Languages Again

Language is like your Vacc Suit - don't leave home without it.
Semiotic by Dave Reddington Airlock 14

During the course of recent game play, the subject of Languages and Learnt Languages came up again – particularly as the player characters are interacting with various non-humans who don’t necessarily speak Imperial Basic as their first language. After an interesting discussion, I set to work to extend and streamline my original thoughts on Languages in Traveller.

In my earlier post on Languages, I suggested that characters have a language pool of the average of their Intelligence and Education in points to allocate to Languages that they wish to learn. Some players might wish to allocate all their points at the beginning of play to ensure that their characters have a broad suite of languages. Others might chose to take one secondary language to a conversational level, or several languages to a basic information swapping level and effectively bank their remaining language points until the prospect of venturing into a new region of space requires them to learn a new language.

I’m still inclined to retain the Language Points pool because, as a resource allocation tool, it obliges players to make decisions, rather than just have their characters become polyglots. The process of making decisions about the languages characters learn tends to get the players more involved with both their characters and the milieu their characters inhabit. Languages served up in bulk, or for gratis, I find, tend to be noted and then forgotten about, including by the Games Master.

Languages and Learning Languages
A Character’s ability to learn languages is a measure of the Character’s Language Aptitude Skill. Once a Character has acquired Language Aptitude Skill, Language Potential points can be determined and then the Character can assign these Language Potential points to indicate his or her fluency in a particular language.

There are two ways a Character can acquire Language Aptitude Skill:
1) Following Character Generation, a Character may roll to see if he or she has received Language Aptitude Skill during service:
To receive Language Aptitude Skill: Roll 10+, DM+1 if Int 9+, +1 if Edu 9+, +2 if Int and Edu 10+, +1 per term with the potential for contact with other languages and cultures. Such terms can include Assignments to Training Schools or Officer Training Schools, or various missions in the field, or Navy Life, or Army Life, etc.
For every two points the Language Aptitude Skill roll is exceeded by, the Character gains +1 Language Potential points to his or her base Language Potential points pool.

2) Alternatively, a Character may convert one skill level in either Steward or Carousing into Language Aptitude Skill. Language Potential points are then determined in the manner outlined below.

Both of these methods permit a character to begin play with an existing suite of languages. Unassigned language points may be retained. These represent future language potential but, once play begins, these language points can only be assigned after the Character has undertaken a course of study – see below. Established Characters may determine their Language Aptitude as per method 1 at any time during their Adventuring career and, if successful, they can determine their Language Potential points pool. As Established Characters are deemed to be learning languages later in life, they will have to spend time actually learning a language (either via chip, or tape, or with an instructor) rather than starting play with already learnt languages – apart from their native language, of course.

Language Points pool:
Once a Character has gained Language Aptitude Skill, he or she gains a Language Potential points pool. This is determined by averaging Intelligence and Education stat scores, and can be modified if the Character exceeds the roll required to acquire Language Aptitude Skill – see above. This point pool can be used to buy a Skill Level in a new language, or to increase the character’s fluency in an already purchased language.
A character will have a native language to Fluency Level 3. Characters with Education of 9+ automatically increase their native language to Fluency Level 4 at no cost. Characters with Education 12+ automatically increase their native language to Fluency Level 5 at no cost.

Learning New Languages or Increasing Fluency in Learned Languages:
Characters without Language skill must first gain Language Aptitude Skill. By undertaking a six month course of study, they learn how to learn languages. Such a course can be undertaken by tape or chip, and the course software will set and evaluate course work. At the end of the six month course, the Character must attend a finishing course of two weeks duration at an A or B Class Starport to successfully graduate the course and gain Language Aptitude Skill. The course costs Cr500 and requires a roll of 10+ to pass, DMs, +1 if Int 10+, +1 if Edu 10+. Once the Character has gained Language Aptitude Skill (the course may be taken as often as required, at Cr500 per time), he or she gains a Language Potential pool of the average of Int and Edu in points to assign to learning languages.

A Character attempting to learn a new Language must undertake a six month period of study, either via chip or tape, or with a tutor (who must have both Instruction Skill and at least Level 3 Fluency in the language being studied). If a tutor is engaged, then the Character must remain based in the tutor’s locality for the duration of the course. A study course costs Cr500 (Cr2000 if using the services of a tutor, Cr6000 plus a High Passage return ticket if the tutor is required to accompany the Character) and requires a two week intensive study and evaluation period at its conclusion at either an A or B Class starport or at a school with a teacher who must have both Instruction Skill and at least one Level of fluency in the language higher than the level the Character wishes to attain. Roll 10+ to gain a Level 2 Fluency in the language being studied; DMs +1 Int 9+, +1 Edu 9+, +2 Int and Edu 10+, +2 if using a tutor. If the required roll is exceeded by 2, then a Level 3 Fluency is attained.

Fluency levels:
Level 1: Basic Communication – “Where this?” “How much?” “Where food?”
Level 2: Average Communication – “ I needs hydropump for this many days” “You want how much for that?” A poorly educated native speaker (Education 3 – 5) with limited vocabulary. Otherwise, speaks with a heavy accent of origin and tends to mangle syntax or grammar.
Level 3: Good Communication – Native speaker with average education (Education 6 – 8) and vocabulary. Otherwise, speaks like a native, though still retains accent of origin.
Level 4: Excellent Communication – Native speaker with advanced education (Education 9 –11) and expanded vocabulary. Otherwise, speaks like a well educated native and able to debate history, art, poetry, politics, etc. Still retains a trace of accent of origin, though usually not noticeable to a native speaker.
Level 5: Superb Communication – Native speaker with superior education (Education 12 – 14) and extensive vocabulary. Otherwise, speaks like a well-educated native. Has possibly studied older forms of the language and can make allusions to classical authors, etc.

