Salvagers of Trimoon : Mongoose Traveller
Concept: On an unvisited backwater planet , society has degenerated into a simple caste system in which aslans, humans and jekyl (Vargyr-like jackalmen) keep their station. The planet is stuck at TL9 (early 20C earth) except for the laser pistols, thopters and ‘cloth’ armour owned by the ruling caste of Aslans.
Idea is to play in a modular way, patron mission by mission (if you know Trav, you get how they work). People on holiday, busy with a project, etc could opt out during busy periods. But I'd ask those joining the mission to stay on board with reliable daily posts until a mission was complete (a week or so of play each). I prefer players who enjoy a lighter style and who won't feel too bad if a character gets killed!
System: Mongoose Traveller 2e. My hope is that it will have a space pulp feel with mutants, dinos, gunfights.
The characters own a small salvage business in the planet’s only substantial town, Jospeen City, where the caste system operates less strictly. They recover gear from abandoned colonies, earlier (higher TL) settlements, even downed spacecraft. Highly illegal, but potentially lucrative work. To do so they brave cactus deserts, meteor showers, lizard monsters, bandits, mutants etc. Play will be dangerous, with characters starting off as under-gunned and poorly equipped, but growing in power as they accumulate gear.
Setting: Aslans are ranchers, warriors, priests and hunters. Their aristos ride war lizards and thopters and engage in duels, hunting, war and political manoeuvring to be elected in the Aslan Diet. Humans are small farmers who work with draft dinos, drive flat-back (model T-like) trucks and aspire to membership of Shriner-like lodges. Jekyl , Vargyr-like jackalmen, are urban rabble, labourers and ne'erdowells.
The planet is an arid, semi-desert in most places near the starting location, and dino-like lizards are the main fauna. Weird cactus forests, wind-carved hoodoos and rocky valleys form the local landscape. Three moons and a ringed planet hover in a pale purplish sky.
Races:
Aslans get +2 STR , +2 SOC, -2 DEX, claw weapon as per RAW . Their extra stat, Territory is calculated as = their SOC. Aslans traditionally fight with lances, broadswords and duelling pistols are surviving higher tech laser pistols. They can wear cloth armour and ride thopters as caste privileges. They farm and hunt but are loathe to engage in urban ‘trade’; those that do lose 2 SOC as long as they engage in such unpredatorlike behaviour.
Humans on Trimoon were once actually genetically enhanced to gain +1 END or +1 INT (player choice). SOC cannot be more than 8. They use semi-auto slug rifles on their farms and can be called on to serve as auxiliaries in Aslan wars.
Jekyl (jackalmen) get +2 DEX, -2 STR, claw weapons (similar to but smaller than most Vargyr) and use CHARISMA instead of SOC; effective SOC is CHA/2. They are discriminated against by less enlightened humans and most Aslan however. They often illegally carry knives, hatchets and slug pistols.
