construction rules).
My AI Setting was Nova Roma with three AIs competing with each other by sending psionic time travelers back in time.
The Cygnus setting I'm working on now has sungates, much stronger nobility than in 3I, planet-destroying weapons, AIs and individuals, psychohistory, and no aliens.
My AI Setting was Nova Roma with three AIs competing with each other by sending psionic time travelers back in time.
The Cygnus setting I'm working on now has sungates, much stronger nobility than in 3I, planet-destroying weapons, AIs and individuals, psychohistory, and no aliens.
kilemall
SOC-14 5K
- Humanity just starting out 200 years from now, jump drive only in use less then that.
- TL 10
- Earth nations still exist, albeit in modified form
- No aliens (so far that have been detected)
- No interstellar nobility
- No Imperium
- Only planets 36 LY or less from Earth
- Deep Space jumps possible (necessary from Earth)
- Oort Cloud major play enviornment
- Pirates are less funtoy/shadow economic war, more faction
- Biotech features heavily
- Earth is mostly TL3 RedZone
- The one week jump, THE rule, is broken
- No Psionics Institute, various orgs specialize in one discipline or another, no one stop training all
That will do for starters.
creativehum
SOC-14 1K
The subsector I'm working up is part of an empire in decay. The empire's power is slipping away, both politically and economically, as civil wars across different sections of the empire have drained its focus. The influence of the empire on the subsector as a political or social entity is non-existant.
Instead, three noble families which have rules potions of the subsector are now scrambling to exert influence and exploit resources of worlds not yet explored. The families see themselves as both standard-bearers for the rich tradition of the imperial past, but also cut off from its support and making their own way forward as best they can.
Trade has been limited and focused on about on third to one half of the worlds in the subesctor. There are many "fly over" worlds, with ships focused on wealthy and high population worlds. Mortgages are backed by the noble families, with fealty and history with the families being a primary consideration for getting a charter on a ship, trade route, or resource exploration rights. A-class spaceports are owned by the noble families. Industrial espionage and sabotage is on the rise between the noble houses, affecting both starships and spaceports.
There are many worlds with indigenous, native aliens, as well as settlements of humans. Some of the humans are settlers from the empire either invited by the noble families or seeking better opportunities. Others are from times before a previous rise and fall of interstellar society cycle and thus cut off socially and culturally from each other. (Again, trade has been limited to and focused on a few key worlds. Space lanes, jump cassettes, and other limiting factors from early CT rules are in effect.)
There is an indigenous and ancient faith revolving around psionic powers that has been isolated and quiet. It existed from the time before the last rise and fall cycle of civilization in the subsector (centuries ago). As a power vacuum opens up in the subsector the cult begins to make itself known. It begins recruiting from both the common populace and tries to insinuate itself in the noble houses as well. The teachings promise peace (of course) and a chance to avoid the coming possible crisis of an all out war by uniting the worlds of the subsector under one banner. Obviously none of the noble houses want this. But how to use the faith to their own ends, or stamp it out completely, all the while not being influenced by it is part of the stress the rules class is under.
I haven't decided yet if the Player Characters will be centered on worlds from one of the ruling houses or have arrived from beyond the subsector. If they have already have served in the noble house' military or services and have easy access to patronage and get us going. (Whether they remain loyal to the noble house over time is their business.) On the other hand I am tempted to have all PCs arrive in the subsector fresh. This makes the entire environment open to exploration and allows them to find their own way in terms of loyalty. I think this will be something to bring up with the players and ask them what they want.
Adventures will be a mix of political conflict fought out over resources, cold-war espionage and sabotage, as well as expiation and adventure on backwater worlds where all sorts of aliens, alien civilizations, and cultures can be found. (I should note that each of the three noble houses also has their own specific cultures as well.)
Most worlds are politically isolated, with no law enforcement between the stars apart from the efforts of the three noble houses protecting they limited influence on several star systems each. PCs will have varying degrees of safety from the law in illegal activity, depending on where their activities take place and who is backing them and providing cover. (Noble patronage can be very helpful in some circumstances.)
Common Noble House Tech Level is 9. Average Noble House Tech Level is A-B. Exceptional Noble Tech Level is C. This, of course, limits the practical size of starships to less than 5,000 dTons. Higher tech levels may well be scattered around the subsector for the PCs to discover, interact with, and puzzle out.
The tone and feel is a softer SF than I think many people expect from Traveller, with the SF elements serving as a backdrop and as McGuffins for adventure rather than and end in and of itself. Think Jack Vance's Planet of Adventure and The Demon Princes books, E.C. Tubb's Dumarest Books, Herbert's Dune (just the first book), and a bit of Game of Thrones.
That's the basic sketch I'm working from.
So... differences from OTU:
Instead, three noble families which have rules potions of the subsector are now scrambling to exert influence and exploit resources of worlds not yet explored. The families see themselves as both standard-bearers for the rich tradition of the imperial past, but also cut off from its support and making their own way forward as best they can.
