Ramshackle Campaigns
- Thread starter Mithras
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Thanks, I'll have a look at my copy! I'm looking for a suitable setting for a proto-Traveller campaign, either Regina subsector, my own sector created old style, or a proto-Third IMperium. I don't want to 'redraw' the 3i on a small scale I don't think. I don't know, I might run it, as-is from Regina ... ?:
Nice idea!
Another possibility would be to center the campaign in Diaspora.
IIRC it was sparsely colonized by the Vilani, and its main settlement came with the Rule of Man (hence its name), when the Terrans colonized it more thoroughly.
This means it can have a look as a frontier zone being colonized (with some worlds already so by the Vilani), all merged with the Terra occupation and taking control of the Vilani Empire, making (IMHO) a good seed for adventuring...
The Diaspora Astrogators Guide (MT) may be a fine source about its astrography and some hints about its history, if you can get it.
IIRC it was sparsely colonized by the Vilani, and its main settlement came with the Rule of Man (hence its name), when the Terrans colonized it more thoroughly.
This means it can have a look as a frontier zone being colonized (with some worlds already so by the Vilani), all merged with the Terra occupation and taking control of the Vilani Empire, making (IMHO) a good seed for adventuring...
The Diaspora Astrogators Guide (MT) may be a fine source about its astrography and some hints about its history, if you can get it.
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Perhaps not so obvious...
IIRC the Sword Worlds were settled that time, as was the first contact among Terrans and Darrians. Both may make a good seed for frontier adventures too (if you want to keep out the Terran occupation side facts, as I suggested on the above post).
It can even be a better setting for frontier adventures, as there's no previous Vilani settlement.
And you can even make some Zhodani or Vargr scouts to be there as guest stars, if you like to use them, while the players (or at least their characters) won't have any idea about who/what they are...
Not the case (Unless Mongoose has retconned that). The Sword Worlds were settled from -399 on, towards the end of the Long Night, and first contact between the Imperium and anyone in the Spinward Marches was in 53. Terra was contacted somewhat later and is located on the far side of the Imperium from the Marches. First Terran (not counting the Swordies) to visit the Marches is probably some tourist or explorer somewhere around 200; could be earlier, could be even later.
Some Vilani fleeing the rise of the Rule of Man and some 2nd Imperials fleeing the collapse of the Rule of Man did move Behind the Claw from -2300 to -1700, but only two settlements (that survived) went to the Marches. Most settled in Deneb and the Trojan Reach.
Hans
You're right, my fault.
The truth is I had not the books when I posted my last post, and I only remembered that the Sword Worlds settles were solomani refugees, so I assumed they should come from the time of the Rule of Man. More or less the same happened to me with the Darrians.
Now, with the books available again, I see the Sword Worlds began its settlement in -399 (how those Terrans came to there in the middle of the Long Night, and why they didn't settle some more developed but tech receded space escapes my understanding), and the first contact by Solomani with the Darrians was arround -1500, again by refugees (this time fleeing the upcoming Long Night, that makes more sense to me).
Anyway, escaping my understanding and logic or not, I (of course) retire all said about the Spindward Marces exclusion was not so obvious, I must agree it is.
Two good books for a near-Earth Ramshackle Empire setting would be 2300AD and (shameless plug!) Outer Veil. Both deal with relatively low tech - the 2nd Imperium was TL12 IIRC - and detail the worlds around Earth in a more or less realistic way (OV even has a Traveller-type sector map centred on Earth and partially based on fairly recent real-life astronomy). Sure, both AREN'T the OTU BY ANY MEANS - but they'll have A LOT of good bits to borrow for your campaign.
I do have both Omer 
True, mixing those with the info in Interstellar Wars and Alien Module 6 Solomani would be cool. Do I have the time for all that? That's the next question!
True, mixing those with the info in Interstellar Wars and Alien Module 6 Solomani would be cool. Do I have the time for all that? That's the next question!
On a related subject, I once dreamed up a non-OTU (or quasi-non-OTU) ATU roughly inspired by the Interstellar Wars and the Ramshackle Empire. In a nutshell, in the late 21st century, Earth has been conquered by the Reticulan Empire and placed under a puppet global government. The Reticulans (AKA 'Greys') then proceeded to heavily exploit Earth's economy, resources and work-force.
In the 23rd century, a bloody revolution swept away the puppet government and established the United Terran Republic (UTR). This, of course, was answered by an intervention attempt by the Empire and its many thralls (as the majority of the Imperial Army were Auxiliaries - troops 'donated' by vassal species) and led to a massive interstellar war. The Terrans, owing to their desperation, thirst for freedom and iron-fisted leadership, as well as the rebellion of several other vassal species against the Empire, won the war. The great - but old and corrupt - Reticulan Empire was forced into a armistice treaty with the UTR, recognizing the Terrans as an independent power and allowing Terran merchants and mercenaries to operate in Imperial space.
Now the Terran upstarts, with their energy and tenacity, rampage across Imperial space. Imperial administrators, unwilling to deal with the cumbersome Legion system, hire Terran mercenaries to fight dirty brush-fire wars for them on the worlds they oversee. Terran smugglers bring new high-tech goods to worlds which were deliberately kept low-tech by the Empire, unravelling their social fabric. so-called Minor Species, liberated by the Terrans during the war, now exist as autonomous polities inside the UTR. Profits and high adventure abound.
(To clarify, the Terrans DO NOT rule the Empire - yet - but are getting entangled in its convolved internal politics, being used by one Reticulan administrator against the other).
In the 23rd century, a bloody revolution swept away the puppet government and established the United Terran Republic (UTR). This, of course, was answered by an intervention attempt by the Empire and its many thralls (as the majority of the Imperial Army were Auxiliaries - troops 'donated' by vassal species) and led to a massive interstellar war. The Terrans, owing to their desperation, thirst for freedom and iron-fisted leadership, as well as the rebellion of several other vassal species against the Empire, won the war. The great - but old and corrupt - Reticulan Empire was forced into a armistice treaty with the UTR, recognizing the Terrans as an independent power and allowing Terran merchants and mercenaries to operate in Imperial space.
Now the Terran upstarts, with their energy and tenacity, rampage across Imperial space. Imperial administrators, unwilling to deal with the cumbersome Legion system, hire Terran mercenaries to fight dirty brush-fire wars for them on the worlds they oversee. Terran smugglers bring new high-tech goods to worlds which were deliberately kept low-tech by the Empire, unravelling their social fabric. so-called Minor Species, liberated by the Terrans during the war, now exist as autonomous polities inside the UTR. Profits and high adventure abound.
(To clarify, the Terrans DO NOT rule the Empire - yet - but are getting entangled in its convolved internal politics, being used by one Reticulan administrator against the other).
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