Political Sub-divisions of Miazan Subsector

Working on the Unified Imperial Army and the Planetary Defence Forces for Miazan Subsector got me thinking about the various Houses Major of the Subsector - this was in the context of me airly saying "the Elite PDF units of such-and-such planet are the Baronial Household Guard". This reminded me that I had never quite finished working out the political sub-divisions of the Subsector and, aside from the Dukes of Miazan and the Viceroys of Celephais, had little idea of what Houses Major were active. So, what do we have?

Existing Houses Major of Miazan Subsector -
House Geyukthi of Miazan, Subsector Dukes of Miazan and past Sector Dukes of the RimWorlds. A list of Subsector Dukes (906 - present) and Sector Dukes (999 - 1031) has been created. A family tree tracing the descent of the Ducal line from Duke Chi'leur I (860 - 937 reigned 906 - 937) to the grandchildren of the current incumbent, Duke Mah'radys IV (1028 - present reigned 1085 - present) has been created.

House Sehlemarl-Geyukthi of Celephais, Viceroys of Celephais and past Sector Dukes of the RimWorlds. A list of Viceroys of Celephais (800 - present) and Sector Dukes (1031 - 1044) has been created. A family tree tracing the descent of the Viceregal line from Viceroy Fleet Admiral/Miazan Arkuru I Sehlemarl (750 - 812 reigned 800 - 812) to the children of the current incumbent, Viceroy Odron Orn Tala Sehlemarl-Geyukthi (1046 - present reigned 1083 - present) has been created.

House Rivokul of Kamperel - extinct, Siridar-Barons of Kamperel/Miazan from the mid-tenth century until 1032. Notoriously corrupt, House Rivokul ruled Kamperel with an iron hand. With arms supplied by the Outrim Alliance during the 3rd Outrim War, the People's Justice Army waged a bitter civil war against House Rivokul and its mercenaries. Victorious, the People's Justice Army summarily executed all surviving members of the House. No family tree or list of Barons of Kamperel has been written.

House Van Zaquerl of Kamperel, Siridar-Barons of Kamperel since 1040. From revolutionary gunman, Torvor Van Zaquerl became, first, a member of the People's Revolutionary Council, then Head of the Council and then, in 1040, he reconstituted the People's Revolutionary Council as an advisory body while taking the Office of People's First Officer. Under his son and grandsons, the Van Zaquerl dynasty has taken root on both Kamperel and across the Kamperelian Cluster. Scattered notes and references allow a family tree to be constructed from 1040 to present.

And that's about it.

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Approaching the problem from a different direction, we know that there was a frontier zone along the coreward end of Miazan Subsector in the late 8th Century. This was known as the Miazan Subsector Military District and was centered on Celephais. The position of Governor of Celephais became hereditary for House Sehlemarl as a reward for services rendered by Fleet Admiral Arkuru Sehlemarl in the 2nd Rimward War (793 - 794) and its aftermath.

By the time Sector Duke Leonid I Trumer commenced the Trumer Restoration of the Sector in 906, House Sehlemarl had taken the title of Viceroy, acting at the behest of the Dukes of Gamelea. Sector Duke Leonid I soon discovered that House Sehlemarl had remained determinedly loyal to the Sector Duchy and continued to maintain a strong, and stable, presence across the coreward half of Miazan Subsector.  Recognizing Arkuru III's assumption of the title of Viceroy of Celephais, Duke Leonid I confirmed Arkuru's brother Lanyard I as Arkuru's successor. Leonid then moved to reconstitute the Miazan Subsector Military District as a proper Imperial Subsector. The Duchy of Miazan was duly created, consisting of the Counties of Nakaya, Miazan, and Bromus, with the Barony of Kamperel and the Viceroyalty of Celephais. With the Sehlemarls content as loyal guardians of the Miazan/Gamelea border, Leonid appointed his aide de camp, Chi'leur Geyukthi, as Duke of Miazan. The Duke of Miazan is also the Count of Miazan. Following the overthrow of House Rivokul in 1032, during the 3rd Outrim War, the Barony of Kameperel (Kamperel, Floranna and Ektra) pays lip service to the Sector Duke of the RimWorlds and the Imperium, but refuses to acknowledge the authority of the Duke of Miazan.

