Far Frontiers Gateway sector

[Murph]

I have gotten the Traveller campaign up and running, we have a sector roughly 2,500 parsecs from the Terran sector where a wormhole allowed people to come in, and since worlds were generally easier to colonize, they were. Populations are in the 1-400 million range with most on the smaller side. There are roughly 28 worlds, Jump 2 is the standard, with Jump 3 just coming into play on the five TL 12 worlds. There is no sector government, each world is either a single entity or balkanized. There are four types of colonies: The planned national colonies- New Joseon, Asgard, New Canberra, New Caledonia (also Utopian), New Medina, Provincia do Brazil, the Utopian colonies like New Texas (over the top stereotypical Texas), Friedland (where the men wear monocles, and the women do too! Stereotypical Imperial Germany 1888-1912 time frame) Xin Zhongguo (Chinese Empire roughly 1400-1600) Freedonia (think Marx Brothers Duck Soup, capital is Nacogdoches) and some others. The essentially "penal colonies" such as Marduk, Esperanza, Nuevo Sol, Hyboria. Then there are the "we just settled here, so leave us alone"- Ultima Thule, New Drakkensburg, Sulawesi, Sutekh, etc. Hades Station, run by and for criminals, a very neutral ground. Dunwich, a very wierd and odd place with LOTS of secrets.

Roughly twice a week I get a newsletter out detailing what is going on in the sector. Right now New Caledonia is in the midst of a civil war, there are aliens being discovered, organized crime is being active, and such. The players are eager for each newsletter which comes out. PCs can and do influence things. Character Gen is Cyberpunk 2020, but after you get a basic character you run through the Traveller character gen for color, and every time you get a "skill" it gives you one point to add to the Cyberpunk skills (I have added extras so it is more Traveller feeling). So once you get a basic character rolled and have skill points to allocate, you decide Mercenary, High Guard, Scouts or Merchant career path.

Anagathics ala David Weber Honor Harrington are available. Ship design is strictly High Guard with the only change is that fuel is 5% instead of 10%, and all M drives can go up to 6g's accel.

 

[Murph]

Right now, we have just finished a major plot point, and the characters are sweating blood over the possibility that the GNS (Gateway News Service) might release the Excalibur Files which detail a lot of things the PCs did, and would cause much consternation, and/or potential criminal charges against the PC's so they are looking to recover the data from where it is hidden. The Hivers and Vargr have just been met, as have the Aslans. The local aliens which I developed, a humanoid race that has taken to Baseball with an almost religious fervor are starting to move out into the tradelanes.

 

[Murph]

From the latest newsletter:
301-2506 Gateway News Service- Marduk

The Enclave of New Podunk has seen extensive building ongoing to repair the damage done by the fighting. The Hampton-Hilton Arms hotel, which had been the scene of some of the heaviest fighting has now re-opened, and is ready for guests. As our readers know there was a massive shoot out which occurred before the late great unpleasantness where two people a man and woman were ambushed in the lobby, and took out the attackers with heavy fire. The Heirs of D68G have claimed responsibility for that incident.

The grand re-opening was held, and local notables, as well as members of the Occupation Force leadership were on hand for the dedication. A large floral display was part of the general festivities, and it had the cryptic dedication: To my favorite Hotel on Marduk from Biddle, and in smaller type: "Me Too ♥". This has caused some consternation as to who had sent it, since the florist stated that they had gotten a remote order, completely paid for by credit chip. The order was completely anonymous.

 

[gchuck]

Anagathics ala David Weber Honor Harrington are available.

As in, universally available, and negligible expense? That's the way it should be done!

Takes the edge off perpetual ruling classes.

BTW, what's ur time line?

 

[Murph]

Right now it is the year 2506.

 

[Murph]

Another entry, they have just encountered the Droyne
308-2506 Gateway News Service- Lan Gu

BREAKING NEWS! Alien Contact has occurred as a merchant vessel of a previously unidentified race has jumped into this system. Contact was made by the aliens via a mathematical code in order to attempt communication. The aliens are smaller than humans and appear somewhat bird like. The Imperial Navy Frigate梅花 Méihuā (Plum Blossom) of the Alien Life Form (ALF) war fame made contact with the aliens

The aliens appear to be merchants looking to trade goods. We are told that they call themselves the Dryone. Their ship appears to be TL 10 with jump 1 drives. Their ship is a 400 ton vessel of unique design. The Droyne appear to able to consume human food stuffs, but have shown a fondness for the funga sausage which was sent over by the crew of the Meihua (Plum Blossom).

First Contact protocols are in effect in the system. The Droyne do not appear to be dangerous, but instead do appear to be desirous of trade. They told the Meihua that their homeworlds are jump 8 down the jump one chain from Lan Gu. They have told the crew of the Meihua that their homeworlds are one system with five inhabitable worlds in a rosette configuration.

