The Spinward Blues

The Basics

This is the revamped wiki page for The Spinward Blues, a PbP Traveller game run here on the RPGnet forums since, believe it or not, February 2007. I'm Shadowjack, our humble Travel Director, maker of behind-the-scenes die rolls and dispenser of plot cookies.

System-wise, I have accepted characters from all versions of Traveller, but I have transitioned to using mostly Mongoose's Traveller as the behind-the-curtain ruleset. Combat I handle as a series of interrelated skill contests, rather than round-by-round, as I find it works better that way in this format.

I enjoy the Imperium canon, but I'm not a real grognard, so when there's a difference between the books and the game, go with what happens in game. I accept and encourage player inventions, and we've thrown in lots of little references and nods to other science fiction (or just plain fiction). Our travellers use their pocket comms for everything, but we still have the shotguns and sabers.

Links

If you'd like to observe, or join the waiting list, why not check us out:

• In Character Thread Part 1
• In Character Thread Part 2
• Out of Character Thread Part 1
• Original Recruiting Thread

And here are some handy links for reference:

• Library Data
• Jump Charts

The Story So Far

202-1110: The Emperor's Birthday

Our story opened on the 202nd Day of the Imperial Year 1110. Or as some Solomani call it, the middle of the 57th century A.D. The Fifth Frontier War had just ended, and so the Imperial Auxiliary Naval Vessel "Dunk & Egg", a positively ancient freighter, was on its way home, carrying decommissioned troops, wounded, freed POWs, and repatriates from the Sword Worlds. The ultimate destination was a processing center on Lunion; the ship was currently in Jump, en route to Biter from Sting.

It being the Emperor's Birthday, there was a party on board. Several parties, actually; the lower ranks were enjoying a good old-fashioned brawl, and the upper ranks were enjoying a meal at the Captain's table. PCs Sunrise Dawson, Jeffrey Harkness, and Col. Highway were down in the brawl; Vargas Delaney and Count Sir Doctor Ishugi Gevin Lightfoot were at the Captain's table; and Magellan was taking the day off in his quarters.

The party was ruined when a former POW, Eneri Perkins, flipped out and pulled a laser pistol, starting a conflagration. While the rest of the PCs performed crowd and damage control, Colonel Highway cornered and disabled the insane young spacer. Searching his quarters for clues, Sunrise discovered Perkins's diary, kept on his comm. In the Zhodani POW camp where he had been kept, Perkins had witnessed the Earl of Lunion, an Imperial noble, making frequent secret visits—and once, caught him "negotiating", doggy-style, with a Zhodani woman. They did something to his mind, preventing him from telling anyone; Perkins finally broke under the strain.

The party agreed that, true or not, this is info that should be kicked up to the next level of command. Let the authorities handle it, right?

Notable NPCs

• Captain Kepler (Hum/M), the plain but youthful-looking Merchant CO.
• First Officer Radzhir (Hum/F), the striking Vilani XO and Kepler's wife.
• Third Officer Pucelle (Hum/M), ship's navigator.
• Glavd (Var/M), ship's engineer and brawler.
• "Lieutenant Colonel" Mari Seldokova (Hum/F), nominally of Army Communications, actually a Special Agent for the Ministry of Justice.
• PO3 Jzeri Dishum (Hum/F), Naval Hull Technican, recently freed POW, giggling menace.
• AS2 Eneri Perkins (Hum/M), Naval Comm Technician, recently freed POW.

203-1110: The Great Tie-Dyed T-Shirt Caper

The Captain, fearing any other potential ticking time-bombs, had switched the ship back to war-time practices, which meant everyone who wasn't doing damage control or maintenance was confined to quarters. Most of the party volunteered for any kind of task, so they wouldn't go stir-crazy… and also so they could compare notes, and wonder what might happen next. Everyone else played a lot of card games.

In their spare time, Sunrise and Jeffrey concocted a scheme to make t-shirts, "tie-dying" them with a clever combination of cleaning agents and the biosynthetic fabrics. They got caught halfway through by the XO, who—liking the look—requested only that they make her one, too.

