Operation Dominoes 1: Moonshadows, Review
- Thread starter Badbru
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Liam Devlin
SOC-14 5K
Badbru Not until I see its in pdf. where's the headlines at?
Liam Devlin
SOC-14 5K
Ahh--Comstar! KK.
Michael Taylor
SOC-13
Avenger now has 20 Traveller Products available on the Comstar website...
Liam Devlin
SOC-14 5K
Badbru (with nods at MT above), just downloaded my paid for copy of the pdf. So yes, I have my copy!
Spoilers?
Spoiler 1: Richard Perks & I wrote this, with cartography aide from Shane Mclean & Eric O'Dell. Quartermaster is the esteemed Michael Taylor (above) and Field report Prep. crew : MJD & Michael Taylor.
Spoiler 2: Its set in the time frame between the news breaking of the Operation: "Cosmic Fire Scandal" & the GDW-TNE Striker II adventure Operation: Strike Marax".
Spoiler 3: I bought my own copy, and I helped write it
Spoilers?
Spoiler 1: Richard Perks & I wrote this, with cartography aide from Shane Mclean & Eric O'Dell. Quartermaster is the esteemed Michael Taylor (above) and Field report Prep. crew : MJD & Michael Taylor.
Spoiler 2: Its set in the time frame between the news breaking of the Operation: "Cosmic Fire Scandal" & the GDW-TNE Striker II adventure Operation: Strike Marax".
Spoiler 3: I bought my own copy, and I helped write it
Liam Devlin
SOC-14 5K
In review of the pdf. Badbru, & others...
Operation Dominoes Bk 1: Moonshadow is a return to the small ship, small crew, go out there and make a difference type of adventure of the TNE-style. One major difference in this one--though some GM's can change this if they wish, (we allowed for that) is that the ship is not the player's vessel, but one bequeathed to RCES by a former Aubani Industrialist, & a believer in the Dawn League who passed away in 1199.
It is not a "SMASH & GRAB", it is a "sneak and peek" undercover mission--hence the name Moonshadow, RCES-speak for their clandestine style operations, Star Viking fans will recall.
Included within are details of the system, the planet targeted, NPC thumbnails of local folks, as well as those of the crew of the vessel that conveys your PC cast of covert folks to and from this planet twice (unless caught, captured or killed).
Unusual in this adventure setting here in RC wilds, Psionic ruling humans, not the usual T-E-D's, and how they overcome their tech shortages.
Working with knowledge that is 2-6 years out of date, the players are sent to find out the lay of the land, and go find a way to bring word to the only reasonable representative democratic government there.
As fans will note, such missions are the spearhead before any other types maybe undertaken in the RCES modus-operandi (SAG, STRIKE, Uplift, or TDO).
Not all of the local NPC's are completely fleshed out. This is to allow these whose names which maybe learned by the player's to be developed in Books 2 & 3 as further contacts by their GM.
Stats for the crew of the Player's vessel (A J-3/2G modified TL-15/12 S-class Scout Courier) are given in CT/MT/T20/ TNE variations. All others are systemless thumbnails.
This is a thinking man's adventure versus folk who can read minds, which we hope proves exciting, as well as challenging. It can be played separately (stand alone), or sequentially with the rest of the series. Naturally, Richard and I hope you opt for the latter.
sincerely,
Operation Dominoes Bk 1: Moonshadow is a return to the small ship, small crew, go out there and make a difference type of adventure of the TNE-style. One major difference in this one--though some GM's can change this if they wish, (we allowed for that) is that the ship is not the player's vessel, but one bequeathed to RCES by a former Aubani Industrialist, & a believer in the Dawn League who passed away in 1199.
It is not a "SMASH & GRAB", it is a "sneak and peek" undercover mission--hence the name Moonshadow, RCES-speak for their clandestine style operations, Star Viking fans will recall.
Included within are details of the system, the planet targeted, NPC thumbnails of local folks, as well as those of the crew of the vessel that conveys your PC cast of covert folks to and from this planet twice (unless caught, captured or killed).
Unusual in this adventure setting here in RC wilds, Psionic ruling humans, not the usual T-E-D's, and how they overcome their tech shortages.
