tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66206619932016826982024-03-29T06:22:34.561-04:00The Great Dungeon of the North:: Sci Fi and Fantasy Roleplaying GamesGarnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.comBlogger260125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-2230174163581242722024-03-26T05:00:00.715-04:002024-03-28T17:05:55.999-04:00Taorl Riftliner and Hleakakhea SDB<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;">
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnVgouiXDZLJquHoSZuy6YwWgk3qVcKQsGVQ8lGOCSVB-KYwdDTC9PGihnapLklr1mhIp3TUOgNT3JheXcB8DkOVQOe6skm8KeSvBdh_YOeyBj1jAuPHiTYx0uK4ee_Y2Fkmyq1Uoe3QvxUaELrkt7teskGmB9ThL-DqEeDx0fsDNMcVXC8b63LFATsQ0/s422/Taorl.png"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnVgouiXDZLJquHoSZuy6YwWgk3qVcKQsGVQ8lGOCSVB-KYwdDTC9PGihnapLklr1mhIp3TUOgNT3JheXcB8DkOVQOe6skm8KeSvBdh_YOeyBj1jAuPHiTYx0uK4ee_Y2Fkmyq1Uoe3QvxUaELrkt7teskGmB9ThL-DqEeDx0fsDNMcVXC8b63LFATsQ0/s320/Taorl.png"/></a></div>
<p style="width:320px;font-style:italic;color:chocolate;">Riftliners operated by Tyeyo Fteahrao Yolr (Tyeyo Dustspice Importers) stage in high orbit above Auhahkei (Riftspan Reaches 3039 A86768B-C). The corporation is controlled by females of the Ikhtealyo clan.</p>
</div>
<p>A recent thread on Reddit called <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/traveller/comments/1bh9fzp/mega_freighters/">for examples of Aslan megafreighters that could cross the Great Rift</a>. Across all editions there really aren’t many published freighters in that size class, much less Aslan freighters.</p>
<p>But the discussion prompted me to take another look at a compelling ship design that seems to have fallen by the wayside: the <strong><em>Taorl</em> Riftliner</strong> from <em><a href="https://www.sjgames.com/gurps/traveller/alienraces2/">GURPS Traveller: Alien Races 2</a></em>.</p>
<p>The <em>Taorl</em> might not be a superfreighter or megafreighter, but in some ways it’s far more useful than either ship for an Aslan clan: a versatile jump tender that can ferry smaller ships and cargo between star systems or even across the Great Rift itself. A <em>Taorl</em> is built to make Jump-3 while carrying over 10,000 tons of payload.</p>
<p>Note that although early drafts of Traveller<sup>5</sup> included <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2022/05/syareahtaorl-loakhtarl-clan.html">a striking Jesse DeGraff illustration</a> described as a “Taorl Exploratory Merchant (RL-KS13),” this would be a <em>much</em> smaller (1,000 ton) ship than the Riftliner. I think this T5 picture is more likely to be a misidentified <em>Khtukhao</em> Clan Transport (R-FB22). (See the deckplan on page 62 of <em>Alien Races 2</em>.)</p>
<p>I broke out my copy of the <em><a href="https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/products/high-guard-update-2022">High Guard 2022 Update</a></em> to work up a MgT conversion of the <em>Taorl</em>. I really had to tinker around to get this ship right: the GURPS design includes a spacedock for all the secondary craft. A spacedock is an airlock hangar bay that “can be totally evacuated or filled with air” (<em><a href="https://www.sjgames.com/gurps/traveller/starships/">GURPS Traveller: Starships</a></em> 64). This is basically equivalent to an MgT full hangar (<em>High Guard</em> 66). However, converting the <em>Taorl</em> with a full hanger requires a 30,000-ton hull to hold all the secondary craft. And more importantly, the use of a single monster hangar doesn’t really match the GURPS description of the ship acting as a tender.</p>
<p>I then tried converting the <em>Taorl</em> as a 20,000-ton ship with docking spaces, which seemed closer to the mark. Then finally I landed on a 10,000-ton design with external docking clamps, allowing the ship to carry over 10,000 tons of secondary craft externally and still make Jump-3, which seems to live up best to the jump tender concept.</p>
<p>While working on the <em>Taorl</em> conversion it occurred to me that I hadn’t come across a design for an Aslan <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2021/01/local-defense-forces-and-system-defense.html">system defense boat</a>, even though such craft are reportedly common inside the Hierate—as would be expected for such a territorial people. While the Aslan often utilize Imperial and Solomani designs (and vice versa), they also adapt them for their own purposes, as seen in the <strong><em>Hleakakhea</em></strong>, an SDB commonly carried by riftliners.</p>
<h2><em>Taorl</em> Riftliner</h2>
<p>The <em>Taorl</em> Riftliner is a general-purpose clan vessel, manufactured throughout the Hierate in a number of variants by many different clans, but is especially common along the edge of the Great Rift. A <em>Taorl</em> (which roughly translates as “aesthetic fortune; honor, responsibility”) primarily functions as a jump tender, carrying secondary craft and other payloads attached to the exterior of its hull. A standard loadout for a <em>Taorl</em> consists of eight 95-ton shuttles and 24 separate 400-ton payloads. A loaded riftliner is ovoid in shape and is often said to resemble a Terran conifer cone, with payload pods and shuttles arranged like overlapping scales around a central axis.</p>
<p>Specialized <em>Taorl</em> pods are produced for different payloads. All such pods displace 400 tons and have 120 hull points. A <strong>Fuel Pod</strong> holds 400 tons of fuel and costs MCr18. A <strong>Cargo Pod</strong> is equipped with a small TL12 power plant to provide gravity and environmental controls, holds 394 tons of cargo, and costs MCr22.5. A <strong>Low Pod</strong> holds 650 low berths, has a small TL12 power plant and medical bay, and requires 1 engineer and 5 medics. A low pod costs MCr93.870. A <strong>Passenger Pod</strong> has 70 staterooms for passengers, a small TL12 power plant and medical bay, and requires 1 steward and 1 medic. A passenger pod costs MCr62.64.</p>
<p>An unloaded <em>Taorl</em> carries enough fuel to make two consecutive 3-parsec jumps, and even a fully loaded <em>Taorl</em> outfitted with 10 fuel pods can make a single Jump-3 and another Jump-2, enough to traverse the Great Rift.</p>
<p>When encountered, the riftliner will be carrying a mixture of up to two dozen 400-ton payloads; these may be any type of pod, <em>Hleakakhea</em> system defense boats, <em>Eakhau </em>traders, or <em>Hkiyrerao</em> research ships, depending on its mission. Any of the 24 Class IV docking clamps could be adapted to carry even larger secondary craft of up to 2,000 tons.</p>
<div>
<div class="ship-details-left">
<p><strong>Hull Points</strong> 4,000</p>
<p><strong>Crew</strong> Captain/Pilot, Executive Officer/Purser, Officers x4, Astrogator, Sensor Operator, Engineers x70, Maintenance x10, Smallcraft Crew x8, Administrators x5, Medics x2</p>
</div>
<div class="ship-details-right">
<p><strong>Maintenance Cost</strong> Cr469,331 per month</p>
<p><strong>Purchase Cost</strong> MCr5,510.642</p>
</div>
</div>
<table class="shipdetails">
<caption><em>Taorl</em> Riftliner</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th>TL12</th><th> </th><th>Tons</th><th>Cost (MCr)</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>Hull</th><td>10,000 tons, Standard</td><td>–</td><td>500</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>M-Drive</th><td>Thrust 1</td><td>203</td><td>406</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>J-Drive</th><td>Jump-3</td><td>1,532</td><td>2,298</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>Power Plant</th><td>Fusion (TL12), Power 10,351</td><td>690</td><td>690</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>Fuel Tanks</th><td>J3, 4 weeks of operation</td><td>6,258</td><td>–</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>Bridge</th><td>Standard</td><td>60</td><td>50</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>Computer</th><td>Computer/20</td><td>–</td><td>5</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>Sensors</th><td>Civilian Grade</td><td>1</td><td>3</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>Craft</th><td>Docking Clamps (Type IV) x24</td><td>480</td><td>1,920</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Pods x24</td><td>–</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Docking Clamps (Type II) x8</td><td>40</td><td>40</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Shuttles x8</td><td>–</td><td>121.34</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>Systems</th><td>Shrine</td><td>4</td><td>0.5</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Fuel Processor (1,000 tons per day)</td><td>50</td><td>2.5</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Medical Bays x4</td><td>16</td><td>8</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>Staterooms</th><td>Standard x120</td><td>480</td><td>60</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Low Berths x126</td><td>63</td><td>6.3</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>Software</th><td>Library</td><td>–</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Maneuver/0</td><td>–</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Jump Control/3</td><td>–</td><td>0.3</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>Common Areas</th><td></td><td>120</td><td>12</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>Cargo</th><td></td><td>3</td><td>–</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2><em>Hleakakhea</em> System Defense Boat</h2>
<p>The venerable <em>Hleakakhea</em> is a lower tech adaption of the TL12 <em>Guardian</em>-class SDB, and is as ubiquitous in the Hierate as the <em>Guardian</em> is in the Imperium. A <em>Hleakakhea</em> is named for an air-breathing aquatic animal native to Kusyu that lives in warm coastal estuaries across the planet. <em>Hleakakhea</em> are ambush predators protected by tough, bony armor and can grow to nearly 4 meters in length, and hunting them was formerly a popular sport before overharvesting drove the species to the brink of extinction. Remains of prehistoric <em>Hleakakhea</em> have been found over 6 meters in length, though that particular subspecies is believed to have died out during Kusyu’s last ice age.</p>
<p>The <em>Taorl</em> Riftliner was originally designed to carry four <em>hryo</em> of <em>Hleakakhea</em> battleriders before clans realized the possibilities of other payloads. In wartime, unarmed riftliners will carry <em>Hleakakhea</em> or larger battleriders for self-defense—the “conquer or die” tactics forced on battleriders and their tenders are well-suited to the Aslan psyche.</p>
<p>Many of the larger and wealthier clans have replaced the <em>Hleakakhea</em> with TL13 designs based off the <em>Dragon</em> class, while the leading <em>Tlaukhu</em> clans field improved TL14 <em>Dragons</em> imported directly from the Imperium. These <em>Dragons</em> are reported to be faster, protected with bonded superdense armor, and utilize advanced stealth tech.</p>
<div>
<div class="ship-details-left">
<p><strong>Hull Points</strong> 176</p>
<p><strong>Crew</strong> Captain, Purser/Executive Officer, Officer, Pilots x3, Engineer, Gunners x6</p>
</div>
<div class="ship-details-right">
<p><strong>Maintenance Cost</strong> MCr0.013176 per month</p>
<p><strong>Purchase Cost</strong> MCr158.121</p>
</div>
</div>
<table class="shipdetails">
<caption><em>Hleakakhea</em> SDB</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th>TL11</th><th> </th><th>Tons</th><th>Costs (MCr)</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>Hull</th><td>400 tons, Streamlined</td><td>-</td><td>24</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Reinforced</td><td>-</td><td>12</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>Armor</th><td>Crystaliron, Armor:11</td><td>66</td><td>13.2</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Radiation Shielding</td><td>-</td><td>10</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>M-Drive</th><td>Thrust 4</td><td>16</td><td>32</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>Power Plant</th><td>Fusion (TL8), Power 256</td><td>25</td><td>12.5</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>Fuel Tanks</th><td>16 weeks operation</td><td>20</td><td>-</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>Bridge</th><td> </td><td>20</td><td>2</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>Computer</th><td>Core 15/fib</td><td>-</td><td>3</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>Sensors</th><td>Military Grade</td><td>2</td><td>4.1</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Improved Signal Processing</td><td>1</td><td>4</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>Weapons</th><td>Small Bays (particle beam) x2</td><td>100</td><td>40</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Missile Barbettes x2</td><td>10</td><td>8</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>Ammunition</th><td>Missile Storage (480 missiles)</td><td>40</td><td>-</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>Armored Bulkheads</th><td>Bridge</td><td>2</td><td>0.4</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Power Plant</td><td>2.5</td><td>0.5</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Maneuver Drive</td><td>1.6</td><td>0.32</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Fuel Tanks</td><td>1.6</td><td>0.32</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>Systems</th><td>Fuel Processor (20 tons/day)</td><td>1</td><td>0.05</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Medical Bay</td><td>4</td><td>2</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Shrine</td><td>4</td><td>0.5</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>Staterooms</th><td>Standard x8</td><td>32</td><td>4</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>Software</th><td>Maneuver/0</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Evade/2</td><td>-</td><td>2</td></tr>
<tr><th> </th><td>Library</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>Common Areas</th><td></td><td>8</td><td>0.8</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>Cargo</th><td></td><td>43</td><td>-</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-7828873152551312202024-03-19T05:00:00.156-04:002024-03-22T06:54:30.423-04:00Adjusting World Sizes for Atmosphere<style type="text/css">
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</style><div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qBjskVsz-hQMJJpFN1SaDFviVbJF5G9hF1pMYmXTEq1Agt9hurbqdxuqhXqaaLBFOXMz_mrCIIy3F_yP6HUIaFNxQmyHuomXf2uS31dvKbx3x-aIInsXOC5vMS6BiCJIOE4JIw1dAN32TSPS0ABPMFDnu5wif6sFN7wCSiWZAAeB3dDc9NvEbf9B08cP/s832/Afawahisa.png"><img alt="" title="Afawahisa and surrounding sectors" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="832" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qBjskVsz-hQMJJpFN1SaDFviVbJF5G9hF1pMYmXTEq1Agt9hurbqdxuqhXqaaLBFOXMz_mrCIIy3F_yP6HUIaFNxQmyHuomXf2uS31dvKbx3x-aIInsXOC5vMS6BiCJIOE4JIw1dAN32TSPS0ABPMFDnu5wif6sFN7wCSiWZAAeB3dDc9NvEbf9B08cP/s320/Afawahisa.png"/></a></div><p>Recently I was taking a hard look at the <a href="https://travellermap.com">Traveller Map</a> data for a handful of Aslan sectors. <strong>Afawahisa</strong> is a sparse border region three sectors from Dark Nebula and really only developed in Mongoose’s <a href="https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/products/the-great-rift"><em>The Great Rift</em></a> boxed set (2017). Given that the sector had been subject to such a recent publication I was surprised to find that the Afawahisa data was still listed on Traveller Map as “In Review.” But what does that mean?</p>
<p>Much of the sector data for the Charted Space setting was originally developed in the 1980s and the 1990s using a wide range of world generation methods. The resulting data was of highly varying quality and consistency, and in some cases reflected dramatically different historical periods such as The New Era setting. As people began to collect these different datasets and place them side-by-side the glaring differences in data became increasingly apparent.</p>
<p>For over a decade all sector data for the Official Traveller Universe has been subject to ongoing review as part of the <a href="https://wiki.travellerrpg.com/T5_Second_Survey">T5 Second Survey</a> project. The T5SS is an informal, fan-run effort originally coordinated by Don McKinney, who described it on the Citizens of the Imperium boards as “<a href="https://www.travellerrpg.com/index.php?threads/t5ss-semi-official-thread.31921/">driven by Marc Miller to stabilize, correct, and control the UWPs of the OTU so that there’s a solid canon base of data for future reference</a>.” The T5SS updated the legacy sector data to reflect both Traveller<sup>5</sup> worldgen and a consistent 1105 dating. Since 2013 Joshua Bell’s Traveller Map has hosted the results.</p>
<p>One common change a T5SS review pass would make to sector data would be to adjust world size to reflect the Atmosphere code in the Universal World Profile. As described over on the <a href="https://zhodani.space/2012/05/16/my-house-rule-for-planetary-size/">Zhodani Base,</a> “A problem with the random generation of worlds in Traveller is that small worlds (where size < 4) … might get an ordinary breathable atmosphere. This is a problem, since the minimum molecular weight retained for a [small] planet shouldn’t allow that.” Basically, small worlds cannot retain most atmospheres over billions of years: the constituent gases escape the gravitational pull of the planet and dissipate into space.</p>
<p>Don McKinney came up with a very elegant hack to fix this common problem. As he described it in comments on the Zhodani Base post, “I prefer changing the UWPs: if Atm 1/A/B/C, Size 3+; if Atm 2/3, Size 4+, and if Atm 4-9, Size 5+.” The great benefit of Don’s adjustment is that it neatly addresses the size problem without affecting the trade codes or (usually) past write-ups of the world. I was surprised to find, then, that the adjustment wasn’t made to the Afawahisa data.</p>
<p>Sadly, Don passed away unexpectedly in 2015 and I suspect that Afawahisa just didn’t receive a full T5SS review while <em>The Great Rift</em> was in development. I wanted to write this blog entry because Don’s nifty size hack was never well publicized and even today folks will occasionally wonder why Traveller Map UWPs don’t line up with the published UWPs from early GDW supplements like <em>The Spinward Marches</em>.</p>
<p>One problem with the way the size hack was generally applied to UWPs was that the Size code was often adjusted to the lowest possible result, which inadvertently created an inordinate number of worlds with Size 3 and Atmo 1, Size 4 and Atmo 2 or 3, and Size 5 with Atmo 4–9. This drove me nuts working on Magyar and Dark Nebula, and is a good example of how, when working with sector data, it’s very easy to accidentally create new problems when trying to fix old ones.</p>
<p>I wanted to develop a simple table that would allow me to apply Don’s hack but also introduce a random element to the revised Size code. In traditional Traveller worldgen planetary size is generated with 2D - 2, which creates a range from 0 to 10 (A) with a median result of 5. The distribution of results falls along a bell curve, with a 16.66% chance of producing a Size 5 world and a 2.77% chance of producing a Size 0 or 10 world. A Size of 5 is roughly 6 times more likely than a result of 0 or 10. Atmosphere is then generated by Size plus Flux, which can create an Atmosphere code ranging from 0 to 15 (F).</p>
<table class="worldsize">
<caption>World Size Odds</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th>World Size</th><th>Surface<br />Gravity (Gs)</th><th>Odds</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>0</td><td>–</td><td>2.77%</td></tr>
<tr><td>1</td><td>0.05</td><td>5.55%</td></tr>
<tr><td>2</td><td>0.15</td><td>8.33%</td></tr>
<tr><td>3</td><td>0.25</td><td>11.11%</td></tr>
<tr><td>4</td><td>0.35</td><td>13.88%</td></tr>
<tr><td>5</td><td>0.45</td><td>16.66%</td></tr>
<tr><td>6</td><td>0.70</td><td>13.88%</td></tr>
<tr><td>7</td><td>0.90</td><td>11.11%</td></tr>
<tr><td>8</td><td>1.00</td><td>8.33%</td></tr>
<tr><td>9</td><td>1.25</td><td>5.55%</td></tr>
<tr><td>A</td><td>1.40</td><td>2.77%</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>To create a Size adjustment table that included some variability, I first looked at what world Sizes were appropriate for each Atmosphere code from 1 to 9. I zeroed out the inappropriate results and then prorated the percentages for the appropriate entries. The proration maintains the <em>relative</em> frequency of world sizes: for a world with a thin oxygen-nitrogen Atmosphere (5), a Size of 5 is still roughly 6 times more likely than a Size of A.</p>
<p>A trace oxygen-nitrogen Atmosphere (1), for example, requires a minimum world Size of 3 with a maximum Size of 6. So I removed results of 0–2 and 7–A and prorated the percentages for Sizes 3–6. A Size of 5 is still the most common result (30%), with a Size of 3 being the least common (20%).</p>
<table class="worldsize" id="WorldSizeOdds">
<caption>Prorated Odds of World Size by Atmosphere</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th rowspan="2">Atmo<br />Code</th><th colspan="8">World Size</th></tr>
<tr><th>3</th><th>4</th><th>5</th><th>6</th><th>7</th><th>8</th><th>9</th><th>A</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>1</td><td>20.01%</td><td>25.00%</td><td>30.00%</td><td>25.00%</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr>
<tr><td>2</td><td>-</td><td>25.00%</td><td>30.00%</td><td>25.00%</td><td>20.01%</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr>
<tr><td>3</td><td>-</td><td>21.74%</td><td>26.09%</td><td>21.74%</td><td>17.40%</td><td>13.04%</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr>
<tr><td>4</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>30.00%</td><td>25.00%</td><td>20.01%</td><td>15.00%</td><td>9.99%</td><td>-</td></tr>
<tr><td>5</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>28.58%</td><td>23.81%</td><td>19.06%</td><td>14.29%</td><td>9.52%</td><td>4.75%</td></tr>
<tr><td>6</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>28.58%</td><td>23.81%</td><td>19.06%</td><td>14.29%</td><td>9.52%</td><td>4.75%</td></tr>
<tr><td>7</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>28.58%</td><td>23.81%</td><td>19.06%</td><td>14.29%</td><td>9.52%</td><td>4.75%</td></tr>
<tr><td>8</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>28.58%</td><td>23.81%</td><td>19.06%</td><td>14.29%</td><td>9.52%</td><td>4.75%</td></tr>
<tr><td>9</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>28.58%</td><td>23.81%</td><td>19.06%</td><td>14.29%</td><td>9.52%</td><td>4.75%</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<!--
<table class="worldsize" id="WorldSizeOdds">
<caption>World Size Odds by Atmosphere</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th rowspan="2">World Size</th><th rowspan="2">Odds</th><th colspan="9">Atmosphere</th></tr>
<tr><th>1</th><th>2</th><th>3</th><th>4</th><th>5</th><th>6</th><th>7</th><th>8</th><th>9</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>0</td><td>2.8%</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr>
<tr><td>1</td><td>5.6%</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr>
<tr><td>2</td><td>8.3%</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr>
<tr><td>3</td><td>11.1%</td><td>20.0%</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr>
<tr><td>4</td><td>13.9%</td><td>25.0%</td><td>25.0%</td><td>21.7%</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr>
<tr><td>5</td><td>16.7%</td><td>30.0%</td><td>30.0%</td><td>26.1%</td><td>30.0%</td><td>28.6%</td><td>28.6%</td><td>28.6%</td><td>28.6%</td><td>28.6%</td></tr>
<tr><td>6</td><td>13.9%</td><td>25.0%</td><td>25.0%</td><td>21.7%</td><td>25.0%</td><td>23.8%</td><td>23.8%</td><td>23.8%</td><td>23.8%</td><td>23.8%</td></tr>
<tr><td>7</td><td>11.1%</td><td>-</td><td>20.0%</td><td>17.4%</td><td>20.0%</td><td>19.1%</td><td>19.1%</td><td>19.1%</td><td>19.1%</td><td>19.1%</td></tr>
<tr><td>8</td><td>8.3%</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>13.0%</td><td>15.0%</td><td>14.3%</td><td>14.3%</td><td>14.3%</td><td>14.3%</td><td>14.3%</td></tr>
<tr><td>9</td><td>5.6%</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>10.0%</td><td>9.5%</td><td>9.5%</td><td>9.5%</td><td>9.5%</td><td>9.5%</td></tr>
<tr><td>A</td><td>2.8%</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>-</td><td>4.8%</td><td>4.8%</td><td>4.8%</td><td>4.8%</td><td>4.8%</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tfoot>
<tr><th>Total</th><th>100.0%</th><th>100.0%</th><th>100.0%</th><th>100.0%</th><th>100.0%</th><th>100.0%</th><th>100.0%</th><th>100.0%</th><th>100.0%</th><th>100.0%</th></tr>
</tfoot>
</table>
-->
<p>I then recast the table to use a d20 to generate adjusted world Size based on Atmosphere code. (I know, I should have reformulated this as a native 2D table but a straight d20 was so much easier—and I primarily use this in an Excel lookup table.)</p>
<table class="worldsize" id="AdjustedWorldSize">
<caption>Adjusted World Size</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th rowspan="2">1d20</th><th colspan="9">Atmosphere</th></tr>
<tr><th>1</th><th>2</th><th>3</th><th>4</th><th>5</th><th>6</th><th>7</th><th>8</th><th>9</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>4</td><td>4</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td></tr>
<tr><td>2</td><td>3</td><td>4</td><td>4</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td></tr>
<tr><td>3</td><td>3</td><td>4</td><td>4</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td></tr>
<tr><td>4</td><td>3</td><td>4</td><td>4</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td></tr>
<tr><td>5</td><td>4</td><td>4</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td></tr>
<tr><td>6</td><td>4</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td></tr>
<tr><td>7</td><td>4</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td></tr>
<tr><td>8</td><td>4</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td></tr>
<tr><td>9</td><td>4</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td></tr>
<tr><td>10</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>6</td></tr>
<tr><td>11</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>7</td></tr>
<tr><td>12</td><td>5</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>7</td></tr>
<tr><td>13</td><td>5</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>7</td></tr>
<tr><td>14</td><td>5</td><td>6</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>7</td></tr>
<tr><td>15</td><td>5</td><td>6</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>8</td><td>8</td><td>8</td><td>8</td><td>8</td></tr>
<tr><td>16</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>7</td><td>8</td><td>8</td><td>8</td><td>8</td><td>8</td><td>8</td></tr>
<tr><td>17</td><td>6</td><td>7</td><td>7</td><td>8</td><td>8</td><td>8</td><td>8</td><td>8</td><td>8</td></tr>
<tr><td>18</td><td>6</td><td>7</td><td>8</td><td>8</td><td>9</td><td>9</td><td>9</td><td>9</td><td>9</td></tr>
<tr><td>19</td><td>6</td><td>7</td><td>8</td><td>9</td><td>9</td><td>9</td><td>9</td><td>9</td><td>9</td></tr>
<tr><td>20</td><td>6</td><td>7</td><td>8</td><td>9</td><td>A</td><td>A</td><td>A</td><td>A</td><td>A</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>A world with a UWP of X164000-0 has a standard oxygen-nitrogen Atmosphere code of 6 that could not be retained with a Size of 1. To adjust the Size, roll a 1d20 and consult the column for Atmosphere 6. A result of 4 produces an adjusted Size of 5. A result of 17 produces an adjusted Size of 8.</p>
<div class="OGL_Statement" style="clear:both;"><h2>Copyright Information</h2><p>The <b><i>Traveller</i></b> game in all forms is owned by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.farfuture.net"> Far Future Enterprises</a>. Copyright © 1977 – 2024 Far Future Enterprises. <b><i>Traveller</i></b> is a registered trademark of Far Future Enterprises. Far Future permits web sites and fanzines for this game, provided it contains this notice, that Far Future is notified, and subject to a withdrawal of permission on 90 days notice. The contents of this site are for personal, non-commercial use only. Any use of Far Future Enterprises’s copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, any program/articles/file on this site cannot be republished or distributed without the consent of the author who contributed it.</p>
<p>Materials produced by <b>Digest Group Publications</b> (DGP) are copyright © Roger Sanger. Any use of Digest Group Publications’ copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this Web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights. Usage is intended to follow the guidelines <a target="_blank" href="http://members.tip.net.au/~davidjw/tavspecs/maint/dgp_faq.htm"> announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List</a> for preserving the overall <b><i>Traveller</i></b> milieu.</p></div>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-54553810928327042922024-03-12T05:00:00.231-04:002024-03-12T06:25:58.044-04:00Lot 47<p>Our latest <em>Into the Interface</em> session of Mongoose Traveller was a bit of a housekeeping episode as we transitioned to a different phase of the campaign following the end of “<a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-professors-charter.html">The Professor’s Charter</a>.” No session with the crew of the <em>Starjammer</em> would ever be complete with at least one running gunfight and one near PC death, though.</p>
<h1 style="font-size:medium;">Ship’s Log</h1>
<div>
<div style="float:left;width:50%;">
<p><strong>Ship Name</strong> <em>Starjammer.</em></p>
<p><strong>Port of Registry</strong> Kline (MAGY 3012 A642987-E).</p>
</div>
<div style="float:right;width:50%;">
<p><strong>Ship Type</strong> U-CA33 Armed Packet.</p>
<p><strong>Registration #</strong> 338-C-2725.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="shiplog">
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>152-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>2345.</em> The <em>Starjammer</em> exited jumpspace in the Double system, 799,200 km (2.67 light-seconds) from the mainworld.</p>
<p><em>2351.</em> Ronald established contact with High Fargo starport, announcing arrival from Solomani space. The starship had returned to Imperial space after 680 days cruising systems in the Solomani Confederation and beyond.</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>153-1104</strong></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding:1em 0 0 1em;">
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSgvwolFqj6E7CNOP7d3S242H5h69vQHofdWNjt83Wsvp9on-IfKGFyKPE97bxhjIriKv4yNworiuabGO8dtRfwB3UdSz0R4TZETKo0zZo__2xvVviB5brMFAZM7Y7aHazIfhCOEnBae6-FpJxMho2KIZEih-0XzdHkztqENlpIfbgLtu6qT3Ifn7gyyH/s1024/Double.png"><img alt="" title="The Double mainworld" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSgvwolFqj6E7CNOP7d3S242H5h69vQHofdWNjt83Wsvp9on-IfKGFyKPE97bxhjIriKv4yNworiuabGO8dtRfwB3UdSz0R4TZETKo0zZo__2xvVviB5brMFAZM7Y7aHazIfhCOEnBae6-FpJxMho2KIZEih-0XzdHkztqENlpIfbgLtu6qT3Ifn7gyyH/s320/Double.png"/></a></div>
<p style="width:320px;padding-left:0.25em;text-align:justify;color:sienna;font-style:italic;">The far side of the Double mainworld. This arid hemisphere is uninhabited except for a handful of small mining settlements.</p>
</div>
<p><em>0014.</em> Juno announced that she had received 17,606 messages for the crew, which she filtered down to <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2024/02/xmails-for-starjammer.html">8 xmails</a>.</p>
<p><em>0154.</em> The Stajammer encountered a 30,000-ton robotic fuel blimp, outbound for the innermost gas giant, Mandan.</p>
<p><em>0238.</em> The <em>Starjammer</em> reached High Fargo, the orbital component of the Double starport, and was directed to Hangar 18.</p>
<p><em>0346.</em> An inspection team from the Imperial Starport Authority came aboard, led by Chief Inspector Kaudu Ipda. As a Law Level zero world, Double did not conduct separate planetary customs or immigration inspections. Chief Inspector Ipda reviewed the <em>Starjammer’s</em> registry.</p>
<p>The Imperial team carefully checked the crew manifest to verify the identities of all crew members, who were also subject to a medical exam from an SPA quarantine officer.</p>
<p>Captain Cryo declared the entire ship subject to customs, including the 20-ton ship’s boat salvaged from <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-professors-charter.html">the wreck of the <em>Speedwell</em></a>.</p>
<p>The SPA team then began a thorough inspection of the entirety of the <em>Starjammer</em>.</p>
<p><em>0700.</em> The SPA quarantine officer issued a clean bill of health for the <em>Starjammer</em> and the crew.</p>
<p><em>1011.</em> Lieutenant Maya Sigrun, a young Imperial Navy officer with the Liaison Office, came aboard. She pored over the ship’s log and interviewed Captain Cryo and XO Wayne. She asked probing questions about starship encounters in Solomani space as well as all interactions with Solomani Confederation officials.</p>
<p><em>1304.</em> Lieutenant Sigrun debarked the <em>Starjammer</em>.</p>
<p><em>1323.</em> Chief Inspector Ipda issued a customs clearance, noting that the ship’s boat was subject to a Cr204,660 Imperial tariff, equal to 6% of the estimated salvage value of MCr3.411. Howard paid the tariff from <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2021/08/the-ships-account.html">the ship’s account</a>. Howard also paid the initial berthing fees and arranged for refueling and resupply of the ship’s life support systems.</p>
<p><em>1400.</em> Sonny and Captain Cryo debarked the <em>Starjammer</em> to attend an appointment with Sir Dawid Mofren, the Imperial legate to Double.</p>
<p><em>1533.</em> Sonny and Captain Cryo returned to the <em>Starjammer</em>.</p>
<p><em>1700.</em> The crew met in the lounge on A Deck to discuss the contents of Lot 47. Howard explained that the vault contained several million Solomani credits in large denomination notes, which would be fairly easy to convert to Imperial credits.</p>
<p>The stock certificates, also worth millions of credits, were divided into registered and bearer instruments. While the registered certificates were essentially worthless, the bearer certificates could be redeemed for the value of the stock. While a few of the associated companies, such as Austal Asset Management, had been dissolved in the years following the Rim War, other companies were still being actively traded. As an example, Howard noted that the vault contained bearer certificates for over 3,000 shares of the Solomani biofirm ConTech. With ConTech stock trading at over Cr450/share, those certificates alone were worth nearly 1.5 million credits.</p>
<p>The vault also contained millions of credits worth of old insurance policies. Daren noted that most of the companies originally holding the policies had been consolidated or absorbed by the Anise General Insurers corporation following the Rim War. Anise General Insurers had since grown to become one of the largest insurance providers in Magyar sector.</p>
<p>Howard explained that as the Rim War had ended over a hundred years earlier, most beneficiaries were likely deceased, though with anagathics, cryosleep, or cloning some might still be alive. Tracking down the beneficiaries or their descendants would be extremely difficult, particularly since so many records had been destroyed during the War. Brogue suggested that, given the large size of some of the policies, some entrepreneur might be willing to conduct the research necessary to match the old policies up with potential claimants.</p>
<p>Finally, the vault contained dozens of data crystals. Many of these crystals contained only personal ephemera, such as family holograms, old correspondence, outdated financial records, and so on. A handful of crystals were encrypted and appeared to contain highly sensitive information, possibly of a personal nature.</p>
<p>The crew then discussed how to best dispose the proceeds from Lot 47. Various modifications to the <em>Starjammer</em> were proposed and rejected before the crew began to hone in on adding stealth capability to the ship. Richy explained that most stealth tech used synthetic polymers that could be sprayed in a very thin coating to the entire exterior and once cured would permanently bond with the hull. The material absorbed radar and lidar beams and masked heat emissions.</p>
<p>Refitting the ship with the most advanced materials would cost hundreds of millions of credits, making this option really only suitable for military vessels. But Richy noted that a lower tech material, like the Ling-Standard Products CloakTech-X, would cost a tenth of that and still be useful against most ships the <em>Starjammer</em> would be expected to tangle with. After consideration Sonny asked Richy to arrange for refitting the <em>Starjammer</em> with CloakTech-X after the overhaul.</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>154-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>1017.</em> Captain Cryo announced to the crew that he has resigned his position, effective immediately. Cryo explained that, with his Navy pension, he had more than enough income to retire and was ready to do something different.</p>
<p><em>1232.</em> Richy reported that he had met with the starport’s Ship Services Department to schedule the <em>Starjammer’s</em> annual maintenance overhaul and the installation of an improved stealth coating to the hull. The overhaul was scheduled to begin on 156-1104 and end on 170-1104; installation of the stealth coating would begin on 171-1104 and complete on 183-1104. Application of the stealth material was estimated to cost MCr30.0.</p>
<p><em>1600.</em> At the end of the afternoon watch, the crew of the <em>Starjammer</em> debarked for The Double Trouble, a starport bar, to fête Cryo’s retirement.</p>
<p><em>2124.</em> Wayne informed Sonny that he was studying to take the <em>Limited Master’s Exam</em> and would like to be considered for the vacant captain’s chair.</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>155-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>0323.</em> Boone, Ronald, and Brogue, the last crewmembers unaccounted for, returned to the <em>Starjammer</em>.</p>
<p><em>0700.</em> Howard presented Cryo with his final salary payout as well as six vouchers for High Passage as severance.</p>
<p><em>1200.</em> Brogue and Sonny headed to Crazy Saiful, Small Craft Dealer, to sell off the <em>Speedwell’s</em> ship’s boat. Saiful proved to be a canny and persuasive negotiator, purchasing the boat for MCr3.4.</p>
<p><em>1405.</em> Daren reported that he had successfully cracked one of the data crystals, which had used outdated Solomani military encryption. The crystal appeared to contain a paymaster’s list, detailing a series of covert payments to individuals and businesses on Austa (Magyar 2503 C796ABE-B), a former Solomani world captured by the Imperium in the war.</p>
<p>Daren cross-referenced the list against more recent databases and discovered that while some of the recipients had died or emigrated to the Confederation over the last century, many more had stayed behind and their descendants still held prominent positions in Austa society.</p>
<p>Sonny surmised that the list belonged to Solomani Security, the sprawling intelligence arm of the Confederation. The wartime government of Austa had been notorious for its repressive and exploitative treatment of the Vilani majority, and the list probably recorded payments to Solomani informants and collaborators. Brogue suggested that the public release of this list might compromise or embarrass many influential families living on Austa—and that such families might be willing to pay and pay well to keep the list out of public view.</p>
<p>Howard pointed out that SolSec would probably not like to see such a list made public, either.</p>
<p><em>1426.</em> Daren reported that reading the data crystal appeared to have triggered the transmission of an automated message of some sort. None of the data crystals seemed to be emitting a location beacon.</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>156-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>0700.</em> Howard paid the remaining crew their monthly salary.</p>
<p><em>0756.</em> Boone, Ronald, and Richy boarded a shuttle bound for the surface of Double, where they planned to take their two week vacation.</p>
<p><em>0800.</em> Sonny turned the <em>Starjammer</em> over to High Fargo’s Ship Services Department for the annual maintenance overhaul.</p>
<p><em>0911.</em> Sonny, Daren, Wayne, Howard, and Brogue took rooms at the TAS Hostel on High Fargo. While Wayne planned to spend his vacation studying for the Master’s License exam, Howard intended to study for the medical boards to finally get his doctor’s license.</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>162-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>0900.</em> Howard began the medical board certification examination.</p>
<p><em>1200.</em> A newly-issued Travellers’ New Service bulletin began to circulate throughout High Fargo starport, reading as follows:</p>
<p><strong>102-year-old Starship Wreck Found in Solomani Space. </strong>[Tolson/Clown (Magyar 2106 A432ADH-E) 149-1104.] In 1000, as Admiral Miiri Kemper’s Imperial fleets began to press into Magyar sector, high ranking Solomani Party officials on Austa/Anise (Magyar 2503 C796ABE-B) evacuated their loved ones from the fighting of the Solomani Rim War. The <em>Speedwell</em>, a Type M subsidized liner bound for Tralp/Voyager (Magyar 1913 D968998-8), was hastily loaded with family members and personal effects. But after jumping from Austa the liner was never heard from again and presumed lost.</p>
<p>Recent reports claim that the missing ship may have been discovered in the outer system of Desolation/Eery (Magyar 1506 B401200-E), an obscure system just inside Solomani space. While still unverified, these claims could represent a remarkable find for historians of the Rim War, as well as potential closure for the many living descendants of those passengers who disappeared aboard the <em>Speedwell</em>. The loss of the <em>Speedwell</em> has been the subject of considerable speculation and litigation over the last century …</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>163-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>0800.</em> Wayne began the <em>Limited Master’s License</em> exam.</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>169-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>1640.</em> Wayne completed the <em>Limited Master’s License</em> exam.</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>170-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>1113.</em> Starship Services notified Sonny that the <em>Starjammer’s</em> annual maintenance overhaul was complete, no major problems had been identified, and all components were operating within specifications. The ship was re-certified for safe operation.</p>
<p><em>1511.</em> The Travellers’ Aid Society contacted Wayne to inform him that he had passed the <em>Limited Master’s Exam</em>, allowing him to serve as the master of a starship of less than 1,000 tons.</p>
<p><em>2138.</em> Boone contacted Sonny to report that he, Ronald, and Richy were having so much fun that they wanted to extend their vacation another two weeks. Sonny explained that additional shore leave could be granted but that it would be unpaid. Boone asked if he could receive an advance on his pay. The transmission was abruptly terminated.</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>171-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>1147.</em> Sonny reported that Starship Services had begun the application of stealth material to the <em>Starjammer’s</em> hull.</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>172-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>1328.</em> Howard completed the medical board certification examination.</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>173-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>0523.</em> All of High Fargo shuddered from a massive explosion. Sirens and alarms sounded throughout the station as crew from Emergency Services and Starport Security responded.</p>
<p><em>0531.</em> The TAS Hostel messaged all guests to ask them to remain in their rooms until further notice.</p>
<p><em>0533.</em> The small military garrison of High Fargo starport was placed on high alert. The garrison, which consisted of a single platoon of 75 Imperial Marines drawn from the 3,411th Line Regiment, was normally assigned to the 131st Subsector Fleet at Seloo (Magyar 2102 A4319BA-E).</p>
<p><em>0800.</em> Most emergency alerts throughout the starport were canceled. The TAS Hostel notified all guests that they could leave their rooms.</p>
<p><em>0912.</em> Brogue reported that the explosion had occurred at Crazy Saiful’s, and that Saiful and his entire extended family were believed dead.</p>
<p><em>1630.</em> The Kobayashi School of Medicine informed Howard that he had successfully passed the boards and was licensed as a ship’s surgeon with the ability to practice medicine, including writing prescriptions, handling most ailments, and dealing with other doctors.</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>174-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>1929.</em> Dr. Howard Berrera celebrated his new medical license by treating himself to dinner at The Vantage, a high-end restaurant offering premium views of the Double mainworld below.</p>
<p><em>2130.</em> A man approached Howard’s table to congratulate him on passing the boards. He casually placed a hand on Howard’s shoulder. Within a few seconds Howard began to feel dizzy and complained he was having difficulty focusing.</p>
<p><em>2136.</em> Starport Emergency Services responded to reports of a man collapsing at The Vantage.</p>
<p><em>2227.</em> Sonny was notified by the management of the TAS Hostel that Howard had been admitted to the Starport Medical Bay.</p>
<p><em>2250.</em> Sonny, Wayne, Brogue, Daren, and Killzilla, Daren’s security robot, arrived at MedBay. Dr. Arzikar Leu, the attending physician, explained that Howard had been admitted unconscious and in acute respiratory and cardiac distress. While the trauma team had been able to stabilize Howard’s vital signs he was in a coma.</p>
<p>Dr. Leu then began to question the crew about Howard’s drug use. As Double was infamous across the subsector as a destination for drug tourism, Dr. Leu clearly expected to hear that Howard indulged in any number of illicit drugs such as Soma-6, Happiness, or Glitter.</p>
<p>The doctor’s demeanor changed when Sonny suggested that Howard may have been poisoned, perhaps by the Solomani. Ashen-faced, Dr. Leu quickly punched in revised instructions for Howard’s toxicology panel.</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>175-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>0104.</em> Dr. Leu reported that the tox screen had come back clear for all drugs except alcohol, but noted that Howard’s symptoms were consistent with exposure to Nuroced, a deadly nerve agent favored by the Solomani military and nearly undetectable. While Howard remained unconscious he appeared to be responding positively to aggressive anticholinergic countermeasures, the standard treatment for Nuroced poisoning.</p>
<p><em>0235.</em> An unassuming man dressed as a surgeon arrived in MedBay and began heading for Howard’s room. Sonny, who realized that this did not represent a shift change, began approaching the newcomer. In response the man drew a gauss pistol and began firing.</p>
<p>MedBay erupted into chaos. Medical personnel ducked for cover and alarms rang as gauss needles, accelerated to hypersonic speeds, zipped overhead. Sonny and Brogue drew their own gauss pistols and returned fire as Wayne racked his shotgun and Daren blasted away with his huge revolver, hitting nothing. Exasperated, Daren threw down his gun and ordered Killzilla to lay down a beat, maximum volume, while he began to freestyle lyrics dissing the would-be assassin.</p>
<p>In the course of the gunfight Wayne was hit and Brogue seriously wounded. Killzilla blasted the assailant with laser fire and in response the man drew a monomolecular sword and attacked the robot, slicing through its armor before being gunned down himself.</p>
<p><em>0251.</em> An SPA security team arrived on the scene. While Brogue and Wayne received medical treatment, security interviewed Sonny and Daren.</p>
<p><em>0300.</em> Imperial Marine guards were posted to MedBay.</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>176-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>0900.</em> Assistant Chief of Security, Lan Giero, arrived at the TAS Hostel to conduct follow-up interviews. Giero revealed that the man killed in MedBay had arrived at High Fargo four days earlier on a packet chartered out of Justice (Magyar 2007 C842897-8) and was recorded on a station security feed in the vicinity of Saiful’s shortly before the explosion.</p>
<p>The man’s identity papers were almost certainly faked: he was listed as Ethan Pachis, a native of Plage (Magyar 2008 C432A64-E), a poor and overpopulated Imperial world under military rule. Giero believed he was almost certainly Solomani and likely a SolSec operative.</p>
<p>Giero asked why Pachis would have been interested in the crew of the <em>Starjammer</em>, but neither Sonny nor Wayne had any idea. Giero then revealed that he had only just realized that the <em>Starjammer</em> had recently visited Desolation, and was’t that the Solomani system where the wreck of the <em>Speedwell</em> had just been found?</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>181-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>1746.</em> Howard was released from MedBay. Although he complained about persistent headaches and was still a little shaky on his feet, he was expected to make a full recovery. Sonny paid the entire Cr50,000 medical bill from the ship’s account.</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>183-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>1231.</em> Sonny reported that the LSP CloakTech-X coating had been successfully applied to the <em>Starjammer’s</em> hull and the ship would be released once the bill was settled.</p>
<p>Sonny announced that the ship’s account was nearly drained and that he did not have the funds to cover the stealth refit. Crew members kicked in additional money from their personal savings, but Sonny determined the account was still insufficient. Sonny asked the crew to scour Double for the most lucrative jobs they could find.</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>184-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>0836.</em> Richy, Ronald, and Boone returned from their extended vacation.</p>
<p><em>1227.</em> Brogue relayed that one of his contacts in the Cargo Department had reported the arrival that morning of a scheduled liner out of Tolson (Magyar 2106 A432ADH-E). Aboard were four women, exactly alike in appearance and dress, who debarked and quickly fanned out across the starport making inquiries about the <em>Starjammer</em> and its crew.</p>
<p><em>1354.</em> Sonny received a priority message from an unknown sender requesting a meeting at 1900 in the lounge of the TAS Hostel. After a brief discussion Sonny accepted the invitation.</p>
<p><em>1755.</em> Howard and Brogue arrived early at the TAS lounge in order to case the place. They soon realized they were beaten to the punch by a striking dark-haired woman already sitting at the bar. Dressed in a stylish black business suit, she waved them over and complimented them for their initiative, saying that she herself had only showed up at 1700.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;">
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8eOTp2269CTAIRp8XohKF45wKSRMUZ3AWKzyxT3IxQlBGXXPI9ZsvXhy4BXw5h0ycX83UExPHNzrAwyDk6fbf__fyBAAorO7Q_X-saPUSTNnRTvbcV0ZXvIfYiaisiAGgsUKgssMtDK8lOC2OBlTNUCPtdTttPILX0wmRe4Nh1JZ5E34_PJ36gGJx30t/s256/v2_0812366.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8eOTp2269CTAIRp8XohKF45wKSRMUZ3AWKzyxT3IxQlBGXXPI9ZsvXhy4BXw5h0ycX83UExPHNzrAwyDk6fbf__fyBAAorO7Q_X-saPUSTNnRTvbcV0ZXvIfYiaisiAGgsUKgssMtDK8lOC2OBlTNUCPtdTttPILX0wmRe4Nh1JZ5E34_PJ36gGJx30t/s320/v2_0812366.jpg"/></a></div>
<p style="width:320px;padding-left:0.25em;text-align:justify;color:sienna;font-style:italic;">A factory standard <em>Modesti</em> clone. Source: ConTech Labour Solutions Catalog (1100). Image used without permission.