Trade has been limited and focused on about on third to one half of the worlds in the subesctor. There are many "fly over" worlds, with ships focused on wealthy and high population worlds. Mortgages are backed by the noble families, with fealty and history with the families being a primary consideration for getting a charter on a ship, trade route, or resource exploration rights. A-class spaceports are owned by the noble families. Industrial espionage and sabotage is on the rise between the noble houses, affecting both starships and spaceports.
There are many worlds with indigenous, native aliens, as well as settlements of humans. Some of the humans are settlers from the empire either invited by the noble families or seeking better opportunities. Others are from times before a previous rise and fall of interstellar society cycle and thus cut off socially and culturally from each other. (Again, trade has been limited to and focused on a few key worlds. Space lanes, jump cassettes, and other limiting factors from early CT rules are in effect.)
There is an indigenous and ancient faith revolving around psionic powers that has been isolated and quiet. It existed from the time before the last rise and fall cycle of civilization in the subsector (centuries ago). As a power vacuum opens up in the subsector the cult begins to make itself known. It begins recruiting from both the common populace and tries to insinuate itself in the noble houses as well. The teachings promise peace (of course) and a chance to avoid the coming possible crisis of an all out war by uniting the worlds of the subsector under one banner. Obviously none of the noble houses want this. But how to use the faith to their own ends, or stamp it out completely, all the while not being influenced by it is part of the stress the rules class is under.
I haven't decided yet if the Player Characters will be centered on worlds from one of the ruling houses or have arrived from beyond the subsector. If they have already have served in the noble house' military or services and have easy access to patronage and get us going. (Whether they remain loyal to the noble house over time is their business.) On the other hand I am tempted to have all PCs arrive in the subsector fresh. This makes the entire environment open to exploration and allows them to find their own way in terms of loyalty. I think this will be something to bring up with the players and ask them what they want.
Adventures will be a mix of political conflict fought out over resources, cold-war espionage and sabotage, as well as expiation and adventure on backwater worlds where all sorts of aliens, alien civilizations, and cultures can be found. (I should note that each of the three noble houses also has their own specific cultures as well.)
Most worlds are politically isolated, with no law enforcement between the stars apart from the efforts of the three noble houses protecting they limited influence on several star systems each. PCs will have varying degrees of safety from the law in illegal activity, depending on where their activities take place and who is backing them and providing cover. (Noble patronage can be very helpful in some circumstances.)
Common Noble House Tech Level is 9. Average Noble House Tech Level is A-B. Exceptional Noble Tech Level is C. This, of course, limits the practical size of starships to less than 5,000 dTons. Higher tech levels may well be scattered around the subsector for the PCs to discover, interact with, and puzzle out.
The tone and feel is a softer SF than I think many people expect from Traveller, with the SF elements serving as a backdrop and as McGuffins for adventure rather than and end in and of itself. Think Jack Vance's Planet of Adventure and The Demon Princes books, E.C. Tubb's Dumarest Books, Herbert's Dune (just the first book), and a bit of Game of Thrones.
That's the basic sketch I'm working from.
So... differences from OTU:
- No imperial influence across the subsector, (politically, militarily, socially)
- Interstellar political power is limited to three competing noble houses
- Nobles are part of an elite, family based tradition going back centuries that identify themselves as part of an elite, as part of a tradition, and as part of a family and have no intent to let any of that slip (noble are not, per the OTU, bureaucrats with very fancy titles.)
- Interstellar trade and technology controlled by the noble houses
- Trade is limited between a few worlds and is now being developed with new energy
- No megacorporations as found in the OTU but rather limited trading companies granted charters by the noble houses and their family members
- Trade and fleet powers relatively weak compared to the Third Imperium's trade and power
- Ships cap out 5,000 dT
- TL max 3 TLs lower than found in the OTU
- Competition (political and economic; cold and hot) between the three Noble Houses
- No outside power enforcing peace on interstellar and interplanetary disputes
- Psionic powers part of a distinct, underground culture (no psionics institute, but rather taught by a secretive cult at war with the ruling houses and imperial culture)
- All policial factions from the OTU gone; all species from the OTU gone
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creativehum
SOC-14 1K
Also, I'm currently reading Outpost Mars, which is a terrific setting built around the early colonization of Mars about 80 years from now.
Several settlements, mining rights, a battle over terraforming mars, a religious cult built around the discovery of a marital civilization, renegade miners, terrorists, dedicated scientists, and factions built between competing nations all layer on top of each other for a really cool hard SF feel but with plenty of room for adventure. This would be something I'd like to run as well.
Several settlements, mining rights, a battle over terraforming mars, a religious cult built around the discovery of a marital civilization, renegade miners, terrorists, dedicated scientists, and factions built between competing nations all layer on top of each other for a really cool hard SF feel but with plenty of room for adventure. This would be something I'd like to run as well.
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
My three main on again off again campaigns are:
a long night setting - planet of the week adventure - the Imperium fell over a thousand or more years ago (still haven't decided to this which Imperium
). The 'pocket empire' that the player characters were originally from (they have picked up replacements along the way from world visited) is a confederation of half a dozen planets that collectively call themselves the Rimworld Alliance.
