Rolling 3 PCs: (Scores of +2 +1 +1 +1 0 -1 allocated to standard "D&D" stats)
Randomised stats and skills (1 in 6 per roll of choosing a suited skill instead of random).
Age is 6d10, and birthday is d365. Personality inspired by rolling on Scarlet Heroes tables.
Perdix Desme, FeHu, Level 1, Age 44, Birthday 276. Homeworld: Zarn.
Sun-weathered body, sun-bleached hair, rings everywhere, pilot suit / overalls.
Trait: Wears gaudy jewellery. Temperament: Compassion. Motive: Fix something she broke.
STR 0 INT +1 DEX +2 WIS +1 CON -1 CHA +1
Hit Dice 0. Hit Points 5.
Freydis Gerou, MaHu, Level 1, Age 32, Birthday 104. Homeworld: Zarn.
Olive skinned version of “Hulk Hogan” (blonde, big moustache, ripped, white suit)
Trait: Hard of hearing. Temperament: Bigoted. Desire: Buying something of beauty.
STR +2 INT 0 DEX -1 WIS +1 CON +1 CHA +1
Hit Dice 2. Hit Points 9.
Syar Vord, FeHu, Level 1, Age 27, Birthday 311. Homeworld: Velden.
Pale skin, ratty black hair, shifty/nervous manner. Dresses like a goth.
Trait: Blind in one eye. Temperament: Loyal. Desire: Prove her intelligence.
STR -1 INT +1 DEX +1 WIS 0 CON +1 CHA +2
Hit Dice 2. Hit Points 6.
PCs get +1 skill if they “link” to another PC, so as Perdix and Freydis homeworld = Zarn, we’ll say they worked together in their first term. Syar’s homeworld = Velden. No link to others, so only 2 skills in the first term. Each PC has 3 Terms before play begins.
Zarn (C6856447) is a Garden world and ‘holiday planet’ where the native species (also called Zarn) are semi-intelligent Giant Bees. Non-Zarn are usually employed by the Hive Queens or tourist corporations for tasks that giant bees are not well suited for, and while the money is decent, it is incredibly boring. The drones have no conversation and the holidaymakers are here for the Bees. Perdix and Freydis pack up and leave for Campinas.
Velden (E97A3039) is a Water World known for extreme sports and risky living. Between unstable geothermal activity, excitable jellyfish, unreliable undersea shelters and a somewhat carefree use of Cryo on the living, Syar decides that losing one eye was enough, and stows away on the next available ship, which she exits at the first port - Campinas.
[Note for below: I simplify Traveller Tech Levels to 0-5, where 2 is “modern day”]
Term 1
Perdix rolls Navigate, Spacecraft (launch), Science (Biology/Genetics)
She is a Shuttle pilot and tour guide.
She chooses Nav Datapad (T2) & Science Kit (T2) as equipment.
Freydis rolls Observation, Melee, Admin/Legal
He is a guard/liaison/escort hired by one of the tourism corporations.
He chooses Armour Suit (T2) & Stun Baton (T2) as equipment.
Syar rolls Stealth, Deception.
She is a thief and con artist.
She chooses an Augmentation (T3 cybernetic eye) as equipment.
Perdix & Freydis both know the hiring manager from their corporation days, Onuris Okoy (friend).
…..
Campinas (B5334107) is, to Syar’s annoyance, another planet strongly dependent on the ocean for its livelihood. The planet itself is dotted with underground and underwater fortified enclaves full of distrusting groups who harvest the seas for fish and coral, while avoiding or hunting the deadly but tasty salt-water Fly Trap plants. In the ports the loose laws are upheld by agreed duels, and code-breakers will be lynched, creating a somewhat “wild west” vibe.
Who connects with Syar? (d3=) Perdix. How? (SWN) Civilised Event = “Psionic Scare”
Syar is looking to create a distraction after a theft, and fakes a Psi attack with a subsonic electronic device - while Perdix with her Scientific background is not fooled, she respects the attempt, and her compassion compels her to save Syar from the lynch mob.