Meanwhile, Seldokova recruited Magellan into working for her—offering both useful payment (a full privateering license) and blackmailing him with his prior record. Seldokova was taking the Perkins file very seriously, and wanted to have some "hands" in her pocket, just in case. Magellan began to get very worried.

Over cards, Sunrise finds herself involved in a bet, over whether she and Jeffrey Harkness will date or not, and Jeffrey finds some of his preparations for blackmarketeering on Biter misconstrued as romantic overtures. Both she and Jeffrey are ambiguous over the matter, though admittedly slightly interested.

Notable NPCs

• Kepler was fretting about as only a Captain can.
• Perkins was under sedation.
• Corporal Cardash (Var/F).
• Sergeant Mary Veneti (Hum/F).

208-1110: Eating Out, and the Biter Downs Riots

Dunk and Egg made landfall at Biter. During the war, Biter's central computer banks had been destroyed, and everything since then had been run through a mess of jury-rigged systems under Naval control—part of the Navy's massive presence here as an advance area. The natives had been getting restless; there had been food riots, and a local separatist group had been running around beating people up, and so on. But during the day things seemed quiet enough.

Jeffrey managed to get into the first liberty party, and scored two off-base passes. He offered one to Sunrise. They made arrangements for dinner later. Jeffrey's black-marketeering went off without a hitch, and he gave technical assistance to his local contacts.

Magellan was given a pass, too, so he could make his black market contacts (including stuff for Seldokova). But first he had lunch with Sunrise (who was just heading his way), and they encountered her friend Scout Bill Janesson. Bill enlisted her to transport a package for him.

Captain Kepler and Scout Delaney went to the base Commodore to report on the Perkins incident. Soon afterward, word got back to the ship that Perkins—who had been perfectly stable—had suddenly died. Ishugi got suspicious and went to the hospital to ask questions. There, he and a doctor friend discover conclusive evidence that Perkins had been murdered. There's a conspiracy afoot!

Colonel Highway had a special invitation to dine with an old friend of his, General Jago. Jago made a pitch to Highway. The story was: the Duke of Rhylanor had been appointed command of the fighting, but the Earl of Lunion had the bulk of the troops and holdings on the border, so their chain-of-command bitching had become legendary. Lunion is preparing—to call it bluntly—a coup, timed to coincide with the impending Victory Ball on Lunion, in order to force the Duke to make Lunion an autonomous region. Jago offered Highway an important slot in the new military. Highway saw all sorts of flaws in the plan, and finally said "No," but they still had a friendly dinner.

Sunrise and Jeffrey went on their date. Upon closer examination, they discovered that they very much approved of each other, and make a blushing agreement to try out shared living arrangements over the ensuing voyage. Then they went off to paint the town red.

Then everything went to hell.

While everyone was out, agents of the Lunion Conspiracy raided Dunk and Egg and arrested everyone there, then waited for the others to return. (But XO Radzhir got a warning out to Ishugi when he phoned in.) At the same time, in an unrelated event (probably?), coordinated mobs started a massive riot in the downport. Highway daringly disarmed a bomb planted in his restaurant; Sunrise and Jeffrey found themselves in the middle of a downtown brawl, but escaped when Jeffrey located some local Wharf Rats—friends of stowaways and rogue travellers everywhere! As emergency signals blared across the downport, and they discovered arrest orders on their comms, the party started to wonder just what the hell is going on?

They finally arranged a rendezvous at a chemical plant outside of town, and there met Seldokova—who unmasked her cover identity, and explained her desire to bring the evidence of the conspiracy home to the High Command on Lunion. A coup and civil war now, on the already war-torn frontier, would be terrible for the people of the sector. The party declared their support. Or it might be better to say that Seldokova threw in with them—many of them were already pissed about the treason, and they had sheer drive and inventiveness.

General Jago was also brought into their counter-conspiracy. He's pro-Lunion, yes, but the evidence of Zhodani collaboration casts everything into a new light; he provides support, in the hopes that things will still shake out without a shot fired.