The players started in this subsector and then started moving from world to world, with me generating the planets and systems they visit on an as needed basis -following rumours of distant high technology worlds, alien ruins filled with treasures of the past that sort of thing.
I have really enjoyed running a proto-Imperium game based on A1 library data, early JTAS news articles - the adventuress of the merchant cruiser Bloodwell. Set in a Spinward Marches based on just the original supplement (a true frontier only in Imperial control for the past few hundred years) and the hints as to the nature of a much darker and declining Imperium.
My final campaign is set in the Culture, which allows me to throw just about anything at the players. For this I have mined MT, T5, Mindjammer, GURPS Ultra Tech and quite a few others.
I have even toyed with the idea of linking all three by having the long night setting in another part of the galaxy, the Culture observing events in this area and in my proto-Spinward Marches.
a long night setting - planet of the week adventure - the Imperium fell over a thousand or more years ago (still haven't decided to this which Imperium
). The 'pocket empire' that the player characters were originally from (they have picked up replacements along the way from world visited) is a confederation of half a dozen planets that collectively call themselves the Rimworld Alliance.The players started in this subsector and then started moving from world to world, with me generating the planets and systems they visit on an as needed basis -following rumours of distant high technology worlds, alien ruins filled with treasures of the past that sort of thing.
I have really enjoyed running a proto-Imperium game based on A1 library data, early JTAS news articles - the adventuress of the merchant cruiser Bloodwell. Set in a Spinward Marches based on just the original supplement (a true frontier only in Imperial control for the past few hundred years) and the hints as to the nature of a much darker and declining Imperium.
My final campaign is set in the Culture, which allows me to throw just about anything at the players. For this I have mined MT, T5, Mindjammer, GURPS Ultra Tech and quite a few others.
I have even toyed with the idea of linking all three by having the long night setting in another part of the galaxy, the Culture observing events in this area and in my proto-Spinward Marches.
My setting so far:
A frontier at the edge of an "Imperium" that has shrunk (one PC group has been adventuring at a world that was formerly imperial but is now effectively independent).
Trying to think of some of the 3I conceits (for someone who isn't really that familiar with the 3I) that are not true in my setting:
I haven't developed my vision for the setting as much as others have theirs, it's a bit more of a discover as we go, but there are already some bits settling in. I have at least one idea of where psionics can be found, I've introduced vaccum living space squids and a gas giant dwelling hive-mind being that knows astronomy and math, and is able to sense and understand jump signatures (maybe there IS some way to track where a ship jumped too...).
A frontier at the edge of an "Imperium" that has shrunk (one PC group has been adventuring at a world that was formerly imperial but is now effectively independent).
Trying to think of some of the 3I conceits (for someone who isn't really that familiar with the 3I) that are not true in my setting:
- Books 1-3 control, no Book 5 - thus 5000 dTon max ships, max jump indirectly controlled by TL
- Outside the boundaries of the "Imperium", there is no control exerted (there might be Imperial scouts or other ships coming through, but they don't exert control), and even within it, control is limited
- Travel is dangerous per Book 2
- No X-Boat network or communication routes, 1977 space lanes instead
- The nature of patrol presence is such that pirates focus on A and B star ports (1977 Book 2 ship encounter table)
- None of the 3I races (ok, at some point, I might grab one of the Alien Modules, but they will be bent and shaped to fit my setting, it will be a shortcut for stats and chargen rules).
I haven't developed my vision for the setting as much as others have theirs, it's a bit more of a discover as we go, but there are already some bits settling in. I have at least one idea of where psionics can be found, I've introduced vaccum living space squids and a gas giant dwelling hive-mind being that knows astronomy and math, and is able to sense and understand jump signatures (maybe there IS some way to track where a ship jumped too...).
As I understand you are developing a setting with a receding empire, I'd suggest to look (if you have acess to it) MT:HT rules for the effects this have in the frontier/outland/wilds worlds and systems.
I guess they can be applied (even if in a modified way) to any such receding empire, even for settings quite different than OTU...
First, thanks to everyone for sharing: creativehum, that's the kind of setting I'd play in a heartbeat, and scratches my Traveller itch to do something other than 3I...
Mine is based in the Far Frontiers sector, as I'm running through the Sky Raiders trilogy (purchased from absent member Mentis a few years ago), but severed completely from the OTU; differences are:
And as I mentioned in the Renaissance thread I'm working on a Sword and Planet campaign using CE and Warriors of the Red Planet. Once I finish Legacy of the Sky Raiders that's up next.
Mine is based in the Far Frontiers sector, as I'm running through the Sky Raiders trilogy (purchased from absent member Mentis a few years ago), but severed completely from the OTU; differences are:
- No Imperium, distant or otherwise: all Navy, Scout, etc. bases belong to one of the local polities (League of Suns, Descarothe Hegemony, etc.)
