For reference my events/history were (might help forge links):
12+ Years ago, childhood around the docs on Roup.
12-16 Years ago: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 2) = 7 52 - Ruined Space station exploration - Pick - Computers 1, Engineer (Electronics) 1, Security 1 or Science (any) 1.
8-12 Years ago: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 2) = 4 22 - Find something Useful in scrap, gain a Weapon
4-8 years ago: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6 33 - Life Event (Romantic Relationship)
Within the last 4 years: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 6) = 7 16 - Gambling Ring, gain a level of Gambler, can bet up to 4 benefit rolls and roll Gamble 8+ on fail, lose stake, on success gain 1/2 stake as additional benefits.
Don't have books to hand, do you still get additional skills for forging links with characters?
I had picked my skills on the assumption we still needed a pilot. If you want to switch to pilot, peet, I can look to see if I can adjust my skills to add some engineering. I do have another skill to pick from an event, so I could have pilot 2 with the current picks.
Originally planned to be a pilot as well, didnt' work out. Got the dex for it. :)
Ludic's Events :
Event (16 years ago) : You obtain a rare pre-Maghiz artifact to study. You uncover the subject’s secrets and the Special Arm arrives to remove the object and offer you a job, allowing you to transfer into the Special Arm career with rank and benefits intact.
Event (12 years ago): You are volunteered to test a new piece of experimental equipment. Gain any augment of up to TL16.
Event (8 years ago): You are sent on a black ops mission to recover a pre-Maghiz artefact from a (Sword World or Zhodani) military base. The surgical intrusion goes pear shaped and you are forced to blast your way free. You achieved the objective and learn from the experience and may increase two of your lowest skills by one level.
Event (4 years ago): You are caught by your superiors doing private research into restricted files. You are forced to quickly bury your stolen data in the computer system. You hide the information so you may recover it properly, using the information to gain an edge on your next promotion.
Note that these events are in Darrian space (except for the black ops mission 8 years ago). So, if anyone was on a Sword World or Zhodani world 8 years ago, they could entangle with Ludic. Additionally, if anyone was in Darrian space 4, 12, or 16 years ago, they could entangle with Ludic some other way.
I see everyone is pretty well in hand and your group is forming up nicely. To answer the previous question yes you may form connections between your characters, and it is preferable for you to do so. You may get up to a total of two free skills for connections you have formed, one for each connection formed. If you form a connection with more than two players you will not gain more than the maximum two extra skills, but you may still have the bond between each character chosen.
As an example:
Alice has a connection to Bob, Charlie, Dave, and Erica. 2 skills
Bob has a connection to Alice and Charlie. 2 skills
Charlie has a connection to Alice, Bob, and Dave. 2 skills
Dave has a connection to Alice and Charlie. 2 skills
Erica has a connection to Alice. 1 skill
Alice pulls all of her connections together to help her fly her father's beat up starliner on one last great adventure before the bank forecloses on it, to scatter her father's ashes over his birth planet, Hefry. Adventure ensues...
Just a reminder everyone enrollment ends tonight at midnight. Anyone still waiting to post their characters needs to hurry. Once the deadline passes no one will be allowed to join up without the consensus of the current players.
Good luck everyone.
I'm not sure how to link, but I suppose any of us with shares in the same ship are linked somehow.
I'm not sure how to link, but I suppose any of us with shares in the same ship are linked somehow.
Small print Actually you will be held accountable for the remaining balance and monthly service fees on the loan agreement for the duration of the mortgage and will be required to participate fully in ship ventures until such time as the debt is paid in full. Additional fees and purchases will be required. Warning interstellar travel will be hazardous to your health. Proceed with caution. Use interstellar travel at your own risk. Spin-way bears no indemnity or responsibility for any debt, indentured servitude, enslavement, injury, mutilation, maiming, or death which may result from your participation in interstellar travel pursuant to your involvement in any Spin-way or affiliated service provider venture or agreement. Spin-way is a subsidiary affiliate of GM Deux Ex Machina, all rights reserved, copyright 114.1116 Regina Spinward Marches.
Where are you generating this from?
Event table
If I stayed in Flight but adjusted my skills, it looks like I could have:
Gunner 2, Eng 2, Astro 1 and either Pilot 1 or Remote Ops 1 (if we want to mine asteroids). If I go this route, I'd be more of a backup/support engineer.
If I switched to Engineering/Gunnery, I could have:
Gunner 2, Eng 3 (or 4 if I drop Zero-G 1), Remote Ops 1, Astro 1, Mech 1. This route would make me main engineer, but I couldn't be in a turret and maintain systems while in battle.