Language Point pool costs:
A Character’s native language does not cost any points and is usually at Fluency Level 3. Characters with Edu 9+ and Edu 12+ automatically gain Fluency Level 4 or 5 respectively at no cost. A Character with Fluency Level 3 or lower can increase his or her fluency in his or her native language in exactly the same way he, or she would increase Fluency in another language – by undertaking a six month course of study and rolling 10+ to raise the Fluency level by one, at the cost of one Language Point.

If Languages points are assigned during Character generation then each Fluency Level in each language learned costs 1 Language Pool point, except for the Character’s native language, which the Character gains for zero points. If the Character subsequently learns a new Language, and successfully completes the Language course (see above) then the initial Fluency Level of 2 is gained for 1 Language point. If the Character exceeds the required roll of 10+ by 2, the bonus of attaining Fluency Level 3 costs the same ie 1 Language point. Further courses of study cost 1 Language point per level of Fluency.

For example, Eeather swaps a level of Steward for Language Skill during Character generation. She has Intelligence 9 and Education 8. Averaging her two stats, she has a Language Point pool of 8 to play with. As a native of Feor, she already speaks Gamelean Basic (with a Feorian accent) to Level 3. Eeather is a Merchant and decides that picking up a couple of extra languages could be a good career move. Passage through Kalar-Wi space opens markets in the Cabria and Lymethius subsectors so she decides that taking Kalar-Wi to Level 2 for two points is a good starter. Beyond Kalar-Wi lies the Aslan Huiha Esoyatre in Lymethius subsector, so Eeather takes Trokh Esoyatre to Level 4 for four points, as Aslan, while pretty touchy about matters of pride and honour, respect someone who respects their language and culture. With her final two points, Eeather takes Trade Lingo, a pidgin language commonly used by merchants moving to and fro across the Imperial Border.

In summary, Eeather speaks:
Gamelean Imperial Basic Level 3 (Feorian accent)
Kalar-Wi Level 2 (Strong Feorian accent)
Trokh Esoyatre Level 4 (Slight Feorian accent)
Trade Lingo Level 2 (Strong Feorian accent)

As a Merchant Broker or Factor, she will be an asset to any ship crossing the Imperial Frontier.

Eeather’s cousin, Fargan, is also a Merchant. A bright (Int 9) and well-educated (Edu 10) scion of the family, he decides to roll for Language Aptitude Skill at the end of Character generation. Rolling 10, +1 for Int 9+, +1 for Edu 9+, +1 for an Exploratory Trade Mission assignment gives a total of 13, or three points more than the 10+ required to receive Language Aptitude Skill, so Fargan gains Language Aptitude Skill and +1 to his Language Potential points pool. With Int 9 and Edu 10, Fargan has a Base language Point pool of 9, +1 from his Language Aptitude roll equals 10 points.

As a Feorian native, Fargan speaks Gamelean Basic (with a Feorian accent) to Level 3, but his Education of 10 increases this to Level 4 (Slight Feorian accent) for zero points. As Kalar-Wi is handy to Feor, Fargan decides that taking Vriok (the Kalar-Wi language) to Level 3 (Feorian accent) for three points is a good move. He decides to spend a further 2 points on Trade Lingo Level 2 (Strong Feorian Accent). Undecided where adventure might take him, Fargan decides to “bank” his remaining 5 Language points until he works out where he might be travelling. After a year spent pottering around the Gamelea Subsector, the opportunity for a long voyage to Rimward presents itself. Consulting his Library Data, Fargan picks up Learn Language chips for Arrghoun – a Vargr language spoken in the Hunt of Rronurl – and Kassuriik – the language of the Purvions, a Minor Race native to Lithia/Miazan. During the six month trip to Lithia, Fargan dutifully completes his language course and then spends a two week lay-over at Miazan on his finals. He rolls 8, +1 for Int9+, +1 for Edu 9+ gives him a total of 10+. He gains Kassuriik Level 2 (Strong Feorian Accent) for 1 Language Point and now has to start work on his Arrghoun.

At this point he speaks:
Gamelean Imperial Basic (Slight Feorian Accent) Level 4
Vriok (Feorian Accent) Level 3
Trade Lingo (Strong Feorian Accent) Level 2
Kassuriik (Strong Feorian Accent) Level 2
He is in the process of learning Arrghoun and has four Language points still to assign.

Secrets in Sulphur - Design Notes

The Akhska is of a type of Far Trader known as a "Rim Runner". Favoured by Vargr Special Forces and raiders for its J-3 range, the Gaeouz Class' reduced cargo hold makes it barely economical as a trading vessel.

In the Outrim, Gaeouz Class Rim Runners are often found serving as couriers or packet ships, moving important personal between far flung systems.

Ship: Akhska
Class: Gaeouz
Type: Far Trader
Architect: David Billinghurst
Tech Level: 12

USP	AP-	2633431-	030000-	10000-0	MCr 156.332	200 Tons
Bat Bear			2	4	Crew: 7
Bat			2	4	TL: 12

Cargo: 17 Passengers: 4 Crew Sections: 1 of 7 Fuel: 68 EP: 8 Agility: 1
Craft: 1 x 4T Air/Raft
Fuel Treatment: Fuel Scoops and On Board Fuel Purification

Architects Fee: MCr 1.557   Cost in Quantity: MCr 125.186


Detailed Description
  (High Guard Design)

HULL
200.000 tons standard, 2,800.000 cubic meters, Flattened Sphere Configuration

CREW
Pilot, 2 Engineers, Steward, Medic, 2 Gunners

ENGINEERING
Jump-3, 3G Manuever, Power plant-4, 8.000 EP, Agility 1

AVIONICS
Bridge, Model/3 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 0.600)

FUEL
68 Tons Fuel (3 parsecs jump and 28 days endurance)
On Board Fuel Scoops, On Board Fuel Purification Plant

MISCELLANEOUS
8 Staterooms, 4 High Passengers, 17 Tons Cargo

USER DEFINED COMPONENTS
None

COST
MCr 157.289 Singly (incl. Architects fees of MCr 1.557), MCr 124.586 in Quantity, plus MCr 0.600 of Carried Craft

CONSTRUCTION TIME
57 Weeks Singly, 46 Weeks in Quantity

COMMENTS
Known as "Rim Runners", Gaeouz Class Far Traders are favoured by Vargr Special Forces and raiders for missions to Rimward of the RimWorlds, or for deep penetration raids within Imperial space.


Gaeouz Class Far Trader

HULL
Hull: 0.000 Td; MCr 16.000
Armour Factor-0: 0.000 Td; MCr 0.000

ENGINEERING
M-Drive Factor-3: 16.000 Td; MCr 8.000
J-Drive Factor-3: 8.000 Td; MCr 32.000
P-Plant Factor-4: 24.000 Td; MCr 72.000; +8.000 EP

FUEL
P-Fuel: 8.000 Td; MCr 0,000
J-Fuel: 60.000 Td; MCr 0.000
Scoops: 0.000 Td; MCr 0.200
Purification: 6.000 Td; MCr 0.032
L-Hyd Drop Tanks: 0.000 Td; MCr 0.000

AVIONICS
Bridge: 20.000 Td; MCr 1.000
Computer Model/3: 3.000 Td; MCr 18.000; -1 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 0.600

ACCOMODATIONS
8.0 x Staterooms: 32.000 Td; MCr 4.000
Cargo: 17.000 Td; MCr 0.000

USER DEFINED

Secrets in Sulphur Session 3

Dylan was unable to make Session 3 of my Classic Traveller game, so I ran Chivers as an NPC.

Our cast of characters:

John – Boris Clapshaw, ex Army Infantry Sergeant
Jonathan – Riishaa Daanel, ex Marine
Dylan – Count Asenault “Chivers” Washington-Pipps, retired Marine Colonel
Chris – “Bunty” Staffburger, ex Marine Force Commander

Recap:
Session 1 is here and Session 2 is here.

Attempting to find "Bunty" Staffburger's lady friend, Selia, who has gome missing out on the sulphur flats of Por'via, Staffburger and his friends "Chivers" Washington-Pipps, Riishaa Daanel and Boris Clapshaw stumble across gem thieves, mysterious Vargr, fast and vicious alien life forms, and a buried shuttle craft crewed by the enigmatic Mi'yargin. The Mi'yargin's efforts to rescue Selia have resulted in her body being artifically sustained while her conciousness has merged with the Mi'yargin Collective. After ridding the shuttle craft of an infestation of vicious irrijari, the Mi'yargin take off from Por'via to rendezvous with their Nullship.

Game Play
Chivers and the guys make themselves as comfortable as they can in the methane atmosphere of the Mi’yargin small craft as it begins the long haul to Harrimol VIII, the Por’via System gas giant. Once there, the Mi'yargin intend to rendezvous with their Nullship, hidden in the ring system. Behind them, the Vargr freighter Akhska, which left Por’via about the same time as the Mi’yargin shuttle, is following a similar heading towards the gas giant. As yet, neither the party nor the Mi'yargin have been able to establish what its purpose might be.

Three days after leaving Por’via, the Mi’yargin shuttle is deep in the system of moons and rings around the large gas giant. The holographic projector in the Mi’yargin Second’s room shows the shuttle’s projected orbital track. It appears to intersect the track of a large, icy object within the ring plane.

As the shuttle begins to dip into the ring plane, Chivers and the guys are shown an image of the object they are closing with. While it appears to be an icy planetesimal, several hundred metres in diameter, the regularity of its shape and the smoothness of its exterior make it stand out as a possible artificial construct. As the ship draws closer, Clapshaw and Daanel make out what appears to be a rather regular shaped crater in the surface of the planetesimal. Very soon their suspicions are confirmed as the shuttle prepares to land within the crater – the crater is actually a docking bay and the planetesimal is the Mi’yargin Nullship.

With little fuss, the shuttle comes to rest in the docking bay and an ice-covered gantry extrudes from the docking bay wall to connect to the shuttle. Informed that they will have to make the crossing to the Nullship in vacuum, Clapshaw and Daanel point out that only they have sealed combat armour. Chivers and Staffburger are still wearing their combat environment suites which are fast reaching the end of their operational lives. The Second places a small, jelly-like blob on Chivers’ and Staffburger’s CES helmets. After a moment, the blobs spread out to envelope both men’s Environment suits. A type of nanotech, the blobs are programmed to form vacuum seals around objects they are placed upon.

After crossing the gantry, the party enter the Nullship. They discover a short corridor which leads to what looks like a subway car. There is a dull bronze-coloured half-globe on the wall of the car. Eventually, Staffburger discovers that the globe acts as both a communication device and a controller for the subway car. Quickly, he learns that he can call up a schematic of the Nullship and, by connecting two points on the schematic, direct the subway car across, and through, the ship. The interior of the Nullship, it seems, is in a state of fluidity, shaping and reshaping itself as required.

Meanwhile, Selia contacts them via the half-globe. She tells them that the Mi’yargin Collective from the Shuttle is in the process of reintegrating itself into the Collective of the Nullship. As this process will take a little time and a lot of attention and energy, the Collective request that the party deal with the potentially hostile ship that is now in final approach. Manipulating the half-globe, Staffburger is able to direct its point of view beyond the interior of the Nullship and spots the Akhska, the Vargr freighter, preparing to land near the shuttle dock. Staffburger is able to manoeuvre the subway car to a point near where the ship touches down. He also locates a series of spiracles that allow access to the surface from near-surface passages.