- Nobles rule individual planets
- LBB 1 - 3 (1981 mostly, but with 1977's trade routes, encounters, etc.), S1, S2, S4, and various tech supplements
- No OTU polities or races; my "psionic bad guys" are Void Captains, who jump using psionics, not tech
- Max TL is 11-12
- More Space Viking than anything
And as I mentioned in the Renaissance thread I'm working on a Sword and Planet campaign using CE and Warriors of the Red Planet. Once I finish Legacy of the Sky Raiders that's up next.
I do have the Mega Traveller CD-ROM, unfortunately, the Hard Times scan is horrid and that section is almost unreadable...
But I just used 1977 Book 3 to generate the worlds and I don't need to modify them down. I'm assuming the UWPs I rolled are their current state, they might have been different pre-collapse. Of course they could also change in play if events occur that warrant a change.
creativehum
SOC-14 1K
:coffeesip:
Keep me posted on this. I just picked up Warriors of the Red Planet and am really enjoying it. But the Classic Traveller rules would make an intriguing set of rules to bring such a setting alive.
Keep me posted on this. I just picked up Warriors of the Red Planet and am really enjoying it. But the Classic Traveller rules would make an intriguing set of rules to bring such a setting alive.
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Timerover51
SOC-14 5K
First, my Universe is far to the Rimward of the Solomani Sphere, so there is no Imperium present and no Imperial Credit currency, each planet has its own money, with the basis for trade being the value assigned to gold and silver.
Second, in addition to the Jump Drive, I have two types of Hyperspace Drives, one covering a parsec in a month, the other in a week, with the only limit being ship life support and crew endurance.
There might be contact with the Aslan in one corner of the sector, and the possibility of some Droyne, and one of Grandfather's great-grandchildren. Leakage from other universes does occur, and at least one planet periodically gets immigrants via the Bermuda Triangle. (Anyone for 5 somewhat used TBF Avenger Torpedo Planes from WW2).
There are remnants of older space-faring races, among them the Bald Space Rovers, and possibly the Krell from Forbidden Planet. Beware of ruins that bite.
Low population planets and no population planets are the norm, not the exception.
No personal energy weapons are allowed, so it is strictly nitro-powder based firearms and weaponry. Ship-based lasers with a fusion plant to power them are allowed.
Contra-gravity is present, but expensive. Ground vehicles are still in wide use.
Basically, I am working from the H. Beam Piper books, Andre Norton, with a dash of A. Bertram Chandler. Towards the Rim, the physics can and do get weird.
Second, in addition to the Jump Drive, I have two types of Hyperspace Drives, one covering a parsec in a month, the other in a week, with the only limit being ship life support and crew endurance.
There might be contact with the Aslan in one corner of the sector, and the possibility of some Droyne, and one of Grandfather's great-grandchildren. Leakage from other universes does occur, and at least one planet periodically gets immigrants via the Bermuda Triangle. (Anyone for 5 somewhat used TBF Avenger Torpedo Planes from WW2).
There are remnants of older space-faring races, among them the Bald Space Rovers, and possibly the Krell from Forbidden Planet. Beware of ruins that bite.
Low population planets and no population planets are the norm, not the exception.
No personal energy weapons are allowed, so it is strictly nitro-powder based firearms and weaponry. Ship-based lasers with a fusion plant to power them are allowed.
Contra-gravity is present, but expensive. Ground vehicles are still in wide use.
Basically, I am working from the H. Beam Piper books, Andre Norton, with a dash of A. Bertram Chandler. Towards the Rim, the physics can and do get weird.
Psionics are not outlawed.
An open 'Psionics Institute' is public and known. (And bad publicity is bad publicity.)
Man achieves starflight with Psi-drives. (Jump is discovered soon after.)
No Vilani, so no First Imperium... or 2nd... or 3rd...
No Credits. Exchange is based on precious metals.
No nobility, but there are First Families (original settlers) who run major corporations (for those who want to actually accomplish things) as well as Families who don't want to 'get their hands dirty', and like to style themselves as nobility.
No 'Major' or 'Minor' races.
Not as much scattering of Humaniti by the Ancients.
Races known by Humaniti of Terra:
1) Droyne (known as Greys)
2) Mrdini (from Anne McCaffrey's Talents Saga)
3) Eridanis (from McCaffrey's series)
4) Formics (from Ender's Game)
Scouts and their ships are a unique symbiosis...
In spite of genetic manipulation, some children are born with defects that severely curtail their quality of life or lifespan. These children are taken into a program where they're placed in mobile life-support systems called 'shells...'
Can you see where I'm going here? If not...
These shellpersons mature in their cybernetic environment while their physical growth is minimized so they won't have to be transferred to a larger shell. They are also educated and eventually joined to a computerized complex that runs a city, or a ship. Like a scoutship. It depends on their choices as they grow up. Those who like to explore alone or with as few as possible become the brains behind the scout ship. Their companion is called a brawn.
Yes, I have blatantly stolen from McCaffrey again! (The Ship Who Sang, et al.)
AIs have never worked as intended and shellpeople have become the substitute. It has been theorized that true intelligence is based on a quantum entaglement not quite understood, as is also the basis for psionic abilty.