A daring escape across the riot-torn town ensued. The plan: place some careful hacks into the jury-rigged computer system, to make it seem like they'd already been arrested and/or killed, and use Bill Janesson's Scout (Sunrise made a phonecall and called in a favor) to get out of Dodge, and Jago would provide launch authorization. On the way, they encountered what seemed to be a young girl—Olivia, whom Magellan immediately recognized. Seldokova was wounded by a gunman during the chase.

They made it to the Scout (and discovered Jzeri already there—such an annoying NPC deserved to be kept around). Jeffrey and Sunrise immediately claimed a room. The others took advantage of confusion on the base to "requisition" some weaponry from the Naval Base, in a stunning display of hacking arranged for their luggage to be delivered to the Scout, and also gathered minimal intel on a few of the local conspirators. When Cap'n Bill realized that they weren't just after a jaunt to the highport, he demanded answers; Jeffrey unveiled the PowerPoint presentation he'd compiled of the data so far. Bill threw in with them.

Presumably, Jeffrey has continued to update this presentation ever since.

After some last cryptic warnings from General Jago, who appeared to be under attack by the Conspiracy, the Scout Nifty Mongoose made it to Jump. The party knew, at this point, that they'd have to Jump fast from now on—because the bad guys knew of them, and was only a few days behind the Jump curve.

Notable NPCs

• General Jago (Hum/M), an old friend of Highway's.
• Abner Belice (Hum/M), just a walk-on bit: an old homeworlder of Jzeri.
• Jormma Miesko (Hum/M), black marketeer, old friend of Magellan's gone sort-of native and sort-of straight.
• Steward's Mate Beniamus (Hum/M), medic on IAV Dunk and Egg.
• Fiver (Hiv), a Hiver who runs the excellent FIVER restaurant on Biter.
• Ohforf (Hum/M), Jeffrey's Biter black market contact.
• Scout Bill Janesson (Hum/M), an experienced Detached Duty Scout with a frightening mustache and a dapper dress sense. He soon becomes involved in the Plot.
• Commander Makori Wozniak (Hum/M), Naval Base doctor on Biter.
• Mister, Missus, and Missur Mecroste, of Mecroste Trans-Stellar Import-Export. Odd folks, but friendly.
• Gail (Hum/M), a matron of the Biter Wharf Rats.
• The stoney-faced armorer of Biter Naval Base, who has an accent Kipling would've loved.
• Lomas, a thug and Lunion Conspirator, apparently a Naval trooper.

209-1110: Days on Nifty Mongoose

Olivia took a positive delight in freaking the mundanes with her "creepy little child" act. Cap'n Bill displayed a streak of paranoia, and insisted that everyone go through basic first aid and marksmanship training. Jeffrey found work to do. Seldokova went through the list of conspirators, providing by General Jago. Everyone else sat around and recuperated.

On 212-1110, Jeffrey discovered an electronic bug on the ship. Further inspection, and Olivia's few encounters with "that nice man mister Porter, turned up one clever psionic stowaway. Porter—his real name was Pletsiepr—had a familiar sounding story. He had found evidence of Zhodani illegally collaborating with Imperials from Lunion, and given the circumstances, despite not being an intelligence agent, undertook an assignment to locate the conspirators and arrest them. Most of his team had been captured or scattered, and he'd concealed himself on this ship—using telepathy to cloak his presence—in order to make it to Lunion, and a Zhodani cell supposedly there.

So he was sort of an ally.

He also mentioned that Olivia had some psi talent, which is why he couldn't hide himself from her.

So they locked up "Porter", and made plans for the future. Next stop: Wardn, where Bill's navigator, a Vegan named Ygrgrl, was helping an archaeological dig. Once they pick him up, they can Jump much farther than usual.