 

[Spinward Flow]

their homeworlds are one system with five inhabitable worlds in a rosette configuration.

Whut ...

 

[kilemall]

Whut ...

Red zone police on the way.

 

[Murph]

The Ancients played with worlds like toys.

 

[Murph]

303-2506 Gateway News Service- Hades Station



A blow out occurred in Section 8, ring 4 causing some casualties as the seals around an airlock anchored into the rock of the station crumbled causing a blow out which, fortunately for the station, emergency doors were able to isolate the area preventing further damage to the station. Section 8 is one of the older areas of the station, and was scheduled for upgrade and replacement of many of the old airlocks which were placed in rock and sealed with quick set plastic back when the station was first built.

The ongoing upgrades are moving quickly, but some areas are requiring more work than others, and the old external airlocks are proving to be more of a problem for work crews than had been previously anticipated. Section 8 Ring 4 is a mostly unused area, but there are always lurkers about in the area, and so casualties are estimated at between 50-100 people who were in the area when the airlock blew away from the station.

The airlock was moving away from the station when it impacted a free trader, causing damage to the ship, but emergency services crews were able to corral the debris and bring it back to the station. The Free Trader Amberian Dawn was taken to a repair bay where technicians checked the ship for damage, and were able to conduct the minor repairs needed on the ship.

Station Security was able to enter the area quickly, but found no survivors due to the explosive decompression. Forensic teams have concluded that there were no signs of any foul play, and the station engineer examined the area determining it was just age and rock decay which caused the airlock to blow out. A temporary seal has been placed over the area, which had to be more extensive due to the rock being crumbling and the area is being re-pressurized so that crews can work without Vacc suits.

The ruling Oligarchy has, in light of this issue, scheduled more mandatory emergency drills for all residents of Hades Station. Also all businesses and offices are required to confirm that their emergency seals are in good condition, and that they have rescue suits available as needed. Station Security has been directed to get an estimate of the Lurkers, and to remove them from the dangerous areas by any means necessary, and to stick them on the first ship to somewhere else as well, cold sleep.

Current estimates are that there are anywhere between 1,500 and 4,000 Lurkers who form the underground economy, perform odd jobs for enough cash to live on, and occupy older, worn down parts of Hades Station where no one really cares about what happens to them, as long as they leave the rest of the station alone. Most are scavengers, and it is possible that they were scavenging some of the minerals in the rock, which caused the weakness that finally caused the airlock seals to fail. At random intervals Station Security conducts a crack down on the Lurkers, which stops the problems they cause for a short time, before they go back to normal.

 

[Murph]

One of the TL 12 worlds:
Xanadu 世外桃源 Shìwàitáoyuán (A776836-C) Hi Ri In K3V M5V

Alpha System:

Planet 1: Alph C744564-A A hot, swampy world, rich in organic material and mineral resources.

Planet 2 Xanadu- A776836-C; System Capital World

Planet 3 Khan LGG, orbited by Karakorum B985486-B Tidally locked to the Gas Giant occupying Orbit 5, Karakorum has rich rare earth deposits on both the hot side, and cold side, which causes many mining concerns to base out of the temperate zone.

Beta System

Planet 1 Kwan Yin- C755686-A A Terran steppe planet, Kwan Yin is cool, and has a thin atmosphere and is the base for the asteroid miners.

Belt 1 Li Kung Belt- Rich in nickel iron asteroids with some rare earths.

Belt 2 Sun Wukong Belt- rich belt with rare earths and some onnesium.

Planet 2 Zheng He LGG

Xanadu was settled by a mix of Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Korean settlers. Renowned for its industry, especially its electronic industry. The system is a far binary with the main system having three planets, one gas giant, and the far system having one planet, one gas giant, and two asteroid belts. 60% water, .99G A world with close ties to New Texas who has strong mercantile ties to Xanadu. They buy New Texas built warships and build their own commercial starships. Xanadu has a population of 485 million people both on planet, and in orbital habitats. Xanadu is noted for the number of Arcologies on planet, with the majority of people living in them. The Atmosphere is tainted at times of the year due to the pollen from the Xanadu Devil Weed which clogs air filters, filter masks, and windshields due to its sticky nature, making breathing and visibility difficult, and it makes a mess of things overall.

 

[Murph]

311-2506 Gateway News Service- New Joseon

The final report on the crash of the Free Trader Broken Bucket was released by the New Joseon Space Safety Board, with a final determination that the crash was an accident caused by equipment malfunction. Investigators reconstructed the cause, and have determined with certainty that the loss of coolant in the #2 engine due to a massive coolant leak due to lack of maintenance on the ship was the proximate cause.

