Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Aslan Clans and Tech Levels

“The Aslan view technology as a means to an end, and nothing more.… They have successfully managed to blend technology and art into one strand, which touches all levels of their stratified, artistically inclined society.… Whatever the individual's feelings about technology as a whole, it should be noted that the Aslan are reluctant to turn all aspects of their lives over to impersonal machines. Even in mass manufacturing, the use of automated factories is uncommon in the Hierate. The Aslan tend to value items made by a master craftsman” (Solomani and Aslan 84).

A 10,000 ton, TL13 Weakhto-class Aslan cruiser.

We’ve previously looked at ways to determine the size of an Aslan clan’s Holdings and Population. A third important component to consider would be the clan’s Technology Level. Just like the TL attribute in the Universal World Profile, a clan TL attribute helps establish what types of items are available to the clan and what items the clan can produce.

CT Aslan (1984) provides some important guidance as to technology in Aslan society. We learn that “Tech level codes correspond to the equivalent human codes, but Aslan technology is somewhat more uniform through the Hierate than equivalent human-settled worlds would enjoy” (34). Also, “Technological level [of Kusyu] is E, and is about the maximum to be encountered in the Hierate” (35).

Although tech might be more uniform in the Aslan Hierate, it is not necessarily evenly distributed among clans. Tlaukhu members appear to possess better tech than other clans, and have some measure of control over when those clans gain access to new tech. For example, “Tlaukhu Space Forces are more proficient, better equipped, and more technologically advanced” than Clan Space forces (6). And the Tlaukhu’s “decisions affect the other clans of the Hierate as well. A decision to cooperate in the development of a new technology affects other clans when the technology becomes available” (5).

As GURPS Traveller: Alien Races 2 (1999) observes, “Technology in the Hierate is more uniform, but on average slightly lower, than in Human space. This is primarily due to Aslan conservatism… While this attitude limits their research efforts in some areas, it has not prevented them from copying Human technology where this is of benefit.” (45).

Aslan clans have a history of jealously guarding technology to maintain an advantage over rivals. Solomani and Aslan (1991) explains how the Khaukheairl and Yerlyaruiwo clans colluded to keep the secret of the jump drive away from other Aslan clans for centuries, until the other members of the Tlaukhu forced them to share the technology. 

Using CT Aslan worldgen, the TL of an Aslan world can vary from as low as 4 for a world with a low population, Class X starport to a high of E (14), the Hierate maximum. The following table shows the breakdown of TLs for worlds created using Aslan worldgen. The average TL is a little over 10 and just a bit higher than what is presented in the table, as Aslan worldgen sets a minimum TL based on mainworld atmosphere, which slightly inflates the averages.

Aslan World TLs
TLPercentage
42%
53%
65%
78%
89%
913%
1013%
1112%
1211%
139%
1415%

Let’s consider for a moment just what a clan’s Tech Level means. Over the years different Traveller writers and editors have tried to pin down a definition for world TL—does it tell us what goods are available, or what goods can be produced? According to Traveller5, Marc Miller’s “latest word” on the game, it’s a bit of both. In any given subsector, the Highest TL Industrial World determines the overall TL, which establishes “the construction of the military and naval forces” in the subsector. And in any given subsector, the Highest TL Important World determines the “highest generally available TL within a society.… Such technology is generally imported or produced locally under license and extrality agreements” (Book 2, 228).

To apply these ideas to an Aslan clan, instead on focusing on a single geographic region, we could reframe the scope like this: for any clan, the Highest TL Industrial World controlled by the clan determines the overall TL the clan can produce, while the Highest TL Important World determines the highest generally available tech within that clan. However, not all clans control either an industrial or important world—in fact, most probably don’t. Fortunately, such clans can and do import higher tech items, just like lower tech worlds.

So how do we determine a clan’s TL? For clans with holdings on only one world, the answer is easy enough: that world’s TL determines the clan’s TL. So for a world with Government code J, or Allegiance code AsWc (“Single on-world clan dominates”), or for clan with a Holdings code of 5 or less, we just use the world’s TL.

But for all other types of clans, the answer is quite a bit trickier. If we had a comprehensive list of all worlds controlled by a clan, we could use the Traveller5 guidelines and look for any Industrial or Important worlds to assess the clan’s TL. But in general, the allegiance codes are far too broad and too much of the Hierate is still undeveloped to allow us to identify a single clan’s holdings in all the sector data. (And I’m not sure having that information would be desirable anyway, as referees should be given plenty of open space to come up with their own answers.)

So, lacking a comprehensive inventory of Aslan worlds, we can develop random tables to determine the TL for other clans. And here GT:AR2 gives us some guidance:

The majority of clans have access to [TL 9–11] items, and often buy some [TL 12–13] items from members of the Tlaukhu, especially military equipment and starships. Members of the Tlaukhu manufacture [TL 12–13] technology for their own use and for export. [TL 14–15] equipment is not normally available, as only a very few worlds (including Kuzu itself) can produce it; where found, it is normally an expensive import from the Imperium or the Solomani Confederation (45).

All TL references in the above passage have been translated from GURPS to native Traveller scale. When I first read this section, I thought these numbers were too low, but it’s fairly consistent with CT Aslan worldgen which, as we noted, results in an average TL of 10. And I initially thought TL14 was too rare: after all, shouldn’t all Tlaukhu members be able to produce TL14 goods?

But within the Aslan Hierate, there are relatively few TL14 industrial worlds. I only count 31 such worlds currently in Traveller Map. Although not every Hierate sector has been updated and reviewed by the T5SS Project, I would be surprised if the missing sectors added more than 50% additional worlds, as they tend to be frontier sectors. So let’s say there are three to four dozen TL14, Industrial worlds in the entire Hierate. If the Hierate roughly consists of 17 sectors, which contains a total of 272 subsectors. That suggests something like only 15% of the Hierate is at TL14, which is perfectly consistent with CT Aslan worldgen.

Aslan worldgen does not associate government type/allegiance with tech level: the two variables are completely independent, and so no relationship is seen in the sector data. But following the GT:AR2 passage, I think it makes a lot of sense to associate TL with clan type. Maybe not all Tlaukhu members are at TL14, but probably all bloc leaders are. I also think it makes sense to have multiworld clans have a minimum TL of 9, to allow them to move between those different worlds.

