I did not think I could pick more then one armor so I just put cash for the other rolls of 1. I was not sure how it worked. If the picks are determined then I will just go with the Poly Carapace.
Well, technically you roll them one at a time, determining what you're rolling for as you go.
But what do I care? Go ahead and take the two forms of armor.
I gave you the choice of Engineer (M-Drive) or Engineer (J-Drive). I should also have given you the choices of Life Support and Power.
Fourth Term
1) CAREER
Still a Scout (surveyor)
2) QUALIFICATION
N/A
3) CHANGING ASSIGNMENTS
N/A
4) DRAFT OR DRIFTER
N/A
5) SKILLS
I now have Survival 3
6) SURVIVAL
Surviving!
7) EVENTS
"Your ship is ambushed by enemy vessels. Either run, and roll Pilot 8+ to escape, or treat with them and roll Persuade 10+ to bargain with them. If you fail the check, then your ship is destroyed and you may not re-enlist in the Scouts at the end of this term. If you succeed, you survive and gain Electronics (sensors) 1. Either way, gain an Enemy."
Oh, no! Haha. I'm hopping in the pilots seat...
Failing!! My ship is shot down by rogues looking to steal the valuable minerals our surveying ship picked up.
8) THE CONNECTIONS RULE
Maybe?
9) COMMISSION
N/A
10) ADVANCEMENT
Advancing. I'm a senior scout and gain Piloting (spacecraft) 1.
Dex +1. It's now a 9.
11) MUSTER OUT / BENEFITS
I cannot continue in this career any more, so I have to muster out.
I was a scout three times and reached rank three, so that's five rolls?
Weapon, scout ship, ship share, EDU +1, cr30000
I know I have to figure out how to spend that but my device is about to dies I need to post this now. I'll get the rest done tomorrow.
Okay, ready to work on the above.
The Event: On her last surveying mission Ray discovered the secret base of a group of space pirates. They finished their surveying mission on the planet and left, but the pirates shot them down before they could escape the planet's gravity. Ray's ship crash landed and she was the only survivor. Which is when Ray learned a valuable lesson. What good was respect, and a good job, if she couldn't protect it? Useless! Alone and with nothing in the wreckage of her ship, Ray decided to join the 'enemy.' She surrendered to the space pirates, joined them, and helped them get what remained on the ship that was valuable off before it was wrecked (valuable mineral samples mostly). She also gave them information on the locations of valuable resources that her crew discovered (and could be sold for a decent amount of credits). For her next term Ray will become a Rogue (pirate) and try to live amongst the very people who shot her from the sky and ruined her life.
Benefits:
I'll pick my weapon sometime today (what's the price?). Also, scout ship and ship share aren't applicable for us, so I need to choose something else but I can't recall what it is this second. I'll look it up when I get a chance. Lastly, should I spent my cash now, or can I wait until the end of character creation?
I am going to roll a fifth term, and it'll be on the rogue career.
Gotta run, but I'll work on the rest later.
I will definitely get my next term today(or possibly two terms, if everyone is going for a 5th).
Question, Scott - do I need to pick my 2nd connection skill before doing the next term, or can I wait to see how that turns out first?
Survival 3 is overkill. You're welcome to keep it, as being the roughest, toughest badass to ever walk out of Drinax's bombed-out hellscape.
Buuuuuuuuut... If you'd like another chance, you can roll on the same chart and see what else you might get.
Your ship shares remain ship shares. Your scout ship becomes d3 ship shares, and you should roll that now. All these ship shares are going to put you guys in good stead.
The weapon should be chosen now. You have no melee or gun skills, but will get one more chance to pick them up. Ray is both strong and dexterous, so either choice is a good one. I think scouts are more likely to use guns than melee weapons because they don't get into a lot of boarding actions. So if you agree, just tell me whether you want a slug pistol, a slug rifle, a laser pistol or a laser rifle and I'll pick the best one in that category for that price.
The cash you can spend at the start of the game or in play.
I will definitely get my next term today(or possibly two terms, if everyone is going for a 5th).
It seems as though everyone is going for five, yes.
Question, Scott - do I need to pick my 2nd connection skill before doing the next term, or can I wait to see how that turns out first?
I think it's okay to decide later.
I'll keep the survival. She's been doing it since infancy, and I like the idea that she was so driven to succeed and excel that she neglected other ways she could have improved herself, which led to her big unable to defend herself or fly her ship to safety when push came to shove. A flaw that she's hoping to remedy in her fifth term.