Working with knowledge that is 2-6 years out of date, the players are sent to find out the lay of the land, and go find a way to bring word to the only reasonable representative democratic government there.
As fans will note, such missions are the spearhead before any other types maybe undertaken in the RCES modus-operandi (SAG, STRIKE, Uplift, or TDO).
Not all of the local NPC's are completely fleshed out. This is to allow these whose names which maybe learned by the player's to be developed in Books 2 & 3 as further contacts by their GM.
Stats for the crew of the Player's vessel (A J-3/2G modified TL-15/12 S-class Scout Courier) are given in CT/MT/T20/ TNE variations. All others are systemless thumbnails.
This is a thinking man's adventure versus folk who can read minds, which we hope proves exciting, as well as challenging. It can be played separately (stand alone), or sequentially with the rest of the series. Naturally, Richard and I hope you opt for the latter.
sincerely,
Liam Devlin
SOC-14 5K
Badbru--
you're most welcome!
you're most welcome!
I finally got around to picking this up last night. Challenging you say? I think I might call it F@#$ing Hard! Not that there is anything wrong with that. Though sending non psionic personel to infiltrate the population of a paranoid psionic run, and controlled, police state seems about as logical as sending scouts and far traders out into the wilds to trade and explore. No wait, the Dawn League did that allready too didn't they. Yes, it seems like exactly the type of thing the RC would do.
There is lots of crunchy goodness describing the world, its people, and their history. For this stuff alone it's worth it's purchase price. The adventure itself, as I've said before seems hard, but doable, although it wont be everyones idea of fun. I've been reading Andy McNabs books lately, Bravo Two Zero and Immediate Action and the adventure seems like a cross between outright spying and the covert surveillance type of stuff the SAS do.
In short if you get into a firefight you've failed your mission, badly.
I found very few mistakes that an additional proof read might have cleared up but like most pdf products I've seen it's not devoid of them.
Something that did get me going Huh? was the order in which some information was put forth. The world has a law level of C(12)and it's clearly stated that weapon ownership is illegal yet at point certain npc's involve themselves in a firefight. It is only much later that we're told they have weapons via permits and as ex-service benefits. This threw me a little at first.
What I perhaps didn't like was the several npc's descibed in such a manner that suggested to me "Arkansas Hillbillies", but that's a person preference issue that, more than likely, wont effect most people.
On the whole though I'd have to give it one and a half thumbs up. Or, three and a half stars. Owners of Path of Tears might think it's little more than an extrapolation of information presented there, and at cursory glance they may be right. However there is alot more information in here than you might expect and it's a lot of work done for you which most GM's will come to appreciate. I'm glad I bought it and it makes a fine addition to my TNE traveller collection. I may not run it with my current player group though I'm certain I'll be using the information should they ever be in the system.
Cheers lads, good work. I'm looking forward to the follow up.
There is lots of crunchy goodness describing the world, its people, and their history. For this stuff alone it's worth it's purchase price. The adventure itself, as I've said before seems hard, but doable, although it wont be everyones idea of fun. I've been reading Andy McNabs books lately, Bravo Two Zero and Immediate Action and the adventure seems like a cross between outright spying and the covert surveillance type of stuff the SAS do.
In short if you get into a firefight you've failed your mission, badly.
I found very few mistakes that an additional proof read might have cleared up but like most pdf products I've seen it's not devoid of them.
Something that did get me going Huh? was the order in which some information was put forth. The world has a law level of C(12)and it's clearly stated that weapon ownership is illegal yet at point certain npc's involve themselves in a firefight. It is only much later that we're told they have weapons via permits and as ex-service benefits. This threw me a little at first.
What I perhaps didn't like was the several npc's descibed in such a manner that suggested to me "Arkansas Hillbillies", but that's a person preference issue that, more than likely, wont effect most people.
On the whole though I'd have to give it one and a half thumbs up. Or, three and a half stars. Owners of Path of Tears might think it's little more than an extrapolation of information presented there, and at cursory glance they may be right. However there is alot more information in here than you might expect and it's a lot of work done for you which most GM's will come to appreciate. I'm glad I bought it and it makes a fine addition to my TNE traveller collection. I may not run it with my current player group though I'm certain I'll be using the information should they ever be in the system.
Cheers lads, good work. I'm looking forward to the follow up.
Liam Devlin
SOC-14 5K
Badbru--you are correct partly in the above: GDW's PoT was utilized to some extent (the world map for example), and the Moonshadow mission in and of itself to go there comes from the Referee's section.Originally posted by Badbru:
I finally got around to picking this up last night. Challenging you say? I think I might call it F@#$ing Hard! Not that there is anything wrong with that. Though sending non psionic personel to infiltrate the population of a paranoid psionic run, and controlled, police state seems about as logical as sending scouts and far traders out into the wilds to trade and explore. No wait, the Dawn League did that allready too didn't they. Yes, it seems like exactly the type of thing the RC would do.
There is lots of crunchy goodness describing the world, its people, and their history. For this stuff alone it's worth it's purchase price. The adventure itself, as I've said before seems hard, but doable, although it wont be everyones idea of fun. I've been reading Andy McNabs books lately, Bravo Two Zero and Immediate Action and the adventure seems like a cross between outright spying and the covert surveillance type of stuff the SAS do.
In short if you get into a firefight you've failed your mission, badly.
Exactly.
I found very few mistakes that an additional proof read might have cleared up but like most pdf products I've seen it's not devoid of them.
Something that did get me going Huh? was the order in which some information was put forth. The world has a law level of C(12)and it's clearly stated that weapon ownership is illegal yet at point certain npc's involve themselves in a firefight. It is only much later that we're told they have weapons via permits and as ex-service benefits. This threw me a little at first.
Aha. Okies. Something we can work on for #2.
What I perhaps didn't like was the several npc's descibed in such a manner that suggested to me "Arkansas Hillbillies", but that's a person preference issue that, more than likely, wont effect most people.
That's a fine way to talk about my in-laws!
On the whole though I'd have to give it one and a half thumbs up. Or, three and a half stars. Owners of Path of Tears might think it's little more than an extrapolation of information presented there, and at cursory glance they may be right. However there is alot more information in here than you might expect and it's a lot of work done for you which most GM's will come to appreciate. I'm glad I bought it and it makes a fine addition to my TNE traveller collection. I may not run it with my current player group though I'm certain I'll be using the information should they ever be in the system.
Cheers lads, good work. I'm looking forward to the follow up.
Thats where it ends though. The rest is whole cloth based on Richard & I collaborating together. Blame the "Arkansas hill billies" on me-
As for being a tough assignment,like "Bravo-2-0", thank you sir, I consider that high praise! As for going without a Psion in the team, well, thats optional, like going without a ship--the GM can allow for a player-owned vessel, and a player Psion.
Played "by-the-book", you get neither option, of course.
1-spoiler:
Part-2 gets a little "easier" since you've already made the contact with the Idsur government.
Badbru
As for psionic agents, the RC is still generally anit-psion, remember their reaction to the Regency Psions when they meet in the UWA in 1206.
But when has that ever stopped PCs. Consider the number of psionic PCs even in the Marches at the height of the frontier wars
Cheers
Richard
As for psionic agents, the RC is still generally anit-psion, remember their reaction to the Regency Psions when they meet in the UWA in 1206.
But when has that ever stopped PCs. Consider the number of psionic PCs even in the Marches at the height of the frontier wars
Cheers
Richard
Liam Devlin
SOC-14 5K
one other Addenda Badbru:
--Also recall this is set after the Daaliisa raid outside the AO vs the Droyne Viral Umptydayess Mother strain entity..
The political correctness of undoing the bad sitch the RCES raiders left there is media and propaganda fodder for the Guild versus the Star Vikings anyway..
There are several planets where Droyne are present within the AO to try and undo this before the Guild capitalizes on it (Shenk (1128) X554869-3 D:2 B212 Wi /Shenk/ Old Expanses) is the other one.
Based on the Striker II canon events on Marax (in the J-1 main next to Tiniyd) of II-1202 and the liberation of the DLS Horus we decided to place this adventure there, which as you know, coincides "next door" while the crew of Players is on Tiniyd.
I'm sure a similiar contact Moonshadow mission was undertaken to the balkanized world of Shenk..of course, it has 200million folks and is TL-3..of which 40 million are Droyne..that is another series for a 'lancer writer team to do
--Also recall this is set after the Daaliisa raid outside the AO vs the Droyne Viral Umptydayess Mother strain entity..
The political correctness of undoing the bad sitch the RCES raiders left there is media and propaganda fodder for the Guild versus the Star Vikings anyway..
There are several planets where Droyne are present within the AO to try and undo this before the Guild capitalizes on it (Shenk (1128) X554869-3 D:2 B212 Wi /Shenk/ Old Expanses) is the other one.
Based on the Striker II canon events on Marax (in the J-1 main next to Tiniyd) of II-1202 and the liberation of the DLS Horus we decided to place this adventure there, which as you know, coincides "next door" while the crew of Players is on Tiniyd.
I'm sure a similiar contact Moonshadow mission was undertaken to the balkanized world of Shenk..of course, it has 200million folks and is TL-3..of which 40 million are Droyne..that is another series for a 'lancer writer team to do
Liam Devlin
SOC-14 5K
Oh and a pair of corrections (of sorts):
Richard lives in Manchester, not London. My bad.
Sorry Mate!
Its hard to see outside of the bog here (no, I don't live near the Ozarks & "Hill billies" Badbru!).
Richard lives in Manchester, not London. My bad.
Sorry Mate!
Its hard to see outside of the bog here (no, I don't live near the Ozarks & "Hill billies" Badbru!).
Yeah well I never understood this anti psionic feeling the RC is supposed to have. Indeed I can't even recall it mentioned in any of the cannon material either other than that brief talk of meeting the Regency, and they oppose them for being "Imperial" and retaining Nobles not for having psionics as far as I can recall without actually checking my copy.
I allways had the RC as being profoundly pragmatic. If something is stupid but works, then maybe it aint stupid. If something is illegal but works better than anything else and saves us time, money, and lives, then maybe we ought to rewrite some laws. They simply have to be pragmatists as they do everything on such a shoestring. They never struck me as the type of people that let concepts like legality or morality, as applied to psionics, get in the way of using something so usefull.
In addition they sponsor Schali computer empaths as virus busters, deal with the psionic "Gypsies" on Promise, and, IM-TNE-TU the TL-2 Spirii were into psionics. IM-TNE-TU the RC rapidly developed a psionic corps as so many targets in the AO were found to have psionic components to their populations such as Tiniyd, Suudo, and Promise just to name three off the top of my head. As best as I can tell this anti psionic feeling is something that the fanbase has added in the last 5 or so years, as I certainly never got that impression back in the heyday. Infact, now that I reread your post wrt the UWA, it seems to me to have been specifically an MJD addition. I could be wrong and if so it'll just be another point where MTU differs from other peoples.
I allways had the RC as being profoundly pragmatic. If something is stupid but works, then maybe it aint stupid. If something is illegal but works better than anything else and saves us time, money, and lives, then maybe we ought to rewrite some laws. They simply have to be pragmatists as they do everything on such a shoestring. They never struck me as the type of people that let concepts like legality or morality, as applied to psionics, get in the way of using something so usefull.
In addition they sponsor Schali computer empaths as virus busters, deal with the psionic "Gypsies" on Promise, and, IM-TNE-TU the TL-2 Spirii were into psionics. IM-TNE-TU the RC rapidly developed a psionic corps as so many targets in the AO were found to have psionic components to their populations such as Tiniyd, Suudo, and Promise just to name three off the top of my head. As best as I can tell this anti psionic feeling is something that the fanbase has added in the last 5 or so years, as I certainly never got that impression back in the heyday. Infact, now that I reread your post wrt the UWA, it seems to me to have been specifically an MJD addition. I could be wrong and if so it'll just be another point where MTU differs from other peoples.
Liam Devlin
SOC-14 5K
In light of the RC's anti-Imperial versus the Regency's Anti-AI-Cym mutual feelings of 1206 Badbru, that was perhaps an incorrect assumption. the Regency is out holding a torch for a return of the Emperor--the RC is out for a return to a government that is answerable to its people.Originally posted by Badbru:
Yeah well I never understood this anti psionic feeling the RC is supposed to have. Indeed I can't even recall it mentioned in any of the cannon material either other than that brief talk of meeting the Regency, and they oppose them for being "Imperial" and retaining Nobles not for having psionics as far as I can recall without actually checking my copy.
GDW's Vampire Fleets, page 94. --"Those murdering machines out there don't have a choice in what they do. You do. You Coalition People have made a pact with the devil, and you can all go straight to hell. If it were up to me, we'd speed you on your way."--CDRE Roland Zumetaxis, Regency Quarantine Service, 1206.
Further on, (last words of page actually): "These silicon crewmembers will eventually play a role in overcoming both the Vampire Fleets and the Soleean Empire, but will remain a source of friction between the Reformation Coalition and the rapidly expanding Regency of Deneb."--ibid.
I allways had the RC as being profoundly pragmatic. If something is stupid but works, then maybe it aint stupid. If something is illegal but works better than anything else and saves us time, money, and lives, then maybe we ought to rewrite some laws. They simply have to be pragmatists as they do everything on such a shoestring. They never struck me as the type of people that let concepts like legality or morality, as applied to psionics, get in the way of using something so usefull.
Agreed, Badbru. But allow me to remind you, this "anti-psion feeling" isn't as a major obstacle to overcome in the campaign's light:
This was (true) a former Imperial region, and thus subject to the Anti-Psion (Zhodani, etc)Imperial propaganda of previous eras.
The RC has established (with Ilelik Kuligaan as an early icon) that they are "Soooooooo Not the 3rd Imperium!", that they castigate any with what was good about the 3rd Imperium. Hence when word of the debacle at Daailiisa comes out, its a scandal. ANti-alien relations like the Hard Times-late "Imperial" era Xenophobia versus the Droyne in Diaspora cannot be tolerated.
In addition they sponsor Schali computer empaths as virus busters, deal with the psionic "Gypsies" on Promise, and, IM-TNE-TU the TL-2 Spirii were into psionics. IM-TNE-TU the RC rapidly developed a psionic corps as so many targets in the AO were found to have psionic components to their populations such as Tiniyd, Suudo, and Promise just to name three off the top of my head.
Psionics is not understood fully andthere is no mention of a psionics Institute prior in the region (High Passage fanzine); and I note where you cite examples, like the Schalli, yes, and its not Telepathy, but another weapon against Virus.
Yes, they work with those planetary-bound groups of gifted mind-warriors, against a common foe: Virus.
As best as I can tell this anti psionic feeling is something that the fanbase has added in the last 5 or so years, as I certainly never got that impression back in the heyday. Infact, now that I reread your post wrt the UWA, it seems to me to have been specifically an MJD addition. I could be wrong and if so it'll just be another point where MTU differs from other peoples.
It is my personal take, as one of those who influenced things with MJD in the 1248 OoTD, specifically down in RC-space up to a point (among others listed in the credits of Book 1)that this is a crucial campaign wrinkle that needs further explanation/ straightening out in further publication.
As a matter of fact Badbru, I'd like to chat PM or private e-mail on this very matter with you, and your ideas.
See you've confirmed it. This actually has nothing to do with psionics at all and is a Regency quote about how they despise the RC for collaborating with Virus.
Again, nothing to do with either parties attitudes to psionics and its use. I believe now that I was confusing the last page of Vampire fleets with something from the Bearers of the Flame playtest which also discusses a meeting between the Regency and the RC. I'm fairly certain now that indeed that passage is the first mention of the RC being anti-psionic.
I'd argue it's not a major obstacle to overcome because it is not even an issue.
Absolutely, I agree on both points. The RC is infact soooo non Imperial that I was wrong to suggest it was a matter of changing laws with reguard to psionics because the RC would not simply be acting under former Imperial laws anyway. They are fashioning themselves fresh from a new bolt of cloth entirely. This is an issue which they will both want to, and, have to form their own laws about based entirely on their own attitudes and belief structures, as that is what laws are, a reflection of the society in order for sophonts to live peacfully within said society. To me, making the RC have anti-psionic feelings runs contrary to their very nature. Psionics is a tool, and an entirely usefull tool, if they can overcome predjudice sufficiently to ally themselves with Virus it's seems ludicrous that they cannot overcome a wholly Imperial predjudice against psionics which surely was far weeker in the Old Expanses anyway. They don't exactly border the Zhodani Consulate now do they?This was (true) a former Imperial region, and thus subject to the Anti-Psion (Zhodani, etc)Imperial propaganda of previous eras.