Soon, seven suited and armed Vargr leave the Akhska and head towards the shuttle bay. As soon as they pass over the Nullship’s horizon, Chivers, Daaeel and Clapshaw pop out of a spiracle directly under the Akhska while Staffburger continues to monitor the situation from the subway car. Clambering up the ladder to the main lock, Clapshaw discovers that the external hatch hasn’t been secured. Quickly cycling the lock, Clapshaw, Daanel and Chivers squeeze in and cycle through. They emerge in the ship’s suit room, much to the surprise of the Vargr guarding the lock. A sudden movement on his part sets Daneel and Clapshaw off, with fatal results for the Vargr. Daanel, Clapshaw and Chivers then quickly move to secure the ship. Another Vargr is found on bridge watch but he wisely surrenders.

By the time Staffburger makes it aboard, the Vargr expeditionary force is aware that something is amiss and is heading back towards the Akhska. While the Mi’yargin Nullship looks like a small moon, it lacks the mass to generate more than a fractional gravitational field so the Vargr are attempting to hurry across the surface while wearing magnetic boots to stop them achieving escape velocity. Chivers makes contact with the Vargr, inviting them to surrender while Daanel climbs up through the dorsal hatch to take up a firing position on the upper hull of the ship. While most Vargr living in Imperial Space in the RimWorlds speak a language called Gvegh – or one of several dialects derived from it, the Vargr that the party are currently engaged with speak Arrghoun – a much more ancient language. Consequently, not a lot of headway is made with negotiations until they discover that one of the Vargr speaks Trade Lingo, a pidgin version of Imperial Basic. Even this does little to resolve the stand-off, as the Vargr, having lost Charisma by losing their ship, can only regain Charisma by retaking the ship and suitably punishing the humans.

Daanel, from the upper hull, and Clapshaw, from the main hatch, are soon matching their gauss rifles against the laser rifles and accelerator rifles of the Vargr. With little cover on the surface of the Nullship, the Vargr are quickly over-matched and disposed of, leaving the party in control of the ship.

A short time later, the Mi’yargin Collective resumes communication with the party, still ensconced aboard the Vargr ship and trying to make sense of the ship's controls and computer which are all labelled in Arrghoun. The Collective offers its assistance. From fragmentary notes in a journal in a safe in the Captain's cabin, and from partially translated communications in the ship's log, the Collective gains the impression that the Vargr have come a long way, from Waystar in Cabria Subsector, on a mission for a "Lord Whipworm" - Aeroukh Doaengosra in Arrghoun. The Collective wonder if this "Lord Whipworm" might, in fact, be an old enemy of the Mi'yargin - the Danshihabi.

Expressing their gratitude and satisfaction with the party, the Mi’yargin produce the consignment of heavy metals they had promised for the party's aid against the irrijari. They also pass up any claim to the Vargr ship. While the party are debating how they will move the ship as none of them is a skilled pilot, the Mi’yargin indicate that, in return for the party undertaking to locate Lord Whipworm, and to bring such information as they can gather to a rendezvous with the Mi'yargin in the Yuar System in Cabria Subsector, they might be able to help. A long, sarcophagus-like storage container is added to the cargo pallet laden with the promised heavy metals. When Staffburger asks, rather plaintively, after Selia, the Collective indicate that her body is being remodelled to continue to live, but that her conciousness is becoming increasingly integrated into the Collective. Staffburger begins to doubt whether she will ever return to him.

After the cargo pallet is wheeled into the ship’s cargo bay, the party gather around to consider the sarcophagus, and what it might contain.

Website Update #20

Just a quick post to relate that I have just updated my Modeling log and Traveller Library Data.

These colourful chaps to left are Mounted Zonii Warriors, 15mm scale figures from Darkest Star Games. Made of pewter, they are single piece castings, sold unpainted. I have mounted them on fender washers and painted them. And I'm rather pleased as to how they've come out.

The Tunnels of Tonivar - Design Notes

Amongst my left over notes from the Tunnels of Tonivar game was a little section on the Kalar-Wi and their motives.

Group Leader Tur’vak Hrak’lar (the leader of the Kalar-Wi party) is the son of Senior Group Leader Gir’kla Hrak’lar who served in the Kalar-Wi Ground Force which occupied part of Tonivar during the war. Tur'vak's father was killed, allegedly after the Kalar-Wi surrender, at the end of the war. Tur’vak has organised a covert mission to recover his father’s personal Honour Chest as well as the Honour Chest of the 1st Groupment of the 12th Regiment in which Group Leader Hrak’lar served.

Accompanied by five of his unit brothers and with two veterans of the 1st Groupment as guides, Tur’vak has also brought 12 Kiang retainers as muscle and extra security. He has also managed to gain the use of a 200 ton armed freighter for a brief amount of time, as well as two sealed G-vans for local transport.

I think that when I started writing this, and the other material on the Kalar-Wi, they stopped being the remorseless evil bad guys of old and became - to me - people. Inspired, in part, by accounts of the relatives of World War II Japanese soldiers and airmen seeking to find just an item of equipment or clothing of their lost relative, it made me think a bit more about the Kalar-Wi, about their society, and how they might act and react.

While it's a pity I wasn't able to reveal this piece to the players, the discussion with the Antiquarian Ghorman Holk about the nature of the Kalar-Wi Honour Chest, and its importance in Kalar-Wi society did give the players a little insight into what motivates the Kalar-Wi.

The Tunnels of Tonivar

Kiang allies of the Kalar-Wi

Library Data:

Tonivar/Cabria C-200544-8 Non-Industrial/Vacuum

Tonivar, or Kalbia I, Downport has two tractor tugs. The Imperial Scout Base has a repair tug. Tonivar has two small moons – the larger, Ie, is 121 miles in diameter. The smaller, Fleck, is 16 miles in diameter.
Settled by a Vargr mercenary unit that the Imperium paid off with land, the 830,000 inhabitants have been growing restless as their resentment to being forced into becoming miners has increased. Parts of Tonivar were attacked by Kalar-Wi forces during the Kalar-Wi War and a number of warrens were damaged or destroyed. The survivors of the small Kalar-Wi occupation force were repatriated after the defeat of the Kalar-Wi in 1105, though rumors persist that the Tonivargr massacred a number of Kalar-Wi and their Kiang allies after the Kalar-Wi surrender, but before Imperial authorities could completely take control of the situation. A large number of Kiang now live and work on Tonivar, mainly in menial or dangerous low status jobs, sending money home to their families on Gaidon.

