All Things Vargr

[G. Kashkanun Anderson]

The expansion into the Vilani Imperium, with governors equipping and using Vargr mercenary bands may be an exception, rather than a rule, because with interstellar populations, you'd surely find enough candidates to fill your security forces ranks.

The Vargr recruiting occurred in Corridor and Provence Sectors, right around the time that the Ziru Sirka was just past its prime, but not obviously in decline yet. Think early Third Century Rome. It's also worth noting that Vilani-Vargr interaction was happening in exclusively Makhidkarun Bureau space throughout the entire First Imperium period. Makhidkarun evolved from Vland's old noble castes, and I imagine that put a certain tenor to their leadership culture. The local human population might have come to the conclusion that certain jobs were 'beneath' them, particularly in a society who's sense of obligation is fraying on the edges, and if another group of outsiders is seen as filling in those gaps.

The Vilani must have been exceptionally weak, and lack the capability of self defence if the Vargr managed to overrun them, after which the Vargr should have been attritioned through any number of revolts and insurgencies.

The Vargr had about a thousand years to chip away at the Ziru Sirka in Provence, Corridor and Deneb Sectors. With a time frame like that, you can overrun the Vilani with simple demographics. And the Vargr also had the technological advantage after -2725, when they acquired Jump-3 (and God knows what else) from the Zhodani.

As for the rest of the Extents (Meshan, Mendan, Gashikan and the like), the Vargr didn't cross over the Coreward side of the Windhorn Rift until after about -2400. Imperial authority was seriously curtailed in the Coreward provinces by then, and there really wasn't any centralized authority to oppose Vargr expansion in the region until the founding of the First Empire of Gashikan in -1784. Once Gashikan got its act together via the genocidal Second Empire, the Vargr in the region were at the pointy end of a full-blown extermination campaign until the rise of the Julian Protectorate in the 100s.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Startown, or Who Let The Dogs Out?

It's inevitable that at some point, Vargr make their way to the regional downport. They may be there to admire the lines of starships, but their real goal is to wander through the streets and alleyways of the startown that is growing around the downport.

While many other species perceive startowns as seedy and dangerous agglomerations of buildings randomly placed in no discernible pattern, except that it forms a natural bowl, with increasingly higher complexes sprouting out of a mostly barren ground, the further from the landing site they are, for the Vargr, they are magical goblin markets and brilliant bazaars bursting with any merchandise they may desire at mostly reasonable prices. It's fair to say, startowns are the shopping malls for the Vargr, where hey can let loose. Or looser.

While anything tends to go, and does, in the startown, there is the one golden rule that no one (or more specifically, no Vargr) may be permanently injured from their sojourn there. They can, but they can't just be killed. If a Vargricide occurs within the municipal boundaries, the local law enforcement comes down like a tonne of bricks. So, if you need to kill someone, do it outside their jurisdiction.

Most Vargr merchants rarely question the origin of goods that are brought to them for purchase, nor are buyers supposed to press too closely for that of goods that are presented for sale, or if they have to specially request uncommon items, how they will be acquired.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Wear and Tear, Rebuild and Repair

If you accept that the Vargr prefer to recycle machinery, and keep it going as long as possible, then the preventative maintenance rules from TNE would seem very complimentary.

Machinists and mechanics might even be the equivalent of a Vargr priesthood, as their understanding of machinery and capability of keeping functioning ensures the continuation of Vargr civilization. Or maybe, closer to the sacred smith, who the gods endowed with the knowledge of metallurgy, and the creation of weapons and tools.

So unlike our more modern disdain of craftsmen, the Vargr might be more inclined to revere and/or appreciate their trades, as compared to more white-collar occupations like accountancy and law.

The pinnacle of this pyramid might be the starship engineer.

It should be noted this is a parallel hierarchy, not really in competition with with more combat orientated specialists, or politics.

 

[Timerover51]

Are you interested in what rations the Vargr might need to operate or not?

 

[Condottiere]

Sure; everyone's free to post.

 

[Timerover51]

Sure; everyone's free to post.

Your thread, your rules.

