Freelance Traveller

The Badawi Adventure: A Sacnoth DominateThe Sacnoth Dominate Era campaign was introduced in “An Ancient Mystery: Darrian Ruins in the Sacnoth Dominate” (May/June 2019) with additional material also appearing in “The Aesirist Cult: Religion in the Sacnoth Dominate” (Sep/Oct 2020), “Non-Humans in Sacnoth Dominate Space” (Jan/Feb 2022), “A Zhdantian Trader in the Sacnoth Dominate” (Sep/Oct 2022), and “The Deadly Garden” (Jan/Feb 2023). On-going campaign materials are available on the Web. Mini-campaign

by David Johnson

“Another excellent option open to allow exploratory adventuring is available to those willing to step part of the way out of the [Classic] Traveller [campaign]. You can still use an awful lot of the material developed for the [Third Imperium campaign] in doing so — just set the adventure in the ‘past’ (that is, prior to the 1100s in which the [Classic campaign] takes place).”

– J. Andrew Keith, “Adventures in Traveller: Exploration,”
Journal of the Travellers’ Aid Society #18

Initial Location:	IsenfangRenamed to Margesi by Imeprial astrographers. When the Imperium began to expand into Sword Worlds space, the worlds Isenfang, Hart, Danuuz, Aroundight and Svavasorm were identified by Imperial astrographers respectively as “Margesi”, “Choleosti”, “Garda-Vilis”, “Arkadia”, and “Vilis”., Sacnoth Dominate (SPIN 1020 D575458-7)
Date:	37 Dominion EraWhen Gram was settled the event was marked by the Founders with a new calendar system. The Founding Era (F.E.) calendar begins with Year 1. (The Old Terran [Gregorian] calendar was maintained for dates prior to the Founding Era, with no effort made to connect the two dating systems.) When the Sacnoth Dominate was formed the Dominate government again established a new calendar system, beginning the Dominion Era (D.E.). Founding Era dating continued to be used for dates prior to the establishment of the Sacnoth Dominate, resulting in two distinct calendar eras: Founding Era from the settlement of Gram — in the year 4122 of the Old Terran calendar — to the establishment of the Sacnoth Dominate — in what had been 214 F.E. — and then Dominion Era restarting at Year 1. With the shift from Founding Era to Dominion Era, the calendar system became similar to Old Terran “era name” systems which numbered calendar eras from the year of accession of a hereditary monarch. (4372 Old Terran calendar)
Required Equipment:	None (PCs are expedition members)

Players’ Information

“It is with boldness and exhilaration that we venture across the coreward rift into the frontier beyond, launching a new era of prosperity for the proud people of Gram and all the worlds of the Horseshoe.”

– Commander Skína Badawi, Across the Coreward Rift, 40 D.E.

The Company of Merchant Adventurers of the Horseshoe has been established by a group of private investors on Gram and the worlds of the Horseshoe to venture into the Coreward frontier, the largely unexplored region coreward of the Sword Worlds, seeking new resources, potential trade opportunities and candidate worlds for settlement. The PCs are either crew aboard the expedition’s ships or members of the expedition’s band of “merchant adventurers,” a diverse collection of merchants, scientists and naturalists charged with surveying planetary systems and their worlds, identifying valuable mineral resources and local flora and fauna with potential commercial uses, and cataloguing information for potential exploitation and colonization efforts.

The expedition is led by Commander Skína Badawi, a Gram nobleman and chief supercargo aboard the barque Endeavour. The two other ships of the expedition are the cutter Hart and the trader Wandering Solstice.

The diversity of the expedition party means that travellers of just about any sort could find themselves among the expedition’s crew and adventurers. Players may use their existing characters or any of the pre-generated characters found in Classic Traveller works such as Adventure 4: Leviathan (GDW 1980) or Adventure 7: Broadsword (GDW 1982). Travellers will be assigned roles as ship’s crew or merchant adventurers. (The expedition’s senior ship’s officers and principal merchant adventurers should be non-player characters.)

