Freelance Traveller

Self-Improvement: A New Career for Traveller: The New Era

by Daryl Frewing

This article was originally posted to the pre-magazine Freelance Traveller website in 2007 and reprinted in the May/June 2017 issue.

Every once in a while everyone feels that they need to take some time for themselves to improve their skills, whether for professional or personal advancement. It takes a certain kind of person, however, to actually succeed at doing this. This career represents taking on a mundane job to pay the bills while trying to improve other areas of your life.

Prerequisites

Willpower asset 10+. Upon choosing this career, but before selecting skills, make a difficult Willpower check. On Success, you follow the career path normally. On Failure, you try, but quit halfway through (select one quarter of the skill points normally available (round up), but only add two years to your character’s age). On Catastrophic failure, add one year to your character’s age and no skill points. On Outstanding success, you earn two more skill points than normally available.

All Terms

Skills:

Gain 1D6 + your willpower skill level (not asset) in skills of your choice as deemed appropriate by the referee. Appropriate skills are those that you could reasonably learn without the need for special equipment. For example, Medical (Trauma Aid) would qualify, but Medical (Surgery) would not. Work with the referee to determine your character’s particular situation and know what might be available. You can spend two skill levels to improve any basic stat, three to improve SOC (PSI can not be improved in this manner unless you live in a society where psionics are not only accepted, but are common place).

Contacts:

None. At the referee’s discretion you may spend a skill point to acquire a contact; however, the type of contact will be up to the referee to decide based on the background story that you create for your character.

Other Effects:

No income is received while “self improving” (your income from your mundane job covers living expenses and the cost of your courses); no secondary activities are allowed (they are assumed to be included in the skills acquired); there are no commissions, promotions, or special duties in this career path.