The following table can determine TL based on a clan’s status:

Clan Tech Level
2DVassal
Clan
Multiworld
Clan
Tlaukhu
Vassal
Tlaukhu
Clan
2591012
3691012
4791012
58101112
69101113
710101213
810111213
911111214
1012121314
1113131414
1214141414

This table reflects an uneven distribution of tech within Aslan society, with more powerful clans controlling (and limiting) access to better tech. Tlaukhu clans and their vassals generally have higher tech levels than independent clans, and larger clans generally have higher tech levels than smaller clans.

I imagine that the most powerful Tlaukhu clans in the Hierate actively lobby the Third Imperium for access to TL15 military tech. And the Imperium probably has serious internal policy debates about this question.

On one hand, the two most powerful clans in the Hierate, the Yerlyaruiwo and Khaukheairl, are conservative signatories to the Peace of Ftahalr. These clans have honored and enforced the treaty for centuries, provide stability to Aslan space, and probably represent lucrative trading partners. (I assume Imperial megacorporations offer non-military TL15 tech to these clans for exorbitant prices.) The Yerlyaruiwo and Khaukheairl have suppressed incursions from ambitious clans and ihatei fleets into Imperial space. Further, these clans are increasingly in conflict with the expansionist Solomani Confederation.

Providing TL15 military aid to the Yerlyaruiwo and Khaukheairl rewards allies, promotes order and stability within the Hierate, and deters aggression from a hostile power. But the Imperium is encircled by foreign interstellar states, and its technological edge represents a critical advantage. Plus, the Aslan are a highly aggressive species and Hierate internal politics are volatile. “Black Globe Proliferation” and similar concerns are probably very real considerations for Imperial policymakers.

One could run a whole campaign around this idea. While Tlaukhu clans apply diplomatic pressure on Imperial representatives for TL15 aid, smaller clans employ intelligence agents and smugglers to obtain the tech by clandestine means, while Imperial counterintelligence and SolSec agents scramble to thwart these efforts. And all the while, Imperial megacorps watch and wait for any opportunity…

Copyright Information

The illustration at the top of this blog entry is from GDW’s Rebellion Sourcebook (1988).

The Traveller game in all forms is owned by Far Future Enterprises. Copyright © 1977 – 2022 Far Future Enterprises. Traveller 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.

Materials produced by Digest Group Publications (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 announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List for preserving the overall Traveller milieu.

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Aslan Clan Age

The ancient Aslan city of Seaoul on the Tafohti continent of Kusyu (DARK 1226 A876976-E). Seaoul is one of the Five Cities of Aslan legend, said to founded during the Htahryolea, or “First Age.”

Although it doesn’t bear much game mechanical value, I think knowing the age of an Aslan clan can be an interesting bit of background color—like being able to describe an NPC’s height or clothes. The Aslan have a particular cultural appreciation for history, and I suspect older clans have considerably more prestige than younger ones. Just as people might take pride in being able to claim their ancestry back to the Mayflower, so Aslan may try to connect their clan to historical events such as great battles or the discoveries of new worlds. Aslan males are probably far more interested in pedigree than the more practical females.

We know that some clans in the Hierate are downright ancient. The Tlaukhu was founded in the Imperial year -2083. And as CT Aslan notes, “of the original 29, nineteen of the original clans remain in it today” (5). That means at least nineteen clans in the Hierate are over 3,188 years old during the Golden Era of Traveller, and there are probably many more clans of similar vintage. (This also suggests that clan structures are surprisingly robust despite the extreme competitiveness of Aslan culture.)

Let’s assume a clan Age attribute that ranges from 0 for the youngest clans all the way to A (10) for the oldest clans. And let’s further assume that the Aslan divide their history into a series of eras called hryolea, an interval of 384 ftahea, or approximately 336.9 standard years. (384 is 600 in a base 8 system.) An Aslan clan is identified by the era in which it was founded:

Aslan Historical Eras
AgeEra NameTime PeriodNotable Events
0Tekhehaohryolea950 Imperial (3456 Aslan) or laterSolomani Rim War.
1TehlaiaohryoleaBefore 950 Imperial (3456 Aslan)Yerlyaruiwo-Tralyeaeawi War.
2TealraohryoleaBefore 613 Imperial (3072 Aslan)Peace of Ftahalr.
3TeaohryoleaBefore 276 Imperial (2688 Aslan)Great Conclave, contact with Imperium.
4KoihaohryoleaBefore -61 Imperial (2304 Aslan)Age of Aslan expansion ends.
5HryaohryoleaBefore -398 Imperial (1920 Aslan)Syoisuis aggressions in Iwahfuah.
6KhuaohryoleaBefore -735 Imperial (1536 Aslan)Crossing of the Great Rift.
7HryeaohryoleaBefore -1072 Imperial (1152 Aslan)Aslan encounter reavers.
8HihahryoleaBefore -1409 Imperial (768 Aslan)Yerlyaruiwo-Khaukheairl War.
9IhahryoleaBefore -1746 Imperial (384 Aslan)Discovery of jump drive, Terran first contact.
AHtahryoleaBefore -2083 Imperial (0 Aslan)Aslan world wars, founding of Tlaukhu.

The Htahryolea, literally “First Age,” stretches from pre-history to the founding of the Tlaukhu and the start of the Aslan calendar. This era encompasses both the Leakhtefu, or “first stage of enlightenment” (roughly -3050 to -2260) as well as the first three Aslan world wars. Clans that claim to have been founded during the Htahryolea include Yerlyaruiwo, Khaukheairl, and Eakhtiyho. The current era, the Tekhehaohryolea (“Eleventh Age”), is expected to last until the Imperial Year 1287.

In order to determine a clan’s age, roll two dice and consult the following table:

Aslan Clan Age
123456
1A86420
2864201
3642013
4420135
5201357
6013579

The table assigns higher probabilities to younger clans than older clans, but that said the average age of clans generated this way is a little over 1,097 standard years. Although the larger and more powerful clans tend to also be the older clans, there are exceptions. An ancient clan with low population and few holdings might represent a once mighty clan brought low by time and fate. Conversely, a young clan with high population and many holdings might have fissioned off from another clan, or could be a recently emancipated vassal clan.

Copyright Information

The illustration at the start of this blog entry is by Michael Vilardi from Solomani and Aslan (1991).

The Traveller game in all forms is owned by Far Future Enterprises. Copyright © 1977 – 2022 Far Future Enterprises. Traveller 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.