Notable NPCs

• Captain Bill Janesson, who wondered why he let all these people on his boat.
• Holby (Hum/F), Bill's pilot, who practically lives in the cockpit.
• MacDougall (AI), a mad Scots engineer robot, who lives undercover on the Scout disguised as a beer fridge.
• Mister Porter (Hum/M), a nice little guy in a bowler cap, a Zhodani agent undercover.

216-1110: A Little Crime and Justice on Wardn

Wardn's a planet being terraformed by the Scout Service—slowly, so as not to mess up the Ancients archaeological site here.

The party immediately falls into another plot. Bill's friend Ygrgrl was supposed to be here, or leave word, but he hadn't, which meant something'd gone wrong with the archaeological dig. The dig was sponsored by the Barons Kishurga and Janice Berlión, scholar-bureaucrats, who were on the List of Conspirators—and departed for the digsite days before contact was lost with it. A coincidence? Probably not.

Meanwhile, more news had come in from Lunion itself: It seemed that the Earl had got himself a new paramour (perhaps the aforementioned Zhodani agent?), and had been attempting some pro-Lunion, pro-detente propaganda (including comparisons to Romeo and Juliet); it also seemed that the Duke was confirmed to be scheduled to be holding talks with the Earl during the Victory Ball, when it finally came around.

Olivia went shopping in Wardn Center, and Seldokova tailed her, and finally approached her openly. Seldokova had guessed at Olivia's background, and Olivia at hers; they agreed to a truce, and after shopping together for a while, went to break into the Berlións' house to gather evidence. Just a regular girl's day out, sort of; it turned out they both wanted friends.

In the Berlións' condo, they discovered an advanced communications suite, signs of a hidden arms cache (now mostly empty), incriminating documents (including love letters from the Earl of Lunion to his foreign ladyfriend, held for safe-keeping—the Berlións had been the Earl's tutors, and remained friends of the family), and a crown with mixed Lunion and Zhodani symbols. The two women arranged to make it look like a robbery, so they got the evidence without arousing suspicion (and Olivia made some profit).

Meanwhile, everyone else went off in an air-raft over the horizon, out of communications contact (no regular satellites, because of the terraforming), to inspect this mysterious digsite. The first thing they noticed was a weird jamming signal emanated from the site (which turned out to be a local feature of the ruins); the second thing they noticed was the general lack of activity; the third thing was the military g-carrier parked below, and the small weapons-nests dug in around the site. Someone armed and dangerous had moved in. And fourth, there was a crashed starship, an Imperial frigate, in the lake.

They sneaked up to scout, and encountered Thpoitz, Droyne swashbuckler extraordinaire, and lately advisor to the camp. His story: armed mercenaries had swooped in and taken everyone hostage. Why? Dunno. He was sneaking out to get help.

Help had arrived.

In the ensuing quick strike, Highway flanked and took out one of the nests single-handedly, Sunrise and Bill captured the g-carrier (surprising one merc and his date), and everyone else got into a firefight around the earthmound that was the dig site, finally killing or capturing all the mercs above ground. The mercenary captain tried some fast-talking, failed, and shot Sunrise before he got shot; meanwhile, Thpoitz and a Vargr mercenary fought a duel.

Meanwhile, back in Wardn Center, Special Agent Jonathan Sklar of the Ministry of Justice had been cooling his heels for weeks, because for some reason the Comptroller was openly "secretly" delaying his exit visa. Why? When he spotted and recognized Seldokova on a security monitor, he got curious, and arranged to meet her—they compared notes. Perhaps the Comptroller was involved? They split to carry on separate investigations.

When Olivia returned to the ship, she discovered that Magellan—feeling he was in deep, over his head, surrounded by dangerous people, trying to pull him back to a kind of life he'd hoped to abandon—had departed. He'd left a note, to say good-bye. Olivia was surprised to find herself heartbroken.

Later, she and Seldokova had a quiet bonding moment while catching the new Romeo and Juliet movie on the TV.