And... I'll go wil slug rifle!
Need Ray's 5th and Daneel's 4th and 5th terms.
So your best bet is a TL 10 Advanced Combat Rifle (ACR), used by many military forces around the Trojan Reach. Very long range, a huge magazine, low-cost ammunition and it comes with the traits "Auto 3" and "Scope".
(See page 75 of the Core Rulebook for an explanation of why that's good.)
I'll take Engineer Power then.
Wow! From nobleman to obsessed scholar. Quite a career shift. I think I can see why Jerry’s going to become a pirate.
We need to define your enemies. Scholar Voha of the Scholar’s Tower comes to mind, but since you kept advancing, maybe he is secretly on your side (which would work well for the story).
Why don’t you make up some folks who hate you?
You also need to pick your scientific equipment.
Scientific Equipment: Gain any one piece of scientific equipment with a limit of Cr2000 and TL 12.The book doesn’t define “scientific equipment” and the closest thing I can find is “Sensors”, which include:
EM Probe - TL 10 - This handy device detects the electro-magnetic emissions of technological devices, and can be used as a diagnostic tool when examining equipment or when searching for hidden bugs or devices. 1000 cr.
Binoculars - TL 8- TL8: Electronic enhancement allows images to be captured; light-intensification allows them to be used in the dark., 750 cr.
Switching to the Central Supply Catalog, I find:
Light Intensifier Goggles - These goggles allow clear, monochrome vision up to 18 metres in anything less than total dark. While some light is required to produce this effect, anything approaching normal daylight conditions severely degrades the clarity of the view and the range. At TL9, light intensifier goggles are combined with IR
goggle as one unit., 1250 cr.Portable Computer - TL 12 - 0.5 kg - Computer/3 - 1000 cr
Software - Expert 1 - TL 11 - 1,000 cr
Intelligent Software - TL 11 - 1,000 cr
Translator - TL 1 - 500 cr.
Equipment - Jerry will take the Portable Computer (right at the limit of what he can claim).
Enemy 1 - Scholar Marta - Actually Librarian Marta, who diligently guards the hoarded knowledge of the Ancients that is preserved in Scholar's Tower. In her opinion, Jerry's little escapade endangered the Archives and she advocated quite strongly for his expulsion. He vengeance was delayed, but Jerry has now left for other endeavors.
Enemy 2 - Chieftain Galx - Apparently, the subjects of the human experimentation were members of Chieftain Galx' extended tribe.
Fourth term:
1) Daneel continues his Free Trader career
2) No Qualification necessary
3) No change in assignment desired
4) No Draft or Drifting
5) Rolling on the Free Trader
Another level of Mechanic gives Daneel Mechanic 2
6)Survival requires DEX 6+
Well that was close, but he still has his health.
7) Events!
"You are embroiled in legal trouble. Gain one of Advocate 1, Admin 1, Diplomat 1, or Investigate 1, then roll 2D, if you roll 2, you must take the Prisoner career in your next turn."
OK, first, I'll take Investigate 1. Then I roll for the result (I'm almost hoping for a 2 - a prison sentence would be an interesting turn of events)
I'm innocent! Really.
8) I'm connected to everyone.
9)No commission possible
10) Advancement requires INT 6+
Passed over for promotion again. Daneel clearly needs to work on his social skills.
11) Frustrated that he is still a rank 0 Free Trader after 8 years, Daneel packs it in to look for a job where he's appreciated.
Two terms spent in Free Trading gives him 2 benefits rolls. He'll take one on the Cash table and 1 on the Benefits table
So thats Cr20000 and INT +1, which gives him a total of Cr30000 and an INT of 10. He is now 34 years old.
Steph - Just so you know, Daneel has Engineer(Power) 1, in case you want to take that into consideration (not that there would be anything wrong with both of us having it, but in case you wanted your own area of expertise)
@ Daneel I'll take Engineering M-Drive then.
Term Five!
1) CAREER
Ray attempts to join with the very pirates who shot her from the sky and ruined her life! She's going to take Rogue (pirate).
2) QUALIFICATION
She needs Dex 6+ (-1 for each previous career)
She's in!
3) CHANGING ASSIGNMENTS
N/A
4) DRAFT OR DRIFTER
N/A
5) SKILLS
Deception 1!
6) SURVIVAL
She needs Dex 6+
Failing! Ray can't stand the people she's with and after suffering years of hazing she makes her escape back towards Drinax. Maybe Chieftain Galx will have some work for her back home...
I skip right to mustering out.