The Viceroyalty of Celephais consists of Celephais, itself, the Siridar-Barony of Naltor, and the Siridar-Lordships of Byer's Planet and Tonivar. Initially, the Vicerotalty of Celephais also included the Siridar-Lordship of Rimbaud II/Gamelea but, following the establishment of the Duchy of Miazan in 906, Rimbaud II was returned to the Duchy of Gamelea.

The County of Bromus consists of Bromus, the Siridar-Barony of Exxilon, and the Siridar-Lordships of Lo-Taisang and Omega Vasalai IX.

The County of Nakaya consists of Nakaya, and the Siridar-Lordship of Epoch.

The County of Miazan consists of Miazan, and the Siridar-Lordships of Golus, Janda and Hydrot.

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From the Family Trees of both House Geyukthi and House Sehlemarl-Geyukthi, as well as notes in the Family Trees of Houses Crensea, Ulanor and Juharl-Zarquestuir, I have been able to find references to several people from the Noble Houses of Nakaya, Golus, Bromus and Naltor.

In the case of House Mahuran of Bromus, I have been able to construct a family tree stretching back four generations. And what that has shown is how well connected House Mahuran has become - from a minor House Major of a minor frontier County, in one generation we see it directly linked to the Duchies of Miazan and Gamelea.

Next: Fun with Family Trees and How Lineages Can Outline Your Stories

The Tunnels of Tonivar: Chapter 2 The Bromosian Gambit

Characters:
John – Akira Valdez, Ex - Merchant
Chris – Nimrod ‘Nim’ Higgins, Ex- Marine Commando
Jonathan – John Hawkwood , ex Marine

Akira Valdez and Nimrod 'Nim' Higgins survived an exciting treasure hunt on Tonivar/Cabria, as related here, befriended a group of Kiang revolutionaries, and relieved a Kalar-Wi officer of his ship. After dodging through Kalar-Wi Space, the newly renamed Harmony and her intrepid crew reached the Imperial world of Celephais where they were able to dispose of their valuable cargo.

In the aftermath of the excitement of selling the Kalar-Wi Honour Chest to Ghorman Holk of Holk, Garstil and Vorshu; Antiquarians, Valdez and Nim secured a load of ACRs and ammunition for the Kiang of the Harmony, and for the Phagouran Nak Prah Revolutionary movement back on Gaidon in Cabria Subsector. Nim then decided that having another human security specialist onboard could be an asset, given that Valdez’s plan was to trade around the Subsector, raising funds for the revolution. After a bit of hunting around, Nim and Valdez hired John Hawkwood, ex Imperial Marines, as Steward and Security.

While sorting out the munitions cargo, Nim and Hawkwood became aware that the Harmony was under surveillance from another group of Kiang. Tracking them back through the starport, Nim and Hawkwood discovered that these Kiang were linked to a small Kalar-Wi ship that had recently arrived in port.

While considering their options, Nim received an X-Boat message from his father, Osiris Higgins.

“Son, if you receive this then I may be in a spot of difficulty.

Gaspar Hourlanti and I have a lead on the whereabouts of Gilbert Chor. He wasn’t on Naltor, as we had thought. Seems that Sam and Isfan, his sons, have been having some dealings with Phorgan sa Vaspran, Minister of the Interior for President for Life Count Sakkan of Bromus. The Chors have a compound in the main town, Hasamton, as well as an estate just out of Bromus Downport.

If I don’t reset the auto tag on this message every two days, it will upload to the next X-Boat. If you get this message, I haven’t made it back to the Starport.