</div>
<p>The woman introduced herself as Dee and seemed to know who they were, even referring to Howard as “doctor.” Howard pegged Dee as a <em>Modesti</em>, a tough and streetwise model of clone produced by ConTech and often employed as a bodyguard, courier, or enforcer. The three made small talk for a bit. Dee revealed that she and her three sisters were employed by Anise General Insurers and were interested in the insurance certificates found in Lot 47. Dee reassured Howard and Brogue that her employer had little interest in violence and would much prefer to conduct a quiet business transaction.</p>
<p><em>1900.</em> Sonny, Daren, and Wayne arrived at the TAS lounge as Killzilla rolled back and forth on patrol just outside. They were soon joined by three more <em>Modesti</em> clones, who introduced themselves as Ay, Bee, and See.</p>
<p>Ay quickly got down to business, noting that while the insurance policy certificates were essentially worthless to the crew of the <em>Starjammer</em>, they held considerable “sentimental” value to Anise General Insurers. She explained that the discovery of the certificates would create undesirable legal and financial uncertainty. Given the extreme age of these documents and the complicated series of post-war transactions, these policies would cost millions of credits in legal fees and take years or even decades to sort out, leaving very little in the way of benefits to any established descendants.</p>
<p>Much better, argued Ay, if these documents simply never were found. Daren asked what Anise General Insurers might be willing to offer in exchange for having this headache disappear. Ay offered Cr500,000 but when Daren sprung up to leave she quickly upped the offer to MCr1.0.</p>
<p>After some additional haggling Daren was able to negotiate MCr3.0 for the policies, though Ay insisted that the entire <em>Starjammer</em> crew would have to sign a non-disclosure agreement covering the policies themselves as well all interactions with Anise General Insurers.</p>
<p><em>2214.</em> Ay and her sisters observed the crew signing the NDA. Sonny then turned over the insurance certificates. See pulled out a relatively small sheet of plastic material which she unfolded to form a small box. She placed the documents in the box, closed the flat, and pressed a button that incinerated the documents. Bee then gave Sonny a case containing MCr3.0 in large denomination notes.</p>
<p>After the women left Sonny noted that the payment gave the ship’s account just enough money to pay off the stealth work and make payroll.</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>187-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>0700.</em> Howard paid the crew their monthly salaries and paid Starship Services the balance of the stealth work.</p>
<p><em>0800.</em> Captain Masada announced that the <em>Starjammer</em> would depart Double the following day, and that all crew were to be aboard by 0600.</p>
<p class="logheader"><strong>Double (Magyar 1907 A541500-E)</strong> <strong>188-1104</strong></p>
<p><em>1059.</em> The <em>Starjammer</em> decoupled from High Fargo and made for the Leriss (Magyar 2208 E9428B8-6) jump point.</p>
<p><em>1442.</em> The <em>Starjammer</em> jumped out of the Double system.</p>
</div>
<div class="OGL_Statement" style="clear:both;"><h2>Copyright Information</h2><p>The image of Double was generated using <a href="https://openai.com/dall-e-2">DALL-E2</a>. The image of a <em>Modesti</em> clone was found on <a href="https://generated.photos/">Generated Faces</a>.</p><p>The <b><i>Traveller</i></b> game in all forms is owned by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.farfuture.net"> Far Future Enterprises</a>. Copyright © 1977 – 2024 Far Future Enterprises. <b><i>Traveller</i></b> is a registered trademark of Far Future Enterprises. Far Future permits web sites and fanzines for this game, provided it contains this notice, that Far Future is notified, and subject to a withdrawal of permission on 90 days notice. The contents of this site are for personal, non-commercial use only. Any use of Far Future Enterprises’s copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, any program/articles/file on this site cannot be republished or distributed without the consent of the author who contributed it.</p>
<p>Materials produced by <b>Digest Group Publications</b> (DGP) are copyright © Roger Sanger. Any use of Digest Group Publications’ copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this Web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights. Usage is intended to follow the guidelines <a target="_blank" href="http://members.tip.net.au/~davidjw/tavspecs/maint/dgp_faq.htm"> announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List</a> for preserving the overall <b><i>Traveller</i></b> milieu.</p></div>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-42936440661991199922024-03-06T05:00:00.213-05:002024-03-06T06:04:37.261-05:00Starjammer Crew Updated<style type="text/css"><!--
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMEsSYNV9IyC3bV2bWnnQtnFFqkZFGgYtNJDuLw4mx_51q_0I8YVpdZe3RFlx5w7Q1NkVnKS4KGN3SRhJoTIi1Pu0RbesyFzocpMuKu5_tjfwnSfOiJha7DHNGsK8poEVS2zmizETqweC5yIIUBMe24S-P9tcOgqbgr0JgkNc9kpWQj4p_DUiRKwRIRHe/s1920/Starjammer%20Gas%20Giant.png"><img alt="" title="The Starjammer above the gas giant Sakakawea" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMEsSYNV9IyC3bV2bWnnQtnFFqkZFGgYtNJDuLw4mx_51q_0I8YVpdZe3RFlx5w7Q1NkVnKS4KGN3SRhJoTIi1Pu0RbesyFzocpMuKu5_tjfwnSfOiJha7DHNGsK8poEVS2zmizETqweC5yIIUBMe24S-P9tcOgqbgr0JgkNc9kpWQj4p_DUiRKwRIRHe/s320/Starjammer%20Gas%20Giant.png"/></a></div>
<p>The crew of the <em><a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2021/06/revised-starjammer.html">Starjammer</a></em> experienced a shakeup during the last game session, as Captain Cryo turned in his papers and retired, forcing a search for a new captain. The following post updates the crew manifest to reflect the revised positions. The manifest incorporates our house rules for <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2021/03/licenses-and-certifications.html">crew certifications</a>, <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2021/05/combat-qualifications-for-traveller.html">combat qualifications</a>, and <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2021/04/crew-requirements-and-salary.html">adjusted salaries</a>.</p>
<p>The owner of the <em>Starjammer</em> is the synthetic person <strong>Bodyguard 3185D31A</strong>, better known as Sonny. Sonny was designed using the Traveller<sup>5</sup> rules for Synthetics and adapted for Mongoose Traveller, long before the <em><a href="https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/products/robot-handbook">Robot Handbook</a></em> was out. In MgT terms, Sonny is probably best described as a “biological robot or ‘biobot’ … a living organism, albeit one that may have been grown in a vat and implanted with an electronic brain inside its bony skull” (87). At some point I will try to recreate him using the MgT rules but they look pretty crunchy.</p>
<table class="upp">
<tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Name</sup> <span class="chrname">Bodyguard 3185D31A, “Sonny”</span></td> <td width="33%"><sup>Position(s)</sup> Owner Aboard</td> </tr>
<tr><td><sup>Species</sup> Synthetic Human</td><td><sup>Gender</sup> Male</td><td><sup>UPP</sup> 7BA821</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="33%"><sup>Incept</sup> 025-1094</td> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Homeworld</sup> N/A</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Service</sup> N/A</td> <td width="33%"><sup>Rank</sup> N/A</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><sup>Certifications</sup> <em>Grav Vehicle Pilot’s License</em>, <em>Small Craft Pilot’s License</em>, <em>Spacecraft Pilot’s License</em>.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><sup>Augments</sup> wafer jack (TL12).</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Possessions</sup> advanced polycarapace, gauss pistol, stunstick, broadsword, medikit (TL 14), Translator/1 wafer, Expert Medic/2 wafer.</td> <td width="33%"><sup>Assets</sup> Cr6,640</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><p><sup>Comments</sup> Bodyguard 3185D31A is a synthetic person produced by <em>Kline Synthetic Technologies</em>, one of the larger Imperial manufacturers of synthetics. KST services Imperial territory in Daibei, Magyar, and the Solomani Rim. The Bodyguard is a high-end <em>Verisim-8</em> model, built to closely resemble a human in all ways but possessing superior physical characteristics. <em>Verisim-8</em> models are produced in small batches at the Mirjam Advanced Manufacturing Center on Kline (Magyar 3012 A642987-E) and are customizable to the buyer’s specifications.</p>
<p>The Bodyguard can only be identified as a synthetic through a retinal scan or by a close examination of his fingerprints, which contain the KST logo and his serial number. He requires weekly amino enzyme supplements in order to process human foods. </p>
<p>Sir Cedric Radimir Garner, Baronet of Montlivan (Magyar 3222 C688456-A), ordered the Bodyguard as a present to his only son, Daren Rigby-Gardner, with the express purpose of keeping the young wastrel out of trouble. The synthetic has been nicknamed “Sonny” due to the Baronet’s supposed preference for the synthetic over his own flesh-and-blood, a claim that could actually be true. What is indisputable is that the Baronet emancipated Sonny after only eight years of service and has placed the Bodyguard on a Cr10,000 annual retainer to continue guarding his son.</p></td> </tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>By successfully testing into his Limited Master’s License, the astrogator <strong>Wayne Masada</strong> became qualified to serve as the captain of the <em>Starjammer</em>, which increased his monthly salary from Cr8,000 as executive officer to Cr10,000.</p>
<table class="upp">
<tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Name</sup> <span class="chrname">Captain Wayne Masada</span></td> <td width="33%"><sup>Position(s)</sup> Astrogator/Pilot</td> </tr>
<tr><td><sup>Species</sup> Human</td><td><sup>Gender</sup> Male</td><td><sup>UPP</sup> 576953</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="33%"><sup>Birthdate</sup> 179-1065</td> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Homeworld</sup> Gerwalk (Magyar 2631 C100941-D)</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Service</sup> ex-Scout, 1 term; ex-Merchant, 3 terms</td> <td width="33%"><sup>Rank</sup> 4th Officer</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><sup>Certifications</sup> <em>Authorized Spacecraft Mechanic Certificate</em>, <em>Broker’s License</em> (Fugue), <em>Limited Master’s License</em>, <em>Limited Mate’s License</em>, <em>Qualified Operator</em> (Laser Pistol, Vacc Suit), <em>Sensor Operator’s Certificate</em>.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><sup>Augments</sup> wafer jack (TL12).</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Possessions</sup> lightweight polycarapace, gauss rifle, shotgun, stunstick, broadsword, aerosol grenade, comm unit (TL10), medikit (TL10), light intensifying goggles (TL7), probe drone.</td> <td width="33%"><sup>Assets</sup> Cr119,800</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><p><sup>Comments</sup> Wayne Masada attended the <em>University of Neidenhafen</em> on Gerwalk, but failed to graduate. He then enlisted in the Imperial Scout Service and was sent to the Apollon IISS base on Beta (Magyar 3128 C576ADA-9) for induction and basic training. Wayne was assigned to the Survey Office, External Mapping Branch, which is responsible for maintaining the basic navigational charts and databases for areas outside the Imperium.</p>
<p>During his first term Wayne conducted surveys of neighboring Solomani Confederation worlds, including Morgenstern (Magyar 2625 E999589-8), a minor, non-industrial world notable only for a reported Ancients site. Wayne observed an unusual number of <em>Marathon</em>-class fleet couriers passing through the system and his ship was promptly captured by an <em>Independence</em>-class Solomani patrol cruiser. He was briefly detained on espionage charges until an exasperated IISS Administrator, Helen Lúcia, could negotiate his release. This minor diplomatic incident spurred Lúcia to ensure that Wayne was discharged from the Scouts.</p>
<p>Wayne then spent his next three terms in the merchant service, working for <em>Celestine Transfers</em>, a small interface line with cross-border runs between Kugle (Magyar 2423 A522656-E) and Elnor (Magyar 2223 A554611-C) and surrounding worlds. Twice Wayne was caught up in legal disputes with Solomani customs authorities, but he was able to avoid any serious fines or convictions. In his second term Wayne was promoted to Senior Crewman and during his final term Wayne was promoted to 4th Officer. In his final years in the service Wayne met Dame Wilda Pernel-Traves, the Imperial representative to Kugle.</p></td> </tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Chief Engineer <strong>Richy Jamoor</strong> was formerly the 2nd officer of the <em>Starjammer</em> and becomes the second-in-command with the promotion of Wayne. Although Richy is incredibly well qualified as a chief engineer, entitling him to a monthly salary of Cr5,600, he does not have a <em>Limited Mate’s License</em> and so does not receive an XO salary of Cr8,000.</p>
<table class="upp">
<tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Name</sup> <span class="chrname">First Officer Richy Jamoor</span></td> <td width="33%"><sup>Position(s)</sup> Chief Engineer</td> </tr>
<tr><td><sup>Species</sup> Human</td><td><sup>Gender</sup> Male</td><td><sup>UPP</sup> 2C4CA3</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="33%"><sup>Birthdate</sup> 272-1068</td> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Homeworld</sup> Kline (Magyar 3012 A642987-E)</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Service</sup> ex-Navy, 3 terms</td> <td width="33%"><sup>Rank</sup> Sublieutenant</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><sup>Certifications</sup> <em>Authorized Spacecraft Mechanic Certificate</em>, <em>Cargomaster’s Certificate</em>, <em>Chief Engineer’s License</em>, <em>Drive Tech’s Certificate</em>, <em>Qualified Operator</em> (Cutlass, Gauss Pistol, Snub Pistol, Vacc Suit), <em>Rad Tech’s Certificate</em>, <em>Sensor Operator’s Certificate</em>.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Possessions</sup> hostile environment vacc suit (TL14), snub pistol, cutlass, portable computer (TL14), Translator/1, combat drug, data display/recorder (TL13).</td> <td width="33%"><sup>Assets</sup> Cr92,200</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><p><sup>Comments</sup> Richy attended the Imperial Naval Academy (Magyar Branch), located at Seloo (Magyar 2102 A4319BA-E). He was assigned to Flight branch, 109th Fleet. For most of his three terms he served on <em>Gionetti</em>-class light cruisers as part of the 180th CruRon. The 180th was occasionally used for cross-border raids into the Solomani Confederation.</p></td> </tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><strong>Howard Barrera</strong>, who had been the <em>Starjammer’s</em> medical officer and purser was able to easily qualify as both a medical doctor and surgeon given his ranks in Medic and his relatively high DEX score. The new title increased his monthly pay from Cr4,425 to Cr4,575 but more importantly fulfills a longtime aspiration. </p>
<table class="upp">
<tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Name</sup> <span class="chrname">Second Officer Howard Barrera</span></td> <td width="33%"><sup>Position(s)</sup> Ship’s Surgeon/Purser</td> </tr>
<tr><td><sup>Species</sup> Human</td><td><sup>Gender</sup> Male</td><td><sup>UPP</sup> 797A77</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="33%"><sup>Birthdate</sup> 193-1065</td> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Homeworld</sup> Wicker (Magyar 2728 A742843-C)</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Service</sup> ex-Army, 4 terms; ex-Merchant, 1 term</td> <td width="33%"><sup>Rank</sup> Corporal</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><sup>Certifications</sup> <em>Certified Medical Technician</em> (CMT), <em>Medical Doctor’s License</em>, <em>Qualified Operator</em> (Advanced Combat Rifle, Gauss Rifle, Grenades, Hand-to-Hand Combat, Vacc Suit), <em>Surgeon’s License</em>.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Possessions</sup> advanced polycarapace, advanced combat rifle, auto pistol, auto rifle, shotgun, frag grenade, smoke grenade, vacc suit.</td> <td width="33%"><sup>Assets</sup> Cr98,400</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><p><sup>Comments</sup> Howard joined the Imperial Army and was inducted into the Unified Army of Fugue, 1st Wickerine Guards, 272nd Division, 73rd Lift Cavalry Field Army. He received basic and medical specialist training on Wicker and showed great aptitude for the speciality. He participated in <em>Operation Sagamore</em>, a police action on Gjerdingen (Magyar 3123 X5758A9-5). There he received a citation for <em>Meritorious Conduct Under Fire</em>.</p>
<p>During his second term the 1st Wickerine Guards were involved in a controversial cross-border action on the balkanized Solomani Confederation world of Fatagin (Magyar 2229 B667878-A). Fossur, one of the largest Fataginian nation-states, had been caught supplying weapons of mass destruction to insurgencies inside the Imperium. The Confederation itself denounced Fossur as a rogue nation, and <em>Operation Bright Volt</em> was intended to be a fast-moving, punitive raid on Fossur’s weapons-making complexes. As Imperial naval forces engaged local system defense forces in high orbit, Imperial marines and army units were inserted onworld. The entire operation was intended to last less than 100 hours but the ground forces quickly became bogged down fighting entrenched Home Guard and Solomani regular army troops. Hours turned into days, which turned into weeks. After 38 days of fierce fighting the Imperial ground forces were withdrawn, narrowly avoiding a larger war with the Confederation. During this action Howard received his second MCUF.</p>
<p>During his third term his unit was assigned to garrison the high-population world of Beta (Magyar 3128 C576ADA-9), where Howard was promoted to Corporal. These deployments gave Howard all-too-many opportunities to practice his speciality. During his service Howard continued to study medicine on his own with the dream of becoming an Army doctor.</p>
<p>For his fourth term the Wickerine Guards were posted to garrison Iatur (Magyar 2628 C510A9E-B), a high-population border world. Howard was a skilled and experienced trauma nurse in line for both a commission and a doctor’s license. There Howard discovered that Major Erk Raines, the chief emergency doctor for his Army hospital, was diverting HerkVees (SuSAG <em>Herakles-V</em> combat drugs) from the regimental supply to the local black market.</p>
<p>Howard cooperated with the military police, who rolled up the scheme and arrested all involved. But Major Raines did not go down without exacting revenge on Howard, trashing the medic’s exemplary service record and effectively blocking any future advancement in the Army.</p>
<p>Howard received an honorable discharge, but his dreams of becoming an Army doctor had been destroyed. Bitter, Howard then joined the merchant service, where he spent one term working for <em>Celestine Transfers</em>, an interface line moving goods back and forth between the Imperium and the Solomani Confederation.</p></td> </tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>The Sensor Operator <strong>Ronald Gill</strong> was promoted to 3rd Officer through the reshuffle of the <em>Starjammer</em> officers.</p>
<table class="upp">
<tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Name</sup> <span class="chrname">Third Officer Ronald Gill</span></td> <td width="33%"><sup>Position(s)</sup> Sensor Operator</td> </tr>
<tr><td><sup>Species</sup> Human</td><td><sup>Gender</sup> Male</td><td><sup>UPP</sup> AE9636</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="33%"><sup>Birthdate</sup> 152-1063</td> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Homeworld</sup> Vallance (Magyar 3219 A6B4598-E)</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Service</sup> ex-Other, 5 terms</td> <td width="33%"><sup>Rank</sup> N/A</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><sup>Certifications</sup> <em>Sensor Operator’s Certificate</em>.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Possessions</sup> lightweight polycarapace, gauss rifle, gauss pistol, laser rifle, shotgun, daggers (2), stunstick.</td> <td width="33%"><sup>Assets</sup> Cr33,840; Life Insurance Policy</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><p><sup>Comments</sup> At an early age Ronald was recruited into the service of Lerato Botha, a senior figure in the <em>Jarslavi Cartel</em>, a sprawling criminal network operating on both Solomani and Imperial worlds of Swan, New Mars, and Albadawi subsectors. Ronald was quickly identified by the Cartel as a highly effective enforcer. During his first term Ronald was injured but not seriously, and his pluck deeply impressed his superiors.</p>
<p>All told, Ronald served five terms with the Cartel, steadily rising up through the ranks. At one point he was betrayed by one of his fellow enforcers, Thando Kariuki, who claimed Ronald was a Ministry of Justice confidential informant. Fortunately, Ronald was able to maintain his innocence. At another juncture Ronald was able to hijack a shipment of illegal cybernetic augments from a rival criminal, Savva Medved. While the heist was lucrative to Ronald and the Cartel, he gained her as a bitter enemy. During his fifth term Lerato Botha came to regard Ronald as his own protégé and introduced him to several other senior members of the Cartel. However, shortly thereafter Lerato was killed in a shootout with Ministry of Justice agents, which helped prompt Ronald to “retire” from the organization.</p>
<p>Lerato had a Life Insurance Policy that activated a clone of himself that has been force-grown to adulthood and implanted with recorded memories, allowing him to “live” again.</td> </tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>The former smuggler <strong>“LT” Brogue Enyo</strong> is the cargomaster and a backup gunner for the <em>Starjammer</em>. With Gunner 0 he could test into a <em>Turret Gunnery Certificate</em> and draw pay for that position also.</p>
<table class="upp">
<tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Name</sup> <span class="chrname">Deckhand Brogue Enyo</span></td> <td width="33%"><sup>Position(s)</sup> Cargomaster</td> </tr>
<tr><td><sup>Species</sup> Human</td><td><sup>Gender</sup> Male</td><td><sup>UPP</sup> 7B5B65</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="33%"><sup>Birthdate</sup> 301-1060</td> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Homeworld</sup> Sinott (Magyar 2512 A431742-E)</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Service</sup> ex-Other, 6 terms</td> <td width="33%"><sup>Rank</sup> N/A</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><sup>Certifications</sup> <em>Cargomaster’s Certificate</em>.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Possessions</sup> lightweight polycarapace, gauss pistol, submachine gun, cutlass, broadsword, frag grenades (2), combat drug, fast drugs (2), anti-rad drugs, portable computer (TL14), medikit (TL12), infrared goggles, EM probe.</td> <td width="33%"><sup>Assets</sup> Cr18,800</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><p><sup>Comments</sup> “Lieutenant” Brogue had a long and successful career as a smuggler and occasional thief, evading authorities on both sides of border.</p></td> </tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><strong>Boone Russell</strong>, the <em>Starjammer’s</em> chief gunner, has an outside chance for qualifying as a bridge officer with Astrogration 0 and Pilot 0. His two biggest limitations are disinterest and a lack of ranks in Electronics.</p>
<table class="upp">
<tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Name</sup> <span class="chrname">Deckhand Barry “Boone” Russell</span></td> <td width="33%"><sup>Position(s)</sup> Chief Weapons Officer</td></tr>
<tr><td><sup>Species</sup> Human</td><td><sup>Gender</sup> Male</td><td><sup>UPP</sup> CB9557</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="33%"><sup>Birthdate</sup> 060-1064</td> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Homeworld</sup> Ferstenberg (Magyar 2704 C00079A-B)</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Service</sup> ex-Marine, 3 terms; ex-Other, 2 terms</td> <td width="33%"><sup>Rank</sup> Lance Corporal</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><sup>Certifications</sup> <em>Authorized Spacecraft Mechanic</em>, <em>Qualified Operator</em> (Battle Dress, FGHP, Gauss Rifle, Grenades, Laser Rifle, Saber), <em>Turret Gunnery Certificate</em>.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><sup>Augments</sup> wafer jack (TL12).</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Possessions</sup> boarding vacc suit (TL12), laser pistol, laser rifle, shotgun, monoblade, cutlass, frag grenades (2), smoke grenade, cowboy hat, boots, belt buckle. </td> <td width="33%"><sup>Assets</sup> Cr20,140; <em>Travellers’ Aid Society</em> membership</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><p><sup>Comments</sup> For his first term, Boone completed ground assault training on Gyurenek (Magyar 2912 B778458-C) and was issued the standard <em>Redding</em> assault battledress and an FGHP-15 fusion battle rifle. He was assigned to the 9th Line Company of the Imperial Marines 1,548th Line Regiment, 20th Fleet, Anise. As part of a Marine Task Force, Boone was deployed on a police action to Asrow (Magyar 3006 X598548-5), an interdicted world. During Operation <em>Black Pinion</em>, Boone’s commander, Force Captain Baltazar Benes, made a significant miscalculation resulting in Boone’s platoon being torn apart by a withering crossfire. Boone reported the Captain, who was demoted.</p>
<p>In his second term Boone was transferred to the 7th Line Company, which was assigned to a counter-insurgency Marine Task Force deployed to the high-population world of Austa (Magyar 2503 C796ABE-B). Boone was promoted to Lance Corporal, but a disastrous relationship with his commander’s daughter put him in the crosshairs of Force Commander Audra Houston. For his third term Boone was transferred to the 2nd Line Company and deployed on a counter-insurgency mission to Typoer (Magyar 3210 X6428AB-5), an interdicted, low-tech pariah world wracked by two centuries of civil war. There he received a citation for <em>Meritorious Conduct Under Fire</em>. However, Boone quarreled with Gunnery Sergeant Raj Lishun and was forced out of the service.</p>
<p>Boone spent the next two terms working as a scavenger on Typoer, salvaging useful material from the ruins. In his first term Boone experienced a mysterious loss of memory while excavating radioactives from the bombed-out city of Zonule. During his second term he encountered his old enemy Baltazar Benes, then employed as a mercenary hunting down insurgents. In the firefight that ensued Boone was able to escape and make his way off-world.</p></td> </tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><strong>Daren Rigby-Garner</strong>, technically a member of the Imperial nobility, is a minor celebrity in Magyar sector and the <em>Starjammer’s</em> artist-in-residence.</p>
<table class="upp">
<tbody>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Name</sup> <span class="chrname">Deckhand Daren Rigby-Garner</span></td> <td width="33%"><sup>Position(s)</sup> Entertainer</td> </tr>
<tr><td><sup>Species</sup> Human</td><td><sup>Gender</sup> Male</td><td><sup>UPP</sup> 22146C</td></tr>
<tr> <td width="33%"><sup>Birthdate</sup> 031-1064</td> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Homeworld</sup> Beta (Magyar 3128 C576ADA-9)</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Service</sup> ex-Other, 5 terms</td> <td width="33%"><sup>Rank</sup> N/A</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><sup>Certifications</sup> none.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><sup>Augments</sup> wafer jack (TL12).</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="2" width="67%"><sup>Possessions</sup> advanced polycarapace, handgun, stim drug (10), metabolic accelerator (2), fast drug (5), panacea (10), light intensifier goggles (TL9), mobile comm (TL10), portable computer (TL14), hair gel.</td> <td width="33%"><sup>Assets</sup> Cr569,547</td> </tr>
<tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%"><p><sup>Comments</sup> Daren Rigby-Garner (professional name HotLolz69420xxx) was born to Sir Cedric Radimir Garner, Baronet of Montlivan (Magyar 3222 C688456-A) and Dame Augustina Rigby-Garner. His parents separated shortly before his birth on Beta (Magyar 3128 C576ADA-9), his mother’s own homeworld. Raised at Brantine, her family estate, he enjoyed a privileged childhood. But not even his mother’s connections could get him into university, so he embarked on a “gap term” of pure indolence, where he became caught up in a conspiracy of nobles against Comtesse Agatha haut Ikin, the Imperial consul to Beta. The Comtesse’s sensational affair with not one but two different courtiers was widely reported across the subsector.</p>
<p>He then turned his attention to art, officially changing his name to HotLolz69420xxx and becoming a celebrated lifestyle holographer, where he met Alexis Padmore, a Regional Executive for <em>Cynosure Entertainment</em>. HotLolz enjoyed immediate success, joining Beta’s celebrity circles. However, in his next term he attempted to do more serious pieces that criticized the <em>Solomani Catholic Church</em>. The resulting scandal outraged Beta’s highly religious audience, effectively ending his holography career.</p>
<p>Daren spent his next two terms as a drifter, wandering around the subsector with a vague hope of somehow resurrecting his career. His one constant companion during this period was his android “valet,” a gift from his estranged father. During his fourth term on Sinott (Magyar 2512 A431742-E) Daren met a friendly entrepreneur, Timo Waller, with a talent for providing illicit goods and services. But during his fifth term Daren fell afoul of Zoya Kozlov, the matriarch of a criminal organization spanning Anise subsector. On Doak (Magyar 2709 B313401-D) an investigation by the Ministry of Justice dismantled Zoya’s narcotics operation and she has placed the blame on Daren, who somehow escaped unharmed.</p>
<p>Daren has recently embraced sobriety and recast himself as an investigative reporter. He has acquired a heavily modded Popov Robotics <em>Vigil 1000</em> security bot, similar in design to the the popular AN-427 model produced by ICAM Technology. The robot, named Tech-9 “The OG Killzilla” provides additional protection.</p></td> </tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div class="OGL_Statement"><h2>Copyright Information</h2><p>The <b><i>Traveller</i></b> game in all forms is owned by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.farfuture.net"> Far Future Enterprises</a>. Copyright © 1977 – 2024 Far Future Enterprises. <b><i>Traveller</i></b> is a registered trademark of Far Future Enterprises. Far Future permits web sites and fanzines for this game, provided it contains this notice, that Far Future is notified, and subject to a withdrawal of permission on 90 days notice. The contents of this site are for personal, non-commercial use only. Any use of Far Future Enterprises’s copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, any program/articles/file on this site cannot be republished or distributed without the consent of the author who contributed it. </p><p>Materials produced by <b>Digest Group Publications</b> (DGP) are copyright © Roger Sanger. Any use of Digest Group Publications' copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this Web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights. Usage is intended to follow the guidelines <a target="_blank" href="http://members.tip.net.au/~davidjw/tavspecs/maint/dgp_faq.htm"> announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List</a> for preserving the overall <b><i>Traveller</i></b> milieu. </p></div>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-33810647522505681642024-02-27T05:00:00.064-05:002024-03-06T09:53:31.581-05:00Xmails for the Starjammer<style type="text/css">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;">
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghRyrKpe5o42AZLp635ywxgiIdM5rsWXOfDqiRS1_uLCnnWCDmQY0YRGI_PsC7ju3QFkhlKe2I7P8s1fBwWeacyOaMfWaoTufGbmHTRp3KktehIgRtx4pAv8oHOAR1q_L4LpHoTN8rxHf_NvBrwTnQvp9sVJITYD-OK_scg7YL9E9cQnyuQtTY8ocsh9U_/s4032/PXL_20240227_104543675.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghRyrKpe5o42AZLp635ywxgiIdM5rsWXOfDqiRS1_uLCnnWCDmQY0YRGI_PsC7ju3QFkhlKe2I7P8s1fBwWeacyOaMfWaoTufGbmHTRp3KktehIgRtx4pAv8oHOAR1q_L4LpHoTN8rxHf_NvBrwTnQvp9sVJITYD-OK_scg7YL9E9cQnyuQtTY8ocsh9U_/s320/PXL_20240227_104543675.jpg"/></a></div>
<p class="fargopic">The IMV <em>Starjammer</em> in dock at High Fargo starport, Double. In the foreground troops in combat armor prepare to load a waiting <em>Broadsword</em>-class mercenary cruiser.</p>
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3skpyk1dLcarfQYQteHpdD2C0dIjyLTp8AKoutlGt1T27zKJei1BuNltKyKCDIZyRAIa50h48kbf3MRTx303O6AofTEEjWICQzTYniJYaqZQ_ZFosAMDz3spFk-D-Dr5np6WYQeDWYYzS6jENLFTKsh_G63hyphenhyphend3rg6Kq1EUhka8wEaFnn3gyNkvLdU979/s4032/PXL_20240228_125458630.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3skpyk1dLcarfQYQteHpdD2C0dIjyLTp8AKoutlGt1T27zKJei1BuNltKyKCDIZyRAIa50h48kbf3MRTx303O6AofTEEjWICQzTYniJYaqZQ_ZFosAMDz3spFk-D-Dr5np6WYQeDWYYzS6jENLFTKsh_G63hyphenhyphend3rg6Kq1EUhka8wEaFnn3gyNkvLdU979/s320/PXL_20240228_125458630.jpg"/></a></div>
<p class="fargopic">TL13 mercenary troopers outfitted with combat armor and KG56A3 gauss rifles. Behind them is a TL9 ground APC.</p>
</div>
<p>Last week we were able to play the latest installment of our <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2019/02/into-interface-player-characters.html"><em>Into the Interface</em></a> Traveller campaign, which saw the player characters’ starship, the <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2021/06/revised-starjammer.html">IMV <em>Starjammer</em></a><em>,</em> return to Imperial space for the first time in nearly two years.</p>
<p>In preparation for the session I wanted to show off <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-type-u-armed-packet.html">the new 1:270 scale <em>Starjammer</em></a> model. This scale, which was popularized by the <a href="https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/x-wing/">Star Wars X-Wing Miniatures Game</a>, is extremely close to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1:285_scale">1:285 or 6mm scale</a> occasionally used in wargaming for micro armor games and other uses.</p>
<p>In order to give the players a proper sense of the ship’s size, I ordered <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/1364025039/30x-6mm-troopers-5-hex-bases-figures">a platoon of 6mm sci-fi troopers</a> from the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/igMakes">igMakes Etsy Store</a> to paint up. These are tiny 3D prints with a decent amount of definition, and they came with an APC and attack helicopter.</p>
<p>Painting up the platoon was a useful exercise and not nearly as difficult as I feared. I found this YouTube video to be very helpful: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeCbQTLasJc">6mm is Easy! Painting Teeny Napoleonic British Infantry [How I Paint Things]</a>. Basically, at this scale you are really only able to suggest details by hitting the highlights of the highlights. I could see going down a real rabbit hole here: lots of 6mm scale pieces are available, including cargo containers, freight loaders, and the like.</p>
<p>As I was working on these props it occurred to me that a starship away from its home territory for an extended voyage would likely be barraged by incoming <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2023/10/youve-got-xmail.html">xmails</a> once it returned. Some of these messages would be directed xmails sent months or even years earlier, while others would be the equivalent of spam generated on the fly. Some AI system probably monitors incoming traffic, cross references crew manifests with consumer databases and then sends a flood of personalized advertising towards the incoming ship. Hopefully a high stellar society would have developed AI assistants to cull through the terrabytes of garbage.</p>
<p>It also occurred to me that xmails could be used as handouts to set up a game session and to provide background color and plot hooks. Also, xmails provide an opportunity to promote Allies, Contacts, Rivals, and Enemies. While I really like this Mongoose Traveller mechanic in theory, in practice it can be difficult to implement if your Travellers are actually … travelling … acrosss a subsector. Xmails provide a means to connect PCs with these NPCs throughout a campaign.</p>
<p>I created a template in Word that resembled the old Xmail form from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traveller_Supplement_12:_Forms_and_Charts">Traveller Supplement 12: Forms and Charts</a>. Rather than drop all of the potential adventure leads into a starport bar, I wrote up some choice xmails that I handed to the players once the <em>Starjammer</em> emerged from jumpspace.</p>
<h2>“My Imbecilic Progeny”</h2>
<p>The following xmail completes some business and also establishes some background info on an NPC who might show up later in the game: <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2024/02/everybody-wants-to-rule-world-traveller.html">Baronet Sir Cedric Radimir Garner of Montlivan, Knight of the Order of Sol (K.S.)</a>. The baronet is the father of Daren (HotLolz), one of the PCs as well as the employer of Sonny the android, Daren’s bodyguard. It’s no accident that Sir Cedric addresses the message to Sonny rather than Daren.</p>
<table class="xmail">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<p><strong>XBOAT MESSAGE</strong></p>
</td>
<td>
<p class="instruct">1. Date of Preparation</p>
<p>105-1104</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p class="instruct">2. Addressee</p>
<p>Bodyguard 3185D31A</p>
</td>
<td>
<p class="instruct">3. Destination</p>
<p>Aboard IMV <em>Starjammer</em><br /> (Kline Registration No. 338-C-2725)</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
<p class="instruct"><em>Instructions:</em> Use the space below for written communications using the standard Anglic character set. The message will be transmitted to the addressee above.</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" class="msg">
<p class="instruct">4. Message Text</p>
<p>Greetings, Salutations, etc., etc.: As you have no doubt already noted, per our standing arrangement I have instructed my bank to disburse another Cr10,000 into your account for yet another year of keeping my imbecilic progeny out of both the news and further legal entanglements. I commend your diligence and ingenuity in this endeavour; removing him to Solomani space was an inspired choice, though I wonder that, given his mother’s inexplicable affection for Terran religions and our poor son’s weakness of spirit he might yet take up the Sollie cause.</p>
<p>I do read with some alarm that he has resumed public use of the Garner name; I would be indebted should you persuade him to adopt another pseudonym, though perhaps one somewhat more dignified than that risible Hotlolz. In any case, I bid you to carry on with your charge and offer you deepest felicitations and well wishes, etc. for the coming year. At Cinnel Estates, Rayim, Montilivan/New Mars.</p>
<p>The Honourable Baronet Sir Cedric Radimir Garner of Montlivan, K.S.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>A Mother’s Love</h2>
<p>Dame Augustina Rigby-Garner is the estranged wife of Daren’s father and may yet show up in the game. The following xmail helps color Daren’s privileged upbringing and gives some insight into the Imperial aristocracy.</p>
<table class="xmail">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<p><strong>XBOAT MESSAGE</strong></p>
</td>
<td>
<p class="instruct">1. Date of Preparation</p>
<p>110-1104</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p class="instruct">2. Addressee</p>
<p>Sir Daren Rigby-Garner</p>
</td>
<td>
<p class="instruct">3. Destination</p>
<p>Aboard IMV <em>Starjammer</em><br /> (Kline Registration No. 338-C-2725)</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
<p class="instruct"><em>Instructions:</em> Use the space below for written communications using the standard Anglic character set. The message will be transmitted to the addressee above.</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" class="msg">
<p class="instruct">4. Message Text</p>
<p>Dearest Darikin, I do so hope this little missive finds you in good health and standing, wherever you might be. Know that your poor mother thinks often on you and that you, her only son, are always in her fervid prayers. Brantine is ever so lonesome these days with all the servants away on winter leave, though last week the Good Lord allowed the pollution index to abate just enough for me to walk the gardens unaided. They are so quiet and peaceful this time of year, though I did espy one forlorn shufflewing in the hedges by the gardner’s cottage. We must all of us count our blessings, even in solitude.</p>
<p>I received communion at the Cathedral three weeks ago, and the kind Bishop Asher spoke approvingly of your exposé of that terrible business at Einkamp. We both agreed it is simply intolerable for the Imperium to turn a blind eye to the likes of horrid dictators such as General Zakiah. I cannot tell you how pleased I am to see you using your given name again, and I pray that perhaps you have finally put your youthful discretions behind you once and for all. A mother can certainly hope, can she not? </p>
<p>And as I am hoping I do so wish that the halls of Brantine might one day be graced again with your presence while I still have whatever is left of my health. How many years has it been? Oh far, far too many my Darikin.</p>
<p>At Brantine, your devoted mother, Dame Augustina Rigby Garner, Beta/New Mars.</p>
<p><em>Postscript.</em> I was informed the other day from Lady Loucyd that your father has apparently taken up with yet another one of his servant girls, and this little trollop is said to be even younger than you, if such horrid rumours are to be believed. Have you corresponded with him lately?</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>O Captain My Captain</h2>
<p>One of my players dropped out of the campaign a while ago, but since he played the <em>Starjammer’s</em> captain I’ve been running his character as an NPC for a while. This has been convenient since I could use the captain to provide information drops about starships, interstellar travel, and the Charted Space setting. But the ship’s computer, Juno, can also serve that role and besides, the <em>Starjammer</em> crew is a bit overstuffed. Finally, Captain Cryo has an excellent Navy pension—so it wasn’t really clear why he would keep hanging on.</p>
<p>Given all this, it was high time for this NPC to move on and I wanted to play out this transition. Following my house rules on <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2021/03/licenses-and-certifications.html">Certifications for Starship Crew</a> the <em>Starjammer</em> needs a captain who holds at least a <em>Limited Mate’s License</em>. The crew could always hire another captain, but one of the PCs, Astrogator Wayne Masada, had an outside chance of obtaining this certification himself. This xmail, like any good hook, both introduces a dilemma and offers a potential resolution.</p>
<table class="xmail">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<p><strong>XBOAT MESSAGE</strong></p>
</td>
<td>
<p class="instruct">1. Date of Preparation</p>
<p>095-1104</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p class="instruct">2. Addressee</p>
<p>Wayne Masada</p>
</td>
<td>
<p class="instruct">3. Destination</p>
<p>Aboard IMV <em>Starjammer</em><br /> (Kline Registration No. 338-C-2725)</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
<p class="instruct"><em>Instructions:</em> Use the space below for written communications using the standard Anglic character set. The message will be transmitted to the addressee above.</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" class="msg">
<p class="instruct">4. Message Text</p>
<p>The Travellers’ Aid Society oversees licensure of all commercial starship positions in the Third Imperium and beyond. This message provides notice of upcoming examinations for Limited Master’s Licenses. This license entitles the holder to serve as the master of a starship of less than 1,000 tons. A licensed master can fulfil the crew requirements of an astrogator, pilot, sensop, or executive officer. Exams are administered monthly at all Imperial Class A and many Class B starports. The next step in your professional development may be just one jump away.</p>
<p>Licensure is Yet More Benefit of Travellers’ Aid Society Membership!</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Sitting for the Boards</h2>
<p>The following xmail is an example of personalized advertising but it also offers one player an opportunity to obtain a needed certification for his character. As noted in <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2021/03/doctor-doctor.html">Doctor, Doctor</a> Howard, the <em>Starjammer’s</em> medical officer, is more than qualified to be a ship’s surgeon. This xmail is an invitation to finally check that box.</p>
<table class="xmail">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<p><strong>XBOAT MESSAGE</strong></p>
</td>
<td>
<p class="instruct">1. Date of Preparation</p>
<p>243-1103</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p class="instruct">2. Addressee</p>
<p>Medical Officer Howard Barrera</p>
</td>
<td>
<p class="instruct">3. Destination</p>
<p>Aboard IMV <em>Starjammer</em><br /> (Kline Registration No. 338-C-2725)</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
<p class="instruct"><em>Instructions:</em> Use the space below for written communications using the standard Anglic character set. The message will be transmitted to the addressee above.</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" class="msg">
<p class="instruct">4. Message Text</p>
<p>Dear Corporal Barrera:</p>
<p>The Kobayashi School of Medicine is a fully accredited institution widely recognized throughout Magyar sector as a premier centre for medical training. After a thorough review of your service record we believe you have demonstrated sufficient experience and credentials to sit for our Medical Boards Exam. Successful completion of the Boards will entitle you to Imperial licensure as a Doctor of Medicine.</p>
<p>Medical Boards Exams are administered twice a month at all Class A Imperial starports in Clown subsector. As a decorated veteran of Imperial military service we are prepared to waive the standard exam fee. The exam require one standard week to complete, with results available within 24 hours.</p>
<p>We hope you will consider this exciting opportunity to continue your medical training.</p>
<p>Dean Emilia Zengur, Kobayashi School of Medicine, Kobayashi University, Seloo/Clown.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Good Fences</h2>
<p>During <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-professors-charter.html">the last adventure</a> the PCs looted the wreck of a Class M liner, the <em>Speedwell</em>. They had loaded a secure vault into the hold of the <em>Speedwell’s</em> ship’s boat, and then crammed that boat into the <em>Starjammer’s</em> cargo hold. This xmail introduces an NPC who might be interested in buying the ship’s boat, might help them convert their Solomani credits into Imperial notes, and could be useful for moving other, more sensitive goods.</p>
<table class="xmail">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<p><strong>XBOAT MESSAGE</strong></p>
</td>
<td>
<p class="instruct">1. Date of Preparation</p>
<p>152-1104</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p class="instruct">2. Addressee</p>
<p>Brogue Enyo</p>
</td>
<td>
<p class="instruct">3. Destination</p>
<p>Aboard IMV <em>Starjammer</em><br /> (Kline Registration No. 338-C-2725)</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
<p class="instruct"><em>Instructions:</em> Use the space below for written communications using the standard Anglic character set. The message will be transmitted to the addressee above.</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" class="msg">
<p class="instruct">4. Message Text</p>
<p>While on Double visit Crazy Saiful, Small Craft Dealer! We buy and sell used spacecraft of all kinds, from Gigs to Shuttles and everything in between. Boats for every budget. Solomani credits accepted at par! No one beats Crazy Saiful on price! No one! If it flies, we buys!</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Tempting</h2>
<p>It is well established that the Far, Far Future of Traveller is not the clean and bright post-scarcity setting of Star Trek. This xmail is a reminder of that and also establishes a potential locale for several different plot hooks.</p>
<table class="xmail">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<p><strong>XBOAT MESSAGE</strong></p>
</td>
<td>
<p class="instruct">1. Date of Preparation</p>
<p>152-1104</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p class="instruct">2. Addressee</p>
<p>Barry Russell</p>
</td>
<td>
<p class="instruct">3. Destination</p>
<p>Aboard IMV <em>Starjammer</em><br /> (Kline Registration No. 338-C-2725)</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
<p class="instruct"><em>Instructions:</em> Use the space below for written communications using the standard Anglic character set. The message will be transmitted to the addressee above.</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" class="msg">
<p class="instruct">4. Message Text</p>
<p>Barry Russell, this is your personal invitation to TEMPTATIONS, the premier entertainment club on Double. We cater to all persuasions. Why go dirtside if you aren’t going to get dirty? Visit TEMPTATIONS, located at 1178 Commercial Centre, Fargotown. Free Shuttle and Cover.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Patronizing</h2>
<p>The <em>Starjammer’s</em> sensor operator, Ronald Gill, has a criminal past. One of his allies, Lerato Botha, was killed in an earlier adventure and Ronald had to provide information to a cloning facility in order to activate Lerato’s “backup.” This xmail reintroduces Lerato, who might become a useful patron, and the themes of cloning and resurrection. A couple of the PCs have insurance policies that entitle them to their own clone backups, which have not been needed … yet.</p>
<table class="xmail">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<p><strong>XBOAT MESSAGE</strong></p>
</td>
<td>
<p class="instruct">1. Date of Preparation</p>
<p>217-1103</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p class="instruct">2. Addressee</p>
<p>Ronald Gill</p>
</td>
<td>
<p class="instruct">3. Destination</p>
<p>Aboard IMV <em>Starjammer</em><br /> (Kline Registration No. 338-C-2725)</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
<p class="instruct"><em>Instructions:</em> Use the space below for written communications using the standard Anglic character set. The message will be transmitted to the addressee above.</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" class="msg">
<p class="instruct">4. Message Text</p>
<p>It is your old friend Lerato Botha! I am back, my brother. Or at least his clone, with all Lerato’s old memories. It is a very strange thing, I must assure you, to be dead and I have to admit it is still all extremely confusing. The last thing I remember before my resurrection was going to the KST clinic on Sinott to record my mind, which made me feel very sick. I remember being placed into the scanner tube, covered with wires, and then the next thing I knew your friend Lerato was waking up in a metabolic chamber, with every muscle and bone on fire from having been force-grown from a frozen embryo.</p>
<p>They say it took half a year to grow this new body and it took another half a year of physical and mental therapy to make sure that the cloning had been done without any problems. So many tests: memory, reflexes, puzzles, and such. At the clinic they said flawed clones were destroyed and the whole process started all over. Perhaps I was not their first product? Your friend Lerato did not want to go through any of that business again, I assure you!</p>
<p>But all of that is behind me now. I am using a new name to fit my new body: Lossiomo. I am currently residing on Double and I hope we shall see each other soon. It is not a very charming world, but it has the benefit of being very far away from our friends from Jarslav. I am deeply indebted for your help in getting my paperwork to the KST clinic, and as I recall you are not a man to be in debt to, no matter how good a friend!</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Opportunity Knocks and Also Texts</h2>
<p>Competition for critical crew positions such as <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2020/01/potential-starship-engineers.html">Starship Engineer</a> is probably quite intense. Most PCs are usually on the wrong side of the stick, either looking for ships or crew. Savvy captains and companies probably don’t wait for prospects to show up at the local hiring hall: they likely use recruiters that identify and aggressively court potential candidates before they even reach the starport. I thought it would be interesting to have one of the best-qualified crewmembers of the <em>Starjammer</em> receive some unsolicited offers.</p>
<table class="xmail">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<p><strong>XBOAT MESSAGE</strong></p>
</td>
<td>
<p class="instruct">1. Date of Preparation</p>
<p>152-1104</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p class="instruct">2. Addressee</p>
<p>Chief Engineer Richy Jamoor</p>
</td>
<td>
<p class="instruct">3. Destination</p>
<p>Aboard IMV <em>Starjammer</em><br /> (Kline Registration No. 338-C-2725)</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
<p class="instruct"><em>Instructions:</em> Use the space below for written communications using the standard Anglic character set. The message will be transmitted to the addressee above.</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" class="msg">
<p class="instruct">4. Message Text</p>
<p>A lucrative and rewarding position awaits you, Chief Engineer Jamoor! The IMV <em>Double Jeopardy</em> is an <em>Akkigish</em>-class Type R Subsidized Merchant operating in the Nauvoo Cluster, with its home port at Tolson/Clown (Magyar 2106). The <em>Double Jeopardy</em> has an immediate opening for a chief engineer with your exact qualifications. We are prepared to offer you a one-time signing bonus of Cr50000 and monthly salary of Cr6000. All offers are subject to standard medical and psychological competency exams. The Nauvoo Trading company is an equal opportunity employer offering competitive salary, advancement opportunities, and profit sharing. Further details available upon request. If interested, please contact Captain Fabiana Eshni at Berth B12, Fargo Highport.</p>
<p>Celina Wong, Senior Recruiter - Nauvoo Trading.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>A Son’s Reply</h2>
<p>Daren’s player decided to write a response to his mother’s message, which is exactly the sort of engagement I was hoping to prompt with these xmails.</p>
<table class="xmail">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<p><strong>XBOAT MESSAGE</strong></p>
</td>
<td>
<p class="instruct">1. Date of Preparation</p>
<p>156-1104</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p class="instruct">2. Addressee</p>
<p>Dame Augustina Rigby-Garner</p>
</td>
<td>
<p class="instruct">3. Destination</p>
<p>Brantine Estates,<br /> Beta/New Mars (Magyar 3128)</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">
<p class="instruct"><em>Instructions:</em> Use the space below for written communications using the standard Anglic character set. The message will be transmitted to the addressee above.</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2" class="msg">
<p class="instruct">4. Message Text</p>
<p>Dearest Mommikins, so lovely to hear from you. XXOOXX. I fear I have not spoken to Father since the regrettable cinnamon bun incident.</p>
<p>I have changed my life and have been Slurm free for over two years now. Surprise! (I know.) I feel sobriety suits me well and I’m even more impressive and charming without the chemical crutch. I will try to visit soon but my men need me and I worry what would happen without my steady guidance.</p>
<p>All of my love, your dearest son Darren Rigby-Garner.</p>
<p>Double/Clown.</p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div class="OGL_Statement" style="clear:both;"><h2>Copyright Information</h2><p>The <b><i>Traveller</i></b> game in all forms is owned by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.farfuture.net"> Far Future Enterprises</a>. Copyright © 1977 – 2024 Far Future Enterprises. <b><i>Traveller</i></b> is a registered trademark of Far Future Enterprises. Far Future permits web sites and fanzines for this game, provided it contains this notice, that Far Future is notified, and subject to a withdrawal of permission on 90 days notice. The contents of this site are for personal, non-commercial use only. Any use of Far Future Enterprises’s copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, any program/articles/file on this site cannot be republished or distributed without the consent of the author who contributed it.</p>
<p>Materials produced by <b>Digest Group Publications</b> (DGP) are copyright © Roger Sanger. Any use of Digest Group Publications’ copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this Web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights. Usage is intended to follow the guidelines <a target="_blank" href="http://members.tip.net.au/~davidjw/tavspecs/maint/dgp_faq.htm"> announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List</a> for preserving the overall <b><i>Traveller</i></b> milieu.</p></div>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-36684670018960513202024-02-06T05:00:00.278-05:002024-03-12T15:41:44.848-04:00Everybody Wants to Rule the World: Traveller Nobility<style>
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<p><strong>The Marquis of Aramis:</strong> As an Imperial noble, the Marquis Leonard Bolden-Tukera of Aramis holds his patent directly from the Emperor, although the channels of allegiance provide (and require) fealty to intervening nobles between him and the Emperor.</p>
<p>The Marquisate is a hereditary position which, on Aramis, has made him ruler of the planet. The Marquis owes allegiance to the Count Knowln of Celepina (in nearby Rhylanor subsector), who in turn owes allegiance to the Duke of Rhylanor, one of several Dukes in the Spinward Marches.</p>
<p>The Marquis, as head of the feudal technocracy of Aramis, grants a variety of subordinate positions in city government to citizens of Aramis and Leedor in return for money, pledges of loyalty, and other services <em>(The Traveller Adventure)</em>.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I went down my latest Traveller rabbit hole in the usual way, with a seemingly innocent question about nobility that led me somewhere else altogether. CT <em>Supplement 8: Library Data (A–M)</em> tells us that in the Third Imperium, “Individual worlds, and even entire systems, are free to govern themselves as they desire, provided that ultimate power is always accorded the Imperium” (7). Imperial nobles on member worlds generally act only as a local representative of the larger Imperium, but there are scattered mentions in canon of Imperial nobles also acting as the ruler of their world. I was wondering if such arrangements were still allowed in the latest iterations of the rules, and if so what types of worlds would have an Imperial noble as the head of state.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1oZtzEgc6FZmhh7OAtEnO96AAim3LKc5fNkz4aTJoev5hmAlFwkchjOLhFlLOiM1OOv49tlCo-mlyv8gR1FMNFMlO1HFc6cKiu5Df5lsuDPP6Zl6VM2x9IwyLgGxUC7_M6Yp8VylSz7GrCAWF8BxjaS3R7kX0G9zCi9zbXSuNVW_XNRdO74fNL4YcQZ2w/s1152/a%20futuristic%20coat%20of%20arms%20with%20a%20gold%20rabbit.jpg"><img alt="" title="The Crest of Baronet Montlivan" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="1152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1oZtzEgc6FZmhh7OAtEnO96AAim3LKc5fNkz4aTJoev5hmAlFwkchjOLhFlLOiM1OOv49tlCo-mlyv8gR1FMNFMlO1HFc6cKiu5Df5lsuDPP6Zl6VM2x9IwyLgGxUC7_M6Yp8VylSz7GrCAWF8BxjaS3R7kX0G9zCi9zbXSuNVW_XNRdO74fNL4YcQZ2w/s320/a%20futuristic%20coat%20of%20arms%20with%20a%20gold%20rabbit.jpg"/></a></div>
<p class="pic_caption">The Heraldic Crest of the Baronet of Montlivan (Magyar 3222).</p>
</div>
<p>The idea of an interstellar nobility has been in Traveller from the very beginning with the Social Standing characteristic and the associated titles that line up with SOC scores of 11 or more. This is not unexpected, as many of the most influential sci-fi sources on Traveller featured some kind of space nobility, including the Dumarest saga, <em>Foundation</em>, <em>Dune</em>, and H. Beam Piper’s <em>Space Viking</em>.</p>
<p>Despite this long history, the specific place of nobility in the Third Imperium setting has always been a little unclear. Partially this is by design: the Imperium is vast and the role of Imperial nobility has to adapt to the needs and preferences of different regions and individual worlds. But the idea of nobility has also evolved over time, as can be seen by a survey of different editions.</p>
<p>For Classic Traveller, the best primary source of information on nobles is <em>Supplement 11: Library Data (N-Z)</em> from 1982. <em>Supplement 11</em> has an entire essay on “The Imperial Nobility,” which provides a nice high level overview of the topic. The second best source is probably <em>The Traveller Adventure</em> (1983), which offers a good example of how the nobility actually works on a subsector level.</p>
<p>For MegaTraveller, the <em>Imperial Encyclopedia</em> (1987) has an entire chapter on “Nobles” that collects most of the information from classic Traveller and adds a few more useful details.</p>
<p>GURPS Traveller has an entire book devoted to the topic. <em>GT: Nobles</em> (2004) is written with the usual high standards of most GURPS supplements. Although well-researched, the book introduces a few quirks that don’t appear to line up with subsequent editions.</p>
<p><em>Traveller<sup>5</sup></em> (2019) really shakes things up by introducing some significant changes in how nobles are assigned to Imperial worlds. In <em>Traveller<sup>5</sup></em> the planetary trade codes determine what rank of noble is assigned to different worlds. For example, a Marquis is associated with worlds with the Pre-Industrial trade code (Pop 8).</p>
<p>This change, reflected in the latest data on <a href="https://travellermap.com">Traveller Map</a>, basically invalidates all of the noble titles and relationships described in <em>The Traveller Adventure</em>. A major NPC on Aramis (Spinward Marches 3110 A5A0556-B) is the Marquis of Aramis; in Traveller<sup>5</sup> Aramis has a subsector duke and a knight but no marquis. Similarly, there is no Count of Celepina (Spinward Marches 2913 B434456-9), a world that only merits a single knight.</p>
<p>Although the Traveller<sup>5</sup> books provide very little setting information on the nobility, an article from the <em>Imperiallines 7</em> (2014) tries to explain how all this works. While a good start, a planned second part of this article has unfortunately never been published.</p>
<p>Mongoose Traveller’s <em>Third Imperium</em> (2021) sourcebook incorporates some elements from both GURPS Traveller and Traveller<sup>5</sup> newsletter in its chapter on “The Nobility.”</p>
<p>Small changes to the terminology and descriptions across editions make comparisons difficult: it can be unclear if a change marks a true shift in mechanics or is simply different nomenclature. </p>
<p>For example, most sources identify three broad types of nobles: (1) Nobles with titles issued to acknowledge some type of notable <strong>Achievement</strong>, such as creating an important work of art or making a scientific discovery; (2) Nobles with titles issued to support a <strong>Position</strong> held within the Imperial administration, such as the representative to an Imperial world or a high level bureaucrat in subsector office; and (3) Nobles with titles issued as rewards for exceptional <strong>Service</strong> to the Emperor. The latter type includes some of the oldest and most powerful families in the Imperium.</p>
<p>Any of these titles might or might not be accompanied by a fief, might or might not be inheritable, and might or might not make the holder a member of the peerage or have a place on the Imperial Moot. The following table summarizes changes:</p>
<table id="Nobility">
<caption>Nobility Across Traveller Editions</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th>Description</th><th>CT</th><th>MT</th><th>GT</th><th>T5</th><th>MgT</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>Achievement</td><td>–</td><td>Honor Nobles</td><td>Honor Nobles</td><td>Honor Nobles</td><td>Honor Nobles</td></tr>
<tr><td>Position</td><td>–</td><td>Rank Nobles</td><td>Rank Nobles</td><td>Ceremonial Nobles</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Service</td><td>–</td><td>High Nobles</td><td>High Nobles</td><td>Landed Nobles</td><td>Rank Nobles</td></tr>
<tr><td>Fief</td><td>Baron+</td><td>Baron+</td><td>Viscount+</td><td>Knight+</td><td>Knight+</td></tr>
<tr><td>Moot</td><td>?</td><td>Baron+</td><td>Baron+</td><td>Baronet+</td><td>Baron+</td></tr>
<tr><td>Peerage</td><td>Baron+</td><td>Baron+</td><td>Baron+</td><td>?</td><td>Marquis+</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Traveller<sup>5</sup>, which makes the biggest changes to the nobility system, uses a largely new set of terms and definitions perhaps to reflect the magnitude of the change. Traveller<sup>5</sup> also fleshes out all the various income streams that can flow to nobles with different Social Standing scores. Mongoose Traveller seems to combine High Nobility and Rank Nobility into a single category, though it’s not clear to me whether this is an intentional choice or simply an accident of editing.</p>
<p>Getting back to my original question: are Imperial nobles still allowed to be rulers of worlds in the latest editions of Traveller? The answer is yes, though this is never common in any edition. “On many worlds the Imperial noble has no role, while on some worlds an Imperial noble is also the world’s ruler” (<em>GT: Nobles</em> 76). “On lower population worlds, the knight may even be the ruler of the world” (<em>Imperialines</em> 5). “For the most part, noble patents do not indicate actual rulership of worlds” (<em>Third Imperium</em> 48).</p>
<p>In most cases, an Imperial noble is probably at best only the titular ruler of a local world with limited or no authority or responsibility over the planetary government. For example, Queen Elizabeth II was the “Queen of Canada” and her image has been on Canadian bank notes since the 1930s.</p>
<p>So what types of worlds in Traveller would be good candidates for having an Imperial noble installed as planetary ruler? Hands down, I think Feudal Technocracies (Government Type 5) are the most likely candidates. In <em>Imperialines 7</em> Marc Miller himself wrote “I would call the structure of the Imperium a Feudal Technocracy” (3). And if we look at Aramis, a world that canonically is ruled by its senior Imperial noble, we find that its government is a Feudal Technocracy.</p>
<p>Not all Imperial worlds with Government Type 5 will be ruled by an Imperial noble, and not all worlds ruled by an Imperial noble will have that Government Type, but it’s a good place to look. As it happens, one of the PCs from my <em>Into the Interface</em> campaign has a Baronet father established as the Imperial representative to Montlivan (Magyar 3222), a feudal technocracy in New Mars subsector. The Imperial nobility in Magyar was essentially wiped out or dissolved during the Solomani period and almost all titles needed to be freshly issued following the Rim War. Putting all of this together we can construct the following narrative of the Baronetcy of Montlivan, using the description of Aramis as a template:</p>
<p><strong>Montlivan</strong> (Magyar 3222 C688456-A). A hot, medium-sized world with a dense oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere, located on the Rim Main in New Mars subsector. Montlivan was originally colonized by the Vilani First Imperium and named <em>Sukun</em>. Because of the low population and lack of infrastructure, the world has been issued an Amber Zone travel advisory.</p>
<p>Montlivan supports a population of little more than 26,000, almost all contained in a single settlement, Rayim, which is the site of the world’s starport. Rayim is the personal fief of the Baronet Sir Cedric Radimir Garner, Knight of the Order of Sol (K.S.).</p>
<p>Sir Cedric was born on Jarslav (Solomani Rim 0123) in 1032 and rose to become the senior marketing manager, New Mars Subsector, for the Imperial megacorporation Ling-Standard Products. In this capacity he became friends with Sir Noah Kossuth, the son of Duke Solon Kossuth of Fugue. In 1060 Sir Cedric married Dame Augustina Rigby of Beta; they separated in 1063 shortly before the birth of <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2019/02/into-interface-player-characters.html">their only child, Daren</a>. </p>
<p>In 1074 Sir Noah was confirmed as the second Duke of Fugue following the death of his father. At Duke Noah’s urging Sir Cedric was granted the title to his baronetcy by Archduke Adair of Sol in 1088. In 1096 Duke Noah was forced to abdicate as part of scandal popularly known as <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-union-affair.html">the Union Affair</a>, leaving the new baronet without his powerful patron.</p>
<p>The baronetcy is a hereditary position which, on Montlivan, has made the Baronet the ruler of the planet. Although Baronet Cedric holds his patent from the Archduke of Sol, the channels of allegiance provide and require fealty to intervening nobles between him and the Archduke. The Baronet owes direct allegiance to the Baron Garzikhur of Dirramu, who in turn owes allegiance to Comtesse Agatha haut Ikin of Beta, who in turn owes allegiance to Duke Wawebes of Fugue, the subsector duke for New Mars. Duke Wawebes owes allegiance to Sector Duke Robert Stephanos Beaudoin of the Solomani Rim.</p>
<p>As the titular head of the feudal technocracy of Montlivan, the Baronet grants a variety of subordinate positions in world government to citizens in return for money, pledges of loyalty, and other services. All important posts and contracts are let on the Baronet's sufferance and can be canceled at his whim.</p>
<div class="OGL_Statement" style="clear:both;"><h2>Copyright Information</h2>
<p>The Heraldic Crest of Montlivan was created using <a href="https://www.dall-efree.com/">DALL-E Free AI Image Generator</a>.</p>
<p>The <b><i>Traveller</i></b> game in all forms is owned by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.farfuture.net"> Far Future Enterprises</a>. Copyright © 1977 – 2024 Far Future Enterprises. <b><i>Traveller</i></b> is a registered trademark of Far Future Enterprises. Far Future permits web sites and fanzines for this game, provided it contains this notice, that Far Future is notified, and subject to a withdrawal of permission on 90 days notice. The contents of this site are for personal, non-commercial use only. Any use of Far Future Enterprises’s copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, any program/articles/file on this site cannot be republished or distributed without the consent of the author who contributed it.</p>
<p>Materials produced by <b>Digest Group Publications</b> (DGP) are copyright © Roger Sanger. Any use of Digest Group Publications’ copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this Web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights. Usage is intended to follow the guidelines <a target="_blank" href="http://members.tip.net.au/~davidjw/tavspecs/maint/dgp_faq.htm"> announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List</a> for preserving the overall <b><i>Traveller</i></b> milieu.</p></div>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-20855216460426782412024-01-31T05:00:00.191-05:002024-01-31T05:00:00.145-05:00Typically of Forsaken Areas: Hill Giants<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMydoLzmJ7IgTII_nkLBunLd6PVKUsXVIONFYzzmFgLBNt5rvG3BaIVwnaJ6hSNHhk8xt_U6GDviadhXauhV8MkCpvELcRtVfnl_HZiaSm0KCbOdWX8ja98oafs_cnvBERTlD5Q6uxnJipViks_664YXhlA5Q_i3m-82DmmM5fAnMyA7U2iBnmVz4pom8I/s4032/PXL_20240129_013512006.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMydoLzmJ7IgTII_nkLBunLd6PVKUsXVIONFYzzmFgLBNt5rvG3BaIVwnaJ6hSNHhk8xt_U6GDviadhXauhV8MkCpvELcRtVfnl_HZiaSm0KCbOdWX8ja98oafs_cnvBERTlD5Q6uxnJipViks_664YXhlA5Q_i3m-82DmmM5fAnMyA7U2iBnmVz4pom8I/s320/PXL_20240129_013512006.jpg"/></a></div>
<p>The various true giants are iconic monsters of Dungeons and Dragons, most having been in the game since those original three booklets way back in 1974. The G, or Giant, series of modules (1978) were some of the most popular adventures ever published for 1st edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons.</p>
<p>The 2nd edition AD&D designers decided that giants needed a significant boost in order to justify their fearsome reputation, as well as to provide readily available monsters for higher level characters, since demons had been removed from the game. So the true giants were all given additional HD to make them tougher for 2nd edition. This power boost was preserved in the 3e revision.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4A4UAizJlTzTbb34T-34wgAiQJ1eqeDiYV0lI8SQqRjijjTKOda-V87odSqDqLKwT0vi-0yINDJgUNhD905v3O4_n2KJuB7gDfUq-l4jXSzIgXdJd6nJt_qT7lOsch1sYc3c_PKDptenwmlElzTDWOM7Dtqr0jwlZ5hHE69sAuG62gS1W-LBAsTtYUJM9/s4032/PXL_20240129_013659795.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4A4UAizJlTzTbb34T-34wgAiQJ1eqeDiYV0lI8SQqRjijjTKOda-V87odSqDqLKwT0vi-0yINDJgUNhD905v3O4_n2KJuB7gDfUq-l4jXSzIgXdJd6nJt_qT7lOsch1sYc3c_PKDptenwmlElzTDWOM7Dtqr0jwlZ5hHE69sAuG62gS1W-LBAsTtYUJM9/s320/PXL_20240129_013659795.jpg"/></a></div>
<p>Back in 2002 Daniel R. Collins wrote a persuasive analysis that suggested <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060429030517/https://home.earthlink.net/~danielrcollins1/dndmisc/monster_abnormal_hd.html">3e giants had too many HD for their type and size</a>, at least when compared to other 3e monsters. I would further argue that, in 3e, where all monsters get ability scores and can readily take character classes, the additional HD are unnecessary and actually limiting. A standard 3e fire giant, for example, has 15 HD and a level adjustment of +4, making it very nearly an epic character right out of the gate. I say better to scale the base HD back to more reasonable levels and thus give DMs and players more opportunities to add classes and templates to these monsters.</p>
<p>Dan did a very nice <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20061118075952/http://home.earthlink.net/~danielrcollins1/dndmisc/1st_ed_giants.html">1st edition conversion of the true giants for 3e</a>. I built on this work, updating the monsters to 3.5e and adding advanced versions that were comparable to the 3e <em>Monster Manual</em> versions, for those DM who wanted to have their cake and eat it, too.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP4pMhf0JTR1QUDsO0mhHKCEglZPgmfzFNNKMilbPNXp8bo42_KNW19Or_7G_f92KF4fxDl-NHnWL6qbzl4GuaJEXAszIyZwpbAzNlh0oXndu6YyzVQaD6UbeVYX6-LWoPGxZ7DUFbWbj6kvCg6E9dau13t2vcjWlb280A0nqC-5aSFRp4jzea_rRoaFPX/s4032/PXL_20240129_013630314.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP4pMhf0JTR1QUDsO0mhHKCEglZPgmfzFNNKMilbPNXp8bo42_KNW19Or_7G_f92KF4fxDl-NHnWL6qbzl4GuaJEXAszIyZwpbAzNlh0oXndu6YyzVQaD6UbeVYX6-LWoPGxZ7DUFbWbj6kvCg6E9dau13t2vcjWlb280A0nqC-5aSFRp4jzea_rRoaFPX/s320/PXL_20240129_013630314.jpg"/></a></div>
<p>5e increased the size of all the true giants, moving the hill giant from Large to Huge size. I understand the impulse to make giants really “giant” and it’s not without precedent: the old Cook/Marsh Expert set also boosted the size of giants compared the AD&D versions. But that said, I prefer to keep the giants smaller—if only because my miniatures are all based as Large creatures. Below is a smaller version of the 5e hill giant.</p>
<p>These two hill giant miniatures were an option to the <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/reaperddrpg/reaper-miniatures-bones-4-mr-bones-epic-adventure">Reaper Bones 4 Kickstarter</a>. Both of these figures were sculpted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bjackson2000/">Bobby Jackson</a> and consist of the Hill Giant Lowland Warrior and the Hill Giant Lowland Chief. These were a lot of fun to paint.</p>
<p>The following text is Open Game Content.</p>
<div class="monster_entry">
<h1 class="monster_header">Hill Giant</h1>
<div class="mondescription">
<p class="appearance">This creature appears to be a gigantic, primitive human dressed in rough hides and furs. Its filthy, warty skin is deeply tanned and its shaggy hair is pitch black.</p>
<p><strong>Reckless Brutes of Incredible Strength but Little Wit.</strong> Hill giants are never truly accepted into society, yet they do well on its edges and frontiers, forging a strong and profitable existence. Despite their rugged appearance and great size, their basically humanoid shape makes it easy for them to relate with more civilized folk.</p>
<p><strong>Boulder Throwers.</strong> Hill giants prefer to fight from high, rocky outcroppings, where they can pelt opponents with rocks and boulders while limiting the risk to themselves.</p>
<p><strong>Towering Bullies.</strong> Hill giants love to make overrun attacks against smaller creatures when they first join battle. Thereafter, they stand fast and swing away with their massive clubs.</p>
</div>
<p>Skin color among hill giants ranges from light tan to deep ruddy brown. Their hair is brown or black, with eyes the same color. Hill giants wear layers of crudely prepared hides with the fur left on. They seldom wash or repair their garments, preferring to simply add more hides as their old ones wear out.</p>
<p>Adults are about 10-1/2 feet tall and weigh about 1,100 pounds. Hill giants can live to be 200 years old.</p>
<!-- 3.5e -->
<h2>3.5e</h2>
<h3 class="monster_name">Hill Giant <span class="cr">CR 5</span></h3>
<div class="statblock">
<p>Often CE Large giant</p>
<p><strong>Init</strong> -1; <strong>Senses</strong> low-light vision; Listen +2, Spot +3</p>
<p><strong>Languages</strong> Giant</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Defense</div>
<p><strong>AC</strong> 16, touch 8, flat-footed 16 <br /> (-1 size, -1 Dex, +5 natural, +3 hide)</p>
<p><strong>hp</strong> 68 (8 HD)</p>
<p><strong>Fort</strong> +10, <strong>Ref </strong>+1, <strong>Will </strong>+2</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Offense</div>
<p><strong>Spd</strong> 30 ft in hide armor (6 squares); base speed 40 ft.</p>
<p><strong>Melee</strong>* greatclub +10/+5 (2d8+11)<br /> or 2 slams +10 (1d4+7)</p>
<p><strong>Ranged</strong> rock +5 (2d6+6)</p>
<p><strong>Space</strong> 10 ft; <strong>Reach</strong> 10 ft</p>
<p><strong>Special Attacks</strong> rock throwing (40 ft increment)</p>
<p>*1-point Power Attack</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Statistics</div>
<p><strong>Str</strong> 23, <strong>Dex</strong> 8, <strong>Con</strong> 19, <strong>Int</strong> 6, <strong>Wis</strong> 10, <strong>Cha</strong> 7</p>
<p><strong>Base Atk</strong> +6; <strong>Grp</strong> +16</p>
<p><strong>SQ </strong>rock catching</p>
<p><strong>Feats</strong> Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack</p>
<p><strong>Skills</strong> Climb +6, Jump +6, Listen +2, Spot +3</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Ecology</div>
<p><strong>Environment</strong> temperate hills</p>
<p><strong>Organization</strong> solitary, gang (2-5), band (6-9 plus 35% noncombatants), hunting/raiding party (6-9 plus 2-4 dire wolves), or tribe (20-24 plus 1-6 hill giant brutes plus 35% noncombatants plus 12-30 dire wolves, 2-4 ogres, and 12-22 orcs)</p>
<p><strong>Treasure</strong> standard</p>
<p><strong>Advancement</strong> by character class; <strong>Favored Class</strong> barbarian</p>
<p><strong>Level Adjustment</strong> +4</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Special Abilities</div>
<p><strong>Rock Throwing (Ex)</strong> Adult hill giants are accomplished rock throwers and receive a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls when throwing rocks. A hill giant can hurl rocks weighing 40 to 50 pounds each (Small objects) up to five range increments of 40 feet.</p>
<p><strong>Rock Catching (Ex)</strong> A hill giant can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles of similar shape). Once per round, a hill giant that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile provides a magical bonus on attack rolls, the DC increases by that amount.) The hill giant must be ready for and aware of the attack in order to make a rock catching attempt.</p>
</div>
<h2>Hill Giants as Characters</h2>
<p>Hill giant characters possess the following racial traits.</p>
<ul>
<li>+12 Strength, -2 Dexterity, +8 Constitution, -4 Intelligence, -4 Charisma.</li>
<li>Large size. -1 penalty to Armor Class, -1 penalty on attack rolls, -4 penalty on Hide checks, +4 bonus on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits double those of Medium characters.</li>
<li><strong>Space/Reach:</strong> 10 feet/10 feet.</li>
<li>A hill giant’s base land speed is 40 feet.</li>
<li>Low-light vision.</li>
<li><strong>Racial Hit Dice: </strong>A hill giant begins with eight levels of giant, which provide 8d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +6, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +6, Ref +2, and Will +2.</li>
<li><strong>Racial Skills:</strong> A hill giant's giant levels give it skill points equal to 11 x (2 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Climb, Jump, Listen, and Spot.</li>
<li><strong>Racial Feats:</strong> A hill giant's giant levels give it three feats.</li>
<li>+5 natural armor bonus.</li>
<li><strong>Natural Weapons:</strong> 2 slams (1d4).</li>
<li><strong>Special Attacks (see above):</strong> Rock throwing.</li>
<li><strong>Special Qualities (see above):</strong> Rock catching.</li>
<li><strong>Weapon and Armor Proficiency:</strong> A hill giant is automatically proficient with simple weapons, martial weapons, light and medium armor, and shields.</li>
<li><strong>Automatic Languages:</strong> Giant. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Elven, Goblin, Orc.</li>
<li><strong>Favored Class:</strong> Barbarian.</li>
<li><strong>Level adjustment:</strong> +4.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Advanced Hill Giants</h2>
<h3 class="monster_name">Hill Giant Brute <span class="cr">CR 7</span></h3>
<div class="statblock">
<p>Hill giant warrior 4</p>
<p>CE Large giant</p>
<p><strong>Init</strong> -1; <strong>Senses</strong> low-light vision; Listen +2, Spot +3</p>
<p><strong>Languages</strong> Giant</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Defense</div>
<p><strong>AC</strong> 16, touch 8, flat-footed 16</p>
<p><strong>hp</strong> 102 (12 HD)</p>
<p><strong>Fort</strong> +13, <strong>Ref </strong>+2, <strong>Will </strong>+3</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Offense</div>
<p><strong>Spd</strong> 30 ft (6 squares)</p>
<p><strong>Melee*</strong> greatclub +14/+9 (2d8+16)</p>
<p><strong>Ranged</strong> rock +9 (2d6+7)</p>
<p><strong>Space</strong> 10 ft; <strong>Reach</strong> 10 ft</p>
<p><strong>Special Atk </strong>rock throwing (40 ft increment)</p>
<p>*3-point Power Attack</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Statistics</div>
<p><strong>Str</strong> 24, <strong>Dex</strong> 8, <strong>Con</strong> 19, <strong>Int</strong> 6, <strong>Wis</strong> 10, <strong>Cha</strong> 7</p>
<p><strong>Feats</strong> Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greatclub)</p>
<p><strong>Skills</strong> Climb +9, Jump +9, Listen +2, Spot +3</p>
<p><strong>Base Atk</strong> +10; <strong>Grp</strong> +21</p>
<p><strong>SQ </strong>rock catching</p>
<p><strong>Possessions</strong> hide armor, greatclub</p>
</div>
<!-- 5e -->
<h2>5e</h2>
<table class="vemonster" style="clear:both;">
<caption>Hill Giant</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th colspan="6">Large giant, chaotic evil</th></tr></thead>
<tbody class="intro">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Armor Class</strong> 14 (natural)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Hit Points</strong> 95 (10d10 + 40)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Speed</strong> 30 ft.</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilityscores">