Materials produced by Digest Group Publications (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 announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List for preserving the overall Traveller milieu.

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

Tradition, Tradition! Tradition!

Without our traditions our lives would be as shaky as a yoyeaokhtefei [calligrapher] on the roof! —ancient Aslan proverb.

As part of our development of a standard profile to define Aslan clans, we proposed an Aggression attribute to quantify a clan’s general posture toward other clans and sophonts. Another useful attribute to consider would be Tradition, which measures a clan’s outlook toward and acceptance of change or innovation.

A clan Tradition rating is generated by rolling 2D - 2, resulting in a range of 0 to 10 (A). A low Tradition rating indicates a clan open to ignore or relax cultural conventions, particularly if such changes are temporary or effects an improvement. A high Tradition rating indicates a clan unwilling to accept even short-term changes or exceptions to cultural conventions, even if those conventions are demonstrably inefficient or inconvenient.

To Humans on the outside of the Hierate, all clans might seem aggressive and traditionalist. But to Aslan inside the Hierate, there are important gradations within these two categories. Newer clans tend to have lower Tradition ratings than older clans, but new clans need to demonstrate enough conformance to avoid drawing the ire of more powerful, conservative clans. And older clans need to retain enough flexibility to compete with young upstart clans.

Clans that show too little respect for established tradition threaten to corrupt Aslan culture with “incorrect” ideas or practices. But clans that prove too hidebound threaten themselves by refusing to adopt new technologies or failing to adjust to new political realities. On ancient Kusyu, many clans refused to expand offworld even after the star drive was made available to all, and most of these clans died out over the following decades and centuries. Similarly, clans that refused to accept the rule of primogeniture or abide by the terms of new treaties were pushed out or destroyed during the Cultural Purge.

Here is an attempt to assign Tradition scores to each of the ten Tlaukhu blocs, based on the scant information from canon:

Tlaukhu Bloc Tradition
AllegianceBlocTradition
AsT0Yerlyaruiwo8
AsT1Khaukheairl7
AsT2Syoisuis5
AsT3Tralyeaeawi4
AsT4Eakhtiyho6
AsT5Hlyueawi4
AsT6Uiktawa6
AsT7Ikhtealyo3
AsT8Seieakh7
AsT9Aokhalte2

Combining Aggression and Tradition ratings provides a handy way to describe a clan’s “personality.” A clan with both low Aggression and Tradition would be a natural negotiator, willing to converse and trade with a wide variety of clans and aliens. Such clans might be more accepting of new technologies or cultural practices.

A clan with high Aggression and Tradition would be assertive and highly territorial, and would use formal, established mechanisms such as duel wars in order to achieve its ends. A clan with high Aggression and low Tradition would be extremely dangerous and unpredictable, willing to break alliances or utilize new technology in order to gain an advantage over an opponent. A clan with low Aggression and high Tradition might be focused on scholarship or spirituality, urging cooperation and collaboration with other clans.

The following scatter diagram shows where each of the ten Tlaukhu blocs fall along the Aggression/Tradition axes:

Prior to the Cultural Purge, virtually all biological Aslan were considered to be part of the Htoifteirlakht, literally, “the bountiful lands ruled by the lords of honor.” What the Cultural Purge did was draw a hard line between those clans that belonged inside the Hierate, and those clans that belonged without. In some ways, the Purge eliminated clans that were on the margins of the Aggression/Tradition scatter diagram, leaving behind those clans closer to the center.

Copyright Information

The Traveller game in all forms is owned by Far Future Enterprises. Copyright © 1977 – 2022 Far Future Enterprises. Traveller 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.

Materials produced by Digest Group Publications (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 announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List for preserving the overall Traveller milieu.

Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Be Aggressive

Another characteristic that could help define an Aslan clan is its general attitude toward other clans and aliens. Some clans are notoriously bellicose, quick to lash out at the smallest slight, while other clans are notably tolerant, able to forge alliances and trade ties even with Humans and other species.

Just as we borrowed the Population stat from the Universal World Profile, perhaps we could also appropriate Law Level to describe an Aslan clan. As CT Aslan notes, “The real use for law level… is to represent the touchiness of the local clan government. It continues to show the frequency with which authorities may be encountered, and should also be used as the basis for determining the initial reaction of any official encountered.”

“Touchiness” might be the most appropriate word here, but it doesn’t seem like a very Fteir term. While I’m not completely in love with “Aggression,” it’s probably a better descriptor for an Aslan clan.

Aggression is generated by a 2D -2 roll, though Single World clans should simply use the Law Level -2 of their homeworld. Aggression represents the general outlook and posture of the clan toward other clans and outsiders. Individual prides or worlds held by the clan might have lower or higher scores than the clan. (“The Khaukheairl are mostly fine to deal with, but watch out for any members of the Kyorloiwahiry: they are always plotting to advance their pride’s status within the clan and quick to take offense.”)

The Aggression characteristic ranges from 0 to 10 (A). Given what we know about the various Tlaukhu blocs, here’s a stab at assigning Aggression scores to each:

Tlauhku Bloc Aggression
AllegianceBlocAggression
AsT0Yerlyaruiwo7
AsT1Khaukheairl6
AsT2Syoisuis5
AsT3Tralyeaeawi3
AsT4Eakhtiyho8
AsT5Hlyueawi6
AsT6Uiktawa4
AsT7Ikhtealyo2
AsT8Seieakh3
AsT9Aokhalte8

A lower Aggression score indicates higher levels of tolerance, openness, and willingness to embrace diplomacy. A higher Aggression score indicates higher levels of hostility, and an increased readiness to take insult or resort to violence. Aggression helps to determine a clan’s initial attitude during an encounter:

Clan Aggression
AggressionInitial Attitude
0Enthusiastic.
1Responsive.
2Interested.
3Noncommittal (Polite).
4Noncommittal (Curt).
5Uninterested.
6Unreceptive (Impolite).
7Hostile. May be discourteous.
8Hostile. Discourteous on 8 +.
9Hostile. Discourteous on 5 +.
AHostile. Challenge on 8 +.

While the standard Aslan Reaction tables from CT Aslan or MgT Aliens of Charted Space 1 are used to resolve interactions between individual Aslan, Aggression can be used to adjudicate social interactions between entire clans. Just as individual Travellers can have allies, rivals, or enemies, Aslan clans can have long-standing allied, rival, and enemy clans, as well as vassal or liege clans.

