Planetoid Baronial Estates

[robject]

So I've got a baron who's dug in on a planetoid.

When the players visit, I want them to know what's there. I figure it'll be like a Hollywood actor's estate, or perhaps a state senator's home.

OVERVIEW

I've done a detailed design below, and come up with minimum volumes. From there I'm free to expand on allocated volume for the sake of luxury. The minimums are:

2600 tons: Operations (bridge, sensors, bays, cargo, public hangarage, etc)
1600 tons: Engineering (drives, airlocks, maintenance)
128 tons: Security
144 tons: Crew
1000 tons: Living space (gardens, suites, common space, private hangar)
...plus space for fuel, as needed.

The above numbers are sufficient for guidelines for a kind of general plan of the estate.

ASSUMPTION

The assumption for the "drives" section is that the planetoid displaces 21,000 tons, and the plant and drives can power the entire thing, even if fully utilized. However, since used space is only around 6,000 tons, the power needs are theoretically lower, and in fact the volume can be reduced by another 2500 tons by removing the jump drive and its fuel... which is probably what I'll do.

That means I can have a planetoid of any size -- much larger than 21,000 tons. It could be 21 million tons. Even so, the maneuver drive could stay, but it will be very underpowered. Perhaps it will be useful for station-keeping in its orbit.


DETAILED MINIMAL DESIGN

If the estate were a starship, it might look like this:

MegaYacht Y-P21611 Planetoid Estate MCr1726.3

Actual volume: 21,600 tons
Used volume: 6,786 tons

    Tons  TN  Component                             MCr  Notes
--------  --  --------------------------------- -------  --------------------
   21600  12  Planetoid Hull, no lifters            432  P, no lifters
    -216  10  No landing gear                      -216  
       0  10  AV=20. 1 Kinetic FeN                    0  
    2160  12  Jump Fuel (1  parsec)                   0  J1, 2160t/pc
     216  12  Plant Fuel (one month)                  0  one month
     325  10  PowerPlant-1 (X5)                     325  P 1
     545  10  Jump Drive-1 (X5)                     545  J 1
     215  10  Maneuver Drive-1 (X5)                 430  1 G
       5  8   Fuel Purifiers 20t/hr                   5  20t/hr
       1  10  Fuel Transfer Pumps                     1  
       2  13  AR Ext Communicator                     2  
       2  15  AR Ext EMS                              2  
       2  17  AR Ext Visor                            2  
       8  16  G Ext Proximeter                      8.1  
     200  18  Vd LBay Beam Laser (2)                 21  #2 
     200  18  Vd LBay Sandcaster (2)               20.2  #2 
      10  15  Computer Model/5 fib                  7.5  
      10  10  Luxury LS (100 high pass./week)        10  100 high pass./week
       4  10  Infirmary                               2  treats minor trauma
      18  10  Aeroponic Garden (6)                    0  #6 provides food + O2
      20  10  Hydroponic Garden (5)                   2  #5 provides food + LS
      10  10  Airlock (20)                            0  #20 
      10  10  Life support (400 people/month)        10  400 people/month
      66  12  Spacious bridge                         0  
      80  10  Crew Single Stateroom (20)             10  #20 1 crew
      32  10  Security Officer Stateroom (8)          4  #8 1 crew
      32  10  Barracks (8)                            4  #8 1 team + no officer
      64  10  Crew Lounge (4)                         8  #4 
      64  10  Security Lounge (4)                     8  #4 
      20  12  Cargo Hold Basic                        0  
      10  10  MEG Shop                                0  tools + stores
      20  10  Vehicle Repair Garage                   2  tools + stores
       2  10  Cargo Lock                              0  
       1  10  Container Handler                       1  12t/hr
     160  10  Guest Common Space                     20  
     144  10  Familial Suites (6)                     6  #6 2 passengers
     100  10  Gardens                              12.5  
      32  10  Throne Room                             4  
     192  10  Guest Double Suites (12)               24  #12 2 passengers
      96  10  Familial Common Space                  12  
      24  10  Library/Office (2)                      2  #2 
    1000  10  Hangar                                  0  
     400  10  Hangar                                  0  
     200  10  Hangar                                  0  
     100  10  Hangar                                  0  
     200  10  Yacht Hangar                            0

 

[Gray Pennell]

If I was rich and wanted to show my estate than pools of water and gardins were i could throw picnic parties. The Hanger bay doors would be decorated but like you said high security. Maybe even a micro planetoid field of security sensors. Maybe you can only come to the estate on an estate shuttle. Lavish in this case would be environmental spending.. A zero-g-pool might be interesting if you can design it

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Safe Room?

