TNE-Pocket
Updates - Status Report #2
Reading preview
Source wording preserved. The original download is available separately.
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Date: Wed, 27 Jul 94 20:36:22 -0400
From: Derek Wildstar <wildstar@qrc.com>
Message-Id: <9407280036.AA15866@qrc.com>
To: tne-pocket@ocf.Berkeley.EDU
Subject: Updates - Status Report #2
Status: RO
Subject: Further Updates and Comments
tonyz@eskimo.com (Tony Zbaraschuk) writes:
> Derek, how _old_ are these characters? Age isn't mentioned anywhere.
Good point! I never assigned an exact age, because I didn't actually
generate any of these characters. The PCs have ages, but the NPCs don't
because they're basically 'expanded templates' and not full-character
NPCs.
I'll see what I can do.
> You may wish to mention here that Resolution Belt was only developed after
> Gralyn re-contacted Botany Bay (the BBer's didn't have the ships).
OK, it's worth a sentance or so. Done.
> "its" not "it's"!
One of my worst (and most consistent) grammar faults. I always do this. :-/
ccjoe@showme.missouri.edu (Joseph Heck) wrote:
> Anyway, I wanted to be listed in the credits as having created the starmaps
> and charts.
Will do!
> When's the deadline for stuff to you?
> (including Maps)
Send the maps directly to Kevin, I think. The sooner the better.
> have you (or anyone at this point) done any planetary maps for the worlds
> in the Drinsaar Loop? (Gralyn, Askopay, Botany Bay, etc....)
Not exactly, although I do have a few sketch-maps that I created for several
worlds, on the spur of the moment, as I needed them. Which worlds were you
thinking about mapping? As far as I know, Gralyn, Askoapoy and Botany Bay
have never been mapped, but check out the text for some place-names.
l.guatney@genie.geis.com writes:
> A quick check on the 1115 data revealed the following:
>
> Dran (1129) has three white dwarf companions, whereas the previous
> version had only two.
Going back into my archives, Dran has always had three dwarf companions,
including in the Core.Data file dated December 1993. Is it possible that
an earlier load of this data truncated the data line and dropped one of the
companions? As all of my archived data files agree on this point, I'm
leaving it with three.
> Roakhoi (1224) still shows G5V for the primary spectral. I believe
> I demonstrated that the distance it is from the star precluded it from
> being this spectral class. It must be a K3V if you assume orbital 3 (I
> think this unreasonable) or the better assumption is orbital 4, hence
> requiring that the star be an F5V.
Check your copy of Scouts again. G5V is appropriate for the 4th world in
the system, located in Orbit 3. Making the star a K3V will definitely
*not* work, and an F5V combined with Orbit 4 requires an empty Orbit 0
and doesn't work any better than the G5V. This stays, it's correct as is.
> Kingston (1428) shows a pop. mult. of '8'. The total subsector pop
> as was published in Far Traveller 1 doesn't even reach this total. It
> also told us the highest subsector population was 3.7 at Marlheim. I
> still recommend that the pop. mult. of '2' be used for Kingston.
Done. Also noted that 'Hi' designator for high-population worlds has been
missing from the 1130 data, going all the way back to Dec '93. I've fixed
these by hand.
> Garrison (2221) in PGD says it is military rule and therefore should
> bear the "Mr" coding.
Located this code in the PGD subsector listing. Done.
> Kraan (1828) has per PGD: "scientific research station at the edge
> of the shadowland mountains." and so should have (Rs) coded.
> Dutrissal (2027) has per PGD: "A small research colony ... maintained
> by the Institute of Science and Technology on Duncinae/Ea." and so should
> have (Rs) coded.
These worlds are not so coded in the PGD subsector listing - while these
research stations are mentioned in the descriptions, they are not in the
UWP data, and therefore aren't coded in our listing.
Ted7@world.std.com wrote:
> >And what about telepathic humans on Gralyn. Wouldn't it have been
> >possible to establish contact one way or another?
> I thought so. That's why I pointed it out as a problem.
No telepathic humans on Gralyn, so that's not an issue. The radio (or even
heliograph) possibility *is*, and I inserted a brief explanation into the
history. Again, this was the best I could do on short notice.
To answer your specific objections, while I'm sure the Droyne had
some 'credit' with the humans, it *is* a reasonable assumption that
the humans were at least as hard-hit as the Droyne, and from they
were knocked down to, the investment required for a space program
would exceed the available Droyne 'credit'. With nothing to trade
for the balance of the cost, it hardly seems like a worthwhile
expenditure of resources to attempt to contact the humans.
It's not that trading technological knowledge for physical help is
unacceptable, it's that they didn't think of it. Droyne aren't noted for
massively innovative thinking, and a) technical knowledge had been available
for free from the Imperium for hundreds of years, and b) many Droyne may not
have realized that Humans *didn't* have some equivalent of the Droyne racial
memory.
rancke@diku.dk wrote:
> >The Gralyn Union: A Pocket Empire for Aoreriyya
> By far the largest part of this was written by Corran, but I think some
> 10% or so of it is mine.
So noted.
> I will try to cudgel my brain into synthesizing something about Botany Bay,
> but I guarantee nothing, especially not within a few days.
What do you think of the crude patch I applied?
> First a general comment. Well done! You've done a really fine job in
> compiling all this.
Thank you!
> Mostly I like it. There were a few items that I wouldn't have put where you
> put them (The _Loakhtarl_ item, for example - I would have put it with
> the main listing), but nothing I thought strange enough to bother commenting
> about.
The intent is that the players get that at *some* point, and as a smaller
supplimental listing, they might actually read it ...
> If this ever became an issue I'd argue that there is an 'implied licence'
> to use any Traveller Library Data in any other Traveller publication. (I
> think we'd be in trouble if that wasn't so).
I agree with you, but reworded the library data entries anyway.
> >What do you think of the 'Hellion' Murdoch entry I added (yes, I know
> >its another joke - I wonder how many members of this list will get it)?
> Relay the number to me if you ever find out.
Presuming that you *did* get it, so far the number is 2: you and me.
That answers the question of "Who in this list reads 40-year-old science
fiction by authors named Smith"? :)
> That's all right. I didn't object to the Duquesne entry because it was a
> lame in-joke, I objected because it was a second generation lame in-joke.
> But, as you say, today's effete youths won't get it anyway ;-).
Why, in my day, I had to ... (fill in favorit old-fart tall tale) ... to
get the latest copy of Amazing/Analog, and smuggle it home so nobody would
laugh at me for reading that 'trash'! And every one came with a Freas
cover! ;-)
> I actually worked that out some time ago. This may be sidebar material, if
> you like:
Done.
> Perhaps it would be worth making a point about this. Gralyn relics would be
> mostly TL 10 (As would Askoapoy). Anything higher would be importado. TL 11
> stuff could have come from several nearby worlds. Nearest TL 14 source was
> the Carrillian Belt. TL 15 stuff would have had to come from clear outside
> Aoreriyya.
Right. Not a bad idea. TL-10 relics would not be unheard-of. TL 11-14
relics would be rare, but existant. And there's probably one whole TL-15
relic in the entire Union.
> I see. But surely, by 1142 any computer with an _active_ virus would have
> been tracked down by other means? Or are you just saying that the Askoapoy
> Droyne made dandy multi-use canaries? If so, I think it is overstating
> their importance to call it 'invaluable'. You give me the impression that
> this ability was of major importance to the salvage effort, where I would
> say it was a useful thing, but no more than that.
Toned down slightly - I subsitituded 'useful' for 'invaluable'.
> Apart from still wanting the 'megacorporation' to become something else
> (perhaps an 'major interstellar corporation') I don't have much comment.
> I still can't work out anything coherent.
Fixed that. It's now a 'large Solomani corporation'.
> >>What happened to the Gralynites stranded on Botany Bay in 1130? Could they
> >>survive the local conditions without support from Gralyn?
> >No, they eventually died when their supply of filter masks ran out, and the
> >local technology was insufficient to produce more.
> That deserves a mention, I think.
I stuck a sentance in there about it.
> >The total
> >membership of the Steering Committe can be between 10 and 16 members.
> >It currently has 15: 9 from Gralyn, 3 from Askoapoy, and 2 from Botany Bay.
>
> But how do you get these figures?
By being unable to add. That should be 10 and 14, with the current figure
being 13, 9 from Gralyn, 2 from Askoapoy (one of whom was popularly elected
in the last election), and 2 from Botany Bay.
Largest possible steering committee: 5 human members from each
each election (these would be 10 humans, popularly elected), and 1 per
election from each of the other two worlds (Two botany bay and two askoapoy)
for a total of 14.
Smallest possible steering committee: 5 members from each election, of which
at least one is from each world, for a total of 10.
This isn't actually included in any of the materials to Kevin, so I didn't
have to change any of the them 'cause of my math error.
> It's worse than you think. There's a very interesting bit of the expanded
> history where some Aragishge Drandirdikun monks build a radio and contact
> some Droyne. I'd REALLY hate to loose that. I think we must speculate in
> Droyne motivation, not Droyne capability to explain it away.
I vaguely recall that. Why does this problem require
that we void that bit of history?
> >The Gralyn Union Exploration and Survey Service
> >
> >Written by the TNE-POCKET discussion group, compiled by Guy Garnett.
> >Primary Contributors: [Speak up if your name should appear here!]
>
> "Speaking!"
Done. I also included myself in this one. Finally, for lack of anyone
else speaking up, I listed the two of us as the primary contributors for
the Aoereriyya overview.
> Suggest adding:
>
> "We all believe in our cause to push into the unknown and find out what has
> happened to the rest of the universe (for whatever reasons). We in the
> first class should be proud of what we've started, and where we can go."
> ---Lt. Cmdr. Hawkins, Valedictorian, GUESS Academy, Class of 1200
>
> [Guy, didn't one of your players write this? I don't know where I got the
> name Hawkins from, I thought your First Officer wrote it, but when I
> checked he was named Napier. Anyway, I think the quote fits well there.
> You figure out just who was the valedictorian, OK?]
I don't recall ever seeing this before, and I can't find any references to
"Hawkins" or "Valed" anywhere in the TNE-Pocket archives. Either I'm
missing parts of the archives (possible), or it came from somewhere else.
In any case, I'll use it. (Maybe on of *your* players wrote it?).
Anyway, I added it, and the 1200 DA valedictorian is now Lt.Cdr. Hawkins.
(Napier just graduated at the head of the class - he's not the world's best
orator, so he probably wouldn't have been the valedictorian.
> One thing: Transfers from other services retain a reserve
> commission in their original service. If their reserve rank is higher
> than their GUESS rank, they are often addressed with their reserve rank
> as a matter of courtsey (This may lead to several captains aboard a
> ship, a no-no in some services, but they don't mind in GUESS (there's
> only one Skipper per ship, though).
OK, that's a nice touch. I've added it.
> I'm sorry to loose the lists of the rank names, especially the system with
> {Specialist's} Mate, {Specialist}, Master {Specialist}. Any reason for that?
Sheer lazyness on my part. I'll find it and put it back in, I think.
> I'm nearly finished with the article about the Career Limitation Chart system
> and will post it for comments sometime this weekend.
Great. I figure the GUESS article can stand as written, and if the CLC
article is done in time, then people can refer to that for character
generation. Is that OK?
> > Aoreriyya
> > New Era adventures in Reavers' Deep
> > Written by the TNE-POCKET discussion group, compiled by Guy Garnett.
> > Primary Contributors: [Speak up if your name should appear here!]
> "Guilty, M'Lud!"
Anybody else? I listed myself in this one, too.
> >In the Imperial era library data were assumed to be updated to a particular
> >date mentioned in the publication. Thus all data mentioned in a given issue
> >of the Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society were assumed to be true as of
> >001-1105.
>
> Yes, I had forgotten the publication, hadn't I? It wasn't JTAS, though (each
> number had it's own "Imperial" date). It was 'Adventure 1, _The Kinunir_'.
Yes, but 'Adventure 1, _The Kinunir_' isn't a publication that exists within
the context of the game (ie: your character can't go out and buy it), while
The Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society does (which is why I used that as
an example).
> I still think we'd do better to explain it in terms of motivation rather
> than capability. I mean, you could _heliograph_ between a world and its
> moon if you really wanted to. And you can't get much lower-tech than that.
> (Well, there's drums, which I admit wouldn't work. But smoke signals
> might...)
Read over the item I inserted, and let me know if it answers this objection
well enough.
Ted7@world.std.com wrote:
> Sigh. Very depressing. All my work essentially ignored. I know I
> sent these TWICE to be included in the listed postings (as well as
> posting them with the planetary descriptions for Tashrakaar and
> Kamloops). My UWPs for Kamloops were in your last posted set of UWPs,
> so this is a distinct regression.
I'm sorry - I don't know what happened there, except that I obviously lost
a version of the file. (I've switched machines during the preparation
of this material, and what I *think* happened is that I lost the most
recent file in the switch, and the wound up with an earlier version, thus
the regression.
I'm definitely not ignoring your material on purpose, and the new UWPs
have been re-added to the listings. Thanks for the perseverance, and
sorry for the lossage.
> Lajanjigal, possessing a lo-tech, native population will not be affected
> by the gyrations of the larger human, technical society with whom they
> probably had little dealings (or they'd have had a higher tech than 3).
> It's unlikely they would suffer a technologic decrease, or a population
> decrease (unless bored humans visited just to practice genocide).
Made this into a library data entry for the referee.
l.guatney@genie.geis.com writes:
> So I did another compare. All I found were additional stars. Each
> of the following had one more star added. I repeat Dran for completness.
>
> Dran (1129) was 3 stars, now 4 stars
> New Eden (1137) was 2 stars, now 3 stars
> Hihlas (1537) was 2 stars, now 3 stars
> Collins World (1631) was 1 star, now 2 stars
> Concorde (1840) was 1 star, now 2 stars
> Morgan (2038) was 2 stars, now 3 stars
Checked these. The current data matches the earliest data files I have,
dated December 28, 1993. I believe the 'current' values are correct and as
far as I know, have never been changed.
> As far as Ted7's comments are concerned, the above changes and
> previously posted notes comprise the only differences between the latest
> and the last version that was posted. I think I can understand how Guy
> might moan a little about differences brought up in the "eleventh hour".
Not a problem (I think - but wait 'till I hear from Kevin!).
eclipse@world.std.com (Mark Urbin) wrote:
> I noticed that the numbers for Venice didn't match my writeups. Here
> are the raw numbers for Hard Times and 1200. I'll repost the whole
> Venice Writeup in a day or two.
OK, that's fine, I've gone and fixed these. Apologies if this is used
to be correct and is now wrong again - in any case, it's fixed now. One
comment that may be worthwhile: writers, please please don't assume that
I've located or extracted UWPs from your text write-ups. There's 9 megabytes
of archives, and searching through them for UWPs is a pain! If it didn't
match a relatively simple 'grep', then I probably didn't find it.
> Hard Times
> 1534 D35A7FD 6 Wa Td i1 114 Na M5 III DM F
What's that 'Td' code doing there? I assumed that it was
in error, and removed it.
> 1200 (New Era)
> 1534 X35A674 4 Wa 914 NA M5 III DM
Could you possibly have the Hard Times and New Era listings reversed?
Ted7@world.std.com wrote:
> Ooops. Yes, that should be 769 vice 669. Serves me right for trying to
> edit three files with a twoyear old nosing about
Fixed.
That's it, the final version has gone to Kevin.
IF you have any more changes or corrections ...
AHahahahahahaha! IT's TOO LATE! You Die! The Girl Dies! Everybody Dies!
:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
Oops, sorry, got carried away there after making these fixes. If you
have any more changes, you may as well let me know, but it's going to
press the way it is now.
Thank you, everyone!
wildstar@quark.qrc.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Science-Fiction Adventure
In Reavers' Deep
From wildstar@qrc.com Wed Jul 27 21:28:52 1994
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From: Derek Wildstar <wildstar@qrc.com>
Message-Id: <9407280053.AA15956@qrc.com>
To: tne-pocket@ocf.Berkeley.EDU
Subject: FINAL SUBMISSION - Timekeeping on Gralyn [Sidebar]
Status: RO
[Sidebar material, by Hans Rancke-Madsen.]
TIME ON GRALYN
In the early days of the Gralyn settlement an effort was made to stick to
the Old Terran time measurements and calendar. It quickly became obvious,
however, that some adjustments would be necessary to adapt to Gralyn's 35
hour 25 minute day. The first attempt was made in -1772 when the length of
the hour was adjusted to 59 minutes and 1.66 second, making a G-day
exactly 36 hours long. At the same tme the year was extended by 6 days to
make it as long as a T-year[*]. 2 G-days became known as a 'thrice' and
contained three 24 hour days. This calendar was kept (with occasional
extra leap-days whenever accumulated errors had brought it out of synch
with the Gregorian calendar) for official reckonings, but the general
populace gradually adapted to sleeping for two 6-hour periods ('Full Day'
and 'Deep Night') and being awake for two 12-hour periods ('Ascend' and
'Descend') of every G-day. The G-day thus became a common unit of time
measurement while the T-day fell into disuse. In -1354 Envoy Archim
Sanchez reformed the calendar to reflect this, but stuck as closely as
possible to the T-year by making the years alternately 247 and 248
(G-)days long. The Archimian calendar remains in use to this day, but
with the renewed interstellar contacts in the 2nd Century Imperial the
Gregorian calendar (in its Imperial incarnation) was adopted by the
space professions, and the two systems have been used in parallel ever
since.
[*] That is, 371 days long normally and 372 days long every fourth year.
This year has nothing to do with the orbital period of Gralyn around
Levin, of course. For this interval the word 'orbit' is used.
wildstar@quark.qrc.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Science-Fiction Adventure
In Reavers' Deep
From wildstar@qrc.com Thu Jul 28 02:15:19 1994
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From: Derek Wildstar <wildstar@qrc.com>
Message-Id: <9407280053.AA15956@qrc.com>
To: tne-pocket@ocf.Berkeley.EDU
Subject: FINAL SUBMISSION - Timekeeping on Gralyn [Sidebar]
Status: RO
[Sidebar material, by Hans Rancke-Madsen.]
TIME ON GRALYN
In the early days of the Gralyn settlement an effort was made to stick to
the Old Terran time measurements and calendar. It quickly became obvious,
however, that some adjustments would be necessary to adapt to Gralyn's 35
hour 25 minute day. The first attempt was made in -1772 when the length of
the hour was adjusted to 59 minutes and 1.66 second, making a G-day
exactly 36 hours long. At the same tme the year was extended by 6 days to
make it as long as a T-year[*]. 2 G-days became known as a 'thrice' and
contained three 24 hour days. This calendar was kept (with occasional
extra leap-days whenever accumulated errors had brought it out of synch
with the Gregorian calendar) for official reckonings, but the general
populace gradually adapted to sleeping for two 6-hour periods ('Full Day'
and 'Deep Night') and being awake for two 12-hour periods ('Ascend' and
'Descend') of every G-day. The G-day thus became a common unit of time
measurement while the T-day fell into disuse. In -1354 Envoy Archim
Sanchez reformed the calendar to reflect this, but stuck as closely as
possible to the T-year by making the years alternately 247 and 248
(G-)days long. The Archimian calendar remains in use to this day, but
with the renewed interstellar contacts in the 2nd Century Imperial the
Gregorian calendar (in its Imperial incarnation) was adopted by the
space professions, and the two systems have been used in parallel ever
since.
[*] That is, 371 days long normally and 372 days long every fourth year.
This year has nothing to do with the orbital period of Gralyn around
Levin, of course. For this interval the word 'orbit' is used.
wildstar@quark.qrc.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Science-Fiction Adventure
In Reavers' Deep
From wildstar@qrc.com Thu Jul 28 03:18:22 1994
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Date: Wed, 27 Jul 94 20:43:14 -0400
From: Derek Wildstar <wildstar@qrc.com>
Message-Id: <9407280043.AA15895@qrc.com>
To: tne-pocket@ocf.Berkeley.EDU
Subject: FINAL SUBMISSION - Credits
Status: RO
[Typographical Note: In the paragraph 'Playtest Group Denmark' below, there
are a few special characters. The 'o/' in 'So/ren' and 'So/ndergaard' is an
o with a slash through it. The 'aa' in 'So/ndergaard' is really a single a
with a circle above it. If possible, please use the appropriate characters
for these names. An 'o' (no slash) and an 'aa' are the correct substitutes
if it is absolutely necessary to do so.]
About the TNE-POCKET Project
TNE-POCKET is the name of an Internet mailing list. It was formed in
December, 1992 as a discussion group to explore the proposed universe for
Traveller: The New Era by creating a "pocket empire" in that universe.
One of the goals was to remain as true as possible to the spirit and
background material of Classic Traveller, while setting a stage that allows
adventures that were never really practical before. The Reavers' Deep was
quickly decided on for a location; this sector has probably had more material
developed for it than any other location in Traveller, except for the Domain
of Deneb. References were gathered, and work began with the new year. More
than nine million bytes of opinions, arguments, discussions, and creative
writing ensued in the year and a half that followed.
The mailing list still exists, and undergoes periodic bursts of activity.
George Herbert created and administers the list. You can send mail to the
list by addressing internet e-mail to TNE-POCKET@ocf.berkeley.edu.
Administrative requests (to be added or removed from the list, for example)
should be addressed to TNE-POCKET-REQUEST@ocf.berkeley.edu.
Contributors to the project (in alphabetic order by first name) are: Bertil
"Deckplans" Jonell, Burton Choinski, Chris Olson, Corran J. Webster, Curtis
Peer, Dane Johnson, Dave Kennard, David "Mr David R Armour" Armour, Dennis
Collver, Guy "Derek Wildstar" Garnett, Ed Sharpe, G.C.J. Timm, George
"Pendang" Herbert, Matt "Goldman of Chaos" Goldman, Hans Rancke-Madsen,
Andrew "Ineluki Seyt-Hamakha" Akins, John "Halifax Napier" Lewis, Judith
Meng, Joseph "Starmaps" Heck, John "Particle Accelerator" Bogan, Jonathan
Thierman, Keith Martin, Kelly St.Clair, Kent Landfield, Mark F. Cook, Mark
Urbin, Mike "Near Miss" Metlay, Mike Basinger, Mitch "Ted7" Schwartz, Robert
Piper, Ryan G. Faith, Sean C. "Patrick Angus Flynn" O'Toole, Scott "2G"
Kellogg, Shalom Zaidfeld, Steve Gibbons, Steve and Cynthia Higginbotham,
Steven Bonneville, Steven Eric Schwarts, Theresa Verity, Tony Zbaraschuk.
The following contributors left only their e-mail addresses:
8841470@hydra.maths.unsw.EDU.AU, "Keeper Of The Lint"
darkstar@chopin.udel.edu, LTG3878@RIGEL.TAMU.EDU, gt6963c@prism.gatech.edu,
langsl@hhcs.gov.au, and uunet!violin.att.com!plb.
Special Thanks to Joseph Heck, who created the starmaps and charts for us,
and Bertil Jonell who drew the deckplans of the GUESS Fidelity.
Playtest Group Denmark: Lars "Chuck Browne" Boye, So/ren "Espoy" Juul, Kaare
"Thomas Honoko" Myltoft, Flemming "Hacbert Weinstein" Rasch, Morten "'Marvel'"
So/ndergaard, refereed by Hans Rancke-Madsen.
Playtest Group USA: D. Glenn "Espray" Arthur Jr., Mike "Henri Kranke"
Davidson, Chuck "Dr. Q. Frederick Estervliet" Hamilton, Greg "Rocky
Terranova" Hara, John "Halifax Napier" Lewis, David "Stephan Kendall" Rodger,
refereed by Guy Garnett.
Last, but certainly not least, we'd also like to thank J. Andrew Keith,
co-creator (with his brother, William H. Keith) of Reavers' Deep, for giving
us kind permission to work with the Reavers' Deep material. Thanks should go
to Dave Nilsen and Loren Wiseman of GDW for assisting us with news and
information as the New Era took shape.
Guy Garnett, for TNE-POCKET.
wildstar@quark.qrc.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Science-Fiction Adventure
In Reavers' Deep
From wildstar@qrc.com Thu Jul 28 06:27:40 1994
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Date: Wed, 27 Jul 94 20:47:32 -0400
From: Derek Wildstar <wildstar@qrc.com>
Message-Id: <9407280047.AA15906@qrc.com>
To: tne-pocket@ocf.Berkeley.EDU
Subject: FINAL SUBMISSION - The Gralyn Union
Status: RO
The Gralyn Union: A Pocket Empire for Aoreriyya
Written by the TNE-POCKET discussion group, compiled by Guy Garnett.
Primary Contributors: Corran J. Webster and Hans Rancke-Madsen.
"Anybody got a light?"
That is the question everyone has been asking themselves since those fateful
few days, 5 years ago. Is there anyone else out there? Will we see the blue
glow of a materializing jump grid tomorrow? Will the Imperium save us? Surely
*someone* must have escaped the ravages of this computer virus?
But still, this begs the question. "Has anybody got a light?"
We must acknowledge that there are none of the great governments left; for
surely we would have been visited by their emissaries. Their blazes of glory
have been extinguished by this virus as surely as a bonfire by a tsunami.
There is no Imperium, nor even its shattered pieces. There is no Aslan
Hierate. The Solomani Confederation lies in ashes. For all we know even the
distant K'kree and Zhodani empires may be fading into memory as we speak.
Perhaps there are worlds which have escaped these ravages, but we must
accept that they are either too far away or too beset by their own problems
to help us. Maybe there are distant worlds who keep the flame of
interstellar civilization bright, who through skill or luck have managed to
avoid this disaster, but it may be centuries before their light reaches this
corner of Charted Space.
And still we ask, "Anybody got a light?"
We here on Gralyn have weathered this storm well. Surely, times have been
hard, but think of all the times when, if we had been a little less lucky, the
few survivors would have been scrounging a meagre existence among the ruined
remains of this city; picking at the bones of what would have been our dead
society.
We hold what is, if not a light, a spark, and it is our duty to ourselves and
our children, and our children's children, to protect that spark, to kindle
it, to turn it into a bright beacon of hope, and, perhaps, to shed a little
light on our small corner of the universe!
And when you ask yourselves "Anybody got a light?", remember that *we*, the
people of Gralyn, have that light!
--- Alyss Lim, first Chair of Gralyn,
in her Inaugural Speech, 1137
The Gralyn Union
In 1200, the Gralyn Union consists of five inhabited worlds, located in two
star systems. The majority of the Union's population lives on Gralyn, a
comfortable world in the Gralyn system. A significant minority are Droyne,
who reside on Gralyn's moon Askoapoy. Although they make up only a small
percentage of the Union's population, Droyne technicians and scientists have
been particularly important in recovering lost technological skills.
Gralyn System profile
Primary: Levin. M0 V. Luminosity 0.45. Mass 0.489.
Companion: Dimoro. K5 VI. Luminosity 0.40. Mass 0.330. Orbit 9.
Levin:
Orbit Name UPP Pop
0 Gralyn B758848-9 J Ri 1
40 Askoapoy A488608-A Fa Re 2
1 Levin Beta YS00000-0
9 Dimoro
Dimoro:
Orbit Name UPP Pop
0 Coonabarabran G00036B-9 J 4
1 Pearl SGG
3 Bowser H838000-9
4 Hastings Y769000-0
8 Harold Y650000-0
55 William Y510000-0
The Gralyn system presently holds 3 inhabited worlds, Gralyn, Askoapoy and
the Coonabarabran belt. Bowser is listed as having a spaceport, actually the
remains of an old reaver base now run down after a thousand years of neglect.
Gralyn and Askoapoy form the twin hubs of the expanding Union.
Botany Bay System profile
Primary: Carmondy. F5 V. Luminosity 1.37. Mass 1.3.
Orbit Name UWP Pop
0 Firefly Y410000-0
5 Firefly A YS00000-0
8 Firefly B YS00000-0
30 Firefly C YS00000-0
1 Resolution Belt Y000303-9 As Lo Ni 2
2 La Perouse H750000-0
3 Forth Y400000-0
4 Yuan Y200000-0
5 Botany Bay D643534-5 Ni Po 3
12 Cook H112000-0
Botany Bay is not a particularly well-endowed system, with no gas giant and
only marginally habitable worlds. Two worlds are inhabited, the Resolution
Belt, and Botany Bay itself. Prior to the collapse, Resolution Belt was not
considered worth commercial exploitation. Belters from Gralyn have begun to
mine the Resolution Belt, and although productive by Gralyn Union standards,
no major finds or rich lodes have been reported. Botany Bay and its small
moon, Cook, are the only worlds with free-standing water (or ice) on their
surfaces. It is here that most of the human activity in the system takes
place. Botany Bay itself is not an ideal world, but it is certainly the only
earth-like world in the system, and indeed has its own native lifeforms.
Gralyn History
Although Askoapoy has native life, it is believed that the Droyne presence on
this world is the result of Ancient activity. Archaeologists working with
the Droyne on Askoapoy have dated the first colonization of the Gralyn system
to some 300,000 years ago, when a colony of Droyne was established there by
the Ancients. This colony survived the Final War that ended the Ancients'
domination of known space and slowly recovered until its technological society
had been reestablished.
Explorers from the Rule of Man first entered the system circa -2000. The
discovery of the Droyne on Askoapoy sparked some excitement and a contact
mission was sent by the Governor of Daibei. Friendly relations were
established, and plans made to create a combined embassy, research base and
trading enclave. The enclave, initially a couple of hundred people, was
established in -1893, but by -1780 the population was well over 1000. The
Collapse of the Rule of Man stranded the humans in the Gralyn system. The
last starship to leave Askoapoy was scoutship, sent to petition for an
evacuation mission, but it was never heard from again.
Askoapoy, never a part of the Vilani Empire or the Rule of Man, felt the Long
Night less than many worlds. The only real effect was simple isolation.
With the loss of support from back home the human enclave changed from a
source of revenue for their Droyne hosts to a drain on community resources.
The Droyne leaders wanted to rid themselves of this liability, but were
reluctant to let the humans establish themselves permanently on Askoapoy,
mostly because they believed the humans would begin to expand uncontrollably
once released from the restraints of the enclave.
The solution which was found was the primary planet of Askoapoy. Kraln was
too cool for the comfort of Droyne, but was within acceptable human
tolerances. The Droyne had had sublight space transport for a long time
although it was considered wasteful and seldomly used. An old freighter was
put into commission and the humans transferred to Kraln (which human tongues
eventually corrupted to "Gralyn"). Many major features of Gralyn, including
the continent of Merinu are still called by the corrupted Droyne names
originally given to them by astronomers on Askoapoy. Throughout the Long
Night regular flights connected the two worlds, and with the help of the
Droyne, Gralyn quickly expanded beyond the initial colony, and prospered.
Towards the end of the Long Night raids by Reavers became increasingly
common and Gralyn and Askoapoy developed a joint system defence boat network
to defend themselves. This system was very effective, and soon the Reavers
learned to avoid the system. Having this space navy in place and toughened by
the Reavers, Gralyn was able to defend itself against Aslan colonists, and
weathered the Long Night well.
During the Imperial Era, Gralyn continued much as before. With the Peace of
Ftahalr, the world found itself in a good location on the Drinsaar Loop to
profit from trade between the powerful Third Imperium and the Aslan Hierate.
Smugglers also used the Loop, to move contraband between the Imperium and the
Solomani Confederation. The Rebellion had relatively little direct effect on
Gralyn. Trade, particularly the long-distance "overhead" trade that made up
a large fraction of Gralyn's business, began to dwindle.
When the Hard Times came, Gralyn was essentially run by the bureaucracy, run
by a body called the Steering Committee. The interface lines from the
Imperium stopped passing through, but the economy of the Aslan Hierate was
still healthy, and a deal struck by a young diplomat, Alyss Lim, created a
favourable trade relationship with a prominent clan. This achievement marked
the start of her meteoric rise through the bureaucracy of the Gralyn
Assemblage.
When the Virus hit Gralyn, the effect on the planet was devastating. It was
in the first few hours that Alyss Lim turned the fate of Gralyn. While most
other Steering Committee members were despairing over the fall of
civilization, she was treating it as the ultimate challenge of her career.
She was able to identify the most pressing problems, and to rally support
from the general populace to help out. Within a week, the other members of
the Steering Committee had voted her into the chair, and she had won the
hearts and minds of the people.
It was Lim, as Minister for the Exterior, who first noticed the increasing
malfunctions of high tech equipment and traced them back to the starport.
Correctly deducing that the cause was a computer virus brought in by
starships, she convinced the Steering Committee to issue the now famous
"Shutdown Decree" which ordered that all computers be powered down.
Although the Shutdown Decree didn't prevent systems and networks from
becoming infected, it generally did prevent them from being re-infected with
more advanced strains of the Virus. Most systems were infected with the
common Suicider and Suicide-Inducer strains, and were shutdown before the
more dangerous types could infect a large number of systems. Nevertheless,
by dawn on 312-1131 a full scale battle was underway between the population
and the machinery. By the next day 10,000 people had died and more than
30,000 people were injured, but the Army was mopping up the last few virus
infected computers.
Although most people had survived, society was in tatters, the economy dead
on its feet and people were on the verge of panic. Fortunately the basic
necessities of life were not in short supply. Due to Gralyn's short growing
season, ordinary stockpiles of food were sufficient to last half a standard
year. The original intention had been to protect against famine due to the
loss of crops in a series of bad summers. Now, it meant that the heavily
urbanized population would not starve. Calm was maintained by the Army, and
by a stirring speech by Alyss Lim. This remarkably frank speech both calmed
the fears and strengthened the resolve of the population.
Alyss Lim had prevented Gralyn from perishing in the first heavy blow. The
archives of a local religious sect called the Aragishge Drandirdikun (the
Architects of Tomorrow) enabled the world to adapt to the drastically lower
technology imposed by the lack of reliable computers. More than a millenium
before, when Gralyn was passing through a technological slump caused by a
repressive government, this organisation had recorded many Industrial and
Pre-stellar technologies on paper. Its archives now proved a treasure-travel
of information safe from the virus.
Thus in the immediate post-virus years, Gralyn's efforts revolved around
feeding itself and attempting to get the economy back on its feet. The first
few years were very hard, with people living just above the starvation line,
with insufficient power to heat homes, and with poor medical care. It is
estimated that over a million people died of secondary effects of the virus,
mainly the very young, the old and the sick. Law and order was kept by the
Army, sometimes with very little compassion. During this time, the
government of Alyss Lim was at best a charismatic dictatorship, at worst a
police state.
After 5 years or so, some degree of normality started to return to Gralyn.
Worn out by 5 hard years of governing and hearing the first sounds of
resentment against her rule, Alyss Lim started to reshape the government of
Gralyn from dictatorship to democracy. In 1137, Alyss Lim was elected
unopposed to her first 5 year term as Chair of Gralyn. In the new
government, the populace elected the Ministerial Councils for each Ministry
and each Council then elected a representative to the Steering Committee,which
was chained by the Chair of Gralyn. This system remains virtually intact to
this day.
During this first term, Chair Lim set the agenda for recovering the lost
technologies and directed huge amounts of government money towards research
and development, specifically directed to two goals - the first to overcome
the severe shortage of computers by rediscovering how to build computers, and
the other to get back into space and to recontact the Droyne of Askoapoy.
The complete silence from the world of Askopoy was one of the most puzzling
and disturbing mysteries of the Crash. Telescopic observation showed the
Droyne cities in ruins, with little evidence of rebuilding, but also
showed signs of continued agricultural production and other indications that
many Droyne had survived the disaster.
The first program met with only limited success. Gralyn had always imported
its computer equipment. The only computer manufacturers on planet were
assembly plants that created customized systems from imported parts. Too
much knowledge had been lost in the crash, or was never present on Gralyn at
all, and this meant restarting virtually from scratch. Gralyn's local
computer industry remains at about TL-6, with only slow advancement. The
program redirected its efforts toward understanding the existing computers,
and had more success. Maintenance, repair, and modification of relic
computers is commonplace.
The space program met with much better success, with the first Gralynite in
space in 1146, shortly before Chair Lim's retirement due to poor health at
the end of her second term. Alyss Lim's successor campaigned and was elected
on the popularity of the space program. Increased funding meant that it was
a mere 6 years before the first mission was launched to Askoapoy.
Unfortunately Alyss Lim never saw this happen. In early 1047 Alyss Lim was
diagnosed as having a rare form of cancer. A cure was known, but the
technology was insufficient to complete it.
The first mission to Askoapoy was a shock to the Gralynites. Although a
large proportion of the world's infrastructure was damaged in the crash, the
unique racial memory of the Droyne ensured that little knowledge was lost
than was the case on Gralyn. With their small population base, and lack of
natural resources, the Droyne lacked the ability to rebuild their world.
Believing that they had nothing to trade for Human assistance, and that any
possible Human survivors would be at least as devastated as they were, the
Droyne leaders had decided to invest their meagre resources in other
projects.
Much of the effort of Gralyn's space program, now known as the Space
Transport Authority, during the 50's and early 60's was directed toward the
rehabilitation of Askoapoy and the reestablishment of regular trade links.
Droyne knowledge and technical expertise were traded for Human labor and raw
materials.
It was during this period a very few psionic Droyne proved able to detect an
active Virus in infected computers. This computer empathy was useful in the
effort to meet the demand for computers which could only be met by salvaging
pre-crash computers. The growing trade with Askoapoy was the spark that
finally kicked Gralyn's economy out of the doldrums and into rapid growth.
The expanding interplanetary trade and growing technical civilization
attracted the attention of something that called itself Juniper. This
entity, the Vampire that infested the ships and bases that mined
Coonabarabran Belt, was hungry for other computers to infect. Sensing a
technical civilization that could supply its needs, Juniper planned its
expeditions to Gralyn with the patience only a mechanical mind can muster.
The first attack, a hit-and-run raid in 1158, came as a complete sunrise to
the spacefarers of Gralyn. But the long distances between Gralyn and
Coonabarabran worked to Gralyn's advantage. Juniper couldn't exploit its
initial successes, and Gralyn got a needed reprieve to prepare its defenses.
A series of hit-and-run raids over the next decade were deflected by Gralyn's
Planetary Defense Forces, operating in conjunction with the STA. Although no
decisive victories were gained, the defenders usually managed to drive off
the Vampires before they could damage Gralyn itself.
In 1167 and 1168, Contra-grav and HEPLaR technology was regained, in part
from the examination of disabled Vampire ships. This enormously increased
the efficiency of Gralyn's spaceships, and a building program to replace or
upgrade all of the fleet was started. Long-range sensor tracks of the
attacking ships placed their origin in the Coonabarabran Belt. With
the new, long-range ships, the STA planned and executed three missions to the
Belt between 1168 and 1170. All three missions failed, with the loss of all
their crews and ships.
The magnitude of the disaster prompted a reorganization of Gralyn's defense
establishment. The Gralyn Union Naval Service was established, and given
responsibility for all operations outside the atmosphere. A major building
program was started, to equip the Navy with purpose-built warships of new
and sophisticated design. Shortly after its founding, the Navy decisively
defeated a large Vampire raid. Realizing that Vampires would continue to
harass Gralyn, the Navy began planning for a serious invasion of the
Coonabarabran Belt. After six years of preparation, the invasion force was
launched in 1178, and later that year won what was later called the Battle of
Coonabarabran, breaking the strength of the Vampire fleet.
Mopping up became a full-time occupation for the Navy in the following
years, as there were many more virus infected ships which did not join the
battle. To improve the supply situation in the Belt, the Navy began a
research program, intended to produce an in-system jump drive. A similar
project, intended to retain interstellar travel capability, was already being
organized by the STA. After several clashes over funding and priorities, the
Jump Research Institute was established as an independent research effort.
Aided by information from Human archives, and skills preserved in the Droyne
racial memory, several intact pre-collapse starships were repaired, the first
completing trials in 1189, too late to be of much help to the Navy.
The STA recontacted Botany Bay, and trade relations are soon established.
Several more starships were repaired over the next few years, and regular
trade with Botany Bay improved the economies of both worlds. Interstellar
trade and the access to resources (particularly high-grade ores from Botany
Bay) spurred the development of a local shipbuilding industry, and increased
interest in additional exploration. Unfortunately the first two ships, both
backed by commercial interests, to venture to Aikhiy were lost.
Backlash from these events, coupled with repeated failures to produce a
reliable, all-locally-built starship, caused the Gralyn Union to declare a
10-year moratorium on exploration in 1191. In the meantime, resources were
devoted to perfecting a jump drive that could function with the available
computer technology. Politically, Gralyn, Askoapoy, and Botany Bay cemented
their relationship by forming the Gralyn Union in 1195. For most practical
intents and purposes, the Gralyn Union is a re-established Gralyn Assemblage.
However, there are important differences in the selection of the councils
that govern the Union. These changes allow representatives of the smaller
full-member worlds, Askoapoy and Botany Bay, more voice in the Steering
Committee than their population would indicate. In the new Gralyn Union,
each full-member world is guaranteed at least one seat on the Steering
Committee. However, a separate council responsible for taxation and
appropriation, the Ways and Means Committee, in which votes are weighted by
population, acts as a check on the Steering Committee.
Botany Bay History
Although frequently visited as a refueling point, the Botany Bay system was
not colonized until well into the era of the Third Imperium. During the
Aslan Border wars it served as an impromptu supply base and refueling
station for the Imperials. After the Peace of Ftahlar and under the terms of
that treaty, the base was finally removed and the system remained uninhabited
for over a century.
In 492 a large Solomani corporation called Aphelion Enterprises established a
research base on Botany Bay. Aphelion Enterprises was based on Wu (Magyar
0203), but operated in large areas of the Magyar and Daibei sectors. Aphelion
Enterprises had interests ranging from genetic engineering to transportation
to mining. It was the mining subdivision which initiated the activity on
Botany Bay. A survey had indicated that there might be significant
quantities of lanthanum on that world. Further investigation revealed that
this was the case, and so a small mining operation was established. The mine
proved to be a flop, however, as the readily-accessable ore quickly ran out,
long before the initial set-up costs had been covered. Aphelion Enterprises
continued to run the mine at a loss for tax purposes, but cut the staff back
to a bare minimum.
In 588, Terra finally joined the Third Imperium. By this time, many portions
of Daibei, and parts of Magyar, had already been incorporated into the
expanding empire. Aphelion Enterprises found much of its activities falling
under Imperial law, and in particular the Imperial regulations on genetic
experimentation (especially with sophonts) were considered far too
restrictive by the corporation's executives. The solution was to find a
world which was outside the Imperium and likely to be for some considerable
time. Botany Bay was settled on, and became a major research establishment.
Much of the effort of the facility was spent on creating genetically
modified humans designed for specific worlds, usually as colonists, as well
as some uplifting of non-sentient species. One of the first efforts was to
genetically engineer workers suitable for the environment of Botany Bay
itself. With lungs specifically designed to cope with the thin, tainted
atmosphere and a physiognomy designed for the lower gravity of Botany Bay,
the new workers were used to re-open the mines.
Aphelion Enterprises flourished during the next couple of hundred years,
even through the turmoil of the Imperial Civil War, largely through it's
transport division acting as a large-scale interface line between the
Imperium and the surrounding worlds in the Solomani sphere. The gradual
expansion of the Imperium and the declaration of the Solomani Autonomous
Region in 704 caused a loss in profitability of the interface trade, and a
corresponding slide in the fortunes of Aphelion. Aphelion attempted to
expand its profitable coreward routes, but stiff competition with Tukera
Lines made this a slow process. Deteriorating relations between the
fledgling Solomani Confederation and the Imperium dealt Aphelion its final
blow. When war broke out in 988, Aphelion found itself on the wrong side of
the border from its major profit centers, and was forced into bankruptcy.
Most of the management of Botany Bay were recalled to Terra with the
bankruptcy. The remaining inhabitants were effectively stranded, but for
most Botany Bay was their home. When it became obvious that the remaining
management were not sympathetic to the concerns of the people, there was a
quiet coup by a coalition of workers and younger scientists. That was not
the end of the difficulties, however. The coup effectively ended what little
help the world was receiving from Aphelion, disrupting the supply of most
manufactured items. The level of technology swiftly fell as more and more
effort was required to provide basic services to the population.
After a few years, it was apparent that Botany Bay was not viable as an
independent colony. It was clear that Botany Bay would soon collapse to a
pre-industrial culture without outside assistance. The de-facto government
of Botany Bay appealed to Gralyn, which was their major customer for ore, for
help. At first the Gralynites were loath to do so, for fear of antagonizing
either the Imperials or the Solomani. Eventually, the pressure of public
opinion convinced the bureaucrats of Gralyn that supporting Botany Bay would
save much misery. The eventual system agreed upon was that Botany Bay would
become part of the Gralyn Assemblage, with seats on the Assemblage, but with
its government effectively run by the Assemblage as a whole. With the
assistance of Gralyn, the slide of Botany Bay into barbarism was halted.
Upon the conclusion of the Solomani Rim War, attempts were made by both the
Imperium and the Solomani Confederation to regain control of the mines on
Botany Bay through legal means. However the fact that Botany Bay was outside
both states and had rebelled of its own accord, meant that they had little
legal recourse, coupled with the sensitive politics of the region, ruling out
any sort of overt action, to make Botany Bay too much effort to worry about.
Botany Bay prospered under the guidance of the Gralyn Assemblage and swelled
from a population of several thousand at independence to almost 300,000 just
before the start of the Final War.
The Collapse affected Botany Bay less than it did Gralyn. With a relatively
low level of technology, the direct effects of the virus were limited to the
starport. Gralyn's "Shutdown Decree" didn't reach Botany Bay, and when
starships from that world stopped arriving, the inhabitants felt abandoned
for the second time in their history. However, when news of the Virus spread
across the world, many understood that Gralyn was unlikely to be able to come
to their aid. Several desparate attempts to get offworld or produce a
self-sustaining sealed environment were made by groups of offworlders. None
of these attempts were to be successfull, and when their filter masks or
other life support ran out, these individuals perished.
Botany Bay's larger labor force, with a more diverse skill base allowed it to
succeed where it had previously failed. When starships from Gralyn returned
after a 70-year hiatus, there was little difficulty resuming trade relations.
Gralyn still had manufactured products that Botany Bay wanted, and Botany
Bay's mines still held valuable minerals for Gralyn. It was the negotiators
from Botany Bay, however, that gathered support and solidarity for the new
structure of the Gralyn Union from the various Droyne factions. During the
long diplomatic discussions in 1194, the technically unsopisticated
representatives of Botany Bay showed themselves to be shrewd negotiatiors and
skillful coalition builders.
wildstar@quark.qrc.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Science-Fiction Adventure
In Reavers' Deep
From wildstar@qrc.com Thu Jul 28 09:24:58 1994
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Date: Wed, 27 Jul 94 20:53:39 -0400
From: Derek Wildstar <wildstar@qrc.com>
Message-Id: <9407280053.AA15956@qrc.com>
To: tne-pocket@ocf.Berkeley.EDU
Subject: FINAL SUBMISSION - Timekeeping on Gralyn [Sidebar]
Status: RO
[Sidebar material, by Hans Rancke-Madsen.]
TIME ON GRALYN
In the early days of the Gralyn settlement an effort was made to stick to
the Old Terran time measurements and calendar. It quickly became obvious,
however, that some adjustments would be necessary to adapt to Gralyn's 35
hour 25 minute day. The first attempt was made in -1772 when the length of
the hour was adjusted to 59 minutes and 1.66 second, making a G-day
exactly 36 hours long. At the same tme the year was extended by 6 days to
make it as long as a T-year[*]. 2 G-days became known as a 'thrice' and
contained three 24 hour days. This calendar was kept (with occasional
extra leap-days whenever accumulated errors had brought it out of synch
with the Gregorian calendar) for official reckonings, but the general
populace gradually adapted to sleeping for two 6-hour periods ('Full Day'
and 'Deep Night') and being awake for two 12-hour periods ('Ascend' and
'Descend') of every G-day. The G-day thus became a common unit of time
measurement while the T-day fell into disuse. In -1354 Envoy Archim
Sanchez reformed the calendar to reflect this, but stuck as closely as
possible to the T-year by making the years alternately 247 and 248
(G-)days long. The Archimian calendar remains in use to this day, but
with the renewed interstellar contacts in the 2nd Century Imperial the
Gregorian calendar (in its Imperial incarnation) was adopted by the
space professions, and the two systems have been used in parallel ever
since.
[*] That is, 371 days long normally and 372 days long every fourth year.
This year has nothing to do with the orbital period of Gralyn around
Levin, of course. For this interval the word 'orbit' is used.
wildstar@quark.qrc.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Science-Fiction Adventure
In Reavers' Deep
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id AA15906; Wed, 27 Jul 94 20:47:32 -0400
Date: Wed, 27 Jul 94 20:47:32 -0400
From: Derek Wildstar <wildstar@qrc.com>
Message-Id: <9407280047.AA15906@qrc.com>
To: tne-pocket@ocf.Berkeley.EDU
Subject: FINAL SUBMISSION - The Gralyn Union
Status: RO
The Gralyn Union: A Pocket Empire for Aoreriyya
Written by the TNE-POCKET discussion group, compiled by Guy Garnett.
Primary Contributors: Corran J. Webster and Hans Rancke-Madsen.
"Anybody got a light?"
That is the question everyone has been asking themselves since those fateful
few days, 5 years ago. Is there anyone else out there? Will we see the blue
glow of a materializing jump grid tomorrow? Will the Imperium save us? Surely
*someone* must have escaped the ravages of this computer virus?
But still, this begs the question. "Has anybody got a light?"
We must acknowledge that there are none of the great governments left; for
surely we would have been visited by their emissaries. Their blazes of glory
have been extinguished by this virus as surely as a bonfire by a tsunami.
There is no Imperium, nor even its shattered pieces. There is no Aslan
Hierate. The Solomani Confederation lies in ashes. For all we know even the
distant K'kree and Zhodani empires may be fading into memory as we speak.
Perhaps there are worlds which have escaped these ravages, but we must
accept that they are either too far away or too beset by their own problems
to help us. Maybe there are distant worlds who keep the flame of
interstellar civilization bright, who through skill or luck have managed to
avoid this disaster, but it may be centuries before their light reaches this
corner of Charted Space.
And still we ask, "Anybody got a light?"
We here on Gralyn have weathered this storm well. Surely, times have been
hard, but think of all the times when, if we had been a little less lucky, the
few survivors would have been scrounging a meagre existence among the ruined
remains of this city; picking at the bones of what would have been our dead
society.
We hold what is, if not a light, a spark, and it is our duty to ourselves and
our children, and our children's children, to protect that spark, to kindle
it, to turn it into a bright beacon of hope, and, perhaps, to shed a little
light on our small corner of the universe!
And when you ask yourselves "Anybody got a light?", remember that *we*, the
people of Gralyn, have that light!
--- Alyss Lim, first Chair of Gralyn,
in her Inaugural Speech, 1137
The Gralyn Union
In 1200, the Gralyn Union consists of five inhabited worlds, located in two
star systems. The majority of the Union's population lives on Gralyn, a
comfortable world in the Gralyn system. A significant minority are Droyne,
who reside on Gralyn's moon Askoapoy. Although they make up only a small
percentage of the Union's population, Droyne technicians and scientists have
been particularly important in recovering lost technological skills.
Gralyn System profile
Primary: Levin. M0 V. Luminosity 0.45. Mass 0.489.
Companion: Dimoro. K5 VI. Luminosity 0.40. Mass 0.330. Orbit 9.
Levin:
Orbit Name UPP Pop
0 Gralyn B758848-9 J Ri 1
40 Askoapoy A488608-A Fa Re 2
1 Levin Beta YS00000-0
9 Dimoro
Dimoro:
Orbit Name UPP Pop
0 Coonabarabran G00036B-9 J 4
1 Pearl SGG
3 Bowser H838000-9
4 Hastings Y769000-0
8 Harold Y650000-0
55 William Y510000-0
The Gralyn system presently holds 3 inhabited worlds, Gralyn, Askoapoy and
the Coonabarabran belt. Bowser is listed as having a spaceport, actually the
remains of an old reaver base now run down after a thousand years of neglect.
Gralyn and Askoapoy form the twin hubs of the expanding Union.
Botany Bay System profile
Primary: Carmondy. F5 V. Luminosity 1.37. Mass 1.3.
Orbit Name UWP Pop
0 Firefly Y410000-0
5 Firefly A YS00000-0
8 Firefly B YS00000-0
30 Firefly C YS00000-0
1 Resolution Belt Y000303-9 As Lo Ni 2
2 La Perouse H750000-0
3 Forth Y400000-0
4 Yuan Y200000-0
5 Botany Bay D643534-5 Ni Po 3
12 Cook H112000-0
Botany Bay is not a particularly well-endowed system, with no gas giant and
only marginally habitable worlds. Two worlds are inhabited, the Resolution
Belt, and Botany Bay itself. Prior to the collapse, Resolution Belt was not
considered worth commercial exploitation. Belters from Gralyn have begun to
mine the Resolution Belt, and although productive by Gralyn Union standards,
no major finds or rich lodes have been reported. Botany Bay and its small
moon, Cook, are the only worlds with free-standing water (or ice) on their
surfaces. It is here that most of the human activity in the system takes
place. Botany Bay itself is not an ideal world, but it is certainly the only
earth-like world in the system, and indeed has its own native lifeforms.
Gralyn History
Although Askoapoy has native life, it is believed that the Droyne presence on
this world is the result of Ancient activity. Archaeologists working with
the Droyne on Askoapoy have dated the first colonization of the Gralyn system
to some 300,000 years ago, when a colony of Droyne was established there by
the Ancients. This colony survived the Final War that ended the Ancients'
domination of known space and slowly recovered until its technological society
had been reestablished.
Explorers from the Rule of Man first entered the system circa -2000. The
discovery of the Droyne on Askoapoy sparked some excitement and a contact
mission was sent by the Governor of Daibei. Friendly relations were
established, and plans made to create a combined embassy, research base and
trading enclave. The enclave, initially a couple of hundred people, was
established in -1893, but by -1780 the population was well over 1000. The
Collapse of the Rule of Man stranded the humans in the Gralyn system. The
last starship to leave Askoapoy was scoutship, sent to petition for an
evacuation mission, but it was never heard from again.
Askoapoy, never a part of the Vilani Empire or the Rule of Man, felt the Long
Night less than many worlds. The only real effect was simple isolation.
With the loss of support from back home the human enclave changed from a
source of revenue for their Droyne hosts to a drain on community resources.
The Droyne leaders wanted to rid themselves of this liability, but were
reluctant to let the humans establish themselves permanently on Askoapoy,
mostly because they believed the humans would begin to expand uncontrollably
once released from the restraints of the enclave.
The solution which was found was the primary planet of Askoapoy. Kraln was
too cool for the comfort of Droyne, but was within acceptable human
tolerances. The Droyne had had sublight space transport for a long time
although it was considered wasteful and seldomly used. An old freighter was
put into commission and the humans transferred to Kraln (which human tongues
eventually corrupted to "Gralyn"). Many major features of Gralyn, including
the continent of Merinu are still called by the corrupted Droyne names
originally given to them by astronomers on Askoapoy. Throughout the Long
Night regular flights connected the two worlds, and with the help of the
Droyne, Gralyn quickly expanded beyond the initial colony, and prospered.
Towards the end of the Long Night raids by Reavers became increasingly
common and Gralyn and Askoapoy developed a joint system defence boat network
to defend themselves. This system was very effective, and soon the Reavers
learned to avoid the system. Having this space navy in place and toughened by
the Reavers, Gralyn was able to defend itself against Aslan colonists, and
weathered the Long Night well.
During the Imperial Era, Gralyn continued much as before. With the Peace of
Ftahalr, the world found itself in a good location on the Drinsaar Loop to
profit from trade between the powerful Third Imperium and the Aslan Hierate.
Smugglers also used the Loop, to move contraband between the Imperium and the
Solomani Confederation. The Rebellion had relatively little direct effect on
Gralyn. Trade, particularly the long-distance "overhead" trade that made up
a large fraction of Gralyn's business, began to dwindle.
When the Hard Times came, Gralyn was essentially run by the bureaucracy, run
by a body called the Steering Committee. The interface lines from the
Imperium stopped passing through, but the economy of the Aslan Hierate was
still healthy, and a deal struck by a young diplomat, Alyss Lim, created a
favourable trade relationship with a prominent clan. This achievement marked
the start of her meteoric rise through the bureaucracy of the Gralyn
Assemblage.
When the Virus hit Gralyn, the effect on the planet was devastating. It was
in the first few hours that Alyss Lim turned the fate of Gralyn. While most
other Steering Committee members were despairing over the fall of
civilization, she was treating it as the ultimate challenge of her career.
She was able to identify the most pressing problems, and to rally support
from the general populace to help out. Within a week, the other members of
the Steering Committee had voted her into the chair, and she had won the
hearts and minds of the people.
It was Lim, as Minister for the Exterior, who first noticed the increasing
malfunctions of high tech equipment and traced them back to the starport.
Correctly deducing that the cause was a computer virus brought in by
starships, she convinced the Steering Committee to issue the now famous
"Shutdown Decree" which ordered that all computers be powered down.
Although the Shutdown Decree didn't prevent systems and networks from
becoming infected, it generally did prevent them from being re-infected with
more advanced strains of the Virus. Most systems were infected with the
common Suicider and Suicide-Inducer strains, and were shutdown before the
more dangerous types could infect a large number of systems. Nevertheless,
by dawn on 312-1131 a full scale battle was underway between the population
and the machinery. By the next day 10,000 people had died and more than
30,000 people were injured, but the Army was mopping up the last few virus
infected computers.
Although most people had survived, society was in tatters, the economy dead
on its feet and people were on the verge of panic. Fortunately the basic
necessities of life were not in short supply. Due to Gralyn's short growing
season, ordinary stockpiles of food were sufficient to last half a standard
year. The original intention had been to protect against famine due to the
loss of crops in a series of bad summers. Now, it meant that the heavily
urbanized population would not starve. Calm was maintained by the Army, and
by a stirring speech by Alyss Lim. This remarkably frank speech both calmed
the fears and strengthened the resolve of the population.
Alyss Lim had prevented Gralyn from perishing in the first heavy blow. The
archives of a local religious sect called the Aragishge Drandirdikun (the
Architects of Tomorrow) enabled the world to adapt to the drastically lower
technology imposed by the lack of reliable computers. More than a millenium
before, when Gralyn was passing through a technological slump caused by a
repressive government, this organisation had recorded many Industrial and
Pre-stellar technologies on paper. Its archives now proved a treasure-travel
of information safe from the virus.
Thus in the immediate post-virus years, Gralyn's efforts revolved around
feeding itself and attempting to get the economy back on its feet. The first
few years were very hard, with people living just above the starvation line,
with insufficient power to heat homes, and with poor medical care. It is
estimated that over a million people died of secondary effects of the virus,
mainly the very young, the old and the sick. Law and order was kept by the
Army, sometimes with very little compassion. During this time, the
government of Alyss Lim was at best a charismatic dictatorship, at worst a
police state.
After 5 years or so, some degree of normality started to return to Gralyn.
Worn out by 5 hard years of governing and hearing the first sounds of
resentment against her rule, Alyss Lim started to reshape the government of
Gralyn from dictatorship to democracy. In 1137, Alyss Lim was elected
unopposed to her first 5 year term as Chair of Gralyn. In the new
government, the populace elected the Ministerial Councils for each Ministry
and each Council then elected a representative to the Steering Committee,which
was chained by the Chair of Gralyn. This system remains virtually intact to
this day.
During this first term, Chair Lim set the agenda for recovering the lost
technologies and directed huge amounts of government money towards research
and development, specifically directed to two goals - the first to overcome
the severe shortage of computers by rediscovering how to build computers, and
the other to get back into space and to recontact the Droyne of Askoapoy.
The complete silence from the world of Askopoy was one of the most puzzling
and disturbing mysteries of the Crash. Telescopic observation showed the
Droyne cities in ruins, with little evidence of rebuilding, but also
showed signs of continued agricultural production and other indications that
many Droyne had survived the disaster.
The first program met with only limited success. Gralyn had always imported
its computer equipment. The only computer manufacturers on planet were
assembly plants that created customized systems from imported parts. Too
much knowledge had been lost in the crash, or was never present on Gralyn at
all, and this meant restarting virtually from scratch. Gralyn's local
computer industry remains at about TL-6, with only slow advancement. The
program redirected its efforts toward understanding the existing computers,
and had more success. Maintenance, repair, and modification of relic
computers is commonplace.
The space program met with much better success, with the first Gralynite in
space in 1146, shortly before Chair Lim's retirement due to poor health at
the end of her second term. Alyss Lim's successor campaigned and was elected
on the popularity of the space program. Increased funding meant that it was
a mere 6 years before the first mission was launched to Askoapoy.
Unfortunately Alyss Lim never saw this happen. In early 1047 Alyss Lim was
diagnosed as having a rare form of cancer. A cure was known, but the
technology was insufficient to complete it.
The first mission to Askoapoy was a shock to the Gralynites. Although a
large proportion of the world's infrastructure was damaged in the crash, the
unique racial memory of the Droyne ensured that little knowledge was lost
than was the case on Gralyn. With their small population base, and lack of
natural resources, the Droyne lacked the ability to rebuild their world.
Believing that they had nothing to trade for Human assistance, and that any
possible Human survivors would be at least as devastated as they were, the
Droyne leaders had decided to invest their meagre resources in other
projects.
Much of the effort of Gralyn's space program, now known as the Space
Transport Authority, during the 50's and early 60's was directed toward the
rehabilitation of Askoapoy and the reestablishment of regular trade links.
Droyne knowledge and technical expertise were traded for Human labor and raw
materials.
It was during this period a very few psionic Droyne proved able to detect an
active Virus in infected computers. This computer empathy was useful in the
effort to meet the demand for computers which could only be met by salvaging
pre-crash computers. The growing trade with Askoapoy was the spark that
finally kicked Gralyn's economy out of the doldrums and into rapid growth.
The expanding interplanetary trade and growing technical civilization
attracted the attention of something that called itself Juniper. This
entity, the Vampire that infested the ships and bases that mined
Coonabarabran Belt, was hungry for other computers to infect. Sensing a
technical civilization that could supply its needs, Juniper planned its
expeditions to Gralyn with the patience only a mechanical mind can muster.
The first attack, a hit-and-run raid in 1158, came as a complete sunrise to
the spacefarers of Gralyn. But the long distances between Gralyn and
Coonabarabran worked to Gralyn's advantage. Juniper couldn't exploit its
initial successes, and Gralyn got a needed reprieve to prepare its defenses.
A series of hit-and-run raids over the next decade were deflected by Gralyn's
Planetary Defense Forces, operating in conjunction with the STA. Although no
decisive victories were gained, the defenders usually managed to drive off
the Vampires before they could damage Gralyn itself.
In 1167 and 1168, Contra-grav and HEPLaR technology was regained, in part
from the examination of disabled Vampire ships. This enormously increased
the efficiency of Gralyn's spaceships, and a building program to replace or
upgrade all of the fleet was started. Long-range sensor tracks of the
attacking ships placed their origin in the Coonabarabran Belt. With
the new, long-range ships, the STA planned and executed three missions to the
Belt between 1168 and 1170. All three missions failed, with the loss of all
their crews and ships.
The magnitude of the disaster prompted a reorganization of Gralyn's defense
establishment. The Gralyn Union Naval Service was established, and given
responsibility for all operations outside the atmosphere. A major building
program was started, to equip the Navy with purpose-built warships of new
and sophisticated design. Shortly after its founding, the Navy decisively
defeated a large Vampire raid. Realizing that Vampires would continue to
harass Gralyn, the Navy began planning for a serious invasion of the
Coonabarabran Belt. After six years of preparation, the invasion force was
launched in 1178, and later that year won what was later called the Battle of
Coonabarabran, breaking the strength of the Vampire fleet.
Mopping up became a full-time occupation for the Navy in the following
years, as there were many more virus infected ships which did not join the
battle. To improve the supply situation in the Belt, the Navy began a
research program, intended to produce an in-system jump drive. A similar
project, intended to retain interstellar travel capability, was already being
organized by the STA. After several clashes over funding and priorities, the
Jump Research Institute was established as an independent research effort.
Aided by information from Human archives, and skills preserved in the Droyne
racial memory, several intact pre-collapse starships were repaired, the first
completing trials in 1189, too late to be of much help to the Navy.
The STA recontacted Botany Bay, and trade relations are soon established.
Several more starships were repaired over the next few years, and regular
trade with Botany Bay improved the economies of both worlds. Interstellar
trade and the access to resources (particularly high-grade ores from Botany
Bay) spurred the development of a local shipbuilding industry, and increased
interest in additional exploration. Unfortunately the first two ships, both
backed by commercial interests, to venture to Aikhiy were lost.
Backlash from these events, coupled with repeated failures to produce a
reliable, all-locally-built starship, caused the Gralyn Union to declare a
10-year moratorium on exploration in 1191. In the meantime, resources were
devoted to perfecting a jump drive that could function with the available
computer technology. Politically, Gralyn, Askoapoy, and Botany Bay cemented
their relationship by forming the Gralyn Union in 1195. For most practical
intents and purposes, the Gralyn Union is a re-established Gralyn Assemblage.
However, there are important differences in the selection of the councils
that govern the Union. These changes allow representatives of the smaller
full-member worlds, Askoapoy and Botany Bay, more voice in the Steering
Committee than their population would indicate. In the new Gralyn Union,
each full-member world is guaranteed at least one seat on the Steering
Committee. However, a separate council responsible for taxation and
appropriation, the Ways and Means Committee, in which votes are weighted by
population, acts as a check on the Steering Committee.
Botany Bay History
Although frequently visited as a refueling point, the Botany Bay system was
not colonized until well into the era of the Third Imperium. During the
Aslan Border wars it served as an impromptu supply base and refueling
station for the Imperials. After the Peace of Ftahlar and under the terms of
that treaty, the base was finally removed and the system remained uninhabited
for over a century.
In 492 a large Solomani corporation called Aphelion Enterprises established a
research base on Botany Bay. Aphelion Enterprises was based on Wu (Magyar
0203), but operated in large areas of the Magyar and Daibei sectors. Aphelion
Enterprises had interests ranging from genetic engineering to transportation
to mining. It was the mining subdivision which initiated the activity on
Botany Bay. A survey had indicated that there might be significant
quantities of lanthanum on that world. Further investigation revealed that
this was the case, and so a small mining operation was established. The mine
proved to be a flop, however, as the readily-accessable ore quickly ran out,
long before the initial set-up costs had been covered. Aphelion Enterprises
continued to run the mine at a loss for tax purposes, but cut the staff back
to a bare minimum.
In 588, Terra finally joined the Third Imperium. By this time, many portions
of Daibei, and parts of Magyar, had already been incorporated into the
expanding empire. Aphelion Enterprises found much of its activities falling
under Imperial law, and in particular the Imperial regulations on genetic
experimentation (especially with sophonts) were considered far too
restrictive by the corporation's executives. The solution was to find a
world which was outside the Imperium and likely to be for some considerable
time. Botany Bay was settled on, and became a major research establishment.
Much of the effort of the facility was spent on creating genetically
modified humans designed for specific worlds, usually as colonists, as well
as some uplifting of non-sentient species. One of the first efforts was to
genetically engineer workers suitable for the environment of Botany Bay
itself. With lungs specifically designed to cope with the thin, tainted
atmosphere and a physiognomy designed for the lower gravity of Botany Bay,
the new workers were used to re-open the mines.
Aphelion Enterprises flourished during the next couple of hundred years,
even through the turmoil of the Imperial Civil War, largely through it's
transport division acting as a large-scale interface line between the
Imperium and the surrounding worlds in the Solomani sphere. The gradual
expansion of the Imperium and the declaration of the Solomani Autonomous
Region in 704 caused a loss in profitability of the interface trade, and a
corresponding slide in the fortunes of Aphelion. Aphelion attempted to
expand its profitable coreward routes, but stiff competition with Tukera
Lines made this a slow process. Deteriorating relations between the
fledgling Solomani Confederation and the Imperium dealt Aphelion its final
blow. When war broke out in 988, Aphelion found itself on the wrong side of
the border from its major profit centers, and was forced into bankruptcy.
Most of the management of Botany Bay were recalled to Terra with the
bankruptcy. The remaining inhabitants were effectively stranded, but for
most Botany Bay was their home. When it became obvious that the remaining
management were not sympathetic to the concerns of the people, there was a
quiet coup by a coalition of workers and younger scientists. That was not
the end of the difficulties, however. The coup effectively ended what little
help the world was receiving from Aphelion, disrupting the supply of most
manufactured items. The level of technology swiftly fell as more and more
effort was required to provide basic services to the population.
After a few years, it was apparent that Botany Bay was not viable as an
independent colony. It was clear that Botany Bay would soon collapse to a
pre-industrial culture without outside assistance. The de-facto government
of Botany Bay appealed to Gralyn, which was their major customer for ore, for
help. At first the Gralynites were loath to do so, for fear of antagonizing
either the Imperials or the Solomani. Eventually, the pressure of public
opinion convinced the bureaucrats of Gralyn that supporting Botany Bay would
save much misery. The eventual system agreed upon was that Botany Bay would
become part of the Gralyn Assemblage, with seats on the Assemblage, but with
its government effectively run by the Assemblage as a whole. With the
assistance of Gralyn, the slide of Botany Bay into barbarism was halted.
Upon the conclusion of the Solomani Rim War, attempts were made by both the
Imperium and the Solomani Confederation to regain control of the mines on
Botany Bay through legal means. However the fact that Botany Bay was outside
both states and had rebelled of its own accord, meant that they had little
legal recourse, coupled with the sensitive politics of the region, ruling out
any sort of overt action, to make Botany Bay too much effort to worry about.
Botany Bay prospered under the guidance of the Gralyn Assemblage and swelled
from a population of several thousand at independence to almost 300,000 just
before the start of the Final War.
The Collapse affected Botany Bay less than it did Gralyn. With a relatively
low level of technology, the direct effects of the virus were limited to the
starport. Gralyn's "Shutdown Decree" didn't reach Botany Bay, and when
starships from that world stopped arriving, the inhabitants felt abandoned
for the second time in their history. However, when news of the Virus spread
across the world, many understood that Gralyn was unlikely to be able to come
to their aid. Several desparate attempts to get offworld or produce a
self-sustaining sealed environment were made by groups of offworlders. None
of these attempts were to be successfull, and when their filter masks or
other life support ran out, these individuals perished.
Botany Bay's larger labor force, with a more diverse skill base allowed it to
succeed where it had previously failed. When starships from Gralyn returned
after a 70-year hiatus, there was little difficulty resuming trade relations.
Gralyn still had manufactured products that Botany Bay wanted, and Botany
Bay's mines still held valuable minerals for Gralyn. It was the negotiators
from Botany Bay, however, that gathered support and solidarity for the new
structure of the Gralyn Union from the various Droyne factions. During the
long diplomatic discussions in 1194, the technically unsopisticated
representatives of Botany Bay showed themselves to be shrewd negotiatiors and
skillful coalition builders.
wildstar@quark.qrc.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Science-Fiction Adventure
In Reavers' Deep
From wildstar@qrc.com Thu Jul 28 11:22:13 1994
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id AA15915; Wed, 27 Jul 94 20:49:11 -0400
Date: Wed, 27 Jul 94 20:49:11 -0400
From: Derek Wildstar <wildstar@qrc.com>
Message-Id: <9407280049.AA15915@qrc.com>
To: tne-pocket@ocf.Berkeley.EDU
Subject: FINAL SUBMISSION - Gralyn Union Exploration and Survey Service
Status: RO
The Gralyn Union Exploration and Survey Service
Written by the TNE-POCKET discussion group, compiled by Guy Garnett.
Primary Contributors: Hans Rancke-Madsen and Guy Garnett.
"We all believe in our cause to push into the unknown and find out what has
happened to the rest of the universe. We in the first class should be proud
of what we've started, and where we can go."
---Lt. Cmdr. Hawkins, Valedictorian, GUESS Academy, Class of 1200
The time is 1201. The place is Gralyn, a world that has weathered the
Collapse better than most worlds. Its population did not exceed the
maximum that the planet could sustain and a dynamic and charismatic
leader managed to keep the planet together, most of it, anyway. By 1152
the Gralynites were back in space and had re-established contact with
their sister world, the droyne-inhabited Askoapoy. By 1189 the two races
working together were able to repair some of their jump-ships and
reestablish contact with Gralyn's former colony world, Botany Bay. But
then the cause of those who wanted to explore further received a severe
setback: two expeditions in a row disappeared and were never heard from
again. The result was the Exploration Ban: Gralyn's few precious jump
ships were to be used for trade with Botany Bay, not risked in
expeditions to unknown stars. This ban remained in effect until Gralyn
became able to build a jump drive from scratch.
Downtime Academy
In 1197 several farsighted Explorationists foresaw the lifting of the
Exploration Ban once Gralyn began to manufacture its own jump drives. With
financial support from one such, a group of unemployed Navy officers began
running a scout training program for volunteers in a borrowed house on
Aymouth South Beach that was later to become known as Downtime Academy
(Named after a Navy slang word for time spent off ship). In 1199 the ban
was rescinded and a small budget was given to establish a scout service:
the Gralyn Union Exploration and Survey Service - GUESS for short. The
students from the Downtime Academy were all enrolled in the new, official
GUESS scout academy on Merinu. Obviously there will be at lot of prestige in
being one of those who were there at the very beginning. Those graduates who
started out in the beach house will proudly boast of being Downtime Academy
graduates, although in fact all of them officially graduated from GUESS
Academy.
The first class of the Downtime Academy started early in 1197, and consisted
of 9 people. The second class was slightly larger, with about 17 students
mixed with the first class for some courses, probably mixed with the first
class) entered in 1198. In 1198 the Downtime Academy was also put on a more
formal academic schedule, which made a lot of make-up work for the first
class, to put them up where they should be. The last Downtime Academy class
would be the one that entered in 1199, of 22 people. Later in 1199, the GUESS
Academy was founded, and all three classes moved there.
The total number of Downtimers is therefore 48 people; of which 9 have
graduated and are now being assigned to ships. Downtimers will get first
consideration for many of these crew slots; the average GUESS exploration
vessel will have (at least) a Downtimer Survey Officer, Ground Team Leader,
or Contact Officer (depending on the crew's composition and the ship's
mission). Commanding these vessels will be experienced Navy ship captains,
many of them brought to GUESS by Admiral Honoko when the service was created.
Assuming that everything goes well, as the number of ships increases, so will
the Academy graduating classes. Eventually, Honoko's contemporaries will be
"kicked upstairs" (reassigned to more senior desk responsibilities), with the
eventual goal of providing all ships with Academy-trained officers in all
positions.
Admiral Honoko
The Director of GUESS is Admiral Lillian Honoko, an ex-navy officer who is an
ardent Explorationist and a bitter and outspoken critic of the Exploration
Ban. Her strong stance on this issue probably accounts for her being passed
over for promotion several times in the past decade. She was promoted to the
rank of Admiral by an act of the Steering Committee, so that she would be able
to deal with the heads of the other military services, particularly the Navy,
as an equal. It is almost certain that without her efforts, GUESS would
instead be a sub-branch of Gralyn Union Naval Intelligence.
She believes that elsewhere in Charted Space fledgling space empires may be
expanding outwards in all directions, and that it could be vital for Gralyn
to learn about them before they learn about Gralyn. She also believes that
the Exploration Ban has put Gralyn behind in that race. Consequently she has
a tendency to take chances that might not be the most prudent, trying to make
her few ships do the work of twice their number.
GUESS Personnel
GUESS is still very small (no more than a couple of hundred members) and is
still top heavy with officers. Officers who transfer from other services
(primarily the Gralyn Union Naval Service) retain reserve commissions in their
original service. If their reserver rank is higher than their GUESS rank,
they are frequently addressed with their reserve rank as a matter of courtesy.
This may lead to several Captains aboard one ship, which is not allowed in
other Gralyn Union services. GUESS personnel generally refer to a ship's
commanding officer as "the Skipper" so that no confusion results. This usage,
considered highly informal, almost imroper in the other services, practically
standard usage in GUESS.
The GUESS budget is small and salaries correspondingly small. A GUESS
officer makes only about 80% of the salary of a Navy officer with the same
rank. There is a small, but very vocal, minority in the Navy which regards
GUESS as a "toy" service and not a serious military organization. A
considerably larger number believe that GUESS is performing what should
rightly be a Navy job. The executive orders that require Navy and GUESS
cooperation grate on these individuals, and the rivalry can be quite fierce.
The GUESS' rank structure is copied from the navy, with a few minor
exceptions. In the enlisted ranks, the particular speciality is substituted
for the word 'Specialist'. For example: Trainee Medic, Medic's Mate, Medic,
Master Medic. GUESS enlisted security troopers use Marine rank designations,
however. Finally, there is, by Gralyn Union law, only one Admiral in GUESS,
the Director of the service.
Rank GUESS Title
==------==================
O1 Cadet
O2 Sub-lieutenant
O3 Lieutenant
O4 Lt. Commander
O5 Commander
O6 Captain
O7 Commodore
O8 Admiral
E1 Trainee Specialist
E2 Specialist's Mate
E3 Specialist
E4 Master Specialist
GUESS Facilities
GUESS is headquartered in a converted Navy SDB maintenance facility, which
orbits Gralyn. Although placed in the reserves by GUNS due to its age and
approaching obsolescence, the facility is adequate to GUESS's current needs.
Although heavy construction is out of the question, most other maintenance
and refit required by GUESS starships can be handled in the station's repair
bay. Various GUESS contractors operate shipyards on Gralyn and Askoapoy
where heavy repairs and construction take place.
GUESS maintains several other facilities, including the GUESS Academy on the
continent of Merinu on Gralyn, a training center on Botany Bay that
specializes in advanced wilderness survival and survey training, and a
research facility, co-located with the Jump Research Institute in the outer
fringes of the Coonabarabran Belt.
Many additional services and facilities are provided through interservice
agreements with the Gralyn Union Naval Service and the Gralyn Union Marines.
All GUESS recruits receive weapons and basic survival training from the
Marines, while ship crews receive training from the Navy at one of several
Navy bases.
GUESS Starships
The initial GUESS appropriation provided for the purchase of bases,
starships, and other assets as well as personnel recruitment, training, and
initial operations by the Service. The following ships are in service by the
end of the first quarter of 1201. Two additional ships, both purpose designed
survey ships based on the final configuration of FIDELITY, are under
construction for completion early in 1202.
NEW HOPE: Jump-1 Scoutship. Former 100T Scout "Peregrine" of Caledonian
design, stranded on Gralyn in 1128 by a complete jump drive failure. Repaired
in 1197 by the Jump Research Institute and equipped with prototype jump-1
drive. First successful micro-jump on 182-1198. Turned over to GUESS on
075-1200.
FAITH: Jump-1 Survey ship. Former 200T Free Trader "McIlbrae's Venture"
stranded on Gralyn by a Suicider virus. Repaired by Gralyn General Shipyards
under GUESS budget. Commissioned on 316-1200.
TRUST: Jump-1 Survey ship. Former 200T Free Trader "Pimalia" stranded on
Gralyn by a Suicider virus. Repaired by Khan Industrial Enterprises, SC, in
their yards on Askoapoy, under GUESS budget. Commissioned on 003-1201.
FIDELITY: Jump-2 Survey ship. Former 400T Rift Trader "Mist Monster" was on
Gralyn for repairs to her computer system, when the bankruptcy of her owners
forced abandonment before the Crash. Repaired and extensively refitted by
KIESC under GUESS budget. Commissioned 035-1201.
BOTANY BAY: Jump-1 Supply ship. Former 400T Subsidized Merchant "Dawn
Trader" repaired under GUESS budget by Merinu Industries. Subject of several
delays, and an investigation by the GUESS Inspector General for cost overruns
and program delays. Commissioned on 058-1201.
Crew List for Fidelity
The suggested campaign opens in early 1201. Several starships have been
procured and refitted for exploration. The player characters are assigned to
such a ship, the GUESS Fidelity (a modified type R2 400-ton rift trader,
ex-Mist Monster).
The Fidelity is a modified 400-ton Rift Trader. She contains accommodations
for 28 individuals. Originally, her capacity was 22. This consisted of the
captain, six operating crewmembers, two stewards and 13 passengers. In GUESS
service, the ship requires a commander, two maneuver officers (pilot and
astrogator), a sensor operator and three engineers for safe navigation. These
personnel, marked with an asterisk, will never be attached to a ground team.
PC? Position Main Asset Suggested Additional Skills
===--================--====================--================================
No* Captain Astrogation Leader, Admin, Tactics
Yes 1st Officer Survey Leader
No* 2nd Officer Pilot Astrogation
No* 3rd Officer Pilot Astrogation
No* Sensor Operator Sensors Communicators
Yes Chief Engineer Ship's Engineering any technical skills
No* 2nd Engineer Ship's Engineering any technical skills
No* 3rd Engineer Ship's Engineering any technical skills
No* Engineer's Mate Ship's Engineering any technical skills
Yes Medical Officer Medical(Diagnosis) any life sciences skills
Yes Security Chief Tactics Gun Combat, Observation
No Gunner Gunnery(Missile) Gun Combat
No Gunner Gunnery(Laser) Gun Combat
Yes Security Trooper Gun Combat Survival, Observation
Yes Security Trooper Gun Combat Survival, Observation
No Security Trooper Gun Combat Survival, Observation
No Security Trooper Gun Combat Survival, Observation
Yes Lander Pilot Pilot Astrogation
Yes Lander Engineer Ship's Engineering any technical skills
No Skimmer Pilot Pilot Astrogation
No Skimmer Engineer Ship's Engineering any technical skills
Yes Chief Scientist Any physical science any sci/tech skills
Yes Linguist Linguistics any languages
Yes Scientist Any physical science any sci/tech skills
Yes Scientist Any physical science any sci/tech skills
Yes Scientist Any social science any sci/tech skills
Yes Scientist Any social science any sci/tech skills
Yes Scientist Any social science any sci/tech skills
Chain of Command
The chain of command aboard Fidelity generally follows normal GUESS (and
therefore Gralyn Union Navy) practice, except for the scientists. Scientists
are placed outside the chain of command. The Chief Scientist manages the
science staff and directs scientific operations. However, the Captain (and
on planetary missions, the First Officer) are responsible for the safety of
the the ship and its crew, including the scientific party. Once away from
the ship, the First Officer commands the lander and the security detachment.
He gets to decide when the lander is leaving. Anybody not aboard when the
lander leaves will be left behind or forcibly extracted (First Officer's
choice). Similarly, the Captain is under orders from Admiral Honoko to
preserve his ship above all else, the lander and ground party are considered
expendable in the face of a threat to the survival of the ship.
Captain
|
+----------------+------+------------------------------------+
| | |
1st Officer Medical Officer Chief Scientist
| |
+-----+-------------+-----------------+-----------+ 6 Scientists
| | | |
Chief Engineer Chief Pilot Navigator Security Chief
| | | |
2 Engineers 2 Craft Pilots Sensor Op 4 Security Troopers
2 Craft Engineers 2 Gunners
1 Engineer's Mate
Notes:
The Chief Pilot is the 2nd Officer, FIDELITY's command pilot.
The Navigator is FIDELITY's 3rd Officer.
Technically speaking, Fidelity has three divisions: the Deck Division (headed
by the 1st Officer), the Medical Division (headed, and consisting of the
Medical Officer), and the Sciences Division (headed by the Chief Scientist).
The deck division has 4 departments: Engineering, Flight, Navigation, and
Security. However, due to the small size of the departments, the First
Officer acts as the head of both the Flight and Navigation departments (the
other two, Engineering and Security, are large enough to require a full-time
department head). So, when Captain Sternbaum calls the department heads for a
briefing, here's who should report:
Division and Department Heads:
1st Officer Deck Division, Flight and Navigation Departments
Chief Engineer Engineering Department
Security Chief Security Department
Medical Officer Medical Division
Chief Scientist Sciences Division
It is suggested that these are the first positions that the player
characters should fill. Alternative organizations are possible, to reflect
the mix of a particular group of players. For example, the players may
decide that they are interested in planet-side scientific puzzle-solving
adventures, and all choose to be scientists. In this case, the ship's crew
and officers become NPCs, and simply a vehicle (both literally and literary)
for moving the characters from one venue to the next.
There are several ways of handling player characters in a chain of command
situation. With a group that can stay in character, and are good team players,
simply allowing them to choose a position that interests them can be made
to work, particularly if the "natural" leader of the group chooses a
leadership position such as 1st officer or Chief Scientist.
If this is not the case, the referee can involve the Captain a little more,
and have him treat the players as (approximate) equals, even though they may
be of differing ranks. At least in theory, the individual department heads
are the experts in their areas of experience. The Captain can gather them
together and solicit opinions, after which he chooses a course of action and
assigns responsibilities directly to the PCs. Watching the briefing-room
scenes in Star Trek: The Next Generation is a good tutorial in this
technique.
Crew Descriptions
The following short descriptions cover all of the positions on the ship, and
can be used as a source of NPCs no matter which positions the player
characters decide to fill. Note that this is a capsule description, and not
all relevant skills and character traits are listed. Primary Skills are all
at assets of 15 or more; secondary skills are important other skills,
typically at assets of 8 to 15. For combat purposes, the science staff
should be treated as Novice NPCs, the security troopers as Veteran, and
everyone else as Experienced. Exceptions are the first officer, who should
be Experienced if not a PC, and the Security Chief, who should be Elite.
Position: Commanding Officer
Name and Rank: Captain Isaac Sternbaum (GUESS officer, ex-GU Naval Service)
Description: Tall and thin, Captain Sternbaum has wavy black hair that's
rapidly going grey. He is usually quiet, and typically
walks slowly from station to station on the bridge,
observing operations over the operator's shoulder. When he
does speak, it is with a penetrating, but not loud, voice.
Primary Skills: Ship Tactics, Fleet Tactics, Leader, Administration
Other Skills: Navigation, Pilot, Gunnery, Zero-G, Environment Suit
Family: Married (over 25 years) with three grown children, one of
whom followed her father's footsteps into the Navy.
Position: First Officer
Name and Rank: Commander Halifax Napier (GUESS officer, DA grad, ex-GUNS)
Description: A tall man of average build, with red hair that he keeps in a
short, Navy-regulation haircut. He is a veteran of the
Coonabarabran campaign, where he was assigned as the liaison
officer to a Marine combat team. Although he's a straight
laced "by-the-books" officer, and a bit of a disciplinarian,
he's willing to go to bat for his people whenever he sees
the need. One of the first students of the Downtime Academy,
Halifax graduated at the top of the first class.
Primary Skills: Survey
Other Skills: Leader, Ground Tactics, Pilot(intf/grav), Env Suit, Zero G
Family: He is recently divorced after a difficult ten year long
marriage. He is not on speaking terms with his ex-wife, and
the bitter experience has made him even more withdrawn than
usual.
Position: Second Officer
Name and Rank: Lieutenant Commander Gamaagin O'Connor (GUESS officer, ex-GUNS)
Description: An attractive woman of average height and build, Gamaagin has
blonde hair which she keeps cut short, as is currently popular
with Navy pilots (men and women). She is an accomplished
pilot; when she talks, it is with the assurance of someone
who knows that she is one of the best in her field. She
entered GUESS from a position as a Naval flight instructor.
Primary Skills: Pilot, Astrogation, Instruction
Other Skills: Persuasion, Leader, Unarmed Martial Arts
Family: Gamaagin's parents, a sister and two brothers live on
Merinu. Gamaagin is the oldest of the children.
Position: Third Officer
Name and Rank: Lieutenant Enerii Deraagar (GUESS officer, ex-STA)
Description: Short and stocky but not overweight, Enerii wears his brown
hair in an unfashionable crew-cut. He is a very good
astrogator, and a competent pilot, and is the ship's main
paperwork expert. Considered a bit of a bore by the rest
of the crew, his main contributions to conversation are on
mathematics and the intricate details of service regulations.
Primary Skills: Astrogation, Pilot, RCV Operations, Admin
Other Skills: Environment Suit, Zero-G, Bargain
Family: Enerii's mother lives in Carterbourough, a small town in
nothern Merinu. His father passed on shortly before Enerii
earned his commission. Enerii is an only child, and has
the bulk of his pay sent to his mother.
Position: Sensor Operator
Name and Rank: Chief Petty Officer Sean Weizheng (GUESS NCO)
Description: Sean is tall and of average build; his straight, black hair
the only clue to his Solomani ancestry. An animated and
friendly person, he is the FIDELITY's premier raconteur.
Most of the crew find his outrageous tall tales (accompanied
by slapstick antics and humorously exaggerated accents) to
be quite hilarious. Even "Ess" was amused by his portrayal
of a Droyne merchant.
Primary Skills: Sensor Operation, Communications, Act/Bluff
Other Skills: Electronics, Disguise, Persuasion, Acrobatics
Family: The youngest of a large extended family, Sean credits the
development of his tale-spinning abilities to his older
brothers (he claims he used his stories to distract them
from picking on him).
Position: Chief Engineer
Name and Rank: Lt. Commander Espray Krinoyni (GUESS Officer, DA graduate)
Description: Espray, or "Ess" as he is known throughout the ship, is a
Droyne Sport. Like all Droyne, he has a vaguely-lizardlike
appearance, with compound eyes and large bat-wings. His
body is tough and scaly, although very small by human
standards at only 1.5m and 40kg. His skin is dark grey,
with black freckle-like markings.
Primary Skills: Computer, Gravitics, Ship's Engineering, Electronics
Other Skills: Communications, Trauma Aid, Starship Architecture, Survival
Psionics: Strength 7, Computer Empathy, Teleport
Family: Espray remains close to his "family" (oyntrip), and visits
them on Askoapoy whenever his duties permit.
Position: Second Engineer
Name and Rank: Lieutenant Tombo Thorndike (GUESS Officer, Ex-GUNS)
Description: Tombo is of average height, but is slight build makes him
appear to be one of the least physically imposing members of
the crew, aside from the Droyne. He has dark hair and eyes,
and is almost always immaculately dressed. He is a careful
worker and although not as quick as the other engineers, he
never has to fix the same problem twice. Tombo's hobby is
astronomy, and his careful observations have appeared in a few
amateur journals to date.
Primary Skills: Ship's Engineering, Gravitics, Science(Astronomy)
Other Skills: Electronics, Mecnanical
Family: Married to a young gravitics engineer in Otaku City. Their
first child was born shortly before Fidelity's departure,
Position: Third Engineer
Name and Rank Sub-Lieutenant Joanna M'tana (GUESS Officer, ex-GUNS)
Description: Short, with dark, reddish hair, Joanna has "cafe-au-lait"
colored skin. She has recently transferred from the Gralyn
Union Naval Service. She is ambitious, intelligent, and
eager to learn. Joanna is an amateur musician, and plays
in the ship's band.
Primary Skills: Ship's Engineering, Electronics, Mechanical
Other Skills: Gravitics, Computer
Position: Engineers' Mate
Name and Rank: Petty Officer Cheepoy Krayloni (GUESS NCO)
Description: Humans apparently have difficulty distinguishing one Droyne
sport for another. The fact that "Chee" and his superior,
Espray, are both in the engineering department doesn't help.
Chee is considerably younger than Ess, and is correspondingly
a lighter shade of grey.
Primary Skills: Ship's Engineering, Gravitics
Other Skills: Electronics
Family: Cheepoy is a distant relative of Espray, and maintains
close contact with his family, as his duties permit.
Position: Medical Officer
Name and Rank: Dr. Q. Frederic Estervliet (GUESS Officer, [Lt.Cdr. equiv])
Description: Dr. Estervliet is of average height and build. He is
rapidly going bald, and has only a ring of greying hair left.
Although well trained in modern space medicine, Estervliet
has interests that span all of the biological and medical
sciences, making him an excellent choice for an exploration
mission.
Primary Skills: Medical, Biology
Other Skills: XenoBiology, Psychology, Observation, Research
Family: He is very reticent about his past, but it is known that his
father was a doctor, and had a small family practice in
Sanchez City.
Position: Security Chief
Name and Rank: 1st Sergeant Ren "OB" Obenhowzer (GUESS NCO, ex-Marine)
Description: "OB" looks like (and is) an experienced Marine 1st Sergeant.
He's volunteered for the thankless task of keeping all the
officers and scientists of the landing party alive. He's a
tough taskmaster, but has been known to display a sense of
humor, and commands considerably loyalty from the security
troops assigned to the ship.
Primary Skills: Leader, Tactics(Ground), Liaison
Other Skills: Slug Rifle, Melee Combat(Armed)
Family:
Position: Missile Gunner
Name and Rank: Private First Class Manuel Yankovitch (GUESS)
Description: Of average height and build, Manuel has curly brown hair
that he keeps cut short. Manuel is the ship's unofficial
odds-maker and bookie; he always seems to be running a craps
game, or a betting pool on just about anything.
Primary Skills: Gunnery(Missile), Gambling
Other Skills: Streetwise
Family: Manuel's parents and older brother live in a small town on
the main continent of Merinu. They do not approve of his
career choice (or his gambling "hobby").
Position: Laser Gunner
Name and Rank: Private First Class Charles Stuart, Jr. (GUESS)
Description: PFC Stuart is of average height and build, with brown hair
and an intense expression. He is serious and opinionated,
and has difficulty seeing the humor in a situation. He is,
however, a good shot with the ship's laser turret.
Primary Skills: Gunnery(Laser)
Other Skills: Melee Combat(unarmed)
Family: Charles left home and enlisted in GUESS after a fight with
his father, who is apparently too much like his son for the
two to get along. Charles occasionally writes to his older
sister, however.
Position: Security Trooper
Name and Rank: Corporal Steven Marks (GUESS NCO, ex-Marine)
Description: A recruiting-poster-perfect picture of a marine: tall and
handsome, with close-cut blonde hair. He attracts
quite a bit of feminine attention, and although he is never
long without a partner, his relationships seldom last.
Primary Skills: Slug Rifle, Observation, Survival(Mountain)
Other Skills: Carousing, Streetwise
Family: Steven's father died when he was quite young; his mother
later re-married. Steven has a step-brother and two
half-sisters. Although he does not get along with his
step-brother, he is fiercely protective of his half-sisters.
Position: Security Trooper
Name and Rank: Private First Class Marie Nakamura (GUESS, ex-Army)
Description: Short, with short, straight dark hair, Nakamura is solidly
built without appearing (too) un-feminine. She is the best
marksman (marksperson?) of the marine squad. Nakamura is a
good martial artist as well, making up for an average strength
with suprising speed and agility. When off-duty, she
generally can be found in the gym, or playing bass in the
ship's band.
Primary Skills: Slug Rifle, Energy Weapon(Laser), Unarmed Martial Arts
Other Skills: Streetwise, Music
Family: Her parents live in Otaku City, and she has an older
brother who is a businessman there.
Position: Security Trooper
Name and Rank: Private First Class Gordon Stallion (GUESS, ex-Marine)
Description: Short, stocky, and muscular, Gordon is barely tall enough to
meet the Gralyn Union Marine entrance requirements. He more
than compensates for his short stature with a confrontative
personality, and tackles problems head on, with all the force
he can muster.
Primary Skills: Slug Rifle, Energy Weapon(Plasma)
Other Skills: Artillery
Family: Gordon's parents are farmers on Gralyn, and they exchange
letter frequently. Gordon has decided to make GUESS his
career, and is actively learning about the ship from anyone
who will teach him.
Position: Security Trooper
Name and Rank: Private First Class Arno Blackston (GUESS, ex-Marine)
Description: Arno is tall and built on a large frame, easily the
physically strongest individual on the ship. Arno has a
slight speech impediment, and although he is of avarage
intelligence, his difficulty with language makes him seem
less bright than he really is.
Primary Skills: Slug Rifle, Grenade Launcher
Other Skills: Heavy Weapons
Family: Arno is self-conscious about his size and speech problem, but
receives letters regularly from both his mother and fiancee,
a surprisingly petite (at least when compared to Arno) woman
from Sanchez City.
Position: Lander Pilot
Name and Rank: Lieutenant Henri Krancke (GUESS, ex-GUNS)
Description: Kranke is a wiry man of average height, with dark red hair
and chipped-tooth grin. A streetwise punk from Merinu City,
Henri was saved from a life of petty crime by a juvenile
court judge, who convinced him to join the Navy and make
something of his life.
Primary Skills: Pilot(Interface/Grav), Astrogation
Other Skills: Streetwise, Pilot(Fixed-Wing), Pilot(Rotary-Wing)
Family: The Navy provided Krancke with the structure his life needed.
Henri still regards one of his early instructors as a father
figure and role model. A natural aptitude for flying
got him into flight school, and a penchant for risk-taking
prompted the transfer to GUESS, hoping to see some
'excitement'.
Position: Lander Engineer
Name and Rank: Cadet Hans LaFleur
Description: A rugged, outdoors-type individual, Cadet LaFleur looks
slightly out of place in a ship's engine room. He is,
however, very good with machines of all types, and is
particularly good at improvised repairs of all kinds.
Primary Skills: Ship's Engineering, Sensor Operation
Other Skills: Mechanical, Survival
Family: Hans was recently married his childhood sweetheart, and
is planning a family. He gets along well with his in-laws,
and frequently spends time hunting and fishing with his
father and father-in-law.
Position: Skimmer Pilot
Name and Rank: Sub-Lientenant Wulf DeForest
Description: Laconic, even for a space pilot, Sub-Lt. DeForest has brown
hair, and is of average height and slim build. DeForest's
hobby is amateur radio, and his cabin is littered with
circuit diagrams of dubious utility. He has been forbidden
to build any of his designs after an early experiment induced
a nasty hum on the ship's intercom system that took "Ess"
nearly four hours to track down.
Primary Skills: Pilot, Astrogation
Other Skills: Electronics, Communications
Family: Wulf has parents and a younger brother in Otaku City on
Gralyn, and visits them whenever he has leave.
Position: Skimmer Engineer
Name and Rank: Cadet Stev Hogan (GUESS, ex-STA)
Description: Tall and thin, with dark, almost black skin and curly brown
hair, Stev was the sensor operator and apprentice engineer
aboard an STA merchant ship before joining GUESS.
Primary Skills: Ship's Engineering, Sensor Operation
Other Skills: Electronic
Family: The son of a Sanchez City police detective, Stev is on good
terms with his family, including his elder brother (who is
also a police officer there).
Position: Chief Scientist (Geologist)
Name and Rank: Rocky Terranova, Ph.D. (Senior Scientist)
Description: The only son of a university professor and a navy ship
captain, Rocky is of average height and stocky build, with
rough, "farm-boy" good looks. Rocky is a geologist who has
spent the last several years as a consultant to the mining
industry on Botany Bay, Coonabarabran, and Resolution Belt.
Primary Skills: Geology, Excavation, Geophysics
Other Skills: Meteorology, Chemistry, Persuasion, Leadership
Family: Both of Rocky's parents were killed, his mother was killed
when her ship was lost at the Battle of Coonabarabran, and
his father died in a freak accident a few years ago. Rocky's
only love is Dr. Cordelia Naismith, a fellow geologist.
However, both have decided to put their careers first.