So the first question is to GM Darkblade - can I switch specialization/skills now?
Secondly, what is everyone's input?
Regarding connections:
12-16 years ago: Event 1: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 6) = 11 Your commanding officer takes an interest in your career. Either gain Tactics (naval) 1, or take a +4 DM to your next Advancement roll thanks to his aid. Tactics (naval) 1. Don't think this helps as I'm the only one in the Navy.
8-12 years ago: Event 2: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7 Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table
Life Event from #2: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 5) = 9 Travel: Travel: The character moves to another world. I could have moved to a world another player is on at met them.
4-8 years ago: Event 3: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 5) = 6 Your vessel participates in a notable military engagement. Gain one of Sensors 1, Engineer (any) 1, Gunnery (any) 1 or Pilot (any) 1. Not sure if this would help either.
Last 4 years: Event 4: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 5) = 9 You foil an attempted crime on board, such as mutiny, sabotage, smuggling or conspiracy. Gain an Enemy, but also gain a +2 DM to your next Advancement roll in the Navy. Not sure on this one either.
Also, the rule isn't clear. Do you pick a skill or gain another roll on a skill table?
Myro was employed for quite a while, 20 years for Ling Standard Products in corporate espionage. However he lived on Ryhlanor, which isn't overly close to where we are starting now.
His career starts and ends with life events, so we'll say those are has a kid and associated shotgun wedding, and last life event is kid leaves the roost and he splits with wife.
He did some term on a company freighter looking for a mole about 16 years ago (learned gunner).
8 years ago he had an undercover job working at Sternmetal trying to track down a mole at Ling from the other end.
His retirement was modest in value, with the best part being the ship share.
Where do you get the idea that he married his sister?
In the interest of civility that is all the response I will make.
Also, the rule isn't clear. Do you pick a skill or gain another roll on a skill table?
Pick a skill, I believe, though the GM can of course veto it, in the playtest rules (at least in one version, I haven't been keeping up) they changed it to a skill roll
This is what the SRD says:
The connections between characters rule can give you bonus skills. At this stage, you may make (or finalise) a connection between your character and up to two other player characters. For each connection you make, you may gain one level in any skill, but you cannot bring a skill above level 3 using this rule nor may you take the Jack of all Trades skill.
Note that it says "any skill." So it looks like you just pick skills.
Do they have to be related to career events though?
Varkha's events are:
(12-16 years ago) 9: Your scout ship is one of the first on the scene to rescue the survivors of a disaster.
(8-12 years ago) 6: You spend several years jumping from world to world in your scout ship.
(4-8 years ago) 5: You perform an exemplary service for the scouts.
(in the last 4 years) 8: When dealing with an alien race, you have an opportunity to gather extra intelligence about them.
I can't find the stats for the 'Navarro' class.
The GM posted them HERE
I had picked my skills on the assumption we still needed a pilot. If you want to switch to pilot, peet, I can look to see if I can adjust my skills to add some engineering. I do have another skill to pick from an event, so I could have pilot 2 with the current picks.
Basically Varkha can be the Pilot or the Small Craft pilot. Aside from Jack-o-T and Vacc Suit, Pilot is his only significant skill. He has a DEX of 12 so that gives decent synergy with piloting.
I don't mind being the small craft pilot if someone is better suited to pilot the actual ship.
If I rejiggered things around I could end up with some of the following: Astrogation 1, Gun Combat 1+, Recon 1+, or Mechanic 1 or 2. None of which are worth much on their own in terms of jobs on the ship.
I think you are the only one with Gunner at more than 1 though. And I'm sure there will be space battles in this campaign, so if you don't mind shooting things then it seems like that is where you should probably be. You could use one of your connections to bring it to 3.
Admittedly it will be clearer when people have profiles where there characters are easier to read.
...copyright 114.1116 Regina Spinward Marches.
Is that the current date?
Varkha's Possible Connections
1: with Allrianne
Varkha: (12-16 years ago) Your scout ship is one of the first on the scene to rescue the survivors of a disaster. (Failed and gained an enemy)
Allrianne: 12-16 Years ago: Ruined Space station exploration.
So: A disaster occurred when a remote space station was struck by a meteor shower, causing explosive decompression in many compartments and knocking the station out of orbit. Varkha's scout craft responded to the SOS and arrived on the scene, but when Varkha tried to assist his lack of engineering skills made the problem worse, and the station had to be abandoned as its course would soon take it into the local sun's corona.
Frustrated by his lack of success and the lack of gratitude on the part of the locals, Varkha decided to use some of his street contacts to sell the location of the station to a group of scavengers (which included Allrianne) before it burned up in the star's atmosphere.
