Is there a good source of information on this organization and the services it provides, other than scattered one or two paragraph entries on the subject?
Traveller's Aid Society
- Thread starter Spartan159
- Start date
Yes please. That's pretty much all I've seen in the editions of Traveller I have.
What kind of facilities/services are standard? Does staying at a TAS hostel have any positive or negative impact on social standing? Buying your way in does cost a cool million credits... does TAS have a credit card for members? /shrug Just looking for a bit of meat on them bones.
What kind of facilities/services are standard? Does staying at a TAS hostel have any positive or negative impact on social standing? Buying your way in does cost a cool million credits... does TAS have a credit card for members? /shrug Just looking for a bit of meat on them bones.
Was started by Ve Nu Lant in -16
T4 Milieu 0 p.39
Kinda conflicts with that whole Octagon Society story, doesn't it. Or perhaps they were competing groups.
T4 Milieu 0 p.39
Kinda conflicts with that whole Octagon Society story, doesn't it. Or perhaps they were competing groups.
They were different groups. My take is that TAS hadn't reached the fringes yet.
Cheers,
Baron Ovka
There isn't much more because no one has, to my knowledge, added anything more to this bare outline.
I'm pretty sure there is no "standard" TAS facility. They use existing facilities (like hotels or offices) built and maintained to a local standard. Using the TAS facilities would not have a negative social status as it would be understood in the social context of Imperium (as as far beyond that TAS still has facilities) that you are getting the best available. The fact you are on a poor, backwater world will have more impact on your social circle than you using using of a TAS Hostel.
The idea of interstellar capable credit cards is an interesting discussion in the Traveller Community. How you get an (electronic) letter of credit to work given the communication times makes for an interesting challenge.
Based upon the few descriptions I would (or strongly set IMTU) have the TAS not run any of it services. It simply licenses the name to existing local services. There are periodic reviews of the services, and reports from members, to ensure quality as expected.
In this vein, the TAS wouldn't issue a credit card. They would refer members to a local bank (or the local Hortalez et Cie branch) to get such things.
To reiterate, TAS is an Imperium wide (and beyond) information service. It provides a combined set of local information (good places to stay, eat, and other services) with an Imperium wide information and news network.
kilemall
SOC-14 5K
The wiki neglects the line about TAS hostels and facilities on every A and B starport world. So you always have a place to stay, eat, and meet with your guests.
TAS as a benefit on the mustering out table is a reward at times for extraordinary service to the Society. This implies to me rescue/protection success for TAS members and/or facilities or interests, and given the million credit valuation must be some serious assistance.
This may be a general 'save the planet from invasion' sort of reward particularly for Navy and Marine types, but to me it implies that TAS gets concerned with assisting members as a benefit of membership and rewards some likely to encourage extra effort towards that end.
There is of course the Journal of the TAS, or JTAS. The Journal seems to be reporting on news AND provides Amber Zone alerts to it's members.
Which implies Society journalists or at least subsector information compilers, and possibly an intelligence gathering component.
The latter would also come in handy supporting what has to be an ace investing team using those 1 MCr initiation fees to generate the ticket benefit.
Speaking of which, that is a 60000 Cr per year benefit, roughly 8-12x the usual retirement pension. In less then 20 years, a 1 MCr 'investment' in TAS membership would start being pure profit.
Re: societal stigma in staying at TAS facilities, depends I suppose on your take of the Social Standing characteristic and whether you support rules re: housing quality affecting your stat.
CT mentions very good higher quality meals can be had for low end prices. So maybe talked down by those who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
One thought comes to mind- think about the people who can earn TAS membership- simply hobnobbing around whoever is meeting or staying there might be very profitable for contacts, news and rumors.
Since TAS has a certain cachet with the travelling set and there would be many illustrious ex-military, action-oriented/hero and rich able to afford the initiation fee, I would tend to rule that staying at the TAS facilities is like staying at the exclusive adventuring club not a youth hostel or the YMCA.
If the character is titled and/or retired at high rank it would probably not be seen as unusual for dropping in for a day or a week, or holding an event there, but eccentric if the noble stays there much longer with potential SS loss if it becomes a permanent address.
Finally, is TAS a super charity? A brotherhood? A private arm of the Imperium?
A powerful organization that both promotes trade and travel through a multiple layered strategy of funding, providing the means and accommodations to travel, assist putting pressure to fix problems through attracting attention to trouble spots (and incidentally waving a neon flag pointing adventurer types that 'here be opportunity to fix'), intel gathering for investment AND the Journal, and coopting the movers and shakers most likely to 'do something' into being interested supporters of TAS?
Who made it, and why? What has it become?
Maybe the lack of information is the point, so YOU can decide.
Even as an upfront 'we're just out to help Travellers' it's one big adventure hook waiting to happen.