Remember, the Bromosians are xenophobic and touchy as heck. They have a couple of ex-Imperial SDBs deployed insystem and they don’t like people taking liberties.

See you soon, Son. Let’s show those Chor’s a thing or two.”

This message provoked some debate between Valdez and Nim as to where they should head next. Eventually, they agreed that they needed to get to Bromus and see what sort of a mess Osiris “Ossi” Higgins had got himself into. Valdez was aware of his old friend’s rather shady merchant history but he wasn’t aware of the details of the feud with Gilbert Chor. All Nim could recall was that the feud was long standing and Gilbert Chor had swindled Ossi out of a cargo, though the details were a little vague as they kept changing, depending upon what sort of mood Ossi was in at the time.

Picking up a spec cargo, the Harmony cleared Celephais Downport and headed for Udara IX, the system Gas Giant, to refuel before Jump. Detecting a ship in pursuit, Valdez had Tak Tai Nok and Von Dat Goh, the two Kiang leaders and bridge crew, change course for Udara VI, a small rocky world otherwise ignored by insystem traffic. Dropping into near orbit, they quickly selected a suitable spot in a crater, landed the Harmony, and set up an ambush under an overhang in the crater wall.

As the pursuing ship drew closer, Valdez and Tak managed to work out that it was probably the 150ton Kalar-Wi yacht that was in port with them on Celephais. Then, as the yacht put itself into an overflight orbit, it was suddenly jumped by a 300 ton armed merchant that had also been on an outbound vector. The two ships engaged and the 300tonner, the Diamond Angel, quickly disabled the yacht, causing it to crash into a mountain near the crater where the Harmony was lying in wait.

Hailing the Diamond Angel, Valdez found himself talking to Sam Chor, the ship’s captain and the son of Gilbert Chor, Ossi Higgins’ old enemy. Sam Chor told Valdez that he is just a simple merchant captain, but that after a bad experience during the Kalar-Wi War, he still considered the Kalar-Wi to be “the enemy” and that, as far as he is concerned, the Kalar-Wi will resume the war as soon as they are ready.

By this stage, Celephais Traffic Control was demanding that the Diamond Angel stand down and prepare to be boarded by System Patrol as, apparently, they did not share Sam Chor’s contention that the only good Kalar-Wi is a dead one. Sam, in response, ordered his ship to full acceleration and as it cleared 100 planetary diameters from Udara VI, the Diamond Angel Jumped outsystem.

After quickly checking the crash site of the yacht for survivors, the Harmony also headed outsytem. Von and Valdez determined that to get to Bromus, the Harmony needed to head for Byer’s Planet and then transit Kamperelian Space, via Ektra, to reach Omega Vasalai IX. After that, Bromus was just Jump-2 away.

As the Harmony dropped down into the Byer’s Planet system, Valdez had Von scanning the Traffic Control board for word of the Diamond Angel. Eventually, they learned that the Diamond Angel had transited the system a day before the Harmony, refuelling at the system Gas Giant and then Jumping on again. Valdez decided that it was worth trying to source a spec cargo before heading for Ektra as the lag time between the Harmony and the Diamond Angel was still within the margin of error on Jump (while the mean time in Jump is 168 hours, there is a small variance, and a long Jump by the Harmony while the Diamond Angel was short Jumping could put the two ships almost on top of each other). As it transpired, Byer’s Planet didn’t have a lot going for it and the Harmony pressed on.

Arriving at Ektra, Valdez was rather put out to discover a Kamperlian import tax on all goods crossing the X-T line. While he could offload some of his cargo for a small profit, the Kamperelian “Anti-Piracy” tax would mean he was trading at a loss. Refuelling, the Harmony Jumped for Imperial space.