11) MUSTER OUT / BENEFITS
Intelligence +1. It's now a 9.
12) DONE
I like that the only thing Ray learned as a pirate was how to lie. It's from hiding her disdain all those years. Haha.
Are you going for a fifth term? If so, please go ahead and do it.
No, you don't Muster Out or get a Benefit roll once you fail your survival roll.
Instead, you need to roll on the Mishap chart. Note that a roll of 2 or 3 will force you to take a sixth term as a Prisoner.
The drawback to taking a 5th term is that you have to roll 2d6-4, and if the total is less 1 you get subtractions to 1 or more physical characteristics. Is that correct?
Well, actually, everyone has to do it at the end of the fourth term (2d6-4) and at the end of the fifth term (2d6-5).
There are also anagathics:
Anagathics: At the start of any career term, a Traveller
can start taking anagathics by rolling SOC 10+ (if
you roll 2 exactly, you must instead go straight to the
Prisoner career in this term). While using anagathic
drugs, the Traveller effectively does not age – add the
number of terms since the Traveller started taking
anagathics as a positive DM to rolls on the ageing
table. If a Traveller stops taking anagathics for any
reason in the future, then he must roll immediately on
the Ageing Table as the shock of his system beginning
to age again strikes.
Anagathics have two drawbacks. First, the combined
risk of trying to obtain a reliable supply and the
disruption to his biochemistry means the Traveller must
make two Survival checks in each term instead of one.
If either or both checks are failed, the Traveller suffers
a mishap.
Second, the drugs cost 1D x Cr200,000 for each term
the Traveller uses the drugs. These costs are paid out
of the Traveller’s eventual cash benefits. If the Traveller
cannot pay these bills, they go into debt – see Medical
Debt on page 49.
I am not going to bother with the drugs. Since you posted we have to do the two rolls here they are.
I completely missed the section concerning Aging and anagathics, which might have changed my rolls concerning Benefits.
Would there be any barrier to Jerry starting off with a mountain of debt burdening him?
Well, given that the story revolves (at least initially) around you, er, "convincing" other people to fund a pirate empire, I think you might be able to pay for it.
So, I also didn't notice the roll required at the end of Term 4. I thought it was Term 5. So I'm just going to house rule that everyone succeeds their roll at the end of term 4 (Bryon included).
Firstly: I realized that although I joined up with the space pirates, I was also supposed to select an enemy (which was them, obviously). But I didn't give them any details. I decided the group that attacked her ship was a coalition of five smaller pirate ships run by Captain 'Cutlass' Kate. The ship Ray worked on was called the 'Rakish Heir' and its lead by Captain Decklan Darkbones (son of the infamous space pirate Drisella Darkbones). He's a pompous fellow who acts like a nobleman among pirates. When she eventually deserted the gang Captain 'Cutlass' ordered Darkbones to hunt her down and drag her back alive (but not necessarily whole...).
---
Right! I forgot about aging.
This is... no effect then?
-----
And for the muttering, I just followed your directions. It said if you didn't survive to proceed to muster out so I did. So my Int is back down to 8 then, and I roll a mishap?
Severe injury or I can roll twice and take the lower result. Ouch. I'm gonna gamble and roll twice...
Ahahaha! I am injured. Reduce any physical characteristic by 1. I will reduce.... my strength from 10 to 9.
-----
Am I missing anything else?
EDIT 2:
1) Everyone passes their aging roll at 34 (end of term 4).
2) Steph, Ray and Byron have rolled (and passed) the aging roll at 38 (end of term 5).
3) Daneel needs to commit to and roll up a 5th term or state his decision not to.
4) Jerry (and maybe Daneel) have to make their aging roll for 38 (end of term 5).
5) Jerry needs to define his enemies from Terms 4 and 5 and his scientific equipment from Mustering Out.
Once all that's done, we'll move on to the last two steps of character creation together. Could we please resolve these three things today?
Ray would like to use some of her money to restore her lost Strength point with medicinal care. By the time she finally gets back to the Floating Palace she pays the doctors there to fix her up. It's only 1 point, so it should cost Cr5000, and I have Cr30000.
Ray: No problem there. The same goes for others who have lost characteristics (Byron, Jerry). At least initially, access to medical care in places like The Floating Palace of Drinax (or Tech-World or several others) is excellent.
HERE is the link to the character worksheets we've been using
HERE is the link to your character sheets, cleaned up.
Both are still works in progress.
Whose ship is the Dogged Discovery? And why is it on my connections?