"I think, therefore I am."
"I want it to happen, therefore it does."
An open 'Psionics Institute' is public and known. (And bad publicity is bad publicity.)
Man achieves starflight with Psi-drives. (Jump is discovered soon after.)
No Vilani, so no First Imperium... or 2nd... or 3rd...
No Credits. Exchange is based on precious metals.
No nobility, but there are First Families (original settlers) who run major corporations (for those who want to actually accomplish things) as well as Families who don't want to 'get their hands dirty', and like to style themselves as nobility.
No 'Major' or 'Minor' races.
Not as much scattering of Humaniti by the Ancients.
Races known by Humaniti of Terra:
1) Droyne (known as Greys)
2) Mrdini (from Anne McCaffrey's Talents Saga)
3) Eridanis (from McCaffrey's series)
4) Formics (from Ender's Game)
Scouts and their ships are a unique symbiosis...
In spite of genetic manipulation, some children are born with defects that severely curtail their quality of life or lifespan. These children are taken into a program where they're placed in mobile life-support systems called 'shells...'
Can you see where I'm going here? If not...
These shellpersons mature in their cybernetic environment while their physical growth is minimized so they won't have to be transferred to a larger shell. They are also educated and eventually joined to a computerized complex that runs a city, or a ship. Like a scoutship. It depends on their choices as they grow up. Those who like to explore alone or with as few as possible become the brains behind the scout ship. Their companion is called a brawn.
Yes, I have blatantly stolen from McCaffrey again! (The Ship Who Sang, et al.)
AIs have never worked as intended and shellpeople have become the substitute. It has been theorized that true intelligence is based on a quantum entaglement not quite understood, as is also the basis for psionic abilty.
"I think, therefore I am."
"I want it to happen, therefore it does."
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To answer my own question:
I had a set of interlinked Traveller campaigns that while set in the "OTU" had so many additional elements culled from various sources (40K, Star Wars EU, B5, etc) that it wasn't really anything like the OTU.
I had another campaign based in a radically re-imagined Solomani Sphere (the Solarian Union) based on a continuation of the CP2020 timeline, plus elements from Stargate, X-Files, 2001 ASO, and some other TV shows.
Currently I'm slowly building a new setting on or just past an Imperial border, based around a Shanghai-like setting called Prometheus Station that exists in the area of a recent wide-spanning war. The elements that stand out as non-OTU include:
Bioenginering and Cyberware more commonish
AI and near-AI is available and common.
Ships commonly use collectors rather than store fuel for travel
J-Torps!
Jumpgates!
Slow Boats (1 Month Jump ships at TL9 tech)
LBB2 Jump Progression
SSU with a twist, ship section rules allow up to 60Kdton ships (but darn they are slow...)
Humanity in the middle of the technological ecology - races out there at TL16+
Psionics regulated like a very dangerous technology and viewed as such, not banned outright.
Multiple Precursor races
Comsentient Alliance (aka Paranoia Press) exists like the United Nations, a variety of other old de-canonized elements from PP and JG also exist. The I'Sred*Ni Heptad is one of the big bads, as is the Raith Dominion (think SG: Atlantis).
D.
I had a set of interlinked Traveller campaigns that while set in the "OTU" had so many additional elements culled from various sources (40K, Star Wars EU, B5, etc) that it wasn't really anything like the OTU.
I had another campaign based in a radically re-imagined Solomani Sphere (the Solarian Union) based on a continuation of the CP2020 timeline, plus elements from Stargate, X-Files, 2001 ASO, and some other TV shows.
Currently I'm slowly building a new setting on or just past an Imperial border, based around a Shanghai-like setting called Prometheus Station that exists in the area of a recent wide-spanning war. The elements that stand out as non-OTU include:
Bioenginering and Cyberware more commonish
AI and near-AI is available and common.
Ships commonly use collectors rather than store fuel for travel
J-Torps!
Jumpgates!
Slow Boats (1 Month Jump ships at TL9 tech)
LBB2 Jump Progression
SSU with a twist, ship section rules allow up to 60Kdton ships (but darn they are slow...)
Humanity in the middle of the technological ecology - races out there at TL16+
Psionics regulated like a very dangerous technology and viewed as such, not banned outright.
Multiple Precursor races
Comsentient Alliance (aka Paranoia Press) exists like the United Nations, a variety of other old de-canonized elements from PP and JG also exist. The I'Sred*Ni Heptad is one of the big bads, as is the Raith Dominion (think SG: Atlantis).
D.
MTU is actually set in a historical era of the OTU, just as the Rule of Man (second imperium) is starting to collapse. It's set in a backwater of the Second Imperium that would subsequently become the Daibei and Reaver's deep.
The banking crisis of 2744 AD happened about 35 years prior to the start of the game, and the Daibei regional government is having trouble remaining in contact with the central authorities.
The two major Aslan clans (Yerlyaruiwo and Khaukheairl) have jump drive tech and have been expanding into the rimward parts of the region for about 150 years.