The RC has established (with Ilelik Kuligaan as an early icon) that they are "Soooooooo Not the 3rd Imperium!", that they castigate any with what was good about the 3rd Imperium. Hence when word of the debacle at Daailiisa comes out, its a scandal. ANti-alien relations like the Hard Times-late "Imperial" era Xenophobia versus the Droyne in Diaspora cannot be tolerated.
From Path of Tears "All psionically talented schalli automatically have Computer Empathy, in addition to any other psionic talents they may roll." Thus Schalli psions are not merely Virus busting Computer Empaths. They are guaranteed to be Computer Empaths but they need to be psions first and Computer Empathy is merely a guaranteed skill.In addition they sponsor Schali computer empaths as virus busters, deal with the psionic "Gypsies" on Promise, and, IM-TNE-TU the TL-2 Spirii were into psionics. IM-TNE-TU the RC rapidly developed a psionic corps as so many targets in the AO were found to have psionic components to their populations such as Tiniyd, Suudo, and Promise just to name three off the top of my head.
Psionics is not understood fully andthere is no mention of a psionics Institute prior in the region (High Passage fanzine); and I note where you cite examples, like the Schalli, yes, and its not Telepathy, but another weapon against Virus.
Yes, they work with those planetary-bound groups of gifted mind-warriors, against a common foe: Virus.
As to planetary bound skilled psions the RC works with, how long is it before those very planets are part of the RC itself, with the consequence that those planetary bound skilled psions are infact RC citizens. As to an institute, perhaps there was not an established one but depending apon events on Suudo they have an opportunity to obtain one, albeit a very small one. When I said IM-TNE-TU the RC created a Psionic Corps I perhaps made it sound more grandious than it was. It was infact a mere handfull of Spiiri, about three Schalli, two Promise Gypsies, someone from a wilds planet I can no longer recall, and a player character.
In light of the RC's anti-Imperial versus the Regency's Anti-AI-Cym mutual feelings of 1206 Badbru, that was perhaps an incorrect assumption. the Regency is out holding a torch for a return of the Emperor--the RC is out for a return to a government that is answerable to its people.
</font>[/QUOTE]The more I think on it the more I'm convinced it's ass backwards. If ever there were a people who had very real reason to despise, and to continue to despise psions it is the Regency. Yet these people come to see what a usefull tool psionics is and adapt it to their own uses and their own society. Conversley if ever there were a people who had every reason to despise Virus, and continue to despise Virus it is the RC. Yet, they overcome the effects of the collapse, their proximity to the Vampire Hiway, their continuing loses to Vampire ships and virus entities and incorporate forms of Virus into their use and into their society. Ass backwards I say but there it is.
Yeah, I concurr.
In the most haphazard and roundabout way I have replied to your PM.
Liam Devlin
SOC-14 5K
Agreed--the Schalli psions and to their being put to work. But these aliens themselves are TL7 on Schall, and better off TL-wise on Aubaine(TL-C). I recall the PoT mentions "the sadness of the Schalli race"--in the POV of the Spiri (PoT, the section with the thumbnail pix and viewpoints of the RC worlds/members)...latent or group empathy? Hmmmmm...
The TL-2 Psions of Spiri...another possibility needing exploration, agreed. Certainly, at TL2 not a technological threat to the former Imperium or formerly the occupying Solomani Confederation!
There's also the possibility based on former 3I that such secret Institutes existed on High Population worlds.
Nemyer/ Oriflamme was High pop once...yet a warlike Feudal technocracy arose there in the collapse crises..
As for an anti-psion influence, I consider this more like running across a bigot/ racist these days.
Agreed--there are far more who distrust Virus than Psions. And psionics, if used to combat Virus, like the Schalli's and other's computer empathic talents smoothes the road to acceptance. It cannot remove however utterly that SOME folk think telepathy creepy and distrust them.
And yes, I have answered your PM, and this, I hope.
The TL-2 Psions of Spiri...another possibility needing exploration, agreed. Certainly, at TL2 not a technological threat to the former Imperium or formerly the occupying Solomani Confederation!
There's also the possibility based on former 3I that such secret Institutes existed on High Population worlds.