The hostages freed, the party pieced together that the mercs (who were basically player-character-types, rather than an organized free company) had been hired to work with the Berlións, and bivouacked here to take advantage of the sensor-jamming architecture prior to playing their part in the scheduled coup. More worrying, one of the Professors had a letter implying that there was an impending assassination attempt upon the Duke. Uh-oh. And finally, there was the downed ship—INS Allemande 6992—inspection of which revealed that they'd had a mutiny on board, led by Lunion loyalists, in an attempt to capture the vessel. The Imperial loyalists had won, however, and would have started to repair the ship had not armed and nasty mercenaries been lurking outside! They and the party started putting their heads together, and Jeffrey took command of the repair efforts. Subsequent interrogations get more evidence, and Ishugi vows personally to Mr. Berlión that he will see him nailed to the wall for this ill-conceived criminal conspiracy.

Back in Wardn, the Berlións's gardener, who'd surprised and been hurt by Seldokova, got found and arrested, and thereby blew the case to the local police. Jon Sklar managed to spin things so that he "discovered" the evidence in the Berlións' apartment (while looking for what this escaped criminal had "stolen from them"). Finding out that Dame Berlión had escaped, and was returning to Wardn, he arranged with Seldokova and Olivia to get her arrested. (Olivia pretended to have been "hit and run" by Berlión's vehicle—and wham, in come the cops.)

When the Wardn Comptroller finally got involved in this strange case, he was relieved! Apparently, he'd been trying to figure out a way to get information of parts of this out to higher authority, but couldn't figure out who to trust—so he interfered with other cases until someone (i.e. Sklar) got nosy. A dishonest, cowardly, and corrupt way to go about it, but it worked! And he ignored everyone else's grumbling, the way only a snake with an escape route planned can do so.

Allemande limped on contragrav into Wardn Center, and Ishugi made a stirring speech.

Notable NPCs

• Sharusk aka Fred Gustava, gardener and security guard at the Berlións' condo. Excellent martial artist, AWOL soldier (for years).
• The mercenaries include Martha, Hiro, "Sergeant Skidmarks", the Vargr Gavlarn, Dashu, and the unnamed bossman.
• Professor Dame Shino Berlión (Hum/F), conspirator and scholar.
• Professor Baron Keil Berlión (Hum/M), conspirator and scholar.
• Professor Hertz (Hum/M), PhDs in Architecture and Psionics, a friend of Periss Sator.
• Ygrgrl (Veg/M), dig advisor, navigator.
• Doctor Davis (Hum/M), Life Sciences, and grad student Shumi.
• Sergeant Mikhail (Hum/M), Wardn Patrol officer, and Jon Sklar's main liaison.
• Kam (Hum/M), another Wardn Patrol officer.
• The Comptroller of Lunion (Hum/M), who is basically Louie from Casablanca, only more honest.
• Commander Sang (Hum/N), Second Officer and Acting CO of Allemande.
• Lieutenant Ewigi (Hum/M) of Allemande.
• Gunnery Sergeant Ahn No Muldoon (Hum/M) of Allemande.
• Tejan and SFC Eneri Tomkins-Muo, Navy crewmen.
• Odrep (Dro), of Allemande, a fellow exile, who makes a bond of friendship with Thpoitz.

The Characters

Dawson, Sunrise – Scout

Played by RobertEdwards.

Human/F UPP 6A6A83 Age 28

Skills: Electronics-1, Medical-1, Pilot-1, Sensor Ops-1, Ship's Boat-1, Snub Pistol-1, Vacc Suit-1

Qualifications: Electronics Repair; EVA; First Aid; Pilot's Wings.

Major Possessions: Cr20,000. Snub pistol; assault rifle. Picture of son. Nice and not-so-nice clothes.

A good gal with a tough childhood, like so many who hit the Scouts, she has a son her world's government has kept her separated from. She's recently been romancing Jeffrey Harkness, and is currently recovering from multiple bullet wounds. Strong and sarcastic and, some say, sexy. Scout Sunrise Dawson

deHavilland, Olivia

Played by ncc2010.