<tr><th>Str</th><th>Dex</th><th>Con</th><th>Int</th><th>Wis</th><th>Cha</th></tr>
<tr><td>21 (+5)</td><td>8 (-1)</td><td>19 (+4)</td><td>5 (-3)</td><td>9 (-1)</td><td>6 (-2)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="stats">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Skills</strong> Perception +2</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Senses</strong> passive Perception 12</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Languages</strong> Giant</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Challenge</strong> 5 (1,800 XP)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilities">
<tr><th colspan="6">Actions</th></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Multiattack.</em></strong> The giant makes two greatclub attacks.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Greatclub.</em></strong> <em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 15 (3d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Rock.</em></strong> <em>Ranged Weapon Attack:</em> +8 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 21 (3d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage.</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
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<li>COPYRIGHT NOTICE<br />
<ul><li>Open Game License v 1.0a, Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.</li>
<li>System Reference Document, Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, Andy Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, John D. Rateliff, Thomas Reid, James Wyatt, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.</li>
<li>System Reference Document 5.1, Copyright 2016, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, James Wyatt, Robert J. Schwalb, Bruce R. Cordell, Chris Sims, and Steve Townshend, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.</li>
<li><strong>Typically of Forsaken Areas: Hill Giants</strong>, Copyright 2024, R. Dorman.</li>
</ul></li>
</ol></div>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-55880671116130590652024-01-16T05:00:00.039-05:002024-01-17T17:29:08.776-05:00Mercenaries in The Deep and the Dark<style type="text/css">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3hMmjxgoDEPiME1iAQM2H4RdQ_1IiswiYH-efGhLmoF7reiW-udNROVP7v9ycxOxvt6X-G7HEDs5hRdNWUziA5oQxyBRUP2ZMW-WpkFFbJV-WIMrVXqzSuVvCK3XMMBwN_PK3Ktl4FbkI4pDUdnzlX0962v1PtGCs2H48tCUk_W1F8XQlIDU7HIaIkYQ/s900/mercenary_box_1_2_700x.webp"><img alt="" title="Mercenary" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3hMmjxgoDEPiME1iAQM2H4RdQ_1IiswiYH-efGhLmoF7reiW-udNROVP7v9ycxOxvt6X-G7HEDs5hRdNWUziA5oQxyBRUP2ZMW-WpkFFbJV-WIMrVXqzSuVvCK3XMMBwN_PK3Ktl4FbkI4pDUdnzlX0962v1PtGCs2H48tCUk_W1F8XQlIDU7HIaIkYQ/s320/mercenary_box_1_2_700x.webp"/></a></div><p>The founders of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Designers%27_Workshop">Game Designers’ Workshop</a>—including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Miller_(game_designer)">Marc Miller</a> himself—were avid wargamers, and the player base of Traveller continues to include a large number of military veterans and wargamers. So it is probably no surprise that one of the first supplements out of the gate in 1978 was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traveller_Book_4:_Mercenary">Book 4: Mercenaries</a>, which dealt with ground forces in Traveller. Book 4 also introduced advanced character generation, which immediately proved to be a popular if controversial extension of the original game.</p>
<p>I don’t have any data to back this up, but I suspect that the mercenary campaign might be even more popular than the free trader campaign, which is often considered the default Traveller game. In any case, I was looking forward to reading <a href="http://www.martinjdougherty.com/">Martin J Dougherty’s</a> treatment of mercenaries in Mongoose Traveller. MJD is consistently good and always strong on military topics. Mongoose ran <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1990654819/traveller-mercenary-campaigns-in-the-far-future/posts/3315794">a successful Kickstarter</a> a few years ago to fund a deluxe three-book boxed set treatment of mercenaries. Although I didn’t get in on the Kickstarter, I did pick up the <a href="https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/products/mercenary-box-set-1"><em>Mercenary</em></a> PDFs after the fact. Mongoose has also published several follow-up products, including the excellent <a href="https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/products/mercenaries-of-charted-space"><em>Mercenaries of Charted Space</em></a>, which I picked up a couple of weeks ago during the recent <a href="https://bundleofholding.com/presents/2023MongTrav">Bundle of Holding</a> sale.</p>
<p>Mercenaries are extremely common inside the Aslan Hierate and within the Buffer that separates the Hierate from the Third Imperium. In fact, the Keith Brothers almost certainly developed Reaver’s Deep with mercenary campaigns in mind.</p>
<p>Given all this, Mongoose Traveller <em>Mercenary</em> is another book that would work very well with <a href="https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/products/the-deep-and-the-dark"><em>The Deep and the Dark</em></a>. Below are the mercenary companies mentioned in <em>The Deep and the Dark</em> statted out using the MgT mercenary system.</p>
<h1>Mercenaries of <em>The Deep and the Dark</em></h1>
<h2>Caledon Highlanders</h2>
<p>A human-owned mercenary regiment (pg. 47) active in Reaver’s Deep and into adjoining Imperial and Solomani territories.</p>
<table class="travnpc">
<caption>Caledon Highlander</caption>
<tr><td><strong>STR</strong> 8</td><td><strong>DEX</strong> 7</td><td><strong>END</strong> 9</td><td><strong>INT</strong> 7</td><td><strong>EDU</strong> 6</td><td><strong>SOC</strong> 5</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6">Athletics (endurance) 1, Drive 0, Gun Combat (slug) 2, Melee 0, Recon 0, Survival 0, Vac Suit 1</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Weapons:</strong> Gauss Rifle with auxiliary grenade launcher (4D, AP 5, Auto 3, Scope), RAM grenade (5D, Blast 9)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Armor:</strong> Chameleon Combat Armour (+13, +4 Stealth)</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="merccomp">
<thead>
<tr><th>Characteristic</th><th>Value</th><th>DM</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>Force Name</td><td>Caledon Highlanders</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit Size</td><td>Brigade</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit Type</td><td>Motorised Infantry</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit TL</td><td>13</td><td>+2</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mobility Type</td><td>Partial Grav</td><td>+4</td></tr>
<tr><td>Combat</td><td>6</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bombardment</td><td>6</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aerospace</td><td>5</td><td>-1</td></tr>
<tr><td>Support</td><td>6</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>CEI or DEI</td><td>7</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Morale</td><td>10</td><td>+1</td></tr>
<tr><td>Reputation</td><td>9</td><td>+1</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div class="mercorg">
<h3>Caledonian Highlanders (Colonel Sir William Fraser, KC)</h3>
<ul>
<li>1 x Regimental Headquarters</li>
<li>1 x Battery of Regimental Artillery</li>
<ul>
<li>2 x Sections</li>
<ul>
<li>5 x Multiple Rocket Launcher or drone missile vehicles</li>
<li>1 x Fire Direction Centre vehicle</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li>1 x Regimental Logistics Unit</li>
<li>1 x Pioneer Battalion</li>
<ul>
<li>1 x Battalion Headquarters</li>
<ul>
<li>1 x HQ Staff</li>
<li>1 x Battalion Squad</li>
<li>1 x Battalion Aid Station</li>
</ul>
<li>1 x Battalion Artillery Battery</li>
<li>1 x Grav Tank Company</li>
<ul>
<li>13 x tanks</li>
</ul>
<li>1 x Engineering Company</li>
<li>1 x Lift Recon Company (Elite)</li>
</ul>
<li>3 x Infantry Battalions</li>
<ul>
<li>1 x Battalion Headquarters</li>
<ul>
<li>1 x HQ Staff</li>
<li>1 x Battalion Squad</li>
<li>1 x Battalion Aid Station</li>
</ul>
<li>1 x Battalion Artillery Battery</li>
<li>1 x Grav Tank Company</li>
<ul>
<li>13 x tanks</li>
</ul>
<li>4 x Infantry Companies</li>
<ul>
<li>1 x Command Staff</li>
<li>4 x Platoons</li>
<ul>
<li>5 x Squads</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>
<h2>E’al Htoukha</h2>
<p>A large, private Aslan military company (pg. 49) controlled by the <em>Hlaotiyoiho</em> clan.</p>
<table class="merccomp">
<thead>
<tr><th>Characteristic</th><th>Value</th><th>DM</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>Force Name</td><td>E’al Htoukha</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit Size</td><td>Division</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit Type</td><td>Lift Infantry</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit TL</td><td>14</td><td>+2</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mobility Type</td><td>Grav</td><td>+8</td></tr>
<tr><td>Combat</td><td>7</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bombardment</td><td>8</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aerospace</td><td>6</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Support</td><td>7</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>CEI or DEI</td><td>6</td><td>-1</td></tr>
<tr><td>Morale</td><td>8</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Reputation</td><td>7</td><td>+0</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Kaha a’huye</h2>
<p>The Brotherhood of the Rose-Tinged Waters (pg. 50) is a storied Aslan mercenary company sponsored by the <em>Afaikhiyoi</em> clan, operating out of Kusyu.</p>
<table class="merccomp">
<thead>
<tr><th>Characteristic</th><th>Value</th><th>DM</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>Force Name</td><td>Kaha a’huye</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit Size</td><td>Brigade</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit Type</td><td>Expert/Specialist</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit TL</td><td>5</td><td>-1</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mobility Type</td><td>Infantry</td><td>-3</td></tr>
<tr><td>Combat</td><td>2</td><td>-2</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bombardment</td><td>0</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aerospace</td><td>0</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Support</td><td>5</td><td>-1</td></tr>
<tr><td>CEI or DEI</td><td>11</td><td>+2</td></tr>
<tr><td>Morale</td><td>15</td><td>+3</td></tr>
<tr><td>Reputation</td><td>13</td><td>+2</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Ktiriy’eirl</h2>
<p>One of the larger mercenary companies operating in the Hierate, Ktiriy’eirl (meaning, roughly, ‘relentless attack’) provides armoured grav units to client clans. The company is managed by females of the <em>Hrasua</em> clan (pg. 120) and known for the high quality of its armoured vehicles, most of which are manufactured by Hwyroar, the clan corporation. Mercenaries are usually Ground Forces veterans of the <em>Hrasua</em> clan or one of its many allies. The mainstay of Ktiriy’eirl units are <em>Khtachwel</em> assault grav tanks supported by infantry in combat armour. Ktiriy’eirl maintains several large troop transports allowing the company to rapidly deploy assets wherever a client desires.</p>
<table class="merccomp">
<thead>
<tr><th>Characteristic</th><th>Value</th><th>DM</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>Force Name</td><td>Ktiriy’eirl</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit Size</td><td>Division</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit Type</td><td>Grav Armour</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit TL</td><td>14</td><td>+2</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mobility Type</td><td>Grav</td><td>+8</td></tr>
<tr><td>Combat</td><td>7</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bombardment</td><td>8</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aerospace</td><td>7</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Support</td><td>8</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>CEI or DEI</td><td>9</td><td>+1</td></tr>
<tr><td>Morale</td><td>12</td><td>+2</td></tr>
<tr><td>Reputation</td><td>7</td><td>+0</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Longshot Inc.</h2>
<p>A mercenary artillery company (pg. 51) operating in Reaver’s Deep with headquarters located on Solomon in Eakoi subsector.</p>
<table class="merccomp">
<thead>
<tr><th>Characteristic</th><th>Value</th><th>DM</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>Force Name</td><td>Longshot, Inc.</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit Size</td><td>Brigade</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit Type</td><td>Artillery</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit TL</td><td>14</td><td>+2</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mobility Type</td><td>Grav</td><td>+8</td></tr>
<tr><td>Combat</td><td>4</td><td>-1</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bombardment</td><td>13</td><td>+2</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aerospace</td><td>7</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Support</td><td>7</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>CEI or DEI</td><td>6</td><td>-1</td></tr>
<tr><td>Morale</td><td>9</td><td>+1</td></tr>
<tr><td>Reputation</td><td>9</td><td>+1</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2><strong>Sellswords of Gilead</strong></h2>
<p>An unusual human mercenary company (pg. 53) based on Sequel in Khtoiakta subsector of Dark Nebula.</p>
<table class="merccomp">
<thead>
<tr><th>Characteristic</th><th>Value</th><th>DM</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>Force Name</td><td>Sellswords of Gilead</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit Size</td><td>Battalion</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit Type</td><td>Security</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit TL</td><td>2</td><td>-2</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mobility Type</td><td>Infantry</td><td>-3</td></tr>
<tr><td>Combat</td><td>1</td><td>-2</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bombardment</td><td>0</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aerospace</td><td>0</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Support</td><td>4</td><td>-1</td></tr>
<tr><td>CEI or DEI</td><td>10</td><td>+1</td></tr>
<tr><td>Morale</td><td>14</td><td>+2</td></tr>
<tr><td>Reputation</td><td>11</td><td>+1</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Teahleikhoi</h2>
<p>‘The Soldiers of the Falling Night’ are an Aslan mercenary company (pg. 55) associated with the <em>Iyhlua</em> clan. Organised and operated as a regiment, Teahleikhoi is based in the Uhtaa subsector of Reaver’s Deep.</p>
<table class="travnpc">
<caption>Teahleikhoi Trooper</caption>
<tr><td><strong>STR</strong> 10</td><td><strong>DEX</strong> 5</td><td><strong>END</strong> 9</td><td><strong>INT</strong> 7</td><td><strong>EDU</strong> 6</td><td><strong>SOC</strong> 5</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"> Athletics 0, Drive 0, Gun Combat (slug) 2, Melee (natural) 1, Recon 0, Survival 1,Tactics 0</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Weapons:</strong> Gauss Rifle with auxiliary grenade launcher (4D, AP 5, Auto 3, Scope), RAM grenade (5D, Blast 9)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Armor:</strong> Cloth (+8)</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="merccomp">
<thead>
<tr><th>Characteristic</th><th>Value</th><th>DM</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>Force Name</td><td>Teahleikhoi</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit Size</td><td>Brigade</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit Type</td><td>Armoured Infantry</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit TL</td><td>14</td><td>+2</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mobility Type</td><td>Grav</td><td>+8</td></tr>
<tr><td>Combat</td><td>7</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bombardment</td><td>8</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aerospace</td><td>7</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Support</td><td>8</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>CEI or DEI</td><td>8</td><td>0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Morale</td><td>11</td><td>+1</td></tr>
<tr><td>Reputation</td><td>9</td><td>+1</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div class="mercorg">
<h3>Teahleikhoi (Siylakht Iyhli)</h3>
<ul>
<li>Regimental Headquarters</li>
<ul>
<li>1 x Command Ship</li>
<li>1 x Fighter Squadron</li>
<ul>
<li>15 x Fighters</li>
</ul>
<li>3 x Combat Platoons</li>
<li>1 x Commando Platoon</li>
<li>1 x Recon Platoon</li>
<li>1 x Engineering Platoon</li>
<li>2 x Artillery Batteries</li>
</ul>
<li>3 x Battle Groups</li>
<ul>
<li>1 x <em>Tleiatre</em> Battle Leader Starship</li>
<li>1 x Headquarters Platoon</li>
<li>3 x Companies</li>
<ul>
<li>1 x Company Command</li>
<ul>
<li>1 x Logistics Squad</li>
<li>1 x Repair Section</li>
<li>1 x Casualty Station</li>
</ul>
<li>4 x Infantry Platoons</li>
<li>2 x Fire Support Vehicles</li>
<li>1 x <em>Eiaikeiar</em> Intruder Transport (pg. 70)</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<p>A <em>Tleiatre</em> Battle Leader is a TL14, 3,000-ton starship with J-3 and 4g capabilities used for command and control. The regimental command ship is a 5,000-ton vessel designed to coordinate large-scale operations. It also carries a small fighter squadron, and transports various other support units as required when the regiment as a whole is committed in combat.</p>
</div>
<h2>Wolmarans Black Jackets</h2>
<p>An infamous Solomani mercenary company currently based out of Damiel in Danvers subsector of Dark Nebula.</p>
<table class="merccomp">
<thead>
<tr><th>Characteristic</th><th>Value</th><th>DM</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>Force Name</td><td>Wolmarans Black Jackets</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit Size</td><td>Brigade</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit Type</td><td>Armoured Infantry</td><td>–</td></tr>
<tr><td>Unit TL</td><td>14</td><td>+2</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mobility Type</td><td>Motorised</td><td>+4</td></tr>
<tr><td>Combat</td><td>7</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bombardment</td><td>2</td><td>-2</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aerospace</td><td>6</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>Support</td><td>6</td><td>+0</td></tr>
<tr><td>CEI or DEI</td><td>9</td><td>+1</td></tr>
<tr><td>Morale</td><td>14</td><td>+2</td></tr>
<tr><td>Reputation</td><td>10</td><td>+1</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div class="OGL_Statement" style="clear:both;"><h2>Copyright Information</h2><p>The <b><i>Traveller</i></b> game in all forms is owned by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.farfuture.net"> Far Future Enterprises</a>. Copyright © 1977 – 2024 Far Future Enterprises. <b><i>Traveller</i></b> is a registered trademark of Far Future Enterprises. Far Future permits web sites and fanzines for this game, provided it contains this notice, that Far Future is notified, and subject to a withdrawal of permission on 90 days notice. The contents of this site are for personal, non-commercial use only. Any use of Far Future Enterprises’s copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, any program/articles/file on this site cannot be republished or distributed without the consent of the author who contributed it.</p>
<p>Materials produced by <b>Digest Group Publications</b> (DGP) are copyright © Roger Sanger. Any use of Digest Group Publications’ copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this Web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights. Usage is intended to follow the guidelines <a target="_blank" href="http://members.tip.net.au/~davidjw/tavspecs/maint/dgp_faq.htm"> announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List</a> for preserving the overall <b><i>Traveller</i></b> milieu.</p></div>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-51932354574026434392024-01-12T05:59:00.004-05:002024-01-13T06:18:29.377-05:00Press Clippings<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGC9Ytv7cHXxS0yCnammgEY8exQU7H9qWiYg5yIjG0dAreSL2xCn6QfNi8h1A1hUbIgfaMQPf8JywMR_o1ivQiakLdr8naoWZs8NzT-OE841O5awY2DUGXSde4NM66Kco8XNa-ED6atXlvdAbiSdRN0m19m2ELoX6VPH2VewqsU_ZH-oel5iloOXPGtNDs/s1544/FT121-20240102-Cover.png"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1544" data-original-width="1198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGC9Ytv7cHXxS0yCnammgEY8exQU7H9qWiYg5yIjG0dAreSL2xCn6QfNi8h1A1hUbIgfaMQPf8JywMR_o1ivQiakLdr8naoWZs8NzT-OE841O5awY2DUGXSde4NM66Kco8XNa-ED6atXlvdAbiSdRN0m19m2ELoX6VPH2VewqsU_ZH-oel5iloOXPGtNDs/s320/FT121-20240102-Cover.png"/></a></div><p>It’s been a busy couple of weeks here in the <strong>Great Dungeon of the North</strong>.</p>
<p>Anthony Miller of the excellent <strong>Page 121</strong> YouTube channel posted <a href="https://youtu.be/PD_i7rdSIkg?si=-gVumL9WtNqVoqoV">a thoughtful and favorable review</a> of <em><a href="https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/products/the-deep-and-the-dark">The Deep and the Dark</a></em>. I really enjoy Page 121, which covers many similar topics as this blog: lots of Classic Traveller and Dungeons and Dragons material. Page 121 is currently doing a series on AD&D Creature Features which, as you might imagine, is near and dear to the Great Dungeon.</p>
<p>The January/February 2024 issue of <strong><em><a href="https://www.freelancetraveller.com/">Freelance Traveller</a></em></strong> reprints an article that first appeared here, <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2019/07/wafer-tech-for-mongoose-traveller.html">Wafer Tech in Mongoose Traveller</a>. Editor Jeff Zeitlin has been publishing this most excellent fanzine for fifteen years, which is an amazing run. Among the many things I like about <em>Freelance Traveller</em> is that he’s been curating and republishing useful Traveller articles from around the web, such as Christopher Thrash’s analysis of “Ship Structure and Hull Size Limitations.” So much good Traveller material has quietly disappeared over the years that it’s nice to see someone trying to preserve these pieces before they are gone.</p>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-45251378630017045942024-01-10T05:00:00.096-05:002024-01-11T05:42:44.056-05:00The Type U Armed Packet<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-yH9q5aBFCmKSLosjfkwWyJLGIrMSM5JNAktuFxKu4_OcpSunsFFTRv6RGcN7eHknf1fL8wtvBzncmc6lp4qj-XoTMTBZInME9by-ZzSvZ2JUAC0_QK2X1BlNanjm3eL9Xkg1hIUbO9AM9TCrNG0XU_j2bDiHmCuNeUGI3PvTppzfoktxotNxJY6m-DZ/s4032/PXL_20231223_175738100.MP.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-yH9q5aBFCmKSLosjfkwWyJLGIrMSM5JNAktuFxKu4_OcpSunsFFTRv6RGcN7eHknf1fL8wtvBzncmc6lp4qj-XoTMTBZInME9by-ZzSvZ2JUAC0_QK2X1BlNanjm3eL9Xkg1hIUbO9AM9TCrNG0XU_j2bDiHmCuNeUGI3PvTppzfoktxotNxJY6m-DZ/s320/PXL_20231223_175738100.MP.jpg"/></a></div><p>I was very happy that a Mongoose Traveller version of the Type U Armed Packet made it into <a href="https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/products/the-deep-and-the-dark"><em>The Deep and the Dark</em></a>, and not just because this starship fits very well into the Buffer setting covered by the book. The Packet is, of course, <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2021/05/revenge-of-revised-armed-packet.html">a ship design that I’ve been tinkering with for going on five years now</a>. The published version tweaks the math for the latest version of <a href="https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/products/high-guard-update-2022"><em>High Guard</em></a> and sports new art and a two-level deckplan.</p>
<p>As I’ve written before, I think the Type U is a great ship for player characters: it’s got a little armor, some guns, decent maneuverability, and a relatively high jump range. But best of all, its mission—unscheduled passenger service into dangerous systems—is made for gaming. Clients who can afford to charter such a vessel usually arrive at the docks with an adventure in the making.</p>
<p>As far as I can tell, the Armed Packet is first mentioned in the in the Ship Recognition Guide of the 2013 draft of Traveller<sup>5</sup>. The text explains that the Armed Packet provides</p>
<blockquote>
<p>unscheduled passenger service for those in a hurry. The crew can be trusted, but these little ships still find themselves jumping in harm’s way.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I’m not sure if Marc Miller or Robert Eaglestone conceived of the Armed Packet, but I suspect the ship was developed to either test or fill out a missing niche in the Traveller<sup>5</sup> starship mission/modifer codes, a system that goes all the way back to CT <em>High Guard</em>. While the 2013 draft does not provide a detailed ship design, the Quick Ship Profile (UF-CA33) tells us that the Packet is a 300 ton (C) vessel with an airframe hull (A), 3g maneuver (3) and Jump-3 capability (3). The <em>Deep and the Dark</em> version conforms to these general specifications.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float: right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHZ9kNBCJpHBJ84-DdMw-XHE0hfeyGe7LEexKBV9q9hcl0PUv9WkjSAMffTTxZ5b__JvKMPavFha4FcKnOFnZc0-X6cKT4rLyjHK-EdeO2qr_HSm7EYl6IDWz6Kouj7howMEAIyRkvoFSWK_NyF5ADQ_O7ZjCuKVoiDkkVSdgPKPoqFCePRgMPzyeDkaH/s4032/PXL_20231223_175749135.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHZ9kNBCJpHBJ84-DdMw-XHE0hfeyGe7LEexKBV9q9hcl0PUv9WkjSAMffTTxZ5b__JvKMPavFha4FcKnOFnZc0-X6cKT4rLyjHK-EdeO2qr_HSm7EYl6IDWz6Kouj7howMEAIyRkvoFSWK_NyF5ADQ_O7ZjCuKVoiDkkVSdgPKPoqFCePRgMPzyeDkaH/s320/PXL_20231223_175749135.jpg"/></a></div><p>For my own <em>Into the Interface</em> campaign, the player characters operate a modified Type U, the <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2021/06/revised-starjammer.html"><em>I.M.V. Starjammer</em></a>. So I was pretty excited to sign up for the <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2nddynasty/traveller-rpg-starship-miniatures">Traveller RPG Starship Miniatures Kickstarter</a> from <a href="http://2nddynasty.com/index.html">2nd Dynasty</a>, which included a 3D model of the Armed Packet. While I thought at first I might invest in a 3D printer, in the end I opted to have a third party print me resin versions of the ship at both tactical scale (which fits on a 1-inch base) and 1:270 scale.</p>
<p>Painting the larger model really kicked my butt. Going in I was feeling relatively confident about my painting abilities and what I learnt working on this project, to my sorrow, was that model-making and miniature painting are two adjacent hobbies with an overlapping but largely different skill set. As <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/modelmakers/comments/188mtw2/hey_quick_question_why_is_painting_so_hard_though/">this recent Reddit thread helps explain</a>, the tools and techniques are different. With organic figures or natural materials like stone you are using washes and shading to introduce the illusion of small variations in the surface of the miniature. With inorganic, manufactured materials like a starship hull you are trying to eliminate variations, at least until the weathering stage, to create the illusion of smooth, machined surfaces.</p>
<!-- THIRD PICTURE -->
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvQouGoZlDkTzSRww8GqQIkvJj3e21CZC7Oy4c8aC6tagX8PiF5zRmXJgIzUU5s_pAFEQzh21OsMSGsJG1lJE4bzKni3deXHZifq-k7gHf-W8A9tlgsUEjaTNSoCfn08XIG1ThCLStFkiwMnmlLE9XYZk7HCggfFte9LOtX9KnYvGZhqTKnxXrbKC84fW/s4032/PXL_20231223_175723770.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwvQouGoZlDkTzSRww8GqQIkvJj3e21CZC7Oy4c8aC6tagX8PiF5zRmXJgIzUU5s_pAFEQzh21OsMSGsJG1lJE4bzKni3deXHZifq-k7gHf-W8A9tlgsUEjaTNSoCfn08XIG1ThCLStFkiwMnmlLE9XYZk7HCggfFte9LOtX9KnYvGZhqTKnxXrbKC84fW/s320/PXL_20231223_175723770.jpg"/></a></div>
<p>The model was cast in several different pieces and when I started to assemble the parts I realized that some of the resin pieces were warped and didn’t fit very well together. Further, some of the pieces seemed to have poor print quality: some sides had many surface defects, and two of the three turrets had broken gun barrels. At first I thought some of this was just normal for 3D printers but after some more research I think these are just poor quality prints. Even lots of sanding and filing and plastic putty couldn’t completely address all of these flaws. </p>
<p>I primed the model with Vallejo gray primer in the airbrush, then looked at some <a href="https://www.artstation.com/biomassart">Ian Stead</a> artwork of the Type U for reference on color schemes. I had picked up the Vallejo <a href="https://acrylicosvallejo.com/en/category/hobby/sets/sets-sci-fi-en/">Star Fighter Colors</a> set, which had a pretty good selection of base colors. I started laying down a base coat with the brush but quickly found the coverage looked uneven. I decided to switch over to the airbrush, but needed to do a lot of masking. Too late I realized that Tamiya makes lines of masking tape specifically made for models, which would have made this stage far easier.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBIXvYv1fuXjlNRlwcpPZ4qvmRtkeOq9BdZO1nb1Ie0h_9GOWsdNwB-ZyS5q9tJdmFBRSVCYSTOJwTEYAMvWPyIekCL9ObqrLdv9sLfcxlTxP-RKGkWGloWqGH8_HVNQv8gFg5rUvO0tUtMQgeGmr2CbqW3NrCx3AQSoIDLARE26u9V9vxGmj0Fr_Md5y_/s4032/PXL_20231223_175656759.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBIXvYv1fuXjlNRlwcpPZ4qvmRtkeOq9BdZO1nb1Ie0h_9GOWsdNwB-ZyS5q9tJdmFBRSVCYSTOJwTEYAMvWPyIekCL9ObqrLdv9sLfcxlTxP-RKGkWGloWqGH8_HVNQv8gFg5rUvO0tUtMQgeGmr2CbqW3NrCx3AQSoIDLARE26u9V9vxGmj0Fr_Md5y_/s320/PXL_20231223_175656759.jpg"/></a></div>
<p>With the base coat down, I then gave the entire model a coat of Tamiya Gloss Clear. I then applied Tamiya gray panel liner. It’s a pretty amazing product that quickly fills the gaps and unfortunately spreads into some of the flaws as well. In hindsight I wish I had gone with the black panel liner to create a greater contrast.</p>
<p>I wanted to try my hand at some custom decals to better resemble the <em>Starjammer</em>. The nature of the model is such that it doesn’t have many empty panels where a registration number or even hazard stripes would easily fit. I did find a couple of spots on the wings to place a <em>Starjammer</em> crest. I bought some custom waterslide paper for my aged inkjet printer, which didn’t have great resolution but did the job.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi543IpzBb4NA1wMw4b-WTBm5jPXSZ91TVQZyu5OB4DWq87EejpdSyPG2SiYmaB_1ffA_ym8QFeJjl6deEpckrjoUB-fpIXpFUHZESTsj2xyKIENZnYrmiq6_K521kvHL9PzP33tCc3U2sjJmeGs_pBHYSvBKnv1LBwSRpsdrXWYS2WgYJDW6QMj5f0EwkE/s4032/PXL_20231223_175639913.MP.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi543IpzBb4NA1wMw4b-WTBm5jPXSZ91TVQZyu5OB4DWq87EejpdSyPG2SiYmaB_1ffA_ym8QFeJjl6deEpckrjoUB-fpIXpFUHZESTsj2xyKIENZnYrmiq6_K521kvHL9PzP33tCc3U2sjJmeGs_pBHYSvBKnv1LBwSRpsdrXWYS2WgYJDW6QMj5f0EwkE/s320/PXL_20231223_175639913.MP.jpg"/></a></div>
<p>Applying decals is a tricky maneuver, even with the aid of microsol and microset. I probably should have found a spare model to practice on, but I was ok with the results. I definitely didn’t want to press my luck with more decals than the crest. Once dry I hit the whole thing with a layer of Testor Dullcote.</p>
<p>Overall, this project was frustrating and I’m not very satisfied with the results, which look a bit messy to my eye. But I certainly learned a lot and could probably do much better on my second model. My single biggest mistake was probably not appreciating the differences between painting a monster miniature and painting a starship model. My second biggest was not having a better plan for approaching this project: a more efficient workflow would have reduced the need for retouches and would have made the end result smoother.</p>
<div class="OGL_Statement" style="clear:both;"><h2>Copyright Information</h2><p>The <b><i>Traveller</i></b> game in all forms is owned by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.farfuture.net"> Far Future Enterprises</a>. Copyright © 1977 – 2024 Far Future Enterprises. <b><i>Traveller</i></b> is a registered trademark of Far Future Enterprises. Far Future permits web sites and fanzines for this game, provided it contains this notice, that Far Future is notified, and subject to a withdrawal of permission on 90 days notice. The contents of this site are for personal, non-commercial use only. Any use of Far Future Enterprises’s copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, any program/articles/file on this site cannot be republished or distributed without the consent of the author who contributed it.</p>
<p>Materials produced by <b>Digest Group Publications</b> (DGP) are copyright © Roger Sanger. Any use of Digest Group Publications’ copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this Web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights. Usage is intended to follow the guidelines <a target="_blank" href="http://members.tip.net.au/~davidjw/tavspecs/maint/dgp_faq.htm"> announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List</a> for preserving the overall <b><i>Traveller</i></b> milieu.</p></div>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-74097549712102386402024-01-04T21:54:00.008-05:002024-01-06T06:48:21.224-05:00Adventure Class Ships<style type="text/css">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float: right; padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrI6jQmzETBx-6JxTNfY3igEjXBNQZU6CEo4NsC_l61BAp9sjDUb3V-gi_uhY5OcjY58ML5TjjFRegTG-VRCrvVQ-XsWUNBK8EVlNOWooqH7ZHyBX_iRuE5QMSYI5xWt7TYNgCJIJTTIt7RkoMDMZYX7Au9QVfpb2omMW2AU9jVXDC2dRJU_-BcbTxP8w8/s897/AdventureclassShips.webp"><img alt="" title="Adventure Class Ships" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrI6jQmzETBx-6JxTNfY3igEjXBNQZU6CEo4NsC_l61BAp9sjDUb3V-gi_uhY5OcjY58ML5TjjFRegTG-VRCrvVQ-XsWUNBK8EVlNOWooqH7ZHyBX_iRuE5QMSYI5xWt7TYNgCJIJTTIt7RkoMDMZYX7Au9QVfpb2omMW2AU9jVXDC2dRJU_-BcbTxP8w8/s320/AdventureclassShips.webp"/></a></div>
<p>The one downside of having so much support for Traveller right now is the difficulty in just reading, assimilating, and utilizing even a fraction of this material. For months after I turned in the manuscript for <em><a href="https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/products/the-deep-and-the-dark">The Deep and the Dark</a></em> I kept finding useful bits and pieces in other books that I wished I could have acknowledged or incorporated.</p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/products/adventure-class-ships">Adventure Class Ships</a></em>, released back in early October 2023, is a particularly strong match for <em>The Deep and the Dark</em>. Large areas of Reaver’s Deep and Dark Nebula sectors have been set aside as a buffer zone between the Aslan Hierate and the Third Imperium. Consequently, this region is a fairly backwards, small ship environment.</p>
<p>Adventure class ships, defined as sub-2,000 ton vessels, are right in the sweet spot for PC use—and are the largest ships likely to be encountered inside the Buffer. Further, the astrography of the region lacks the great, winding mains of the Spinward Marches or the Solomani Rim, requiring ships with jump-2 or even better, jump-3 capability. And the lower tech nature of the Buffer means TL12 or 13 is the most common maximum.</p>
<p>Fortunately, many designs in <em>Adventure Class Ships</em> fit the bill perfectly and are likely used throughout Reaver’s Deep and Dark Nebula.</p>
<p>The Third Imperium employs several designs with jump-4 or better for missions into the Buffer and Hierate space, including the <strong>Far Scout</strong> (pg. 12), <strong>Far Reach Survey Scout</strong> (pg. 16), <strong>Express Packet</strong> (pg. 78), and <strong>Long Range Courier</strong> (pg. 82).</p>
<p>Many independent human governments in the Buffer use the <strong><em>Frontiersman</em></strong><strong>-class Scout</strong> (pg. 10), <strong>Assault Gunship</strong> (pg. 104), and the <strong>Mercenary Carrier</strong> (pg. 112) in their planetary navies.</p>
<p>Aslan clans both inside and outside the Hierate rely upon the <strong><em>Stayaow</em> Combat Scout</strong> (pg. 134) and the <strong><em>Aihaiyo</em></strong><strong> Hunting Ship</strong> (pg. 136), which are fairly common in both sectors.</p>
<p>Small commercial interests and independent operators inside the Buffer use the <strong>Merchant Trader</strong> (pg. 30), <strong>Long Trader</strong> (pg. 38), <strong>Large Freighter</strong> (pg. 54), <strong>Passenger Cruiser</strong> (pg. 66), and <strong>Prospector</strong> (pg. 88). These ships are often plagued by criminals and pirates who have adopted designs such as the <strong>Shadow Trader</strong> (pg. 28), <strong>Fast Smuggler</strong> (pg. 34), <strong>Pirate Carrier</strong> (pg. 102), and <strong><em>Kteahearl</em> Raider</strong> (pg. 138).</p>
<!-- ENCOUNTER TABLES -->
<h2>Starship Encounters in the Buffer</h2>
<p>The following tables incorporate ships from both <em>Adventure Class Ships</em> and <em>The Deep and the Dark</em>.</p>
<p>The referee should use this encounter table for Buffer worlds with Population 6+. Encounters occur on a 6+.</p>
<table class="buffer_encounters">
<caption>Moderate and Densely Populated Buffer Worlds</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th style="width:2em;">2D</th><th>Result</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>2</th><td><strong>Pirate Carrier</strong> arriving in system, engaged in piracy.</td></tr>
<tr><th>3</th><td>Aslan <strong><em>Aihaiyo</em> Hunting Ship</strong> standing by, waiting to receive a charter.</td></tr>
<tr><th>4</th><td><strong><em>Dakaar</em>-class Freighter</strong> standing by to receive a load of freight bound for the Carrillian Assembly.</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>5</th><td><strong>Type U Armed Packet</strong> arriving in system with cargo goods and passengers from the Imperium.</td></tr>
<tr><th>6</th><td>Aslan <strong>Merchant Trader</strong> owned by the <em>Khtyuwi’</em> corporation, standing by to receive new speculative cargo.</td></tr>
<tr><th>7</th><td><strong>Passenger Cruiser</strong> with passengers, waiting for clearance to land.</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>8</th><td><strong>Type A2 Far Trader</strong> carrying cargo and passengers, leaving the system.</td></tr>
<tr><th>9</th><td><strong>Large Freighter</strong> arriving in system with passengers from the Principality of Caledon.</td></tr>
<tr><th>10</th><td><strong>Assault Gunship</strong> on patrol, arriving at starport.</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>11</th><td>2 <strong><em>Avenger</em>-class Patrol Frigates</strong> on manoeuvres, leaving the system.</td></tr>
<tr><th>12</th><td><strong>Mercenary Carrier</strong>, standing by.</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>The referee should use this encounter table for Buffer worlds with a Population of 5-. Encounters occur on 8+.</p>
<table class="buffer_encounters">
<caption>Sparsely Populated Buffer Worlds</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th style="width:2em;">2D</th><th>Result</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>2</th><td>Aslan <strong><em>Stayaow</em> Combat Scout</strong> operated by an exohierate clan.</td></tr>
<tr><th>3</th><td>Aslan <strong><em>Kteahearl</em> Raider</strong> engaged in piracy.</td></tr>
<tr><th>4</th><td><strong>Express Packet</strong> operated by the Imperial Interstellar Scout Service, carrying a diplomatic pouch to an embassy on a client state.</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>5</th><td><strong>Fast Smuggler</strong> carrying goods to port.</td></tr>
<tr><th>6</th><td>Aslan <strong>Prospector</strong> operated by an exohierate clan, scouting out potential mining claims.</td></tr>
<tr><th>7</th><td><strong>Type A2 Far Trader</strong> operated by trade pioneers out of Caledon in search of new markets and novel goods.</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><th>8</th><td><strong>Large Freighter</strong> operated by Carrillines Ltd., carrying unrefined ore to the Carrillian Assembly.</td></tr>
<tr><th>9</th><td><strong>Type K Safari Ship</strong> arriving with a charter of Imperial tourists from Daibei sector.</td></tr>
<tr><th>10</th><td>Aslan <strong>Long Trader</strong> operated by the <em>Tlasayerlahel</em> corporation, arriving in search of speculative cargo.</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><th>11</th><td><strong>Shadow Trader</strong> carrying a corporate charter from Imperial space to Marlheim.</td></tr>
<tr><th>12</th><td><strong><em>Avenger</em>-class Patrol Frigate</strong> departing, on patrol.</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div class="OGL_Statement" style="clear:both;"><h2>Copyright Information</h2><p>The <b><i>Traveller</i></b> game in all forms is owned by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.farfuture.net"> Far Future Enterprises</a>. Copyright © 1977 – 2024 Far Future Enterprises. <b><i>Traveller</i></b> is a registered trademark of Far Future Enterprises. Far Future permits web sites and fanzines for this game, provided it contains this notice, that Far Future is notified, and subject to a withdrawal of permission on 90 days notice. The contents of this site are for personal, non-commercial use only. Any use of Far Future Enterprises’s copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, any program/articles/file on this site cannot be republished or distributed without the consent of the author who contributed it.</p>
<p>Materials produced by <b>Digest Group Publications</b> (DGP) are copyright © Roger Sanger. Any use of Digest Group Publications’ copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this Web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights. Usage is intended to follow the guidelines <a target="_blank" href="http://members.tip.net.au/~davidjw/tavspecs/maint/dgp_faq.htm"> announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List</a> for preserving the overall <b><i>Traveller</i></b> milieu.</p></div>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-82756649790360334132023-12-31T08:00:00.006-05:002023-12-31T15:41:36.555-05:00Several Photographers May Have Been Eaten Getting This Group Photo<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4H3K2nP9IsDZGybQlA2ysxpYIP7z4jgL2Tcdo6InZKT7TcSgqQXGZycU30IyHz5vvq7HlzU-9vKpncG6PYKRPSnR-0ISLiBVgc36VMUNUIidjM38GdgTnjAbO0J_FbZbfMMJTvw9eKEczheOT4-8IXKwF98z0Vm5_d01qZYi2NkGywpdYvvf4-8kHnEGE/s4032/PXL_20231230_150529993.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4H3K2nP9IsDZGybQlA2ysxpYIP7z4jgL2Tcdo6InZKT7TcSgqQXGZycU30IyHz5vvq7HlzU-9vKpncG6PYKRPSnR-0ISLiBVgc36VMUNUIidjM38GdgTnjAbO0J_FbZbfMMJTvw9eKEczheOT4-8IXKwF98z0Vm5_d01qZYi2NkGywpdYvvf4-8kHnEGE/s320/PXL_20231230_150529993.jpg"/></a></div>