Omega Vasalai IX, a barren rock settled by a religious community over two hundred and sixty years ago, had little to offer the average traveller besides the basic services of a waystation. While the crew of the Harmony serviced the life support and restocked the galley, Nim took a quick walk around the concourse. Near a tea shop, he thought he spotted a familiar figure, his father’s sometimes business partner Gaspar Hourlanti. Following Gaspar into the tea shop, Nim watched with interest as the old rogue was joined in his booth by an attractive younger woman. As Nim mulled over ways of introducing himself into their intense conversation, he noticed a casually dressed man with a military-style haircut entering the teashop.

As soon as Gaspar’s companion spotted the newcomer, both Gaspar and the woman hurried out the rear exit of the teashop. As the newcomer gave chase, Nim caught up with him just as he reached the exit. During the frantic fist fight that followed, the newcomer attempted to pull a gun from his jacket pocket, only for Nim to knock him out with a right hook.

After dealing with Starport security, Nim was permitted to return to the Harmony while the newcomer is arrested for causing an affray and having an illegal weapon. Arriving back at the ship, and reporting in to Valdez, Nim checked his handcomp and discovered an old number for Gaspar. Tapping the number, Nim was surprised when Gaspar answered. After a brief conversation, Gaspar agreed to come to the Harmony and talk to Nim.

A short time later, Gaspar appeared at the main hatch of the Harmony. He was accompanied by the young lady from the teashop. Once they were safely ensconced in the crew commons, Gaspar introduced his companion as Sheri Daxunn, Imperial Intelligence Agency. To Nim and Valdez’s amazement, it transpired that Ossi and Gaspar had been working for Agent Daxunn as contractors, investigating the mysterious Stranman Society.

Aras Stranman of Gamelea was Sector Admiral of the RimWorlds under Sector Duke Neal Zuro III. When the Duke died in 842 – 267 years ago – Stranman sought to play the honest broker between the various factions and then, in an attempt to forestall the looming civil war, permitted his Fleet Officers to elect him Sector Duke. Stranman lasted two years as Sector Duke before being executed. Seen as an honest military man providing much-needed leadership in a time of troubles, who was deceived, and ultimately betrayed, by treacherous and venal politicians, a persistent mythology has grown up around the person of Aras Stranman. A Stranman Society sprang up amongst retired military officers in the 990’s, as the Sector again approached a crisis in leadership, and claimed to draw inspiration from Aras Stranman’s actions 150 years earlier. Usually viewed as a debating society and grumbling club for disgruntled ex-officers, the Imperial Intelligence Agency maintains a watching brief on the Society as, periodically, the Society has spawned dangerous conspiracies.

That such a conspiracy is currently active is the belief of senior IIA analysts and Agent Daxunn, and others, are investigating. Daxunn was following up leads amongst some of the smuggler groups active in Miazan Subsector, and had contracted Ossi and Gaspar to monitor the Chor family’s operations to see if they were tied in with the Society.

Nim mentioned the X-Boat message he received from Ossi, and described the encounter between the Harmony and the Diamond Angel in the Celephais System. Valdez recalled that the Diamond Angel had loaded a cargo of G-Carriers at Celephais. Agent Daxunn looked concerned. Given that Ossi's message had mentioned a working arrangement between the Chors and the Bromosian Minister for the Interior, and given the equipment that the Chors seemed to be shipping to that rather low-tech world, Agent Daxunn could see the makings of a potentially nasty political situation, even if the Stranman Society was not involved. As the Harmony was already heading for Bromus in search of Ossi, Daxunn requested that her team be allowed to hitch a ride to determine what was really going on there. Beginning to wonder what they had got themselves into, Nim and Valdez agreed and then set about getting the Harmony ready to lift off.

Solo Traveller - Aloin's Saga Backgrounder #5

In the last instalment of Aloin’s adventures, the crew of the Iridium Queen encountered another Celephaizon merchant ship as they approached Miazan Highport. From the reaction of Miska Ilurin, the Iridium Queen’s Navigator, Aloin was able to gather that there was little love lost between the Iridium Queen and the incoming ship, the Guard Amethyst, Captain Venhrait.