TAS as a benefit on the mustering out table is a reward at times for extraordinary service to the Society. This implies to me rescue/protection success for TAS members and/or facilities or interests, and given the million credit valuation must be some serious assistance.
This may be a general 'save the planet from invasion' sort of reward particularly for Navy and Marine types, but to me it implies that TAS gets concerned with assisting members as a benefit of membership and rewards some likely to encourage extra effort towards that end.
There is of course the Journal of the TAS, or JTAS. The Journal seems to be reporting on news AND provides Amber Zone alerts to it's members.
Which implies Society journalists or at least subsector information compilers, and possibly an intelligence gathering component.
The latter would also come in handy supporting what has to be an ace investing team using those 1 MCr initiation fees to generate the ticket benefit.
Speaking of which, that is a 60000 Cr per year benefit, roughly 8-12x the usual retirement pension. In less then 20 years, a 1 MCr 'investment' in TAS membership would start being pure profit.
Re: societal stigma in staying at TAS facilities, depends I suppose on your take of the Social Standing characteristic and whether you support rules re: housing quality affecting your stat.
CT mentions very good higher quality meals can be had for low end prices. So maybe talked down by those who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
One thought comes to mind- think about the people who can earn TAS membership- simply hobnobbing around whoever is meeting or staying there might be very profitable for contacts, news and rumors.
Since TAS has a certain cachet with the travelling set and there would be many illustrious ex-military, action-oriented/hero and rich able to afford the initiation fee, I would tend to rule that staying at the TAS facilities is like staying at the exclusive adventuring club not a youth hostel or the YMCA.
If the character is titled and/or retired at high rank it would probably not be seen as unusual for dropping in for a day or a week, or holding an event there, but eccentric if the noble stays there much longer with potential SS loss if it becomes a permanent address.
Finally, is TAS a super charity? A brotherhood? A private arm of the Imperium?
A powerful organization that both promotes trade and travel through a multiple layered strategy of funding, providing the means and accommodations to travel, assist putting pressure to fix problems through attracting attention to trouble spots (and incidentally waving a neon flag pointing adventurer types that 'here be opportunity to fix'), intel gathering for investment AND the Journal, and coopting the movers and shakers most likely to 'do something' into being interested supporters of TAS?
Who made it, and why? What has it become?
Maybe the lack of information is the point, so YOU can decide.
Even as an upfront 'we're just out to help Travellers' it's one big adventure hook waiting to happen.
Last edited:
kilemall
SOC-14 5K
My IMTU has it being the equivalent of the Shriners charity to the 'new' Masonic rite, the Lunar Rite, oriented towards the star traveller.
As such it leans towards the brotherhood take on TAS, allows for silly grav cars and bands in parades, and is more activist in helping travellers in trouble through 'asking' for assistance from members. In other words, a McGuffin to both pull players out of spots AND a big adventure hook when assistance is 'requested'.
Masonic orgs per se probably don't fit into most takes of the OTU or YTU, but thinking through and assigning TAS a role beyond AAA/Michelin trip advisor, hotelier and ticket dispenser can yield dividends.
As such it leans towards the brotherhood take on TAS, allows for silly grav cars and bands in parades, and is more activist in helping travellers in trouble through 'asking' for assistance from members. In other words, a McGuffin to both pull players out of spots AND a big adventure hook when assistance is 'requested'.
Masonic orgs per se probably don't fit into most takes of the OTU or YTU, but thinking through and assigning TAS a role beyond AAA/Michelin trip advisor, hotelier and ticket dispenser can yield dividends.
Last edited:
I always had the impression of it being somewhat of a gentlebeing's club given the requirements for membership. (Long Imperial service, SEH veteran, Discovery Scout, Scholar or Master Craftsman, or able to afford the fee of a cool million credits.) James Bond's Blades Club might be a bit much but something similar. I got the credit idea from T5's note that any entitlement can be picked up at any TAS office. Being on a poor backwater planet (With a class A B or possibly C class starport?) just means you're an adventurer 
They do provide an information service, to include a Master Ship List (T5's green list), travel advisories and at least some financial services if you can pick up your retirement pay there. GURPs Traveller Starports says that TAS provides vessel inspection regimes to the point of even training starport personnel, and crew certifications.
A quote from CURPs Traveller Starports: "At Starports with TAS facilities, TAS leases space for a small member-reception area, essentially a customer-service room in which the TAS member can receive directions to the various services. TAS traditionally uses a real person to provide this aid, and these TAS agents take great pride in their conciergelike ability to obtain anything legal for a TAS member willing to pay the price. Sold-out concert tickets, the latest beta-analysis software for the local stock market, a platinum-cased laser cigarette lighter, anything. An interesting campaign could be formed by placing PCs in this role. At other ports, TAS members must rely on the port's Passenger Services offerings, the same as anyone else."