<p>From a gaming perspective, 2023 was a pretty darned good year for me. <a href="https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/products/the-deep-and-the-dark">The Deep and the Dark</a> was published, I ran a few fun games, and I got a lot of painting done.</p>
<p>The one thing I really wanted to do in the last year that didn’t get done was to get my <a href="https://dnd.wizards.com/products/tomb-annihilation">Tomb of Annihilation</a> campaign off the ground. So that will be high on the list for 2024. I miss having a weekly game and if this adventure path plays half as well as it reads, we should be in for a great time.</p>
<p>In the coming year I hope to be working on a follow-up to <em>The Deep and the Dark</em> that focuses more on Aslan space. I’ve got a few idea kicking around that I’m pretty excited about, so we’ll see.</p>
<p>Most of the miniatures in my priority pile have been painted. I’ve got a few Reaper giants left that I’d like to do along with a couple of nice Otherworld figures, and then after that I’m not sure. I have a ton of kobolds that I’d like to do, but I already have a bunch. It might be nice to do some Traveller starships, though probably not at the 1:270 scale. Having a few tactical scale models of common ship types might be helpful as visual aids.</PGarnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-42947102365178824142023-12-28T07:17:00.000-05:002023-12-28T07:17:18.296-05:00Everest Ascended<div style="clear:both;">
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<p>A little over six years ago I received <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2017/05/bones-iii-have-landed.html">my rewards for the Reaper Bones III Kickstarter</a>, including the enormous <a href="https://www.reapermini.com/miniatures/77580">Ma’al Drakar the Dragon Tyrant</a>. That Kickstarter had a bumper crop of great models, including several Gargantuan and Colossal figures that honestly broke me. I worked away on the smaller miniatures, but Ma’al Drakar and the rest of the titanic models languished in my basement as my painting backlog grew and grew.</p>
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<p>Finally, last March <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2023/04/the-return-of-great-dungeon.html">I got myself an airbrush</a> in one last, desperate attempt to break through the logjam. And the airbrush really did the trick—I’m still very much a beginner, but for priming and putting down base coats on large miniatures it really can’t be beat and has allowed me to put a massive dent in that logjam. (Just in time for the haul from the <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/reaperddrpg/bones-6-tales-from-the-green-griffin">Reaper Bones 6 Kickstarter</a> to land!) </p>
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<p>Armed with the airbrush I was able to complete Ma’al Drakar over the course of several weeks. Because the work was intermittent I couldn’t say how many total hours that represented, but it was a significant time investment. This was easily the largest model I’ve ever worked on, though it probably wasn’t the most technically challenging—that honor probably goes to <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-black-goat-of-woods-with-thousand.html">Shub-Niggurath and all those infernal goat eyes</a>.</p>
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<p>Obviously, I wanted to paint this model up as Tiamat so I looked at lots of Dungeons & Dragons reference art, particularly from <em>Tyranny of Dragons</em>. I assembled the model using poster-tack for priming and base coating, then disassembled everything to more easily work on individual components. The wings and the heads were probably the only components that benefited from this approach: everything else probably could have been permanently assembled right from jump.</p>
<p>I primed the model using Army Painter Uniform Gray from a spray can and then applied a zenithal undercoat. Knowing what I know now, I probably would have skipped the primer and just moved right to the undercoat, but old habits die hard.</p>
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<p>At this point I assembled the main body, limbs, tail, and neck sections with superglue. In general, the pieces fit well with relatively few gaps and although the model was made with the original Bones material, I didn't notice a lot of sagging or drooping and I think this is because Julie Guthrie did an excellent job sculpting a balanced, well-supported piece. I used some Vallejo plastic putty for the gaps but was not very happy with the results.</p>
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<p>I then put down a base coat of Reaper MSP Red Brick on the body, limbs, wings, and tail, followed by washes of Army Painter Strong Tone. The Red Brick had an alarmingly purplish look when first laid down, but this dissipated after I added highlights of Deep Red and then further highlights of Blood Red. I then blocked out the claws and tail spines with brown, highlighted with yellows and gray.</p>
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<p>I then worked on the scales of the necks and heads with a base coat, wash, and then highlights. The washes really helped knock down the brightness of the chromatic colors and helped tie the different pieces together.</p>
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<p>I did the eyes and teeth and then attached all the remaining pieces with superglue. The cleanup steps probably took as much time as all the rest of the painting, as there were lots of little details and adjustments to add.</p>
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<p>All-in-all, it’s a pretty impressive piece to see in person if only because of the size, but Julie Guthrie really outdid herself with this design. I only wish I had used a much lighter tone on the wings: a leathery, tannish base would have made a better contrast and would have allowed the addition of some veining.</p>
<p>I am fairly pleased with the number of models I was able to complete in 2024. I mostly cleared everything in the priority pile, and even allowed myself to pick up a few new additions for the queue.</p>
</div>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-10304611332041708172023-12-14T19:03:00.017-05:002023-12-15T05:37:14.191-05:00The Deep and the Dark<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOMbGm9LI2aeYvwixSH01z8XG4BAIivDXGOSnQsrKvXNFeA0sRiFqZ5AoBbk1BVQAEbOG4FLlFZ8oAyAYv00_GCYGeBbjQDVS-RSUT8zLLt92h_UUjtSx3CFwEYQ89Ic4oVT50MClgtIlTILoZ3pFK3Hsvb_gAunhXGAoON8Sok2qdkHv-wpiBgkI4ntm/s1179/The%20Deep%20and%20the%20Dark.jpg"><img alt="The Deep and the Dark" title="The Deep and the Dark" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1179" data-original-width="899" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjOMbGm9LI2aeYvwixSH01z8XG4BAIivDXGOSnQsrKvXNFeA0sRiFqZ5AoBbk1BVQAEbOG4FLlFZ8oAyAYv00_GCYGeBbjQDVS-RSUT8zLLt92h_UUjtSx3CFwEYQ89Ic4oVT50MClgtIlTILoZ3pFK3Hsvb_gAunhXGAoON8Sok2qdkHv-wpiBgkI4ntm/s320/The%20Deep%20and%20the%20Dark.jpg"/></a></div><p>So <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2022/05/sumer-is-icumen-in.html">the big project I started last year</a> and <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2023/04/the-return-of-great-dungeon.html">turned in earlier this year</a> is finally out: <a href="https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/products/the-deep-and-the-dark"><em>The Deep and the Dark</em></a>, a sourcebook for Mongoose Publishing’s Traveller RPG. <em>The Deep and the Dark</em> covers Reaver’s Deep and Dark Nebula sectors, a vibrant, messy, and strange area at the intersection of the Third Imperium, Aslan Hierate, and the Solomani Confederation.</p>
<p>I’m very happy with how this book turned out, but it has been a long, strange trip. <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2021/10/developing-dark-nebula.html">Almost fifteen years ago</a> an idle search for low tech worlds on the edge of the Imperium gradually morphed into a fascination with this region of Charted Space—and eventually, my very first RPG lead credit. I am an incredibly slow writer so this book was a labor of love, but I feel like I learned a lot and can finally check off a long-standing life goal.</p>
<p>My manuscript was so overstuffed that I had no room for any sort of dedication, but I am indebted to many, many others, starting with the incredibly prolific Keith brothers from Traveller’s Golden Age: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Andrew_Keith">J. Andrew Keith</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._Keith_Jr.">William H. Keith</a>. Along with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loren_Wiseman">Loren Wiseman</a> they introduced the Aslan in <em>Journal of the Travellers’ Aid Society</em> 7 (1981). This information was greatly expanded in Traveller <em>Alien Module 1: Aslan</em> (1984), which is credited to J. Andrew Keith, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Harshman">John Harshman</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Miller_%28game_designer%29">Marc Miller</a>. I am continually astonished that these authors were able to convey so much complexity and offer up so many gaming possibilities in just 40 short pages. All the fundamentals of the Aslan and their Hierate are right there in this little Alien Module.</p>
<p>The Keith Brothers also developed <a href="https://wiki.travellerrpg.com/Reaver%27s_Deep_Sector">Reaver’s Deep</a> sector through a series of supplements, adventures, and magazine articles published by GDW, Gamelords, FASA, and Marischal Adventures, among others. Their work on the Deep demonstrates their innate understanding of what makes for a great sandbox setting: the Deep is a wild, backward area caught between three great powers, full of mysteries, danger, and interesting places to explore. </p>
<p>It’s also structured to give maximum agency to the players. The vast Third Imperium with its sector-spanning government, megacorporations, giant capital ships and megafreighters, black globes and TL15 goods can make player characters seem puny and insignificant. The Deep, in contrast, takes everything good about the Imperium and strips it down, shrinks it, and makes it more approachable for a PC. It’s a lower-tech, small ship environment that still has wild, lawless areas. The Principality of Caledon is very much a small Imperium with its own version of the familiar Army, Navy, and Scouts services.</p>
<p>One of the toughest tasks in working on this book was tracking down all of the various references on this sector, which are scattered over dozens of sources ranging from GDW’s Double Adventure 6: <em>Night of Conquest</em> (1982) to small press chapbooks and fanzines. But for the Keith brothers, it was almost always worth it: they were adventure-generating machines.</p>
<p>Another Classic Traveller alien module, AM 6 - <em>Soloman</em>i (1986) by Marc Miller and John Harshman has also been a vital resource. Just as the Aslan module, Solomani does an incredible amount of worldbuilding in just 48 pages. It also manages to effectively invert the hoary sci-fi chestnut of the heroic Terran battling against a universe of hostile aliens.</p>
<p>One of my favorite books from the MegaTraveller era was DGP’s <em>Solomani and Aslan: The Rimward Races</em> (1991) by Peter G. Celella and James Holden, which was highly influential on my own Magyar campaign. They did a great job of building on top of the foundations laid by the CT Aslan and Solomani alien modules. Working with the limited data from <em>Atlas of the Imperium</em> (1984), Celella and Holden carefully considered how the unusual astrography of Dark Nebula would have shaped the development of the sector, and used these insights to fill in many details of the setting timeline. S&A also has many evocative line drawings of Aslan worlds by Michael Vilardi, which continue to inform my personal imagining of Aslan art and architecture.</p>
<p>Although I have never been a huge fan of GURPS the game system, I have always loved GURPS supplements for the superb standards of writing and editing, as well as the dedication to extensive playtesting. The extra effort usually pays off: most GURPS books are tightly written and full of gamable material even for referees using completely different systems. But my favorite part is how GURPS books thoughtfully consider the social and structural implications of various game settings.</p>
<p>These insights are particularly useful when it comes to the alien species of Charted Space. The GURPS Alien Races books detail how these alien cultures would actually work, and thus are a great help for players and referees trying to understand what it might be like to live in the Aslan Hierate. <em>GURPS Traveller: Alien Races 2</em> (1999) includes a characteristically excellent section on the Aslan written by <a href="https://hws3.wordpress.com/">Andy Slack</a>.</p>
<p>Slack has been enormously influential on me personally: his old <em>White Dwarf</em> articles on Traveller were probably my first contact with the game, and I still pull out “Backdrop of Stars” from WD 24 (Apr/May 1981) from time to time. Slack recognized the highly gamable potential of the <em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Nebula_%28board_game%29">Dark Nebula</a></em> boardgame, which has some of the most evocative world names of any GDW setting. I tried to incorporate as much of this into <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2021/10/placing-nebula-in-dark-nebula.html">my own history of the Dark Nebula</a>. His GURPS work is enormously helpful for anyone trying to understand what life on an Aslan world would really be like. In a similar vein, <a href="https://wordpress.sharrukinspalace.com/about-me/">Jon F. Zeigler’s</a> GT <em>Rim of Fire: The Solomani Rim Sourcebook</em> (2000) is an outstanding resource for anyone trying to understand life inside the Solomani Confederation.</p>
<p>I am also indebted to Joshua Bell, who created and runs the magisterial <a href="https://travellermap.com">Traveller Map</a> website, which I’ve often described as one of fandom’s greatest contributions to any RPG. Not only is his site incredibly fun to play with, it is an invaluable reference for anyone doing research on Charted Space. If Traveller Map had existed in 2009, my search for low tech human worlds on the edge of Imperial space would have taken a couple of hours instead of weeks and months of poring over old, buggy sector data files. At Joshua’s encouragement, I fleshed out the rimward sectors of Canopus, Aldebaran, Neworld, and Langere—which became important prep for working with Reaver’s Deep and Dark Nebula.</p>
<p>I need to thank the ever-patient Matt Sprange of <a href="https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/">Mongoose Publishing</a>, who was willing to take a chance and assign a big book to an unknown and untested writer. The entire experience was extremely rewarding.</p>
<p>Finally I am thankful for my large group of players, whose characters crew the <em><a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2021/06/revised-starjammer.html">IMV Starjammer</a></em>—a Type U armed packet ship working Magyar and Dark Nebula sectors. I know they would often rather play Dungeons and Dragons and so I greatly appreciate their indulgence when I’d rather run Traveller. There definitely would not be a <em>Deep and the Dark</em> without these crazy guys.</p>
<p>Speaking of which, since I tried to cram so much stuff into that book, a lot of material ended up on the cutting room floor. I’m developing a proposal to incorporate some of that work into a new book. Working title: <em>Clans of the Aslan</em>. Fingers crossed!</p>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-38940345452302630382023-12-06T05:00:00.067-05:002023-12-07T07:09:03.534-05:00Griffon and Wyvern<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwbr0mBFjlrf_eHPYAwSq9Pm8gzp9SXnlndB-nlJwVV5uBZ6n8MQ4CiQ_WyYJHFWdRzpJyTxMjp-wTBnUA0RhCRNwY2xJ8pwg34y9hiP3G6qToURYYU55dM_Ev2Iw_WzkEXAndEbGI7B53KJzyQLtY1156a6WYCLDrYB0xyeKZsw4Zh95WPOeKJGzN5Qa/s4032/PXL_20231205_123701424.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwbr0mBFjlrf_eHPYAwSq9Pm8gzp9SXnlndB-nlJwVV5uBZ6n8MQ4CiQ_WyYJHFWdRzpJyTxMjp-wTBnUA0RhCRNwY2xJ8pwg34y9hiP3G6qToURYYU55dM_Ev2Iw_WzkEXAndEbGI7B53KJzyQLtY1156a6WYCLDrYB0xyeKZsw4Zh95WPOeKJGzN5Qa/s320/PXL_20231205_123701424.jpg"/></a></div><p>Griffons and wyverns, classic heraldic monsters, have been staples of Dungeons & Dragons from the very beginning, being first mentioned together in <em>Chainmail</em> (1971), where they are treated like Rocs. Both of these Reaper Bones miniatures, sculpted by Julie Guthrie, were part of the core set of the <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/reaperddrpg/reaper-miniatures-bones-4-mr-bones-epic-adventure">Bones 4</a> Kickstarter. Even though I didn’t have a pressing need for either miniature, they looked so darned good they both steadily rose to the top of my priority pile.</p>
<p>In OD&D (1974), griffons are described as </p>
<blockquote>the most prized of steeds, for they are swift, loyal, and fierce. However, they are fond of horse flesh above all other foods, so the two creatures cannot be mixed …. In their wild state Griffons will attack anyone nearby with little provocation, particularly if their lair is nearby.</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfR7npfao0_CQvebDYzvQvjw4XTTueDtlNJvNx6VoyoQ6NeAl7WaqhDusHQwiWOlmbpbC5Dpz0ZvTnHE3lXpSO540-qiuy_TR3EDQt5AqVc0y5g4o_IA53h7hxpGtkMiFBlGPGfXcoIARHf6jjiOwlv9yvl-YJfdCnQ3_04vV-r8Se3IegHmSPFGMgwIdC/s4032/PXL_20231205_123740097.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfR7npfao0_CQvebDYzvQvjw4XTTueDtlNJvNx6VoyoQ6NeAl7WaqhDusHQwiWOlmbpbC5Dpz0ZvTnHE3lXpSO540-qiuy_TR3EDQt5AqVc0y5g4o_IA53h7hxpGtkMiFBlGPGfXcoIARHf6jjiOwlv9yvl-YJfdCnQ3_04vV-r8Se3IegHmSPFGMgwIdC/s320/PXL_20231205_123740097.jpg"/></a></div><p>(I had forgotten that bit about griffons and horses.) The AD&D 1e <em>Monster Manual </em>(1977) repeats the same information, and includes additional details on capturing and training young griffons. “Fledglings sell for 5,000 gold pieces, eggs for 2,000, on the open market.” The <em>MM</em> also mentions that grey elves use griffons as guards and mounts, while storm giants “dwelling on cloud islands or mountain peaks” may have 1-4 griffons.</p>
<p>The 1e <em>Dungeon Master’s Guide</em> has an entire section on “Flying Mounts” which largely seems written to throw cold water on the whole idea of PCs getting their own griffon mounts, emphasizing their “nasty and bad-tempered” natures: “Imagine the confusing tumult of giant wings, the rush of air, the sudden changes in altitude, and you will realize why an inexperienced rider absolutely cannot handle a flying mount.” That actually sounds like a really fun session to me!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_U1nIqTVoSSjpsjUVstphpZegH3o0xcBm5Nc-oJv3yXL4Qg7BeNcrwCK7ng2I07oeUhyphenhyphen6qXfHWmlDF9nHrnpVFwdAfPS6K1isXYYiGOKo8mU6gU3y07EBgjS2y9ZEt1JaflHg1HIZiriYqLBZKsTgU9CPcRYmOj0igl2i8QSWUJUkMIvakDfDVcB61M26/s4032/PXL_20231205_123854842.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_U1nIqTVoSSjpsjUVstphpZegH3o0xcBm5Nc-oJv3yXL4Qg7BeNcrwCK7ng2I07oeUhyphenhyphen6qXfHWmlDF9nHrnpVFwdAfPS6K1isXYYiGOKo8mU6gU3y07EBgjS2y9ZEt1JaflHg1HIZiriYqLBZKsTgU9CPcRYmOj0igl2i8QSWUJUkMIvakDfDVcB61M26/s320/PXL_20231205_123854842.jpg"/></a></div>
<p>The Julie Guthrie griffon is a fantastically dynamic figure that looks like it could spring off its base and soar into the air. It reminds me very strongly of an old <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_D._Batten">John D. Batten</a> illustration of “Jack With His Invisible Coat,” from <em>English Fairy Tales</em> (1902). The illustration shows <a href="http://monsterbrains.blogspot.com/2016/01/john-d-batten.html">two fierce griffons guarding the winding road to a giant’s castle</a>.</p>
<p>To prepare for this miniature I looked at lots of references for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_eagle">golden eagles</a>. I skipped priming and went straight to the airbrush for a zenithal undercoat of Reaper Pure Black and Pure White.</p>
<p>I continue to experiment with using the Army Painter Quickshade line, particularly with figures that have lots of fine detail, such as eagle feathers. It took multiple rounds of Quickshade layers followed by dry brushing to get this griffon where I wanted it.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV50qlIQLQ6NUlv4bEHN5bhAB92DypNOICKww1hz01RpXg6SpwpwoJwVioW_EPMUnY63mmiGdW7hqWqmN6zeFUwrBpwJ_o94gzBjOCs2wmXWV4v4A8-kbY5UFm3Tji70iTGBn4gze417R5qoasxyrCnFy6K982ovrhw0PJTqS2vETPtLe14gheYvMZ5MEL/s4032/PXL_20231205_124025137.jpg"><img alt="" title="Sir Will Garnfellow with griffon and wyvern" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV50qlIQLQ6NUlv4bEHN5bhAB92DypNOICKww1hz01RpXg6SpwpwoJwVioW_EPMUnY63mmiGdW7hqWqmN6zeFUwrBpwJ_o94gzBjOCs2wmXWV4v4A8-kbY5UFm3Tji70iTGBn4gze417R5qoasxyrCnFy6K982ovrhw0PJTqS2vETPtLe14gheYvMZ5MEL/s320/PXL_20231205_124025137.jpg"/></a></div>
<p>Wyverns are described in OD&D as</p>
<blockquote>relatives of Dragons, but they are smaller and have but two legs. A Wyvern hasn’t the fearsome breath of a true Dragon, but they are equipped with a poisonous sting in their tail and poison enough to use it repeatedly.</blockquote>
<p>Similar information is contained in the 1e <em>MM</em>. I had it in my head that wyvern poison was one of the more potent in the game, but I don’t see in the 1e <em>MM</em> where wyvern poison is any more virulent than medusa, giant spider, or purple worm poison. Wyvern poison is certainly one of the worst in 3e, doing 2d6 Con intial damage and 2d6 Con secondary damage.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4ZRDt8JH8TDoW91wL4KLz-CxD7I4LfbJz1eihtyR8J1-4iUy6nxAt5iRPI3iK222QYnGmqiQigojTQkNRMgiZZvWND3quhnMHz2seCoT_RcAU-fEAzQcPv1Q8AKTMTgR7veTSg6fjXpEuNYAuDFWqhip7L4NLJ_diWwPf6EPReea36EQG-U3bujbU2au/s4032/PXL_20231205_123958365.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4ZRDt8JH8TDoW91wL4KLz-CxD7I4LfbJz1eihtyR8J1-4iUy6nxAt5iRPI3iK222QYnGmqiQigojTQkNRMgiZZvWND3quhnMHz2seCoT_RcAU-fEAzQcPv1Q8AKTMTgR7veTSg6fjXpEuNYAuDFWqhip7L4NLJ_diWwPf6EPReea36EQG-U3bujbU2au/s320/PXL_20231205_123958365.jpg"/></a></div><p>The Guthrie wyvern, like the griffon, has a very dynamic pose, its head cocked at the end of its sinuous, snaky neck. I primarily relied on the illustration in the 5e <em>Monster Manual</em> (2014) for a reference, which has a wyvern with a muted, pale red coloration. After putting down a zenithal undercoat I then put a base coat of Reaper Yellowed Bone. I then used several layers of Army Painter Quickshade to add a red tone to the figure. Overall, I was happy that I was able to approximate the colors in the illustration from the 5e MM without slipping into a hot pink.</p>
<h2>Wyverns and Griffons in the Great Dungeon</h2>
<p>Both of these monsters are not uncommon in the wild interior of the North. Wyverns and griffons both nest in the Majestic Mountains, and can be found in the cloud islands that periodically drift over the region. Wyverns are also found in the deepest, trackless forests of the North.</p>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-5633329836206517152023-11-28T05:00:00.127-05:002023-11-29T05:24:45.728-05:00Charnel Ghouls<div style="float:right;padding-left:1em;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bI50dFSgtfK4dblLEKk6MIVyd0ve8Fa9YMcKxQr33I4U-3x8yFMGaiUwBqKzmCeRT-cYmVkmnc-g54sgFjjHAN3hi4DC3kaBNFFjQY5XvsGliQYp6RB8z0yPUpw92FHNKpFwvSF6IVC3rrbbqZt2RwYtrGF75vkCqVFfoE5hEbBpAGMXzSV1b7MCNrAz/s4032/PXL_20231128_014942732.MP.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 0 0 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bI50dFSgtfK4dblLEKk6MIVyd0ve8Fa9YMcKxQr33I4U-3x8yFMGaiUwBqKzmCeRT-cYmVkmnc-g54sgFjjHAN3hi4DC3kaBNFFjQY5XvsGliQYp6RB8z0yPUpw92FHNKpFwvSF6IVC3rrbbqZt2RwYtrGF75vkCqVFfoE5hEbBpAGMXzSV1b7MCNrAz/s320/PXL_20231128_014942732.MP.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5Bjm8XMBJbevKj0-s1bNwvT-kBPmxKAlq-veyJ6ArjHKRFcBb6NpYpn82gEHGEdwuHyzfeIBZKZu5BzDqAgVXnJm2G2dtL_l0AbP5ToaVdVPVPrIyhjlg0OS84CaoqDNB6EVTA9gm-1sUGjid8DjZ25VEQBQyozHbibFo88p4mAUj48Puxjvrbp79RGK/s4032/PXL_20231128_015142740.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5Bjm8XMBJbevKj0-s1bNwvT-kBPmxKAlq-veyJ6ArjHKRFcBb6NpYpn82gEHGEdwuHyzfeIBZKZu5BzDqAgVXnJm2G2dtL_l0AbP5ToaVdVPVPrIyhjlg0OS84CaoqDNB6EVTA9gm-1sUGjid8DjZ25VEQBQyozHbibFo88p4mAUj48Puxjvrbp79RGK/s320/PXL_20231128_015142740.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9IfdCQQA2Hf48QCj-myK_2Ij87smIULHVVtFVfIbBmEPIWBt2Q321QqyYb-jnzV8SwmBhMyU1xk1iEHItOtnbc3mK1SHzD8_wA0IP-00XRNbS2rj_lg1Aqt-n-MvDG0tTpqt2FkuIeNhX4hIEuR_bVgePtPTGRpypmEzzEG5zZ_zVOgN_NxJW5BxgMJI/s4032/PXL_20231128_015106442.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9IfdCQQA2Hf48QCj-myK_2Ij87smIULHVVtFVfIbBmEPIWBt2Q321QqyYb-jnzV8SwmBhMyU1xk1iEHItOtnbc3mK1SHzD8_wA0IP-00XRNbS2rj_lg1Aqt-n-MvDG0tTpqt2FkuIeNhX4hIEuR_bVgePtPTGRpypmEzzEG5zZ_zVOgN_NxJW5BxgMJI/s320/PXL_20231128_015106442.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dcwe9Qw-X6xBUixpLNw_5eKlnhcrE2cEHXEYE5WVSUHkSRXXhdPPX0d28jH0HkosIbIUTZWu6jAqbvMJnt7oMjOog8YvIEBwQKNGXqOEtJp0BowI2WJjMse6WW9oWUQSjYM3wgOHjhgKA9yCkCqWp01_5LYUgIg_Xc-SWdQzOW6z-d1JI30PwyXESqtp/s4032/PXL_20231128_015044631.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dcwe9Qw-X6xBUixpLNw_5eKlnhcrE2cEHXEYE5WVSUHkSRXXhdPPX0d28jH0HkosIbIUTZWu6jAqbvMJnt7oMjOog8YvIEBwQKNGXqOEtJp0BowI2WJjMse6WW9oWUQSjYM3wgOHjhgKA9yCkCqWp01_5LYUgIg_Xc-SWdQzOW6z-d1JI30PwyXESqtp/s320/PXL_20231128_015044631.jpg"/></a></div>
</div><p><a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2019/06/eaters-of-dead.html">The Eaters of the Dead</a>, a band of ghouls and ghasts, are among the more formidable factions within the Great Dungeon of the North. Their leaders are intelligent, highly civilized ghouls from the Distant West and patterned on the true ghouls of Wolfgang Baur’s classic 2e adventure Kingdom of the Ghouls, which was in turn influenced by the works of Clark Ashton Smith and H.P. Lovecraft.</p>
<p>A tribute to Baur’s take on ghouls was incorporated into the Golarion setting of the Pathfinder game. The Darklands, the Underdark of Golarion, contains a dread Ghoul Court which recalls Baur’s White Kingdom. Wizkids produced a couple of pre-painted ghoul miniatures as part of the Pathfinder Battles Rusty Dragon Inn set: A ghoul cultist and a ghoul champion. These sculpts were reissued in a single blister pack of unpainted Ghouls as part of the Pathfinder Deep Cuts Wave 7 release. I snapped these up thinking they would work pretty well for leaders of the Eaters of the Dead.</p>
<p>I tackled these figures by starting with a zenithal undercoat, then used Reaper Ghoul Flesh and Imperial Purple for the base coats. My Army Painter Regiment and Insane Detail brushes got some pretty good workouts as I finished these miniatures off.</p>
<p>Conceptually, <a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OurGhoulsAreCreepier">civilized ghouls</a> overlap somewhat with vampires. To distinguish the two, I think of vampires as cursed, wretched creatures clinging to the remnants of their lost humanity, hating their damned condition and fearing to die the true death. Even cultists of Orcus are terrified of death, perhaps because they know all-too-well what torments await them in the Abyss.</p>
<p>Ghouls, in contrast, are eerie post-humanist creatures who actually embrace their undead state: they consider themselves to be transcendent, blessed to have surpassed their mortal flesh. They view humanity with alien detachment and callousness. Ghouls neither fear nor fetishize death: as worshippers of the mysterious Charnel God, true death represents just one more transformation for them into blissful oblivion.</p>
<p>These two miniatures are useful for representing leaders of the Eaters of the Dead faction. <strong>Charnel Captains</strong> are military commanders of ghoul forces. <strong>Charnel Priests</strong> are clerics of Mordiggian, philosopher-advisors to ghoul communities. Both captains and priests are usually accompanied by lesser ghouls or ghasts. The <a href="https://www.reapermini.com/search/bones/latest/77630">sacrificial altar</a> they are posed with was from the “Mythos Expansion” of the <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/reaperddrpg/reaper-miniatures-bones-3-the-search-for-mr-bones">Reaper Bones 3</a> Kickerstarter. This model is another <a href="https://hellhoundsdungeon.com/">Kevin Williams</a> sculpture.</p>
<p>In the Great Dungeon, areas controlled by the ghouls are filled with the faint scent of musty cinnamon and the muffled ringing of chimes. This curious detail is a shout-out to the <a href="https://tekumel.fandom.com/wiki/Ss%C3%BA">Ssú</a> of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_the_Petal_Throne">Empire of the Petal Throne</a> setting. “The Enemies of Man” are creatures so feared within Tékumel that new PCs quickly learn to flee at first whiff of cinnamon or the sound of bells.</p>
<p>The following text is Open Game Content.</p>
<div class="monster_entry">
<h2>3.5e</h2>
<p>These stat blocks use an abbreviated format that omits extraneous or redundant elements. Listen and Spot skills, for example, are detailed on the Senses line and not repeated on the Skills line; Feats that are “always on” like Improved Initiative or Toughness are incorporated into the stat block and not listed on the Feat line.</p>
<!-- Charnel Captain -->
<p>The <strong>Charnel Captain</strong> was created by applying the elite ability score array to a standard ghoul and adding 4 levels of fighter.</p>
<h3 class="monster_name">Charnel Captain <span class="cr">CR 5</span></h3>
<div class="statblock">
<p>CE Medium undead</p>
<p><strong>Init</strong> +4; <strong>Senses </strong>darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +3, Spot +8</p>
<p><strong>Language </strong>Common</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Defense</div>
<p><strong>AC </strong>21, touch 14, flat-footed 16</p>
<p><strong>hp </strong>40 (6 HD)</p>
<p><strong>Fort</strong> +5, <strong>Ref</strong> +6, <strong>Will</strong> +8</p>
<p><strong>Immune</strong> undead traits; <strong>Resist</strong> turn resistance +2</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Offense</div>
<p><strong>Spd </strong>30 ft.; Balance +8, Climb +8, Jump +8</p>
<p><strong>Melee</strong> bite +9 (1d6+4 plus paralysis), 2 claws +8 (1d3+4 plus paralysis)</p>
<p><strong>Ranged </strong>mwk composite shortbow +9 (1d6+4/x3)</p>
<p><strong>Special Attacks</strong> ghoul fever (DC 13)</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Statistics</div>
<p><strong>Str </strong>18, <strong>Dex </strong>18, <strong>Con</strong> –, <strong>Int </strong>12, <strong>Wis </strong>16, <strong>Cha</strong> 15</p>
<p><strong>Base Atk</strong> +5; <strong>Grp</strong> +9</p>
<p><strong>Feats </strong>Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack</p>
<p><strong>Skills</strong> Hide +8, Intimidate +9, Move Silently +8</p>
<p><strong>Combat Gear</strong> <em>oil of greater magic fang</em> (+3), <em>potion of displacement</em>; <strong>Other Gear</strong> <em>+1 chain shirt</em>, <em>cloak of resistance +1</em>, masterwork composite shortbow (18 Str) with 40 arrows</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Special Abilities</div>
<p><strong>Ghoul Fever (Su)</strong> Disease—bite, Fortitude DC 13, incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex.</p>
<p><strong>Paralysis (Ex)</strong> DC 13 Fortitude, paralysis 1d4+1 rounds. Elves have immunity to this paralysis.</p>
</div>
<!-- Charnel Priest -->
<p>The <strong>Charnel Priest</strong> was created by applying the elite ability score array to a standard ghoul and adding 5 levels of cleric. Clerics of the Charnel God (favored weapon: dagger) have access to the Death, Evil, and Knowledge domains.</p>
<h3 class="monster_name">Charnel Priest <span class="cr">CR 5</span></h3>
<div class="statblock">
<p>CE Medium undead</p>
<p><strong>Init</strong> +2; <strong>Senses </strong>darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +5, Spot +10</p>
<p><strong>Language </strong>Common</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Defense</div>
<p><strong>AC </strong>20, touch 12, flat-footed 18</p>
<p><strong>hp </strong>41 (7 HD)</p>
<p><strong>Fort</strong> +4, <strong>Ref</strong> +3, <strong>Will</strong> +12</p>
<p><strong>Immune</strong> undead traits; <strong>Resist</strong> turn resistance +2</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Offense</div>
<p><strong>Spd </strong>20 ft.; Balance +4, Climb +4, Jump -2</p>
<p><strong>Melee</strong> bite +6 (1d6+2 plus paralysis), 2 claws +4 (1d3+1 plus paralysis)</p>
<p><strong>Special Attacks</strong> death touch 1/day (+6 melee touch), ghoul fever (DC 14), rebuke undead 6/day (+3, 2d6+8, 5th)</p>
<p><strong>Spells Prepared</strong> (CL 5th, 6th for evil spells)</p>
<div class="spellblock">
<p>3rd—<em>animate dead</em><sup>D</sup>, <em>bestow curse</em> (+6 melee touch, DC 18), <em>deeper darkness</em></p>
<p>2nd—<em>death knell</em><sup>D</sup> (DC 17), <em>hold person</em> (DC 17), <em>shatter</em> (DC 17), <em>silence</em></p>
<p>1st—<em>bane</em> (DC 16), <em>cause fear</em><sup>D</sup> (DC 16), <em>death watch</em>, <em>divine favor</em>, <em>doom</em> (DC 16), <em>shield of faith</em></p>
<p>0—<em>detect magic</em>, <em>guidance</em>, <em>read magic</em>, <em>resistance</em>, <em>virtue</em></p>
<p><sup>D </sup>Domain spell; <strong>Domains</strong> death, evil</p>
</div>
<div class="statblock_divider">Statistics</div>
<p><strong>Str</strong> 15, <strong>Dex</strong> 14, <strong>Con</strong> –, <strong>Int</strong> 14, <strong>Wis</strong> 20, <strong>Cha</strong> 16</p>
<p><strong>Base Atk</strong> +4; <strong>Grp</strong> +6</p>
<p><strong>Skills</strong> Concentration +10 (+14 casting defensively), Hide +6, Knowledge (arcana) +7, Knowledge (religion) +7, Move Silently +6, Spellcraft +9</p>
<p><strong>SQ </strong>spontaneous casting (<em>inflict</em> spells)</p>
<p><strong>Combat Gear</strong> <em>oil of darkness</em>, <em>scroll of divine power</em>, <em>scroll of mass inflict moderate wounds</em>; <strong>Other Gear</strong> <em>+1 breastplate</em>, holy symbol (dagger), funeral-purple robes, silver skull-like mask</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Special Abilities</div>
<p><strong>Death Touch (Su)</strong> Once per day the ghoul priest may use a death touch against a living creature (+6 melee touch). If successful, roll 5d6; if this is greater than the creature’s current hit points, it dies (no save).</p>
<p><strong>Ghoul Fever (Su)</strong> Disease—bite, Fortitude DC 14, incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex.</p>
<p><strong>Paralysis (Ex)</strong> DC 14 Fortitude, paralysis 1d4+1 rounds. Elves have immunity to this paralysis.</p>
</div>
<h2>5e</h2>
<!-- Charnel Captain -->
<table class="vemonster" style="clear:both;">
<caption>Ghoul Captain</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th colspan="6">Medium undead, chaotic evil</th></tr></thead>
<tbody class="intro">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Armor Class</strong> 15 (studded leather)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Hit Points</strong> 78 (12d8 + 24)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Speed</strong> 30 ft.</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilityscores">
<tr><th>Str</th><th>Dex</th><th>Con</th><th>Int</th><th>Wis</th><th>Cha</th></tr>
<tr><td>16 (+3)</td><td>16 (+3)</td><td>15 (+2)</td><td>12 (+1)</td><td>13 (+1)</td><td>11 (+0)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="stats">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft.; passive Perception 13</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Languages</strong> Common</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Challenge</strong> 4 (1,100 XP)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilities">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Damage Resistances</strong> necrotic</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Damage Immunities</strong> poison</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Condition Immunities</strong> charmed, exhaustion, poisoned</td></tr>
<tr><th colspan="6">Actions</th></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Multiattack.</em></strong> The charnel captain makes either three melee attacks—one with its bite and two with its claws—or three ranged attacks with its longbow.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Bite.</em></strong> <em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. <em>Hit:</em> 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Claws.</em></strong> <em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. <em>Hit:</em> 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage. If the target is a creature other than an elf or undead, it must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Longbow.</em></strong> <em>Ranged Weapon Attack:</em> +5 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<!-- Charnel Priest -->
<table class="vemonster" style="clear:both;">
<caption>Charnel Priest</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th colspan="6">Medium undead, chaotic evil</th></tr></thead>
<tbody class="intro">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Armor Class</strong> 16 (breastplate)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Hit Points</strong> 75 (10d8 + 30)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Speed</strong> 30 ft.</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilityscores">
<tr><th>Str</th><th>Dex</th><th>Con</th><th>Int</th><th>Wis</th><th>Cha</th></tr>
<tr><td>15 (+2)</td><td>14 (+2)</td><td>16 (+3)</td><td>14 (+2)</td><td>16 (+3)</td><td>12 (+1)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="stats">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Damage Immunities.</em></strong> necrotic, poison.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Condition Immunities.</em></strong> charmed, exhaustion, poisoned.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Languages</strong> Common</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Challenge</strong> 4 (1,100 XP)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilities">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Spellcasting:</strong> The ghoul priest is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). The priest has the following cleric spells prepared:</td></tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="6">
<p>Cantrips (at will)—<em>guidance</em>, <em>sacred flam</em>e, <em>thaumaturgy</em><br />
1st level (4 slots)—<em>bane</em>, <em>inflict wounds</em>, <em>shield of faith</em><br />
2nd level (3 slots)—<em>hold person</em>, <em>silence</em><br />
3rd level (2 slots)—<em>animate dead</em>, <em>bestow curse</em></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr><th colspan="6">Actions</th></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Multiattack.</em></strong> The charnel priest makes three melee attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Bite.</em></strong> <em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Claws.</em></strong> <em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage. If the target is a creature other than an elf or undead, it must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Channel Negative Energy</strong> The charnel priest magically unleashes negative energy. Living creatures within 60 feet of the charnel priest, including ones behind barriers and around corners, can’t regain hit points until the end of the charnel priest’s next turn.</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
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</ol></div>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-34281905820908759782023-11-22T05:00:00.110-05:002024-03-22T21:18:16.567-04:00Undead Gnolls<blockquote>There is a great resemblance between gnolls and hyenas. Gnolls have greenish gray skins, darker near the muzzle, with reddish gray to dull yellow mane. Eyes are dull black and nails are amber colored. Their armor is of horn, metal plates, and leather; like their fur capes and vests, it is shabby, and the latter are moth-eaten and dingy, being brown, black or grayish pelts.—1e <em>Monster Manual</em> (1977).</blockquote>
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<p><strong>Gnolls</strong> are arguably the most distinctive of the evil humanoids from early Dungeons and Dragons. While kobolds, goblins, hobgoblins, orcs, and bugbears all seem to spring from common Northern European/Tolkien roots, hyena-headed, demon-worshiping gnolls seem to originate from someplace altogether different. </p>
<p>While many of the classic humanoid monsters are first described in <em>Chainmail</em> (1972), gnolls debut in Dungeons and Dragons <em>Book II: Monsters and Treasures</em> (1974): </p>
<blockquote>A cross between Gnomes and Trolls (… perhaps, Lord Sunsany <em>[sic]</em> did not really make it all that clear) with +2 morale. Otherwise they are similar to Hobgoblins, although the Gnoll king and his bodyguard of from 1–4 will fight as Trolls but lack regenerative power.</blockquote>
<p>Note that none of the distinctive features of the gnolls as described in the 1e <em>Monster Manual</em> can be found here. A Greg Bell illustration of a “Gnoll,” on page 10 just looks like a generic, pointed-eared humanoid.</p>
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Dunsany">Lord <em>Dunsany</em></a>, the Anglo-Irish writer, is listed as “Inspirational and Educational Material” in Appendix N of the 1e <em>Dungeon Master’s Guide</em> (1979). “Gnoles” are mentioned in his enigmatic short story “How Nuth Would Have Practiced his Art upon the Gnoles” from <em>The Book of Wonder</em> (1912): </p>
<blockquote>No track led up to the sinister gloom of the trees, either of men or cattle; not even a poacher had been there snaring elves for over a hundred years. You did not trespass in the dells of the gnoles.</blockquote>
<p>Though [spoiler alert] gnoles are never actually seen in Dunsany’s story, they appear to be some manner of forest-dwelling bogeymen. Although I’ve never been sure how influential Dunsany really was on him, Gygax seemed to have had a special fondness for gnolls. They appear in the “Example of the Referee Moderating a Dungeon Expedition” from OD&D Book III, <em>The Underworld and Wilderness Adventures</em>. The party encounters a room with “a half-dozen gnolls,” but although Gygax describes the physical dimensions of the room and its contents in great detail, he doesn’t actually describe what a gnoll looks like. </p>