 

[Condottiere]

Rule one: if you have a sudden epiphany about the Vargr, or other races view of them, or have an observation to share, you must post it in this thread.

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Art or Science

So I identified three skills that I don't think you should really fool around with, Astrogation, Engineering, and Medical, because, you know, the results can actually be catastrophic with no recourse and the Vargr should be conscious of this.

For medicine, I think there is space for homeopathy. What could be fatal, is a Vargr who believes he's an expert on alien biology and medicine, since they won't dismiss alternative cures out of hand. For chiropractors, not all species bones bend the same way, and for Vargr acupuncturists, pressure points aren't always on the same spot. For Vargr, treatment might be a mix of both conventional medicine, and stuff that always worked for their ancestors.

Astrogators and Engineers might undergo apprenticeships, where they are taught all the tricks of the trade and traditions, but the difference with other trades would be, the emphasis that unless there's an emergency with no options, there's little room to innovate.

If you play Vargr as a bunch of enthusiastic artists within their choice of professions, results can be mostly normal, but with the potential of being spectacularly successful, and occasionally catastrophic. This matters less when doing stuff where you have enough time and space to recover, like piloting.

Coming across a lot of lifeless starships drifting in the merciless void, probably convinced the Vargr that little latitude exists for artistic expression in hyperspace jumps.

 

[Timerover51]

The following data comes from the QUARTERMASTER SUPPLY IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERA'TTONS: Volume II, Subsistence, APPENDIX XXV RATIONS FOR DOGS 23 November 1943.

One-Day Ration for 70--90-pound Animal Performing Guard Duty
Quantity are in Ounces

Meats: Beef, boneless, frozen (boiling and stewing) 12.0, Fish, canned (1) 4.0

Milk, whole, dry 2.0 (2)

Vegetables: Tomatoes, canned 1.0, Cabbage, canned 1.0, Carrots, canned 1.0, Spinach, canned 1.0

Cereals: Wheat, whole 1.33, Oats, rolled 1.33, Cornmeal 1.34

Miscellaneous: Salt .25, Cod Liver Oil (Halibut or Shark) .25

TOTAL: 40.50

(1) Salmon 50%, Mackerel 50%.

(2) Two ounces powdered whole milk, when reconstituted, is equivalent to 16 ounces liquid milk. This item is computed as 16 ounces in determining total weight.

Per original Library Data, the typical Vargr are 1.6 meters in height and weigh about 60 kilograms or 132 pounds. As the rations assume a 70 to 90 pound animal, the easiest estimate is double the ration, which would be a bit conservative, but better to err on the high side. Unlike the Aslan, the Vargr would be willing to eat canned and processed food. You could have the cereals be eaten in the form of biscuit, containing additional needed minerals and vitamins, along with the fish oil.

Note, because of the high meat requirement, two-thirds of the solid foods in the diet, this could make living off of the land difficult depending on the planet.

 

[Condottiere]

Aslan aren't prides of cats.

Vargr aren't packs of dogs.

K'Kree aren't a herd of paranoid panicky horses.

Hivers aren't spiders spinning a web of conspiracies.

Humans aren't subject to tribalism.


Can't say I know much of nutrition, though I'd say they must have evolved to tolerate whatever was available on Lair. I suppose they eventually did learn to cook it.

Fresh steak has to be a good export item to heavily industrialized and inhabited Vargr worlds.

 

[Timerover51]

Aslan aren't prides of cats.

Vargr aren't packs of dogs.

Hard to say exactly how far from the grey wolf the dire wolf was, but based on the Tar Pits at Rancho Le Brea, they did eat a fair amount of carrion. I am basing the nutrition on the best possible analogue.

K'Kree aren't a herd of paranoid panicky horses.

Horses do not feed their young partially digested pap. The K'kree digestive system has to be somewhat similar to a cud-chewing herbivore, given the
manner of feeding their young. I cannot remember if they are cud-chewers or not. Cud-chewing herbivores have a more efficient digestive system than horses and none cud-chewing herbivores, so can survive on lower quality fodder.