After getting caught out a little by the prep (or lack of it) I did for the Secrets in Sulphur sessions, when the opportunity came to run a little side game for John and Chris, I decided to approach this scenario slightly differently. As I mentioned in my last post, I initially used my “bang-two-ideas-together” method to suggest an over-arching theme for the adventure. Coming up with “abandoned base” and “treasure”, and then selecting Tonivar/Cabria as the location got me thinking about the next level down – who lived there, what was or had happened (“abandoned base”?), what was going on.

The library data entry, above, expanded on notes in my system book and, in turn, prompted me to expand my notes on the Kalar-Wi – as noted in my previous post. One thing that came through from thinking about the Kalar-Wi was that a “treasure” for a Kalar-Wi might be a different thing from a “treasure” for anyone else. And this, in turn, allowed me to work a couple of little wrinkles into the scenario to give the players an “aha” moment.

I then wrote up my ideas, making sure that I actually stretched myself and named all the minor characters – just in case someone asked an awkward question.

John decided to create a Merchant character from Book 7: Merchant Prince. I haven’t used Merchant Prince very much – it was published late in my first Traveller cycle – so we had a bit of fun working our way through the character generation process. John’s character, Akira Valdez, started out working for a subsector-wide shipping line. Through a series of bad assignment rolls, he found himself being progressively down-sized – from subsector-wide line to interface line to fledgling line. I suspected that if this trend had continued, then Valdez would have ended up running a concession stand at a D Class Starport. Eventually, after an exciting late career on a free trader, Akira Valdez mustered out after failing a reenlistment roll.

Chris’ character, Nimrod ‘Nim’ Higgins, on the other hand, was a more standard Book: 4 Marine, though he ended up with a rather truncated career – after transferring to the Commandos, he got parked in Staff College, got bored, and mustered out.

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

Backstory:
Akira Valdez had spent the last couple of years working as a broker for Maash Freight, a fledgling line out of Celephais/Miazan. Injured on Naird/Cabria during a trade deal that went bad, Valdez was let go from his ship and transported back to Tonivar/Cabria in Imperial Space. While recuperating in a hospital at Tonivar Down, he managed to get word to an old friend on Miazan/Miazan, Osiris ‘Ossi’ Higgins, that he needed help. Ossi was committed to a trading voyage to Rimward and so sent his son, Nim Higgins – recently returned home after quitting Marine Staff College – in his place.

Game Play:
Akira Valdez was pretty much on the mend after his adventures out in the Outrim so he decided to take young Nim Higgins out for a night of cards and fun in the Tonivar Down bar district before they shipped out for Miazan/Miazan and home. While playing cards with a group of locals in a bar called Uesze’s, a drunken one-legged ex-soldier called Wai Toi threw a map into the pot. He swore that the map was authentic and that it showed the location of a Kalar-Wi Ground Force payroll in the ruined Laghdha warren, left over from the war four years ago. Wai Toi was in Ordinance Disposal after the war and took part in the sweeps of Kalar-Wi occupied warrens, looking for booby-traps and unexploded ordinance. He says that he never had the opportunity to go back to the Laghdha warren to pick up the pay tokens – he lost a leg to a booby-trap in a later warren clearance – but he knows of a collector on Celephais/Miazan called Ghorman Holk, of Holk, Garstil and Vorshu Antiquarians, who pays top rate for Kalar-Wi military memorabilia.

As Toi describes it, the pay tokens were in long, sausage-like, silk bags in a locked and armoured box. He repacked the contents of the strongbox in a plain Imperial storage box and stacked it in a pile of equipment in the warren administration office. Toi estimates that there were about Cr500,000 – the monthly pay for a battalion sized formation known to have occupied the Laghdha warren – in Kalar-Wi pay tokens, worth about Cr15,000 – Cr25,000 on the collectors’ circuit.

Sneaky GM note: Toi does not realise that what he has found is actually a Kalar-Wi Groupment’s Honour Chest – the tokens represent the various honours and awards that the Groupment (a battalion sized unit) has received during its existence. An intact Kalar-Wi Groupment Honour Chest is worth probably in the order of MCr 5 to MCr 10.

Nim did a little asking around and learnt that the Laghdha warren was indeed bombed out during the war, and only partially resealed after the war – four years ago – and that the authorities have still not got around to effecting more substantial repairs. Wai Toi is broke, and an invalid after his injury. Due to an administrative mess-up, instead of being Medivacced to Miazan, he was dishonourably discharged on Tonivar instead. He only discovered this when he woke up in a local hospital and found that his unit had pulled out. He has barely the funds for a Low Passage ticket back to Miazan where he will try and get a Veterans Affairs Lawyer to take his case. Nim also learns that Wai Toi has a reputation as a liar and a drunk. And that all that is known about him for sure is that he was in the Army, his unit was deployed to Tonivar and, it is said, he was Absent Without Leave when his unit was suddenly redeployed.

Kalar-Wi in Combat Armour

Having won the hand, and the map, Valdez slips Wai Toi Cr10,000 for a High Passage home and the chance to clear his name of the AWOL charge. Then, Valdez and Nim retire to have a look at the map they have won.

The Laghdha warren lies about 100 kilometres west of Tonivar Down in a valley. It was once an ancient lava cave and now consists of two main tunnel levels with various branches and smaller lines. Toi’s map shows the main entrance and the route to the administrative office, as well as sketchier details of the lower level and a secondary entrance further along the valley.

As Valdez and Nim prepare to head off to hire some transport, the friendly barman at Uesze’s suggests that they be careful. He’s seen some strangers around recently who remind him of the Kalar-Wi who were on-planet just a few years ago.