<p>Gygax also developed a new gnoll card to the <em>Dungeon!</em> Boardgame. He mentions gnolls in his short story “The Search for the Gnome Cache,” from <em>The Dragon </em>3 (October 1976). Writing under the pseudonym “Garrison Ernst,” Gygax portrays them much like the bogeymen of Dunsany:</p>
<blockquote>Yer ain’t heard ‘bout that terribul country? Why, airs most slimey great beastswhatlives in the waters o’Nyrn, an’ the hills above the lake are cursed too! Ain’t no folks lives there—only bad things like gnolls.</blockquote>
<h2>Enter Yeenoghu</h2>
<p>So where did the familiar hyena-headed gnolls of the 1e <em>Monster Manual</em> come from? I can’t find a direct source, but here’s a promising but extremely obscure lead: <em>Strategic Preview Sub-titled TSR Jobbies</em> #5 (Summer 1976), a TSR in-house newsletter produced in vanishingly small numbers. As detailed by <a href="https://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1334055#p1334055">Frank Mentzer over at Dragonsfoot</a>, this newsletter featured the very first appearance of Yeenoghu, and most of the information closely mirrors the description from the 1e <em>Monster Manual</em>:</p>
<blockquote>Yeenoghu resembles a human in general form, except that his head is a hyena’s, his chest canine in form, his hands paw-like, and his feet are pawed.</blockquote>
<p>The <em>Strategic Preview</em> entry differs mainly on one point, but it’s a doozy: Yeenoghu is described as “The Demon Lord of Orcs.”</p>
<p>So at some point between <em>Strategic Preview</em> 5 and the publication of the <em>Monster Manual</em> one year later, someone decided to connect Yeenoghu with gnolls, and to have gnolls resemble their hyena-headed demonic patron.</p>
<p>So who did it? Gygax is the presumptive answer, but as Mentzer pointed out in a followup post, “Throughout the 4 Strategic Previews, there is no mention of authors, artists, or copyrights. [Determining an author for] the writing is trickier, and this entry is not written in HighGax.”</p>
<p>I have sometimes wondered if Yeenoghu might actually be the creation of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_J._Kuntz">Rob Kuntz</a>. I don’t have anything to support that idea beyond “feel.” The name Yeenoghu, the exoticism of his appearance, the connection to ghouls all feel inspired by the pulp writer Clark Ashton Smith. And while Gygax supposedly hadn’t read him, Kuntz is a well known fan of CAS.</p>
<p>Earlier this year James Maliszewski posted <a href="https://grognardia.blogspot.com/2023/04/pulp-fantasy-library-tomb-spawn.html">a nice Grognardia entry</a> on Clark Ashton Smith’s short story <a href="http://www.eldritchdark.com/writings/short-stories/220/the-tomb-spawn">"The Tomb-Spawn,"</a> which describes monsters that might be a direct inspiration for the hyena-headed gnoll: the Ghorii.</p>
<p>The story is part of CAS’s <a href="https://grognardia.blogspot.com/search/label/zothique">Zothique</a> cycle of weird fiction. While it’s not entirely clear whether the Ghorii are a tribe of bestial humans or inhuman monsters, they certainly sound gnollish in nature:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Into this waste, which was seemingly unpeopled and void of life, the caravan went warily. Urging their camels to a swift trot in the narrow, deep-walled ravines, the merchants made ready their spears and claymores and scanned the barren ridges with anxious eyes. For here, in hidden caves, there lurked a wild and half-bestial people, known as the Ghorii. Akin to the ghouls and jackals, they were eaters of carrion; and also they were anthropophagi, subsisting by preference on the bodies of travelers, and drinking their blood in lieu of water or wine. They were dreaded by all who had occasion to journey between Yoros and Tasuun.</p>
<p>* * * * *</p>
<p>[The] gully swarmed and seethed with the hideous earth-brown bodies of the Ghorii, who appeared instantaneously on all sides, leaping wolfishly from the rocky slopes or flinging themselves like panthers from the high ledges.</p>
<p>These ghoulish apparitions were unspeakably ferocious and agile. Uttering no sound, other than a sort of hoarse coughing and spitting, and armed only with their double rows of pointed teeth and their sickle-like talons, they poured over the caravan in a climbing wave.</p>
</blockquote>
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<p>Whether created by Gygax or Kuntz, the 1e Monster Manual firmly established the look of gnolls, their connection to ghouls and their demonic patron, Yeenoghu.</p>
<blockquote>Amongst the ranks of demon princes, Yeenoghu is one of the most powerful and most feared. There will normally be 66 gnolls of the strongest sort … in attendance upon Yeenoghu, and if he is alone he can summon from 6–66 in one turn. As this demon prince also receives homage from the King of Ghouls, he can similarly summon from 6–16 ghouls if he so desires.</blockquote>
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<p>Fourth Edition introduced the <strong>witherling</strong> in the <em>Monster Manual 2</em> (2009), a form of undead gnoll. The concept makes a lot of sense, but I find the design and artwork a bit underwhelming. Fifth edition brought the witherlings back in <em>Volo’s Guide to Monsters</em> (2016), and the artwork really sold this monster to me. When WizKids introduced <a href="https://shop.wizkids.com/products/d-d-nolzurs-gnoll-witherlings">witherling miniatures</a> as part of Wave 15 of their Nolzur’s Marvelous Miniatures line, I knew I had to get these.</p>
<p>These were really fun miniatures to paint. I sprayed a zentihal undercoat of black which helped establish shading; in retrospect I should have done a second coat of white on top of this. </p>
<p>I then used several washes of different Army Painter Quickshade tones, which helped create a pallid, desiccated look that reasonably matched the artwork in <em>Volo’s</em>. Using washes also helped preserve the fine details of the skeletal areas, which sometimes get lost with chalky white paints.</p>
<p>I was fairly happy with how these miniatures came out and look forward to using these in an upcoming game.</p>
<h2>Undead Gnolls in the Great Dungeon</h2>
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<p>The gnolls of the Great Dungeon venerate the foul <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2018/11/demonic-patrons.html">demon lord Yughooragh</a>, who also “commands the service of hyenas, ghouls, ghasts, and trolls.” As a sign of his power, he grants many gnoll shaman the ability to create and command undead gnolls, which assume a variety of horrid forms. Slain shamans or chieftains especially favored by Yughooragh are sometimes called back from the Abyss as ghoul-kissed gnolls.</p>
<p>For 5e games, I would simply use Witherlings as described in <em>Volo’s</em>. But in a 3e game I would make use of the many undead templates available. Green Ronin’s <em>Advanced Bestiary</em> provides a handy Dread Ghoul template which suits our purposes quite well. The following text is Open Game Content.</p>
<div class="monster_entry">
<h2 class="monster_header">Undead Gnolls</h2>
<h3 class="monster_name">Ghoul-Kissed Gnoll <span class="cr">CR 2</span></h3>
<div class="statblock">
<p>CE Medium undead (augmented humanoid, gnoll)</p>
<p><strong>Init</strong> +2; <strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft., scent; Listen +4, Spot +5</p>
<p><strong>Languages</strong> Gnoll</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Defense</div>
<p><strong>AC</strong> 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13</p>
<p><strong>hp</strong> 13 (2 HD)</p>
<p><strong>Fort</strong> +3, <strong>Ref</strong> +1, <strong>Will</strong> +2</p>
<p><strong>Special Defenses</strong> turn resistance +2</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Offense</div>
<p><strong>Spd</strong> 30 ft., climb 30 ft.</p>
<p><strong>Melee</strong> bite +4 (1d6+3 plus paralysis), 2 claws +2 (1d3+1 plus paralysis)</p>
<p><strong>Special Attacks</strong> command ghouls, create spawn</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Statistics</div>
<p><strong>Str</strong> 17, <strong>Dex</strong> 14, <strong>Con</strong> –, <strong>Int</strong> 10, <strong>Wis</strong> 15, <strong>Cha</strong> 10</p>
<p><strong>Base Atk</strong> +1; <strong>Grp</strong> +5</p>
<p><strong>Feats</strong> Multiattack, Track <sup>B</sup></p>
<p><strong>Skills</strong> Climb +11, Survival +10</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Special Abilities</div>
<p><strong>Command Ghouls (Su)</strong> A ghoul-kissed gnoll can automatically command all normal ghouls within 30 feet as a free action. Normal ghouls never attack a ghoul-kissed gnoll unless compelled.</p>
<p><strong>Create Spawn (Su)</strong> In most cases, ghoul-kissed gnolls feast on the bodies of the fallen. However, any creature killed by a ghoul-kissed gnoll that lies undisturbed until the next midnight rises as a dread ghoul at that time. The new dread ghoul is not under the control of its creator. A <em>protection from evil</em> or <em>gentle repos</em>e spell cast on the corpse prevents this.</p>
<p><strong>Paralysis (Ex)</strong> A creature damaged by a ghoul-kissed gnoll’s natural attack must succeed on a DC 11 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds.</p>
<p><strong>Scent (Ex)</strong> A ghoul-kissed gnoll can detect approaching enemies and sniff out hidden foes by sense of smell alone.</p>
<p><strong>Skills</strong> A ghoul-kissed gnoll can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.</p>
<p><strong>Undead Traits</strong> Immune to mind-affecting effects, poison, <em>sleep</em>, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects or is harmless. Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage to its physical ability scores, ability drain, energy drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or death from massive damage.</p>
</div>
<h3 class="monster_name">Skeletal Gnoll <span class="cr">CR 1</span></h3>
<div class="statblock">
<p>CE Medium undead</p>
<p><strong>Init</strong> +5; <strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +0, Spot +0</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Defense</div>
<p><strong>AC</strong> 18, touch 11, flat-footed 17</p>
<p><strong>hp</strong> 13 (2 HD)</p>
<p><strong>Fort</strong> +0, <strong>Ref</strong> +1, <strong>Will</strong> +3</p>
<p><strong>Immune </strong>cold; <strong>DR</strong> 5/bludgeoning</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Offense</div>
<p><strong>Spd</strong> 30 ft.</p>
<p><strong>Melee </strong>morningstar +3 (1d8+2)</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Statistics</div>
<p><strong>Str</strong> 15, <strong>Dex</strong> 12, <strong>Con</strong> –, <strong>Int</strong> –, <strong>Wis</strong> 10, <strong>Cha</strong> 1</p>
<p><strong>Base Atk</strong> +1; <strong>Grp</strong> +3</p>
<p><strong>Gear</strong> leather armor, heavy wooden shield, morningstar</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Special Abilities</div>
<p><strong>Undead Traits</strong> Immune to mind-affecting effects, poison, <em>sleep</em>, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects or is harmless. Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage to its physical ability scores, ability drain, energy drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or death from massive damage.</p>
</div>
<h3 class="monster_name">Zombified Gnoll <span class="cr">CR 1</span></h3>
<div class="statblock">
<p>CE Medium undead</p>
<p><strong>Init</strong> -1; <strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +0, Spot +0</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Defense</div>
<p><strong>AC</strong> 16, touch 9, flat-footed 16</p>
<p><strong>hp</strong> 29 (4 HD); <strong>DR</strong> 5/slashing</p>
<p><strong>Fort</strong> +1, <strong>Ref</strong> +0, <strong>Will</strong> +4</p>
<p><strong>Defensive Abilities</strong> undead traits</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Offense</div>
<p><strong>Spd</strong> 30 ft.</p>
<p><strong>Melee </strong>morningstar +5 (1d8+3)</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Statistics</div>
<p><strong>Str</strong> 17, <strong>Dex</strong> 8, <strong>Con</strong> –, <strong>Int</strong> –, <strong>Wis</strong> 10, <strong>Cha</strong> 1</p>
<p><strong>Base Atk</strong> +2; <strong>Grp</strong> +5</p>
<p><strong>Gear</strong> leather armor, heavy wooden shield, morningstar</p>
<p><strong>SQ</strong> single actions only</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Special Abilities</div>
<p><strong>Single Actions Only (Ex)</strong> Zombified gnolls have poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. A zombified gnoll can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge.</p>
<p><strong>Undead Traits</strong> Immune to mind-affecting effects, poison, <em>sleep</em>, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects or is harmless. Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage to its physical ability scores, ability drain, energy drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or death from massive damage.</p>
</div>
</div>
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<ul><li>Open Game License v 1.0a, Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.</li>
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</ol></div>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-32897010150951427902023-11-15T05:00:00.004-05:002023-11-15T05:27:20.151-05:00Father Dagon<blockquote>“With only a slight churning to mark its rise to the surface, the thing slid into view above the dark waters. Vast, Polyphemus-like, and loathsome, it darted like a stupendous monster of nightmares to the monolith, about which it flung its gigantic scaly arms, the while it bowed its hideous head and gave vent to certain measured sounds. I think I went mad then.” —H.P. Lovecraft, “Dagon.”</blockquote>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.reapermini.com/miniatures/dagon/latest/77590">Dagon</a> model was one of the last rewards unlocked as part of the <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/reaperddrpg/reaper-miniatures-bones-3-the-search-for-mr-bones">Reaper Bones 3: The Search for Mr. Bones</a> Kickstarter, and one of several very large figures produced as part of that campaign. Like the <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-black-goat-of-woods-with-thousand.html">Shub-Nigurrath</a>, it’s another <a href="https://hellhoundsdungeon.com/">Kevin Williams</a> sculpt of a Cthulhu monstrosity.</p>
<p>Dagon has a special place in the Great Dungeon of the North, even though Delvemount is many leagues from the Lythian Sea. Rumors claim that one or more gates in the deeper levels lead to an Abyssal layer of dark ocean, filled with sea monsters. I’ve previously written about <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2018/12/flopping-hopping-croaking-bleating.html">the Dagonites, his horrid servitors</a>. One of my sample <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2019/01/expression-of-utter-malignity-inhabited.html">Inhabited Idols</a> is a Gargantuan statue of Dagon. And I’ve provided some details of Dagon as a <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2018/11/demonic-patrons.html">Demonic Patron</a>.</p>
<p>Like one of the ancient Deep Ones, this Dagon model lay for many a long year in the dark of my basement, dreaming and awaiting its time. I took a good run at this in the early summer, right before I tackled the Shub-Niggurath model. </p>
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<p>I started by assembling the entire model, though I did not attach Dagon to the terrain. There were some significant gaps with the limbs that I filled using Green Stuff. I then primed Dagon with the Army Painter’s Uniform Gray out of a rattlecan, but this model would have definitely benefited from a <a href="https://www.thearmypainter.com/advanced-techniques/spray/zenithal-priming/">zenithal undercoat</a>.</p>
<p>I put down a base coat of Reaper MSP Sapphire Blue, then gave it a wash of Army Painter Dark Quickwash. I drybrushed the figure with more Sapphire Blue, then added highlights with Reaper MSP Clear Green, and then another layer of highlights with MSP Clear Yellow. One of the things I liked about using the yellow on the model is it brightened everything up and looked a bit like filtered sunlight playing on underwater surfaces.</p>
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<p>I then set the model aside for a few months as I was unsure how to tackle the terrain, which consists of two stone idols in a sandy substrate. I wasn’t quite sure how to paint up a sand texture—many modelers use actual sand or textured material when working on sand terrain, and I didn’t want to go there. I also had partially embraced <a href="https://www.goonhammer.com/how-to-paint-everything-object-source-lighting-osl/">object source lighting</a> (OSL) with Dagon, and really wasn’t sure how to extend this technique to the terrain section.</p>
<p>After a few months experimenting with other techniques I returned to Dagon’s terrain. I started by putting down a base coat of white, then colored the sand sections with Army Painter Light Tone, and the stone statues with Army Painter Dark Tone. The Quickshades gave both the sand and stone a diffused, mottled appearance which to my mind worked well with the underwater theme. I then highlighted both surfaces with more Clear Yellow, which helped tie the terrain with Dagon. Although it’s not really an OSL technique, I really liked the contrast of the golden sand with the dark blues and green of Dagon.</p>
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<p>I then glued Dagon to the terrain. I made a glaze out of 2 parts Pure White to 3 parts Matte Medium and 3 parts water, and used this filter to lighten up Dagon’s teeth, claws, and tentacles. I also lightened up the many spots along the demon’s three tails. </p>
<p>To create a glowing eye effect I painted the large eyes white, then put down a line of Clear Green around the outermost rim of the eyes. I then made a ring of Clear Yellow just inside the green. I then made a glaze out of pale, pale yellow and began running this around the outside of the eyes, gradually adding more yellow to the eye and the surrounding flesh. A few layers of the glaze helped blur the three colors together and created the appearance of a glow.</p>
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<p>To finish I sealed the model with Testor’s Dullcote. I didn’t really have a gaming base big enough to suit this model, so decided to leave Dagon as is.</p>
<p>Williams did a great job sculpting this model: Dagon neatly combines the features of a frog, eel, octopus, and anglerfish into a sleek, sinuous form that looks like it could be swimming through water. I felt very vexed at several points while painting this model, and more than once figured I had wrecked the job beyond recovery. So it was very satisfying to stick with it and end up with a miniature I am pretty happy with. <em>Ad astra per aspera</em>.</p>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-14387732515214103212023-11-08T05:00:00.026-05:002023-11-08T10:36:14.646-05:00The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young<blockquote>
<p>Ever Their praises, and abundance to the Black Goat of the Woods. Iä! Shub-Niggurath! Iä! Shub-Niggurath! The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young!</p>
<p style="text-align:right;">—H.P. Lovecraft, “The Whisperer in Darkness” (1930)</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.reapermini.com/miniatures/shub-niggurath/latest/77564">This enormous Shub-Niggurath miniature</a>, sculpted by <a href="https://hellhoundsdungeon.com/">Kevin Williams</a>, was an add-on to the <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/reaperddrpg/reaper-miniatures-bones-3-the-search-for-mr-bones">Reaper Miniatures Bones 3 Kickstarter</a> from back in 2015. Around the same time I also pledged the <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/arcdream/delta-green-the-role-playing-game">Delta Green: The Roleplaying Game</a> as well as the <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/petersengames/sandy-petersens-cthulhu-mythos-for-pathfinder/community">Sandy Peterson’s Cthulhu Mythos for Pathfinder</a> Kickstarters, which demonstrates how deeply the Mythos was occupying my mind eight or so years ago. Yet despite my best (or perhaps worst?) intentions I still have yet to run a real Cthulhu campaign for any system. I have previously written about the <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2017/08/the-dark-young-of-shub-niggurath-are.html">Dark Young of Shub-Niggurath</a>, and even painted up a couple different models of those lesser monsters, but it took me a long time to finally try to tackle their foul mother.</p>
<p>Rob Kuntz and Dr. J. Eric Holmes might have been the first to write up Shub-Niggurath for fantasy roleplaying games. “The Lovecraftian Mythos in Dungeons and Dragons” appeared in <em>The Dragon</em> 12 (February 1978). Their description of her is certainly vivid:</p>
<blockquote>[This] fountain of uncleanliness is a huge grey pool, 100 feet across, in the caverns beneath Mount Voormithadreth, constantly bubbling and putting forth mouths, limbs, pseudopods and whole creatures. 1-10 small monsters are created from the pool per melee round and go crawling, flopping and flying away up to the surface. Some fall back into the pool which then grows mouths and devours them. … Thus the god is the source of all the foul and unclean creatures of the earth. The growing little monsters usually ignore strangers, but they will attack on Shub-Niggurath’s command.</blockquote>
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<p>Similar language is included in the first printing of the AD&D <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deities_%26_Demigods"><em>Deities and Demigods</em></a> book, which also includes this sanity-destroying Erol Otus illustration of Shub-Niggurath. In the lonely wilderlands of my own Great Dungeon of the North campaign, certain foul madmen are said to venerate this abomination. Her dark young stalk the most desolate places of the farthest North, and one of the deepest levels of the Great Dungeon is said to consist of living caverns out of nightmare, a vile place corrupted with the fecundity of Shub-Niggurath.</p>
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<p>I struggled to formulate a plan of attack for the Shub-Niggurath model, which is large and complex with many different parts. I was torn between assembling everything first and then painting, or painting everything first and then assembling. In the end I compromised: I used poster tack to put the model together long enough to prime and lay down a base coat, then I disassembled the pieces to work on the small, hard-to-reach features. Even with lots of poster tack it was tricky to keep the various legs, tentacles, and whatnot hanging together: the process was a bit like working an abhorrent Jenga puzzle.</p>
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<p>I primed the model using Army Painter Uniform Gray out of a rattlecan, then used my airbrush to put down a base coat of Army Painter Barbarian Flesh. If I were to do this over again, I probably would have skipped the gray primer and used <a href="https://www.thearmypainter.com/advanced-techniques/spray/zenithal-priming/">zenithal priming</a> instead. Although the airbrush saved a lot of time, the Barbarian Flesh didn’t provide great coverage and looked very orange; in retrospect a more pallid tone like Reaper MSP Fair Skin might have worked much better as a base coat. A bolder and more interesting choice might have been to use Reaper Ghoul Skin, which would have both suitably grotesque as well as thematically appropriate.</p>
<p>In any case, I then disassembled the model and began working on the smaller details on the individual components. Between eyes, mouths, teeth, horns, tumors, lacerations, and suppurations, the model has loads of gross detail that I steadily picked off. </p>
<p>Once I had blocked out these smaller details, I reassembled everything with superglue. There were a few nasty gaps that I tried to fill using Vallejo Plastic Putty, which is a product I have admittedly never had much luck with. In retrospect I wish I had gone with Green Stuff, which requires more work but gives me better results, particularly with larger gaps.</p>
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<p>I then began shading the model using a variety of Army Painter Quickshade washes followed by several rounds of drybrush highlighting. I then started on cleanup and lining, which took a long time to complete. I spent a lot of time watching videos on painting eyes, since these are one of the most prominent features of the model. I was nearly done and feeling fairly satisfied with how all the eyes were turning out when I realized, to my horror, that goats have very, very weird eyes with horizontal slits for pupils—and I had painted all the eyes with round pupils. Although I tried to convince myself that round pupils were fine, just fine, in the end I broke down and went back to try and add horizontal slits. The result was a little disappointing—just five minutes with some reference art earlier in the project would have saved a lot of headaches.</p>
<p>I sealed the miniature with a couple of coats of Testor Dullcote, and then went back over the eyes and mouths with Vallejo gloss varnish. I would have preferred a somewhat glossier finish for Shub-Niggurath’s flesh, but I still haven’t found a varnish or blend of varnishes that isn’t too glossy. </p>
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<p>Finally, I mounted this miniature on a Reaper Miniatures 160 mm round base, suitable for a Colossal size monster. The figure’s native base was a little too big and I ended up trimming it back with an x-acto knife to fit. </p>
<p>This model was technically the most difficult and easily the most time-consuming I’ve yet worked on. Though there were many steps I would have done differently if I had to start over, but in general I am fairly happy with how this figure turned out. I don’t know when or if I will ever be able to drop this beast into a game, but it certainly makes for a conversation piece!</p>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-80155595151938308312023-10-31T18:02:00.002-04:002023-10-31T19:16:18.312-04:00Hail Hydra<div style="float:right;padding-left:1em;">
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<p>In “<a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2023/07/how-it-started.html">How it Started</a>” I reflected on the slow evolution of my miniature painting over the last ten years. After looking at my early work on the <a href="https://www.reapermini.com/miniatures/sandra%20garrity/latest/77191">Sandra Garrity hydra</a>, I decided to scrap the old paint job and restart from scratch.</p>
<p>This model was included as an add-on to <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/reaperddrpg/reaper-miniatures-bones-an-evolution-of-gaming-min">the very first Reaper Bones Kickstarter</a> from 2012. Like many of the early Bones, the hydra was based on <a href="https://www.reapermini.com/search/reptile/latest/14445">an earlier sculpt</a> that had been cast in metal. The original Bones material was a soft white plastic similar to PVC material: fairly inexpensive, soft, and extremely hydrophobic.</p>
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<p>I soaked the model for about a week in full strength Simple Green to break down the heavy layers of paint and lacquer, though I’m not convinced how much good this soaking did—removing most of the original paint required several rounds of vigorous scrubbing with a stiff bristled brush, alternated with dips in a sonic cleaner.</p>
<p>Although the model had shipped disassembled, I must have done too good a job with the glue because I could not separate the model into its constituent parts, which would have made both cleaning and repainting quite a bit easier. Rather than hunt down a solvent to dissolve superglue without melting Bones, I pushed on.</p>
<p>I opted not to prime this model, although I continue to doubt the conventional wisdom that rattlecan primer cannot be used with the original Bones material. I do find that an airbrush—as opposed to my brush work—can provide a sufficiently strong initial layer. So I used that tool to put down a <a href="https://www.thearmypainter.com/advanced-techniques/spray/zenithal-priming/">zenithal undercoat</a> with white and black, followed by a base coat of Reaper MSP Peacock Green. (I kept the same basic color scheme scheme in order to provide an apples-to-apples comparison with my earlier work.)</p>
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<p>Once again, I found that the airbrush made painting a larger model much easier. The first time out with a brush I was constantly vexed by uneven coats, missed spots, and painting flicking off where I was inadvertently touching pieces with my bare hands. This time I was careful to use gloves and simply needed to handle the model much less because the airbrush provided such thorough coverage.</p>
<p>To the base coat I added a wash of Army Painter Blue Tone and then dry brushed highlights on the scales. I used a brush to base coat the spinal plates, horns, teeth, and talons with Reaper Yellowed Bone, which were then washed with a variety of Army Painter tones. I base coated the hydra maws with Reaper Imperial Purple, then dry-brushed Deep Red followed by Fair Skin.</p>
<p>I did have one late stage mishap with this miniature. To seal the figure, I tried using Tamiya TS-13 Clear Spray Lacquer, which seems to be a popular product within the model building community. I wanted to give the hydra scales an iridescent finish, but the lacquer dried a bit too shiny, giving the model a plastic-y look. I corrected this with my old standby, Testor Dullcote, but feel like the multiple layers of varnish took some of the luster from the Peacock Green scales.</p>
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<p>I used a 75 mm round Reaper BaseBoss to base the model, suitable for a Huge figure. I had been unable to successfully base the model my first time out because the figure’s feet don’t have much contact with the surface, which I think is due to a slight warping in the casting. For round two I used a couple of small Irwin One-Handed Mini Bar Clamps to hold down the feet long enough for the Loctite Super Glue gel Control to completely set. The resulting bond seems to be nice and secure.</p>
<p>The redux paint job was a huge improvement over my first attempt: it’s nice to confirm that I have picked up <em>some</em> skills over the years. While I certainly wouldn’t be embarrassed to put this model on the tabletop, I also don’t think this was a fantastic paint job. I’m just not satisfied with either the eyes or the little teeth, which still look a little sloppy to me. I’m not quite sure what I would do differently a third time, but maybe I’ll watch a few more YouTube videos in case this old dog can learn some new tricks. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ars_longa,_vita_brevis"><em>Ars longa, vita brevis</em></a>.</p>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-39795455769689831272023-10-18T05:00:00.355-04:002024-02-25T19:44:36.057-05:00You've Got Xmail!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_QC_WvY1LxedeIwe4dJB-Q5Of1CRKLnjGGyrEBqaT0KXUU3sXtzlnlcQjQ_5p2ZyfcLcuqjXxE7ivEZdllNlGkcjyuG6lpvDiKVAtOOhsrN7MYcvDiH-LrpL10tp15XeYA1jae10ECe20A-O4h_Qa5G67zI5yJ1laCFLPz8L72NN9qDuD147hwpc2In4e/s623/Type%20S%20Scout_Courier.png"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="423" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_QC_WvY1LxedeIwe4dJB-Q5Of1CRKLnjGGyrEBqaT0KXUU3sXtzlnlcQjQ_5p2ZyfcLcuqjXxE7ivEZdllNlGkcjyuG6lpvDiKVAtOOhsrN7MYcvDiH-LrpL10tp15XeYA1jae10ECe20A-O4h_Qa5G67zI5yJ1laCFLPz8L72NN9qDuD147hwpc2In4e/s320/Type%20S%20Scout_Courier.png"/></a></div><p>Recently I was thinking about Traveller and the difficulties of sending messages across interstellar space without faster-than-light communication. The Traveller setting famously resembles the Age of Sail in that messages can only travel as fast as the starships that carry them. This creates an innate lag in the transmission speed of information, but also introduces significant uncertainty if the recipient is mobile. A communique meant for a specific starship might arrive in-system long after the intended recipient has jumped away.</p>
<p>Let’s say Captain Ir Uushli of the far trader <em>Cydonia</em> is sitting on the highport concourse far above her ship’s home port of <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2019/03/library-data-j-r.html">Kline</a> (Magyar 3012 A642987-E). The <em>Cydonia</em> is scheduled to depart for <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2019/04/kline-subsector-overview.html">Fornorb</a> (Magyar 2616 C997A85-A) in twelve hours with a shipment of electronics and the captain wants to send a message to her daughter Iriaa, who lives back on <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2019/03/library-data-g-i.html">Gadarur</a> (Magyar 2903 A7558B9-C), ten parsecs away.</p>
<p>How does Captain Uushli do it? How much does it cost? And how long will it take to arrive? What does Iriaa do if she wants to send a reply to her mother?</p>
<p>While sending such a message seems like a straightforward and common activity, the details are surprisingly scattered across several different Classic Traveller books, and some of this information never quite made it into every subsequent edition of the game.</p>
<p>As a merchant captain, Ir Uushli likely has many contacts in port who might be willing to carry her message to Iriaa. As <em>The Traveller Book</em> explains,</p>
<blockquote>Other ships may be approached to deliver private messages, at times through the ship’s owner or captain, and at times clandestinely through a crew member. Private mail is usually intended for delivery to a specific point (such as the Travellers’ Aid Society building, or a tavern keeper), and is generally accompanied by a Cr20 to Cr120 honorarium. … Serving as a carrier for private mail also serves as an introduction to the recipient as a dependable, trustworthy person (53).</blockquote>
<p>Similar language can be found in the MegaTraveller <em>Imperial Encyclopedia</em> at 90 or <em>GURPS Traveller: Far Trader</em> at 64. However, whether Captain Uushli could find a suitable ship is dicey. Although the <em>Traveller Book</em> suggests the referee “Throw 9+ for a private message to be awaiting transmittal, and determine randomly which crew member is approached to carry it,” a multitude of modifiers could apply: How busy are the origination and destination ports? Are they served by scheduled commercial traffic? How far away is the destination? And so on.</p>
<p>Kline is a high population world with a class A port, and Gadarur is a pre-high pop world also with a class A port, but ten parsecs away and off the main trade routes. Even if Captain Uushli found a ship headed for Gadarur, a little Type A tramp might take 21 weeks to get that far, and once there it’s up to the ship’s captain to ensure the message is delivered to Iriaa.</p>
<p>If the message was particularly urgent or sensitive, Captain Uushli could probably charter a courier. While this would likely represent the fastest and safest solution, reaching Gadarur in four weeks, it would also be ridiculously expensive—a <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2021/05/revenge-of-revised-armed-packet.html">Type U armed packet with Jump-3</a> would need to be <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-price-of-high-passage-passengers-in.html">chartered for eight weeks total for Cr540,000</a> using CT rates.</p>
<p>As Kline sits on a link in the Imperial Express Boat network, Captain Uushli’s best bet is likely to send an xboat message to her daughter Iriaa.</p>
<p>Many, many descriptions of the xboat network are scattered throughout different versions of Traveller and they are all largely consistent. The network helps the Imperium cope with the challenge of great distances between member worlds. The network is run by the Communications Office of the Imperial Interstellar Scout Service. This Office is “responsible for interstellar message and data transmission within the Imperium … [and] serves as a large-scale Imperial Post Office” (CT <em>Scouts</em> 6).</p>
<p>But how does an individual send or receive a message on this network? The best description of how the network actually runs is contained in <em>The Traveller Adventure</em>, which defines <em>Xmail</em> simply as “Messages sent by xboat. Xmail carries information only; material objects may not be sent. The message is digitally coded [and] … printed out at its destination and delivered by a world’s local mail system.”</p>
<p>Captain Uushli is in a starport, which Traveller<sup>5</sup> describes as normally having a message center. <em>Book 2 - Starships</em> explains that such a facility provides “Access to communications (physical mail, electronic mail, express mail, telegraph, telephone, and video)” (24).</p>
<p>Who runs the message center? This might be an Imperial facility, such as a local branch of the IISS Communications Office—especially if the starport is on an xboat route and/or a Scout base is present. The message center might also be run by the Starport Authority. The Travellers’ Aid Society probably runs many message centers, though these might be exclusive to TAS members. Most message centers outside a starport are likely run by either the postal office of the planetary government or if this service has been privatized, a corporation—but in any case any entity handling xmail messages must operate in accordance to IISS standards, and perhaps with an Imperial license or warrant.</p>
<p>Let’s say the message center at the Kline highport is operated by the Walpurgean Postal Service, the Imperial equivalent of a crown corporation with a subsector-wide charter. At the center Captain Uushli can fill out standard IS Form 6 for her xmail message, which as described in CT is pure text in the clear. <em>The Traveller Adventure</em> shows us a completed example of IS Form 6, and a blank form is contained in CT <em>Supplement 12: Forms and Charts</em>.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQWMGYlCOWdym8RXgHB674AStsFetdcpsP6Ze1EbIViexRCJQRUSL3jbNhhW8wAYNUDEU4YXkxxgq95LUpkHAcvJv9WW1Pgsz0rTU0kYJikHG8o45fYhp9qvtKy-MmjYQkodxWho8egdKcG-zf_YWLeZy36dRWd4AkF4KVrIj9pmellvxDzjlipYF6aSz/s552/Xboat%20Message.png"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQWMGYlCOWdym8RXgHB674AStsFetdcpsP6Ze1EbIViexRCJQRUSL3jbNhhW8wAYNUDEU4YXkxxgq95LUpkHAcvJv9WW1Pgsz0rTU0kYJikHG8o45fYhp9qvtKy-MmjYQkodxWho8egdKcG-zf_YWLeZy36dRWd4AkF4KVrIj9pmellvxDzjlipYF6aSz/s320/Xboat%20Message.png"/></a></div>
<p>“Typically, the message may be as long as desired, so long as it can fit legibly in the space provided. The text is optically scanned and transmitted for reproduction at the destination” (37). It looks like the space allows for about 3,200 characters, or a little less than an expanded Tweet. In addition to the message itself, the form has fields for “Date of Preparation,” “Addressee,” and “Destination.” IS Form 7 is a similar document used for “an Xboat Image Facsimile.”</p>
<p>As seen, this document strongly resembles a telegram form. As far as I can tell, the CT pricing of an xmail is only detailed in <em>The Traveller Adventure</em>: “Cr10 per 20 kilobits per parsec. The message may be sent using a standard Anglic character set (about Cr10 for a 500 word message) or a picture may be reproduced in facsimile (Cr20 for a 200 x 200 bit matrix)” (145). These prices reflect Terran data costs circa 1983. <em>GURPS Traveller: First In</em> attempted to update these costs to 1999: “The standard rate for Xmail traffic is Cr10 per gigabyte of data per parsec. Assume a minimum of Cr1 for any given message, no matter how short” (132).</p>
<p>By the standards of 2023, even these revised data costs are absurd. I would be inclined to simply charge Cr10 per parsec for text, image, or audio of any reasonable length (using IS Form 6), or Cr20 for video or holo data of any reasonable length (using IS Form 7). <em>Reasonable</em> here is the operable word, to be defined by the Referee. I would also rule that the recipient only receives a physical printout of the communication if required by the local tech level; otherwise the message is received electronically.</p>
<p>So Captain Uushli sits down in a small booth in the message center of the Walpurgean Postal Service and records a 20-minute holo message to Iriaa that mixes family gossip, business news, and exhortations to mind her studies. She also appends a written checklist of tasks she wishes Iriaa to complete. </p>
<p>Captain Uushli then fills out an IS Form 7 and pays Cr200 (Cr20 x 10 parsecs). As the pilot/navigator of the <em>Cydonia</em>, <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2020/01/a-credit-to-service-crew-salaries.html">under CT rules she draws a monthly salary of Cr8250</a>, so this fee is quite reasonable. The cost of mail is almost certainly highly subsidized by the Imperium, which is not unusual for any postal service.</p>
<p>In any case, the center beams the captain’s message to the local IISS express station, where the message enters the custody of the Express Boat Service of the Communications Office. As CT <em>Scouts</em> explains, “The Service is responsible for operation of the express boats carrying xboat messages over the xboat routes of the Imperium. Service also extends to neighboring Imperial client states to which service and routes exist. The Service also staffs the various express boat tenders along the routes” (6).</p>
<p>At the IISS express station, a sophisticated routing program designed by Naasirka transmits the message to the next coreward-bound xboat. This xboat jumps from Kline to <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2020/03/a-guide-to-stanko-system.html">Stanko</a> (Magyar 2810 A555649-C), relays the message to another xboat that jumps to Nosret (Magyar 2807 A897477-D), where the message is relayed to yet another xboat that then jumps to <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-anise-system.html">Anise</a> (Magyar 2904 A8419B7-E). Three weeks have passed.</p>