Hivers aren't spiders spinning a web of conspiracies.

Humans aren't subject to tribalism.

I am not sure if I would agree with the "Humans aren't subject to tribalism" comment.

Can't say I know much of nutrition, though I'd say they must have evolved to tolerate whatever was available on Lair. I suppose they eventually did learn to cook it.

I would argue, as I have in another thread, that the Ancients terraformed Lair much more than Vland so as to make it easier for the Vargr to survive and flourish. The food requirements of a near-carnivore are quite a bit more restrictive than an omnivore human.

Fresh steak has to be a good export item to heavily industrialized and inhabited Vargr worlds.

Most definitely, and do not forget the fish either. I can also imagine a very lucrative trade in live animal shipments to the Vargr area for feasts. These could be Coladan Marsh Pigs, Gram Bisonoids, Victoria Kudebeck's Gazelle, or Miniphants, but for the most spectacular banquets, nothing but freshly roasted K'kree is demanded.

 

[Condottiere]

There actually is a television show called Salvage Dawgs, which you'd think would be the designation of a career choice in Traveller.

And you can imagine, that the Vargr Captain when taking off, gives just one order, "Mush."

 

[mike wightman]

Do merchants make a fortune shipping fruit, nuts and berries to human worlds...

Vargr are not dogs, or wolves, they were genetically modified 300,000 years ago and are as far removed from their genetically uplifted ancestors as we are from homo heidelbergensis.

 

[Condottiere]

That's true, they look more like furries.

But apparently they like hanging around in packs, whereas furries prefer conventions.

 

[The Pakkrat]

That's true, they look more like furries.

Say that to my character, Gevaudan Cannagrrh and you might note how Vargr Sonic Rifles are similar to Imperium Stunners.

Jus' sayin',

From the Editorial desk at Serue (Knoellighz 1221), this is the Pakkrat.

 

[aramis]

There actually is a television show called Salvage Dawgs, which you'd think would be the designation of a career choice in Traveller.

And you can imagine, that the Vargr Captain when taking off, gives just one order, "Mush."

Your Play an Alien permit just got revoked for humor-versioning the Vargr... :coffeesip:

 

[Condottiere]

Vargr: Hierarchy

While the Vargr do prefer a flatter hierarchy, groups do tend to have a clear internal pecking order.

Vargr prefer to belong to large groups, or pack leaders prefer to attach themselves to bands with a large number of packs, all other things being equal. As long as either the pack leaders and the band commanders can look after the needs of their followers, the larger number in the groups tends to ensure a minimal supervision or the temptation to micromanage, or meddle in, over each subgroup. As long as everything seems to be running smoothly.

Packs tend to be task organized, though these teams (rather than squads, since it implies cooperation rather than coercion) may be come semi-permanent, and eventually devolve into factions and cliques. Good pack leaders recognize the danger of these developments, both to the pack as a whole, and to them as the pack leader in particular. So good management is to keep the team membership dynamic without alienating the pack members.

Band commanders have a more delicate job of keeping the pack leaders in line, and at each other's throats, without endangering the band or the successful and efficient completion of any mission.

 

[Murph]

Re-reading Vilani and Vargr it seems even more unlikely that the Vargr could have become the major player they are. It looks like Vargr ships are TL 13 vs TL 14+ for the others shown in the alien books. They have the lowest tech levels of the major races. So it beggars imagination that they could be any sort of credible threat to either the Imperium or the Zhodani except as flea bites. I'd post more but it is a pain to type on the iPad.

 

[Condottiere]

While I spotted some tech level fifteen, I tend to think that's a mistake, with only the core worlds of a Vargr interstellar polity being able to maintain, barely, tech level fourteen.

 

[Murph]

Yeah, I think the average Vargr TL should be 12/13 at best with the average at TL 11. V&V seems to indicate that the Vargr culture/psyche tends to slow them down since long term advancement tends to fracture in the face of charisma.

While I spotted some tech level fifteen, I tend to think that's a mistake, with only the core worlds of a Vargr interstellar polity being able to maintain, barely, tech level fourteen.