Nemyer/ Oriflamme was High pop once...yet a warlike Feudal technocracy arose there in the collapse crises..
As for an anti-psion influence, I consider this more like running across a bigot/ racist these days.
Agreed--there are far more who distrust Virus than Psions. And psionics, if used to combat Virus, like the Schalli's and other's computer empathic talents smoothes the road to acceptance. It cannot remove however utterly that SOME folk think telepathy creepy and distrust them.
And yes, I have answered your PM, and this, I hope.
bryan gibson
Absent Friend
personally, I have never understood where the question of anti-psi prejudice comes from, what escapes me is the notion of people that there wouldnt be such prejudices and fear.
Experience with people plus just casual observation leads me to believe that people have every reason to fear psion, and that its purest niaevete to think they wouldn't for the following reasons:
Psoins are inherently powerful. Simply put, they can see into your mind, and unless you are possessed of a psi shield or are one yourself, you have zero defense against such intrusions.
Player characters are a fine example of this : very few actually use discretion or care in using their abilities and will routinely invade minds ( surface thought scans are a favorite) the instant its convienent. This is a huge reason for that prejudice- would you really want me reading your thoughts? There is a reason why "thinking out loud" is a bad idea, and we keep our silent voices to ourselves for a reason.
Lets also examine the easy ways to abuse those powers- I guarantee , if my GM didnt enagage in GM fiat and I were so inclined, I would be the criminal king. Cheating at cards and gambling is for the unimaginative, I guarantee that in one year game time, i could own the planet, simply by selling information to the right people.
Psi is also subject to less savory abuses - the anonimity of the internet is analogous, and if you disbelieve me, look at Operation Perverse Justice - an actual ongoing sting operation targeting sexual online predators. The people they rope in cross all boundaries, occupations and age groups. The potential for that kind of psion abuse is equally high if not more so, as there is less defense.
Humanity has absolutely never demonstated better nature.This would be why we have prisons, you see. This reason alone, if no other, indicates why those "prejudices " exist, and in a society without something like the Zhodani thought police, they are a logical and inevitable consequence.
In a game context, however, players are fond of psionic characters without consequence- its an easy, powerful character class and without an Ingame check and balance is invariably the realm of the munchkin and mediocre player. Better players excercise the psion well - but better players are rare in such cases. Any player, in my experience, that demands a psion, and refuses checks, is looking for an easy buff.
So, if the RC has no such policing, and accepts such things, then they must be very tolerant of invasions of privacy and our most intimate thoughts. And I find that extremely difficult to believe.I can buy psions, but not without some sort of balance - be it policing or what have you - because it makes no sense.
Does the RC have as common, everyday ( and I mean everywhere) apparel the psi-helm? Is there a psionic police force enforcing privacy laws? do they guard againts the criminal, insane or simply opportunistic psion? If I were a governement, and I wanted a secret police, who do you think I'd call on? If I were a private citizen, who do you think I'd be leery of? Sure, they say thy'd never read your thoughts, but how would you know? Would you trust them to be telling the truth, and if so, why?
If not, those prejudices are not merely logical, but probably certain.
That said, the psionics institutes first role to psion acceptance would be policing their own. A rogue psion is bad for all...and that's something I've never seen addressed in the RC either.
I agree in some measure with your points, but I can't say I see the conclusions.
Experience with people plus just casual observation leads me to believe that people have every reason to fear psion, and that its purest niaevete to think they wouldn't for the following reasons:
Psoins are inherently powerful. Simply put, they can see into your mind, and unless you are possessed of a psi shield or are one yourself, you have zero defense against such intrusions.
Player characters are a fine example of this : very few actually use discretion or care in using their abilities and will routinely invade minds ( surface thought scans are a favorite) the instant its convienent. This is a huge reason for that prejudice- would you really want me reading your thoughts? There is a reason why "thinking out loud" is a bad idea, and we keep our silent voices to ourselves for a reason.
Lets also examine the easy ways to abuse those powers- I guarantee , if my GM didnt enagage in GM fiat and I were so inclined, I would be the criminal king. Cheating at cards and gambling is for the unimaginative, I guarantee that in one year game time, i could own the planet, simply by selling information to the right people.