<p>However, Gadarur, the next link in the chain, lies one parsec off the xboat route. The <em>Traveller Adventure</em> explains that “Express boats … do not touch every world within the Imperium; many planets lie well away from the mainstream of communications and commerce. These backwater worlds depend on less efficient means of information transfer and trade. The xboat service sends along messages by [Type S] scout/courier whenever one is going that way or once enough messages build up” (10).</p>
<p>For this next leg the message could either be carried on by the Scout Service itself or a private concern contracted by the IISS.</p>
<p>As CT <em>Scouts</em> explains, the Imperial Courier Service of the Communications Office “is responsible for carrying messages, small packages, and important personnel to worlds off the main express boat routes, and operates small courier ships running unscheduled routes as the needs of the Service demand” (6).</p>
<blockquote>The [Type S] scout/courier is the final part of the network, although this type of ship is not restricted to working with the express boat system.… When a message can no longer be forwarded by xboat along the major routes, it is transferred to a scout/courier which then carries it to the specific world in question. Main routes are plotted to come within several parsecs of every star system in the Imperium, so the added transit time is rarely more than an extra three or four weeks (CT <em>Traders & Gunships</em> 8).</blockquote>
<p>These scout/couriers are often operated by IISS personnel, but occasionally private companies win contracts for this work. For example, CT <em>Merchant Prince</em> states that within Regina subsector, the corporation “Sinzarmes is also a major mail carrier, delivering xboat messages to worlds off the main routes” (11).</p>
<p>CT, MegaTraveller, and GURPS: Traveller all allow Type R subsidized merchants to receive mail-delivery contracts:</p>
<blockquote>[Usually] as an adjunct to their established routes. In order to receive such contracts, the ship must be able to dedicate five [tons] of cargo capacity to postal duty on a full-time basis, the ship must be armed, and at least one gunner must be part of the crew at all times. The captain is paid Cr25,000 for each trip made regardless of the amount of mail carried on that trip (<em>GURPS Traveller: Far Trader</em> 64).</blockquote>
<p>Why subsidized merchants? These starships are financially backed by the government and are presumably held to higher operating standards. Subdized ships are also subject to mobilization (and use as auxiliaries) in the event of emergency or hostilities, even after private interests have paid off the mortgage. GURPS Traveller by extension allows Type M subsidized liners to receive mail contracts, which makes sense.</p>
<p>Traveller<sup>5</sup> appears to allow <em>any</em> ship to carry mail if it is armed, includes a gunner, and has a specialized mail vault. This vault costs MCr1 but occupies only one ton; each ton of mail is shipped at Cr15,000. Mongoose Traveller likewise appears to allow any ship to carry mail, but has absolutely no requirements. Mail takes up five tons and pays Cr25,000 (<em>2022 Core Book</em> 241). Of all these different takes, I think I prefer Traveller<sup>5</sup> here.</p>
<p>Let’s assume that Captain Uushli’s message, once it reaches the Anise express station, is then transferred to the Imperial Courier Service for delivery to Gadarur. After only a week wait the Courier Service assigns a scout/courier to make a run to Gadarur.</p>
<p>The scout/courier jumps to Gadarur, where the message is then transferred to the planetary postal service. Gadarur’s government is a charismatic dictatorship, and the postal service is a government agency. At low tech levels, a planetary postal service might deliver a physical printout of the xboat message to the recipient’s door by wet boat, ground car, flyer, or even on animal back. This might add several weeks to the delivery of the message, depending on the size of the planet and the efficiency of the government.</p>
<p>As Gadarur has an average Imperial tech level (12), the Captain Uushli’s holo message can probably be electronically beamed directly to Iriaa’s home address. The total elapsed time for the ten parsec journey of the xmail was five weeks—pretty good for government work.</p>
<p>Although the message was probably encoded to prevent unauthorized snooping by individual couriers or local governments, Imperial citizens using xboat messages likely have limited expectations of privacy. <em>Survival Margin</em> mentions an Imperial Censor Bureau, but it’s unclear if this is a product of the Rebellion era or an institution with earlier origins.</p>
<p>What if Iriaa wants to send a message back to her mother? Because Iriaa had a fixed address on an Imperial world, it was only a matter of time before the message was delivered to her. But her mother is the merchant captain of a starship on the move. Iriaa could always send a message to Kline, the home port of the <em>Cydonia,</em> on the reasonable presumption that the far trader will eventually return there. If Captain Uushli gave her daughter an anticipated itinerary and schedule, Iriaa could roughly estimate where the <em>Cydonia</em> would be at different times.</p>
<p>For example, the far trader will need three jumps to get to Fornorb. Assuming the <em>Cydonia</em> takes a week at each port, it would be eleven weeks out before returning to Kline. When Iriaa gets the message, five of those eleven weeks have already elapsed. Assuming it takes five weeks to send a message back to Kline and ten weeks to send a message to Fornorb, Iriaa’s best bet is probably to simply send any reply messages straight to Kline.</p>
<p>Not all travellers will have the benefit of a set itinerary. Merchant ships subsisting on charters or speculative cargo usually keep unpredictable routes and schedules, and might well be away from their home port for months or even years at a time. In such cases ships probably try to establish set times and locations for receiving messages and orders: “We’ll plan to be back at Kline by Holiday, and will berth there for 45 days.” The annual engineering overhaul would be a perfect occasion to establish such a rendezvous point.</p>
<p>Messages bound for someone on board a “ship at space” should probably be addressed to a specific express station rather than a world. In this way the message is never transferred from the Scout Service to the local planetary postal system. The xboat station probably has the ability to store such messages and a long-term data retention policy, say at least 36 months and maybe 5 years or longer. A ship that has recently jumped into the system might query the xboat station to see if it is holding any messages for passengers or crew.</p>
<p>It seems like there ought to be an option to send a wide-cast message for starships in transit. Rather than being delivered to a specific express station, copies of the message could be distributed to <em>every</em> xboat station on the network within a certain astrographic region—a subsector, say—and delivered to the ship once it reaches port.</p>
<p>Iriaa could simply address her message to “Captain Ir Uushli, on board the far trader <em>Cydonia</em>, Kline subsector.” The message then propagates across the entire xboat network in Kline, where copies are stored at each of the seven express stations. As soon as the <em>Cydonia</em> arrives at any system with a copy, the message is transmitted to Captain Uushli. The cost for such a message is probably a flat rate per subsector, say Cr1000 for text/voice or Cr2000 for video/holo. Such messages would also be retained for a set amount of time before being purged from the data banks.</p>
<div class="OGL_Statement" style="clear:both;"><h2>Copyright Information</h2><p>The <b><i>Traveller</i></b> game in all forms is owned by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.farfuture.net"> Far Future Enterprises</a>. Copyright © 1977 – 2023 Far Future Enterprises. <b><i>Traveller</i></b> is a registered trademark of Far Future Enterprises. Far Future permits web sites and fanzines for this game, provided it contains this notice, that Far Future is notified, and subject to a withdrawal of permission on 90 days notice. The contents of this site are for personal, non-commercial use only. Any use of Far Future Enterprises’s copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, any program/articles/file on this site cannot be republished or distributed without the consent of the author who contributed it.</p>
<p>Materials produced by <b>Digest Group Publications</b> (DGP) are copyright © Roger Sanger. Any use of Digest Group Publications’ copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this Web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights. Usage is intended to follow the guidelines <a target="_blank" href="http://members.tip.net.au/~davidjw/tavspecs/maint/dgp_faq.htm"> announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List</a> for preserving the overall <b><i>Traveller</i></b> milieu.</p></div>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-51008477239372325422023-10-11T05:00:00.014-04:002023-10-21T07:51:16.732-04:00Bugbears of the Great Dungeon<style type="text/css">
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</style><div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt15EF_FLa0j2A1NifDX8KsU8ze3-vCqVYShzFDc0nCqaTiEN5Mc-KuqcEPExlmoeeyqvReyGcvQ3vaJUBJYGX0YxXWT796Ng-UhDRwU4cZHihgwDR4mderMg6sWDVDeOozJbBilLO7dpIy0j0olpKrTxXfrZ05gPIsJma05nAh3SaLZTUsFW0dr-93OiX/s4032/PXL_20231010_164209992~2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt15EF_FLa0j2A1NifDX8KsU8ze3-vCqVYShzFDc0nCqaTiEN5Mc-KuqcEPExlmoeeyqvReyGcvQ3vaJUBJYGX0YxXWT796Ng-UhDRwU4cZHihgwDR4mderMg6sWDVDeOozJbBilLO7dpIy0j0olpKrTxXfrZ05gPIsJma05nAh3SaLZTUsFW0dr-93OiX/s320/PXL_20231010_164209992~2.jpg"/></a></div><p>As I was writing <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2023/09/so-close-so-far-warhammer.html">my previous post about Warhammer</a>, I dug out a couple of old <a href="http://solegends.com/rsadd/add56/index.htm">Citadel bugbear miniatures</a>, which had been cast as part of Citadel’s <a href="http://solegends.com/rsadd/index.htm">brief but much loved AD&D line</a>. These figures had been stuck in a display case for almost 40 years, and pulling them out I was struck by how well they held up. The sculptor, <a href="https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Jes_Goodwin">Jes Goodwin</a>, was able to capture many fine little details, including the minute stitching around the pointed leather cap on one bugbear.</p>
<p>I was also reminded that these bugbears were probably the last miniatures I had worked on during my initial burst of painting—and that they were never quite finished. I vaguely remember that at the time my paints had started to run out or go dry, and my brushes were all trashed, making working on all the small bugbeary details extremely frustrating. I’m pretty sure I got them to a “close enough” stage and then set my painting aside for what ended up being a very long hiatus.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQw3ohM0BSeAJkEHyfKS8Czh3geCO9j8WO8A62n1yQLQMaWPdcO9-yof2XCvC9nvyHbRM7IyhJJydzaq9whE4naIYvq1kIcEQFZCvI2r-3lYU4osPvECGJUc71GixQCxlUOPLBWgDHNy_o0o9VfLmPPmtBCXEkjDWsMXDRvg3phjun4DLirsiiCHfYKIry/s4032/PXL_20231010_164134987~2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQw3ohM0BSeAJkEHyfKS8Czh3geCO9j8WO8A62n1yQLQMaWPdcO9-yof2XCvC9nvyHbRM7IyhJJydzaq9whE4naIYvq1kIcEQFZCvI2r-3lYU4osPvECGJUc71GixQCxlUOPLBWgDHNy_o0o9VfLmPPmtBCXEkjDWsMXDRvg3phjun4DLirsiiCHfYKIry/s320/PXL_20231010_164134987~2.jpg"/></a></div>
<p>As I looked more closely at these old miniatures, I began to think they could finished off without too much trouble. I also began to wonder what some modern paints and tone washes would be able to do for them. Rather than strip these miniatures down to the metal, I just started painting on top of my old work. Like Rip Van Winkle, these great little miniatures slowly began to come back to life. I can’t explain why it feels so satisfying to complete these long-neglected figures, but it does.</p>
<h1>Bugbears of the Great Dungeon</h1>
<p>BUGBEARS are giant shaggy goblins hailing from the ancient Boundary Mountains. Unlike their goblin and hobgoblin kin, the bugbears were never subjugated by the elves of old Norumbega. Today they live in small, fiercely independent bands scattered across the North. In the Great Dungeon, one particularly ornery clan forms a notable faction on the middle levels.</p>
<p>I use a standard stat block to describe different factions in the Great Dungeon, like so:</p>
<div class="monster_entry">
<h3 class="monster_name">Bugbears of the Boundary Mountains <span class="cr">CE</span></h3>
<div class="statblock">
<p><em>A clan of treacherous bugbears ready to exploit allies and ambush enemies.</em></p>
<p><strong>Allies</strong> Dungmarket goblins</p>
<p><strong>Enemies</strong> Orcs of the Shattered Bone, The Reapers</p>
<p><strong>Locations</strong> Grumlug’s Lair (6th), The Back Landing (4th, outpost), The Whispering Halls (5th, lair), The Bleak Rotunda (5th, outpost)</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Names</div>
<p><strong>Names </strong>Barggut, Bedrut, Bruztig, Garyag, Hruguyed, Khotgub, Meraog, Rudgul, Rudlub, Rudorb, Sudurb, Sudya</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Roster</div>
<p><strong>Leader </strong>Chief Grumlug (CE male bugbear rogue 5/fighter 2)</p>
<p><strong>Population </strong>37 bugbears plus 15 noncombatant adults and 18 young</p>
<p><strong>Roster List</strong></p>
<div class="spellblock">
<p>9th (7,200 xp)—Chief Grumlug (U)</p>
<p>7th (3,600 xp)—bugbear leader</p>
<p>5th (1,800 xp)—bugbear scout, bugbear shaman</p>
<p>3rd (900 xp)—bugbear sergeant</p>
<p>2nd (600 xp)—bugbear</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>Below are 3.5e and 5e stat blocks for members of the Bugbears of the Boundary Mountains faction. The following text is Open Game Content.</p>
<div class="monster_entry">
<h2>3.5e</h2>
<p>The following table can be used to generate random bugbear encounters:</p>
<table class="bugbears">
<caption>Bugbear Encounters</caption>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>d%</th>
<th>Encounter</th>
<th>Average EL</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr>
<td>01–33</td>
<td>1d3+1 bugbears</td>
<td>5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>34–41</td>
<td>1d2 bugbear leaders</td>
<td>8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>42–58</td>
<td>1d3 bugbear scouts</td>
<td>7</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>59–83</td>
<td>1d3+1 bugbear sergeants</td>
<td>6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>84–00</td>
<td>1d2 bugbear shamans</td>
<td>6</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Individual statblocks follow. These use an abbreviated format: feats that are already incorporated into the statblock such as Toughness are not enumerated in the Feats line. Likewise skills that appear elsewhere, such as Listen and Spot, are not repeated in the Skill line.</p>
<h3 class="monster_name">Bugbear <span class="cr">CR 2</span></h3>
<div class="statblock">
<p>CE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)</p>
<p><strong>Init</strong> +1; <strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft., scent; Listen +4, Spot +4</p>
<p><strong>Languages</strong> Goblin, Common</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Defense</div>
<p><strong>AC</strong> 17, touch 11, flat-footed 16</p>
<p><strong>hp</strong> 16 (3 HD)</p>
<p><strong>Fort</strong> +2, <strong>Ref</strong> +4, <strong>Will</strong> +1</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Offense</div>
<p><strong>Spd</strong> 30 ft.; Climb +3</p>
<p><strong>Melee </strong>morningstar +5 (1d8+2)</p>
<p><strong>Ranged </strong>javelin +3 (1d6+2)</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Statistics</div>
<p><strong>Str</strong> 15, <strong>Dex</strong> 12, <strong>Con</strong> 13, <strong>Int</strong> 10, <strong>Wis</strong> 10, <strong>Cha</strong> 9</p>
<p><strong>Base Atk</strong> +2; <strong>Grp</strong> +4</p>
<p><strong>Skills</strong> Hide +4, Move Silently +6</p>
<p><strong>Gear</strong> leather armor, light wooden shield, morningstar, 2 javelins</p>
</div>
<!-- BUGBEAR CHIEF -->
<h3 class="monster_name">Bugbear Chief <span class="cr">CR 9</span></h3>
<div class="statblock">
<p>Male bugbear fighter 2/rogue 5</p>
<p>CE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)</p>
<p><strong>Init</strong> +4; <strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft., scent; Listen +8, Spot +8</p>
<p><strong>Languages</strong> Goblin, Common</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Defense</div>
<p><strong>AC</strong> 24, touch 14, flat-footed 20</p>
<p><strong>hp</strong> 85 (10 HD)</p>
<p><strong>Fort</strong> +10, <strong>Ref</strong> +12, <strong>Will</strong> +4</p>
<p><strong>Defensive Abilities </strong>evasion, uncanny dodge, trap sense +1</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Offense</div>
<p><strong>Spd</strong> 30 ft.; Balance +11, Climb +10, Jump +6, Tumble +9</p>
<p><strong>Melee </strong><em>+1 longsword</em> +13/+8 (1d8+5/19–20)</p>
<p><strong>Ranged </strong><em>+1 throwing axe</em> +12 (1d6+5)</p>
<p><strong>Special Attacks </strong>sneak attack +3d6</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Statistics</div>
<p><strong>Str</strong> 18, <strong>Dex</strong> 19, <strong>Con</strong> 18, <strong>Int</strong> 10, <strong>Wis</strong> 12, <strong>Cha</strong> 8</p>
<p><strong>Base Atk</strong> +7; <strong>Grp</strong> +11</p>
<p><strong>Feats</strong> Combat Reflexes, Deadly Precision*, Dodge, Mobility</p>
<p><strong>Skills</strong> Hide +14, Move Silently +23, Search +8, Survival +1 (+3 following tracks)</p>
<p><strong>SQ </strong>trapfinding</p>
<p><strong>Combat Gear</strong> <em>potion of haste</em>; <strong>Gear</strong> <em>+1 studded leather armor</em>, <em>+1 light wooden shield</em>, <em>+1 longsword</em>, <em>+1 throwing axe</em>, <em>amulet of natural armor +1</em>, <em>boots of elvenkind, cloak of resistance +1</em></p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Abilities</div>
<p><strong>Deadly Precision:</strong> With this feat the bugbear chief can reroll any result of 1 on his sneak attack’s extra damage dice. The chief must keep the result of the reroll, even if it is another 1.</p>
</div>
<!-- BUGBEAR LEADER -->
<h3 class="monster_name">Bugbear Leader <span class="cr">CR 7</span></h3>
<div class="statblock">
<p>CE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)</p>
<p><strong>Init</strong> +4; <strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft., scent; Listen +4, Spot +4</p>
<p><strong>Languages</strong> Goblin, Common</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Defense</div>
<p><strong>AC</strong> 17, touch 10, flat-footed 17</p>
<p><strong>hp</strong> 76 (8 HD)</p>
<p><strong>Fort</strong> +9, <strong>Ref</strong> +4, <strong>Will</strong> +4</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Offense</div>
<p><strong>Spd</strong> 30 ft.; Climb +10</p>
<p><strong>Melee </strong><em>+1 morningstar</em> +13/+8 (1d8+7)</p>
<p><strong>Ranged</strong> mwk javelin +8 (1d6+4)</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Statistics</div>
<p><strong>Str</strong> 18, <strong>Dex</strong> 10, <strong>Con</strong> 18, <strong>Int</strong> 10, <strong>Wis</strong> 14, <strong>Cha</strong> 10</p>
<p><strong>Base Atk</strong> +7; <strong>Grp</strong> +11</p>
<p><strong>Feats</strong> Blind-Fight, Improved Shield Bash</p>
<p><strong>Skills</strong> Hide +6, Intimidate +6, Move Silently +8</p>
<p><strong>Combat Gear</strong> potions of <em>cure moderate wounds</em> and <em>heroism</em>; <strong>Gear</strong> leather armor, <em>+1 light wooden shield</em>, <em>+1 morningstar</em>, 2 masterwork javelins</p>
</div>
<!-- BUGBEAR SCOUT -->
<h3 class="monster_name">Bugbear Scout <span class="cr">CR 5</span></h3>
<div class="statblock">
<p>CE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)</p>
<p><strong>Init</strong> +7; <strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft., scent; Listen +8, Spot +8</p>
<p><strong>Languages</strong> Goblin, Common</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Defense</div>
<p><strong>AC</strong> 21, touch 13, flat-footed 17</p>
<p><strong>hp</strong> 45 (6 HD)</p>
<p><strong>Fort</strong> +5, <strong>Ref</strong> +9, <strong>Will</strong> +3</p>
<p><strong>Defensive Abilities </strong>evasion</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Offense</div>
<p><strong>Spd</strong> 30 ft.; Balance +7, Climb +8, Tumble +7</p>
<p><strong>Melee </strong>morningstar +9 (1d8+4)</p>
<p><strong>Ranged </strong>javelin +7 (1d6+4)</p>
<p><strong>Special Attacks</strong> sneak attack +2d6</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Statistics</div>
<p><strong>Str</strong> 18, <strong>Dex</strong> 17, <strong>Con</strong> 16, <strong>Int</strong> 10, <strong>Wis</strong> 12, <strong>Cha</strong> 6</p>
<p><strong>Base Atk</strong> +4; <strong>Grp</strong> +8</p>
<p><strong>Skills</strong> Hide +9, Move Silently +11</p>
<p><strong>SQ</strong> trapfinding, trap sense +1</p>
<p><strong>Combat Gear</strong> <em>javelin of lightning</em>, potion of <em>heroism</em>; <strong>Gear</strong> <em>+1 leather armor</em>, light shield, morningstar, 2 javelins</p>
</div>
<!-- BUGBEAR SERGEANT -->
<h3 class="monster_name">Bugbear Sergeant <span class="cr">CR 3</span></h3>
<div class="statblock">
<p>CE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)</p>
<p><strong>Init</strong> +2; <strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft., scent; Listen +3, Spot +3</p>
<p><strong>Languages</strong> Goblin, Common</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Defense</div>
<p><strong>AC</strong> 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16</p>
<p><strong>hp</strong> 32 (5 HD)</p>
<p><strong>Fort</strong> +6, <strong>Ref</strong> +5, <strong>Will</strong> +0</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Offense</div>
<p><strong>Spd</strong> 30 ft.; Climb +3</p>
<p><strong>Melee </strong>longsword +8 (1d8+3/19–20)</p>
<p><strong>Ranged </strong>throwing axe +6 (1d6+3)</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Statistics</div>
<p><strong>Str</strong> 17, <strong>Dex</strong> 14, <strong>Con</strong> 14, <strong>Int</strong> 10, <strong>Wis</strong> 9, <strong>Cha</strong> 6</p>
<p><strong>Base Atk</strong> +4; <strong>Grp</strong> +7</p>
<p><strong>Skills</strong> Hide +5, Intimidate +2, Move Silently +7</p>
<p><strong>Gear</strong> leather armor, light wooden shield, longsword, 2 throwing axes</p>
</div>
<!-- BUGBEAR SHAMAN -->
<h3 class="monster_name">Bugbear Shaman <span class="cr">CR 5</span></h3>
<div class="statblock">
<p>CE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)</p>
<p><strong>Init</strong> +3; <strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft., scent; Listen +7, Spot +7</p>
<p><strong>Languages</strong> Goblin, Common</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Defense</div>
<p><strong>AC</strong> 21, touch 13, flat-footed 18</p>
<p><strong>hp</strong> 58 (8 HD)</p>
<p><strong>Fort</strong> +5, <strong>Ref</strong> +7, <strong>Will</strong> +8</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Offense</div>
<p><strong>Spd</strong> 30 ft.; Climb +2</p>
<p><strong>Melee </strong>mwk shortspear +6 (1d6+1)</p>
<p><strong>Ranged </strong>dart +5 (1d4+1)</p>
<p><strong>Typical Adept Spells Prepared </strong>(CL 5th, Concentration +8)</p>
<div class="spellblock">
<p>2nd—<em>darkness</em>, <em>web</em> (DC 15)</p>
<p>1st—<em>cause fear</em> (DC 14), <em>cure light wounds</em>, <em>protection from good</em></p>
<p>0—<em>detect magic</em>, <em>ghost sound</em> (DC 13), <em>touch of fatigue</em> (+5 melee touch, DC 13)</p>
</div>
<div class="statblock_divider">Statistics</div>
<p><strong>Str</strong> 12, <strong>Dex</strong> 16, <strong>Con</strong> 16, <strong>Int</strong> 10, <strong>Wis</strong> 16, <strong>Cha</strong> 10</p>
<p><strong>Base Atk</strong> +4; <strong>Grp</strong> +5</p>
<p><strong>Skills</strong> Hide +8, Move Silently +10, Spellcraft +7, Survival +7</p>
<p><strong>SQ </strong>summon familiar</p>
<p><strong>Combat Gear </strong><em>javelin of lightning, wand of burning hands</em>; <strong>Gear</strong> <em>+1 studded leather armor</em>, light wooden shield, masterwork shortspear, 2 darts</p>
</div>
<!-- NONCOMBATANT BUGBEAR -->
<h3 class="monster_name">Noncombatant Bugbear <span class="cr">CR 2</span></h3>
<div class="statblock">
<p>CE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)</p>
<p><strong>Init</strong> +1; <strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft., scent; Listen +5, Spot +5</p>
<p><strong>Languages</strong> Goblin, Common</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Defense</div>
<p><strong>AC</strong> 14, touch 11, flat-footed 13</p>
<p><strong>hp</strong> 19 (3 HD)</p>
<p><strong>Fort</strong> +3, <strong>Ref</strong> +4, <strong>Will</strong> +2</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Offense</div>
<p><strong>Spd</strong> 30 ft.; Climb +3,</p>
<p><strong>Melee </strong>dagger +3 (1d4+1/19–20)</p>
<div class="statblock_divider">Statistics</div>
<p><strong>Str</strong> 12, <strong>Dex</strong> 12, <strong>Con</strong> 15, <strong>Int</strong> 11, <strong>Wis</strong> 12, <strong>Cha</strong> 7</p>
<p><strong>Base Atk</strong> +2; <strong>Grp</strong> +3</p>
<p><strong>Skills</strong> Hide +7, Move Silently +9</p>
<p><strong>Gear</strong> dagger</p>
</div>
<h2>5e</h2>
<p>The roster of the bugbear faction:</p>
<ul>
<li>Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)—bugbear chief (Unique)</li>
<li>Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)—bugbear leader</li>
<li>Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)—bugbear scout, bugbear shaman</li>
<li>Challenge 2 (450 XP)—bugbear sergeant</li>
<li>Challenge 1 (200 XP)—bugbear</li>
</ul>
<p>Bugbear encounters can be generated using the following table:</p>
<table class="bugbears">
<caption>Bugbear Encounters</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th>d%</th><th>Encounter</th><th>Average <br />Challenge</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody class="tshaded">
<tr><td>01–33</td><td>1d3+1 bugbears</td><td>4</td></tr>
<tr><td>34–41</td><td>1d2 bugbear leaders</td><td>8</td></tr>
<tr><td>42–58</td><td>1d3 bugbear scouts</td><td>7</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody>
<tr><td>59–83</td><td>1d3+1 bugbear sergeants</td><td>6</td></tr>
<tr><td>84–00</td><td>1d2 bugbear shamans</td><td>6</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Statblocks for individuals follow.</p>
<table class="vemonster" style="clear:both;margin-top:1em;">
<caption>Bugbear</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th colspan="6">Medium humanoid (goblinoid), chaotic evil</th></tr></thead>
<tbody class="intro">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Armor Class</strong> 16 (hide armor, shield)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Hit Points</strong> 27 (5d8 + 5)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Speed</strong> 30 ft.</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilityscores">
<tr><th>Str</th><th>Dex</th><th>Con</th><th>Int</th><th>Wis</th><th>Cha</th></tr>
<tr><td>15 (+2)</td><td>14 (+2)</td><td>13 (+1)</td><td>8 (-1)</td><td>11 (+0)</td><td>9 (-1)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="stats">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Skills</strong> Stealth +6, Survival +2</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Languages</strong> Common, Goblin</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Challenge</strong> 1 (200 XP)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilities">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Brute.</em></strong> A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage when the bugbear hits with it (included in the attack).</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Surprise Attack.</em></strong> If the bugbear surprises a creature and hits it with an attack during the first round of combat, the target takes an extra 7 (2d6) damage from the attack.</td></tr>
<tr><th colspan="6">Actions</th></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Javelin (Melee).</em></strong> <em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Javelin (Ranged).</em></strong> <em>Ranged Weapon Attack:</em> +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Morningstar.</em></strong> <em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 11 (2d8 + 2) piercing damage.</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<!-- BUGBEAR CHIEF -->
<table class="vemonster" style="clear:both;margin-top:1em;">
<caption>Bugbear Chief</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th colspan="6">Medium humanoid (goblinoid), chaotic evil</th></tr></thead>
<tbody class="intro">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Armor Class</strong> 18 (<em>+1 studded leather armor</em>)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Hit Points</strong> 127 (15d8 + 60)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Speed</strong> 30 ft.</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilityscores">
<tr><th>Str</th><th>Dex</th><th>Con</th><th>Int</th><th>Wis</th><th>Cha</th></tr>
<tr><td>18 (+4)</td><td>20 (+5)</td><td>18 (+4)</td><td>8 (-1)</td><td>12 (+1)</td><td>8 (-1)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="stats">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Saving Throws</strong> Dex +8, Will +4</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Skills</strong> Acrobatics +8, Perception +4, Stealth +11, Survival +4</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Languages</strong> Goblin, Common</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Challenge</strong> 7 (2,900 XP)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilities">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Brute.</em></strong> A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage when the bugbear chief hits with it (included in the attack).</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Evasion.</em></strong> If the bugbear chief is subjected to an effect that allows him to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the chief instead takes no damage if he succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if he fails.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Sneak Attack (1/Turn).</em></strong> The bugbear chief deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage when he hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the chief that isn’t incapacitated and the chief doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.</td></tr>
<tr><th colspan="6">Actions</th></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Multiattack.</em></strong> The bugbear chief makes two melee attacks. Alternatively, he can make two ranged attacks with his handaxes.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Handaxe (Melee).</em></strong> <em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. <em>Hit:</em> 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Handaxe (Ranged).</em></strong> <em>Ranged Weapon Attack:</em> +7 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. <em>Hit:</em> 8 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage .</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>+1 Longsword.</em></strong> <em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage.</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<!-- BUGBEAR LEADER -->
<table class="vemonster" style="clear:both;margin-top:1em;">
<caption>Bugbear Leader</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th colspan="6">Medium humanoid (goblinoid), chaotic evil</th></tr></thead>
<tbody class="intro">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Armor Class</strong> 17 (breastplate, shield)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Hit Points</strong> 90 (12d8 + 48)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Speed</strong> 30 ft.</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilityscores">
<tr><th>Str</th><th>Dex</th><th>Con</th><th>Int</th><th>Wis</th><th>Cha</th></tr>
<tr><td>18 (+4)</td><td>12 (+1)</td><td>18 (+4)</td><td>8 (-1)</td><td>14 (+2)</td><td>10 (+0)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="stats">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Skills</strong> Stealth +7, Survival +5</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Languages</strong> Goblin, Common</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Challenge</strong> 5 (1,800 XP)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilities">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Brute.</em></strong> A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage when the bugbear leader hits with it (included in the attack).</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Surprise Attack.</em></strong> If the bugbear leader surprises a creature and hits it with an attack during the first round of combat, the target takes an extra 7 (2d6) damage from the attack.</td></tr>
<tr><th colspan="6">Actions</th></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Javelin (Melee).</em></strong> <em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Javelin (Ranged).</em></strong> <em>Ranged Weapon Attack:</em> +7 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Morningstar.</em></strong> <em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage.</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<!-- BUGBEAR SCOUT -->
<table class="vemonster" style="clear:both;margin-top:1em;">
<caption>Bugbear Scout</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th colspan="6">Medium humanoid (goblinoid), chaotic evil</th></tr></thead>
<tbody class="intro">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Armor Class</strong> 16 (studded leather armor)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Hit Points</strong> 60 (8d8 + 24)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Speed</strong> 30 ft.</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilityscores">
<tr><th>Str</th><th>Dex</th><th>Con</th><th>Int</th><th>Wis</th><th>Cha</th></tr>
<tr><td>18 (+4)</td><td>19 (+4)</td><td>16 (+3)</td><td>8 (-1)</td><td>12 (+1)</td><td>6 (-2)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="stats">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Skills</strong> Stealth +8, Survival +3</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Saving Throws</strong> Dex +6, Int +1</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Languages</strong> Goblin, Common</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Challenge</strong> 4 (1,100 XP)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilities">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Brute.</em></strong> A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage when the bugbear scout hits with it (included in the attack).</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Sneak Attack (1/Turn).</em></strong> The bugbear scout deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the scout that isn’t incapacitated and the scout doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.</td></tr>
<tr><th colspan="6">Actions</th></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Javelin (Melee).</em></strong> <em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Javelin (Ranged).</em></strong> <em>Ranged Weapon Attack:</em> +6 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Morningstar.</em></strong> <em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage.</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<!-- BUGBEAR SERGEANT -->
<table class="vemonster" style="clear:both;margin-top:1em;">
<caption>Bugbear Sergeant</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th colspan="6">Medium humanoid (goblinoid), chaotic evil</th></tr></thead>
<tbody class="intro">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Armor Class</strong> 16 (leather armor, shield)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Hit Points</strong> 39 (6d8 + 12)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Speed</strong> 30 ft.</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilityscores">
<tr><th>Str</th><th>Dex</th><th>Con</th><th>Int</th><th>Wis</th><th>Cha</th></tr>
<tr><td>17 (+3)</td><td>16 (+3)</td><td>14 (+2)</td><td>8 (-1)</td><td>9 (-1)</td><td>6 (-2)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="stats">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Skills</strong> Stealth +7, Survival +1</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Languages</strong> Goblin, Common</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Challenge</strong> 2 (450 XP)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilities">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Brute.</em></strong> A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage when the bugbear sergeant hits with it (included in the attack).</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Surprise Attack.</em></strong> If the bugbear sergeant surprises a creature and hits it with an attack during the first round of combat, the target takes an extra 7 (2d6) damage from the attack.</td></tr>
<tr><th colspan="6">Actions</th></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Handaxe (Melee).</em></strong> <em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Handaxe (Ranged).</em></strong> <em>Ranged Weapon Attack:</em> +5 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Longsword.</em></strong> <em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 12 (2d8 + 3) slashing damage.</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<!-- BUGBEAR SHAMAN -->
<table class="vemonster" style="clear:both;margin-top:1em;">
<caption>Bugbear Shaman</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th colspan="6">Medium humanoid (goblinoid), chaotic evil</th></tr></thead>
<tbody class="intro">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Armor Class</strong> 16 (studded leather)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Hit Points</strong> 75 (10d8 + 30)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Speed</strong> 30 ft.</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilityscores">
<tr><th>Str</th><th>Dex</th><th>Con</th><th>Int</th><th>Wis</th><th>Cha</th></tr>
<tr><td>12 (+1)</td><td>18 (+4)</td><td>16 (+3)</td><td>10 (+0)</td><td>16 (+3)</td><td>10 (+0)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="stats">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Saving Throws</strong> Con +5, Wis +5</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Skills</strong> Stealth +8, Survival +5</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Languages</strong> Goblin, Common</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Challenge</strong> 4 (1,100 XP)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilities">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Brute.</em></strong> A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage when the shaman hits with it (included in the attack).</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Surprise Attack.</em></strong> If the shaman surprises a creature and hits it with an attack during the first round of combat, the target takes an extra 7 (2d6) damage from the attack.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Spellcasting.</em></strong> The bugbear shaman is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 11, +5 to hit with spell attacks). The shaman has the following cleric spells prepared:</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6">Cantrips (at will)—<em>guidance</em>, <em>sacred flame</em>, <em>thaumaturgy</em><br />
1st level (4 slots)—<em>bane</em>, <em>healing word</em>, <em>shield of faith</em><br />
2nd level (3 slots)—<em>hold person</em>, <em>silence</em><br />
3rd level (2 slots)—<em>bestow curse, mass healing word</em>
</td></tr>
<tr><th colspan="6">Actions</th></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Javelin (Melee).</em></strong> <em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 8 (2d6 + 1) piercing damage.</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Javelin (Ranged).</em></strong> <em>Ranged Weapon Attack:</em> +3 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage.</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<!-- NONCOMBATANT BUGBEAR -->
<table class="vemonster" style="clear:both;margin-top:1em;">
<caption>Noncombatant Bugbear</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th colspan="6">Medium humanoid (goblinoid), chaotic evil</th></tr></thead>
<tbody class="intro">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Armor Class</strong> 12</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Hit Points</strong> 26 (4d8 + 8)</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Speed</strong> 30 ft.</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilityscores">
<tr><th>Str</th><th>Dex</th><th>Con</th><th>Int</th><th>Wis</th><th>Cha</th></tr>
<tr><td>12 (+1)</td><td>12 (+2)</td><td>15 (+2)</td><td>9 (-1)</td><td>12 (+1)</td><td>12 (+1)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="stats">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Skills</strong> Stealth +6, Survival +3</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Languages</strong> Goblin, Common</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong>Challenge</strong> 1/2 (100 XP)</td></tr>
</tbody>
<tbody class="abilities">
<tr><td colspan="6"><strong><em>Dagger.</em></strong> <em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.<em> Hit:</em> 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage.</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<div class="OGL_Statement"><p>OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a</p><p><a href="#" onclick="toggle_visibility('Bugbear_OGL');">The following text</a> is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.</p><ol id="Bugbear_OGL" style="display:none;"><li>Definitions: (a) “Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b) “Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d) “Open Game Content” means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) “Product Identity” means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts, creatures, characters, stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f ) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement.</li>
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</ol></div>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-33661576291477140642023-09-19T05:00:00.015-04:002023-09-20T07:44:27.426-04:00So Close, So Far: Warhammer<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZ0IKg1QlcMWigX3qU3bmV64bEpBTR6lXxrL3g05SQIJJy_11TKv2Sico-EmD8ixXUwe63PFE5cPa2GyTCK7RRRF2Q4cMADNGV4fhhKrAHiDQ1Jpk265ca9DT9UywvL5MKGpvIN5-cLxisbpyrpOamKiEob_Pv-ctB56kYwsnZnQoBhxeNjoktypYag/s4032/PXL_20230506_141902573.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZ0IKg1QlcMWigX3qU3bmV64bEpBTR6lXxrL3g05SQIJJy_11TKv2Sico-EmD8ixXUwe63PFE5cPa2GyTCK7RRRF2Q4cMADNGV4fhhKrAHiDQ1Jpk265ca9DT9UywvL5MKGpvIN5-cLxisbpyrpOamKiEob_Pv-ctB56kYwsnZnQoBhxeNjoktypYag/s320/PXL_20230506_141902573.jpg"/></a></div>