Another thing that leads me to the club similarity is the pure age of the society, either just prior to the Third Imperium with beginnings as you envision, but that IMO evolved to what it is now, or as an evolution of the Octagon Society which was in existence from 342 to 499, for which I can't find reference to at the moment, but would still be 601 years prior to the 1100 era. I personally would go with the T4 background to go with the widespread presence and influence it seems to have.
I'm going to do some more research, see what I can pull together.
They do provide an information service, to include a Master Ship List (T5's green list), travel advisories and at least some financial services if you can pick up your retirement pay there. GURPs Traveller Starports says that TAS provides vessel inspection regimes to the point of even training starport personnel, and crew certifications.A quote from CURPs Traveller Starports: "At Starports with TAS facilities, TAS leases space for a small member-reception area, essentially a customer-service room in which the TAS member can receive directions to the various services. TAS traditionally uses a real person to provide this aid, and these TAS agents take great pride in their conciergelike ability to obtain anything legal for a TAS member willing to pay the price. Sold-out concert tickets, the latest beta-analysis software for the local stock market, a platinum-cased laser cigarette lighter, anything. An interesting campaign could be formed by placing PCs in this role. At other ports, TAS members must rely on the port's Passenger Services offerings, the same as anyone else."
Another thing that leads me to the club similarity is the pure age of the society, either just prior to the Third Imperium with beginnings as you envision, but that IMO evolved to what it is now, or as an evolution of the Octagon Society which was in existence from 342 to 499, for which I can't find reference to at the moment, but would still be 601 years prior to the 1100 era. I personally would go with the T4 background to go with the widespread presence and influence it seems to have.
I'm going to do some more research, see what I can pull together.
Argh, original thought! It burns the precious! :rofl:
Keep in mind also: Adv 3 was written about the time the OTU was becoming a thing... But DOES explicitly mention a relationship between them...
Spoiler:
Adv 6 mentions in Library data that the Octagon Society is "now defunct" (as of 175-1105)
Adv 3 notes that the book was written "some centuries after the demise of the society". It also notes that it died in the "late 400's", and thrived for 150 years, and was founded in 342... which means it thrived until at least 492... then promptly expired.
More A3 notes, but spoilers:
Spoiler:
TTB includes the Adv 3 library datum, and the dates 342 to 399 for the society.
The idea that I get from T5.09 is that the TAS is both a kind of "jet set" (actually "starship set") Association offering both high end services to its members in exchange for a hefty yearly fee (p. 270) and an association that use its prestige (and improve it by doing so) to represent the passengers (p.271). It also provide a green list of ship and travel classification to the general public and probably provide the JTAS to any subscriber.
Except for the self-explanatory Life membership, open as a benefit to Noble Artist or Craftbeing, it does not seems to be much of a reward for greater service. Mind you, if TAS Fellow (the naming of the benefit) is more than Air Bag Stuff, that might be big... that raise the question: what is the difference between Fellow and simple Member? Does that benefit mean that you have already paid for the current yeat... that you have been "rewarded" as a marketing gimmick?
have fun
Selandia
Except for the self-explanatory Life membership, open as a benefit to Noble Artist or Craftbeing, it does not seems to be much of a reward for greater service. Mind you, if TAS Fellow (the naming of the benefit) is more than Air Bag Stuff, that might be big... that raise the question: what is the difference between Fellow and simple Member? Does that benefit mean that you have already paid for the current yeat... that you have been "rewarded" as a marketing gimmick?
have fun
Selandia
BlackBat242
SOC-14 1K
Remember what we discussed (or at least I proposed) in this earlier thread about the Octagon society: http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=21766&highlight=octagon
As for the TAS - I still like the possibility of using an in-game version of my personal experiences as described back in 2013 in this post http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showpost.php?p=459877&postcount=14
As for the TAS - I still like the possibility of using an in-game version of my personal experiences as described back in 2013 in this post http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showpost.php?p=459877&postcount=14
kilemall
SOC-14 5K
Equally interesting is the background organization, clearly the inspiration.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travelers_Aid_International
I had no idea.
Well, if we ever needed a forum charity, this would seem to be the most appropriate one.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travelers_Aid_International
I had no idea.
Well, if we ever needed a forum charity, this would seem to be the most appropriate one.
I have no idea where parts of the entry came from. (I'm assuming Vu Nu Lant is from T4?)
Didn't GDW do an Imperiallines article on TAS?
Vu Nu Lant is indeed from T4. As to Imperiallines, I don't know but will look at the ones I have.
This is directly from MMT book Milieu 0 page 39.
talos402000
SOC-7
If the TAS is as large as advertised, with facilities everywhere across 10,000 worlds, wouldn't they qualify as being a megacorporation in their own right?
They pretty are much are IMHO, I saw another reference to them providing insurance much like Lloyds of London somewhere, got to dig it out now. I think there is much more to TAS than just a place to sleep and a ticket every two months.
Similar threads
