As
I have been playing a game of Classic Traveller solo, the adventure
has been heating up! In advance of my first (lengthy) post on this, I
am preparing a few bits of background around the “Coalition Of
Systems” setting that I have devised. In the coming days/weeks,
I'll go into more detail, but here is summary
of the subsector I've started with. In most cases, this is as much as
I know about the worlds, but more is becoming clear with each play
session.
S, N, or GG after the UPP indicates presence of scout bases, naval bases, and gas giants respectively. I haven't included the trade categories in this, as my setting doesn't stick to them as religiously as it perhaps should. Apologies, Traveller purists!
So, on with the planets!
 |
| Crab Claw Cluster Subsector Map |
The
Crab Claw Cluster
0107
– Narthan – A – 8B741A – TL A
Corporate-owned
orbital shipyard. All inhabitants are employees who live in orbit.
Surface is lethal, but mined for chemicals & minerals used in the
manufacturing process.
0108
– Kaitos – B – 666625 – TL A – N GG
Old
established colony. Thoroughly modern, with much industry. Home to
many employees at the Narthan shipyards for time off-rotation, and
main supply for their needs – multiple transports a week to the
shipyard.
0110
– Beruna – B – 410313 – TL A – N S GG
Corporate-owned
starport. This dry, frozen, near airless world was founded as nothing
but a refuelling site for an old trade network. It has attracted a
small naval and scout base due to it's good location, although the
worldlet is practically barren.
0203
– Laspra – C – 655547 – TL 7 – S GG
Frontier,
agrarian world. No real interplanetary economy, main exports are food
crops and indigenous animal meats.
0204
– Eden 3 – D – 477250 – TL 7 – GG
Eden
3 started as a test in terraforming technologies. The main machinery
broke down many years ago, leaving the remaining scientists to try
and keep the biosphere stable during repairs, and overseeing the
introduction of new fauna to the planet.
0206
– Makuyu – E – 8A7302 – TL 4
Frontier
planet, and religious commune. The inhabitants live in sealed caves
on the surface. It is believed a component of the atmosphere plays a
part in their religious ceremonies. Not much is known as they do not
take kindly to outsiders.
0208
– Ambia – E – 9CA222 – TL 8 – GG
A
mysterious planet, Ambia is a corrosive waterworld – however, it's
profile doesn't fit conventional theories of planet formation. There
is a small orbital research station looking to find the cause of the
planet's condition.
0303
– Pallavia – C – 745488 – TL 7 – GG
A
basic agrarian colony, based around a single city. Just reaching
reliable industrialisation. Practically a communist state, with all
work proscribed by the Pallavian Works Bureau, and all luxuries
publicly owned.
0304
– Thoshh – C – 556414 – TL 5 – GG
Corporate-owned
world. Thoshh is rich in minerals, and has a well established mining
& refinery industry. Othewise unremarkable.
0305
– Oya – A – 685752 – TL 13 – N GG
Feudalistic
world, under the charge of Duke Oya. Generally a liberal world, known
as a trade centre and for it's highly ranked university. A large
naval base is present, co-ordinating the local fleet. Oya is the
capital world of the subsector.
0306
– Hestia – B – 5751155 – TL 9 – S GG - RESTRICTED
Former
colony world, Hestia was infected with a virulent plague from a
meteorite, decimating the population & atmosphere. Population is
only an estimate, as the entire system has been quarantined for the
past 50 years.
0308
– Zeconis – C – 544596 – TL 7 – S GG
Agricultural
world, of little note beyond the volcanoes & geysers tainting the
atmosphere and enriching the soil.
0310
– Xian – C – 62A79A – TL 7
Waterworld,
governed by Taoists & Buddhists. Peaceful, they settled this
world because of the beautiful sea life. All live on boats, rafts &
floating cities. Local legend believes some of the sea life is
sentient.
0402
– Dennett – C – 485546 – TL6 – GG
Unremarkable,
democratic colony world. Due to the low gravity and thick atmosphere,
most travel between towns and cities is done by air – many
indigenous species are flyers.
0403
– Eleck – A – ACA232 – TL 13 – N GG - RESTRICTED
Eleck
is home to a hive-like fungal organism, which has displayed psionic
abilities when densely grouped. Quarantined upon discovery, and now
strictly a naval research site civilians are not permitted. Rumours
that the fungus has spread from it's inhospitable home world are yet
to be verified...
0404
– Depac – B – 637797 – TL 12
Successful
colony world. The populous live in domed, sealed structures due to
the thin atmosphere. These domed villages, cities and connecting
tunnels span the land like a spiderweb.
0407
– Paltan – D – 979453 – TL 4 – S GG
Struggling
frontier world. Food won't grow easily due to the tainted atmosphere,
so it is mostly imported at high cost. Most issues are blamed on the
Baron, who reuses to relinquish any power to the Coalition Of Systems
– the scout base was installed as a compromise to allow the planets
independence.