I met Daneel in the Thao Poloc's waiting room/office.
It's Steph's ship. Mistakes were made.
Ah! Got it. Just curious if I missed something.
I did not end up with Cr5000 so I will need to keep that in mind for later.
See my post made last night at 8:38 pm - chose equipment and defined enemies.
Jerry is concerned about aging, so starts trying to begin taking anagathics right away.
Term 1 -
Term 2 -
Term 3 -
Term 4 -
Term 5 -
Hmmm ... maybe the word got out about Jerry's reliability.
So, an Aging roll is required.
Care to go in for some psychotherapy? It can restore your SOC to 12. 5,000 credits.
Just waiting on Daneel now.
Sorry, long day at work. I'll get it done before I go to bed.
No rush, Nick. I'm just keeping us all current on what's what.
Certainly!
Jerry is quite willing to spend his pension on restoring his SOC.
Sorry, sleep got the better of me last night. I'll run Daneel's 5th term later today for sure
While we wait for Daneel's fifth term, we might as well get to our next agenda item: Skills Packages. This information repeats page 48 of the Core Rulebook.
As a group, all Travellers select one of the following skill packages. These are collections of basic skills you will often use while adventuring. Taking a skill package ensures your group will at least have basic competency in the situations that will come up in the campaign.
When you have collectively decided which skill package is most suitable for the style of play and campaign you will be embarking upon, each Traveller takes it in turns to select an item from the package. Keep going until all skills have been selected.
GM's Note: When you get a skill from the skills package, you get it at level 1. It does not add to a pre-existing skill.
TRAVELLER SKILLS PACKAGE
This is an all-round skill package, good for a campaign where the Travellers are trading one week and blowing things up the next.
Skills: Pilot 1, Deception 1, Electronics 1, Gunner 1, Gun Combat 1, Persuade 1, Stealth 1, Medic 1
MERCENARY SKILLS PACKAGE
This skills package focuses on ground combat and is aimed at combat-heavy games.
Skills: Electronics 1, Medic 1, Leadership 1, Heavy Weapons 1, Gun Combat 1, Gun Combat 1, Stealth 1, Recon 1
TRADER SKILLS PACKAGE
This skills package is for campaigns where trading and commerce are the primary activities of the Travellers.
Skills: Pilot 1, Electronics 1, Medic 1, Streetwise 1, Broker 1, Advocate 1, Diplomat 1, Astrogation 1
STARSHIP SKILLS PACKAGE
This is for campaigns where the Travellers will spend almost all their time on spacecraft.
Skills: Pilot 1, Gunner 1, Engineer 1, Mechanic 1, Electronics 1, Medic 1, Tactics (naval) 1, Astrogation 1
EXPLORER SKILLS PACKAGE
For campaigns where the Travellers are operating on the fringe of Charted Space, dealing with new worlds and ancient relics.
Skills: Pilot 1, Astrogation 1, Electronics 1, Survival 1, Recon 1, Gun Combat 1, Stealth 1, Medic 1
DIPLOMAT SKILLS PACKAGE
For campaigns where the Travellers are government operatives and ambassadors.
Skills: Advocate 1, Diplomat 1, Persuade 1, Stealth 1, Streetwise 1, Deception 1, Electronics 1, Admin 1
INVESTIGATOR SKILLS PACKAGE
For campaigns centering on solving crimes and investigating mysteries.
Skills: Advocate 1, Admin 1, Investigate 1, Persuade 1, Stealth 1, Streetwise 1, Electronics 1, Deception 1, Gun Combat 1
CRIMINAL SKILLS PACKAGE
For campaigns involving crime and elaborate heists.
Skills: Pilot 1, Electronics 1, Stealth 1, Deception 1, Persuade 1, Streetwise 1, Broker 1, Medic 1
__________________________________________________________________
You may be thinking "well, GM, which one best applies to what we're going to be doing?" I tell you honestly that The Pirates of Drinax is so big and sprawling that all of them will apply at some point. I recommend you identify those skills you individually really wish you had, and then decide which package nets you the most of that.
This is your last chance to pick up new skills before play.
Certainly!
Jerry is quite willing to spend his pension on restoring his SOC.
Okay. If I were writing the rules, I'd limit the ability to pay to remove injuries to purely physical characteristics, but I didn't write it, so there.
I am a decent pilot and have astrogath, but it may be good to have a second person with those skills and I am not sure if anyone else has them. If not we may want to Starship package.
Inversely the Diplomat package would give everyone something to do when we were in town instead of having 1-2 people do everything there.