Position: Scientist (Linguist)
Name and Rank: Sharik Rodriguez, Ph.D. (GUESS Scientist)
Description: Short and petite, with frizzy blonde hair, Sharik looks like
one of the last people you'd expect to see on a first-contact
team. She is a gifted linguist, and one of the few people on
Gralyn to be fluent in "useless" languages such as Trokh
(Aslan) and Vilani. Although frequently outspoken in her
opinions, she enjoys all kinds of challenges, and makes an
effort to pull her own weight (and more) aboard ship and on
ground teams.
Primary Skills: Linguistics, Language(Aslan), Language(Droyne),
Other Skills: Language(Vilani), (and several other languages, too).
Family: Is a middle child of a large family from the town of Liddell,
all of whom seem to enjoy arguments and confrontations. She
has been known to spend hours (apparently) arguing with her
sisters, and then describe it as 'a pleasant lunchtime
conversation'. Sharik doesn't have a current boyfriend, and
shipboard speculation is that she's still looking for someone
who can stand up to her in one of her intense 'conversations'.
Position: Scientist (Geneticist)
Name and Rank: Stephen Kendall, Ph.D. (Scientist)
Description: Dr. Kendall is tall and thin, with thinning but still jet
black hair and a very intense expression when he is working
on a problem. He is not a physically impressive person, and
the best most people can do is to describe him as
nondescript. Stephen has always believed that education holds
the solution to any problem. He has put this into action in
his life, earning a Ph.D. in Genetics, and along the way
picking up the equivalent of advanced degrees in physics,
computer science, and chemistry. His is the person on the
ship most likely to know odd facts and unconnected bits of
trivia.
Primary Skills: Genetics, XenoBiology, Chemistry
Other Skills: Physics, Admin/Legal, Language(Aslan), Computer
Family: The one thing Kendall lacks is much of a social life. He can
usually be found in the crew lounge when off duty, reading a
book. His parents are both deceased.
Position: Scientist (Physicist)
Name and Rank: Richard F. Lobachevsky, Ph.D. (Scientist)
Description: Dr. Lobachevsky is of average height, and slight build, and
appears to be the prototype of the long-haired intellectual.
He is in better physical condition than he looks - his hobbies
include cross-country running (he'll have to make do with the
FIDELITY's treadmill for now). His other hobbies include
music, and he has organized a band aboard ship. Although
he has a relatively few publications to his credit, they are
on a wide variety of subjects (from atomic physics through the
mechanism for ocean waves, and everything in between), and he
is considered by most of his colleagues as brilliant,
although a little eccentric.
Primary Skills: Science(Physics), Mechanical, Electronic, Computer
Other Skills: Research, Music
Family: Divorced, with no children.
Position: Scientist (Economist, ex-STA)
Name and Rank: Donald Shillman, Ph.D. (Scientist)
Description: Tall, although tending toward overweight, Shillman is the
least physically fit member of the crew (which means that he
barely passed the qualifying physical, not that he is
horribly out of shape). Quite the liberal reformer in his
early college days, his economics are now quite conservative
(he's overly fond of saying "If you weren't an idealist at
20, you have no heart, and if you aren't a capitalist at 40,
you have no head"). Although the arrangement is certainly
not official, Shillman is the representative of the big
business interests that have recently supported exploration.
He is willing to expound on his economic theories eloquently
and at great length (and has made a considerable amount of
his reputation doing just that as a popularizer), but is
otherwise an uninteresting shipmate.
Primary Skills: Trader, Admin/Legal
Other Skills: Persuasion
Family: Married, with his only son currently in college.
Position: Scientist (Archaeologist)
Name and Rank: Ripley W. Scott, Ph.D. (GUESS Scientist)
Descripion: Tall and thin, with dark hair, Dr. Scott looks more like a
caricature of a graduate student than an assistant professor
of archaeology. He is, however, respected within his field,
and a mine of information about the past.
Primary Skills: Science(Archaeology), Science(Anthropology), History
Other Skills: Research
Family: Dr. Scott's parents are divorced; his father, a retired Navy
officer, has remarried. He has three brothers, one of whom
is in the Navy.
Position: Scientist (Sociologist)
Name and Rank: Suzanne Yeager, Ph.D. (Scientist)
Description: Tall and willowy, with long, light-brown hair. Suzanne is
approximately middle-aged, and in fair physical condition.
Her specialty has long been alien and interstellar human
cultures, and she jumped at the chance to be among the first
to go on contact missions. Much of her recent work has been
about the culture of Botany Bay, and she has been to Botany
Bay several times over the last ten years.
Primary Skills: Science(Sociology), Science(Psychology), Research
Other Skills: Language(Droyne), Language(Vilani), Xenobiology
Family: Happily married to Thomas Yeager MD for the past 18 years, and
the mother of two children (Steven and Akane, ages 15 and 17
respectively).
Character Creation
Player characters for the main campaign have to conform to some very
specific constraints to fit the initial situation. A merchant just wouldn't
be chosen for a position with an exploration team, no matter how good a
tradesman he was. So any player who wants to play a wily master trader is out
of luck (Unless he is willing to play a wily master trader who is also an
explorer type, and unlikely to get to use his trader skills much). Some
players tend to resent such constraints. Talk to your players beforehand and
ensure that they understand the situation.
Unless specifically mentioned here all standard rules for character
creation apply.
Background: All PCs come from the Gralyn Union. They should be almost all be
from Gralyn itself, although Droyne PCs from Askoapoy, or modified humans
from Botany Bay aren't entirely out of the question. Playing such
characters will require extra work from both the referee and the players
involved, but the results are definitely worth it. Both playtest campaigns
incorporated Droyne characters with good results.
Attributes: Due to the budget and time constraints GUESS personnel are not the
top-trained, elite, best-in-the-world experts one might think an exploration
team warranted, but neither are they average people. They may not be the very
best, but they are the best GUESS could get. Players who roll attributes for
their player characters totalling less than 42 points may therefore add
attribute points to bring the total up to 42.
Careers: Careers are limited by the technical and social history of the
character's homeworlds. Referees should consult the Gralyn Union history, and
help players work out individual histories appropriate to their origins and
professions. Generating characters which match their worlds background and
history requires a little more care, but the campaign will be considerably
better for it.
Main skill: Player characters are expected to fill certain spots on the crew
roster for the expedition. Each slot has a 'main skill' listed. A character
must have an asset of no less than 15 in that skill in order to fill that
slot. That is, if the character is designed to fill the slot of Team Leader
for the Ground Team and has an intelligence of 9, then his player must
arrange his careers in such a way that he gets a skill level of at least 6
in Survey.
Crew slots: All the player characters will be members of the Ground Team.
The 1st officer is the ground team leader, and should always be a PC. Other
non-scientist PC slots should be filled from the top down. Any number of
player characters (up to six) can be scientists, and the linguist can be a
player character as well. No two should have the same main skill unless they
each also have another, different, scientific skill of roughly the same
level. Any remaining slots should be filled by NPCs.
Downtime Academy and GUESS Academy: This career is available only in the last
term before play begins, if the campaign is to start in 1201. In this case,
characters would have attended Downtime Academy (which would have required
them to resign or take a leave of absence from their previous careers) and
receive no income for the term. Ground Team Commanders, and (for campaigns
set after approximately 1204) Exploration Ship Commanders would take the
command track, while the "department heads" such as (Chief Engineer, Chief
Scientist, and Medical Officer) take the sciences track.
Prerequisites: INT or EDU 7+
Skills: Total skill levels equal to the character's EDU or INT attribute
(whichever is higher) from a "Core" and either one of two "Tracks". At
least 1 level must be taken in each cluster of the "Core", and no more than
3 levels may be taken in any one skill.
Core: Space Vessel, Space Tech, Technician
Command Track: Tactics, Determination, Interaction
Science Track: Physical Science, Social Science, Engineer
Other Effects: +1 to EDU. No secondary activities are allowed while in the
academy. No promotion or special duty rolls are made. On graduation, the
character is commissioned in GUESS (if not already an officer). Characters
transferring to the scouts retain their rank from their previous service
(except that the highest rank allowed is O7). GUESS Academy may be taken no
more than once.
Playtest Campaign Characters
PC? Position Rank/Position Name Playtest Group USA
===--================--=============--======================--====================
No Captain Captain Isaac Sternbaum
Yes First Officer Commander Halifax Napier John Lewis
No Second Officer Lt. Commander Gamaagin O'Connor
No Third Officer Lieutenant Enerii Deraagar
No Sensor Operator Chief P O Sean Weizheng
Yes Chief Engineer Lt. Commander Espray Krinoyni D. Glenn Arthur, Jr.
No Second Engineer Lieutenant Tombo Thorndike
No Third Engineer Sub-Lientenant Joanna M'tana
No Engineers' Mate Petty Officer Cheepoy Krayloni
Yes Medical Officer (M.D.) Q. Frederic Estervliet Chuck Hamilton
Yes Security Cheif 1st Sargeant Ren "OB" Obenhowzer Kevin McCarthy
No Missile Gunner Private 1C Manuel Yankovitch
No Laser Gunner Private 1C Charles Stuart
No Security Trooper Corporal Steven Marks
No Security Trooper Private 1C Marie Nakamura
No Security Trooper Private 1C Gordon Stallion
No Security Trooper Private 1C Arno Blackston
Yes Lander Pilot Lieutenant Henri Krancke Mike Davidson
No Lander Engineer Cadet Hans LaFleur
No Skimmer Pilot Sub-Lieutenant Wulf Deforest
No Skimmer Engineer Cadet Stev Hogan
Yes Chief Scientist (Geology) Rocky Terranova Greg Hara
No Scientist (Linguist) Sharik Rodriguez
Yes Scientist (Genetics) Stephen Kendall David Rodger
No Scientist (Physics) Richard F. Lobachevsky
No Scientist (Economics) Donald Shillman
No Scientist (Archaeology) Ripley W. Scott
No Scientist (Sociology) Suzanne Yeager
wildstar@quark.qrc.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Science-Fiction Adventure
In Reavers' Deep
From wildstar@qrc.com Thu Jul 28 11:50:12 1994
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Date: Wed, 27 Jul 94 20:42:21 -0400
From: Derek Wildstar <wildstar@qrc.com>
Message-Id: <9407280042.AA15887@qrc.com>
To: tne-pocket@ocf.Berkeley.EDU
Subject: FINAL SUBMISSION - Aoreriyya Overview
Status: RO
Aoreriyya
New Era adventures in Reavers' Deep
Written by the TNE-POCKET discussion group, compiled by Guy Garnett.
Primary Contributors: Hans Rancke-Madsen and Guy Garnett.
"The Domain of Deneb goes off the air immediately. We keep the flame. Good
Luck." --- The Domain of Deneb, 1130
"Anybody got a light?" -- Aoreriyya, 1200
An introduction to Aoreriyya
Aoreriyya is the name early Aslan explorers gave to a region of space in the
Aeitle Sakh sector. This region of space is mapped by humans as the Ea,
Drexilthar, Eakoi, and Drinsaar subsectors (J, K, N, and O respectively) of
the Reavers' Deep sector. Literally translated, "Aoreriyya" means "new
garden" (or "new veldt", according to some authorities), from the Trokh "aor"
(new), and "eriyya" (pleasant lands); the region was so called because of the
relative abundance of worlds with climates and ecosystems well-suited to
habitation by Aslan. Many of these worlds still bear the Trokh names given to
them by these early clan scouts.
The region has a number of indigenous minor races, including the long-lost
Saie, who gained Jump technology from an ambitious renegade Vilani governor
and carved out an empire of terrorized planets before vanishing thousands of
years ago. The fierce warriors of Drexilthar followed in their footsteps,
copying jump drives of Solomani design and becoming the most famous of Reaver
states during the Long Night. More peaceful are the J'aadje of Gaajpadje, and
several Droyne and Chirper enclaves.
The Ziru Sirka (the First, or Vilani Imperium) never formally explored or
incorporated Reavers' Deep, although there is evidence that limited contact
occurred. A number of worlds were settled by various minor races (including
some human ones) fleeing the Vilani Consolidation Wars (-5400 to -4500). Most
of these settlements died out again, but a few survived. During the
Interstellar Wars between the Ziru Sirka and the Terran Confederation a
number of expeditions fled to areas remote from both and settled there. Of
those that reached Reavers' Deep the most famous are the Caledonians.
Exploration of the area began during the Rule of Man (also known as the
Second Imperium), but the Long Night intervened before it was incorporated
into that empire. A number of worlds in Aoreriyya were settled by humans of
Terran descent at that time, primarily by Solomani dissident groups.
The first formal surveys were conducted by Aslan scouts from several
competing clans during the human Long Night. Due to the relatively remote
location of the Deep, only limited settlement followed. Several groups of
Aslan outcasts also made settlements in the Deep. Human colonization began
again when neighboring regions began to recover from the Long Night. Conflict
over colonization rights in Reavers' Deep was one of the issues behind the
Aslan Border Wars. The Peace of Ftahalr and subsequent treaties limited
outside colonization in Aoreriyya, and indirectly fostered the emergence of
the regions' small interstellar governments and independent worlds.
When compared to the Third Imperium, even the relatively quiet backwaters
only a few dozen parsecs away, Aoreriyya was never an economic powerhouse. It
could, however, boast several important polities, a native shipbuilding
industry at TL-12, economically valuable exports such as rithscent and
tlaospice, and a steady "overhead" trade between the Aslan Hierate, Third
Imperium, and Solomani Confederation.
Although there is no such thing as an "average" inhabitant of Aoreriyya, many
worlds share traits which are typical of the region. Although an economic
backwater by Imperial standards, there was money to be made in the region,
and economic competition between polities was fierce. Many, particularly on
the independent worlds, were and are still proud, self-reliant, and more
than a little distrustful of large interstellar governments. The definition
of "large" greatly depends, of course, on what world the speaker is from.
Nobody knows when the Virus arrived in Aoreriyya, but it almost certainly did
so aboard one of the small tramp freighters that frequent the region. Being
a backwater, and with interstellar trade reduced by the effects of the
Rebellion, the Virus didn't spread as quickly as in other parts of space, but
the effects were equally devastating on most worlds. After the coming of the
Virus, most worlds in Reavers Deep have been utterly without offworld
contact. Because of the scattered nature of stars in the Deep, most small
jump-1 starships are impractical for trade. Locally-produced jump-2 ships,
the mainstay of the Reavers' Deep commercial fleets, proved particularly
vulnerable; almost all were quickly destroyed or disabled by the Virus, and
most of the rest became Vampire ships.
Astrographic Data
IISS "Second Survey"
The following information was originally published by the Imperial
Interstellar Scout Service. Officially based on Second Survey data, most of
the worlds in Aoreriyya had been resurveyed and updated between 1100 and
1115. The IISS base on Grendal (2127) was the regional coordinating center
for this effort, with the bases on Dunmarrow, Kaaniir, and Tricoleur
performing the surveys for worlds located in their respective areas of
responsibility (the scout base on Drexilthar is a technological and
sociological monitoring station, and did not participate in the survey).
Printed or electronic copies of this data would be available to any New Era
spacefarers in Reavers' Deep.
[Insert 1115 UWP data here]
Hard Times Composite
The following listing is the best available representation of the state of
Aoreriyya immediately prior to the onset of the Virus. The data is a
composite, primarily based on reports from traders and other local sources.
The scout bases at Dunmarrow, Kaaniir, and Tricoleur were closed during the
war, and their personnel reassigned elsewhere. The monitoring project at
Drexilthar was retained, with reduced staff, and the base on Grendal was
turned over to local authorities for operation during the duration of the
emergency, with a small staff of IISS advisors.
Although this data is not as widely distributed as the Second Survey data,
data for nearby worlds should be available to any spacefarers. If the players
are operating with the support of a large project, such as the Gralyn Union
Exploration and Survey Service, an extensive search of available records will
allow a reasonable composite map, covering all of Aoreriyya, to be prepared.
[Insert 1130 UWP data here]
New Era
REFEREE: The following is the "ground truth" data for the New Era, and is
current as of approximately 1200. This data should not be available directly
to the players, as a lot of the action and suspense of the campaign will
consist of exploring worlds which have not been visited in 70 years. Some
will have changed very little, while others may be completely unrecognizable.
[Insert 1200 UWP data here]
LIBRARY DATA
The following library data are available. Referee's notes have been
separated from the players' data, so that the following is suitable for
distributing directly to the players.
In the Imperial era library data were assumed to be updated to a particular
date mentioned in the publication. Thus all data mentioned in a given issue
of the Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society were assumed to be true as of
001-1105. With the disruption of data flow caused by the Rebellion and the
Hard Times, and even more so by the Crash, this is no longer true. Data found
in an abandoned habitat in the Carrillian Belt may have been as much as 15 or
20 years out of date already in 1130. Or it may have been garden fresh,
gotten from a spaceship that jumped in-system the day before the Crash. In
some cases this might matter very little, but in others it could be of vital
interest. These library data are therefore marked with a 'last update' data
source and date in brackets after most of the entries. Those not marked are
those (like old historical data) that would not be affected by the passage of
time.
Data sources include library data and extracts from news reports available on
Gralyn that date to before the crash. These entries are marked as
originating on Gralyn. Commercial news services are identified. The primary
sources for commercial news in Reavers' Deep being the Imperial-based
Travellers' News Service (noted as 'TNS' in the entries below), the Carrillian
Belt News Network, 'CBNN', and 'CVLIS', the Caledon Ventures Library
Information System.
Player's Library Data
Adwuj
A syrupy beverage native to Gaajpadje (Reavers' Deep 1124). It is usually
served hot, and is made from the fermented sap of several trees native to that
world. Human visitors describe the taste as bitter-sweet, and a cross between
licorice, cinnamon, and burnt wood.
Aeitle Sakh
The Trokh (Aslan language) name for Reavers' Deep sector.
Aikhiy
Aikhiy\Eakoi (Reavers' Deep 1634) is an agricultural world run by the Aikhiy
Development Trust, a company owned jointly by Gralynite and Venecian
interests. The company's interests were highly diversified and it proved able
to survive the worst of the depression. [Gralyn, 1130]
Aslan
A major race with a large, loose state (known as the Aslan Hierate to humans)
to the spinward of Reavers' Deep. Aslan name themselves Fteirle in their
language, Trokh. Typical Aslan stand 2 meters tall, and are covered in
golden brown fur. The Aslan Hierate has no unified government; instead the
Aslan owe their loyalty to individual clans.
Aslan Border Wars
The Aslan Border Wars (-1120 to 380) were a series of numerous small wars
were fought between Aslan clans and human splinter states, with alliances
among the the various powers constantly forming and dissolving. The border
between human and Aslan space remained relatively constant, with a few systems
changing hands after each war.
During this period some clans also launched raids into the interior of the
former Imperial domains, conquering and settling worlds as much as 40 parsecs
beyond the border. Once the Third Imperium expanded into the region (circa
200), its superior organization and technology gradually put an end to the
Aslan threat.
Banff (Reavers' Deep 1831)
Small airless world that before the Rebellion was being exploited by a
company based on Collin's World. The company went bankrupt in 1120 and left
its employees on Banff stranded. They formed their own government and tried
to carry on on their own, but in 1129 they gave up and contracted with a
Rintarna-based freight firm to be evacuated. Before this plan could be
carried out, however, a reaver attacked and stole the valuables they had
collected to pay for the evacuation. At the time of the Crash a private
charity on Rintarna was attempting to raise the required funds. [Gralyn,
1130]
'Blackjack' Duquesne
An (in)famous reaver from the -1120 to -1100 period. Although many worlds
have traditional stories and folktales of Blackjack and his starship _Skylark
Duquesne_, surprisingly little historical information is known about this
reaver.