<p>I was an avid reader of <em>White Dwarf</em> magazine in the early and mid 1980s, and I was painting miniatures when <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2023/07/how-it-started.html">the license to produce AD&D figures moved from Grenadier to TSR to Citadel to Ral Partha over a few short years</a>. So I had a ringside seat as Games Workshop began to transition away from providing third party support to games published by other companies such as Chaosium, Game Designers’ Workshop, and TSR. Instead, <em>White Dwarf</em> increasingly focused on new products from GW and Citadel under the name <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhammer_(game)"><em>Warhammer</em></a>.</p>
<p>Initially billed as the “Mass Combat Fantasy Roleplaying Game,” I really wasn’t sure what to make of Warhammer. I was certainly interested in incorporating gigantic, army-scale battles into my D&D games but I couldn’t figure out if Warhammer fit the bill. Could I use this boxed set as a D&D supplement? The early reviews were mostly positive but Warhammer sounded like a separate thing altogether. The notion of having enough money to purchase an entire army’s worth of figures, as well as having the time to paint them all seemed bonkers. </p>
<p>At about the same time the art direction of <em>White Dwarf</em> and Citadel miniatures began to embrace a more gonzo, punky style that I wasn’t really sure I liked. Now, I was a huge fan of the artwork from the 1e <em>Fiend Folio</em>, which was quite a bit wilder than the art in other AD&D books. This is partly because the <em>Fiend Folio</em> was produced by TSR UK and as such featured UK artists such as <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2023/06/rip-russ-nicholson.html">the late, great Russ Nicholson</a>. There was a lot of overlap between TSR UK and Games Workshop staff.</p>
<p>But the new Games Workshop/Citadel style was like Nicholson turned up to 11: more dynamic, bold, and cartoony, often infused with a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor and a grittier, post-apocalyptic look. Instead of staid, Tolkien-esque dwarven warriors we suddenly got snarling, tattooed dwarves with mohawks wearing <em>Mad Max</em>-style armor and wielding enormous cleavers.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xolA0DcwkfxXUyVctAkJlj5mI3U6H-fJK1z4xkbhgcOnat3-Gn4yhr9qRjBvpS8RUEcjAUiMTU-9IiBI7zZHJDjsNdm1ElmB_wCmGJbtzdAy0ZZRZ1vAgJSaaGxbCoU5mAliD1bMgbGCaffQkmzL-BUSCliDt1uaHLKJsrfgQVTM0r9fuXEe771LDic0/s3744/PXL_20230914_112537061.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="2808" data-original-width="3744" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xolA0DcwkfxXUyVctAkJlj5mI3U6H-fJK1z4xkbhgcOnat3-Gn4yhr9qRjBvpS8RUEcjAUiMTU-9IiBI7zZHJDjsNdm1ElmB_wCmGJbtzdAy0ZZRZ1vAgJSaaGxbCoU5mAliD1bMgbGCaffQkmzL-BUSCliDt1uaHLKJsrfgQVTM0r9fuXEe771LDic0/s320/PXL_20230914_112537061.jpg"/></a></div>
<p>Despite my reservations about the new art style, I bought a lot of the <a href="http://solegends.com/rsadd/index.htm">Citadel D&D miniatures</a> in part because they included so many monsters from my beloved <em>Fiend Folio</em>. In general, these figures were better sculpted and better cast than anything that had come before. And the new art direction, with exaggerated elements, really helped make those tiny miniatures pop. The only thing I really disliked about these figures were the plastic “slotta” bases.</p>
<p>My miniature painting phase was relatively short-lived. And in 1984 TSR released an abstract mass combat system in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeons_%26_Dragons_Companion_Set">D&D Companion Set</a> that adequately addressed my interest in army-scale battles. So I really wasn’t paying much attention to what was happening with Warhammer. By the time I got back into gaming in the 1990s, Warhammer was a phenomenon. I was vaguely aware of this development—local game shops suddenly had sand tables and displays of brightly painted figures—but no one in my immediate group ever took the plunge and I really knew very little about the game.</p>
<p>It seems strange, considering how much D&D I played over the ensuing decades, that I remained so ignorant of a hobby that had so much in common with D&D. I was always flabbergasted at Warhammer’s success: how could a game that was clearly so expensive and time-consuming have such a large following?</p>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSQSjr2gIUixvvVs5XnuHdyDhRhzIkecxUYf0c4rggl822a64qZ257IIx9-IoXMITBT0esqEZfrMs1apRg9ZjMZQ0_euNj9WxoPIXtWlY-M27vC2Ra8ylndLTYEQwSvxJvwxHbnWoBnB-s93WCTjMLB8YXFZXvJjfNpUvM8RN3Qvnc49OgF91YLCfAw/s4032/PXL_20230506_142117458.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSQSjr2gIUixvvVs5XnuHdyDhRhzIkecxUYf0c4rggl822a64qZ257IIx9-IoXMITBT0esqEZfrMs1apRg9ZjMZQ0_euNj9WxoPIXtWlY-M27vC2Ra8ylndLTYEQwSvxJvwxHbnWoBnB-s93WCTjMLB8YXFZXvJjfNpUvM8RN3Qvnc49OgF91YLCfAw/s320/PXL_20230506_142117458.jpg"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfexJoHbyeaoI5FVTvcB3YOJko7FzOkl6jy1SPCxszytjFjn8fRa5iElNw8v4zChbdLQHs4InQGmpjulWhWCG19W_4djdKML47xhxIXB4TEi1odzzOgEV-TmPF0ZgL8CKHwHRRHPLFKKTZ4IMWN8lhq5jFUUW6T5htApgrwImB1EJRdXGaSnuqisg7fA/s4032/PXL_20230506_142107517.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfexJoHbyeaoI5FVTvcB3YOJko7FzOkl6jy1SPCxszytjFjn8fRa5iElNw8v4zChbdLQHs4InQGmpjulWhWCG19W_4djdKML47xhxIXB4TEi1odzzOgEV-TmPF0ZgL8CKHwHRRHPLFKKTZ4IMWN8lhq5jFUUW6T5htApgrwImB1EJRdXGaSnuqisg7fA/s320/PXL_20230506_142107517.jpg"/></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcm0NXh6pp98jzM_76dYAhXOfw7unBp5Qf4NlrQJA0K-6kMpP_oefMRNcHWvi3C2hxcmNt3BSzI0hSt1C40lqyGzxyKo6xo8CPqTKQOjnEtcYXwVDNuyj6ZGNy7z8TQR7cM1T3bXM7eJqM9MoHIsFA4qTI0M3og9xpUV--o5PLDnSAqmssRHNNdc65Q/s4032/PXL_20230506_142018963.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcm0NXh6pp98jzM_76dYAhXOfw7unBp5Qf4NlrQJA0K-6kMpP_oefMRNcHWvi3C2hxcmNt3BSzI0hSt1C40lqyGzxyKo6xo8CPqTKQOjnEtcYXwVDNuyj6ZGNy7z8TQR7cM1T3bXM7eJqM9MoHIsFA4qTI0M3og9xpUV--o5PLDnSAqmssRHNNdc65Q/s320/PXL_20230506_142018963.jpg"/></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGpqzlVXRHf3qHquoH7QhLegF84NOyaQAiaONXIwPhjUZChPXZZ9uhKI1jjnLmvmjRak9lYSZuQS_yKFvK3UmrQsOtIgnH-_1paBkbEJNYWtyEEHK_MawfXBwOrct-vhOiEr-YdnohYA8PZjRr4lbhVIq8nmQLD8yd_Bjt8suCnPPe8zD_XTO0lVzGg/s4032/PXL_20230506_141941502.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGpqzlVXRHf3qHquoH7QhLegF84NOyaQAiaONXIwPhjUZChPXZZ9uhKI1jjnLmvmjRak9lYSZuQS_yKFvK3UmrQsOtIgnH-_1paBkbEJNYWtyEEHK_MawfXBwOrct-vhOiEr-YdnohYA8PZjRr4lbhVIq8nmQLD8yd_Bjt8suCnPPe8zD_XTO0lVzGg/s320/PXL_20230506_141941502.jpg"/></a></div>
</div><p>Flash-forward to a couple of years ago, when one of my friends bought a copy of the <a href="https://www.games-workshop.com/en-US/Age-Of-Sigmar-Harbinger-English-2021"><em>Harbinger Starter Set</em></a> for Warhammer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhammer_Age_of_Sigmar">Age of Sigmar</a>. He had painted up the two factions and we played out a scenario. It was a fun, fast-paced skirmish game. I was impressed by the streamlined rules and am a sucker for d6 mechanics—I also liked adding a random component to movement rates.</p>
<p>I’ve been watching many miniature painting videos over the last few years to try and improve my own painting skills and I’ve been frankly blown away by the work done by the Warhammer community. It’s clear that many of the next-level skills I’d like to master—color theory, wet blending, glazes—are old hat for Warhammer painters.</p>
<p>So given all this I picked up a boxed set of <em>Warcry: Flesh-Eater Courts</em>, not quite understanding the difference between Warcry and other Age of Sigmar sets. <a href="https://ageofsigmar.fandom.com/wiki/Flesh-eater_Courts">The Flesh-Eater Courts</a> is a faction of ghouls, and many of the models would work well for the <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2019/06/eaters-of-dead.html">Eaters of the Dead</a> band of ghouls in my Great Dungeon. I’d long been on the hunt for Large-sized ghouls for my <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-dome-of-phoenix.html#HulkingGhoul">Hulking Ghouls</a>, and this Warcry set had three that fit the bill perfectly.</p>
<p>Opening the box, I was surprised that the models were still on the sprues and needed to be assembled. I also didn’t realize that the figures could be so customizable by swapping in a wide variety of different limbs, heads, or weapons that in some cases would produce completely different models. While I knew <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitbashing">kitbashing</a> was common in the Warhammer community, I didn’t know that the models were really designed to support this practice.</p>
<p>The models are made out of a very lightweight, fairly rigid plastic material that holds details extremely well and is roughly comparable to Bones Black. Once snipped from the sprues the parts had very little in the way of flashing or mold lines. Another surprise was that the appendages do not connect with pegs and sockets, but instead use a very clever ball and socket system. You have to get these parts aligned just right, but when they are seated properly they form surprisingly tight attachments with relatively little gaps.</p>
<p>I primed these models with Army Painter spray-on primer and used Reaper ghoul flesh acrylics for the base coats. The sculpts have lots of grotesque details—exposed flesh and sinew, eruptions of pus-filled boils and spikes, limbs held together with impaled bones, and so on. I didn’t try to go all-in on the gore, but did try a few different techniques to render diseased and bruised skin.</p>
<p>I was pretty happy with the overall experience of painting these Warhammer models. I’m not nearly ready to begin assembling an army any time soon, but I have been slowly backfilling my understanding of the game and its lore. I certainly expect to pick up a few more sets to round out my Great Dungeon of the North rosters.</p>
Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-55403364983041675372023-09-06T05:00:00.138-04:002023-10-22T08:30:47.365-04:00Mining Dumarest for Traveller Games<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:right;padding-left:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZB31s0TEEBr6E6YojgWsCjKne8I8uMn6TcOxfLDW7j0utksSbgYwm6jEPV1i23nH1D-ZrqcXIvqpt00PzMhX7pkHc779jw1q0cInMVOauALa47UkP9KQmHlelAaTCFe-gho_I56sPKyS94OsE_lpQfpKRECiPAQFDliXkh0A7nijKuJrq9VdisubYLzMS/s1385/5118647278_0b1e923cc4_o.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1385" data-original-width="837" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZB31s0TEEBr6E6YojgWsCjKne8I8uMn6TcOxfLDW7j0utksSbgYwm6jEPV1i23nH1D-ZrqcXIvqpt00PzMhX7pkHc779jw1q0cInMVOauALa47UkP9KQmHlelAaTCFe-gho_I56sPKyS94OsE_lpQfpKRECiPAQFDliXkh0A7nijKuJrq9VdisubYLzMS/s320/5118647278_0b1e923cc4_o.jpg"/></a></div><p>I have been reading the first few novels in the 33-volume “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumarest_saga">Dumarest Saga</a>” by the British science fiction writer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Charles_Tubb">Edwin Charles (E.C.) Tubb</a>. At the outset I was not very familiar with either the man or his works, really knowing only that the Dumarest books had purportedly been influential on the Traveller RPG.</p>
<p>The Dumarest saga takes place in a human-dominated interstellar community that is ancient and spans thousands of worlds. There seems to be no single, multi-system government like the Third Imperium and apparently nothing like megacorporations, though the community does seem to share a common interstellar culture.</p>
<p>The overall tech level seems to be low interstellar, TL10 or maybe TL11, though it is hard to say: in these early books the protagonist, Earl Dumarest, is travelling through mostly backwater worlds and perhaps much higher tech could be found elsewhere. It’s not clear to me if this is a post-apocalyptic setting but there are hints that some of humanity’s capabilities are on the wane or have been lost altogether. Earl was born on Terra, the fabled homeworld of all humanity, but all knowledge of the world including its location appears to have been forgotten.</p>
<p>Each Dumarest book is largely self-contained and episodic. M. Harold Page has an insightful blog post on <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2016/09/29/series-architecture-the-same-but-different-in-ec-tubbs-dumarest/">Series Architecture: The Same But Different in EC Tubb’s Dumarest</a> that analyzes how Tubb effectively recycles a few key elements over and over again in new combinations to keep the books surprisingly fresh. It really shouldn’t work, but it does. I had planned to just sample a few entries because I was interested in the origins of Traveller, but I keep reading because the books are both entertaining and full of useful ideas for my game. I’ve only made it through the first five or six entries but so far if anything I think the influence of Dumarest on the game is understated.</p>
<p>Everyone notes Tubb’s distinctive use of the term “Traveller,” and can point out obvious elements such as Low, Middle, and High Passage (along with the Low Lottery) that were borrowed for the game. Other ideas appropriated by Traveller include slow drug, fast drug, and anagathics, after a fashion. I had always assumed Traveller psionics were directly descended from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lensman_series">the Lensman series</a> but the Dumarest books have characters with psionic talents that to my mind more closely resemble Traveller abilities.</p>
<p>But I think I see many other, subtler influences from Dumarest on the Charted Space setting.</p>
<p>The interstellar society described in the Dumarest books is highly stratified, with wealth and other resources unequally distributed across the population. M. Harold Page aptly describes it as a “Grapes of Wrath galaxy.” Most worlds have an aristocratic class of inherited nobility, a striving middle class of traders and managers and artisans, a struggling working class, and an even lower class of indigents and outcasts. As a game mechanic, Traveller’s Social Standing characteristic makes much more sense in this milieu than in, say, Star Trek, Ringworld, or even Dune.</p>
<p>Technology in Dumarest is similarly stratified, much like in Traveller. Although laser guns are available, slug-throwers, knives, and swords seem much more common weapons on many worlds. While there are anti-grav “rafts,” on-planet travel might also be via helicopters, planes, boats, or beasts of burden. Starships are fairly rare and expensive, and owning one is an indicator of extreme wealth.</p>
<p>A planetary Law Level is also an important characteristic that varies greatly from world to world. While some worlds appear to have fairly oppressive governments with correspondingly high Law Levels, others such as Scar have very low or no Law Levels at all.</p>
<p>Like Charted Space, the worlds of the Dumarest saga teem with native, alien life that seems (mostly) compatible with Terran biochemistry. No <em>intelligent</em> alien life has yet been introduced, but there are many books to come.</p>
<p>Just the first five or six books have given me the following random ideas for spicing up starports in my own Traveller game.</p>
<h2>Travellers</h2>
<p>Earl Dumarest is a <strong>Traveller</strong>, which is a slippery term to define as it’s not quite a title, profession, or status. Travellers are, strictly speaking, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vagrancy">vagrants</a>, drifting through the Dumarest universe from world to world without a home or regular employment or income. They are, by necessity, survivors, resourceful and clever.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;float:left;padding-right:1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQT0XpQjbiBbgi90YTJuhugG1_ceDrGyadhmWOwx-m5lvtYQVgaQaLvBBhOMh8uvhhh-seBBmtDzd6l4bbnzuPmSKCeVA-WU4_tZZ3eizJQrNu2E8uzDnEut9bSI3jPEg7GH5SW5X4cbHy-TjW71N9c5o-ZdZp8wl5nZVye5tw1LAwfrjG4KuVyO5T8hJ/s2560/bb-7-1-scaled.webp"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1668" data-original-width="2560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQT0XpQjbiBbgi90YTJuhugG1_ceDrGyadhmWOwx-m5lvtYQVgaQaLvBBhOMh8uvhhh-seBBmtDzd6l4bbnzuPmSKCeVA-WU4_tZZ3eizJQrNu2E8uzDnEut9bSI3jPEg7GH5SW5X4cbHy-TjW71N9c5o-ZdZp8wl5nZVye5tw1LAwfrjG4KuVyO5T8hJ/s320/bb-7-1-scaled.webp"/></a></div>
<p>Travellers generally conform to the standard sci-fi <a href="https://sfdictionary.com/view/2730/space-bum">Space Bum</a> archetype, “a spacer who wanders aimlessly; a vagrant in space; (also) a spacer who is regarded as contemptible.” As Jesse Sheidlower points out in <a href="https://boingboing.net/2023/01/20/meet-the-space-bum-ambiguous-stock-character-through-generations-of-science-fiction.html">Meet the Space Bum, ambiguous stock character of generations of science fiction</a>, the term space bum reflects “all the nuances of the base word [bum]: idleness, aimlessness, vagrancy, worthlessness.” The <a href="https://www.midjourney.com/home/">Midjourney</a> illustration attached to Sheidlower’s post really nails the romantic appeal of being a Traveller. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beat_Generation">Think Jack Kerouac</a>, but instead of being blissed out at a Denver bus stop he’s hanging at a starport in Deneb sector, looking to score working passage to the Marches.</p>
<p>Earl Dumarest is a Traveller because he is on a quest to find his lost homeworld. While many Travellers are forced into the life by terrible conflict or bitter politics on their homeworld, some noncomformists might embrace the Traveller life as a way to escape the grinding tedium and control of early interstellar society. </p>
<p>The Space Bum archetype certainly fits with the Traveller RPG aesthetic. In <em>Agent of the Imperium</em> Marc Miller suggests that “Most people (indeed, whole species) never leave their homeworld: they never venture out of their gravity well, content to work, play, and even thrive on their home planet. Some postulate that there is a genetic basis for the drive of some (and the lack of drive in others) to reach beyond the bounds of a single world into the greater universe: a traveller gene.”</p>
<p>As most inhabitants rarely leave their homeworld, Travellers are considered inherently <em>interesting</em>, if maybe a little dangerous, to most people they meet. People want to hear stories of the Traveller lifestyle and the exotic worlds they’ve seen. People might seek out a Traveller for advice or aid regarding an unusual or difficult problem. In this sense they are natural magnets for patron encounters.</p>
<p>Travellers seem to be perpetually broke, always looking to put together enough scratch for passage offworld—and generally, that passage is going to be Low. Because they are inherently strangers, Travellers often attract suspicion from locals when dirtside, much like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobo">hobos</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramp">tramps</a>, or bums. (Of these three categories, Wikipedia’s description of a Tramp probably comes the closest to Tubb’s depiction of a Traveller.) Their outsider status likely makes them suseptible to scrutiny and harassment from authorities, particularly on worlds with high Law Levels.</p>
<p>Interestingly, maybe the single best game mechanic to model a Dumarest-style Traveller is the Drifter career from Mongoose Traveller. (Note that the Wanderer assignment explicitly reads “You are a <em>space bum</em> [emphasis added], living hand-to-mouth in slums and spaceports across the galaxy.”) Drifter is the default career you land in when you’ve been bumped out of your desired career and can’t qualify for anything else.</p>
<p>Because of this I’ve always been a little disappointed when one of my characters has had to take a term of Drifter. But after reading a few of the Dumarest books I’m beginning to appreciate the “career” much more and can see the potential. And maybe the career could be spiced up with interesting events or benefits drawn from these books. The Skills and Training tables look mostly right, though I’d like to have some way to pick up ranks in Art, Gambler, and Persuade in addition to the core skills of Recon, Streetwise, and Survival.</p>
<h2>Tourists</h2>
<p>In the Dumarest books, Travellers are to be distinguished from <strong>Tourists</strong>. Both Travellers and Tourists are wanderers visiting new and different worlds, but from there everything else is starkly different. Fundamentally, a Tourist has a home to return to, and visiting other worlds is merely a temporary diversion from a “real life,” not a permanent condition. Many Tourists probably like to play at being real Travellers, but very few ever actually adopt the lifestyle. </p>
<p>Another important difference is that Tourists have money. They seem to be primarily drawn from the Nobility and travel High, dosed with Quicktime. They stay at the best resort facilities, frequent the best casinos, eat the best food and drink the best wines they can find. While Travellers are forced to engage with the worlds they visit, the Tourists stay always apart, protected by thoughtfully curated itineraries, armed guards, and secure fences.</p>
<p>Tourists are first and foremost consumers of goods, experiences, and people. Unfortunately, our own 21st century regularly provides all-too-many examples of clueless, exploitative, and self-indulgent Tourists. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/spacevanlife/?hl=en">#SpaceVanLife</a>. In the MgT system, Tourists can be modeled using the Dilettante assignment in the Noble career.</p>
<p>As seen in the Dumarest books, there is more than a touch of the decadent in the Tourists. The entertainments and amusements Tourists seek out are more often than not bought at the expense of the local population. Blood sports of all sorts—animal, human, and other—seem to be common.</p>
<p>I’m thinking the worlds of my Traveller game ought to include many more encounters with sybaritic Tourists on holiday.</p>
<h2>Local Attractions</h2>
<p>All of these Tourists have made a long journey to see and experience <em>something</em>. And so far Tubb does a good job of creating worlds that have some unique hook to draw Tourists, such as watching the fungus blooms of Scar, enjoying the arenas of Toy, or hunting Thren on Solis. One of the most gruesome attractions so far is the Bloodtime on Logis, a single day in each year when all laws are suspended to allow the citizens to run wild and settle scores. It’s very much like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Purge">the Purge</a>, but on a planetary level.</p>
<p>These <strong>Attractions</strong> might involve the world’s native life: a particularly strange or valuable alien species, a mass migration, or a spectacular bloom. Other attractions are cultural: a religious rite, a unique architectural style, tournament, or festival. Imagine “Burning Man on Delta IX.” Other attractions might be technological, like the Computer on Toy or the wish-fulfillment tech of Folgone. Other attractions might be natural features such as waterfalls, whirlpools, volcanos, gorges, or mountain peaks. But in any case Tubb is able to produce some unique draw that doesn’t reduce an entire world to the tired old <a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PlanetOfHats">Planet of Hats</a> trope. </p>
<p>A series of Attractions could form entire Tourist circuits that wind through a subsector; a good portion of the High passengers seeking a ship could be traveling to the next stop on the tour. “We want to catch the hadj on Umat, then hit the big harvest festival on New Epping, and by that time that’s over the resort beaches on Kaula IV should be open for the summer.”</p>
<p>In Classic Traveller, the typical activities checklist for starships visiting a mainworld includes “Patron encounters,” “Planetary exploration,” and “Local areas of interest.” It occurs to me that the Traveller game could really use a nice random procedure to generate interesting local attractions for worlds, something to entice Travellers beyond the safe confines of the starport extrality line and out into the world proper. </p>
<p>While we have nice tables for generating patrons, we don’t have anything comperable for Attractions. Just as patrons offer a pull for the PCs to undertake a job, Attractions can pull PCs to explore their surroundings. Maybe an Attraction mechanic would incorporate trade classifications, or perhaps Population, Government, and Law Level codes.</p>
<p>In any case, starports should be crowded with guides, drivers, barkers, and hucksters all extolling the amazing local sights and sounds of their native world. Some will be legit wonders worth the visit, others lousy Tourist traps, and some might be outright scams.</p>
<h2>The Stranded</h2>
<p>The opening passages of the very first book in the series find Earl Dumarest emerging from his Low Berth only to discover that while in cryosleep his starship had been diverted to Gath, an inhospitable world that was not his intended destination. After a thief steals his money Earl soon finds himself <strong>Stranded</strong> with no immediate means to leave this planet.</p>
<p>To become Stranded on some crap backwater like Gath is one of a Traveller’s greatest fears in the Dumarest universe. Stranded Travellers are dead broke, or at least too destitute to afford even Low Passage offworld. The stranded are often hungry, hurt, sick, and lack adequate or reliable shelter, and thus are extraordinarily vulnerable to both natural and human predators.</p>
<p>This fear creates a real tension through many of the Dumarest books. Earl reports having been Stranded several times, a condition so miserable that he undertakes many dangerous jobs just to avoid being caught in such a predicament again. Stranded Travellers are often forced to take dangerous or demeaning jobs for minimal wages, enter into indentured servitude or military service, or worst of all, pressed into slavery. It might take months or even years to build up enough money to buy passage, and it seems likely many Stranded are forced to turn to crime in order to survive.</p>
<p>Just how bad must it be, to be Stranded in the Dumarest universe? It’s so bad that it creates a viable market for Low Passage, which is literally being frozen alive and shipped like cattle with an attendant 15% mortality rate. Your cumulative odds of surviving just four Low Passages is only a little over 52%, and eight Low Passages is 32%. That indicates true desperation! While the odds are likely better in Charted Space, they still aren’t great if the Low Lottery is still a thing. As <em>The Traveller Book</em> notes, “Since low passengers are typically without funds (who would travel low if there were any other choice?), the low lottery provides some chance for the individual to have funds upon arrival at the destination.”</p>
<p>Although part of a good Referee’s job is to find new and innovative ways to separate PCs from their hard-won funds, I’m not sure it would make for a very fun or engaging game to have the PCs just living out lives of quiet desperation on a string of crummy backwater planets. “Next session: Bluron sells his kidneys for a Low Passage to Planet Jerkwater, while Brenta takes a third-shift job in the planetary waste processing center.”</p>
<p>But that said, many class D or E starports ought to have throngs of Stranded desperate for offworld passage—along with recruiters looking to lure these poor souls into terrible contracts for rotten pay. Such scenes could provide lots of roleplaying opportunities, but also serve as a dire warning to the PCs: this is what happens when the credits run out.</p>
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<p>Materials produced by <b>Digest Group Publications</b> (DGP) are copyright © Roger Sanger. Any use of Digest Group Publications’ copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this Web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights. Usage is intended to follow the guidelines <a target="_blank" href="http://members.tip.net.au/~davidjw/tavspecs/maint/dgp_faq.htm"> announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List</a> for preserving the overall <b><i>Traveller</i></b> milieu.</p></div>Garnfellowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286268355315786252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620661993201682698.post-18405031750022742302023-08-29T05:00:00.022-04:002023-08-29T05:00:07.596-04:00The 1000D Limit<style>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOrOTJ_hWCwrM3WNJXPVde5PTQMVyO7F4PsmZZ-BRN0DJ_HiIlPaEz2olOARzuBtM2_Ig_el62-Yyy4aHwuG5z_0aKDXi7Gp5ZmbupNnkizn1k059hHB0wnny15eYRIvemPzUoE1TOBd8JCTrp6ZG1YrcLgZXTiIxPlACWCY670QL1j6cZNeR5Rbh6lYM/s1024/Hfoileiiau.png"><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="1003" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOrOTJ_hWCwrM3WNJXPVde5PTQMVyO7F4PsmZZ-BRN0DJ_HiIlPaEz2olOARzuBtM2_Ig_el62-Yyy4aHwuG5z_0aKDXi7Gp5ZmbupNnkizn1k059hHB0wnny15eYRIvemPzUoE1TOBd8JCTrp6ZG1YrcLgZXTiIxPlACWCY670QL1j6cZNeR5Rbh6lYM/s320/Hfoileiiau.png"/></a></div>
<div style="width:320px;text-align:center;font-style:italic;color:#7d4417;">Hfoileiiau, a small gas giant in the New Sol (MAGY 0503 D501956-7) outer system. The semi-major axis of Hfoileiiau is 8.49 AU, placing its orbit inside the 1000D limit of Aeetes, the system’s G3 V primary star.</div>
</div><p>The <strong>maneuver drive</strong> is the standard means of sublight movement in Traveller. A remarkable piece of near-magical tech, the M-drive is a reactionless system providing constant acceleration to the ship with virtually unlimited range and no fuel requirements, instead being powered directly by energy from the ship’s power plant.</p>
<p>Traveller is notable as a game that usually presents referees and players with a series of tradeoffs at every turn, whether it is in character generation, ship design, or combat. In most editions, including Classic Traveller and Mongoose Traveller, the maneuver drive requires few tradeoffs, and over the years many creative minds have proposed various setting-breaking exploits and hacks using the technology.</p>
<p>Perhaps as a way to prevent such shenanigans, both T4 and Traveller<sup>5</sup> impose a <strong>1000D limit</strong> on maneuver drives, which is an extension of a 10D limit placed on anti-gravity units in MegaTraveller. <em>T4 Starships</em> (1994) explains how this 1000D limit works. At TL12, advances in gravitics leads to the invention of thruster plates:</p>
<blockquote>Gravity drives use the stellar system itself as their reaction mass (much as a train pushes against its track, and the planet below, rather than by expelling exhaust). A small change in a star’s momentum translates to a huge velocity change for the much smaller spacecraft. … Beyond a certain point, quantum-gravitic effects drastically reduce the efficiency of a gravitic-drive ship by a factor of a hundred or more, and thus they cannot maneuver effectively in deep-space unless they have an auxiliary drive, though they can remain there while, for example, computing jump parameters. The cutoff parameter turns out to be around 2,000 solar radii. Beyond this point, thruster plates are virtually worthless for anything beyond stationkeeping, and some alternate form of propulsion is needed (71).</blockquote>
<p>This concept is continued in Traveller<sup>5</sup>. As explained in <em>Book 2: Starships</em>, “Maneuver is the standard in-system ship drive. It interacts with gravity sources to produce vectored movement. <em>…</em> M-Drives are subject to the 1000D limit: beyond 1000D from a gravity source, the drive operates at only about 1% efficiency” (101).</p>
<p>I think I understand the rationale behind this rule: it creates a limitation on what is otherwise a seemingly limitless technology. On its face the 1000D limit appears to be an innocuous change, but upon further examination, this change has some far-reaching and maybe unintended implications on the Traveller universe.</p>
<p>But first, let’s consider where the 1000D limit falls with some common types of stars:</p>
<table id="Limit">
<caption>1000D Limits for Main Sequence Stars </caption>
<thead>
<tr><th rowspan="2">Type</th><th rowspan="2">Stellar <br />Diameter (km)</th><th colspan="2">1000D Limit</th></tr>
<tr><th>(AU)</th><th>(Orbit No.)</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>A0 V</td><td>3,739,947</td><td>25</td><td>8</td></tr>
<tr><td>A5 V</td><td>2,543,164</td><td>17</td><td>8</td></tr>
<tr><td>F0 V</td><td>2,243,968</td><td>15</td><td>7</td></tr>
<tr><td>F5 V</td><td>1,944,772</td><td>13</td><td>7</td></tr>
<tr><td>G0 V</td><td>1,645,577</td><td>11</td><td>7</td></tr>
<tr><td>G5 V</td><td>1,226,703</td><td>8.2</td><td>7</td></tr>
<tr><td>K0 V</td><td>1,062,145</td><td>7.1</td><td>6</td></tr>
<tr><td>K5 V</td><td>927,507</td><td>6.2</td><td>6</td></tr>
<tr><td>M0 V</td><td>762,949</td><td>5.1</td><td>6</td></tr>
<tr><td>M5 V</td><td>478,713</td><td>3.2</td><td>5</td></tr>
<tr><td>M8 V</td><td>209,437</td><td>1.4</td><td>4</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>In general, the 1000D limit falls well beyond the habitable zone of main sequence stars. The 1000D limit for Sol would be 9.3 AU or 1.391 billion km, encompassing the entire inner system plus Jupiter, but falling short of Saturns’s orbit of 9.5388 AU. This means that maneuver drives in Sol’s outer system operate at only 1% efficiency. Under such circumstances a speedy System Defense Boat with 6g acceleration has its acceleration reduced to only 0.06g, or 0.588399 m/s<sup>2</sup>.</p>
<p>Consider <a href="https://greatdungeonnorth.blogspot.com/2023/08/mind-bogglingly-big.html">the <em>Starjammer’s</em> journey to the outer system of Desolation</a>. This trip consisted of two distinct segments. In the first segment, the <em>Starjammer</em> constantly accelerated at 3g until the halfway point was reached. In the second segment the <em>Starjammer</em> decelerated at 3g until it arrived at the derelict liner <em>Speedwell</em> with a velocity of zero. The total time for this trip was 141.86 hours.</p>
<p>If we instead applied the 1000D limit to this trip, the <em>Starjammer</em> could only use constant 29.41995 m/s<sup>2</sup> acceleration until it hit the 1000D limit of Dross, the M2 V system primary, which is about 18.26% of the total travel distance. For the remaining 81.74% of the journey the <em>Starjammer</em> would be limited to only 0.2942 m/s<sup>2</sup> acceleration.</p>
<p>If I remembered enough calculus and functions I could probably produce a formula for incorporating the 1000D limit into the <em>Starjammer’s</em> trip. But I don’t, so I had to brute-force this problem using the nifty <a href="https://www.calculatorsoup.com/calculators/physics/uniformly-accelerated-motion-calculator.php">Uniformly Accelerated Motion Calculator</a> at <a href="https://www.calculatorsoup.com/">CalculatorSoup</a>.</p>
<p>Let’s assume the <em>Starjammer’s</em> journey now consists of three segments: the first begins in orbit around Desolation and stretches to ½ the distance between Desolation and Dross’s 1000D limit. The second segment stretches from this point to the 1000D limit. And the third segment stretches from the 1000D limit to the location of the <em>Speedwell</em> in the outer system.</p>
<p>The <em>Starjammer</em> begins in orbit around Desolation and then fires up the M-drive, moving with constant 3g acceleration through the entire first segment. Then the <em>Starjammer</em> begins to decelerate at a little less than 3g through the second segment. At the end of the second segment the <em>Starjammer’s</em> M-drives efficiency drops to 1%. The trick here is to finish the second segment with a velocity just low enough so that the <em>Starjammer</em> can decelerate at 0.2942 m/s<sup>2</sup> all through the entire third segment and still arrive at the <em>Speedwell</em> with a velocity of zero.</p>
<p>We know the distance of each of these three segments. We know the starting velocity of the first segment and the ending velocity of the third segment are both zero. And we know the maximum and minimum acceleration rates in each segment.</p>
<p>Let’s tackle the third segment first. We know the distance from Dross’s 1000D limit to the <em>Speedwell</em> (1,566,856,472 km), we know the final desired velocity (0 m/s), and the maximum deceleration rate (-0.2942 m/s<sup>2</sup>). Using the online calculator, we can solve for the time (3,263,672 seconds, or over 906 hours) and the velocity at the 1000D limit (960,175 m/s).</p>
<p>So let’s try the first segment next. We know the initial velocity (0 m/s), distance (175,050,000 km), and acceleration (29.41995 m/s<sup>2</sup>). Using the calculator, we can solve for the final velocity of the first segment (3,209,350 m/s) and time (109,088 seconds).</p>
<p>This leaves the second segment. We know the initial velocity (3,209,350 m/s), final velocity (960,175 m/s), and distance (175,050,000 km). We can solve for acceleration (-26.79 m/s<sup>2</sup>) and time (83,966 seconds).</p>
<table id="TripSummary">
<caption>Trip Summary with 1000D Limit</caption>
<thead>
<tr><th>Segment</th><th>Distance <br />(km)</th><th>Acceleration <br />(m/s<sup>2</sup>)</th><th>Initial Velocity <br />(m/s)</th><th>Final Velocity <br />(m/s)</th><th>Time <br />(s)</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>1</td><td>175,050,000</td><td>29.4110</td><td>0</td><td>3,209,350</td><td>109,088</td></tr>
<tr><td>2</td><td>175,050,000</td><td>-26.7866</td><td>3,209,350</td><td>960,175</td><td>83,966</td></tr>
<tr><td>3</td><td>1,566,856,472</td><td>-0.2941</td><td>960,175</td><td>0</td><td>3,263,672</td></tr>
<tr><td>Total</td><td>1,916,956,472</td><td>–</td><td>–</td><td>–</td><td>3,456,726</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Add all of this together, and the time for the <em>Starjammer</em> to reach the <em>Speedwell</em> considering the 1000D limit on maneuver drives increases from a little less than 6 days to a little over 40 days. But perhaps even more importantly, these calculations are far too complicated to use at a game table for too little benefit. For both in-game and metagame reasons, you’d be crazy not to just fire up the jump drive for an intra-system jump.</p>
<p>So the first implication of imposing the 1000D limit: travel within the inner system of most star systems is unchanged, but travel to and within most of the outer system will almost always be via jump drive. Alternative propulsion systems for deep space maneuver, like fusion drives or High Efficiency Plasma Recombustion (HEPlaR) drives, are not nearly as efficient as classic thruster plates.</p>
<p>If no gas giants orbit within the 1000D limit, the old trader trick of refueling at a gas giant on the cheap and then motoring to the mainworld using the maneuver drive really doesn’t work so well, does it? Conversely, any gas giants inside the 1000D limit, such as Jupiter in the Sol system, would likely become the locus for additional starship traffic.</p>
<p>I think this is a fairly big change to the OTU setting: I’ve always pictured sublight ships regularly shuttling back and forth from the outer system with raw fuel and ores, with microjumps of less than one parsec reserved for rare trips to the extreme outer system.</p>
<p>With a 1000D limit microjumps are probably quite common in star systems with any sort of activity in the outer system. If the main world has a low hydrographic percentage or no surface water at all—and all sources for hydrogen are outside the 1000D limit—fuel suddenly becomes a much more dear commodity.</p>
<p>Maybe in a universe with a 1000D limit ships circumvent the restriction by using a slingshot effect to island hop between worlds in the outer system. Ships might use their maneuver drive to accelerate around and around a gas giant to build up momentum and then “hurl” themselves at the next closest gas giant.</p>
<p>Naval doctrine around system defense probably also shifts with 1000D limits in place, possibly giving more of an advantage to the native force occupying the system. A classic intruder scenario is an enemy fleet jumping into the outer system, refueling at a gas giant, then making for the main world at top speed in normal space. A native force defending a system therefore has to protect both the main world as well as the gas giants, forcing some tough choices if there are multiple gas giants. Does the native commander concentrate all assets at one strong point or spread them out over several, diluting their effectiveness?</p>
<p>If no gas giants were inside the 1000D limit the native force would probably see an intruder force jump into the outer system and refuel. Messengers seeking reinforcements could be dispatched to a neighboring system. The intruder would either need to “waste” fuel on an intra-system jump to the main world, still giving the native force at least a week to prepare, or make way using manuever drives. This would take multiple weeks and provide extra-system reinforcements time to arrive.</p>
<p>So possibly defense of any gas giants beyond the 1000D limit becomes a much lower priority with this restriction in place? This might be just as well, as SDBs and monitors cannot be easily transferred between gas giants in the outer system. A SDB jump-shuttle becomes a near necessity for moving defense boats around the system.</p>
<p>If any gas giants were inside the 1000D limit, the native commander could concentrate defenses on a much smaller number of points, and transfering assets between strong points is easier: the distances are necessarily shorter and maneuver drives can be used at full efficiency.</p>
<p>This might force some intruders to just jump directly to the main world’s 100D limit and lay siege without refueling, which is a huge gamble given the inherent command and control lag of jump. A 1000D limit forces an intruder to commit assets with no certainty as to what defenses will be found when it emerges out of jumpspace. A native force might only have its standard picket of SDBs and monitors at the end of the jump, or maybe this picket has been reinforced by a BatRon or an entire task force. As is sometimes said in these parts, “Hard tellin’, not knowin’.”</p>
<p>I don’t think any of these changes outright break the Official Traveller Universe, but all told, I’m not sure adding the 1000D limit into my MgT game is really worth the effort. As setting background the concept provides some nice handwavium, but as a game mechanic it seems to just make travel in the outer system a bit too messy and inefficient for my taste.</p>
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