This was the first time in this game that I had attempted to use both the starship encounter table and the reaction tables from the Classic Traveller rules.

The Starship Encounter table appears on Page 36 of Book 2: Starships and is a simple little 2d6 affair. With a range of results from 8 or less (no encounter) through to 18 (patrol), the 2d6 result is modified by the starport type of the system main world, +6 for an A Class port down to -4 for an X Class port. This means that in a system with an A Class starport, the only time that there won’t be a starship encounter is on a roll of 2 – this, perhaps, indicates the expected traffic volume in such a system. Encounter types are given as three types of free trader, two types of patrol, two types of subsidised merchant, two types of yacht and one pirate. Results of patrol and pirate can generate a Type-S armed scout, a Type-C armed cruiser or a Type-Y armed yacht. The assumptions evident in this encounter table are that starships are usually unarmed and that Traveller takes place in a “small ship” universe. Given that the starship construction rules in Book 2 seemed to max out at around 5000 tons then we’re looking more at Andre Norton’s Solar Queen than David Webber’s Honor Harrington series.

The starship encounter table from the Classic Traveller Starter Edition pdf essentially reprints the encounter table from The Traveller Book. This expands upon the Book 2 encounter table with the result spread now running from 2 – 15, and with each Starport type having its own column and selection of results. The presence of a Naval or Scout base grants positive dice modifiers and the ship encounters can also generate small craft encounters as well. All ship and small craft encounter types are now detailed and include all the standard ship and craft types that appear as “off the peg” designs in the rules. While still a “small ship” universe, this encounter table has both more detail and less freedom for the Games Master in that the ships are defined by class rather than primary function.

Standard 2d6 Bell curve

I had been considering expanding the Book 2 encounter table myself – perhaps by putting in a loading for location within the RimWorlds. With a standard 2d6 encounter table, one gets the standard bell-curve distribution. Dice modifiers simply move the bell curve along the X-axis which allows one to have different results or result ranges while using the same 2D6. On the other hand, an alternative would be to retain the basic encounter table and have a series of sub tables cascading off each result type – these sub tables would then be modified by DMs for location (frontier, Imperial interior, Outrim Space, Rimward Void, etc), starport type, Naval Base, Scout Base, and so on.

+2 modifier on 2d6 Bell curve moves the range to 4 - 14

This sounds like a project for a long, wet, Sunday when there’s nothing on the telly.

And on the third hand, I could just stick with the basic table, assume that any encounter rolled was significant to the characters, and play Interrogation to discover the What and the Why of it. Interrogation is a little thinking-assist brain-storming game I used to play where I would use a series of dice rolls to map out a story idea or plot.

In the situation where the Iridium Queen encounters the Guard Amethyst in the Miazan system, I rolled a Free Trader encounter type on the Book 2 encounter table. On the Reaction Table, I rolled “Hostile. May Attack.” Very interesting – who was this Free Trader and why was it hostile? I then posed a series of Yes/No questions and rolled 2d6 – 7+ for “yes”, 6- for “no”. Were they rivals? Yes. Trade rivals? No. Family rivals? Yes. From the same homeworld? Yes.

These answers told me that the Guard Amethyst was also from Celephais, and that the bad blood between the two ships was more of the nature of a feud between two families. This, in turn, gave me some insights into the nature of Celephaizon society (clannish). And also, by implication, it would appear that Captain Lukk, rather than owning the Iridium Queen herself, may actually be acting as agent for, and on behalf of, her family as Captain. With this revised ownership scheme, I was able to worry less about whether Lukk was meeting the mortgage payments on her ship and more about her meeting her running costs.

The naming of the rival ship, the Guard Amethyst, and her captain, Captain Venhrait, gave me two more plot hooks to begin hanging more story bits on, and an archenemy for the crew of the Iridium Queen to focus upon.

Solo Traveller - Aloin's Saga Backgrounder #3

The Iridium Queen is, in effect, a character in Aloin's story and so I worked up her stats in High Guard Shipyard 1.13.