The Caledonian society led by Charles Stuart Scott has colonised Caledon at the coreward end of the region, away from Terran influence. Some other worlds in this region have also been colonised but it is a little microcosm.
The largest single economy in the Deep is Drexilthar, home to a minor human race with three major polities - the Ilthari, Drex and Tring. Drexilthar was a colonially administered world but gained its independence and has since industrialised to the extent that it can manufacture its own jump capable ships.
Quite a number of expats from Drexilthar were used as indentured labour in colonies in the area, to the extent that many worlds the subsectors around Drexilthar have significant Ilthari, Drex and Tring demographics in their population. 'Ilthari Mafia' is a common organised crime problem in the region.
(Later on, the Ilthari would go on to become one of the larger reaver states and cause the Syleans and ultimately Cleon I significant grief. Cleon would ultimately order Drexilthar to be glassed as a warning to the Geonee and Suerrat, destroying their planetary economy and leaving the remaining population who re-built the economy with a great deal of animosity to the imperium.)
The other race in the region is the Saie, which have a parasitoid larval stage and require host stock. Humans tend to find this disgusting, although the Saie have an almost religious reverence for their hosts. The asteroid belt in the system of the Saie homeworld (to the spinward of Caledon) is a source of naturally occurring Zuchai crystals, which the Saie use to make jump capable starships.
Around a century ago, a biological agent was accidentally let loose on the Saie homeworld, killing off the entire population on-planet. A small population of a few million managed to survive in off-world colonies and asteroid colonies in the main system. The asteroid colonies cannot support host stock, so the Saie lease large tracts of land on worlds in the Caledon and Scotian Deep subsectors to maintain breeding stock.
(the secret of what killed off the Saie later on is quite prosaic. A cult arose within the Saie that revered sentient hosts, which triggered a moral panic in the Human population of the region despite the cult being an extremist minority. The Saie were ultimately wiped out in a series of genocidal pogroms, and by the time of the Third Imperium the records of this have been destroyed by a couple of thousand years of historical revisionism)
The Daibei regional government is starting to fall apart. Many of the more conservative Vilani (Vilani? Conservative? Who'd have thought) still view the Terrans as little more than invading barbarians. and Vilani separatist movements are starting to appear. Many of the worlds in the region have strong secessionist movements, which have sometimes gone as far as armed insurrection.
The ambient technology in the region is a mix of TL11-12 second imperium tech and underdeveloped local economies dependent on TL4-6 fossil fuel technology (a lot of the Ziru Sirka underwent a massive economic collapse with the Terran wars and much of it never fully recovered). Some worlds are undergoing significant economic growth but many have relatively poor and stagnant economies.
That's my Traveller universe in a nutshell.
The banking crisis of 2744 AD happened about 35 years prior to the start of the game, and the Daibei regional government is having trouble remaining in contact with the central authorities.
The two major Aslan clans (Yerlyaruiwo and Khaukheairl) have jump drive tech and have been expanding into the rimward parts of the region for about 150 years.
The Caledonian society led by Charles Stuart Scott has colonised Caledon at the coreward end of the region, away from Terran influence. Some other worlds in this region have also been colonised but it is a little microcosm.
The largest single economy in the Deep is Drexilthar, home to a minor human race with three major polities - the Ilthari, Drex and Tring. Drexilthar was a colonially administered world but gained its independence and has since industrialised to the extent that it can manufacture its own jump capable ships.
Quite a number of expats from Drexilthar were used as indentured labour in colonies in the area, to the extent that many worlds the subsectors around Drexilthar have significant Ilthari, Drex and Tring demographics in their population. 'Ilthari Mafia' is a common organised crime problem in the region.
(Later on, the Ilthari would go on to become one of the larger reaver states and cause the Syleans and ultimately Cleon I significant grief. Cleon would ultimately order Drexilthar to be glassed as a warning to the Geonee and Suerrat, destroying their planetary economy and leaving the remaining population who re-built the economy with a great deal of animosity to the imperium.)
The other race in the region is the Saie, which have a parasitoid larval stage and require host stock. Humans tend to find this disgusting, although the Saie have an almost religious reverence for their hosts. The asteroid belt in the system of the Saie homeworld (to the spinward of Caledon) is a source of naturally occurring Zuchai crystals, which the Saie use to make jump capable starships.
Around a century ago, a biological agent was accidentally let loose on the Saie homeworld, killing off the entire population on-planet. A small population of a few million managed to survive in off-world colonies and asteroid colonies in the main system. The asteroid colonies cannot support host stock, so the Saie lease large tracts of land on worlds in the Caledon and Scotian Deep subsectors to maintain breeding stock.
(the secret of what killed off the Saie later on is quite prosaic. A cult arose within the Saie that revered sentient hosts, which triggered a moral panic in the Human population of the region despite the cult being an extremist minority. The Saie were ultimately wiped out in a series of genocidal pogroms, and by the time of the Third Imperium the records of this have been destroyed by a couple of thousand years of historical revisionism)
The Daibei regional government is starting to fall apart. Many of the more conservative Vilani (Vilani? Conservative? Who'd have thought) still view the Terrans as little more than invading barbarians. and Vilani separatist movements are starting to appear. Many of the worlds in the region have strong secessionist movements, which have sometimes gone as far as armed insurrection.