Human/F UPP 27A997(5) Age 10 biological 28 actual

Skills: Acting-1, Brawling-1, Disguise-1, Energy Weapons-1, Handgun-2, Intrusion-4, Laser Weapons-1, Linguistics-1, Pickpocket-1, Reconnaissance-1, Research-2, Ship's Boat-1, Small Blade-2, Streetwise-1, Tracking-1

Qualifications: None, officially.

Major Possessions: Cr20,000; forged IDs. Creepy teddy bear. Custom blade; holdout pistol. PDA; lockpicking kit; flashlight.

When she was 8, Olivia's parents used her as a drug mule; there was an accident with some anagathics. Today she's a con artist and thief with over twenty years on the run. Right now, she wants to get clear of the Sword Worlds, and stick by her friends until things blow over. (Olivia deHavilland)

Highway, Thomas – Lieutenant Colonel

Played by Big-Claw.

Human/M UPP 99C9B6 Age 37

Skills: Auto Pistol-1, Battle Dress-1, Brawling-1, Combat Rifleman-2, Demolitions-1, Grav Vehicle-1, Grenade Launcher-1, Instruction-1, Intrusion-2, Leadership-2, Linguistics-1, Mechanic-1, Reconnaissance-2, Survival-2, Tactics-1

Qualifications: Air/Raft License; Battlesuit Stud; Combat Rifleman Badge; Hostile Environments; Ranger Pin; Special Forces Beret.

Major Possessions: Cr7,000. Battle rifle; pistol; grenades; combat armor.

A much-decorated officer in the Imperial Marine Commandos. The quietly competent, Clint Eastwood type – no social flower, but quick-thinking and hard-hitting in battle. (Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Highway)

Lightfoot, Ishugi Gevin – Count Doctor Traveller

Played by Tom McCambley.

Human/M UPP 685AAE Age 38

Skills: Admin-2, Biochemistry-2, Computer-1, Electronics-1, Fleet Tactics-1, Ground Tactics-1, Laser Pistol-1, Leadership-1, Mechanic-1, Medical-4, Persuasion-1, Pilot-1, Robot Ops-1, Ship Tactics-2, Vacc Suit-1

Qualifications: Bridge Officer Papers; EVA; Medical Doctor; Medical Technician; Rescue Operations.

Major Possessions: Cr40,000; 2 High Passages. Laser pistol. Medical kit.

A dedicated doctor, officer, and gentleman. A hero in the War, thanks to being in the right place at the right time, and is now a wanted man, due to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He worries he's not up to the task, he knows he will do his best, and furious at those who would sacrifice innocent lives for self-serving conceits. His full list of titles is too long to print here, but includes Count of Tobia, Grand Admiral (retired), Knight Commander of the Grand Navy, Knight of the Iridum Throne, Medical Doctor, and Traveller. (Ishugi Gevin Lightfoot)

Sator, Periss – Doctor Dame

Played by Stormraven.

Human/F UPP 7679CC Age 42

Skills: Aircraft-1, Archaeology-2, Brawling-1, Bureaucracy-2, Computer-2, Exploration-1, First Aid-1, Forensics-1, Gambling-1, Grav Craft-1, Ground Craft-2, Heavy Weapons-2, Language-3, Research-3, Rifle-1, SMG-1, Tactics-1, Writing-2

Qualifications: M.A. Military History; Ph.D Archaeology; Groundcraft License; Air/Raft License; Computer; Heavy Weapons; Combat Rifleman; First Aid.

Major Possessions: Cr80,000. Snub rifle. Personal computer; multiscanner; backpack; magnetic compess; inertial locator; cold light lantern.

A brilliant but wild child who was straightened out by the Army, then entered academia. Now a research fellow in Archaeology at the University of Lunion with a serious mind and a sharp tongue, she was on the Wardn dig when the mercenaries attacked. Having learned the reasons behind these shocking events, she has pledged her aid to the others.

Sklar, Jonathan – Special Agent

Played by Skydigger.