The expedition will depart Isenfang on 28 Nóvember and is expected to return some 15 months later, having travelled across the Coreward rift to the frontier’s trace of systems, venturing as far as four one-parsec jumps from Isenfang.

NPC Leader Characters

Commander Skína Badawi, 779C99, Age 54, 8 terms   
Gram noble (expedition leader)   
Admin-3, Carousing-2, Liaison-2, Trader-2, Bribery-1, Jack-of-all-trades-1, Leader-1, Vacc Suit-0.4

Major Villum Cheung, 7688B9, Age 46, 6 terms   
Gram Home Guard officer (Endeavour commander)   
Navigation-2, Pilot-2, Fleet Tactics-1, Computer-1, Leader-1, Ship Tactics-2, Vacc Suit-0.5

Commandant Alfvin Quanguosson, B59897, Age 34, 4 terms   
Tizon Home Guard officer (Hart commander)   
Carbine-1, Computer-1, Leader-1, Navigation-1, Ship Tactics-1, Vacc Suit-1.

Cornet Jakobine Tavleendottir, 6C8A27, Age 26, 2 terms   
Colada Home Guard officer (Wandering Solstice commander)   
Carbine-1, Gunnery-1, Jack-of-all-trades-1, Mechanical-1, Vacc Suit-0.

First Jump: Deep space, Coreward frontier (SPIN 1019 X000000-0)

“Few of us had ever made a jump to deep space. Finding ourselves fifteen trillion kilometres from ‘anywhere’ gave us a sense of unease despite our conscious understanding that we would soon again be on our way to our destination.”

– Commander Skína Badawi, Across the Coreward Rift, 40 D.E.

Players’ Information

The jump from Isenfang proceeds without incident. Still, none of the expedition ships — and few of their crew — had ever made a jump to deep space, much less one that needed to be coordinated in a manner which enabled three ships to arrive at nearly the same never-before-visited point in deep space, a parsec away.

In addition to the complicated navigation coordination required for the jump to deep space, upon arrival at the planned emergence point the expedition will need to refuel before being able to make the next jump to the first destination system. Because Endeavour and Hart both have a higher jump capability, each only uses a portion of its total fuel capacity to make the one parsec jump to the emergence point. Jump-1 capable Wandering Solstice, on the other hand, will need to refuel using fuel from one of the other ships — Hart is planned to be the refuelling source. (While some ships are able to carry additional fuel in cargo hold space modified with temporary fuel bladders, Solstice can’t do this because its holds are full of supplies for the expedition.)

The jump to the deep space location goes as planned. Each ship emerges from jump space 161+2D hours after making the jump from Isenfang.

Referee’s Options

1. All ships of the expedition are able to establish radio communication with each other in a matter of minutes as each ship emerges from jump space and their relative positions are quickly established shortly after the last ship arrives. The ships are able to rendezvous at the centre-point of their three emergence points in 2D days. Likewise, the refuelling of Wandering Solstice from Hart is accomplished without incident in 3D hours.
2. As in 1, but it takes the ships 2D hours to establish communication and determine their relative locations. The ships are able to rendezvous at the centre-point of their three emergence points in 6D days. The refuelling of Solstice is accomplished without incident in 3D hours.
3. As in 2, but it takes the ships 4D+6 hours to establish communication. It takes 1D+1 weeks for the ships to rendezvous. Refuelling is accomplished without incident.
4. As in 1, but the refuelling operation does not go as planned, instead taking 4D+6 hours and requiring 2D expedition members to engage in supporting extravehicular activity.
5. As in 4, but an accident occurs during the refuelling operation requiring the rescue of 1D of the expedition members engaged in extravehicular activity. All travellers with vacc suit (or battledress) skill join the rescue operation. Throw 6+ to successfully rescue each stricken expedition member. (If a traveller is among the striken members and fails the rescue throw, they are nevertheless rescued but suffer injuries which leave them in a coma from which they will recover in 2D-6 days.)
6. As in 5, but every traveller with vacc suit (or battledress) skill is among those expedition members engaged in the refuelling-supporting extravehicular activity. When the accident occurs each traveller must throw 8+ to avoid being stricken and injured in the accident, with positive DMs equal to vacc suit (or battledress) skill and zero-gee skill. (An injured traveller will suffer 1D-3 damage.) Throw 6+ to successfully rescue each stricken expedition member. (If the rescue throw fails for a traveller, they are nevertheless rescued but suffer injuries which leave them in a coma from which they will recover in 2D-6 days.)