Allied clans are willing to go out of their way to help an allied clan. An Allied Clan is willing to risk its reputation and status for an ally but will expect reciprocity from them.

Vassal and Liege clans are like allied clans but are bound together through formal, legal oaths of fealty. A vassal clan can have only one liege clan but a liege could have multiple vassals. Unlike an ally, a vassal or liege clan is obligated to help the other.

Rival and Enemy clans are adversaries. Rival clans are usually part of a feud, “Disputes… [that] usually take place because of slights, insults, mistreatments, or problems which have not been resolved to both parties' satisfaction.” Enemy clans are generally engaged in a declared or undeclared clan war.

To resolve an interaction between two clans, one clan’s Aggression score can be used as the base target number, as modified by the relationship:

Clan Relationships
RelationshipModifier
Liege/Vassal+0
Ally+1
No Relationship+2
Barbarian+3
Rival+4
Enemy+6

For example, say Clan A is trying to negotiate passage through the space of Clan B, a Rival clan (+4) with an Aggression score of 5. Clan B’s initial attitude is adjusted to 9, meaning Clan B is initially Hostile and will be Discourteous on 5 +. The referee could call for various checks to allow Clan A to improve that attitude: A 9+ Diplomat check (1D days, SOC).

Copyright Information

The Traveller game in all forms is owned by Far Future Enterprises. Copyright © 1977 – 2022 Far Future Enterprises. Traveller 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.

Materials produced by Digest Group Publications (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 announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List for preserving the overall Traveller milieu.

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Wu Interlude Library Data

Akludu (Magyar 0902 B568669-A). Agricultural, Non-Industrial, Rich. An important Solomani Confederation world located in the Urartu Cluster in Eery subsector. Terran emigres established a major colony on Akludu by -2000, naming the world Aabida. The Terrans were joined by Aslan ihatei sometime before -1000, and the world has maintained an Aslan population ever since. Following the Solomani Rim War the Confederation has resettled thousands of Aslan from Dark Nebula to Akludu, where “Integration Schools” help assimilate them to Solomani life. Akludu lies on an intermediate trade route between Parade (Daibei 0940 A5458AA-C) and Xian (Magyar 1103 B7B48DC-9). The world is under military rule, controlled by the Confederation Army, and hosts a Confederation joint naval and army base. Recruits drawn from resettled Aslan serve in Army posts across the spinward theater of the Confederation.

Dal (Magyar 0202 F10086A-A) [Secondary World]. The solitary large moon of Wu (Magyar 0203 B66A99A-E), orbiting the mainworld at an average distance of 170,783 km with an orbital period of 12.12 standard days. Dal has a population of 743 million and is an important production center for power plants, jump drives, and maneuver drives. The Wuan Technology Association maintains a major research station on Dal for development of advanced materials. Confederation Naval Base Sereniti, located on a military reservation on the far side of Dal, is the headquarters for the Urartu Cluster Fleet. Sereniti Base has a modest orbital component at the Wu-Dal L2 point, and is the home port of the 53rd FleetRon and 19th CarrierRon. A co-located Army base on Dal supports the Solomani 44th Grav Tank Corps. The Confederation Army conducts protected forces training on the moon’s surface.

Greenvald (Magyar 0504 B864695-A). Agricultural, Non-Industrial, Rich. An important Solomani Confederation world located in the Urartu Cluster in Eery subsector. The habitable mainworld is locked into a resonant orbit with the system’s M1 V primary, Novisad, at a distance of approximately 35.9 million km. Terran emigres established a major colony on Greenvald by -2000, naming the world Novisad I. Several feeder and minor trade routes converge on Greenvald, which also hosts a Confederation joint naval and army base.

World Map Grid
World Name (and UWP) Greenvald B864695-ASubsector/Sector Location Eery/Magyar
Date of Preparation 201-1096Hexagon Scale (km) 1,005
IS Form 8-FSize 8 World Map Grid

hkyadwaeh. A mildly intoxicating beverage, exceedingly popular among the Aslan and far preferred by them over alcohol. Humans call the beverage bitter-root tea, after its taste, or muleskick tea, after its observed effect on Aslan who drink it. Hkyadwaeh is derived from the hkyao plant, a fairly common shrub found on several worlds of the Hierate, most notably Kualakhtaea, a secondary world of Ayeiyfua (Dark Nebula 0311 E100643-8). The beverage is brewed by steeping dried hkyao roots in boiling water, and when consumed by Aslan is about as strong as beer or ale on a Human system. A large number of specific blends and brews exist. Hkyadwaeh is a common cargo within Hierate space, though virtually no market exists outside the Hierate except among extrahierate Aslan. Humans find hkyadwaeh rather bitter and unpalatable, though a few individuals have learned to drink it without betraying their distaste.

monoblade. A light, one-handed polymer bladed weapon with a monofilament edge, a cutting edge just one molecule thick created by spinning a single-molecule strand.

Sharn (Magyar 0601 A7568BG-C) [Amber Zone]. Garden World, Pre-Agricultural, Pre-High Population, Puzzle. A member of the Wuan Technology Association, located in the Urartu Cluster in Clan subsector. Terran emigres established a major colony on Sharn by -2000, naming the world Choan; Wu was originally settled by colonists from Sharn. The world is located on an intermediate trade route connecting Association worlds to Daibei. The highport and the large shipyards attached to it are owned and operated by Optimum Heavy Industries, a Wuan corportation concentrating on starship construction. Even for a Wuan world, Sharn is infamous for the rigidity and conformity of its society. Sharn has one of the highest per capita production outputs in the entire sector, and any deviations are quickly rooted out and corrected by the oppressive clone government of the High Sharn Administrator.

Shrine of Heroes. A traditional space found in Aslan homes, factories, or starships where Aslan meditate on and gain confidence from the deeds and philosophies of their ancestors. This “ancestor worship” is the closest thing the race has to a religion. The Shrine is typically a small, private room, draped in tapestries and decorated with scenes of conquest.

Shuttle. One of the most common small craft seen in Charted Space, designed to carry passengers and cargo from orbit to surface and back again, as well as act as an interplanetary transport. A shuttle uses a 95-ton hull, is capable of 3g acceleration, carries 1 ton of fuel, and has a crew of one. It may have one fixed mount. The standard computer for the shuttle is the Model/1. It can carry eight passengers and has 67 tons of excess space, and costs MCr15.147.