0503
– Lokono – C – 44356A – TL 11 – S GG
Lokono
houses the headquarters of the subsectors scout service, bringing
with it technology and the financial support of Oya. Lokono is known
for it's vast forests, composed of 5m tall mushrooms. Feared to have
a common bio-genesis to Eleck, this planetary system is watched
closely (hence the large scout base). No sign of the psychic
hive-fungus has been found. Yet.
0505
– Hron – A – 553632 – TL12
Corporate
HQ world, home to the head offices of many businesses and their
controlling boards. Companies get seats in the senate based on stock
market valuations, creating a defacto oligarchy. This world has a
strong private navy & security force, and the Coalition Navy
leaves the system to it's own devices – due in no small part to
Navy Admirals holding chair positions with many of the businesses.
0506
– Taranaki – C – 130794 – TL 6 – GG
Failed
industrial world, originally a mining colony. All inhabitants live
underground in a vast interconnected tunnel system. Oxygen
factories keep these tunnel-slums “habitable”.
0601
– Faltet – D – 3336411 – TL 5 – S GG
Company-owned
agrarian world. The planet has a single continent, covered in farms.
Rich soil, and large beasts-of-burden called Torfuses that can pull
massive farm equipment made it a perfect planet for crop farming. On
the edge of colonised space, the local scout base is primarily manned
by explorers and stellar cartographers.
0602
– Sarabande – E – 446386 – TL 7 – GG
Based
on a moon of a gas giant, Sarabande is a dirt-poor mining world,
trading it's minerals for imported foodstuffs. A union-run world,
local government functions as a practical communist state.
0606
– Gehenna – C – 8A5470 – TL 9 – S GG
Ignored
for centuries, a recent science survey found a breed of indigenous
beetles secrete a potent nerve toxin. With it's possible use as a
weapon, corporate security outfits and mercenaries wage near constant
guerrilla warfare across the world, as many different groups try and
set up weapons labs. The majority of the land is covered in a
dangerous jungle, whose “trees” give it's atmosphere it's
interesting make-up. The scout base is just a front for the Navy
Intelligence Service, who keep a keen eye on possible weaponization.
0609
– Lonam – A – 5898AA – TL 12 – N GG
Lonam
is ruled by the self-styled “Eternal Majesty”. The world has a
small landmass, essentially a playground for the rich and famous,
whilst others visit the underwater medical centres. Some element in
the ocean has been harnessed to give incredible rejuvenation – but
at a steep price. Hence the financial success of this world, it's
rich clientele, and it's nickname, “The Orb of Eternal Youth”
0702
– Valtz – E – 427100 – TL 5 – GG
Failed
colony world – the atmosphere proved useless for crops, and the
mineral content is deemed “unprofitable” for mining. As such, the
colonies were abandoned years ago, although many structures and whole
towns still stand. The world has been linked with several possible
incidents of piracy.
0703
– Revis – B – 200357 – TL 14 – GG
Based
on a small moon of the local gas giant, Revis is an automated
refinery. Drone ships go into the asteroid belt, shunt an asteroid
into orbit of the moon, where swarms of orbital robot extract all
useful minerals and elements. The asteroid husks are then deorbited
into the gas giant, whilst other robots are constantly skimming for
fuel. The population is a skeleton crew of technicians keeping the
facility running.
0706
– Cordia – X -44540 – TL 5 – GG – RESTRICTED
Prison
world for serious crimes. Inmates are sent down in drop pods, which
double as survival shelters. Each drop pod contains a weeks worth of
rations, along with basic survival equipment and tools. There is no
government presence on the surface whatsoever, however the CoS Navy
keep a ship in orbit at all times. Nobody who has ever been dropped
has ever left the planet.
0802
– Islet – D – 5678BA – TL 2 – GG
Islet
is a lush world with ripe farmland and atmosphere, but ruled by a
despot. There is little industry to speak of and his subjects all
live in abject poverty. Most ties with the Coalition have been
severed.
0806
– K'klyh – B – 215249 – TL 13 – GG
The
dwarf planet of K'klyh is an old alien outpost of unknown origin.
Long departed, many ruins have been left on this world that is
orbiting a dying sun. The small population are researchers studying
the xeno artifact, and the star that is heading towards nova.
0808
– Coded XC1 – ? – 545??? – TL ? – RESTRICTED
This
system is under alien control, and much is unknown. A basic survey
has been performed, but the scout service vessel was attacked in the
system, by an alien vessel. The Navy is currently trying to open
communications, but progress is slow. Travel to this system is not
recommended at this time.
0809
– Coded XC2 – ? – 874??? – TL ? – RESTRICTED
Sister
planet to XC1, under exactly the same circumstances. It is assumed to
be under control of the same race, due to proximity & similarities
in ship design. There is still much to learn of both systems, and the
race(s?) that inhabits them.
So that is where Triff Dyloss, ex-scout, has found himself upon retirement. There should be another post up soon detailing the main differences between my "Coalition Of Systems" setting, and the OTU.
Any comments and questions welcomed on my subsector!