---
2: with fnord72:
Varkha: (in the last 4 years) When dealing with an alien race, you have an opportunity to gather extra intelligence about them.
fnord72: In the last four years I did something to attract the attention of the Scout service and was offered a transfer.
So: The course of his medical research took fnord72 (whatever his name is going to be) to a planet with a developing minor race. fnord72 was studying the applications of local biology for advanced medical techniques. The scout service seemed very interested in this research; fnord72's institution borrowed a variety of sensor equipment from the local scout base in exchange for an agreement to share the data that was collected.
Varkha was a part of the scout team setting up equipment for fnord72's research. While there Varkha was also assigned to use the scanners to quietly investigate the minor race's technological development, as their society seemed to be on the brink of a major discovery (perhaps nuclear technology or spaceflight).
---
3: with AGamer70:
Varkha: (8-12 years ago) You spend several years jumping from world to world in your scout ship.
AGamer70: Life Event from #2: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 5) = 9 Travel: Travel: The character moves to another world. I could have moved to a world another player is on at met them.
So: Rather than book civilian transport, AGamer70 chooses to pocket the travel voucher and save the money by earning a "working passage" aboard a scout ship headed in that direction instead. The scout ship in question was a Type-S on which Varkha happened to be serving as crew at the time, and as a result AGamer70 and Varkha spent several weeks together travelling from star to star.
Another possible connection:
Varkha's Possible Connections
1: with Allrianne
Varkha: (12-16 years ago) Your scout ship is one of the first on the scene to rescue the survivors of a disaster. (Failed and gained an enemy)Allrianne: 12-16 Years ago: Ruined Space station exploration.
So: A disaster occurred when a remote space station was struck by a meteor shower, causing explosive decompression in many compartments and knocking the station out of orbit. Varkha's scout craft responded to the SOS and arrived on the scene, but when Varkha tried to assist his lack of engineering skills made the problem worse, and the station had to be abandoned as its course would soon take it into the local sun's corona.
Frustrated by his lack of success and the lack of gratitude on the part of the locals, Varkha decided to use some of his street contacts to sell the location of the station to a group of scavengers (which included Allrianne) before it burned up in the star's atmosphere.
drbuzzard: He did some term on a company freighter looking for a mole about 16 years ago (learned gunner).
Possibly drbuzzard's freighter was docked at the station when this occurred, and took damage. Thus he was a part of the rescue operation on the station. Not sure how he might get to know Allrianne from that though.
These two might be connected:
thzero: Within the last 4 years: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 5) = 8 - You are embroiled in legal trouble.
Allrianne: Within the last 4 years: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 6) = 7 16 - Gambling Ring
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Also these, may be connected (since Darrians are allies of the Imperium):
AGamer70: 4-8 years ago: Event 3: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 5) = 6 Your vessel participates in a notable military engagement.
MDT: Event (8 years ago): You are sent on a black ops mission to recover a pre-Maghiz artefact from a (Sword World or Zhodani) military base. The surgical intrusion goes pear shaped and you are forced to blast your way free. You achieved the objective and learn from the experience and may increase two of your lowest skills by one level.
-----
thzero, being a merchant, and drbuzzard, being a corporate agent, also could have plausibly met at some point. I don't see specific events that work but you could make something up.
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MDT looks like the tricky one to find connections for as he is outside the Imperium most of his career. Maybe something to do with why he left Darrian space to begin with? It could have been something not long after his career was over.
True enough, AGamer70's character could either have been shooting at Ludic, or they could have been the extraction team that went pear shaped and he had to blast his way to get to them. Or maybe AGamer70's character and Ludic were the only two survivors and they ended up having to steal a ship.
On the other hand, Varkha could have been visiting Darrian space, trying to learn about the high tech available there, and happened to meet up with Ludic. This might have been about the time he quit Special Arm after finding out his boss was selling information to corporate interests.
Profile updated a bit, mostly "fluff" details. Tried to take on the relationships above, but need to work on actually meeting with the others.
I'm fine with being a gunner/engineer. I just need clarification from the DM if I can switch specialties or just swap out skills.
@Peet - thanks for the work on possible connections.
I'll assume I was part of the extraction team to get Ludic. I'll take Gunner for that.
I could assume our characters met on the Scout ship, but as noted, maybe it would be better to use your travels to meet Ludic since he has more limited opportunities.
I can go with my original idea about moving to a planet and meeting someone. It could give me another weapon skill.
...copyright 114.1116 Regina Spinward Marches.Is that the current date?
The current Imperial date for the campaign start is 034-1116. The copyright date was just a bit of random tongue in cheek adlib.