So those would be my thoughts.
Regarding the Starship Package: I have Pilot (Small Craft) 1 and Pilot (Spacecraft) 1, Astrogation at 0, and Medic 0
Regarding the Diplomat Package: I have Advocate 1, Admin 1, Deception 1, Persuade 1.
CURRENT SKILLS SUMMARY
Admin 1 (x2)
Advocate 0, Advocate 1 (x2)
Animals 0 (x2)
Astrogation 0, Astrogation 1
Athletics 0 (x3)
Broker 1
Carouse 0 (x3)
Deception 1, Deception 2
Diplomat 1
Drive 0 (x2)
Drive (Tracked) 1,
Drive (Wheeled) 1
Electronics 1
Electronics (Computers) 1,
Engineer (Computers) 1
Engineer (Power) 1
Engineer (M-Drive) 1
Explosives 1
Flyer (Grav) 1
Gun Combat 0
Gun Combat (Energy) 1
Gun Combat (Slug) 1
Gunner (Turret) 1
Heavy Weapons (Man-Portable) 1
Investigate 0, Investigate 1
Language (Trokh) 1 (x2)
Leadership 1
Mechanic 0 (x2), Mechanic 2
Medic 0 (x2)
Melee (Unarmed) 0, Melee (Unarmed) 1
Persuade 0, Persuade 1
Pilot (Small Craft 1) (x2)
Pilot (Spacecraft) 1 (x3)
Profession 0
Recon 0 (x2), Recon 1
Science 0
Science (Archaeology) 1
Science (Astronomy) 1
Science (History) 1
Science (Physics) 1
Science (Xenology) 1
Stealth 0, Stealth 1
Streetwise 0 (x3)
Survival 0, Survival 3
Tactics (Military) 1
Vacc Suit 0, Vacc Suit 1 (x2)
I don't see any obvious holes, but there are some skills held by only one character. Maybe we should pick a package to ensure some skills are held by at least two characters.
Conversely, here's what you ain't got:
Art
Astrogation
Gambler
Navigation
Steward
Of those, the only one you need to jump on is Astrogation (of course, you can hire an Astrogator to work for you). Gambler is useful from time to time.
You might could use an Engineer with a specialty in Jump Drives, but that's not necessary, as you have Engineers.
I'd make sure everyone had at least Gun Combat 0. It doesn't come up a lot, but when it does, you're going to wish you had it.
More than one gunner would also be good, and maybe a Electronics (comms) or Electronics (sensors) specialist, both of which tend to come up from time to time. But again, these aren't strictly necessary and can be hired.
Jerry's list revealed to me that BYRON needs to pick an electronics specialty. The choices are Comms, Computers, Remote Ops and Sensors.
OK, here is Daneel's long awaited 5th term:
1) Frustrated with what he perceives as a lack of respect from his superiors on the Dogged Discovery, Daneel looks for a new crew to join where his skills will be appreciated. He isn't particularly picky - so he tries to join up with a pirate vessel!
2) Qualification for Rogue is DEX 6+
"A-ha ha ha ha!" - Pirates
3) No assignment change
4) Dejected, Daneel turns to the life of a Drifter - he joins the crew of the Hermit Crab - a salvage ship (Scavenger).
5) Rolling on the Scavenger table...
...Daneel learns Gun Combat 1 (he will specialize in Energy Weapons)
6) Survival for Scavengers is DEX 7+
He comes through another term with nary a scratch.
7) Events!
A life event. What is it, pray tell?
It'a an Unusual Event. How so?
"You are psionic! Roll to test your Psionic Strength immediately, and gain DM+4 to the roll."
Huh...flip, flip, flip...pg 196: "to determine psionic strength, roll 2D and subtract then number of terms served by the Traveller in all careers"
I will pause this train of inquiry here, as it appears to be an entirely optional sub-mechanic, and I don't know if Scott is opting
Carrying on....
8) Connections are all set.
9) No commission to be had.
10) Scavenger Advancement is END 7+
At long last! A promotion to Scavenger 1. He gains Vacc Suit 1 as a skill.
11) Now 38 years old, Daneel waves goodbye to his friends on the Hermit Crab. He served 1 term, and advanced to level 1, so he gets 2 Benefits rolls. He will take both on the Benefits table
A ship share - that gives him a total of 3 ship shares
An ally - I'll have to think about this one. Maybe someone connected to his new found psionic abilities (if that turns out to be a thing) or else maybe the Captain of the Hermit Crab
Forgot to roll for aging: