A Mission of Mercy

Game Master greg white 722

So a couple of things I'm interesting in GMing. Note that even if I get any bites, it would still be a couple of weeks before I could have anything running. I'm just testing the waters.

'Old, old school.' Running David Arneson's classic 'Temple of the Frog' with the 'Lamentations of a Flame Princess' hybrid rules: this uses the d20 To Hit roll rather than the old AC/Lvl Matrices, but it is otherwise full of old school crunchiness.Feats, hah. When I was growing up playing D&D we didn't have any stinking feats!

'Summer on Monster Island': A D100 tribute to Ray Harryhausen Monster Island using a yet to be decided member of the D100 family (Runequest, Legend, Basic Roleplaying).

'Have Blaster, will Travel'. The classic science fiction RPG Traveller.

Now I know these aren't your typical Pathfinder offerings but is there any interest in trying something a little different?

Traveller. I haven't played in 30 years or so. Don't even remember the rules, but it was fun. Old school style -- also very cool. Unfortunately I am running flat out on PbP right now. I do hope you get a good amount of interest.

Ha. Traveller....blast from the past!

I'd be very interested in this !

Bump.

Quite interested in Traveller.

I haven't played any of this, but I'm interested in playing one.

Ok. Still trolling this out there. It looks so far like Traveller is the leading contender.

I would go for the Traveller of those three.

OK.

So we're looking for some four to six characters(players), probably ex-military, to deliver medical supplies on behalf of a humanitarian organization in an unarmed Free Trader to a hospital ship in the Schaler Trivarium system.

We're using the Mongoose rules, of which there's a free, 'Book Zero' quickstart, linked in the first post.

"Unarmed Free Trader"... words to send chills up the spine of any veteran Traveller.

I'd like to toss my hat in the ring. I'll post a character later today. Probably a Scout.

How do you want to handle character creation, cirle?

Indeed, and I'll get a character together. I have access to all the books. Can I make use of anything I have, or would you rather I stick to the core rules?

Human only. Anything outside of the corebook I would like prior approval on. Ideally any associates gained as 'Life Events' should be fellow players, because otherwise they'll probably never come into play.

I was just hoping to make use of the expanded tables in the other splatbooks, and maybe for a goodie or two from the Equipment Guide.

Should be alright WhtKnt, just as long as I don't see nanotech-boosted supermen or the like.

Agent: employed by the NGO sponsoring the relief effort to 'facilitate.'
Army: Security
Citizen: Corporate only. Responsible for making sure that the valuable pharmaceuticals donated by the benevolent corps. get to the truly needy.
Drifter: Not really a good fit, unless you can convince me otherwise.
Entertainer: Journalist. Pretty much self-explanatory.
Marines: Security.
Merchants. Naah. This isn't a profit-making venture.
Navy: Someone has to pilot and navigate.
Nobility: Administrator. The prime mover.
Rogue. See Merchants.
Scholar: Physician. The need for emergency expertise in the stricken system is great.
Scout: Courier. Has, or had, useful contacts in the system.

What would you want us to do for rolls?

Hmmm. Quite specific roles, but I can live with it. I'll begin working on my character ASAP. I should like to try for the Journalist, but let's see what the dice have to say, first.

Well, given those rolls, I would have to arrange my stats thusly...

STR 3 DEX 5 END 4 INT 9 EDU 7 SOC 3

Not a great character, but at least it gives me a chance to make the Journalist career.

I think I'll have her be a native of Beck's World (Spinward Marches 0604). That gives her Trade 0 and Survival 0. Her education score doesn't add anything, so she gets one other skill. For a future journalist, I think that Language is pretty important.

So, at 18 years old, Aurora Feldspar stands at:

Str 3 Dex 5 End 4 Int 9 Edu 7 Soc 3
Language 0, Survival 0, Trade 0

Next: She tries to get into the Journalism career.

Aurora Feldspar is going to become a Journalist (hopefully):

Aurora Feldspar 22 years old
Str 3 Dex 5 End 4 Int 9 Edu 7 Soc 2
Art 0, Carouse 0, Computers 0, Deception 0, Language 0, Persuade 0, Steward 0, Survival 0, Trade 0

Aurora Feldspar 26 years old
Str 3 Dex 5 End 4 Int 9 Edu 7 Soc 2
Art 0, Carouse 0, Computers 0, Deception 0, Language 0, Life Science 0, Medic 1, Persuade 0, Steward 0, Survival 0, Trade 0

Next Up: She continues her career as a physician (hopefully).

