Sentient Aliens - Lots, some, or none

[Willie Dewitt]

I know most editions (if not all) of Traveller shows various sentient, space-faring Alien species existing in the Universe.

For the several recent sessions I ran of Classic Trav (and hope to do more in the future), I decided that I wanted to depict the Galaxy as having little to none in the way of sentient Aliens, at least any that are well known about, much like the cinematic Aliens universe. This was for a few reasons, not the least of which was to sort of distance it from Star Wars for my players. But mainly I just felt it gave a more "hard sci fi" feeling. If they are out there, they aren't widely encountered or reported. My Traveller would be a human campaign.

I sort of made up for it to a degree by thinking up genetic mods and "mutants." A sub-culture of extreme body modifiers to give some (willing or unwilling) humans sort of humanoid dog, cat, or other animal type features (fur, claws, etc). Mutants (perhaps the wrong term for them, but just what I use for my own purposes) would be humans on certain planets where conditions have caused some changes, such as a mining colony thousands of years old on a high grav planet where they have evolved to be a bit stunted, stocky, and stronger than a normal human.

Just wondering if anybody has gone "low or no aliens" and if they came up with anything that might substitute for the absence.

 

[kilemall]

I know most editions (if not all) of Traveller shows various sentient, space-faring Alien species existing in the Universe.

For the several recent sessions I ran of Classic Trav (and hope to do more in the future), I decided that I wanted to depict the Galaxy as having little to none in the way of sentient Aliens, at least any that are well known about, much like the cinematic Aliens universe. This was for a few reasons, not the least of which was to sort of distance it from Star Wars for my players. But mainly I just felt it gave a more "hard sci fi" feeling. If they are out there, they aren't widely encountered or reported. My Traveller would be a human campaign.

I sort of made up for it to a degree by thinking up genetic mods and "mutants." A sub-culture of extreme body modifiers to give some (willing or unwilling) humans sort of humanoid dog, cat, or other animal type features (fur, claws, etc). Mutants (perhaps the wrong term for them, but just what I use for my own purposes) would be humans on certain planets where conditions have caused some changes, such as a mining colony thousands of years old on a high grav planet where they have evolved to be a bit stunted, stocky, and stronger than a normal human.

Just wondering if anybody has gone "low or no aliens" and if they came up with anything that might substitute for the absence.

Well, any aliens humanity discovers is in the future of MTU.

Short of dolphins I suppose.

Speaking of which, uplift species done by humanity instead of the Ancients would get you some alien thought processes going with familiar bodies but maybe not familiar minds.

Do you really want to know what your cat thinks? Too bad, now you don't have a choice with neocats.

The Instrumentality of Mankind in Cordwainer Smith's universe has genetically uplifted and effectively enslaved several specialized species for X work, grown and used more like disposable robots, so there is an option.

Finally, a humancentric robot AI 'species' would allow for an alien perspective to coexist with your humans.

 

[Timerover51]

Just wondering if anybody has gone "low or no aliens" and if they came up with anything that might substitute for the absence.

Well, in my Heretical Traveller Universe, which is set to the Rimward of the Solomani Rim, I will have very limited alien contact, at least of the OTU Aliens. There will be no Vargr, as too far away, I have no Zhodani (one human species tampered with by the Ancients is enough), K'kree, or Hiver. Basically, the only OTU Aliens that might be encountered are the Aslan, but those only to a limited degree.

I do have prior space-faring races, Andre Norton's Bald Space Rovers and Forerunners, along with ruins on various world's left behind by unknown groups. The Wyverns from Warlock might be around, along with the Ifts of Janus, but it is still developing.

Then, because it is the RIM, there is always the chance of leakage from other Universes. Could you encounter John Carter of Mars? Maybe. Captain Nemo and his Nautilus on a near Water-World? Maybe. Jack Holloway, Lucas Trask, Otto Harkeman, Conn Maxwell, Carlos von Schlichten. Hmm, possibly. The subsector nearest the Aslan will be called the Viking subsector. There will be a reason for that.

 

[BlackBat242]

Hmmm... A. Bertram Chandler* as well as Andre Norton... and H. Beam Piper!
I like your ideas!

I included Zacathans in my Traveller games - I've already had one guy play one.
I will never have the OTU Ancients in my Traveller - but I have already included more than one Forerunner civilization (the ruins thereof at least).



* So how about John Grimes?

 

[Timerover51]

Hmmm... A. Bertram Chandler* as well as Andre Norton... and H. Beam Piper!
I like your ideas!

I included Zacathans in my Traveller games - I've already had one guy play one.
I will never have the OTU Ancients in my Traveller - but I have already included more than one Forerunner civilization (the ruins thereof at least).

* So how about John Grimes?

Chandler's books are still under copyright, although some have been posted online. The Rim Gods, featuring Kinsolving's Planet, is one of them. I have always liked John Grimes, though. I will not use Kinsolving's Planet directly, but you get the idea.

Out there, the Rim Ghosts await.

 

[GypsyComet]

* So how about John Grimes?

Best source stories for realistic space pirates. High crimes involving a ship...

I use the OTU as it stands, and use the known alien races as neighborhood color. They help establish part of the feel of the region you play in. The Marches are unusual for having six of the Majors in close proximity (all three Human Majors plus Vargr, Aslan, and Droyne). In most other regions you top out at three. Add a few locals to taste and away you go.

That said, it is quite possible to keep the published aliens at the edges of play, relegating them to news and rumor unless the PCs visit a known homeworld.

"I thought we were keeping this campaign human. Why all the aliens?"
"You DID decide to visit Junidy all on your own. Fifteen billion Dandies. Don't blame me."