Human/M UPP 7B679F(7) Age 36

Skills: Admin-1, Chemistry-1, Commo-1, Computer-3, Diplomacy-1, Forensics-2, Grav Craft-1, Ground Craft-2, Instruction-1, Language-1, Medical-1, Pistol-2, Recon-1, Research-2, Short Blade-1, Streetwise-1, Survival-1, Vacc Suit-1, Writing-2

Qualifications: Coroner; Forensic Detective; Combat Pistol; Computer; Driver's License; EVA.

Major Possessions: Cr14,000. Auto pistol; dagger; soft suit. Backpack; camera; cold weather clothing; encrypted comm; inertial locator; magnetic compass, medikit; personal computer; pocket lamp; rope.

Sklar began his career in the police of his backwater planet, and rose to the rank of Captain on his forensics and leadership ability. A few years ago, he was head-hunted by the Imperial Ministry of Justice, and is currently on assignment in the Spinward Marches. The party found him cooling his heels on Wardn, unable to reach his posting due to local interference; he's quickly lent his legal powers to their investigation.

Thpoitz – Sport

Played by Chalkline.

Droyne/Male-A UPP 474B35(7) Age 39

Skills: Commo-1, Computer-0, Demolitions-1, Energy Blade-2, Flying-1, Handgun-2, Hovercraft-1, Interrogation-1, Laser Weapons-0, Mechanical-1, Pilot-3, Propeller Aircraft-0, Rifleman-1, Stealth-1, Streetwise-2, Vacc Suit-1, Zero G Combat-2 Awareness-7, Clairvoyance-7, Telekinesis-7, Telepathy-7

Qualifications: EVA; Hover Pilot; Smallarms Badge; Space Pilot; Zero-Gravity Combat.

Major Possessions: Cr3,000. Vacc suit; wings. Auto carbine.

A valiant drop trooper and space pilot of the respected Drylminkon Kroyloss, who had been assisting the archaeological dig when it was attacked. He eluded capture, and helped the humans to overthrow the guards and save the day. Now he once again finds himself battling boredom and the threats to his strange human cohorts. Elan, zeal, and inexplicable Droyne mental concepts are central to the inimitable Thpoitz!

Dr. Boris Ludermenkoff MD

NAME: Boris 'Rasputin' Ludermenkoff

UNIVERSAL PERSONALITY PROFILE Strength: 4 Dexterity: 7 Endurance: 6 Intelligence: 9 Education: F Social: B

RANK: Admiral, ret.

AGE: 46

SERVICE HISTORY

SERVICE: Navy

TERMS SERVED: 7

RETIREMENT PAY: ?

SKILLS

BASIC SKILLS: Administration-1 Computer-1 Electronic-1 Gun Combat-1 Gunnery-2 Mechanical-2 Medical-3 Vacc Suit-1

OTHER DETAILS

Cash: 20000 credits Navy retirement blade. Honor Blade from the naval enlisted association.

High Passage Travellers.

Said to have more Purple Hearts than any other retired officer in the sector. Also suspected of being a crazy Russian hard case.

Detective Sergeant Jhon Minuur

Jhon Minuur Imperial Detective Police STR DEX END INT EDU SOC

8 7 4 8 9 5

Hits Terms Age TL Pension Rank

57 5 39 10 Cr5,000 First Sergeant (E7 )

Skills Streetwise-5, Interrogation-4, Handgun-3, Admin-3, Liaison-2, Computer-2, Medical-1, Legal-1, Wheeled-0, Vacc Suit-0

Bank balance Material Benefits and notes Cr10,000 Weapon-1, Low-1 Homeworld codes: Port: A, Size: Medium, Atmosphere: Dense, Hydrographics: Dry, Population: Mod, Law: High, Tech Level: Average Stellar. Untrained (latent) PSI=0

Medals/Bonuses Wound Medal x2 Citation x1

He always struggled with poor health (started with a 5) and he struggled to improve it (Had a few +Ends, but failed enough aging rolls) He never let that stop him. Being wounded in the line of duty twice, he has a healthy and cautious view of violence. He got the citation for resolving a hostage situation the sprang about form a drug bust gone bad.