Sorry for the delay guys, I have a small RL thing popping up and am locking it back down. All should be good to go after tonight.
Please continue to chat amongst yourselves and finalize your character connections. I will be going over the characters and setting up the campaign pages this weekend. I think we have seven players or so signed up. If I miss anyone please shout out. If you have a character sheet and want to post it to me that would be great.
I am going to allow the group to pick skills from two campaign Skill Packages to help flesh out any remaining deficits which the group may have, and to provide backup and depth where needed. Look them over and decide from which two packages the group will to chose. These two packages will be used by all players, so chose wisely.
We can either do a randomized pecking order for who picks a skill and in what order or you can decide amongst yourselves and dole them out as appropriate. I will leave that choice to you guys. Everyone will be entitled to a total of two skills from the packages, not two from each but two total, and all remaining skills will be tossed. Remember, these skills are offered as level 1 only and are not meant to bolster existing levels but to beef up a character that may be missing a useful or needed skill.
For those unaware, here are the package names and skills offered:
Traveller Skill Package: This is an all-round skill package, good for a campaign where the characters are trading one week and blowing things up the next.
Pilot (any) 1, Sensors 1, Comms 1, Gunner (any) 1, Gun Combat
(any) 1, Persuade 1, Stealth 1, Medic 1.
Mercenary Skill Package: This skill package focuses on ground
combat, and is obviously aimed at combat-heavy games.
Sensors 1, Comms 1, Medic 1, Leadership 1, Heavy Weapons (any) 1,
Gun Combat (any) 1, Gun Combat (any) 1, Stealth 1.
Trader Skill Package: This skill package is for campaigns where trading and commerce are the primary activities of the player characters.
Pilot (any) 1, Sensors 1, Medic 1, Streetwise 1, Broker 1, Advocate 1,
Diplomat 1, Astrogation 1.
Starship Skills Package: This is for campaigns where the characters will spend almost all their time on their spacecraft.
Pilot (any) 1, Gunner (any) 1, Engineer (any) 1, Mechanic 1, Sensors
1, Medic 1, Comms 1, Astrogation 1.
Explorer Skills Package: For campaigns where the characters are
operating on the fringe of known space, dealing with new worlds and ancient relics.
Pilot (any) 1, Astrogation 1, Sensors 1, Survival 1, Recon 1, Gun
Combat (any) 1, Stealth 1, Medic 1
Diplomat Skill Package: For campaigns where the characters are
government operatives and ambassadors.
Advocate 1, Diplomat 1, Persuade 1, Stealth 1, Streetwise 1, Deception
1, Computers 1, Comms 1.
Investigator Skill Package: For campaigns with an emphasis on
solving crimes and investigating mysteries.
Advocate 1, Admin 1, Investigate 1, Persuade 1, Stealth 1, Streetwise
1, Computers 1, Sensors 1, Gun Combat (any) 1
Criminal Skill Package: For campaigns involving seedy crimes or
elaborate heists.
Pilot (any) 1, Sensors 1, Stealth 1, Deception 1, Persuade 1, Streetwise
1, Broker 1, Medic 1.
I think Traveller & Starship are the two, we all ended up with low exposure to ships due to career stuff with one exception.
I think the 'Traveller' package is pretty much a given.
Might be worth compiling a list of all the skills we do have and see if there's anything missing?
Though I think folks have already been eyeing the skill list.
Here's Lodic (Relsanth Lodic to ship-mates).
I would like a chance to pick up a pilot and a gun skill, if possible. Not sure how many other people want that. It's the only two skills I didn't get. On the other hand, if Vharka and AGamer70's characters are ok with Lodic having met them previously, then I could pick up both from their characters (piloting from AGamer70 and guns from Vharka). I'd feel better if we had at least two people who could fly ships. :)
I agree with Traveller. Did anyone end up with Comms or Sensors?
Trader might be a good option also if shipping cargo will be a main source of income. I'm not sure where we ended up on those skills.
I sent GM a pm to get answer to my question, then I can finish up my character.
With Vharka switching to pilot(spacecraft), I think we now need a pilot(small craft). I have pilot 0 and can take 1 instead of Remote Ops if needed, but we should be able to get 2 people pilot 1 with skill packages.
Lodic not interested in being married to the doc's sister?
I'm not sure what this is referring to.
Lodic has sensors 0.
You know, I don't understand any of this bizarre crap about being married to a sister of mine which doesn't exist. I'm just going to run along as it's getting on my nerves. You folks have fun.
I think he was offering that your ex-wife was his sister, Buzz, and you misunderstood it.