Why would you put yourself in a room when you can have an escape smallcraft? I mean if things are so bad I am looking to bunker down, it is time to go.

Just my two CrImps, but there it is.

 

[aramis]

Several hangars. All with doors. The yacht is in a private bay, and serves as the panic room.

A large garden - mixed hydro and aeroponics - sufficient to count as long term LS for the baron and his family and staff.

A large bank of guest suites - probably 6-8 Td per person in rooms, and 2-8 Td each in commons (dining, pools, rec halls). Most with small private freshers.

Baron's familial suite. Figure, family of 6, at 12 Td each, for "private commons" and bedrooms and bath rooms.

Library - probably 4-20 Td. This is mostly ostentation, but might also be a practical room, depending upon the attitudes of the local baron and populace. Might double as an office.

Throne Room - adequate seating for as many people as the entire guest suites, and then some. Figure, for each person, 1/2 Td, to allow for aisles, dais, and presentation space.

Staff Quarters. Figure as if each suite were a HP or two, plus 2 for the baronial family... plus engineering, security and gunnery staff. Figure single occupancy at 4Td for commons and rooms. Probably arranged at 2Td per room, plus 0.5-1 td per room in common room, plus another 1-1.5 Td in common rec facilities. Possibly double to triple that for family accompanied tours (to account for spouse and kids).


Gun bays. Probably 4 or 6. Maybe more. If big enough, 100Td bays. Plus screens.

Computer and Control Center: Yep, a bridge and computer. A base is just a ship without drives.

Engineering: sufficient to power the entire thing to at least P1.

Astronomy dome. A clear 6m+ domed room with a 3m+ reflector centered. Sunken seating that can be raised when the scope is straight out. it's big, and it's got closing armor doors in petal formation.

 

[Ran Targas]

I'm assuming he controls the whole planetoid and that it doesn't support life on its surface (i.e. too small to retain an atmosphere). Therefore I would expect the Baron would have his estate below the surface where conditions could be controlled as well as maintaining a high level of personal security and privacy.

Hollowing out portions of the crust would provide large open areas for habitation, support structures, or pleasantries such as gardens, pools, or other recreational facilities. The more showy the Baron wants to be, the more open the space and elaborate the amenities. A menagerie of exotic pets or collections of various grav vehicles from the Rule of Man could also be safely housed in specially excavated grottos. Gravity, atmosphere, and temperature could be controlled the same as on a starship.

Security could be maintained by a combination of highly restricted access to the subsurface facilities and elaborate surveillance systems and highly trained guards.

When you're sketching out the plans, don't forget the life support and power requirements. Maybe the gardens and pools help recycle waste or the reactors energy signature hides the power-plant of a 100dt yacht housed in an secret, adjacent cavern, ready for escape. Or even better, behind camouflaged shutters are maneuver and jump drives just ready to launch the whole thing out of harm's way.

 

[Carlobrand]

In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure-dome decree:
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.
So twice five miles of fertile ground
With walls and towers were girdled round:
And here were gardens bright with sinuous rills,
Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree;
And here were forests ancient as the hills,
Enfolding sunny spots of greenery.

How cool would it be for a wealthy and powerful Imperial noble to recreate a legend out of ancient human history in the caverns of an asteroid?

 

[Andrew M]

Tracy Island from Thunderbirds

 

[MCEvans]

Just an idea for plans Dragon#67 has a Astral Githyanki Outpost (Adventure Fedifensor pp. 37-45) for a fort on/in an asteroid. Small for a Baron but an idea to work with especially after Aramis' suggestions above.

 

[Timerover51]

Try looking at some castle plans for more of a 3D feel.

 

[Whipsnade]

There are people who've bought and rehabilitated old ICBM missile silos into homes. Here's a quick Google Image Link to some of the actual ones and some of the plans proposed for others. The cut-away drawings on this page look intriguing.

Of course, a 57th Century baron is going to have access to resources and technology we can't even dream of, so why should he be content to merely burrow tunnels between galleries and excavate caverns into domes? Why not think bigger? Why not think different? So...

... remember the Sky Raiders and their "vessel-world"?

I'm not suggesting your baron should build his own jump-capable planetoid generation ship, but I am suggesting that he could build a biome within his planetoid much like the Sky Raiders did in their planetoid.

