I certainly think that the Third Imperium is too big. I’m preparing a new campaign for the summer for my sons (10 and 13), we played a little Traveller last year in the Marches and it was very successful. But I’m going to strip of the 3i and focus on something smaller, alot smaller, and while I’m at it, a bit less bland in the interstellar culture department. The 3i aliens don’t grab my attention, and they won’t grab my players.
However – I love my Spinward Marches map, full colour, from the old Deluxe Traveller of 1982 (ish) it sits on the play table as a huge poster gameboard lighting up with adventure possibilities. I want to keep the Spinward Marches. Plus we always begin our games by watching this Andrew Boulton video which exactly matches our game table!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iWehLi_4ug
My plan is to use the map, and I notice the different political entities on it have no names, so I can also rename them. Great! This map is THE map. There is perhaps a row of subsectors to the right hand side, off the map, but this map is Charted Space. No Vagr, No Aslan. This is it. Earth is off to the bottom right another 30 hexes, but there’s nothing left of Earth, the star systems around it are dead.
So, polities. I’ve done a lot of research on the Hyades star cluster, in the Taurus constellation, so the map shows the Hyades star cluster, Mora is the capital of the Unified Worlds of the cluster and orbits Aldebaran.
Unified Worlds Human federation of worlds, cut off from a dead Earth, a few centuries old. Capital Mora, with feudal titles, controlling trade/defense at each subsector capital. But this is a federation, with worlds meeting at the subsector level, but overall control handled by the peerage. Titles are granted by the federation council.
Orion Republic - The Zhodani seen as evil Stalinist mind controlling Vulcans. Pointed ears, mind powers and a thought police that keeps the proles cowering in fear. Internment camps and death camps are used to deal with those that cannot be reeducated. Cold War rivals of the Unified Worlds.
Gollorans - I like the Sword Worlders, but why have humans when we can have belligerent lizard-men? Each world a feudal state, with noble Gollorans sponsoring Viking like raids against distant worlds, returning months later with their spoils. Together they form a loose defensive Confederation, but they are too high-spirited and competitive to unite. Straight out of H Beam Piper’s Star Vikings.
Morlock Trade League - OK, they are Darrians, but they look a little more alien – perhaps like Ilithids (Mind Flayers). They had a high TL but blew themselves up acentury ago messing with the ‘Star Trigger’. Today the Morlocks strive with every effort to rebuild all of their worlds and their old society once again. They have constructed vast 5000 ton trade ships that cruise the Marches for a year or more, returning home with vast wealth and resources to help rebuild. They are wise, calm but savvy dealers. They carry a lot of trade goods, when a Morlock ship arrives in system for 3 months it is a cause for great interest.
The Matriarch - I can’t resist creating a female-led government, a remote pocket empire where the Five Sisters subsector is. Their ships also trade and raid using sleek designs, discs and flying wings. There maty be a genetic-bio-warfare reason that they structure society as they do, with tradition now continuing. Women, well the female nobility, are the government on each world. Some men on some worlds have fairly free lives, others may be in virtual slavery. IVF, cloning and the harvesting and freezing of sperm is routine. Many of the Matriarchy will have elite, favoured male ‘companions’, invited to enjoy the high life as servants, advisors and lovers.
Next I need to look at Scouts, Navies and perhaps go into a bit more detail on the styles of ships the powers build. ie. How will the player characters react with these groups/aliens. Are there any aliens living within the Unifed Worlds I need to quickly sketch out. They may be used as regular encounters also.
However – I love my Spinward Marches map, full colour, from the old Deluxe Traveller of 1982 (ish) it sits on the play table as a huge poster gameboard lighting up with adventure possibilities. I want to keep the Spinward Marches. Plus we always begin our games by watching this Andrew Boulton video which exactly matches our game table!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iWehLi_4ug
My plan is to use the map, and I notice the different political entities on it have no names, so I can also rename them. Great! This map is THE map. There is perhaps a row of subsectors to the right hand side, off the map, but this map is Charted Space. No Vagr, No Aslan. This is it. Earth is off to the bottom right another 30 hexes, but there’s nothing left of Earth, the star systems around it are dead.
So, polities. I’ve done a lot of research on the Hyades star cluster, in the Taurus constellation, so the map shows the Hyades star cluster, Mora is the capital of the Unified Worlds of the cluster and orbits Aldebaran.
Unified Worlds Human federation of worlds, cut off from a dead Earth, a few centuries old. Capital Mora, with feudal titles, controlling trade/defense at each subsector capital. But this is a federation, with worlds meeting at the subsector level, but overall control handled by the peerage. Titles are granted by the federation council.
Orion Republic - The Zhodani seen as evil Stalinist mind controlling Vulcans. Pointed ears, mind powers and a thought police that keeps the proles cowering in fear. Internment camps and death camps are used to deal with those that cannot be reeducated. Cold War rivals of the Unified Worlds.
Gollorans - I like the Sword Worlders, but why have humans when we can have belligerent lizard-men? Each world a feudal state, with noble Gollorans sponsoring Viking like raids against distant worlds, returning months later with their spoils. Together they form a loose defensive Confederation, but they are too high-spirited and competitive to unite. Straight out of H Beam Piper’s Star Vikings.
Morlock Trade League - OK, they are Darrians, but they look a little more alien – perhaps like Ilithids (Mind Flayers). They had a high TL but blew themselves up acentury ago messing with the ‘Star Trigger’. Today the Morlocks strive with every effort to rebuild all of their worlds and their old society once again. They have constructed vast 5000 ton trade ships that cruise the Marches for a year or more, returning home with vast wealth and resources to help rebuild. They are wise, calm but savvy dealers. They carry a lot of trade goods, when a Morlock ship arrives in system for 3 months it is a cause for great interest.
The Matriarch - I can’t resist creating a female-led government, a remote pocket empire where the Five Sisters subsector is. Their ships also trade and raid using sleek designs, discs and flying wings. There maty be a genetic-bio-warfare reason that they structure society as they do, with tradition now continuing. Women, well the female nobility, are the government on each world. Some men on some worlds have fairly free lives, others may be in virtual slavery. IVF, cloning and the harvesting and freezing of sperm is routine. Many of the Matriarchy will have elite, favoured male ‘companions’, invited to enjoy the high life as servants, advisors and lovers.
Next I need to look at Scouts, Navies and perhaps go into a bit more detail on the styles of ships the powers build. ie. How will the player characters react with these groups/aliens. Are there any aliens living within the Unifed Worlds I need to quickly sketch out. They may be used as regular encounters also.
Last edited:
