Darrians and Sword Worlds

[daryen]

Originally posted by MJD (in a different discussion group):
I'm prepared to answer the odd question about the setting, BTW. You want tidbits to ignite discussion? Ask....

As my chosen display name probably shows, my big question concerns the Darrians and Sword Worlds. With the Imperium/Regency imploding next to them, do either or both of them take the opportunity to shine, or does history pass them by?

The Darrians should be in a great position to do whatever they want. Their "great enemy" (the Zhodani) is pretty much a shell of its former self. The Sword Worlds are still in disarray. They still have their newly found TL16 technological base. And, they should still have decent relations with whatever Regency successors remain.

While they will likely not expand much (probably a top of 30 worlds or so), they should be able to cement their position for a long time to come.

They might even be in good enough position to make some small contribution to the expitionary forces sent out by the Regency/Regency successors.

The Sword Worlds, on the other hand, are in complete disarray. Some want a return to the "old ways", while others benefitted from the changes and wish to stay affliated with whatever successor there is to the Regency, and most are in the middle and just want to survive to disaster.

There just seems to be an incredible story just waiting to be told about the Sword Worlds and how the various factions therein try and pick up the pieces. (Whether they succeed or not, it should be a great story.)

Oh! Just had an evil thought! What if Moudray (from GT:BtC) was born later in the TNE timeline? He would be looking at a sector in disarray with only pockets of civilization. His two Droyne worlds would probably be "unsecured" and he would likely have six abandoned naval bases surrounding his worlds. The opportunities for a new super-droyne would be pretty limitless.

 

[kafka47]

Even if Moudray is not around, chances are his Children would inherit the same or similar traits...{shutter}

The return of the Ancients is an old theme in Traveller and not one I would really want to see resurrected but clearly MJD knows something is afoot with the Droyne that he is not letting us know...Liam can you help...

 

[daryen]

Originally posted by kafka47:
Even if Moudray is not around, chances are his Children would inherit the same or similar traits...{shutter}

The return of the Ancients is an old theme in Traveller and not one I would really want to see resurrected but clearly MJD knows something is afoot with the Droyne that he is not letting us know...Liam can you help...

Moudray is purely a GT invention, that has been dropped from GT. As a result, if a super Droyne is to be introduced, it can be done at any point in time. Likewise, there is no reason to expect him to be named "Moudray".

BTW, when I refer to bringing "Moudray" into the mix, I am in no way advocating a "return of the Ancients" storyline. I have no desire to see that. I am not suggesting the use of high technology (as it will still take Moudray quite a bit of time to figure them out), or even the recovery of Ancient technology or sites.

What I am suggesting is the sudden emergence of a super intelligent, massively powerful SuperSport Droyne who can organize and mobile the fractured Droyne into a potent force. The Droyne go from being a sideshow into being a major power that has direction, drive, and ambition.

I have no idea what their goal is (or goals are). I have no idea whether they are enemies of humaniti or not. Two things I do want, however, is to leave the Ancients themselves in the past and for them to use at most TL15 technology.

(BTW, TL15 technology should be more than enough. Who needs personal disintegrators when every single Droyne warrior is pretty much equivalent to a Zhodani Commando?)

 

[MJD]

Canon is divided about the Droyne in the New Era. ON one hand we have clear indications that they are up to something. On the other, Dave N stated that 'the Droyne are out of the picture'.

Moudray was a GT invention. For copyright reasons alone, that exact thread will not repeat inot M1248.

But that isnt to say that the Droyne are not going to feature. Even a new supersport would not = Ancients, it'd just be anbother potential Grandfather. OC, today's droyne are not the same as those Yaskoydray rose to lead....

 

[daryen]

Originally posted by MJD:
Moudray was a GT invention. For copyright reasons alone, that exact thread will not repeat inot M1248.

Too bad he looks to be a discarded GT invention. I would still like to hear what you and NAF were planning.

But that isnt to say that the Droyne are not going to feature. Even a new supersport would not = Ancients, it'd just be anbother potential Grandfather. OC, today's droyne are not the same as those Yaskoydray rose to lead....

Nor did Grandfather have to play in such a heavily populated playground. Plus it took Grandfather a long time to go from SuperSport to Ancient. Plus Grandfather was primarily interested in research.

A new SuperSport would be facing a totally different environment. And he could (and should) have a completely different set of goals.

Therefore, the results of a new SuperSport will be quite different from the Ancients. But it could still be quite interesting and dangerous.