Ship: Iridium Queen
Class: Harrana
Type: Far Trader
Architect: David Billinghurst
Tech Level: 11

USP	AK-	2221221-	030000-	10000-0	MCr 107.444	200 Tons
Bat Bear			2	4	Crew: 6
Bat			2	4	TL: 11

Cargo: 61 Passengers: 6 Crew Sections: 1 of 6 Low: 4 Fuel: 44 EP: 4 Agility: 0
Craft: 1 x 4T Air/raft
Fuel Treatment: Fuel Scoops and On Board Fuel Purification

Architects Fee: MCr 1.074 Cost in Quantity: MCr 85.957


Detailed Description
(High Guard Design)

HULL
200.000 tons standard, 2,800.000 cubic meters, Cone Configuration

CREW
Pilot, Engineer, Steward, Medic, 2 Gunners

ENGINEERING
Jump-2, 1G Manuever, Power plant-2, 4.000 EP, Agility 0

AVIONICS
Bridge, Model/2 Computer

HARDPOINTS
2 Hardpoints

ARMAMENT
2 Triple Mixed Turrets each with: 2 Beam Lasers (Factor-1).

DEFENCES
1 Sandcaster in each Mixed Turret, organised into 2 Batteries (Factor-3)

CRAFT
1 4.000 ton Air/raft (Crew of 0, Cost of MCr 0.010)

FUEL
44 Tons Fuel (2 parsecs jump and 28 days endurance)
On Board Fuel Scoops, On Board Fuel Purification Plant

MISCELLANEOUS
9 Staterooms, 4 Low Berths, 6 High Passengers, 4 Low Passengers, 61 Tons Cargo

USER DEFINED COMPONENTS
None

COST
MCr 108.508 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 1.074), MCr 85.947 in Quantity, plus MCr 0.010 of Carried Craft

CONSTRUCTION TIME
57 Weeks Singly, 46 Weeks in Quantity

COMMENTS
A TL 11 J-2 Far Trader


Harrana Class Far Trader

HULL
Hull: 0.000 Td; MCr 22.000
Armour Factor-0: 0.000 Td; MCr 0.000

ENGINEERING
M-Drive Factor-1: 4.000 Td; MCr 6.000
J-Drive Factor-2: 6.000 Td; MCr 24.000
P-Plant Factor-2: 12.000 Td; MCr 36.000; +4.000 EP

FUEL
P-Fuel: 4.000 Td; MCr 0,000
J-Fuel: 40.000 Td; MCr 0.000
Scoops: 0.000 Td; MCr 0.200
Purification: 7.000 Td; MCr 0.034
L-Hyd Drop Tanks: 0.000 Td; MCr 0.000

AVIONICS
Bridge: 20.000 Td; MCr 1.000
Computer Model/2: 2.000 Td; MCr 9.000; -0 EP

WEAPONRY
2 x Mixed Turrets: 2.000 Td; MCr 4.500

SCREENS

CRAFT
1 x Air/raft: 4.000Td; MCr 0.000; Cost of craft: MCr 0.010

ACCOMODATIONS
9.0 x Staterooms: 36.000 Td; MCr 4.500
4 x Low Berths: 2.000 Td; MCr 0.200
Cargo: 61.000 Td; MCr 0.000

USER DEFINED

Solo Traveller - Aloin's Saga #3

Golus Downport - image from Pixel Atomicao

The Iridium Queen remained ground-side at Golus Downport for the next four weeks. For Aloin, the days passed in a blur as he struggled to master his basic training under Kiirgun Atmai and familiarise himself with the layout of the ship.

The Iridium Queen was a Harrana Class 200-ton, Tech Level 11, Far Trader – one of eight of this class to come out of Laargashu-Sulluvhan Yard 28 at Celephais. This facility, and much of Celephais Highport, had been heavily damaged during the Kalar-Wi War. While repairs to the Highport were still ongoing, the starship yards remained closed for the foreseeable future and this had resulted in the port’s downgrade from A Class to B Class.