Brandon (Reavers' Deep 1632)
Small mining community under the protection of Collin's World though
ostensibly independent. But the whole economy depended on the Brandon System
Company which leased the miners their equipment, sold them their food and air,
and bought their ore. When the company went bankrupt in 1124 the entire
population was evacuated. [Gralyn, 1130]
Carrillian Assembly
The second largest independent human-dominated political entity in the
sector. The Carrillian Assembly is a group of federated worlds joined for the
mutual regulation of trade, economic coordination, and common defense. The
capital of the Assembly is in the Carrillian Belt/Drexilthar (Reavers' Deep
2330). For largely internal political reasons, it acted as an Imperial (and
later, Daibei) minor ally in the war against the Solomani. It is currently
suffering from severe internal disorder stemming from Solomani Black War
attacks in 1123. [Gralyn, 1130]
Carrillian Belt/Drexilthar (2330)
Administrative center of the Carrillian assembly. [TNS, 1114]
Caledon Ventures
A growing mercantile firm based in the principality of Caledon. Caledon
Ventures has been one of the companies responsible for opening major new
markets within Reavers' deep sector. Caledon is best recognized for the Type
A2 far traders it employs on its exploratory trade missions. [TNS, 1116]
Carellines Ltd.
A ruthless and aggressive trading firm well known for its determination to
turn a profit, no matter what the legality or cost in human or ethical terms.
Though their operations often border on piracy, the loose political structure
of the Reavers' Deep has allowed them to continue thriving. [TNS, 1116]
Celestial League
Precursor state to the Union of Harmony consisting of a number of worlds in
the Uhtaa and Earle subsectors. Settled by Solomani of Chinese ancestry in
the 21st Century PI. The League maintained jump capacity throughout the Long
Night and was an occasional source of Reaver fleets for most of that time.
Constant low-level conflict with the neighboring Aslans kept the league
united until the Peace of Ftahalr relieved the pressure. The League were
shattered by internal conflict shortly thereafter, and its former member
worlds were plagued by internecine warfare for centuries afterwards, until
they were again brought together as the Union of Harmony in 856.
Collin's World (Reavers' Deep 1631)
This small airless world that was originally a reaver stronghold. Later
turned legitimate and became an Imperial client state in return for letting
the Imperium maintain a base in the system. Protected by Imperial ships and
given preferred trade status, Collin's World prospered and increased in
population to the point where the resources of the system was strained to
maintain it.
When the Imperial Navy pulled their ships out in 1119 it precipitated an
economic collapse. By 1128 many of the habitats had failed in part or in
whole and nearly a hundred million people had died. [Gralyn, 1130]
Coventry
An exile world established by the Confederacy of Duncinae. Political
dissidents and other criminals are frequently offered the choice between
trial and punishment or voluntary exile to Coventry. This has proved a useful
method of humanely dealing with undesirables, and has worked quite well since
the system was instituted some 350 years ago.
Dakaar Minerals
In many ways typical of the large corporations based on independent worlds of
Reavers' Deep, Dakaar Minerals is a far-ranging, unscrupulous organization
whose activities are not far removed from the Reavers themselves. [TNS,
1117]
Daken (Reavers' Deep 1830)
Near-airless desert world whose 750 inhabitants used to make a fair living
cultivating a lichen-like substance from which a popular gourmet spice could
be extracted. When the trade failed the community experienced great trouble
surviving. At the present time, inhabitants are desperately trying to
arrange transport away from Daken. [Gralyn, 1130]
Danelag (Reavers' Deep 1136)
Danelag was settled during the Rule of Man by a Racial Purity Group from
Scandinavia. Raided heavily during the Long Night, the world was later
invaded by Aslan and Human forces alike. Since then the population of Danelag
has been very insular, thoroughly convinced that Outsiders (they spell it with
a capital "O") is nothing but trouble. [TNS, 1109]
Drinsaar/Drinsaar (Reavers' Deep 2034)
Historically notable as the former sub-capital of the Iltharan Empire,
Drinsaar was converted into a garden-resort world catering to the elite of
the Carrillian Assembly. The world is also the site of several
government-owned agricultural combines. Access to the world was restricted
during the war with the Solomani, and it is rumored many Assembly elites sent
their families there to ride out the war. Since the Raids of 1123, Drinsaar
has been under complete interdiction by the Assembly Navy. [Gralyn, 1130]
Drinsaar Loop
The Drinsaar Loop is a 23 world main covering a subsector-sized area which
spans three subsectors in Reavers' Deep. The main is named for Drinsaar,
near one end of the main, which was an important gateway for human exploration
of the area. Drinsaar is no longer the most important world on the main, but
the name has stuck, even among the non-humans who trade up and down the
length. [TNS, 1115]
IISS "Second Survey" Asgrographic Data - 1115 Update
World Name Hex UWP B Trade Class Z Ext Al Stellar Data
=============-====-=========--=-===============-=--===-==-==================
Pagosa 1433 D749220-3 Lo Ni 700 Na K0V
Ekaftouh 1434 D000686-9 Na Ni As 502 Na M0VI
Kamloops 1531 D24247A-5 Ni Po 910 Na G5V DM
Venice 1534 C35A995-8 Hi Wa 714 Na M5III DM
Hihlas 1537 C674504-8 Ag Ni 723 Na F0V DM DM
Soloman 1538 B897A97-B N Hi In 302 Cs M0V
Collins World 1631 B20098C-B N Hi Na In Va A 604 Cs DMDM
Brandon 1632 C337322-6 Lo Ni 322 Na M5V
Aikhiy 1634 C546616-7 Ag Ni 912 Na K0V
Oba 1635 C646200-9 Lo Ni A 713 Na M0V DM
Kremmling 1636 E796313-7 Lo Ni 722 Na M5V DM
Himalaya 1638 C9D9978-9 Hi Fl 304 Na M0III
Khtearle 1733 C595778-5 Ag 614 Na K0V DM
Botany Bay 1734 E643569-4 Ni Po A 310 Ga F5V
Gralyn 1735 B758899-A M 111 Ga M0V K5VI
Daken 1830 C630233-9 Lo Ni Po De 702 Na F3V
Banff 1831 C516310-A Lo Ni Ic 601 Na M5V
Marion 1832 C7B4352-A Lo Ni Fl 703 Na M5V
Rintarna 1933 B887A99-D Hi 313 Na M0V
Skeena 2032 C799435-A Ni 803 Na M0V
Lanixohn 2033 A789973-D M Hi A 700 Cb M0V
Drinsaar 2034 C885665-7 Ag Ni Ri 702 Cb K5V M5V
Esokhi 2133 B877687-A M Ag Ni 105 Cb F5V
=============-====-=========--=-===============-=--===-==-=================
Pre-Collapse "Hard Times" Composite - Data circa 1125 to 1130
World Hex UWP B Trade XI Z PBG Al Stars HT
=============-====-=========--=-============-==-=--===-==-=================-===
Pagosa 1433 E749220-0 Lo Ni 600 Na K0V *
Ekaftouh 1434 E000697-4 As Na Ni 202 Na M0VI D*
Kamloops 1531 E242451-6 Ni Po 610 Na G5V DM D*
Venice 1534 C35A7FD-6 Wa i1 714 Na M5III DM F
Hihlas 1537 D674520-4 Ag Ni 723 Na F0V DM DM
Soloman 1538 C897A98-8 M In x1 202 Cs M0V
Collins World 1631 C200996-6 Na Va x2 A 504 Cs DMDM F*
Brandon 1632 X337000-0 Ba 022 -- M5V
Aikhiy 1634 C546616-6 Ag Ni 912 Na K0V
Oba 1635 X646000-0 Ba A 013 -- M0V DM *
Kremmling 1636 X796000-0 Ba 022 -- M5V DM *
Himalaya 1638 E9D9974-4 Fl x2 304 Na M0III F
Khtearle 1733 E595774-4 Ag i1 614 Na K0V DM
Botany Bay 1734 E643564-4 Ni Po A 410 Ga F5V
Gralyn 1735 B758894-A M 111 Ga M0V K5VI
Daken 1830 D6302B5-4 De Lo Ni Po 702 Na F3V
Banff 1831 D516331-2 Ic Lo Ni 501 Na M5V F*
Marion 1832 D7B4310-5 Fl Lo Ni x1 703 Rs M5V
Rintarna 1933 B887A99-D Hi i3 313 Rs M0V
Skeena 2032 E7994ED-3 Ni i2 803 Rs M0V
Lanixohn 2033 X7C9784-B Fl i5 A 600 Rs M0V *!
Drinsaar 2034 C885665-7 Ag Ni Ri R 702 Cb K5V M5V
Esokhi 2133 E877664-5 Ag Ni i3 105 Rs F5V
=============-====-=========--=-===============-=--===-==-=================-===
Ea (Reavers' Deep Subsector "J").
Originally explored by Aslan traders and clan scouts looking for new
territory. During its history, the Ea subsector has been the scene of
numerous confrontations between Humans and Aslans competing for the same real
estate. During the era of the Reaver Warlords, several small human states
sprang up here. Currently, two human states, separated by a scattered band of
unclaimed independent worlds, dominate this region. The Grand Duchy of
Marlheim is a tightly controlled totalitarian state with expansionist
tendencies. The Confederacy of Duncinae is a less restrictive interstellar
community with close ties to the Principality of Caledon to coreward. [TNS,
1114]
Eakoi Corporation
Aslan trade company associated with the Loakhtarl Clan. Formed in -835,
ostensibly to trade with the score or so inhabited worlds in Eakoi and Ea
subsectors despite the dangers and difficulties of such a venture at that time
and despite the fact that trade with the mostly pre-stellar TL communities of
the time simply wasn't profitable enough to be worth while. In reality the
corporation was a nearly self-supporting tool of the Loakhtarl Clan Lords for
keeping the area, which was adjacent to the main holdings of the clan, under
surveillance, preempting choice pieces of land for future use, and
discouraging other Aslan clans from settling there.
Although the Eakoi Corporation could not seal off the area to outside
settlement completely, it did keep down the number of such settlements
considerably. Historians note that non-Loakhtarl settlements in Eakoi and Ea
tended to fail due to Reaver attacks. Much of the blame for this has been put
on the Drexiltharan Empire and the Celestial League, but some historians
speculate that the Eakoi Corporation may also have played a part in these
disasters.
By -100 the Loakhtarl clan had consolidated its hold on its main territories
and began moving into Eakoi and Ea in earnest. A number of clan holdings
were established on Eakoi, Ea, and several other planets. But the greedy,
selfish policies of the clan got it accused of un-Aslan conduct during the
Cultural Purge (qv.) and it got attacked by a coalition of minor, land-poor
Aslan clans and lost quite a lot of power. Simultaneously a minor human
polity centered on Soloman started waging a trade war against the Eakoi
Corporation.
After a protracted war with little real action but a ruinously expensive arms
race, the Eakoi Aslans gave up in the end and abandoned the area in 128,
bringing its fighting assets back to the Loakhtarl heartland to help stave off
the attacks mentioned above. The collapse of the Eakoi Corporation triggered
an influx of Aslan ihatei fleets to Reavers' Deep that in turn led to the
escalating series of Aslan/Human conflicts that is called The Turmoils and
which culminated in the Last Aslan Border War (374-380).
Ekaftouh (Reavers' Deep 1434)
Asteroid belt mined by a mix of aslans and humans under the auspices of the
Ekaftouh Treaty Administration. Failing trade and pirate attacks had pushed
the system to the brink of disaster by 1129; several habitats had suffered
life support failure and others survived only by cannibalizing parts from
failed or abandoned habitats. Most of the aslan clans had already pulled
their people out. There remained some 300.000 humans with nowhere to go.
[Gralyn, 1130]
Gaajpadje/Ea (1124 E667874-4)
The planet harbors a native sentient race, the J'aadje. The population of
Gaajpadje is governed by the Gaajpadje Oligarchs who rule the balkanized
city-states of the J'aadje Nations. Inhabiting a separate, eastern continent
of the world are the T'Kring, a militaristic human race. Tensions between
these two groups of inhabitants continue to run high, but the planet's oceans
are an effective barrier to large-scale warfare. [TNS, 1115]
Giirkha Girgi
Hero (or rather, main character) of an old vilani folk tale about a foolish
wandering explorer who found and entered an enchanted castle where he slept
for ten _kargukula_ (roughly 130 years). On returning to his village he found
his young fiancee on her deathbed surrounded by the children, grandchildren,
great-, great-great-, and great-great-great-grandchildren that could have been
his.
Girgi
Vilani name for a winkle. Named after the hero of an old vilani folk tale.
Gruut
Called kehe'ea in Trokh, gruuts are a small reptile herbivore with marsupial
features, found on several Aslan-inhabited worlds of Reavers' Deep.
Populations are known to exist on Oihoiei (Reavers' Deep 0230),
Khyaleiftaoaoher (Reavers' Deep 0332), Hrike (Reavers' Deep 0530), and
Hrealeiwea' (Reavers' Deep 0531). Adults grow to mass approximately 20kg.
Females lay clutches of eight eggs, which are incubated in large hip pouches.
Females typically eat one or more of their own eggs. This is an instinctual
reaction, and serves to keep the gruut population from exceeding the local
food supply.
Hatchlings are cared for by the mother until they are old enough to provide
for themselves, typically sixty standard days. Gruuts are nocturnal, and
their diet consists of watergrass and some small fruits. Domesticated gruuts
are rare, and do not make good pets.
H'Oskhikhil
A minor race indigenous to Storm/Riftdeep (Reavers' Deep 1404). H'Oskhikhil
are disk-shaped, typically .5 meters high and 1.5 meters across. Their
world's eccentric orbit has molded their lifecycle into two major phases: the
adult which, after reproducing, is consumed by the voraciously hungry
juvenile. This life cycle has kept the race from developing an enduring
technological society. Recently, however, the adults began constructing
armored, air-conditioned refuges where they can live to pass on their culture
and technology to the next generation.
Halo/Farift (Reavers' Deep 0805)
Halo is the site of one of the largest concentrations of readily exploitable
mineral ore and refinable gasses in the sector. The Halo system has five gas
giants and two metal-rich asteriod belts. Recently surveyed by the human
firm of Travis Commodities, the system is also the site of increasing mining
by the Aslan clan Khotoa'ya. To date, both parties have had equal access to
Halo's resources; however, Aslan have shown increasing hostility towards
miners in the employ of Travis Commodities. [TNS, 1116]
Hihlas (Reavers' Deep 1537)
Like many independent worlds in Reavers' Deep, Hihlas has an economy
dependent on a single product. Fickleweed, a migratory plant used for
perfumes and in the production of aquapur, a local liqueur known and prized
throughout the sector is this world's sole export. Over 90% of the population
lived in mobile grav homes imported from Soloman. When the recession struck
and the trade with Soloman failed, the population was forced to settle down
and convert to the cultivation of other crops. By 1128 the planet had
apparently weathered the crisis and stabilized at a tech level of 4.
[Gralyn, 1130]
Htalrea (Reavers' Deep 1226)
Htalrea is a primitive world, one of many undeveloped planets lying between
the Grand Duchy of Marlheim and the Confediracy of Dincinae. It is of
greatest interest to Aslan traders, and it's major export is risthscent.
Htalrea is the home of the risth, a large, dangerous predator whose scent
glands are a source for rare and expensive perfumes.
J'aadje
A non-human minor race native to Gaajpadje. They are small (adults mass 60kg
on the average), agile, golden-skinned bipeds. Their society is peaceful and
courteous, and they are likewise courteous toward off-worlders. J'aadje
civilization places lesser importance on technology, instead stressing
philosophy and the arts. Graceful and delicate artforms and workmanship of
high commercial quality are the norm, fetching excellent prices among
admiring off-world buyers.
Kamloops (Reavers' Deep 1531)
Independent world with minor mineral wealth plus some local fauna products
trading mostly with Collin's World. Having suffered from a depressed economy
with few areas for growth since 50 years after its inception, Kamloops economy
and technology shrank to levels it could be supported locally. Local
government is performed by a council of economic leaders. [Gralyn, 1130]
Khtearle (Reavers' Deep 1733)
Agricultural world split into a number of nations including a Gralynite coony
and several Aslan clan holdings. Suffered a slight decline due to the
recession, but seemed to be coping. [Gralyn, 1130]
Kremmling (Reavers' Deep 1636)
A company world still being assessed when the recession forced the company to
abandon the project. [Gralyn, 1130]
Lanyard Colonies
The Lanyard Colonies are a tight cluster of systems settled around 995 by
Solomani citizens. The Colonies have enjoyed Solomani support due to it's
good agricultural and aquacultural exports. The worlds of the polity are so
named by the first four governors of each main world.
The Solomani left the worlds pretty much to themselves until 1008, where they
started to take more interest in the cluster as a forward point in the deep.
This heavy interest peaked at 1096 and dropped gradually since then to the the
current date where the Confederation has only a token presence in the
Cluster. [CBNN, 1118]
Marion (Reavers' Deep 1832)
Marion is a forbidding world with a corrosive atmosphere. This same
atmosphere is also the source of a number of valuable organic compounds. The
recession threatened to make it impossible to maintain the technology needed
to survive on the planet, but in 1126 a company to continue atmospheric
extraction on the planet was formed with Rintarnan backing. The trade with
Rintarna enabled the inhabitants of Marion to buy the equipment they need to
survive. [Gralyn, 1130]
Mollh, Winchestur (578-644)
Winchestur Mollh (578-644) was described by some as a hero and others as a
rapacious scoundrel, By all accounts he was one of the richest merchant
princes in the history of Reavers' Deep. Specializing in the weapons trade,
Mollh would also willingly transport, no questions asked, anyone who could
pay his high prices.
One trademark scheme was to locate a raw material or manufacturing product in
jeopardy of being captured or overrun, and offer to buy it from its owner for
half its worth - arguing that a small price was better than having the goods
destroyed or confiscated. Mollh would then transport the goods to another
market for profitable sale, and repeat the cycle. His customers rarely
complained too loudly, because they needed his services, and was frequently
the only merchant willing or able to deliver as promised.
Mollh would deal in military weapons, frequently offering them to both sides
of a conflict. In one legendary scam, Mollh fenced several shipments of
stolen laser rifles. The weapons were partly dissassembled; Mollh repackaged
the rifles and sold them to one faction as semi-functional weapons, and the
missing circuits were sold to their opponents for spares.
Many worlds know Mollh as a philanthropist. During his lifetime, he donated
in excess of MCr115 to various charities in Reavers' Deep. After his death,
much of his huge estate was donated to advance the study of psionics.
Unusually enough for someone with as long and checkered a career as Mollh, he
died in space of natural causes. His homeworld was Sterling/Scotian Deep
(Reavers' Deep 1415), and a small memorial and museum exist there.
National Re-emergence
Social and political phenomenon seen on scores of solomani-settled planets in
the wake of the fall of the 2nd Imperium. During the 400 years or so that the
Rule of Man lasted a goodly number of the thinly settled planets in Delphi,
Diaspora, Massila, Old Expanses and Solomani Rim sectors were colonized from
Terra. Emigrants had a tendency to prefer planets where people of their own
ethnic and cultural background were already established. Nationalism as such
was an ill-favoured concept in the days of The Terran Federation and
continued to be under under the Rule of Man. Peaceful cultural
individualism, however, were not, and different groups usually coexisted
without any significant trouble.
But as the Twilight fell and The Long Night grew steadily darker, ethnic and
cultural sub-groups on scores of planets dug up old cultural differences and
used them as a rallying point to increase the group's sense of identity.
These reconstructed cultures were usually extremely romanticized, often
twisted almost beyond recognition, but all of them focused on a past glorious
grandeur and a coming similar glory for the group. Examples are the
inheritors of Scandia/Solomani Rim and the neo-germanics of
Funftreich/Diaspora. Often an old forgotten language was reconstructed and
made the national language, usually at the expense of the Anglic that had
been the universal language of The Terran Confederation and The 2nd Empire.
Many planets were renamed at the same time.
Many planets in the Domain of Deneb and beyond it were colonized by
neo-nationalists. When planets with a strong neo-nationalist background were
reintegrated into The 3rd Imperium there were usually groups that preferred
emigration to staying under the new regime. Thus Caledonia/Glisten was
colonized from Duncan/Alpha Crucis, Ghandi/Lanth from Cathay/Vega and
Olympia/Lunion from Athene/Ultima.