Shortly after refuelling is completed — or 2D hours after the rescue operation is completed — with the coordinated jump calculations having been completed by the expedition’s navigators, the three ships jump for their first destination system at SPIN 1018.

(The expedition also leaves a radio beacon and fuel cache at the rendezvous point — which was chosen to facilitate another deep space rendezvous on the expected return voyage from the to-be-explored system at “01S04C”. While the expedition expects to return before they will be able to detect the beacon at interstellar distances they can reasonably expect to find it easier to jump to the deep space rendezvous now that their navigation systems have taken navigational bearings at the rendezvous point.)

Second Jump: HartRenamed to Choleosti by Imperial astrographers.
In the Classic era Spinward Marches Campaign, in the Rebellion era Imperial Encyclopedia, and in the New Era Regency Sourcebook, stellar data for Choleosti (“Hart”) was “M9V M4D.” On the other hand, it is “K9V M4V” in The Spinward Marches: Second Survey, reflecting data revised in the T5 Second Survey. The revision of the stellar data from “M9V M4D” to “K9V M4V” aligns with the “T5 Second Survey Adjustments” criteria to fix “M class [primary] stars to a minimum of M4 if the [main] world is habitable” and to replace “dwarf (D) class stars with M class stars.”
An M9V star does not have a Habitable Zone but a K9V star has a Habitable Zone (in “Orbit 0”). In this case, with no atmosphere or hydrosphere, Choleosti itself is not habitable regardless of its location with respect to its primary star’s Habitable Zone. Nevertheless, reflecting the general preference for Second Survey information, those values for Choleosti’s primary and secondary stars are used here.
In the alternative Classic era Behind the Claw, Choleosti is identified as “the largest moon of the [system’s single] gas giant.” At the same time, Choleosti is not identified in the Secondary Survey information as being either a “Twilight Zone” (Tz) world — where it would be located separately in “Orbit 0” or “Orbit 1” — or a Satellite (Sa) world — where it would orbit the gas giant or another large, rocky body world in the system. It seems unlikely that a small, airless — and waterless — world orbiting by itself would be the main world in the system, especially as the single gas giant, being the only source of naturally-occurring unrefined fuel in the system, would be a key destination for transiting starships.
Therefore, Choleosti is assumed to be orbiting the gas giant as described in Behind the Claw. Furthermore, the gas giant is assumed to be located in “Orbit 0,” making it tidally-locked and therefore somewhat unusual. Choleosti can then potentially serve as a useful location from which to assist in wilderness refuelling and to study the tidally-locked gas giant, Coreward frontier (SPIN 1018 X200000-0)

“In recognition of the exemplary service of Commandant Quanguosson and his indomitable crew during the transit across the rift, we named the first world of our adventure for their gallant cutter.”

– Commander Skína Badawi, Across the Coreward Rift, 40 D.E.

Players’ Information

Before departing Isenfang, expedition astrographers knew that their first destination system — known as “02S05C” for its Dominate stellar coordinates — was that of a reddish orange dwarf  star with a red dwarf companion orbiting at a distance of approximately 18 light-hours. A single, tidally-locked gas giant orbited the primary star — which meant a refuelling source for the expedition ships (the reason this system was selected as the first destination) — but there were no indications of water on any of the other words in the system. Additional observations made after the jump to deep space confirmed that the primary’s 220,000-kilometre-diameter gas giant orbited at approximately 100 light-seconds, thereby confining its jump point well within the primary’s 100-diameter limit of approximately 260 light-seconds.

