Category Archives: Traveller

Anything about traveller.

The Foreign Agent

Players’ Information:
This young girl tells the players she is an agent of a nearby planet that is undercover into a terrorist group. She has learned that hard liners among the group have schemed a plot to release a lethal virus (think on Ebola, but spray spread possible) obtained off world, and they are here to buy the vaccine before releasing it, both to vaccine group members and to be able to emerge as saviors of the people.

Being alone, and afraid about going to planetary authorities because of the delays that will mean (she’s afraid they release the virus regardless having the vaccine or not), she asks the players to help her sizing the ship and taking the vaccine and group’s documents to her planet to hand it to authorities. While she can only pay the players 10000 Cr each beforehand, she’s sure of her government gratitude and that they will be rewarded for saving many lives.

The Virus
The Virus – Image from Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Generic license.

Referee’s Information:
The ship may be from a Scout to a free/far trader or safari ship, and the vaccines are several crates, about 2 tons of displacement, hidden among random cargo. She has the passwords of the ship and can help the players in and give them some weapons, but the terrorist crew of the ship must be overcome (adapt them to the players’ capabilities). Collateral damages should be avoided to allow the ship leave the planet immediately, more so if the seizing of the ship is not stealthy enough as not to call starport authorities attention, as legal matters could delay the arrival of the vaccine to her planet.

See that any unauthorized taking off may lead to further complications…

Possible outcomes (choose one or roll 1d6):

1. All as shown. Planetary government will be quite thankful and reward the players for their actions (even the ship may be the reward, if the referee wants the players to obtain one). The whole fact must be kept secret to avoid scandal, though.

2. As shown, but the virus has already been released. Even with the vaccine, it will take 2d6 weeks to control the outbreak, the planet being quarantined (and players forbidden to leave) meanwhile. Government reaction will be as in 1.

3. As 1 or 2, but behind the terrorists is a government faction, which will go any length to avoid it being discovered. If there is quarantine, they will try to eliminate them and the agent while kept quarantined in planet.

4. As any of the above, but she is in fact a member of the group that believed them to be peaceful and just buying medical drugs for distribution among those left of the government’s health systems. Once she learned the truth, she tries to get the vaccine to her planet and hand it to the authorities, but the players will be arrested with her for terrorism. She will try to clear them, even negotiating the uncovering of the group. Further reactions by the government depending on player’s actions and can go from charging them for bio-terrorism to rewarding them for avoiding the attack.

5. as 4, but also as 3. The faction behind the group will try to have the players charged for bio-terrorism.

6. She is in fact the only surviving terrorist, her ship having been seized by undercover government agents that discovered the plot (they have acted discretely, as they hold no authority in the planet they are on and could be accused of piracy for seizing the ship without asking the authorities for help). The virus in on the ship, also hidden. When arriving to the planet, she plans to take the ship’s boat (or air raft if the ship is a scout) and the virus, along part of the vaccines, spoil the rest of the vaccine and try to reach the planet to release the virus, leaving the players as scapegoats. Depending on the speed they reach the planet (and the referee’s whim) the government may be aware of their arrival (having received news from the undercover group), and so waiting for them.

The Zhodani Base 76 Patrons Writing Contest – 2014

It is now time for The Zhodani Base 76 Patrons Writing Contest – 2014.

Since the Zhodani Base is celebrating 20 years on the Internets this year, we have added $20 to the prize pot from last year. The generous Jury, (Mike, Eric, Dylan and Anders) from the Amber Zone Opening Contest each add $10.

This years first prize is a $70 Gift Certificate at DriveThruRPG.
Second prize is a $40 Gift Certificate at DriveThruRPG.
Third prize is a $20 Gift Certificate at DriveThruRPG.

If you win you can buy lots of traveller goodies that you might have missed.

The style of the entries should be in the style of the patrons in CT Supplement 6, 76 Patrons.

Past winners are:

The contest starts now and ends 30 Nov 2014. Write as many entries as You like.

After the 30:st of November 2014, all entries will be posted on the Zhodani Base. The winner will be chosen by BeRKA.

By entering the contest You allow your entry to be posted at the Zhodani Base. All entries might also be posted in PDF format as a free down-loadable file at the Zhodani Base.

All entrants will be given credit for their work and will retain the copyright on their entries.

Some general guidelines:

1, Each entry should be less than 1000 words.

2, One image may be used in each entry. You must either own the rights to the image, or it must be used under some sort of free license. Wikimedia Commons is a good place to find an image that You can use. Please provide information about the image. (Is it Yours? If not, where have You found it? What license is used?) Note: You don’t need to use an image. You can also generate an image using the Pulp-o-Mizer or similar services.

3, Each patron should offer 6 options.

4, Each patron should be placed in the Foreven Sector. You may use the version of the Foreven Sector that can be found here at the Zhodani Base. (You don’t have to use this version.)

5, Please don’t force the PCs to sign up for (what they think are) illegal activities. It is better if they find that out later, or in some way are forced to take illegal action… :twisted:

6, Please use a spell checker! :roll:

Send Your entries by e-mail. Please use plain text format and attach the image, if You select to use one. Word files will not be accepted!

Everyone that sends me an entry will get a reply. If you have sent me something and not got a reply within a few days, then contact me again.

Please include a preferred nickname (that may be your real name) to show on the Zhodani Base. If You expect to win, include an e-mail address to send the first prize to.

Some help about Foreven Sector. (That you don’t have to use.)

Any rules you choose to use to design something for your patron is fine, even Mongoose Traveller rules, since the Zhodani Base has a Foreven Free Sector License.

76 Patrons Contest

Patreon, another crowdfunding idea

We have seen Traveller crowdfunding projects on both Kickstarter and on Indiegogo. Some have been successful and others have not.

Patreon is a new site for crowdfunding that works a bit different. At Patreon, the creator asks for a small amount for each thing the creator produces or a small amount for each month.

Patreon press image
Patreon Press Image

For Traveller fans there are now three creators (that I know of) that may be of interest. Steffon Worthington is creating maps. Mostly non Traveller maps. Erin Palette wants to be paid for each blog post. Some of her posts are about Traveller. Donavan Lambertus is creating ships and other stuff for his Foreven Traveller setting.

I support Donavan Lambertus since that gives me the most Traveller value for my money.

Traveller LIFTOFF RPG Crowdfunding

I really want a simple Traveller rule set with lots of pictures so that it would be easier to play Traveller with my son when he gets old enough. Traveller Liftoff may be exactly what I am looking for.

However it looks like this crowdfunding isn’t going to liftoff. 5 days to go and only €2,599 raised of the €100,000 goal. Was the goal too high? Are gamers tired of new Traveller rule sets or just of Traveller crowdfunding projects? Maybe gamers would have prefered if it was on Kickstarter instead of Indiegogo?

Just the rules (Beta-version) can be downloaded for free from 13Mann. I hope they give this another try. Maybe they could skip the box and only make a glossy book and find alternative ways to pay the artists (maybe based on sales). In a few years I will need this.