Psi is also subject to less savory abuses - the anonimity of the internet is analogous, and if you disbelieve me, look at Operation Perverse Justice - an actual ongoing sting operation targeting sexual online predators. The people they rope in cross all boundaries, occupations and age groups. The potential for that kind of psion abuse is equally high if not more so, as there is less defense.
Humanity has absolutely never demonstated better nature.This would be why we have prisons, you see. This reason alone, if no other, indicates why those "prejudices " exist, and in a society without something like the Zhodani thought police, they are a logical and inevitable consequence.
In a game context, however, players are fond of psionic characters without consequence- its an easy, powerful character class and without an Ingame check and balance is invariably the realm of the munchkin and mediocre player. Better players excercise the psion well - but better players are rare in such cases. Any player, in my experience, that demands a psion, and refuses checks, is looking for an easy buff.
So, if the RC has no such policing, and accepts such things, then they must be very tolerant of invasions of privacy and our most intimate thoughts. And I find that extremely difficult to believe.I can buy psions, but not without some sort of balance - be it policing or what have you - because it makes no sense.
Does the RC have as common, everyday ( and I mean everywhere) apparel the psi-helm? Is there a psionic police force enforcing privacy laws? do they guard againts the criminal, insane or simply opportunistic psion? If I were a governement, and I wanted a secret police, who do you think I'd call on? If I were a private citizen, who do you think I'd be leery of? Sure, they say thy'd never read your thoughts, but how would you know? Would you trust them to be telling the truth, and if so, why?
If not, those prejudices are not merely logical, but probably certain.
That said, the psionics institutes first role to psion acceptance would be policing their own. A rogue psion is bad for all...and that's something I've never seen addressed in the RC either.
I agree in some measure with your points, but I can't say I see the conclusions.
I see your points here Bryan and have to agree with them, in the context you've put them. However I was less concerned with the hopes, fears, and aspirations, of Joe Schmoe, John Q Public and John and Jane Doe, than with the policy makers of the RC.
Certainly your average citizen does not want an unknown learning of his every deviant thought and would rightly fear Telepaths within RC society as it has been presented. Certainly also corporations, business concerns and policing agencies would equally have their concerns about the illegal, and or, immoral pursuits and uses of telepathy, and psionics in general.
As I've pointed out, the RC will need to come to a policy, and a law making decission about psionics as it applies to the general population. However as far as the general population is concerned they probably think the nearest mind peeper is four, or more, sectors away in the Zhodani Consulate, assuming it has survived, than at the next workstation surface scanning his current thoughts. This was the impression I got from the old cannon material. As Liam notes, there has not been a psionics institute in the region before.
How many of the general citizenry would even know a small nondescript organization like the long range planning group, for example, even exists. Any psions in RC service would no doubt be confined to a top secret and highly regulated and controlled small group similar in both size and nature to this.
However it is approached though, I can see the issue of psions in the RC will be one that divides the population as much as Cyms.
I'll perhaps revise my position to say that I don't feel the policy makers will want to be without psions in their arsenal, much as many militaries don't want to be without nuclear weapons despite the general populaces abhorrance and fear of them.
Certainly your average citizen does not want an unknown learning of his every deviant thought and would rightly fear Telepaths within RC society as it has been presented. Certainly also corporations, business concerns and policing agencies would equally have their concerns about the illegal, and or, immoral pursuits and uses of telepathy, and psionics in general.
As I've pointed out, the RC will need to come to a policy, and a law making decission about psionics as it applies to the general population. However as far as the general population is concerned they probably think the nearest mind peeper is four, or more, sectors away in the Zhodani Consulate, assuming it has survived, than at the next workstation surface scanning his current thoughts. This was the impression I got from the old cannon material. As Liam notes, there has not been a psionics institute in the region before.
How many of the general citizenry would even know a small nondescript organization like the long range planning group, for example, even exists. Any psions in RC service would no doubt be confined to a top secret and highly regulated and controlled small group similar in both size and nature to this.
However it is approached though, I can see the issue of psions in the RC will be one that divides the population as much as Cyms.
I'll perhaps revise my position to say that I don't feel the policy makers will want to be without psions in their arsenal, much as many militaries don't want to be without nuclear weapons despite the general populaces abhorrance and fear of them.
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