Later He worked behind a desk a lot, and grew practiced in dealing with redtape bulsh*t, and was often the lead interrogator. This lead him into contact with some pathetic dissident elements. The law was crushing the people of his home world, and he was a part of it. Finally he had enough, knowing he couldn't change the system, retired, and used his low passage to go as far as he could, and ended up in Wardn.

They were looking for experienced peace officers, and their laws were relaxed compared to what he was used to.

Rickard Rand-Vilaal

Played by Drifter.

Human Rickard Rand-Vilaal, 34, Of Karin/Five Sisters. A767768 - Ag, Ri. Na Sc.

• 8798B6

Imperial Navy: Line O-2 [Sublietenant]4 terms, 5xCSR, MCUF(Bar), MCG(Bar).

• Diplomat and damn nice guy! Liaison-3, Recruiting-1, Carousing-1, Gambling-1, Bribery-1.
• Daring space astrogator. Navigation-3, Comp-1, Vacc-1, Zer0-g-1, Admin-1
• Combat trained. BladeCbt-1[Lt blades], GunCbt-2 [Lasers-1, Handguns-1].

Major Possessions: 5000Cr, spiffy dress uniform, a couple of phone numbers... Benefits: Travellers, LowPsg.

Rickard Rand-Vilaal

Notable NPCs

Jeffrey Harkness, a Naval Technician with tremendous talent, enthusiasm, and dedication – and problems dealing with authority. He's demonstrated a knack for improving equipment under strange conditions, and for seeking creative solutions to problems. He's been dating Sunrise Dawson, keeping the others awake at night. (Jeffrey was a PC, but the player has had to take some time off. He may become a PC again.) (Able Spacer Jeffrey Harkness)

Bill Janesson, Scout Captain of Nifty Mongoose. His crew includes Holby, a reclusive human female; MacDougall, an illegal sapient robot; and Ygrgrl, a Vegan navigator and xeno-expert. Bill is a competent Scout, slightly larcenous, sometimes over-cautious, a bit of a swinging xenophile, and has a frightening mustache.

"Hari Porter", the Zhodani spy, currently imprisoned on Nifty Mongoose. Looks like an unimpressive middle-aged bureaucrat. He claimed to be a head supply administrator, chosen at the last minute for a desperate ad hoc mission into Imperial space. He's displayed sufficient telepathic talent to hide himself from notice, but not enough to save him from capture.

Mari Seldokova, a Ministry of Justice agent posing as an Army Intelligence oficer. She lucked onto the conspiracy, and asked the party to help her nail the conspirators to the wall. She tries to affect the persona of the cold, calculating agent, but we've seen her acting more human lately. Might have a crush on Ishugi, but too professional to say anything about it.

Jzeri, a Naval Petty Officer, recently released from the Zhodani POW camps. She's from some hick planet, where apparently she's either a warrior princess, or a backwoods farmer. Enthusiastic, but oft speaks she the Anglic tongue in a dialect archaic.

Another former PC, Magellan Sabo, was a smuggler/privateer trying to go straight, or at least avoid legal attention; he was a friend of Olivia, and was briefly employed by Seldokova. Friendly and tough. He got embroiled in the quest, and decided it didn't involve him, and was too dangerous anyway; he sneaked out once the ship hit Wardn. (Magellan Sabo)

The able crew of Dunk and Egg, including Scout Vargas Delany and Scout Bram Olili (other former PCs, who dropped out), were last seen trying to escape the conspiracy on Biter, and may not have succeeded. We don't know. Highway's friend (and Lunionite conspirator) General Jago was in similar circumstances.

Currently, our heroes are dealing with the crew of the Imperial frigate Allemande (including the androgynous Second Officer Sang and the downcast outcast Droyne Technical Odrep), the scholars of the archaeological dig (including that old duffer Professor Hertz, and a bunch of excitable grad students), and the police of Wardn Center (including young Detective Lieutenant Mikhail, and the mysterious Comptroller-General).

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