Treakhouaia. An extrahierate Aslan clan, formerly dominant in the Akuusir Cluster following the Peace of Ftahalr in 380. The Treakhouaia had been exiled from the Hierate during the Cultural Purge for having become too familiar with humans, relaxing roles between the sexes and settling differences through legal arbitration rather than combat. The Treakhouaia came to dominate the worlds along the lucrative Wu-Kusyu route, including Colcan and Fonfado, and also had holdings on Dengmi, Wang, and Satwor. Following defeat in the Rim War and the loss of Terra, the Solomani Confederation began absorbing worlds of the Akuusir Cluster in 1041. The Treakhouaia clan at first tried to negotiate, then accommodate, and finally assimilate, though with generally unsatisfactory results. Many Treakhouaia holdings were seized by the Solomani under various legal pretenses and the inhabitants resettled to Akludu in Magyar sector. Today, most of the Aslan encountered in Akuusir subsector working in starports, crewing merchant ships, or serving in the Confederation military will be Treakhouaia.

A yeheal autorifle.

yeheal. An Aslan 7.5mm automatic rifle that functions much like a Human autorifle. It can be equipped with a shoulder sling, sights, a bipod, and a muzzle brake, and may be switched from semi-automatic to full automatic fire as needed. The yeheal uses a dual magazine feed with an internal mechanism that strips cartridges from one magazine until it is empty, and then proceeds to strip cartridges from the other magazine. As a result, total magazine capacity is 64 rounds and the weapon can be reloaded with one new magazine whenever less than 32 rounds remain.

Copyright Information

The Traveller game in all forms is owned by Far Future Enterprises. Copyright © 1977 – 2022 Far Future Enterprises. Traveller 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.

Materials produced by Digest Group Publications (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 announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List for preserving the overall Traveller milieu.

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Wu Interlude

We recently had a chance to play through a couple of short “Into the Interface” scenarios. In the first adventure, the crew of the Starjammer deals with ramifications from the Ross Charter. And in the second adventure, the Starjammer receives an unusual new charter with some demanding passengers.

Ship’s Log

Ship Name Starjammer.

Port of Registry Kline (MAGY 3012 A642987-E).

Ship Type U-CA33 Armed Packet.

Registration # 338-C-2725.

Wu (MAGY 0203 B66A99A-E) 126-1103.

0800. At High Nara starport the ship’s purser, Howard, paid the crew salaries. A total of Cr35,225 was debited from the ship’s account. Captain Cryo, Chief Engineer Richy, Wayne, and Brogue all took their liberty off station. The rest of the crew occupied the Travellers’ Aid Society Hostel on High Nara. As Weapons Officer Barry “Boone” Russell is a TAS cardholder, he received VIP treatment.

Wu (MAGY 0203 B66A99A-E) 145-1103.

1200. Several members of the crew engaged in training programs to improve various skills. Boone entered High Nara to purchase a cowboy hat, boots, and custom belt buckle. The ship’s entertainer, Daren Gardner, had his security robot, Tech-9, further customized. In addition to the tricked-out paint job, Daren added disco lights, a bass booster, and a concealed fabricator unit capable of printing TL8 items of up to 1 liter in volume.

Wu (MAGY 0203 B66A99A-E) 152-1103.

0800. Howard paid Cr49,500 in berthing fees for the Starjammer to the High Nara Port Office. The starship was then transferred to a maintenance bay for its annual overhaul. Chief Engineer Richy and the Captain returned to High Nara from liberty in order to supervise the work.

2000. Ronald, Boone, and Howard celebrated the sensor operator’s 40th birthday in the bar of the TAS Hostel.

Wu (MAGY 0203 B66A99A-E) 156-1103.

0800. Howard paid the crew their monthly salaries.

Wu (MAGY 0203 B66A99A-E) 159-1103.

1200. Crew members completed their training programs. Howard and Ronald improved their proficiency ratings with vacc suits and energy weapons, respectively. Daren was unable to complete his vacc suit course. Boone purchased a skill wafer providing expertise in unarmed combat. The ship’s android owner, Bodyguard 3185D31A (“Sonny”), completed a basic education course.

Wu (MAGY 0203 B66A99A-E) 160-1103.

2133. As Boone, Sonny, Daren, Howard, and Ronald relaxed in the lounge of the TAS Hostel, they noticed a disturbance near the lobby entrance. A tall, dark-haired woman scuffled with a couple of men dressed in suits. As Hostel security convened on the melee, the woman drew a primitive sword and stabbed one of her attackers. Boone intervened and disarmed the woman, who was then shot by one of her attackers with a gauss pistol. The woman stumbled toward Boone, whispering a single word to him before dying: "Klementin." Solomani Security soon arrived to secure the scene. Boone and the rest of the crew were detained.

2300. Sophron Hampson, the TAS Director of Facilities on High Nara, checked in with Boone and apologized for the dreadful inconvenience. Hampson assured Boone that nothing like this had ever happened before at the TAS Hostel. Boone asked about the woman, and Hampson said his security team thought that, based on her build and use of a sword, she was probably an immigrant from one of the barbarian worlds on the edge of Aslan space.

Hampson discretely urged Boone to be cautious in dealing with Solomani Security: the agency closely monitors the movements and communications of Imperial citizens and maintains an extensive network of paid informants. The TAS Hostel is relatively secure, as the staff regularly sweeps the facilities and computers for surveillance devices. Hampson agreed to comp the party drinks while they awaited an interview with Solomani Security.

Wu (MAGY 0203 B66A99A-E) 161-1103.

0100. Boone was braced by a representative from Solomani Security who introduced himself as Strephon Oest. Oest asked the same questions over and over again, asking Boone about his service record in the Imperial Marines, the recent charter to Wang (DARK 2506 D789899-2), how Boone knew the woman at the Hostel, and whether she had given him anything—or told him anything—before she died. While Boone omitted any mention of Klementin, he truthfully explained that he had never seen the woman before. In the course of the interview Oest revealed that the woman was a Wangian native named Yora. After a couple of hours Oest released Boone.

0900. Daren accessed the Wuan information net and confirmed that Oest was an officer of SolSec, assigned to Wu two years earlier. Daren inserted fictitious, embarrassing information into Oest’s public file. Daren learned that Yora arrived from Wang approximately six months earlier and had been placed on a SolSec watchlist.