Aurora Feldspar 30 years old
Str 3 Dex 5 End 4 Int 10 Edu 7 Soc 2
Art 0, Carouse 0, Computers 0, Deception 0, Language 0, Life Science 0, Medic 2, Persuade 0, Steward 0, Survival 0, Trade 0

Aurora Feldspar 34 years old, 60K credits
Str 3 Dex 4 End 3 Int 11 Edu 8 Soc 2
Art 0, Carouse 0, Computers 0, Deception 0, Language 0, Life Science (Biology) 1, Medic 2, Persuade 1, Steward 0, Survival 0, Trade 0

I'll have an alias up for her soon.

Have Gun, Will Travel!

I've never heard of this before, and am not at all familiar with the background, but if you don't mind I'll take my best shot. Aiming for the Navy slot for a pilot/navigator.

I've also referenced the Traveller SRD if that's accepted. If it's not, just tell me.

Aaaand I'll stop here with my character getting honorably discharged from the Navy. Seems like a good place for him to get into the story, looking for work.

For my Pilot/Engineer/Gunner/Gun Combat (any), can anyone tell me what that means? I can pick any specialization like (spacecraft) for pilot or is it that I can pilot any? And if it's specializations, can someone give me recommendations? I simply have no clue what to choose for them. I'm aiming to be the pilot/navigator for our ship.

I'm also assuming Gun Combat (energy weapons) would be ideal since I took a TL 11 Laser Pistol for my weapon. Speaking of, do I need to purchase the corresponding Power Pack for my bonus weapon (i.e. it came with no ammo) and are power packs limited in nature (i.e. not rechargeable and thus must be purchased/paid for again)?

And are the Options included with the benefited weapon or do they have to be purchased? That is to say, the mustered out weapon is completely plain and I have to pay to add options to it. And for items with options, do the options count against the Cr 2000 purchase limit for a single item or are they considered as separate purchases?

At Skill Level 0, you do not choose a specialization. You can pilot any vessel with equal proficiency, for example. Skill Level 0 is simply another way of saying that you are competent in that skill.

If a skill has specializations, you choose them starting at level 1. In this instance, you make all rolls concerning your specialty at +(Skill Level), and make all other rolls at the base level.

Let's say that a character has Pilot (Spacecraft) at 2 (3). When piloting a spacecraft (any craft between 100 and 5,000 tons), he does so at a +3 DM (Dice Modifier). For piloting any other kind of ship (such as a capital ship), he does so at a +2 DM.

Some skills do not require specialties. For these skills, you get a DM equal to whatever your level is with the skill. For example, you have Vacc Suit at Level 1. You get a +1 DM on Vacc Suit rolls. Period.

In Traveller, you need only make a roll of 8 or higher on two six-sided dice to succeed at a skill. Your roll is modified by your Attribute Bonus for the skill in question, your Skill Level, and a Task Difficulty Modifier assigned by the referee.

If you do not have at least a level 0 in a skill, any rolls you make are at a -3 penalty. Which means that unless I can pick up Vacc Suit skill someplace, I have to hope that Aurora never needs to use the suit in an emergency.

Whether options are included with the benefit weapon is up to the referee. In my campaigns, the answer is no. Options must be paid for from your allotment of credits and are subject to the spending limit.

It has always been my interpretation that expended power packs have to be replaced. They are recyclable, but cannot be recharged by any means such as the player characters have access to. Again, it is the referee's call, but I always assumed that a weapon comes with a fully-charged power pack or a full clip of ammo.

Almost forgot, just for completeness (though I don't expect it will matter much in this campaign...

Psionic Strength: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 4) = 10

This is the alias of WhtKnt for this campaign.

"Hey, what's up with the weird Stat Block?"

Oh, you noticed! That's my UPP (Universal Personality Profile). It translates as follows:

Title/Rank Name Gender/Chronological Age (Physical Age) Culture/Citizenship Education Str/Dex/End/Int/Edu/Soc-Psi.

In other words, Aurora is:

Dr. Aurora Feldspar F34 (34) SI MD 3/4/3/B/8/2-A(U)

Dr. Aurora Feldspar
F34 (34) = Female, 34 years (both chronological and physical)
SI = Solomani of Imperial Citizenship
MD = Doctorate of Medicine
3/4/3/B/8/2 = Str/Dex/End/Int/Edu/Soc (expressed in hexidecimal)
-A(U) = Psi(Untested)

If you are interested in building your own, here is the breakdown for numbers in hex and the codes for education, nationality, and such.

2-9 = 2-9
10 = A
11 = B
12 = C
13 = D
Etc.

CULTURE
S = Solomani Culture
Z = Zhodani Culture
A = Aslan Culture
V = Viliani Culture
D = Darrian Culture
W = Sword World

CITIZENSHIP
I = Imperial Citizenship
Z = Zhodani Citizenship
D = Darrian Citizenship
S = Solomani Citizenship
A = Aslan Citizenship
W = Sword World Citizenship
V = Vargr Citizenship

EDUCATION
HS = High School Diploma
AS = Associate Degree
BS = Bachelor Degree
MS = Masters Degree
MD = Doctorate of Medicine
JD = Doctorate of Jurisprudence
PD = Doctorate of Philosophy (Science/Engineering)
FD = Fellows Degree (Professor/Scholar)

PSI
U = Unknown / Untested
V = Varies

Cheerfully liberated from http://www.traveller-tpp.com/PDFs/Universal%20Personality%20Profile.pdf.