IIRC, the Raiders created hollow dodecahedrons within their planetoid as living space. These polyhedrons were formed by twelve flat pentagonal faces with kilometer(?) long edges. Air was pumped in, gravitic generators provided each pentagonal face with it's own "down", plants were seeded, soil laid down, and a light source was suspended within the dodecahedron's center. All the "industrial" stuff like hangars and engineering was tucked away elsewhere in tunnels and bays while everyone lived on the twelve surfaces of this "outside-in" world.

IIRC, a pentagon with an edge length of one kilometer has an area of ~1.7 km^2 so your baron would have ~20.4 km^2 of "green and pleasant land" on which to build anything he desires.

 

[rancke]

Throne Room - adequate seating for as many people as the entire guest suites, and then some. Figure, for each person, 1/2 Td, to allow for aisles, dais, and presentation space.

I'm in two minds about that. On the one hand, I'm the one who're always pointing out that Imperial nobles have more status than most kings and emperors in Earth history. On the other hand, a throne room seems somehow pretentious for anyone below the rank of duke. High duke, that is. I think Robert's thoughts were going in the same direction when he talked about a state senator's home. Though for a high noble, I'd be thinking more along the lines of a state governor's residence or even the White House.

Then again, this is someone who could look the President of the US in the eye and sneer condescendingly, so perhaps a throne room could be made to work. Though it would probably be called something like an audience hall instead of throne room.


Hans

 

[aramis]

I'm in two minds about that. On the one hand, I'm the one who're always pointing out that Imperial nobles have more status than most kings and emperors in Earth history. On the other hand, a throne room seems somehow pretentious for anyone below the rank of duke. High duke, that is. I think Robert's thoughts were going in the same direction when he talked about a state senator's home. Though for a high noble, I'd be thinking more along the lines of a state governor's residence or even the White House.

Then again, this is someone who could look the President of the US in the eye and sneer condescendingly, so perhaps a throne room could be made to work. Though it would probably be called something like an audience hall instead of throne room.


Hans

Even most historical barons had thrones, and it was merely the sign of office, not a pretension. In the later periods, many castles had throne rooms - Royal castles sometimes had more than one. This is, really, little more than the great hall of most castles. But it is, in a very real way, the most important room for any nobleman. It's where he listens to those he's supposed to be listening to, talks to those he's supposed to formally talk to, and rules his demense from.

I'd expect a full holographic media suite, and multiple data displays to the sides.

It's a formal hall, as well, for dancing and dining, simply by rearranging the furniture.

When trials are held at the ducal level, it's a court-room in the legal sense, too. Likewise, when the Duke visits, it's where you set him up to receive the locals he needs to see/hear/intimidate/try. When the imperial prosecutor arrives to have a hearing on whether to imperially try the barrater who's about to get off on a local technicality, it's where he borrows and the Baron and he listen to what's available in the way of evidence, and the Imp Prosecutor decides.

It's probably the single most important aspect of an Imperial Landed Noble's property - it's the room where he really shows he's a noble, and not just a wealthy commoner.

It's also the room where his Huscarles are sworn in, promoted, demoted, decorated, or dismissed.

 

[rancke]

Even most historical barons had thrones, and it was merely the sign of office, not a pretension.

I did say I was in two minds about it.

But to continue the argument, this isn't historical times, it is the Far Future. Cultural heir not just to Medieaval times but also to modern times.

In the later periods, many castles had throne rooms - Royal castles sometimes had more than one. This is, really, little more than the great hall of most castles. But it is, in a very real way, the most important room for any nobleman. It's where he listens to those he's supposed to be listening to, talks to those he's supposed to formally talk to, and rules his demense from.

In other words, do everything that modern-day leaders do sitting behind a desk rather than on a throne.

I'd expect a full holographic media suite, and multiple data displays to the sides.

It's a formal hall, as well, for dancing and dining, simply by rearranging the furniture.

When trials are held at the ducal level, it's a court-room in the legal sense, too. Likewise, when the Duke visits, it's where you set him up to receive the locals he needs to see/hear/intimidate/try. When the imperial prosecutor arrives to have a hearing on whether to imperially try the barrater who's about to get off on a local technicality, it's where he borrows and the Baron and he listen to what's available in the way of evidence, and the Imp Prosecutor decides.

I don't really disagree, although I think some of the functions might have their own rooms/buildings. The legal side, for example.

What raises my hackles isn't the room, it's the throne. But perhaps that is merely my 21st Century cultural programming.

It's probably the single most important aspect of an Imperial Landed Noble's property - it's the room where he really shows he's a noble, and not just a wealthy commoner.

