Operation Dominoes

[Dunia]

So, I finally got my hands on these books and I must say that I liked them quite alot, there are some things that I would like to know though, which I do not understand.

How can there be such a concentration of Psionics on Tiyanid, I mean that even though there were a underground cell of psionics there, they have to be quite alot of them in that cell. Only in Idsur Republic there are some 1500 psionics and if we consider this average for a nation on Tiyanid, there will be an average of 12000 psions, not including chirpers and droyne. I feel that these numbers are abit too high, but it might be only me.

The only three reasons I can think of is that:
1) the Psionics in 1130 breeded like rabbits and put out non-psionic children to the wolves, if it is not a 100% certainty that two psionics will have psionic children. And even then, the genepool of the idsur Republic will be diluted by inbreeding after a few generations. Lets say that a generation is about 25 years, then there has been 3 generations since the collapse, these numbers are not that realistc.
2) Something on the planet, may it be in the water/atmosphere/soil or whatever trigger something in the human mind and awaken the psionic powers.
3) The underground cell of 3I had an ancient artifact that awaken the psionic powers in a non-psionic person.

Reason 2 & 3 seems a bit far-fetched, although 2 seems more realistic. BUt if so, will they only be psions on Tiyanid and will the effect wane as you get away from the planet/system? If it was like this, should not the imperium have noticed this and interdicted the system as a red zone? Option 3 might happen, but if so, the artifact must be what the nations are fighting about. The leaders know of it but do not tell anyone.

Just some thought, what do you say?

 

[Gallowglacht]

The numbers seem too high to me too. I would lower the numbers to something more believable, or count most of the population of psions as strong believers who read tarrot cards, are into numerology and so on but aren't true psions. Perhaps the institutes adopted a policy of "recognising" these peoples talents as a way of gaining the suport and confidence of the general populace, rather than look like an elite who turns people away and breed resentment.

1) I agree the numbers don't add up.
2) That would have had psions crawling out of the woodwork before the collapse though. Also it might open the door to importing soil, experimenting in creating new psions on other worlds. Not a bad thing as such (I wouldn't do it personally), but should probably require some forward planning for your campaign.
3) Sick of Ancients.

Note, these are personal opinions. For people who love psions and/or Ancients this would be easier to accept. If you do want to go with these numbers; might the explaination that a large portion of the population were genetically psions before the collapse even suffice? In this case the institutes aren't breeding at a rapid rate so much as testing and finding the psions that are already there? OK, so it lacks panache, but at least it is simple.

If not, something might come to mind over the next couple of days. If it does I'll throw it out there...

 

[Dunia]

I totally agree, the concept that it is the Ancients who is behind it (through either direct means, an artifact or a robot has been done to death, and I too am really tired of them).

I had the same question on Comstar forums and a reply that I got was that the high number of droyne and chirpers could trigger it. But personally, I have been thinking of reducing the numbers by at least a factor of 10.

And in my eyes, that is still too many. But enough to be spectacular.

 

[Supplement Four]

The numbers seem too high to me too. I would lower the numbers to something more believable...

I'd lower 'em by a decimal place.

 

[shield]

Right, the origin off all those psions.

There probably was a small psion cell on Tiniyd prior to the final war, not a full psionic insititue (not enough people) but the world is just so average, a great place to hide a few psionic families - say no more than 100 psions hidden amongst 3 million people.

During Hard Times we have an ambious Psion and later first dicator who moved and and then started recruiting psions to hide on this world. he was from jeddel (high pop world that suffered dramatic TL drop to TL8, generated several ripper gangs, and had a psionic insititue).

With hardtimes we have the collapse of central authority and its easy to move people around, especially with the doom trade and all. By the collapse we have approx 5000 psion refugees hidden across the world (Starting 1124 and running to early 1130 thats 6.5 years its only about 800 people a year - not a massive undertaking, especially given their psionic abilities).

After the collapse and the various coups / crusades, the new psion ruling class recruit amongst the locals (usually children and young adults with significant psionic strength) and numbers will be up to about 10000 psions, when the planet splits into the various nation states.

(CT rules say every human is potentially psionic, with strength decaying with age if not trained - the trick is ensuring not everyone is psionic. The restriction is available training)

Once the nations have split apart, psions become a strategic rescource and it becomes a balance of power equation. About 1000 psions per nation is enough to enforce control (secret police, fear of psionic scans, fear of other nations, mythology of next state of human evolution). More psions causes reprisals from other nations (upsetting the balance of power) and also makes the ruling classes to large -less luxuries per elite ruler.

Basically most of the psion ruling classes are living like lords, with the great majority kept in line by the secret police, the mythology and the fear of having their thoughts read. The rare chance of a one of their children being discovered as having a strong psionic talent is an added incentive to loyality.

From then on, the psionic classes ensure their kids have training no matter what psionic ability they have, and they pick strong latents from the general populace to make up occasional losses / inject new blood.

So rather than natural expansion from a small cell, we have an initial immigrantion period, followed by rapid training of a select group in the local populace, and then from about 1140 a steady state condition of natural slow growth with a small injection of fresh native talent.

Hope this explains things.

If you want to adjust the number of psions feel free, but there must be sufficient psions to maintain power each nation. Currently most nations have 1000 psions which is somewhere between 1 in 100 or 1 in 500 (depending on nation size). You might be able to get away with 100 psions but not much lower.

Cheers
Richard

 

[shield]

For those who are interested, Operation Dominoes 4 (last in the series) is now available.

Cheers
Richard

 

[Peter Schutze]

>a large portion of the population were genetically psions

if my memory serves the portion of **potential** psions in humans in versions up to mongoose traveller is near 100% but lack of training eliminates psi especially since most would be very low grade with only 1 or 2 abilities at the weakest levels.

>Right, the origin off all those psions.

sounds exactly like the explanation in one of the dominoes books

>also makes the ruling classes to large -less luxuries per elite ruler.

especially if possession of any trained psion skill qualifies you as ruling class. I've been assuming minimalist training for <9's along the lines of understanding psi but proper training only for those with decent ability in one skill and ruling families with any worthwhile ability at all

 

[shield]

Avenger's old licence will expire in about 9 days, so if anyone wants to get the OD series or any of the TNE1248 stuff, go and get it soon before it disappears.

Cheers
Richard

 

[Jeffr0]

where are the details on this?!

 

[shield]

With the arrival of Mongoose Traveller, all the old traveller licences are sunsetting. Avenger's licence goes late Nov 08, the Traveller T20 licence (Hunter and QLI) has a couple of years left to run and I think GURPs managed to escape entirely.

So after these dates, traveller products done under the old licence have to be withdrawn from sale. Avenger has a mongoose traveller licence and is still producing mongoos traveller stuff and will continue to do so after the old traveller licence expires.

Cheers
Richard