Wow! Did I scare him off with my enthusiasm? Sorry, I just LOVE Traveller and I so seldom get to actually play, as opposed to Refereeing.

No, well, maybe just a little.

But the issue is mainly some extended scheduling at work.

So we got a pilot and we got a medic. Need some bruisers for security, red shirt included as part of job!.

STR 8 DEX 12 END 7 INT 7 EDU 4 SOC 4

Looks like a good redshirt, so I'll aim for Marines.

Comes from a High Population world, has Streetwise 0 and Carouse 0.

At 18, young Malcom Fouster has never had a real chance to advance from his poor upbringing, so he decides to try to join the Marines.

STR 8 DEX 12 END 7 INT 7 EDU 4 SOC 4

Streetwise 0 Carouse 0

Malcom Fouster age 22

STR 8 DEX 12 END 7 INT 7 EDU 4 SOC 4

Athletics(Sprinting) 0, Battle Dress 0, Carouse 0, Gun Combat(Slug Rifle) 0, Gunnery(Turrets) 1, Heavy Weapons(Launchers) 0, Stealth 0, Streetwise 0, Tactics(Military) 0

STR 8 DEX 12 END 7 INT 7 EDU 4 SOC 4

Athletics(Sprinting) 0, Battle Dress 0, Carouse 0, Comms 1, Deception 1, Gun Combat(Slug Rifle) 0, Gunnery(Turrets) 1, Heavy Weapons(Launchers) 0, Investigate 0, Stealth 0, Streetwise 0, Tactics(Military) 0

STR 8 DEX 12 END 7 INT 7 EDU 4 SOC 4

Athletics(Sprinting) 0, Battle Dress 0, Carouse 0, Comms 1, Deception 1, Gun Combat(Slug Rifle) 0, Gunnery(Turrets) 1, Heavy Weapons(Launchers) 0, Investigate 0, Recon 1, Stealth 0, Streetwise 0, Tactics(Military) 0

Aging: 2d6 - 4 ⇒ (3, 2) - 4 = 1 Success on the Aging roll

Malcom Fouster age 34

STR 8 DEX 12 END 7 INT 7 EDU 4 SOC 4

Athletics(Sprinting) 0, Battle Dress 0, Carouse 0, Comms 1, Deception 1, Gun Combat 0, Gunnery(Turrets) 1, Heavy Weapons(Launchers) 0, Investigate 0, Persuade 1, Recon 1, Stealth 0, Streetwise 0, Tactics(Military) 0

I'll post up more tomorrow

Huzzah! And thanks for the explanation, WhtKnt. Much clearer now. I've decided to take: Engineer (Electronics) 1 and Gunner (Ortillery) 1.

And ooh, what a lovely red shirt.

Also circle, which skill package are we taking?

Red Shirt reporting for duty. Or more like Secret Agent Red Shirt.

Even though he retired, you never really leave. They like to keep you in their contacts as an 'independent contractor'. Malcom has been hired to join with the relief efforts for yet unknown reasons.

If there's room, I'd love to bring a character online.

I'm thinking grunt, but the dice will have to speak.

Keeping the name Qorin for now, will give him a last name when I create the alias.

Revised UPP 649575

Skills
Athletics: Coordination 1
Battle Dress 0
Carouse 0
Comms 0
Drive 0
Engineer 0
Gun Combat: Energy Rifle 2
Gun Combat: Energy Pistol 1
Heavy Weapons: Man Portable Artillery 2
Leadership 1
Melee: Large Blade 2
Recon 1
Stealth 1
Tactics: Military 1
Vacc Suit 0

Equipment 22.9kcr
Combat Armor: Protection 12: 18kg (TL 11)*
Laser Carbine: Ranged (assault weapon) 4d6+3 3kg magazine 50 (2 spares) 10kcr
Laser Pistol: Ranged (pistol) 3d6+3 3kg magazine 100 2kcr
Cutlass: Melee 2d6+4 1kg 0.1kcr

Qorin has a romantic connection which can be another PC or someone "off screen"

Well, as Cirle has requested that connections be with PCs, and I'm assuming you don't want Qorin to be gay (nothing wrong with it, mind you, just assuming you aren't looking to go that way), I am willing to have Aurora be an old flame.

Aw shucks. That's right sweet of you, Miss Fe... er, sorry... Doctor Feldspar.