Opinions about neo-nationalism are sharply divided. On some planets it led to
a greater sense of community, prevented polarization of the society and
probably to a greater or lesser extent saved the planet from regression or
destruction. On others, especially planets with more than one dominant group,
it led to balkanization, wars and destruction.
Oba (Reavers' Deep 1635)
A world frequently ravaged by tides, earthquake, and volcanic eruptions.
Before 1115 a few hundred gem hunters made a living there, but the loss of
reliable off-world trade forced them to leave. [Gralyn, 1130]
Old Earth Union
Interstellar government from -1110 to 588 comprising Terra and the worlds
closest to her: Barnard, Calgary, Dismal, Ember, Fenris, Forlorn, Hades,
Heiphaistos, Inferno, Junction, Loki, Midway, Peraspera, Prometheus, Sirius
and Ys. Fleet bases were also maintained at Aggida, Markhashi and Meshan -
all within jump-3 of Terra - but these systems were not considered part of
the Union proper; Agidda was a balkanized world and thus unable to send
representatives to the Union Council and both Markhashi and Meshan had been
abandoned during the recession that followed the fall of the Rim Province in
-1690.
The Union was formed in -1110 out of the Terran Mercantile Community as a
response to worsening economic conditions. Although experiencing some
problems - a short, vicious tradewar with the newly formed Dingir League from
-1106 to -1098 put a severe strain on both sides - the Union proved strong
enough to defend itself from any serious threat during the rest of the Long
Night, and in 588 it was peacefully incorporated into the Imperium.
Pagosa (Reavers' Deep 1433)
A near-worthless planet inhabited by members of a cult of technological
renunciates. Most of the community, including their few tech 3 industries,
was burned down and over a hundred renunciates killed by reavers in 1129.
[Gralyn, 1130]
Peace of Ftahalr
The treaty that ended the Aslan Border wars (- 1118 to 380) and created a
30-parsec wide buffer zone between the Aslan Hierate and the Third Imperium.
This zone indirectly fostered the growth of many smaller interstellar
governments and resulted in many independent systems in Reavers' Deep.
Principality of Caledon
The largest independent, human-governed state in the sector, closely allied
with Imperial interests, residing in the Caledon and Scotian Deep subsectors.
It's government is a constitutional monarchy, and the Principality has
enjoyed a reasonably stable history. Often described as a commercial kingdom,
it is well-known for its great trading houses.
Raids of 1123 (Yim's Raids)
A series of highly destructive raids by Solomani fleets under the command of
Admiral Henri Yim. The raids blunted further expansion by Daibei into
Solomani territory, and crippled the Carrillian Assembly to such a degree that
it is unable to protect its own territory and has withdrawn from the war
entirely. [Gralyn, 1125]
Reavers
Name given to any of the petty warlords or pirates who have operated in
Reavers' Deep. Towards the end of Twilight, some of the less affected states
in outlying sectors turned to plundering old Terran Confederation worlds that
had lost interstellar ship technology. These plunderers were called Reavers
and differed from ordinary pirates in preying on whole worlds. This lent
their name a special horror that has clung to it down to modern days. Most
of the Reavers came from Dark Nebula, Alpha Crucis, Magyar, and of course,
Reavers' Deep.
Some historians hold that the Reaver era ended in -1118 when a Reaver fleet
from the Opljiok Defense League lost two thirds of its ships in an attack on
Jarslav. With the Aslans becoming ever stronger the various Reaver states in
Magyar and Dark Nebula grew unwilling to risk such losses.
On the other hand, the name continued to be applied to independent warlords
who, escaping with from the breakup or takeover of a small state with a few
working ships, could easily make their way into the Great Unknown and have a
good chance of dominating one or several primitive planets. Some of the most
notorious Reaver lords like Blackjack Duquesne, Orchid Lu Wu, and Grand
Admiral Izanak belong to the period from -1120 to -1000. During the latter
half of the Long Night it became usual to label any opponent a Reaver, thereby
justifying practically any treatment of that opponent.
Expansion by Aslan and Imperial interests into the region, culminating in the
Last Aslan Border Wars (circa 200-380), led to a lessening of the Reaver
presence, but in the aftermath of those wars the neutral strip of border
worlds in the Deep became havens for criminals and pirates such as Hellion
Murdoch and others of his ilk. To this day the Reaver name is sometimes
applied, often in a fanciful or romantic manner, to freebooters, pirates,
privateers, or, occasionally, to small interstellar states found in the area.
Reavers' Deep Sector
Pirates and petty warlords collectively referred to as The Reavers, dominated
this region of space during the Long Night. Expansion of the Aslan Hierate
and the Third Imperium into the sector ended Reaver activity, though the
numerous neutral worlds of the sector provide havens for pirates and
criminals to this day.
ZDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD?
3 Subsectors within the Sector 3
CDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDBDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDBDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDBDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD4
3 A 3 B 3 C 3 D 3
3 Farift 3 Riftdeep 3 Riftrim 3 Gulf 3
CDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD4
3 E 3 F 3 G 3 H 3
3 Hryaroaa 3 Scotian Deep 3 Caledon 3 Nightrim 3
CDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD4
3 I 3 J 3 K 3 L 3
3 Keiar 3 Ea 3 Drexilthar 3 Urlaggash 3
CDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD4
3 M 3 N 3 O 3 P 3
3 Uhtaa 3 Eakoi 3 Drinsaar 3 Fahinar 3
@DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDY
Riftgold
A metallic mineral compound found on several worlds in Farift and Gulf
subsectors of Reavers' Deep. Riftgold resembles gold ore when first mined,
but turns a dull brown after several months exposure to a standard atmosphere.
Riftgold has very limited commercial value and is used primarily a novelty.
Some Solomani belters have created an elaborate myth around riftgold, calling
it "djinn's gold" and attributing a period of bad luck to any who find it.
Rintarna/Drinsaar (Reavers' Deep 1933)
Originally colonized by Solomani during the Interstellar Wars, Rintarna has
tended to remain aloof of formal interstellar political ties. It has sizable
system defenses but no offensive fleet to speak of due to an extreme scarcity
of lanthanum in the system. Officially, this is why the organized raiders
that plagued Reavers' Deep and Daibei in the 1120's passed Rintarna by.
Unofficially, it is known that quite a large portion of the pirated goods
found their way to Rintarnan markets, after very flimsy laundering at nearby
freeports. In the early '20's by a combination of luck and good judgement, it
also managed to acquire the services of several starmerc bands and a number
of repairable warship hulls. With this new navy they were able to keep
important trade routes to Rintarna open as well.
At the present time, the Rintarna Trade Sphere comprises Rintarna itself,
Marion, Skeena, Lanixohn, and Esokhi. The latter two are still technically
members of the Carrillian Assembly, but the Assembly is currently suffering
from severe internal disorder, and rather than drain its resources allows
Rintarna to protect these systems. The Assembly Navy reserves the right of
free passage through these systems, however. Where most other worlds are in
recession, Rintarna's economy is booming. [Gralyn, 1130]
Soloman (Reavers' Deep 1538)
Imperial client state. When the Imperium pulled out their ships in 1119
Soloman took over the base facilities and were allowed to keep a few small
warships. They immediately started on an ambitious ship-building program in
an attempt to avert the recession. In 1123 they got into a short war with the
Carter Technocracy over trade concessions with Himalaya and were subject to a
nuclear bombardment that destroyed the starport and killed almost 400,000,000
in the bombardment and almost as many in the aftermath. At the time of the
Crash they were still trying to rebuild. [Gralyn, 1130]
Tehleikhoi
The Trokh phrase can be loosely translated as "Soldiers of the Falling Night"
or "Knights of the Setting Sun". Tehleikhoi is a highly regarded Aslan
mercenary company based in the Uhtaa subsector of Reavers' Deep. The company
owned by Iyhli, an unmarried female belonging to the Iyhlua clan. Typical of
mercenary companies found within the Aslan Hierate and Reavers' Deep sectors,
the company has been employed by other interstellar governments besides the
Aslan, but has often chosen sides in a war by the preferences of Iyhlua
diplomats. In this way they extend the clan's influence without directly
involving the clan in pheripheral conflicts. [TNS, 1107]
Tlaosierlahrau
Also known as tlaospice, tlao, or seasongold; a spice popular with both human
and Aslan gourmets. It is derived from the seed of tlaosier, a tree found on
Roakhoi/Ea (Reavers' Deep 1224). The golden seed kernels, when ground,
produce a fragrant, light seasoning for meat, soups, and stews. Because of
the scarcity of tlaosier, and the expense of shipping it, tlaospice commands
an impressive price in offworld markets.
Tlasayerlahel
Merchant corporation controlled by the Yehaso clan, a strong Aslan group in
Reavers' Deep. Tlasayerlaahel is a powerful company with many interests in
the Deep, among them the tlaospice trade with Roakhoi, the rithscent trade
with Htalrea, and some commercial contact with the natives of Gaajpadge, from
whom glasswares and other objets d'art are obtained. Tlasayerlaahel is
currently engaged in stiff economic competition with Caledon Ventures, of
Caledon/Caledon. [CVLIS, 1108]
Trokh
The language spoken by the Fteirle (Aslan). There are two major dialects of
Trokh, one spoken by females, and the other by males. Trokh also has two
different written forms, one for each gender.
Twilight
Modern historians consider Twilight to have begun in -1776 when the treasury
on Hub/Ershur refused to acknowledge a monetary issue from the branch treasury
at Antares. The end of Twilight is commonly accepted as the year -1526, when
the last governmental body claiming to be the Rule of Man ceased to exist.
Union of Harmony
A human polity on the spinward side of Reavers' Deep. The Union of Harmony
has applied to the Solomani Confederation for membership. The current
political climate in the Union is currently heavily pro-Solomani, much to the
detriment of their relations with their neighbors, the Aslan. And although
they are getting considerable Solomani support, most of their resources are
being spent defending themselves from increasingly hostile Aslan clans.
[Gralyn, 1130]
Venice (Reavers' Deep 1534)
A high-population waterworld with most of it's population living in floating
and seamount top cities. A source of TL8 electronics and bulk foodstuffs.
The planet was experiencing serious problems maintaining it's manufacturing
capabilities. While Venice is a popular traders stop, they do not maintain a
jump capable trading fleet. Expect basic services at the planets single Class
D starport. [Gralyn, 1130]
Virushi
A massive minor race hailing from Virshash/Urlaggash (Reavers' Deep 2724),
they are often described as "centaurs with tank blood" or "intelligent
bulldozers." Contrary to what their physical appearance seems to imply,
Virushi are pacifistic and (when talking in a standard atmosphere)
soft-spoken. They feel obligated to serve in the common good, but can not be
ordered to undertake actions against their will.
Additional Library Data
The players may discover data caches during their explorations. In order to
provide a little more interest and color to these events, the following
library data can be distributed to the players as they discover it.
Alison 'Hellion' Murdoch
A famous pirate or 'reaver' from the post-380 period. Although the subject
of many fanciful books and holo-dramas, Alison 'Hellion' Murdoch was also a
documented historical figure. He was killed when his ship _Black Widow_ was
destroyed with all hands during an engagement in 393 with superior Caledonian
forces under the command of Commodore Channing.
Carrillian Assembly
The second largest independent human-dominated political entity in the
sector. The Carrillian Assembly is a group of federated worlds joined for the
mutual regulation of trade, economic coordination, and common defense. The
capital of the Assembly is in the Carrillian Belt/Drexilthar (Reavers' Deep
2330). [CBNN, 1130]
Carrillian Assembly
The Carrillian Assembly is the second largest independent human-dominated
political entity in the sector. The Assembly is composed of a group of
federated worlds joined for the mutual regulation of trade, economic
coordination, and common defense. The administrative center of the Assembly
lies in the Carrillian Belt/Drexilthar (Reavers' Deep 2330). The Carrillian
Belt, like the Assembly, is currently in the grip of an increasingly
repressive police state. [TNS, 1115]
Carellines Ltd.
An expanding, profitable trading firm well known for its ability to turn a
profit, even under the most trying circumstances. Carellines has strong
political ties to the Carrillian Assembly, and has been occasionally able to
profoundly influence Carrillian Assembly policy to their benefit. [CBNN,
1115]
Gaajpadje/Ea 1124 E667874-4)
The planet harbors a native sentient race, the J'aadje. The population of
Gaajpadje is governed by the Gaajpadje Oligarchs who rule the balkanized
city-states of the J'aadje Nations. A valuable trade destination for gems,
handmade art objects, and collectibles. Gaajpadje is a non-aligned world, and
was rarely visited by humans. Caledon Ventures changed this when it opened
trade negotiations with the J'aadje in the early 1100s. [CVLIS, 1115]
K'Tring
Warlike humans inhabiting Gaajpadje's eastern continent. Descended from the
crash of a starship 2,000 years ago, the K'Tring are believed to be related
to an obscure sub-species of Drexithar. With a tech level of 6, the K'Tring
are currently planet-bound.
Loakhtarl
Aslan clan dating back to the original expansion by the Aslan off Kusyu in the
20th Century PI. Instead of competing with rival clans and humans on worlds
near Kusyu, the Loakhtarl went deep into Ealiyasiyw Sector to settle, thereby
gaining several centuries of relatively uncontested expansion before other
clans began to arrive in the neighbourhood. The Loakhtarl parlayed this lead
into control of nearly eight subsectors with the promise of gaining more.
Unfortunately, the tides of war turned against them, and by the time the Peace
of Ftahalr was signed in 380 the clan landholds were reduced to less than
four subsectors, all situated along the Hierate border in Ealiyasiyw sector.
The Loakhtarl managed to halt the decline and hold on to their remaining
territories until 1116 when the clan was thrown into a vicious dispute over
the succession to leadership of the clan between two sons of the previous clan
lord. This fight cost the clan heavily in both power and prestige and in 1119
they were attacked and nearly annihilated by a coalition lead by their
traditional enemies, the Raohkeil clan. The Loakhtarl homeworld, Ilekhakhe
(Ealiyasiyw 2828) was overrun and taken over by the Raohkeil and renamed
Oulktauw. The surviving Loaktarl fled and were scattered to the four corners.
[TNS, 1123]
Saie
A mysterious non-human starfaring civilization which vanished approximately
3,700 years ago. The Saie are believed to have been based in Caledon
subsector, but few details are known about them. Most of the existing
information is drawn from legends told by some of the sector's indigenous
minor races. One consistent feature is the aggressive, warlike nature of the
Saie. The search for further evidence of this culture has occupied the
interest of many of the Principality of Caledon's archaeologists.
Winkle
A person who has spent unusually long time (often several generations) in cold
sleep, mostly as a result of misjumping to somewhere far from a star system
and having to travel back to civilization by sublight drive. Named after the
hero of an old Solomani folk tale (see _Rip van Winkle_) Such people often
suffer severe psycological problems from being suddenly cut off from their
roots, everyone they knew dead, and the whole universe drastically changed.
Winkles often compensate by forming excessively tight loyalty bonds, either to
their fellow survivors or to the organization they were working for at the
time of their accident. Also called a girgi.
Referee's Information
The following additional notes and comments describe the current 'ground
truth' for many worlds described in the players' library data. This
information should not be freely available to the players, but should instead
be disseminated during the course of the game, as the players discover it.
Collin's World (Reavers' Deep 1631)
The world appears dead. It is possible that some scattered pockets of
humanity survives in some of the domes, but it's not very likely.
Danelag (Reavers' Deep 1136)
As of 1200 Danelag's UWP is E686889-5, the same as it was in 1130 and the same
as it was in 1115. The Hard Times rolled over Danelag like water off a duck's
back. The Crash likewise affected the planet very little. One day the
Outsiders just stopped coming (and some time later the grav cars stopped
working). The few score expatriates living on the planet at the time
eventually gave up waiting for rescue and married into the population, adding
a tiny amount of exotic genes to the local gene pool (the Racial Purity ideas
were lost within centuries of the first settlement), and life went on. And
now the Outsiders are coming back, to the not very great excitement of the
locals. 'Big deal' about sums up their attitude.
Drinsaar/Drinsaar (Reavers' Deep 2034)
The Carrillian elites started to rule the local population in feudalistic
domains, but were overthrown in a hard-fought revolution some 50 years ago.
The locals have established a representative government and have spent most of
the time since building and improving their industrial base. While not
xenophobic, they are fiercely independent and will act strongly against
threats of force.
Drinsaar Loop
Astrographic Data circa 1200
World Hex UWP B Trade Z PBG Al Stars HT
=============-====-=========--=-===============-=--===-==-=================-===
Pagosa 1433 E749276-0 Lo Ni B:0 300 Na K0V *
Ekaftouh 1434 X000000-0 As Ba 002 -- M0VI D*
Kamloops 1531 E242471-4 Ni Po B:5 710 Na G5V DM D*
Venice 1534 D35A764-4 Wa 114 Na M5III DM F
Hihlas 1537 E674502-3 Ag Ni 323 Na F0V DM DM
Soloman 1538 E897A75-8 Hi In B:E x1 202 Na M0V
Collins World 1631 X200000-0 Ba Va 004 -- DMDM F*
Brandon 1632 X337000-0 Ba 022 -- M5V
Aikhiy 1634 X5467A7-4 Ag 112 Na K0V
Oba 1635 X646000-0 Ba 013 -- M0V DM *
Kremmling 1636 X796000-0 Ba 022 -- M5V DM *
Himalaya 1638 X9D9000-0 Ba Fl 004 -- M0III F
Khtearle 1733 X595878-4 Rp B:A i1 114 Na K0V DM
Botany Bay 1734 D643543-5 Ni Po 210 Gu F5V
Gralyn 1735 B758848-9 111 Gu M0V K5VI
Daken 1830 X630000-0 Ba De 002 -- F3V
Banff 1831 X516000-0 Ba Ic 001 -- M5V F*
Marion 1832 X7B4000-0 Ba Fl 003 -- M5V
Rintarna 1933 X887876-5 Ri B:3 Rp 313 Na M0V
Skeena 2032 X799475-2 Ni B:A i2 403 Na M0V
Lanixohn 2033 X7C9000-0 Ba Fl 000 -- M0V *!
Drinsaar 2034 D885747-7 Ag Ri 102 Na K5V M5V
Esokhi 2133 X877574-2 Ag Ni Rp B:6 i3 405 Na F5V
=============-====-=========--=-===============-=--===-==-=================-===
Ekaftouh (Reavers' Deep 1434)
The system appears dead. As with Collin's World it is possible that some
pockets of humanity survives in some of the larger habitats, but it's not very
likely.
Hihlas (Reavers' Deep 1537)
The population has thrived and even grown a little. Fickleweed is harvested in
small amounts by helicopter, but only for home consumption. A valuable luxury
trade might be developed in time.
Kamloops (Reavers' Deep 1531)
The planet supports a short-lived population organized into clans based on old
industrial organizations. Humans only reach age about 30 before dying of
respiratory failure. One of the few computers sophisticated enough for the
Virus to strike ran the automated filter factory. The clans provide support
for children that the parents may not live to provide. Little else has
changed - the economy and tech level are still depressed.
Lajanjigal (Reavers' Deep 1721)
Lajanjigal, possessing a lo-tech, native population has not been affected by
the gyrations of the larger human, technical society with whom they had
little dealings. The world has not suffered a technologic decrease, or a
population decrease (or much of anything else) since the human Collapse.
Pagosa (Reavers' Deep 1433)
The renunciates have survived and even managed to regain their former
prosperity. They are not, however, very likely to have much worth trading
for, and have a generally xenophobic attitude.
Rintarna/Drinsaar (Reavers' Deep 1933)
Their very success in keeping the Hard Times at bay worked against Rintarna
when the Virus struck. Billions of people died and the survivors are still
struggling to climb back.
Soloman (Reavers' Deep 1538)
The Virus destroyed most of the industry Soloman had left after the Himalaya
War and ruined all the relief efforts. Large surface areas were never
decontaminated and is still radioactive. The planet was split into many
small city-states fighting over the remains.
wildstar@quark.qrc.com
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Science-Fiction Adventure
In Reavers' Deep