Five Geezers in Search of Anagathics

[redwalker]

Here's an example of the kind of Megatraveller campaign I would like to run, but don't have enthusiastic players for:

Setting: A Lab Ship wandering the unexplored civilizations of alien space.

The Leader: A 12-term noble, quite addicted to anagathics, who is attempting to seek out new sources of anagathic raw materials. He has some hopes of establishing a new pharmaceutical company. Frequently engages in cutlass duels for the most trivial of reasons.

Retired Duke
400000 Cr, yacht, pension (10000 Cr)
age 58, apparent age 38, uses anagathics
UPP:776B4F
Warning -- this character is illegal in Megatraveller because he can only have int+edu levels of skill!
Leader-2
Cutlass-2
Laser Pistol-1
SMG-1
Engineering-1
Pilot-1
Sensor Ops 1
navigation -1
Vehicle (grav)-1
Vehicle(low-tech sail-powered Watercraft)-1
equestrian 1
hunting 1
survival 1
stealth 1
intrusion 1
streetwise 1
gambling 1
bribery 1
forgery 1
----
Revised version:
UPP:776B8F
{these skills should match the int+edu limit -- 4 skill ranks were converted to +1 edu}
Leader-1
Cutlass-2
Laser Pistol-1
SMG-1
Engineering-1
Pilot-1

navigation -1
Vehicle (grav)-1
Vehicle(low-tech sail-powered Watercraft)-1
equestrian 1
hunting 1
survival 1
stealth 1


gambling 1
bribery 1
forgery 1

The Engineer: A 12-term scientist, apparently 38, with a very broad array of technical skills, including robotics, starship engineering, genetic engineering, and drug manufacturing.

The Physician: A 12-term doctor, apparently 38, with specializations in gerontology, pharmaceutical design, pharmacokinetics, and xenobiology.

The Pilot: A pistol-packing ex-merchant who smells money in the anagathic business.

The Navigator: A zero-G combat-savvy ex-belter who hopes to end up as a big-time mine manager once the anagathics business starts consuming lots of minerals.

The Opposition: The noble's relatives, both near and distant, do not approve of him. All the pharmaceutical companies in existence would rather see these adventurers die than deal with more competition. The local pirates want booty. And the intelligent local pre-stellar life-forms would like to keep their raw materials under their soil.

 

[Starflyer]

With only cutlass-2 after 12 terms I wouldn't be engaging in too many duels!!

Interesting premise otherwise

 

[redwalker]

With only cutlass-2 after 12 terms I wouldn't be engaging in too many duels!!

Interesting premise otherwise

I kind of like the notion that the Noble is necessary to the game, but he's not really sensible or practical. Thus the extreme dillettantism in skill selection. He's a geezer. He's supposed to be like Baron von Munchausen in the movie -- kind of cool,kind of entertaining, but not a combat monster or a swashbuckler.

I will add the others as soon as they stop dying in character creation.

 

[Starflyer]

I've always believed that for such an important status in the OTU that the noble was under-represented and under-utilised as a PC.

I ran a short term campaign a few years back with the PCs as noble emissaries to the Avalari in Foreven Sector using a yacht with two Gazelle class escorts for an ocassional space combat. The noble PC's were a bit more skill heavy ratehr than spread all over though I see your idea that a dilettante noble is very likely to a "jack of all trades"...."master of none" if you will.

I also particularly like that you gave him a sailing skill, thats a great detail that should be used in an adventure seed at some point

 

[redwalker]

I've always believed that for such an important status in the OTU that the noble was under-represented and under-utilised as a PC.

I ran a short term campaign a few years back with the PCs as noble emissaries to the Avalari in Foreven Sector using a yacht with two Gazelle class escorts for an ocassional space combat. The noble PC's were a bit more skill heavy ratehr than spread all over though I see your idea that a dilettante noble is very likely to a "jack of all trades"...."master of none" if you will.

I also particularly like that you gave him a sailing skill, thats a great detail that should be used in an adventure seed at some point

This is the kind of P.G.Wodehouse drone who would hang out at the marina and sulk for days because his favorite pony got cranky and refused to play polo with suitable elan. So he had to get Equestrian and Sailing! Then the rank of Hunting skill is because he's always showing up on his friends' Safari Ships wearing a pith helmet and bragging about the time he bagged a Pimkar sky-cephalo-musc on Rigel X.


Actually, I just realized that since I'm making these in Megatraveller, I need to take off some of his skills -- he's only allowed to have int+edu skills!

Stellvia Sahbee
696BA4
Medical 5
Blade 3
Pharmacology 3
Gerontology 4
Xenobiology 3
Persuasion 3

(uses anagathics) age:58 (38) 10,000 Cr annual pension
40,000 Cr, Medical Instruments, dagger

Wang Shih Peng "Speedy"
788FC2
Mech 2
Elec 2
Computer 6
(Starship) Engineering 3
Jack-o-T 3
Instruction 3
Physics 1
Chemistry 2
(Science)Industrial Engineering 3
Pistol 2

(uses anagathics) age:58 (38) 10,000 Cr annual pension
12,000 Cr, Lab ship (with 20 years remaining on mortgage)

It took me long enough to get a Scientist who didn't die through 10 terms!

 

[DaveChase]

I think it would be interesting to play this. I am one of those rare players that don't mind playing a long term (say 1 year or so) games with pregenerated characters for a set scenario or concept.

Older characters can get away with more things based on their age. Then again if these individuals look young but are very old they might have problems fitting in with those that look their age and those that they look like but have several life times of exprience.

And how about those who learn how old/young they are because they are rich. Think about the possible haterd that could insue.

Dave Chase

 

[redwalker]

Older characters can get away with more things based on their age. Then again if these individuals look young but are very old they might have problems fitting in with those that look their age and those that they look like but have several life times of exprience.

And how about those who learn how old/young they are because they are rich. Think about the possible haterd that could insue.

Dave Chase

Yeah, folks who look 38 but act a little weird and rich are definitely trouble magnets. Also, these folks are probably less combat-ready than the average Traveller group. However, given their financial resources and the fact that they could probably make a fair amount of extra money by doing highly skilled labor/laboratory services, they probably won't have the typical Traveller bar-fights and slum runs.

They could get into trouble if a local government decides to lean on them to extort some of that cash, though!

 

[Starflyer]

Iain M. Banks has written many novels in which his characters are much older than they appear, though he uses a lot of handwavium and cloning etc. he does have some interesting ideas, one of which I've used in the past was a couple who were divorced after 100 years of marriage, basically because they were tired of one another and then years later run into each other once again creating some nice dynamics (and fireworks). In young, fit bodies but with an obscene amount of wisdom!

 

[BlackBat242]

Also check out Elizabeth Moon's "Heris Serrano" series, and the other books in the "Familas Regnant" group.

In those books the rich and higher-ranking military (both officer & enlisted) routinely receive "rejuve" treatments... a group of medical/chemical treatments that reverse aging effects.

The result can take a 50-60 year old (or even older) person and restore their body to the condition it was in at a much younger age. Multiple rejuvinations are possible, with the prospect of living for 200 years or more not out of the question.

Some choose to remain physically in their early 20s, while some prefer the 30s... and a few (like politicians) like to show the "maturity" of the 50s... for many decades.

The books also bring in the socio-econo-political implications... like rich children who know they won't inherit for 50+ years after reaching adulthood... or even longer if their parents are stubborn.

A permanent long-lived (120+ years) upper class with the majority of the population doomed to a 70-90 year lifespan.

A military elite where making Major/Lt. Commander or Staff Sergeant/1st class Petty officer carries an automatic rejuve treatment... giving a "promotion bonus" of 20+ more years of life (and service)... greatly slowing promotions.

Very interesting (in the Chinese saying sense).

 

[redwalker]

...treatments that reverse aging effects.

The result can take a 50-60 year old (or even older) person and restore their body to the condition it was in at a much younger age. Multiple rejuvinations are possible, with the prospect of living for 200 years or more not out of the question.
...

The books also bring in the socio-econo-political implications... like rich children who know they won't inherit for 50+ years after reaching adulthood... or even longer if their parents are stubborn.

A permanent long-lived (120+ years) upper class with the majority of the population doomed to a 70-90 year lifespan.

A military elite where making Major/Lt. Commander or Staff Sergeant/1st class Petty officer carries an automatic rejuve treatment... giving a "promotion bonus" of 20+ more years of life (and service)... greatly slowing promotions.

Very interesting (in the Chinese saying sense).

The clash of social classes would probably get violent. I can only think such a discovery would be hoarded due to a sick desire for chimpanzee-style dominance.

And the lower classes would probably try to breed a lot of cannon fodder and try suicide attacks.

The real population bomb isn't Ehrlich's threat of Malthusian starvation. The real population bomb is when poor people realize they will never get the good jobs and education, so they start breeding faster on purpose...

 

[Plankowner]

CJ Cherryh uses anagathics in her Alliance/Union/Company War series. Merchanter's Luck is a book that deals a bit with the younger generation having to wait their turn for older relatives to die out so they can get promoted.

Try being Sensor Operator #18 (on the graveyard shift) for twenty years because Aunt Petunia won't step down and let anyone else move up...

 

[atpollard]

Try being Sensor Operator #18 (on the graveyard shift) for twenty years because Aunt Petunia won't step down and let anyone else move up...

Just 'help' her move on ... who in the chain of command will complain.

 

[redwalker]

CJ Cherryh uses anagathics in her Alliance/Union/Company War series. Merchanter's Luck is a book that deals a bit with the younger generation having to wait their turn for older relatives to die out so they can get promoted.

Try being Sensor Operator #18 (on the graveyard shift) for twenty years because Aunt Petunia won't step down and let anyone else move up...

Lucy was a freighter by statement, a long-hauler which ran smallish consignments
independent of its combine's close direction, since the combine had no offices on Viking.

I love CJC's writing.

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Groovy!

I volunteer for the obnoxious Noble part, I too think they are under used, till me. Though, I do dig playing the actual know-it-all (as opposed to His Grace, who just thinks he does) as well, and in RL got more smarts than money, so it's somewhat less of a stretch.

And I see I am late for the CJ Cherryh fan club meeting again, dangnabbit!

 

[CosmicGamer]

Skill Degregation with age

The Leader: A 12-term noble

Retired Duke
400000 Cr, yacht, pension (10000 Cr)
age 58, apparent age 38, uses anagathics[/QUOTE]Is there a mistake here?  12 term is (12x4)+18 = Age 66, no?

Just some personal observation/opinion here:

As someone gets older and accumulates more new skills and gains experience with them often the old ones start slipping away.  For example, earlier in a career a character was a grease monkey and worked up to running the engineering department getting up to Engineer-3 skill.  As an excellent officer, this character is given a place on the bridge crew and starts learning computers, navigation, piloting and after 12 years becomes the ships XO. It has been 12 years since the character was moved from Engineering to the bridge.  I think that those older unused skills would start deteriorating.  This would be more prevalent in your 10 and 12 term folks.  Trying to maintain proficiency in multiple skills would take up all your time and you wouldn't be learning anything new.  This is, to me, a logical reason for that skill cap based on Int/Edu.  Maybe you play that certain drugs are increasing a characters ability to retain info.  Implants can increase Int and Edu.

The original poster seams to have very specific traits and careers in mind for these characters and even mentioned rolling them over and over trying to get them as wanted.  It appears to me the play is already written and now the poster is auditioning for actors to play the roles.

I very much enjoy creating characters and the process helps start getting me in character.  

A 58/66 year old duke who is going through a "midlife crisis" actively participating in adventures instead of just backing them, letting his concerns at home be run by junior personnel - no wonder his family disapproves.  [color=blue]His brother who is running things in his stead: "If the duke comes to his senses and returns I'll be demoted back to adviser.  It would be sooo unfortunate if he had an "accident".  [I]rubbing hands and laughing[/I] Muahhaha  [/color]

Can I play the assassin that the brother sends?

 

[Spinward Scout]

I've always believed that for such an important status in the OTU that the noble was under-represented and under-utilized as a PC.

Yes, but Traveller never leaned well towards Space Opera. The Nobles are the celebrities and such of the Traveller universe.

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Who me?

What I am a Celebrity of the Imperium, really, since when? *grins* Please, no autographs, thank you, yes it is a beautiful baby *smooching baby and continuing to glad hand*