Daren also reviewed library data that provided some useful historical context. In 1054 the Solomani Confederation deposed the indigenous ruler of Wang, Saeae Zui, and replaced her with a provisional government overseen by Solomani advisors. Ever since then the Empress of Yooi has lived in hiding, leading a government in exile. Due to ongoing political turmoil on Wang, all visitors from that system are flagged for enhanced surveillance by SolSec.

Although Daren found no records of a person named Klementin, he did identify a bar named Klementin in the Little Yooi section of Gyon, the capital city of Wu. Little Yooi contains a large community of expatriates from Wang and is located in a poorer section of the city.

Wu (MAGY 0203 B66A99A-E) 162-1103.

0600. Boone, Sonny, Daren, Howard, Ronald, and Tech-9 took a 95-ton shuttle down the gravity well to the Wu mainworld. Tech-9’s laser weapon was disabled to comply with Wu’s high law level.

0721. The shuttle landed at Wu Down starport, located just outside Gyon, a megalopolis of 1.8 billion that sprawls along the eastern shore of Keun Island.

0847. The team found a secluded space in a local museum for Tech-9 to print out body pistols, which are illegal on Wu’s surface. Tech-9’s laser was reactivated.

1222. The team arrived at Klementin, a nondescript bar in Little Yooi. The party chatted up the bartender, who was suspicious but invited them to come back tomorrow, when he might have some additional information about Yora.

1301. While at Klementin, the party was approached by a disheveled man with a bad haircut who introduced himself as Niilo Král. Král claimed to be a huge fan of Daren’s professional alter ego, HotLolz.

While sitting with the team, Král claimed that he was working for the Duchess of Walpurgis and said that the Imperium was very interested in establishing contact with the deposed Empress of Yooi. Král hinted that the Imperium may wish to provide support to the Wang government-in-exile.

Král left his contact information and encouraged the group to seek out the Empress, but Daren was suspicious: the man did not seem to actually know Duchess Shanika and—more damningly—seemed rather poorly dressed for a fan of HotLolz.

1347. Ronald used his considerable street smarts to lead any SolSec tails on a wild goose chase through the slums and alleys of Little Yooi.

1615. The team found lodging in a modest offworlder hotel on the outskirts of Gyon.

Wu (MAGY 0203 B66A99A-E) 163-1103.

1100. The team returned to Klementin and found two imposing Yooi tribesmen armed with swords waiting for them. The group was then ambushed by Král and three SolSec operatives wielding gauss pistols and monoblades, which are swords composed of super-hardened material with the edges honed to the width of single molecule. The team quickly joined forces with the tribesmen against the SolSec operatives.

After a fierce battle Král and the Solomani operatives were killed but Howard and Boone seriously wounded. The Yooi exiles quickly disposed of the bodies and wiped down Klementin before Solomani reinforcements could arrive. Boone claimed one of the monoblades, Daren another. The tribesmen then offered to take the team to meet the Empress.

1433. The team was led to a heavily guarded safe house where they were brought before Saeae Zui, the deposed Empress of Yooi. An imposing woman dressed plainly, she explained that she was only seventeen when the Confederation forced her into exile nearly fifty years ago, and she had lived on the run ever since. She asked what the team knew about the attack on the Yooi market, and insisted that her partisans were not behind this act of terrorism. She agreed that offworld brigands were most likely responsible.

Wu (MAGY 0203 B66A99A-E) 164-1103.

0700. The team boarded a return shuttle to High Nara.

0823. The shuttle docked at High Nara.

Wu (MAGY 0203 B66A99A-E) 166-1103.

1500. The Starjammer was released from its overhaul and the TAS renewed the starship’s annual operating certification.

2017. Brogue and Wayne returned from their vacations.

Wu (MAGY 0203 B66A99A-E) 167-1103.

0800. Captain Cryo reported that Hrol, the female Aslan translator, had identified a potential charter for the Starjammer.

1000. Cryo, Sonny, and Wayne met with Hrol. The prospective charter for Cr700,000 (Solomani) would deliver three Aslan males and the body of one of their fallen comrades to Akludu (MAGY 0902 B568669-A) and after a short layover, return the three Aslan to Wu. Wayne noted that for the Starjammer, Akludu is a three jump trip from Wu—completely within Solomani Confederation space.

Hrol explained that the Aslan are all members of the Solomani Confederation Army’s 630th Assault Infantry regiment, assigned to Akuusir subsector. While serving on a peacekeeping mission to Wang (DARK 2506 D789899-2), the Aslan soldiers were caught in the same Yooi market explosion that killed the bounty hunters Roozer Cogbin and Dibefe. Sonny countered the proposed charter, asking for the fee to be Cr700,000 plus fuel costs. Hrol thought she would be able to negotiate this amendment.

1200. Howard, acting as the Starjammer’s chief medical officer, performed annual physicals for the crew. All crew members were certified as fit for duty.

1630. Wayne submitted a flight plan to Wu Control; Sonny applied for an exit visa.

Wu (MAGY 0203 B66A99A-E) 168-1103.

Akludu and surrounding worlds of the Urartu Cluster.

0800. Hrol reported to the Starjammer to provide a detailed training on interacting with Aslan males, who can be notoriously touchy and prone to violence. Hrol noted that a male Aslan is on constant guard for any perceived slight to his honor, and will usually challenge the offender to a duel. Hrol strongly urged all crewmembers to avoid receiving such a challenge, but explained that declining a challenge would result in a great loss of face.

The three Aslan passengers, Eirleal, Feyol, and Khuias, are all members of the Treakhouaia clan, which had once been dominant in Akuusir before the Confederation annexed their worlds following the Solomani Rim War. Many Treakhouaia were forcibly relocated to settlements on distant Akludu. For desperate young Aslan males growing up in the settlement camps, the Confederation military is considered the most viable means of upward mobility.

Hrol explained that these Treakhouaia soldiers are only partially assimilated into Solomani culture. They have lived among Humans long enough to have gained a modicum of tolerance and can speak enough Anglic to understand basic commands. But otherwise, they observe Aslan cultural practices and will view the Starjammer crew through the lens of traditional Aslan gender roles, which are rigidly defined. Male Aslan, for example, have no concept of money, which is exclusively handled by females, and it is considered offensive to offer a male Aslan money—he will assume he is being cheated. For the charter, Hrol will handle all monetary transactions for the passengers.