Term 2
Perdix rolls Persuasion, Groundcraft/Hover, Vacc Suit/Zero-G
These make sense for her to have learned as a shuttle pilot.
She chooses a Vacc Suit (T2) and a 10mm pistol (T2) as equipment.
Freydis rolls Trader and Cultures/Languages.
These make sense for him to have learned as an alien species liaison.
He chooses an Assault Rifle (T2) and a supply of (T2) “Steady hand” drugs as equipment.
Syar rolls Observation, Science (Robotics/Cybernetics) and Electronics (Device).
These make sense for her to have learned as a tech criminal.
She chooses a Light Kevlar Vest (T2) and an SMG (T2) as equipment.
Some Campinas locals were not amused by the Psi Scare and have dodgy AI photofits of Perdix & Syar from a few witnesses, and are looking to deliver some retribution (enemy)
…..
Syar has successfully stolen a 4-pack of luxury space-cruise tickets and plans to “launder” them at the gambling tables. Perdix has introduced Syar to Freydis, and the thief decides the bulky man will make perfect muscle for her plan.
Term 3
Perdix rolls Gunnery (Marksman) and Aircraft (Grav)
These make sense for her to have learned as a shuttle pilot and loitering on Campinas.
She chooses a second 10mm Pistol (T2) and Grav Repair Tools (T2) as equipment.
Freydis rolls Streetwise, Watercraft (submarine) and Athletics.
These make some sense for him to have learned previously, or loitering on Campinas.
He chooses a Culture Database (T2) and a Sledgehammer (T2) as equipment.
Syar rolls Computers (Jack-of-the-Trade) and Athletics.
These make sense for her to have learned as a criminal.
She chooses Robotics Toolkit (T2) and Electronics Toolkit (T2) as equipment.
Syar & Freydis use their savvy and charisma to befriend a local mobster who runs a high stakes gambling den, one Ulfrun Sokkwi (friend).
…
The PCs are on the Campinas Highport, Titanic - a simple spinning cube in orbit near to the Imperial-occupied and antenna-bristling ex-Solomani base spheres. The highport interior has a spartan layout of steel walls and security grills - weapons of all sorts are on display from the populace, and people steer wide paths around each other. Freydis and Syar are in a back-alley casino and have charmed their way into a high-stakes game of “Lexicon” - a game where players collect letter tiles to form words and phrases. The more complex and culturally significant the words, the more powerful the hand.
Syar sits at the table, with Freydis looming nearby. The large man has picked up a lot about languages and cultures from his time liaising for the Zarn, but Syar had earlier convinced him that her “natural gambling smarts” made her the better choice to play. Over the course of the evening, players retire and the stakes increase until Syar is left sitting opposite a man rivalling Freydis in size, wearing dark shades, a military camo jacket, and a huge rifle on his back. A sizable crowd has gathered, watching and chattering, while Syar studies her tiles - then bets the luxury cruise tickets, maybe 100 k-creds in value. Her opponent responds by lifting a high-tech secured suitcase to the table - even without knowing the contents, the case alone is worth a small fortune if she can crack it open, and someone in the crowd softly whistles appreciatively.
Syar nods, accepting the stakes. She smiles and reveals her “Semantic Cascade”, a chain of Galanglic words (Cloud, Rain, River, Sea, Sun) representing water’s cyclic journey. The crowd murmurs in appreciation, and it seems the military man was bluffing as he pushes in a set of seemingly random Campinan words (according to the translator screen nearby) and begins to casually push them around the table. Syar reaches for her winnings, but the floor manager coughs, and the whispers in the crowd become louder voices. “Monsieur plays ‘Silent Orthography’ in Campinan, and is the victor”. As the military man collects his winnings, Freydis grabs Syar’s shoulders and shakes her, but she stares at the game-screen again, now with some letters highlighted - the words are not random, but actually making clever use of silent letters in Campinan to spell out a connecting word, bringing the full hand together in a master stroke.
Eventually Freydis dumps a drink over Syar’s head to snap her out of her daze, and pulls her to her feet. “Come on girl, you just lost all our money - let’s go see Perdix, maybe she can figure a way out of this”.
And so the solo game begins!
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