A Day in the Life... of a Traveller

[Spinward Scout]

A Day in the Life... of a Traveller

I'd like to work on something like this. Just 24 hours before Jump, starting with the ship at a Starport. Everything they do along with the dice rolls they have to make.

How many things could happen (and go wrong) in 24 hours? Should I avoid Combat?

Nah!

Any ideas?

 

[whartung]

Should I avoid Combat?

Yes.

The odds of you being in the hospital after combat are pretty high. Having to recuperate for a week in jump with little more than a steward and a first aid kit, is probably unwise.

Just go pack your kit and go out drinking.

 

[AtlanticFriend]

Things that could go wrong in the last 24 hours :

- Last minute decisions and administrative conundrum,
- fellow Travellers in hurry to leave the planet for entirely mundane reasons non-related to local gangs or authorities,
- passengers trying to sneak contraband in the ship,
- flight and jump schedules mix-ups,
- spaceport going into lockdown,
- increased customs activity at the jump point,
- crewmembers suddenly getting ill and oddly-convenient replacements showing up,
- accidents occuring at the spaceport and calling for urgent repairs/maintenance
- ship or Travellers showing up on the spaceport authority watch list
- food poisoning at the local bar
- mercs late in activating their repatriation bonds/deploying for their assignment
- internet drama resulting in the doxing of the Travellers' ship
- and many, many, MANY more...

 

[Timerover51]

How many things could happen (and go wrong) in 24 hours?

Well, if you roll once an hour for things to pop up, then there are at least 24 possibilities for something to go badly wrong. How badly wrong might depend on the Law Level of the planet, the state of war or peace, and the xenophobia of the planet

On my planet of El Paso, an overly hot bowl of chili might just do the trick. See Ray Stevens "Texas Chili Cookoff" for some ideas.

Or a visit from the Space Vikings trying to grab the grounded ship that you are supposed to lift off on.

 

[Grav_Moped]

Probabilities add up

Routine actions shouldn't need rolls.

Small probabilities add up when you roll enough times.

If you keep the consequences of mishaps/misadventure low, you can get a decent and possibly amusing narrative out of it. The problem is that Traveller generally doesn't do low-consequence events...

 

[Fovean]

Small probabilities add up when you roll enough times.

This.

There’s probably a D66 table somewhere that can give you a few ideas although there have been quite a few good ones presented already.

Don’t make the players roll dice until they absolutely have to. In the meantime, just mildly complicate their goals and they will do the rest :devil:

 

[Spinward Scout]

Well, if you roll once an hour for things to pop up, then there are at least 24 possibilities for something to go badly wrong.

Yes, of course! I'm thinking about this too late at night.

I could even have some things happen in 15 minute increments. But that could make 96 things happen and I know I don't want that much. But mixing it up might give me other ideas.

Thanks for the great ideas everybody!

 

[mike wightman]

You awaken in your cheap starport room with vague recollection of the night before and a mouth that tastes of [roll d6 insert table of choice]. Someone is banging on the door and they are shouting...
"Charlize, Charlize, I know you are in there, get out here now"
[Ref note - change name if character is called Charlize]

Do you look for Charlize, turn up the TV to drown out the noise, tell the guy to go away, engage him in conversation through the door, or open the door...

 

[Timerover51]

You awaken in your cheap starport room with vague recollection of the night before and a mouth that tastes of [roll d6 insert table of choice]. Someone is banging on the door and they are shouting...
"Charlize, Charlize, I know you are in there, get out here now"
[Ref note - change name if character is called Charlize]

Do you look for Charlize, turn up the TV to drown out the noise, tell the guy to go away, engage him in conversation through the door, or open the door...

Shoot through the door before opening.

Actually, if you really want to make your players worried, just keep rolling dice behind a referee's shield. You are not really rolling for anything, but watch the fun start.

 

[Enoki]

Don't forget things like:

-You get pickpocketed and your boarding pass, wallet, and papers are nowhere to be found. The police tell you you can't leave until they get a full report, etc.

-You pick the wrong dive bar for cheap drinks. A fight ensues, the police arrest everyone including you. They'll sort things out on Wonday, three days from now...

-The ship is supposed to have left like half-a-day ago but is still loading cargo that showed up late.

-The ship is delayed in take off due to weather, meteor shower, incoming space traffic, or whatever. They are offering free drinks at the onboard bar but it'll be hours (turns into a day or more, of course) before space traffic control will let the ship leave.

-A passenger(s) recognizes you (or a party member) from some previous transgression that is serious enough that it results in physical assault to gunfire... This might result in the local police, etc., showing up to end the violence with violence.

-The planet you are on is say law level 11 (B) and it is taking 8 to 12 hours to process each traveler / passenger through customs and immigration before you can board. The ship leaves in six hours...

-A critical crew member (or members) quit just before you are supposed to leave, leaving the ship unable to depart... or it departs with unskilled crew doing these jobs (think 99% chance you're going to mis-jump). You find out somehow. Do you go anyway?

-The system is low security / law level and low population. A roving band of pirates show up in the system. The starport defenses are adequate to fend them off, but a merchant trying to jump out of the system? Not so much...

-There's room for say 20 passengers on the ship you booked for your jump out system. The captain overbooked and there 30 people have shown up for the flight...

 

[Spinward Scout]

Wow, some of those are just screwing the characters.

 

[whartung]

Wow, some of those are just screwing the characters.

You should watch Plane, Trains, and Automobiles someday.

 

[Spinward Scout]

You should watch Plane, Trains, and Automobiles someday.

I have. Some of it was filmed nearby.

 

[Spinward Scout]

Frak it! I think I'll just hang out at T.G.I. Fiday's all day untill they close. I have to stop drinking early this time. Don't want to be drunk at Launch.