Hrol explained that the captain, pilot, and weapons officer will all be considered male by the Aslan soldiers, as they are performing traditionally male roles. In contrast, the purser, engineer, sensop, and cargo master will all be considered female. Hrol advised the crew to simply accept these perceptions, rather than confuse—and potentially offend—the passengers. One benefit of being perceived as female: male Aslan do not challenge female Aslan to duels.

Hrol described Aslan dietary preferences to Howard so that the Starjammer would be appropriately provisioned. An Aslan diet is almost entirely meat-based, and the Aslan have difficulty digesting Terran-based animal proteins without special supplements. She further recommended Howard lay in a quantity of hkyadwaeh, a mildly intoxicating beverage known to Humans as bitter-root tea.

Hrol explained that a traditional Aslan way to pass time in jumpspace is to trade stories. Daren took great interest in this information, although Hrol attempted to dissuade him from engaging with the passengers, noting that Aslan tastes in art differ greatly from Human tastes.

Finally, Hrol suggested that the crew designate one of the empty staterooms a “Shrine of Heroes,” a traditional Aslan space used for meditation and veneration of fallen heroes and respected ancestors.

1730. The Starjammer’s exit visa and flight plan were approved.

Wu (MAGY 0203 B66A99A-E) 169-1103.

0600. The Starjammer departed from High Nara starport, bound for Wu’s only moon, Dal (F10086A-A).

0702. Ronald contacted the Confederation military base Sereniti on Dal, requesting permission to enter restricted space and land at the base. The base control provided a specific flight path and coordinates, urging the Starjammer not to deviate.

0726. The Starjammer landed at the designated pad on the moon’s surface. A Confederation Army inspection team came aboard to review the manifest.

1120. After a thorough review, the inspection team declared the Starjammer free to take on passengers.

1146. The Aslan soldiers Eirleal, Feyol, and Khuias came aboard with the body of Akou preserved in a cryo unit draped with a Confederation flag. The three Aslan soldiers each stood over 2 meters tall, wore Confederation Army uniforms, and carried only their army packs and their yeheals, a traditional Aslan autorifle.

1200. Brogue carefully secured the unit in the cargo hold.

1315. Howard provided a safety briefing for the Aslan before showing them to their staterooms.

1401. The Starjammer was cleared to leave Dal and made underway for the Greenvald jump point.

1654. The Starjammer reached the jump point and entered jumpspace.

Jumpspace 170-1103.

2000. Much to Hrol’s consternation, an excited Daren premiered a new holovid he created to the Aslan soldiers. The vid was a gaudy, over-the-top action piece featuring Aslans, filled with gratuitous violence, nonsensical explosions, and a concussive soundtrack. The soldiers watched with rapt attention, and roared their approval at the end, insisting that Daren play the entire holivd again from the very beginning.

Jumpspace 175-1103.

1100. As Daren entertained the Aslan soldiers, the robotic ship’s cat J0NZ-E entered the passenger’s lounge. The Aslan assumed the cat to be a mockery of the Aslan species. The outraged soldiers began working themselves into a rage, but Daren—to the surprise of Hrol—skillfully defused the situation.

Greenvald (MAGY 0504 B864695-A) 177-1103.

1553. The Starjammer exited jumpspace just outside the 100 diameter limit of the Greenvald system’s cool red dwarf primary, Novisad—nearly 115 light-seconds or approximately 34.4 million km from the mainworld. The starship made underway for Greenvald, almost 19 hours distant.

Greenvald (MAGY 0504 B864695-A) 178-1103.

1027. The Starjammer reached orbit around Greenvald, a rich agricultural world similar in size and atmosphere to Terra. As the starport had no orbital component, Captain Cryo ordered the Starjammer to prepare for atmospheric entry.

1057. The Starjammer landed at Greenvald Down starport, located on the western edge of the Equitorial Ocean. Howard paid the starport authority Cr250 in berthing fees.

1322. Eirleal, Feyol, and Khuias debarked from the Starjammer for a rendezvous with on-world representatives of their clan, Treakhouaia. Hrol explained that the Aslan have a tradition of providing hospitality to visiting clan members. Although Daren was invited to accompany the Aslan, the entertainer wisely declined.

Greenvald (MAGY 0504 B864695-A) 179-1103.

The rich, agricultural world of Greenvald (Magyar 0504 B864695-A) in the Urartu cluster. The planet is locked in a close, resonant orbit with its M1 V primary star, Novisad. The Terrans first established a major colony world on Greenvald well over 3,000 years ago.

0700. Chief Engineer Richy, Wayne, and Boone began monthly maintenance activities. Howard purchased replacement parts from the starport for Cr2,339.

1622. JUNO relayed a Greenvald news report of a disturbance in startown with shots fired. Local law enforcement were said to be en route.

1632. Ronald tuned the comms into a planetary emergency frequency that was reporting the theft of a grav vehicle. The car was flying easterly from the starport and out over the Equitorial Ocean, with two local civilian vehicles in pursuit. Law enforcement units had been dispatched to intercept.

1636. Captain Cryo ordered the Starjammer powered up.

1637. Engineering reported that the Impetus-E power plant and the Mark V maneuver drives were online.

1638. Wayne reported that an intercept course was laid in.

1640. Ronald requested emergency permission to depart from the starport tower. Permission was denied.

1642. Ronald feigned that the tower’s last communication had not been received and declared an emergency. The Starjammer lifted off and made at top speed over the ocean for the fleeing grav car.

1706. Ronald reported visual contact with the lead grav car, which contained three Aslan exchanging fire with two following civilian vehicles. Law enforcement vehicles were several hundred kilometers behind.

1708. Boone reported weapons systems unlocked and online.

1713. Wayne maneuvered the Starjammer in front of the lead grav car while Brogue opened the main cargo hatch. Boone fired warning shots from the dorsal turret’s lasers at the trailing vehicles, which veered away.

1715. Wayne decelerated in order to allow the Aslan to fly into the cargo hold. They crashed their grav car into the hold and Brogue narrowly avoided being crushed.

1717. Brogue reported the cargo bay doors secure.

1739. Wayne reported that the Starjammer had reached orbit above Greenvald.

1900. On the bridge, Captain Cryo toasted Wayne’s 38th birthday.

Greenvald (MAGY 0504 B864695-A) 180-1103.

1320. Wayne reported reaching the 100 diameter limit of Greenvald’s primary.

1326. The Starjammer entered jumpspace.

Sharn (MAGY 0601 A7568BG-C) 188-1103.