After hiring a sealed surface vehicle, as the subsurface monorail system has not been reconnected to Laghdha warren, Nim and Valdez set out, heading along the main northbound roadway in an effort to throw off any casual followers. About forty kilometres north of Tonivar Down, they turn off the main highway onto a secondary road heading west towards the range of hills lining the Laghdha valley. While climbing up the hillroad, they see two grav vans sail overhead, coming from Tonivar Down and heading towards the Laghdha valley and the Laghdha warrens. Assuming that Toi may have sold his map on more than one occasion, Nim and Valdez are not too surprised to crest the rise and spot the two grav vans parked outside the dome entrance to the warrens. As they watch from the crest of the rise, they see a number of vacc-suited people enter the dome.

Realising that they have competition, Nim and Valdez hastily head south, just below the ridgeline. Reaching the southern pass, they come down into the valley near the southern entrance dome. Hidden from the main entrance dome by the curve of the valley, Nim and Valdez are able to drive right up to the Southern Dome. They discover that the vehicle lock door has been breached but the pedestrian lock is still functioning. Once their vehicle is hidden inside the vehicle lock, Nim and Valdez manage to access the pedestrian lock. There is no power for the lifts but emergency lights are still running. Locating a stairwell, they begin climbing down a series of flights of steps until they reach a subway line on the lowest level.

As the stairwell and corridors contain a breathable, if rather stale, atmosphere, and there is some power on, Nim and Valdez are able to doff the helmets of their pressure suits. One of the subway cars is still working, so they set it in motion. Exiting the subway tunnel, the track continues northward along the main lower tunnel. The lower tunnel is about 40 metres wide with various smaller tunnels running off to the east and west. The “rail line” runs along the centre of the main hall and consists of parallel guide grooves for the wheeled carriages of the train. Riding the train north, both Nim and Valdez become very conscious that the only sound, in the dimly lit and abandoned hall, is the susurrus of their train’s tyres.

After what seems a very long ride through the gloomy main tunnel, Nim and Valdez locate a service stairwell that their map tells them will bring them out near the administration offices on the upper level. Leaving the train, they carefully ascend the stairs, emerging in a narrow corridor. Moving cautiously along it, they check the side rooms as they go. Then, they hear noises and see the flicker of flash lights coming from a side corridor, ahead.

Carefully peering around the corridor corner, Nim and Valdez find themselves looking into the central administration office suite for the warren. Various desks and other items of office furniture are in the process of being pushed aside and otherwise investigated by twelve small humanoids. While each is wearing a light pressure suit, all have their helmets off, revealing the dark blue skins, bald heads, and long ears of Kiang.

As Nim and Valdez watch the Kiang sifting through the stacks of office furniture, two taller figures emerge from one of the partitioned offices. As they step into the light, Valdez recognises them as two Kalar-Wi, wearing Kalar-Wi issue combat armour.

One of the two Kalar-Wi issues a stream of orders to the Kiang, sending them scurrying around the office, obviously looking for something, while two of their number are picked out and dispatched to explore further.

Nim and Valdez suddenly realise that the two Kiang are heading right towards them. They quickly scoot back into an empty office and wait as the Kiang pass by. After lying quiet for a few minutes, they hear the two Kiang coming back from their errand. The Kiang hesitate before turning into the corridor towards the administration centre, and then start arguing with each other.

Both Valdez and Nim come to the conclusion that these two Kiang are not very happy with the situation they find themselves in, nor with their Kalar-Wi masters. Getting the drop on them, Nim and Valdez question the Kiang further. Their names are Tak Tal Nok and Von Dat Goh and they are retainers of Group Leader Tur’vak Hrak’lar, the leader of the Kalar-Wi expedition. Tak and Von are also members of the Phagouran Nak Prah - or FhNP – the Kiang Separatist Movement known of the Harmonious Path.

Nim and Valdez persuade Tak and Von that they are the local FhNP cell’s best hope of defeating these Kalar-Wi and aiding the revolution. After some quick planning, Tak and Von enter the office suite and report to Group Leader Hrak’lar. As he dismisses them, they shout out to the other Kiang in Udah Gol Pranh – the Kiang native language, suppressed by the Kalar-Wi – to take cover.

As most of the Kiang drop to the floor, Nim and Valdez step in the room and open fire. A spectacular fire fight erupts as the rest of Group Leader Hrak’lar’s party of Kalar-Wi spill out of the offices and the Kiang join in, either firing on each other or at their overlords.

When the smoke clears four Kalar-Wi and five Kiang are down and the two surviving Kalar-Wi have fled. Along with Tak and Von, Nim and Valdez quickly check the offices and locate the pile of containers Wai Toi left behind during his team’s sweep of the warren. There is an obvious gap where a box has been removed.

Convinced that Tur’vak Hrak’lar, who survived the shoot out in the offices, has their treasure, Nim and Valdez give chase, with Tak, Von and the rest of the FhNP Kiang racing along behind. Reaching the main elevator at the Northern Entrance, Nim and Valdez see that the passenger car is heading towards the surface. Forcing the lift doors open, they fire up the lift shaft, damaging the lift and bringing it to a halt. Piling into the vehicle and freight elevator, Nim, Valdez and the Kiang make their way to the surface.

As the lift doors open, Nim and Valdez rush around the lift core to the passenger elevator. Bursting through the airlock separating the two halves of the entrance dome, Nim and Valdez see that the elevator door has been wedged open. It would appear that Hrak’lar and his companion managed to climb up the emergency ladder in the elevator shaft and made their escape in one of the two grav vans their party arrived in.

Piling into the other grav van, and with Tak driving, they chase off after Hrak’lar. Soon, they work out he’s heading for the starport and his ship. After a crazy chase through the hills east of the Laghdha valley, Tak manages to manoeuvre their grav van close enough to Hrak’lar’s van that Nim is able to shoot it down before they reach the Tonivar Down city limits.