How many post-Medieval stately homes of English nobles have had thrones to show that the owner was a noble and not just a wealthy commoner? I think thrones long ago evolved from merely being a sign of office for any noble to being associated with kings and emperors.


Hans

 

[shield]

As an imperial noble with govt liaison duties, I would expect audience chambers / conference rooms, guest suites for govt visitors, holo-display room, offices for various govt admin staff, + supply rooms, an extensive comms center with encyrption., traffic control, medical facilities

Visitor areas might be separate from his private areas - possibly on a surface dome linked by guarded lifts down to non-vistor areas. You easliy arrange a surface landing pad for visitors and your own buried hangers on the other side of the asteroid.

 

[coldwar]

Historically it was basically a matter of principal to have a throne room. To not to have one was an insult to your higher ups, because if they came to do business at your premises they would have no where to to do business.

For Traveller, I would generally say this would translate to an Office/Study to which business of nobles is mostly conducted with in. Could also be a Conference room instead set up with all the goodies as a study/office would be.

 

[atpollard]

What town is so small that the city council doesn't have a Council Chamber?
What business is so small that it doesn't need a conference room?

Is this 'barony' that small, or is there a need to conduct formal business from a position of authority?

Just some thoughts.

 

[shield]

You would want several large configurable rooms with holo-displays + storerooms to put the furniture in between times.

Possible usages:

Conference
Balls / Charity galas
presentations - medals presentations, investing knights etc.
Throne room for authoritive imperial broadcasts by self or higher visiting nobles.
Personnal entertainment - tennis courts / sports area etc

 

[robject]

I think a throne room could be multi-purpose: both functional and pretentious, as the need requires. Anyway, it's more or less a variant of an audience chamber of some sort. Maybe even the name of the room can change according to purpose.

Herald: "Cringing underling, you are ordered to appear before His Highness in the Throne Room".
Other person: "Oh, crap".

-versus-

Baron: "Let's chat about it in the audience chamber."
Other person: "Hey, don't you mean the throne room?"
Baron: "Whatever."

 

[Ran Targas]

Maybe another question that needs to be asked is whether this facility is the public or private domicile for the Baron. Private and he wouldn't need vast bureaucratic or administrative offices and habitation; public and he would. Private and it's just him, his guests, and his entourage; public and he's entertaining foreign or Imperial dignitaries with their complete entourages. Private and the recreation (cough) is to his taste; public and it's only what is legal.

With that thought, maybe the players have been asked to deliver a highly confidential cargo to the Baronial estate and happen to see something they shouldn't have ... Hmmmm?

 

[Carlobrand]

I see a Vesta-sized asteroid with a great hollow cavern miles across carved out of the center, with artificial gravity and artificial sunlight, the cavern crafted into a magnificent park with a lake for boating; a private zoo; forested trails for nature walks; a garden maze; great paved walks with elegant statuary and fountains; a museum hall to show off his art collection; a luxurious palace at the center where he can host magnificent parties, with a symphony hall where his personal 100-piece symphony orchestra practices and plays scheduled concerts for large numbers of lesser notables and local wealthy that he wishes to impress, and a stage and auditoreum where he can host visiting entertainers, and large conference rooms where he can host conferences on the issues of the day, with a well-appointed and well-stocked kitchen as befits a palace serving so many functions; luxury guest suites built high into the caverns of the walls so guests can look down in wonder at his marvels, functional offices and service quarters and such built discretely into the asteroid to keep the ugly minutiae of leadership out of sight. Make a place that impresses his peers and declares his power.

On the outside, batteries of lasers and missiles ensure that nothing short of a Navy destroyer can threaten him. Ample docks to recieve the invited visitors and guests he expects. Perhaps a special bay to show off a prized collection of spacecraft: his yachts, his racers, vintage ships from bygone eras, and so forth.

...In other words, do everything that modern-day leaders do sitting behind a desk rather than on a throne...

The far future leader may not have much need of desks. He has a computer with voice and pointer control, probably a screen as big as a large-screen TV, a staff to handle the details - not much need for a place to put papers and the other assorted oddments of modern executive life. The far future leader's "throne room" may look more like a well-appointed conference room with a big ol' conference table with luxurious chairs and little high tech monitors and interfaces at each seat where he and great notables can meet and confer, large monitors dominating one or more walls, an audience seating section where lesser petitioners can sit and come forward to a stand to present their petitions, a few side-cubicle workstations for his aides and staff, smaller rooms adjoining it where he can retire for private meetings or to conduct personal business.