0516. The Starjammer exited jumpspace and began maneuvering toward the Sharn mainworld.

0800. The purser paid the crew their salaries and transfered Cr7,797 to the annual overhaul fund.

0828. The Starjammer arrived at Sharn Highport and commenced refueling. Howard paid the starport authority Cr1,000 for berthing fees. The mainworld below is a garden world, a member of the Wuan Technology Association. But the oppressively high law level gave the world an Amber Travel Zone. As such, landing by Starjammer crew or passengers was inadvisable.

1928. Refueling complete, the Starjammer departed from Sharn Highport.

2301. The Starjammer reached the Akludu jump point.

2308. The Starjammer entered jumpspace.

Jumpspace 193-1103.

2100. Howard and other offduty crewmen celebrated his 38th birthday in the crew lounge.

Akludu (MAGY 0902 B568669-A) 195-1103.

0258. The Starjammer exited jumpspace and got underway for the mainworld.

0540. The Starjammer landed at Akludu Down starport on the planet’s surface. Akludu is a rich, agricultural world under military rule. A large Confederation joint Army-Navy base is adjoined to the starport.

0700. Eirleal, Feyol, and Khuias cleared customs with the body of their comrade, Akou.

0800. Howard paid Cr250 to the starport authority for berthing fees and Cr29,000 to renew the life support systems.

Akludu (MAGY 0902 B568669-A) 198-1103.

1000. The Aslan soldiers returned to the Starjammer.

1124. The Starjammer lifted off from Akludu’s surface.

1141. The Starjammer reached orbit.

1500. Ronald reported contact with the CSS Nirah, a Type SX fleet courier arriving in system from maneuvers in the Xian (MAGY 1103 B7B48DC-9) system. The courier did not respond to hails.

1601. The Starjammer reached the Sharn jump point.

1608. The Starjammer entered jumpspace.

Sharn (MAGY 0601 A7568BG-C) 205-1103.

1958. The Starjammer exited jumpspace and made for the Sharn highport.

2310. Ronald reported contact with the outbound Aristelle, a 400-ton Type R subsidized merchant registered to the non-aligned world of Reynold (MAGY 0105 C401899-B). Captain Katya Knox was making a hasty departure for the Yamashita Belt (MAGY 0602 E000535-A). She warned the Starjammer of Sharn’s extremely high Law Level.

1646. The Starjammer docked at High Sharn starport and began refueling. Howard paid Cr1,000 to the starport authority for berthing fees.

Sharn (MAGY 0601 A7568BG-C) 206-1103.

0610. The Starjammer finished refueling and departed High Sharn.

0634. Ronald reported contact with a 95-ton shuttle in orbit, standing by for landing on the mainworld surface.

0722. The Starjammer reached the New Sol jump point.

0841. The Starjammer entered jumpspace.

New Sol (MAGY 0503 D501956-7) 214-1103.

0042. The Starjammer exited jumpspace in the outer system and set course for the gas giant Hfoileiiau.

0100. Ronald reported that a beacon in the inner system warned that the mainworld remained under Confederation interdiction.

New Sol (MAGY 0503 D501956-7) 214-1103.

1049. The Starjammer reached orbit around Hfoileiiau and began fuel skimming and refining.

1419. The Starjammer completed skimming operations and began maneuvering to the 100 diameter limit.

New Sol (MAGY 0503 D501956-7) 215-1103.

0047. The Starjammer reached the 100 diameter limit and held there while the fuel processors continued to refine the raw hydrogen.

0839. The Starjammer completed fuel refining.

0845. The Starjammer entered jumpspace.

Wu (MAGY 0203 B66A99A-E) 222-1103.

1235. The Starjammer exited jumpspace.

1400. The purser paid the crew their monthly salaries and transferred Cr7,979 to the annual overhaul fund.

1529. The Starjammer docked at High Nara.

Copyright Information

The Traveller game in all forms is owned by Far Future Enterprises. Copyright © 1977 – 2022 Far Future Enterprises. Traveller 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.

Materials produced by Digest Group Publications (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 announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List for preserving the overall Traveller milieu.

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Aslan Clans and Prides

Several Aslan families combine into a pride, and several prides combine into a clan. We can estimate 4,000 clans and 9.1 trillion clan members at one end of the scale, and approximately 1,200 billion families at the other end, but there’s no clear indication how big prides are or how many there might be in the Hierate.

If Aslan families range from Pop 0 to 1, and Aslan clans from 4 to A, prides must fall in between with some potential for overlap. In fact, given the lack of specificity perhaps prides could range from as small as Pop 1 to as large as Pop 6 for a Tlaukhu or multiworld clan. A large pride, then, might be larger than a small clan and might well command similar resources. The one hard and fast rule should probably be that a pride cannot be larger than its clan’s Pop -1.

Random Pride Size
1DClan Size
456789A
11234455
21234555
32345556
42345666
53456666
63456666

Relatively little canonical detail is available about prides, but the adventure “Ahriy Uprising” from the CT module Alien Realms gives us a tantalizing glimpse of internal clan politics at the pride level. As the name suggests, the adventure involves an Ahriy (pride) vying for rule of their clan.

Prides are probably much more regional in scope than clans. Even a pride of a Tlaukhu clan might be restricted to a sector, a pride of Mulitworld clan to a subsector, prides of vassal clans a world or two, and a pride of a Single World clan might be limited to a single continent or region.

Given the immense scope of the very large clans, prides offer tremendous potential for development as well as opportunity to make interacting with a Tlaukhu clan a bit more manageable. For a player with an Aslan character belonging to one of the Twenty-Nine, their pride identification might be much more meaningful than their clan affiliation.

Just as clans within the Hierate constantly contend for status and power, so do prides within clans and families within prides. Inter-pride politics are probably every bit as messy and fraught as inter-clan relations, but with many more complications of kinship and marriage. Civil wars, after all, are some of the fiercest and bloodiest conflicts.

Copyright Information

The illustration at the top of the blog is by D. J. Barr in the adventure “Ahriy Uprising” from Alien Realms (1986).

The Traveller game in all forms is owned by Far Future Enterprises. Copyright © 1977 – 2022 Far Future Enterprises. Traveller 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.

Materials produced by Digest Group Publications (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 announced by Roger Sanger on the Traveller Mailing List for preserving the overall Traveller milieu.