Doubling back to the wrecked van, Valdez is able to recover the storage box containing the loot. Then, after some discussion with Tak and Von, a brazen plan for seizing the Kalar-Wi ship is hatched.

Driving discretely up to the starport gate, Tak and Von talk their way past security while Nim and Valdez keep out of sight in the rear of the van. En route to the landing pad, Von calls ahead to the ship. Claiming that “one of the Masters” is wounded, he implores the duty Kiang to open the cargo hatch so they can bring the “Master” aboard the ship in the grav van. After some off-mic discussion, the duty Kalar-Wi officer orders the van brought aboard.

As soon as the grav van is aboard and the cargo hold is restored to full atmosphere, Tak pops the lock on the van as the two Kalar-Wi officers enter the hold. As they approach the grav van, Nim and Valdez pop out of the back. “Surprise!” they say as they open fire.

The FhNP Kiang pile out of the grav van and quickly overcome their compatriots aboard ship. A number of heads are banged together and then the shipside Kiang see the wisdom of joining the revolution. Unable to believe their luck, Nim and Valdez settle back as Tak and Von get the ship ready for a quick take off.

Given the way that the Kalar-Wi have run the ship up until now – only interacting with Imperial authorities through their Kiang agents – Tonivar Down Traffic Control does not suspect anything is amiss when their Kiang “guests” abruptly request departure clearance. Once cleared, the ship, now renamed the “Harmony” by Tak and Von, heads for the Jump point. On board, there has been some debate about where to head as Tak and Von want to aid the FhNP’s cause against the Kalar-Wi. Valdez suggests that taking the loot rescued from the Laghdha warren to Wai Toi’s contact, Ghorman Holk the Antiquarian, on Celephais could realise a lot of cash that could be converted into supplies that could aid the revolution. After some thought, Tak and Von agree. As the “Harmony” is only a Jump-2 ship, they are obliged to plot a circuitous route via Masaad and Kalar-Wi to reach Celepahais. While risky, the relationship between Kalar-Wi and Kiang is such that Kalar-Wi officials see only what they expect to see – Kiang going about their Masters’ business. The alternate route via Ektra and Kamperelian space is considered more dangerous as the Kamperelians are going through one of their periodic xenophobic phases.

Three jumps and six weeks later, the Harmony, with a little extra cash aboard from some speculative trading, reaches Celephais. As suspected, as long as Nim and Valdez kept their heads down, there was no interference from Kalar-Wi authorities at either Masaad or Kalar-Wi – Group Leader Hrak’lar’s little mission to Tonivar had not generated an information wave across Kalar-Wi space that would raise a flag when the Harmony docked. On Celephais, Valdez and Nim track down Ghorman Holk and discover, much to their surprise, that he is both an honest dealer and knowledgeable about Kalar-Wi militaria and culture.

Ensuring that Nim and Valdez lodge their loot at a local bank where he can examine it under controlled conditions, after six weeks Holk is able to tell them that their loot is not low value pay tokens but the Honour Chest of a Kalar-Wi Groupment, a battalion-sized combat formation. In Kalar-Wi society, Holk explains, guilds and military fraternities are extremely important – substituting for kinship groups and lineages in many cases. Every Kalar-Wi soldier who wins an achievement or bravery award contributes this to the Honour Chest of the Groupment. Individual actions and excellence become part of the Honour of the corporate group, increasing both the standing of the group, and of the individual members of that group, within Kalar-Wi society. The Honour Chest that Nim and Valdez have recovered belonged to the 1st Groupment of the 12th Regiment, a unit with an honourable history stretching back over two hundred and fifty years. Very few Honour Chests of a Kalar-Wi formation of either this size or this age have ever been recovered intact by non-Kalar-Wi and Holk estimates that such an Honour Chest is worth between MCr5 and MCr10. He offers Nim and Valdez MCr7, which he believes is a fair price, as well as the authentication documentation that he has compiled from his studies, and thanks them for the opportunity to study such a fascinating find.

After a little thought, Nim and Valdez take Holk up on his offer, as they feel that it is the best deal they can make. With cleared funds, they meet with Tak and Van to decide on the next stage of their operation to aid the Harmonious Path.

A Look at the Kalar-Wi

I ran a little side game for John and Chris in between sessions of Secrets in Sulphur and we finished the scenario pretty much as I had hoped – a positive result for the players and a nice open end to the story that could lead to later adventures. I also got the chance to explore and expand a little upon background elements of my campaign.

Having a deadline is always good for making me focus, and as the days to the game counted down, and I realised that I still didn’t have any idea what I was going to run for the game, I fought through blind panic and fell back into the creative process I used to use in the 80’s and 90’s.

Essentially, I studied my campaign master map, looking a planet I had never developed beyond the paragraph or so in my subsector note book. While looking at the map, I was also brainstorming for two ideas, as two ideas always seem to make a scenario. The first idea to pop up was “abandoned base” and the second idea was “treasure”, and the planet I hit upon was Tonivar – an Imperial world located in Cabria Subsector, though administered from Miazan/Miazan.

Tonivar is one of two Vargr-populated worlds along the Imperial Border. Settled by personnel from a demobilised Vargr military unit – paid off with planetary holdings - over recent years there has been growing discontent amongst the younger generation, born onworld. After enduring a siege and ground assault during the Kalar-Wi war of 1103 – 1105, the Tonivargr (as they are known) feel that their loyalty to the Imperium has been especially poorly rewarded, in that they are expected to remain as low-prestige miners on an airless world, rather than serving as higher prestige warriors in the service of the Imperium.

With the scenario idea, I also had a more in-depth look at the Kalar-Wi.

The Kalar-Wi

The Kalar-Wi are a humanoid species native to the planet Kalar-Wi/Gamelea and are characterised by blue skin, green hair and a strong martial culture. Following the fall of the Thongaloros Empire, Kalar-Wi was wracked by several centuries of bitter wars as various cultural groups sought to gain planetary, and then system, dominance. By the conclusion of these consolidation wars, which went nuclear at least twice, Kalar-Wi was controlled by the Savouur - Jaasouss Moieties, from the eastern part of the northern hemisphere, under the iron rule of Malathu’kal Sourka Afghar.