The ambient technology in the region is a mix of TL11-12 second imperium tech and underdeveloped local economies dependent on TL4-6 fossil fuel technology (a lot of the Ziru Sirka underwent a massive economic collapse with the Terran wars and much of it never fully recovered). Some worlds are undergoing significant economic growth but many have relatively poor and stagnant economies.
That's my Traveller universe in a nutshell.
What makes MTU different from the OTU? My campaign takes place in the Verge sector. It has a lot going for it:
a. Largest area NOT folded into a domain. Why?
b. Overloaded with Scout bases. Why?
c. Lots of crappy worlds with huge populations, next to empty garden worlds. Why?
d. Over half the worlds are either Desert worlds or Water worlds. Why?
e. Settled for 4,000 years, yet still Early Stellar tech levels. Why?
f. Extreme Law Levels throughout the sector? Why?
g. Nothing ever developed for it by GDW. - Ding! Ding! Ding! Nothing for the Traveller Canon Police to latch onto and whine about.
Particulars:
1. I enforce tech standards - i.e. PCs aren't running around in a TL 15 ship when there are only a couple of TL 15 worlds in the entire sector. Not only is a lot of shipping J-2, a lot of ships lack artificial gravity. In my case, the PCs have a 300+ year old Zhodani TL9 Free Trader. (There are downsides to acquiring a ship for free.)
2. The Ancients took man off Terra 300,000 years ago. There were no Homo Sapiens on Terra 300,000 years ago. There were Neanderthals however. It isn't a Caucasians only universe.
When the Rebellion shows up - it is going in a very, very different direction.....
When the Psionic Suppressions took place, the remnants of the Order of the White Star hid in the IISS. They insured over the years that members of their order were assigned to the Close Protection Unit, assigned to the Imperial Family (Ever wonder WHY the Scouts were assigned that mission? This is my answer.). When Dulinor made his move, the White Star member on duty in the Throne room teleported Grand Princess Iphegenia out of the throne room while Dulinor was murdering the Aslan Ambassador
(We've always been here, Empress. The fact that your family broke faith with us didn't relieve the Order of it's duties and responsibilities.).
At the end of her reign, she would be known as either Iphegenia the Great, or Iphegenia the Terrible - depending on which side of the ledger you were on.
Lucan makes his play for the throne - unfortunately for him, Iphegenia has survived, and has seen the footage of him killing Varian. He gets a scrupulously fair (but very private) trial, followed by a scrupulously fair (and very private) hanging. Publicly, it is announced that both brothers were assassinated by Dulinor's assassination team.
Dulinor flees to Illeish, and starts the shooting.
Iphegenia is young, telegenic, and a seemly empty vessel for Imperial citizens to pour their hopes and dreams into. This is complicated by the fact that the Order of the White Star is now Empress Iphegenia's BFFs (Security has gone up a notch, what with all of the telepaths coming out of the woodwork and all). As such, they were willing to overlook mistakes she made - It helped that the Order of the White Star kept themselves out of the public eye. (As far as Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? - I haven't decided - not that it will matter to PCs.)
In the OTU, Lucan wasn't trained to be Emperor, and his panicked reactions brought the Imperium down. Iphegenia was trained, and didn't panic. She gave the CNO clear instructions on how she wants Dulinor handled. The rebellious sectors are blockaded and the superior economic might of the Imperium is brought to bear on Dulinor. The Imperial General Staff mobilizes the Reserve fleet and the Imperium goes to war footing.
The Solomani still make their move - they don't find out that Empress Iphegenia survived until after major combat operations have taken place. The Vargr never make it across the border, and Norris becomes Archduke much later - He took charge of the Deneb Domain Expeditionary Force (21 Active and Colonial fleets from the Deneb Domain), takes them though the Reft Sector, and opens up a new front in the Gushemege Sector - the coreward front collapses shortly thereafter. The Verge couldn't supply much in the way of naval forces for the Imperium, but they had lots (and lots) of ground troops (and scores to settle with the Illeish Domain).
As the Imperial Fleet closes in on the Illeish sector - rebellious military personnel (and nobility) are given a choice - Join the Imperial forces battling the Solomani or die. Rebellious worlds see their taxes go up and their governments replaced, but otherwise, the sophant on the street doesn't see much change. Ironically, the military governments start to implement the changes Dulinor advocated for (Increased investment and business).
By 1123, the Rebellion was crushed. Dlan and a number of other worlds had major UWP adjustments. Dulinor and his line were no more.
Her next order of business was dealing with the Solomani ("Emperor Gavin was unwilling to pay the price - I am.") What was left of the rebellious military became the shock troops - The Imperial High Command had no compulsions about spending their lives like water, as long as they accomplished their missions.
