Saturday, March 06, 2021

Solo: 256-1106 - Tryonas

I've added a spreadsheet to track the places and credits, though I may end up printing it out. And in going back to the beginning realize I've been doing this for 2 years now. Without a lot of progress apparently as I've only visited 4 planets so far and covered a bare two months. Months that include a week of jump space! Seems like I have a lot going on yet getting nothing actually done.

Regardless, back in play again.

After a brief ship inspection and Dr Teag conveying the pratique, the Captain, Eow and Malik go through the zero-G connector to the elevator lobby. While the captain and Eow gracefully manage the transition, Malik managed to tumble and bang an elbow getting onto the elevator. 

from Vanguard Station, 0-Hr

As the circular elevator moved to the main part of the station, gravity slowly came on and Malik, nursing his bruised elbow, ignored Laux and Eow. Coming to the administration section, the elevator flagged that they were entering Red Level, Section Two, Administrative Offices. Getting out of the elevator, they walked through security and past what looked to be a shop of some sort. A left turn down a hall with windows to the darkness outside, and another left. Entering the the main administration annex, there were a couple of people apparently waiting as Laux went to the counter. Eow held Malik back as the captain spoke to the administrator behind the desk. A few minutes later, a well dressed woman came in through another door and led the captain out. "Where is..." Malik started, but Eow pulled him back and into a seat. "The Captain will return in a bit. In the meantime, we wait." Malik did notice that her tail was twitching, a sign of some agitation from the normally calm Aslan. 

What seemed like hours later but was far less, the Captain returned alone. "All good" he said the Malik and Eow. "We'll get our passports validated and head on down to the Tryonas. We're actually fueling up here - we've an agreement with the Feelanders Council." Heading back to the elevators, they made their way back to the No Refund, Malik's head full of questions, but from the glances from the Captain and Eow, kept quiet. 


Vanguard Station Admin Complex, Red Level, Section 2

Okay, injecting a bit of mystery here. As mentioned, this ship cannot succeed on trade alone. So there needs to be another reason that they can keep flying, with trade as the cover. Knowing that the No Refunds is an Imperial ship, yet goes freely into the League of Independent Planets may be part of this background: while the Imperium and the League co-exist, there are some secrets for both governments. The League has substantially higher tech level development at least in the medical field. While a private company, it is part of the League. And there may be other secrets as well. I am not a good person for secrets (so don't tell me any!) so often have a difficult time generating political level ones. But: is the No Refunds working for the Imperium, the League, both? It is a trader and part of the Antares Ship Builders and Trade Speculators group, are there trade wars and secrets? Only the Shadow knows!

This could possibly play out better with a referee and players: I tend to modulate my adventures to fit the players sense of direction. Though the last few games of Traveller I've run, the players, not familiar with the game and especially not the entire Third Imperium or my Traveller Universe, tended to be a bit more hesitant about exploring the universe. Regardless, as I am playing solo, it is a bit harder for some things, and a bit easier for others. I am adding some additional backstory.

The Feelanders Council deals with the fees and taxes for landed people, as well as ships coming to the ports. The good Captain's deal is an information-based one: nothing illegal in either the Imperium or the League: he collects information on the taxes, fees and other information that the Imperium levies against its citizens and traders. Sometimes there is a bit more information than that, possibly proprietary and concerning ship movements. One can track an awful lot by following the credits trail!

Okay, so we at least go docked at the station and will get to the planet next post! Sell those cars, look for cargo, all the fun things. And maybe more - perhaps a ski trip in the Shadows!

And January made blog posting simple: just had to do a character a day. But I do want to continue this game and explore my old college worlds a bit more.

And I need to continue the solo Fantasy Trip game - I actually cleaned up the basement a bit as I managed to give my old console TV to a friend (where it now does duty playing WII games for his kids, in glorious 55" HD!) I managed to move the furniture a bit, including moving one of the shelf things to my office space to get a few more games off the floor. In preparation for getting a new TV, one that has HDMI and WiFi. That last one, even though an HD TV, was before HDMI was out. Component only! I also gave him the barely functioning DVD player as I need to get a BluRay player at some point. At the rate I am going it will be weeks if not months before that happens. But as noted in the blog, apparently I am not in a rush about things! 

Cool thing is, my friend made me these massive metal dice! No way I can roll them without breaking furniture as they are really, really heavy! I've told him he needs to open an Etsy shop - pretty sure people would buy these. I use them mostly as paper weights and hefty fidgeting things!


And there is a giant scorpion in the Lamia's Labyrinth. So I got one and painted it!


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