Moving back in the discussion a bit, are you willing to give any informative (if cryptic) nuggets about the Darrians and Sword Worlds?

 

[MJD]

The actual composition of the three Regency Sucessor States is a little vague as yet:

The League of Deneb
The League of Spinward States
The Imperial Regency

One idea is for an alliance to be forced upon the Daryens and the Swordies, who finally manage to cooperate- after a fashion - to expand their holdings.

 

[daryen]

I guess the League of Spinward States could hold the Daryens and Sword Worlds who have to band together to gain enough "mass" to counterbalance either the Fourth Imperium and/or the reconstituted Zhodani Consulate.

Since neither party is horribly expansionistic, I imagine they could learn to work together as long as things are kept to a "confederation of confederation" level so that both parties can keep their sovereignty. (Or at least the appearance of it.)

(Yes, I know both have done "landgrabs" of sorts. But that was usually just to "reclaim what was ours" or some such. Both Confederations have remarkably stable borders.)

Just to add more interest, maybe the League can also include the emergent Droyne worlds of Andor and Candory. Neither the SW or Daryen had the psionic hangups of the Imperium, and the inclusion of the Droyne would allow all parties to spread their influence.

 

[daryen]

Then again, if you want to keep them separate, you could have the League of Spinward States include the Zhodani successors, some Vargr and the Sword Worlds. Then the League of Deneb could contain former Imperial worlds and the Daryens. That way the Leagues aren't continguous, leaving lots of adventuring potential.

Or, just to switch things up have the Zhodani successors and the Daryens be the LoSP and have the Sword Worlds join with the former Imperial worlds. Then let some Vargr join both sides. That lets things be more contiguous, but changes up the "historic" alliances.

 

[kafka47]

kafka writes:

I was thinking if the Daryens are "allowed" to keep their ultimate weapon of mass destruction in TNE. How long before they might become viewed as a threat by the INI who afterall would seriously be concerned if the Virus would get a hold of such a weapon and the destruction that could cause it middle of the Domain?

Such intrigues would certainly involve the highest level of diplomacy and may result in the Daryens shifting loyality away from the Domain. (as I believe Daryen space is still official listed as a Client State rather than a Pocket Empire...) Therefore, imperial actions may indeed turn Daryens into a rogue state forming an alliance with the Sword Worlds would be a natural recourse against the Imperial juggernaught. The Federation of Arden would also naturally see the potential for a greater alliance. I haven't read through G:Humaniti, yet. But, it is certain that Daryens are up to something bigger than the Star Trigger.

Message recorded in Regina Starport shortly before the author was apprehended by a few thugs dressed in black suits. Current whereabouts, unknown...

 

[robject]

Interesting ideas, Daryen and MJD. I think the whole setting sounds fascinating.

I can easily see Darrian starting an expansion of influence, especially in the guise of (1) research and (2) aid + trade. And I can see the Sword Worlds reclaiming the Border Worlds plus one parsec as a buffer. I think the Entropic Worlds would constantly be a sore point. It would be alarming indeed if the two largest, strongest powers in the Spinward States are also mutually antagonistic, and neighbors to boot.

If there were Chriper worlds in the 5 Sisters, I can also see Andor and Candory effectively converting those worlds into colonies very quickly, and if those Naval depots are really understaffed or abandoned, the Droyne are natural successors, one way or another. And if there really is a Super-Sport emerging... well... that would be scary.

There is already, effectively, a "loose cohort" of Spinward States, isn't there? I mean, past and present, there's lots of material to draw from: Darrians, Swordies, Arden, the Droyne Worlds. And then, there's also independents in the Vilis subsector (Garda-Vilis?), Uniqua and Garoo, potentates in or near D268 (Trexalon, Iderati et al). Some of these might be able to grab a world, or at least extend influence a parsec or two. It amounts to a cluster of pocket empires packed with some loose debris of Wilderness. It could consume D268, and extend all the way to the Lesser Rift in Lanth. And perhaps beyond that -- after all, Ruie is independent too.

As for the other two 'states', well, Deneb is absolutely huge, an entire sector. It's hard to come to grips with it, because there's so many UWPs but so little information. That'll be hard to digest.

 

[daryen]

The Darrians and Sword Worlds don't have to be enemies, as Kafka mentions.

For the most part, both just want to keep their own little domains. Neither particularly wants to expand a whole lot, just enough to protect themselves.