By 1136, the Solomani Confederation was reintegrated into the Imperium (minus what the Aslan siezed in the Dark Nebula, Magyar, and Canpus quadrant) - a bit worse for wear, but once again part of the big, happy 3rd Imperium family.
a. Largest area NOT folded into a domain. Why?
b. Overloaded with Scout bases. Why?
c. Lots of crappy worlds with huge populations, next to empty garden worlds. Why?
d. Over half the worlds are either Desert worlds or Water worlds. Why?
e. Settled for 4,000 years, yet still Early Stellar tech levels. Why?
f. Extreme Law Levels throughout the sector? Why?
g. Nothing ever developed for it by GDW. - Ding! Ding! Ding! Nothing for the Traveller Canon Police to latch onto and whine about.
Particulars:
1. I enforce tech standards - i.e. PCs aren't running around in a TL 15 ship when there are only a couple of TL 15 worlds in the entire sector. Not only is a lot of shipping J-2, a lot of ships lack artificial gravity. In my case, the PCs have a 300+ year old Zhodani TL9 Free Trader. (There are downsides to acquiring a ship for free.)
2. The Ancients took man off Terra 300,000 years ago. There were no Homo Sapiens on Terra 300,000 years ago. There were Neanderthals however. It isn't a Caucasians only universe.
When the Rebellion shows up - it is going in a very, very different direction.....
When the Psionic Suppressions took place, the remnants of the Order of the White Star hid in the IISS. They insured over the years that members of their order were assigned to the Close Protection Unit, assigned to the Imperial Family (Ever wonder WHY the Scouts were assigned that mission? This is my answer.). When Dulinor made his move, the White Star member on duty in the Throne room teleported Grand Princess Iphegenia out of the throne room while Dulinor was murdering the Aslan Ambassador
(We've always been here, Empress. The fact that your family broke faith with us didn't relieve the Order of it's duties and responsibilities.).
At the end of her reign, she would be known as either Iphegenia the Great, or Iphegenia the Terrible - depending on which side of the ledger you were on.
Lucan makes his play for the throne - unfortunately for him, Iphegenia has survived, and has seen the footage of him killing Varian. He gets a scrupulously fair (but very private) trial, followed by a scrupulously fair (and very private) hanging. Publicly, it is announced that both brothers were assassinated by Dulinor's assassination team.
Dulinor flees to Illeish, and starts the shooting.
Iphegenia is young, telegenic, and a seemly empty vessel for Imperial citizens to pour their hopes and dreams into. This is complicated by the fact that the Order of the White Star is now Empress Iphegenia's BFFs (Security has gone up a notch, what with all of the telepaths coming out of the woodwork and all). As such, they were willing to overlook mistakes she made - It helped that the Order of the White Star kept themselves out of the public eye. (As far as Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? - I haven't decided - not that it will matter to PCs.)
In the OTU, Lucan wasn't trained to be Emperor, and his panicked reactions brought the Imperium down. Iphegenia was trained, and didn't panic. She gave the CNO clear instructions on how she wants Dulinor handled. The rebellious sectors are blockaded and the superior economic might of the Imperium is brought to bear on Dulinor. The Imperial General Staff mobilizes the Reserve fleet and the Imperium goes to war footing.
The Solomani still make their move - they don't find out that Empress Iphegenia survived until after major combat operations have taken place. The Vargr never make it across the border, and Norris becomes Archduke much later - He took charge of the Deneb Domain Expeditionary Force (21 Active and Colonial fleets from the Deneb Domain), takes them though the Reft Sector, and opens up a new front in the Gushemege Sector - the coreward front collapses shortly thereafter. The Verge couldn't supply much in the way of naval forces for the Imperium, but they had lots (and lots) of ground troops (and scores to settle with the Illeish Domain).
As the Imperial Fleet closes in on the Illeish sector - rebellious military personnel (and nobility) are given a choice - Join the Imperial forces battling the Solomani or die. Rebellious worlds see their taxes go up and their governments replaced, but otherwise, the sophant on the street doesn't see much change. Ironically, the military governments start to implement the changes Dulinor advocated for (Increased investment and business).
By 1123, the Rebellion was crushed. Dlan and a number of other worlds had major UWP adjustments. Dulinor and his line were no more.
Her next order of business was dealing with the Solomani ("Emperor Gavin was unwilling to pay the price - I am.") What was left of the rebellious military became the shock troops - The Imperial High Command had no compulsions about spending their lives like water, as long as they accomplished their missions.
By 1136, the Solomani Confederation was reintegrated into the Imperium (minus what the Aslan siezed in the Dark Nebula, Magyar, and Canpus quadrant) - a bit worse for wear, but once again part of the big, happy 3rd Imperium family.
Jason M Durkish
SOC-10
In my universe I have a Commonwealth rather than a Third Empire
And no none terrain humans
Also I have Gray Aliens as player character race
And I have a whole different set of races in my universe
And I use the D20 system
And no none terrain humans
Also I have Gray Aliens as player character race
And I have a whole different set of races in my universe
And I use the D20 system
Last edited:
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