The Harrana Class Far Traders, Aloin discovered, had a two-parsec Jump range and a 1G Acceleration Manoeuvre Drive. Able to carry 61 tons of cargo, 5 cabin passengers, and 4 passengers in Low Berths, the ship was relatively roomy inside. As he learnt the ship, Aloin met the other members of the crew. Aside from Captain Lukk, whom Aloin had to drive to various meetings in the both the Downport and the surrounding Star Town, and Kiirgun Atmai who cheerfully gave him piles of manuals to read and then quizzed him on them, the crew consisted of Engineer Holi Pradeen, and Navigator Miska Ilurrin. Experienced spacers, both Pradeen and Ilurrin were Celephaizons like the Captain, and shared a familiarity born of long association.

Aloin quickly became bored trekking backwards and forwards between the ship and various office suites on the concourse, and then waiting attendance upon the Captain during long, dull meetings. A lot of these meetings seemed to degenerate into tea-drinking sessions, as far as he could see, where the Captain and whoever she was meeting with gossiped for hours over pot after pot of sweet, black, chi.

“I thought we were looking for a cargo”, Aloin said to Kiirgun eventually. “But they just talk. So why am I there?’

“What do they talk about?” Kiirgun asked in reply.

“They just talk about … stuff,” Aloin said. “What’s happening on Miazan; what the President of Kamperel likes for breakfast; who’s top dog in the Hunt of Rronurl this month.” He shrugged.

“And what does this tell you?”

Alorin shrugged again. “That these people gossip worse than the Vulpini Holochannel?”

Kiirgun sighed. “Information, lad”, he said.” Next to credits, information is the hardest currency in Charted Space for a merchant.”

A little light seemed to go on for Aloin. “Oh”, he said. “Oh! Oh, that explains the guy from Jarzeroon Petrochem.”

Kiirgun looked up at him and raised an eyebrow.

“The Jarzeroon guy has been at a couple of these tea-fests”, Aloin continued. “He hasn’t said a lot, but each time he’s moved a seat closer to the Captain, and has made a point of talking to her as the meeting has broken up.

“Today, there was a lot of talk about Miazan and plastics and industrial production numbers. And I think he’s expecting a petrochem shipment in from the wells at Jakabsan North – I saw several Olkathi mooching around the Concourse today who I know range that far north and often act as guides for hauler trains.”

Kiirrgun laughed and clapped his hands. “Yes! Well done. You see, your eyes and ears take in all this information, and you just needed your brain to make the connections. We did not know for sure that there was a shipment, but we did know that the Jarzeroon representative was suddenly very keen to sell.”

Passing Aloin a fizz drink from of the crew common area freeze unit, Kiirgun opened one himself, and then toasted Aloin. “Well done, indeed, young Aloin. You asked why you have been dragged along to these ‘tea-fests’. I think you have your answer. If you have the aptitude to be a cargo broker, you have to be able to mingle and talk with a crowd. You have to be able to see who wants to sell and who wants to buy and bring these people, or their factors, together so a deal is done. You have shown me that you can put the information together, now we just have to give you the skills to extract it from the seller and the buyer in a way that both will trust you.”

Commentary:
I’m having a bit of fun teasing the story along and showing how “Basic Training” might actually work on a Free Trader. I rolled for cargoes on the Speculative Trading Table and got nothing of interest for four weeks. There is a reason that Captain Lukk can afford to sit dirt-side for four weeks waiting for a spec cargo, and this will be revealed later on – I have run this campaign out over a game year so there is still more story to come.

By “show”, rather than “tell”, I am trying to reveal more about the characters of the crew of the Iridium Queen, as well as information about the ship, itself. I’m also thinking that a game page on this blog might be a good thing for storing character UPPs and ship USPs as well.