 

[Murph]

There are always H. Beam Piper's Thorans. Look like dogs with a clan structure, used as Imperial mercenaries.

 

[maksimsmelchak]

There are always H. Beam Piper's Thorans. Look like dogs with a clan structure, used as Imperial mercenaries.

H. Beam Piper is good stuff.

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

 

[robject]

Just wondering if anybody has gone "low or no aliens" and if they came up with anything that might substitute for the absence.

I've found that adventures hardly ever need aliens, except for a singular first contact situation, a couple of worlds with inexplicable ruins, and the occasional ancient (small "a") artifact.

 

[Timerover51]

I forgot to also include the Droyne. Grandfather has at least one Great-Grandchild that he did not know about, and said individual wisely headed to Rimward with a small number of normal Droyne. I just about have the ANNIC FALCON ready for posting as an out-of-the-ordinary ship. I am not sure how widely they will be found, and how close to the Rim they will be.

Sixteen subsectors is a lot of room to cover.

 

[flykiller]

imtu aliens are few and far between. there's the vargr, but anyone near their polities hates them. there's the zhodani, but for the most part they're loathed the way modern americans/europeans might loathe high-tech cannibal pedophiles. most other aliens are animals. mostly.

I've found that adventures hardly ever need aliens

humans are alien enough.

 

[ShapeShifter]

I don't have anything about a purely humano-centric Traveller universe, but if I were to announce such* to a new group of hopeful, eager players, the looks of undisguised disappointment would cause me to cower under the table until they decided to leave. Therefore I like to leave the door open to the possibility of a small number -- perhaps, for sake of argument, a half-dozen sentient species -- other than Man.


____________
* "Sorry, kids, there are absolutely no aliens in the universe! Anywhere!"

 

[Willie Dewitt]

Best source stories for realistic space pirates. High crimes involving a ship...

Sounds like good research for future games. Any particular stories?

've found that adventures hardly ever need aliens, except for a singular first contact situation, a couple of worlds with inexplicable ruins, and the occasional ancient (small "a") artifact.

I do think in the future I'd like to make a session or more out of a first contact situation. I'd love to include something from various works like a Pierson's Puppeteer or something, coming in from a distant unexplored galaxy. But I want to resist using existing creatures from other media.

I love and take inspiration from Dune, with humans that are almost Alien from mutation or training. Mentats, Navigators.

 

[Timerover51]

Sounds like good research for future games. Any particular stories?

Look up A. Bertram Chandler and then look at his John Grimes series.

 

[Timerover51]

There are always H. Beam Piper's Thorans. Look like dogs with a clan structure, used as Imperial mercenaries.

I forgot about them, but the Ministry of Disturbance was not one of my favorite Piper stories.

I do need to think about the Paratime series, I found this comment when re-reading "Temple Trouble" a couple of days ago.

We even know of one Second Level civilization which is approaching the discovery of an interstellar hyperspatial drive, something we've never even come close to.

 

[GypsyComet]

Sounds like good research for future games. Any particular stories?

The John Grimes tales comprise a considerable collection of short stories and novellas ( http://www.bertramchandler.com/johngrimes.aspx ). The SFBC compiled most of them a few years back. Grimes goes through several professions over the course of the stories, but frequently runs into an old nemesis who he always refers to as a "pirate". This fellow might, in some context, be considered just an eclectic entrepreneur, but through Grimes' eyes we see a con man, grifter, strong arm, scofflaw, oppressor of the weak, and utterly amoral criminal who always seems to get away, if not always cleanly.

 

[Murph]

Yep, Piper had and has great influence on my Traveller universe. Also for a many alien universe, look at DIPLOMATIC ACT by Bill Keith and Peter Jurasik (aka Londo from B5).

I forgot about them, but the Ministry of Disturbance was not one of my favorite Piper stories.

I do need to think about the Paratime series, I found this comment when re-reading "Temple Trouble" a couple of days ago.

 

[robject]

Yep, Piper had and has great influence on my Traveller universe. Also for a many alien universe, look at DIPLOMATIC ACT by Bill Keith and Peter Jurasik (aka Londo from B5).

Thanks for this.

Reading the blurb about it on Amazon. It sounds a LOT like the plot for Galaxy Quest. And the timing is about right (1997).

 

[Willie Dewitt]

I don't have anything about a purely humano-centric Traveller universe, but if I were to announce such* to a new group of hopeful, eager players, the looks of undisguised disappointment would cause me to cower under the table until they decided to leave. Therefore I like to leave the door open to the possibility of a small number

Not being sarcastic or anything, but it is possible that they might prefer playing a Star Wars type game if they are so into being an alien species?

Now I'm wondering, and I haven't looked at the CT books for a few months (but I'm going to start some games again I hope so I need to), but isn't an alien-free galaxy the implied default along with no central government in the Classic Traveller setting? That later editions aliened-it up?

If I do have the party encounter sentient life in future games (I have them knocking around the edges of the frontier), it's more likely to be of the kind the usual Cosmic talking heads talk about these days on the science channels. Life that is not usually humanoid, if fairly unrecognizable. More like The Horta or the Xenomorph or a gas balloon (things players probably would not want to run) than Wookie or Twi'lek. The "ancient species seeded the universe with humanoid DNA" chestnut is something I would rather avoid.

 

[flykiller]

well, if the goal of the rpg is sight-seeing, then yeah, really alien aliens might be the ticket. but most gamers want 1) to live in an alternate world and 2) be heroic in it. so doing stuff with the aliens is preferable to just watching them, and to do things with the aliens the aliens have to be physically accessible and communicable with the characters. this mandates less alien aliens.