The Savouur Moiety is characterised by an aggressive, expansionistic outlook. The moiety Patriarch is titled Afghar which, while usually translated as “Warlord”, has implications of “Tower”, “Defender” and “one who strikes”. Malathu’kal Sourka, the great Warlord of the Savouur and the first Warlord of the Kalar-Wi, remains a popular figure in modern Kalar-Wi society as he embodied the prized Kalar-Wi attributes of courage, boldness, honour and resourcefulness. The annual festival of Puranthea Malathu celebrates his life and achievements and reminds the Kalar-Wi of the attributes they should cultivate in their own lives. The Jaasouss Moiety is characterised by an analytical, diplomatic and manipulative outlook and while the Jaasouss Matriarch’s title of Delhanaghar is usually translated as “Peacelord”, it has implications of “webspinner”, “patient waiter” and “unexpected”. While the attributes of long range planning, patience and persistence are generally agreed to be worth cultivating, Kalar-Wi culture prefers action to passivity. Interestingly, the Peacelord, in Kalar-Wi popular culture, is usually a sinister character who wins in the long game. There is no festival celebrating the life of any of the Jaasouss Peacelords, and most Kalar-Wi would be hard pressed to name even one of the current Peacelord’s predecessors.

The Kalar-Wi gained Jump Drive technology after the conclusion of their planetary Consolidation Wars. It is likely that Mi’yargin or Danshihabi traders passed through the Kalar-Wi system during the early 5th Century, Imperial Reckoning while the Savouur-Jaasouss Moieties were rebuilding their shattered economy and ecosystem and developing their dual rulership. Both the Mi’yargin and the Danshihabi were willing to trade technology with the relatively insular Kalar-Wi to boot-strap the latter to the point where they began to spread out through the Kalar-Wi Cluster.

Initial clashes with the Huiha Esoyatre and then with the Geithurian Republic pushed the Kalar-Wi to Trailing where they soon encountered the advancing Imperium. Sensing the potential power behind the Imperial Scouts and explorers, the Kalar-Wi aligned themselves with first the House Tressuiir and then with the House Juharl-Zarquestuir Dukes of Gamelea Subsector, providing ships and auxiliary ground troops for Ducal campaigns within the Subsector and against the Outrim Alliance during the Outrim Wars.

As the House Juharl-Zarquestuir Subsector Dukes became increasingly lethargic and corrupt, the Kalar-Wi expanded their sphere of influence under a series of aggressive Warlords, occupying Varch in Gamelea Subsector, and Gaidan and Yolurland in Cabria Subsector. It would appear that the long range plans of the Kalar-Wi Peacelords – the preservation of the Kalar-Wi State from destruction by more powerful interstellar polities by aligning themselves with the most powerful local polity; the Imperium and the Gamelea Subsector Dukes in particular – had been modified by a misunderstanding of Imperial politics on the part of the Kalar-Wi Warlords. While staunchly defending their section of the frontier during the 4th Outrim War, and winning the Battle of Anthorann, during the post-Outrim War economic decline in the Rimward Imperial Subsectors the Kalar-Wi felt obliged to step into the power vacuum that began to develop and, through a series of police actions, occupied Rimbaud II and Anthorann in Gamelea Subsector. Growing alarm at the Sector level was met with indifference at the Subsector level until Warlord Vran’kal Youka launched the ill-advised Kalar-Wi War of 1103 – 05.

Held up by fierce local resistance in the Gamelea Cluster, the Kalar-Wi fleet was decisively defeated by Imperial Naval units breaking out of the Naval Base at Gamelea. Reinforced by fleet elements from Gazolan and Nolgor Subsectors, local Imperial forces drove the Kalar-Wi out and took their homeworld, late in 1105.

Warlord Vran’kal Youka and the Savoour leadership had withdrawn to Loa-Wi as Imperial forces penetrated the Kalar-Wi system and it was Peacelord Har’vuun Kalusi and the Jaasouss Oligarchy who signed the surrender documents and welcomed the Imperial garrison. Behind the scenes, members of Duke Adryos Urzov IV of Gamelea’s cabinet were hurriedly blurring details of the surrender to permit the Kalar-Wi leadership to save face amongst their own people. Duke Adryos Urzov’s death in late 1105 allowed these negotiations to be successfully concluded during the accession celebrations for Kolin II Andralistain, his son and successor as Duke of Gamelea. While accused of being in the pockets of the Kalar-Wi, Adryos Urzov’s cabinet ministers were very conscious that, in Realpolitik terms, the Gamelea government stood in need of Kalar-Wi support in the event that the Outrim Alliance should launch a fifth attempt to roll back the Imperial border. While the opportunist land grab of the Kidan system by the Huiha Esoyatre, now renamed Yaithorail by the Huiha, was tolerated as an object lesson to the Kalar-Wi, it was quietly made very clear to the Aslan of the Huiha that any further advances into Kalar-Wi space would not be countenanced by the Imperium.

The Imperial garrison of Kalar-Wi has been steadily reduced since the signing of the peace treaty that officially ended the war. It is estimated that the last Imperial garrison will evacuate Kalar-Wi in 1110 with the last of the system bases closed down in 1111. Kalar-Wi military phratries have started to parade again for the Puranthea Malathu festival and, it is believed, are actively recruiting on Kalar-Wi for the first time since the end of the war. There has also been an increase in the number of Honour Hunters crossing the Imperial border to examine old Kalar-Wi bases and installations. These Honour Hunters, acting for various military phratries, are primarily seeking to locate unit Honour Chests that were lost, abandoned, or captured during the war. To many Kalar-Wi watchers, all this activity indicates a growing confidence amongst Kalar-Wi and the possibility of a resurgent Kalar-Wi State.