I hadn't really thought of him as being gay, but I think the paizo boards (not to mention the entire GLBT community) would probably prefer that I (personally) didn't attempt to roleplay a gay retired army major. So I'll take you up on your offer. Since this happens around the time your father passed away, I figure that will answer any questions about what for was the promising young doctor hanging around with a dim-witted, badly scarred infantry grunt? Grief makes us do crazy things.

Water under the bridge now, but they've kept in touch, and maybe it was even Doc Rock who recommended Major Q as a decent security officer for the mission.

For Malcom, not sure what to do for connections really since I'm supposed to be a secret agent. I'll go with having been a government liaison for a mission Qorin was on, same for for Anson, and been treated by Dr. Feldspar after being shot and mentioning now would probably be a good time to get out of the game.

As an alternate possibility you could have contacts in the Schaler Trivarium.

--Three close systems, all within one jump of each other.
--The Trivarium has been ruled autocratically by the family that gives it its name.
--In recent years there's been a gradual easing of control by the ruling Dynasts.
--Some five years ago there was a uprising, lead by Joseph Vrolek: who represents some of the more conservative autocrats who saw their power slipping away.
--The worse of the fighting has been dying away: and both sides are apparently sincerely looking towards a negotiated peace.
--There has been an outbreak of a serious infectious disease: the Schaler Syndrome, that has further ravaged the war-torn systems.
--There is a rumor that the disease is in fact a bio-weapon used by some rogue faction within the conflict.

I'm fine with the Contact I got from the benefit rolls being whatever you want it to be. It does make sense for it to be someone from the Schaler Trivarium, since that's where we'll be supposedly headed.

Sorry but I'm actually going to pull out. A couple of other games are looking pretty promising and I won't have the time for all of them.

Well if anyone wants to take over the Agent, Malcom Fouster, I'll allow it, though you'll probably that nifty "Agent" Book equipment.

"...you'll probably lose that nifty 'Agent' Book equipment."

If no one wants to take over Fouster he'll become a NPC.

We could still use a co-pilot navigator.

Looking to start play next weekend.

Also circle, which skill package are we taking?

Not sure if I understand you question. In Traveler your skills are pretty much determined by whatever career you enter, with a few skills chosen as part of Homeworld origin.

He's talking about the skill packages that a group chooses to have basic skills for what they are expected to encounter. It's in the mongoose CRB pg 37-38.

Are you still taking players for Traveller? I would love to get a chance to play! What version are you using? I think I have most of them, but like the 'new' mongoose system.
I would like to make up a scout or agent..or whatever you need. Will get started by rolling stats

Thanks Q. I missed that. Lets go with the Starship package. First come first serve.

As a disclaimer I will admit to being a Traveller newb; so please don't hesitate to call me out if I miss something obvious. I always wanted to try the system, so I figured I would give it a shot here.

DS. Yes, I think we got spaces enough. My experience is only about half of the people who join a recruitment actually stick around to play.

Anson will take Sensors 1.

Pilot (any) 1 would also be preferable, but another back-up pilot might be handy and Anson's skill set seems to lean towards being a co-pilot, navigator and engineer. The only skills he doesn't have is Sensors and Medic, and Sensors seems the best other option that makes sense for him because someone else would get more benefit from acting as a Medic.

Re: Daniel. Wow, those stats are overwhelmingly average. Security or scout is probably what's in demand, but whatever you want and happen to roll is always fun.

I think I might try for a little scout/security. Perhaps a stint in the marines then over to scout service...will have to see where the dice rolls land. Speaking of which, I usually use Phil Dack's Traveller excel utility to roll up characters...it does give a summary of what was rolled if you want that...seems it might be a little easier than trying to do all the rolls here...but whichever way you like is fine with me....just looking forward to playing!!

Taking skills from the package, Aurora will pick up Comms 1 (though I wish I could trade it for Vacc Suit).

My character looks like this so far
UPP - 666872

Skills:
Animals - 0
Astrogation - 1
Athletics - 0
Battle Dress - 0
Computers - 0
Gun Combat (Slug Pistol) - 1
Gun Combat (Slug Rifle) - 3
Gunner (Turret) - 1
Heavy Weapons (Launchers) - 1
Mechanic - 1
Medic - 0
Pilot (Small craft) - 1
Pilot (Spacecraft) - 1
Recon - 1
Sensors - 2
Stealth - 0
Survival - 1
Tactics - 0
Vacc Suit - 2
Zero-G - 1

Ranks: Petty Officer, 3rd Class, Marine Corporal, Scout Scout

Equipment: ACR, Autopistol, TAS membership, 55,000Cr.

Acquaintances: Officer/Crewman - Rival (Navy Flight)

I think that is all, just tell me if I need to do more.

I will take Engineer (J-Drive) from the starship package.

This is the alias from Daniel Stewart's character. Hope he is ok. If not, tell me what to change and I will....lol