Imagine this: The Darrians and Sword Worlds strike a deal.

The Darrians get undisputed rights to the demilitarized Entropic cluster (since they've now had them for over a century) and undisputed domain over the worlds in the Darrian subsector (Garoo, you're screwed: join or be isolated).

In return, the Darrians actively assist the Sword Worlds in reclaiming their lost worlds, including *all* of the Border Worlds, the former Metal Worlds and even Margesi.

Once that is reclaimed, the Sword Worlds retain the rights to expand coreward and trailing as necessary, and the Darrians retain the rights to expand spinward and rimward as necessary.

I could easily see the Sword Worlds work to include Vilis and Tanoose (they could easily be willing participants) and the Darrians work to include some of the coreward planets in the Five Sisters subsector. At the very least, I would see massive looting of the naval bases at Iderati, Karin, Jone and Mirriam.

The latter effort could result in either conflict with or inclusion of the Droyne worlds. (I would like to think it would result in their inclusion in the League.)

I am not saying such an alliance would be smooth and frictionless. 1500 years of bad feelings take a while to get over. But if the Darrians offer a hand of cooperation, if not outright friendship, for a moderately small price (basically the Entropic worlds), the Sword Worlds might just jump on it.

 

[kafka47]

Actually, if you read carefully, I see the real basis for an alliance of some sort forming between the Sword Worlds and the Darrians. Especially, in the TNE milieu when the Imperium and the Consulate are patching up relations in preparation for the Empress Wave.

Naturally, the "big powers" (Domain & Consulate) feel that they could push around the smaller powers but in doing so create the fracture in the Imperial-Darrian alliance.

With Quartine Zone cutting a wide swath into Chartered Space and the subsequent rise of a Fourth Imperium will be interesting dramas, to see how they play out. MJD hinting at a greater role for the Droyne seems also intriguing. It would seem that the Darrians would also distrust the Droyne due to their psionics but maybe a racial memory would welcome them.

I think it is time for more hints from MJD about Milieu 1248...

 

[MJD]

What do you want NOW?????

 

[kafka47]

Originally posted by MJD:
What do you want NOW?????

Moved the thread over to another part of the TNE forum. Which you answered earlier...

But essentially perhaps you could outline wbat you see as the connection between the Spinward States and their fellow-travellers in former RC territory? Where do the Darrians and others fall into place.

I think this would be an appropiate source of discussion for this thread.

 

[daryen]

Another thing to consider is, from what you have written before, your primary concern is the overall story. Your focus is also on the Fourth Imperium, and those who directly contribe to its formation.

The Marches in general, and the Darrians and Sword Worlds in specific, mostly fall outside that scope. Consequently, I don't expect to see a whole lot written about either in the M:1248 sourcebook. (BTW, this isn't a criticism. This is the reality of xx pages with >>xx pages worth of material to draw from.)

Therefore, maybe you could go into a little more detail regarding the Darrians and Sword Worlds than you otherwise might, as you won't necessarily be spoiling things for the sourcebook.

As an added plus, if you do this right (and I have no doubt in your ability to do so), you can set up some reasonable expectations in your readers here that will be completely wrong!

For example, even if you describe who is in the League of Spinward States (assuming I picked the right one), and how they relate to the other League and the Regency, that really doesn't tell much of the overall story until you know who is in them. It also doesn't tell (assuming an adversarial relationship) who has the upper hand.

 

[MJD]

Most of these things are not yet clear, even to me. As mentioned they're outside the scope of what I'm developing.

 

[daryen]

Originally posted by MJD:
Most of these things are not yet clear, even to me. As mentioned they're outside the scope of what I'm developing.

Bummer. That's what I had feared.

OK, since the Spinward Marches is outside the scope of what you are developing (which, as I mentioned above, is quite reasonable) for the M:1248 sourcebook, are you only going to do some very broad strokes, or do you plan on eventually covering it?

Might that not be a good subject for a TA? If so, need some help on the Darrian part ... ?

 

[MJD]

I saw that one coming.

I'll be covering it in some broad strokes in the 1248 book.

Later Cluster Books might deal with the are in depth if there is interest. Or a TA, or both.

 

[daryen]

Originally posted by MJD:
I saw that one coming.

I'll be covering it in some broad strokes in the 1248 book.

Well, hey, not everyone can resist.

I guess I will have to wait for M:1248 and then pitch ideas I have then.

 

[MJD]

Well, when the time comes I'll look forward to some useful input then!