A secondary cause were the wind gusts of up to 150 km/hour which required both engines to be working properly to set down at the Downport. The 400 ton ship lost its lift and impacted the side of the landing bay, causing a rupture of the hydrogen fuel tank which sparked causing the massive explosion both inside and outside of the vessel which caused the occupants of the ship to be fatally injured.

Due to the fusion safety interlocks working properly, the fusion bottle was vented upward and caused no damage to the landing bay, and there was no catastrophic explosion. The bridge was the only area of the ship where survivors were found, but both were severely injured requiring extensive medical treatment. Both gave evidence at the Board's hearing on the loss of the ship.

 

[Murph]

From the latest newsletter in the Far Frontiers Sector, a sector, far, far away.

317-2506 Gateway News Service- Ashmodai

Ms. Estelle de Fortuna regrettably exploded as she sat down on her toilet which triggered a charge of high explosives which had been embedded in the seat and tank of the fixture, which appears based on forensic evidence to have contained at least five kilos of plastic explosives. She had just returned from a business meeting with Finders Inc, a company that is known across the subsector as providing "Retrieval Specialists" on different worlds.

Finders Inc, claims that it is merely a Private Investigations company, but there have long been rumors that it is the front for other, less savory activities. She was the local Manager for the company, having been, according to her biography, employed by them for at least 20 years on various planets.

Ms. de Fortuna is suspected to have had a hand in "recovering" several escaped genetic slaves who had been on the run from GeneCo in 2503. No evidence was obtained by the police which would have allowed them to charge Ms. de Fortuna with the kidnapping and rendition of the escaped slaves.

Video from her apartment showed that what appeared to be maintenance workers for the complex entering her apartment which was in sub level 6 due to a call she put in for plumbing issues. The workers, who appear to be a male and female team, entered the apartment at 1217 hours, and exited at 1251 hours. The in house computer system shows that the workers who were identified as B. Jorgenson, and M. Terranova logged that the plumbing had been unstopped and they were going on to the next job.

The two workers who were the real Jorgenson and Terranova were questioned rigorously, but they were located at another apartment with a recalcitrant microwave system at the time that the fake employees were planting their bomb. The bomb also detonated an additional charge in the waterbed, which in turn detonated one in the kitchen food processing unit. All told, forensic experts suspect that 30 kilos of explosives were used. The blasts damaged units above, below, to each side and across the hall from Ms. de Fortuna's apartment.

But the units damaged were unoccupied at the time except for one very traumatized parrot. All the occupants were still at work when the blast occurred. Ms. de Fortuna arrived at her apartment at 1450 hours, and it appears that she went straight to the restroom where she met her unfortunate end.

Police are looking for the persons shown in the video, but at this time are unable to determine the identity of the killers. There were no messages left, or if there were they were vaporized in the several blasts. The blast ruptured sewage pipes across the complex, and this will require weeks of repairs.

Due to the nature of life on Ashmodai, with its problem with meteoric impacts on the planet, all buildings are constructed with the majority below the surface, and in range of the system defense weapons which are designed to shoot down the rocks as they fall, and blow them into manageable portions that can be dealt with, or crash and cause little damage to the reinforced structures.

Police are still searching for clues in the wreckage of the apartment, and have discovered that the computer system had been tampered with so as to show the real workers in two places at once.

 

[Diveguy]

30 kilos of HE??? That's a lot of bang for a hit!

 

[casquilho]

30 kilos of HE??? That's a lot of bang for a hit!

Sometimes the point of a hit is the show not just the hit. Hahahahahahaha

No covering up a bang that big.

 

[Murph]

30 kilos of HE??? That's a lot of bang for a hit!

The guy is has an issue with the decimal point, if it says 1 kilo, he usually uses 10 or 100. He is not mentally stable, his motto is: "We need to be sure". He is a hit man, and his partner in crime is also a hit woman, neither of them have a lot of empathy.

 

[Diveguy]

The guy is has an issue with the decimal point, if it says 1 kilo, he usually uses 10 or 100. He is not mentally stable, his motto is: "We need to be sure". He is a hit man, and his partner in crime is also a hit woman, neither of them have a lot of empathy.

Oh, makes sense, and wasn't critiquing. More just the mental imagery of 30kg of HE in a structure - been a while since I did a shot that big.

 

[kilemall]

The writing style of the GNS article isn’t classic journalism to be sure. Reminds me more of Wild West frontier reporting with plenty of attitude, barbs and a dash of clickbait.

 

[Murph]

Oh yes, it is for the players so it is a clickbaity in that sense. The sector is relatively sparsely settled and lots of open Wild West sorts of things.

 

[Murph]

Oh, makes sense, and wasn't critiquing. More just the mental imagery of 30kg of HE in a structure - been a while since I did a shot that big.

Took it in the spirit you intended. It is a fun place to adventure. 30 kg of HE is a LOT of explosives. I have never personally been at a shot more than 5 lbs of C-4 at one time, and that rattled my whole body.