The jump from deep space proceeds without incident. Each ship emerges 161+2D hours after making the jump, arriving just beyond the 100-diameter limit of the primary star — though dispersed in three dimensions about the virtual 260-light-second-diameter sphere. The ships are able to establish radio communication with each other in a matter of minutes as they emerge from jump space and are able to rendezvous as planned in orbit about the gas giant in 80+5D hours.

During the voyage to the rendezvous point the expedition’s astrographers conduct an initial survey of the system. The second planet out, orbiting at 200 light-seconds, is a large-sized, rocky-body world with an exotic atmosphere and no indications of water. Three other planets, orbiting farther out at 350 light-seconds, 500 light-seconds and 800 light-seconds, are all small-sized, rocky-body worlds with little or no atmosphere — though at least two show indications of small amounts of water ice. There are no planets orbiting the companion star though observations suggest what could be a very sparse planetoid belt.

The gas giant itself has more than a dozen moons, most of them very small, rocky-body worlds, and a faint ring system. There are three major moons, each small-sized, rocky-body worlds but only one, with no atmosphere, orbits beyond the gas giant’s radiation belts. While not suitable for large-scale settlement, this world is near enough to the gas giant to support wilderness refuelling and seems the best candidate in the system for a small outpost which might one day host a research site to observe the tidally-locked giant. After consultations with expedition members, the world is named Hart by Commander Badawi.

Once in orbit about “Hart’s giant” — called “Bull” by some expedition members — the expeditions begins the wilderness refuelling operation. Endeavour is first to dip into the gas giant, with Hart assuming the high guard position. (While there have been no indications of other spacecraft in the system the formal exercise proceeds as planned.) Wandering Solstice stands nearby, preparing to make its own fuel skimming run once Endeavour is finished.

It takes 3D hours to complete the refuelling operation — Endeavour serving in the high guard position while Hart makes the final refuelling run — and survey assignments are assigned to each ship. Endeavour will remain at the gas giant, with one of its pinnaces taking a survey party to the near-side — with respect to the giant — surface of tidally-locked Hart and the other pinnace sent to survey the other two large moons from space. Hart, the fastest of the expedition’s ships, is dispatched to survey the second world, nearly halfway along its orbit around the primary from the position of the gas giant. Wandering Solstice will make a second landing on Hart, on the far-side of the moon.

The travellers are aboard the pinnace Falcon, sent to the near-side surface of Hart.

Falcon has a crew of two — pilot and gunner — and as configured will transport one of Endeavour’s all-terrain vehicles to the world’s surface, with passenger accommodations — for eight — in the vehicle itself, and return to orbit around Hart for the duration of the mission. The landing party is a mix of merchant adventurers and crew from all three expedition ships, including the travellers and Endeavour’s junior medic (if that role is not already filled by one of the travellers).

Observations while Falcon is on approach to Hart indicate that the world is airless and has no indications of water ice on the world’s surface. Surface gravity is estimated at 0.25G. Earlier observations seemed to suggest potential volcanic activity but densitometer readings indicate the world has no molten core, thus precluding vulcanism. Nevertheless, observations have detected several instances of material being ejected from the surface; the consensus among the planetologists is that these are molten materials heated and released under pressure by seismic activity caused by tidal forces from the gas giant.

Tidally-locked to face the giant, Hart’s orbital period is nearly 21 days, with it in darkness behind the giant during approximately a third of that period — though lightning storms in the giant’s atmosphere make for a spectacular night sky display — with the near-side bathed in reflected yellow-green light from the giant when it is turned away from the sun during the rest of its orbit.

Referee’s Options

1. Falcon transports the landing party and their vehicle to three locations on Hart, first to a cratered and mountainous region near the equator, next to a broad, lightly-cratered plain in the southern hemisphere and finally to a moderately-fissured region near the northern pole. Moderate tidally-produced, seismic activity is almost constant and several incidents of ejecta are observed, especially in the fissured region. The planetological observations made from space are confirmed and refined. There are virtually no indications of any valuable mineral resources and only minor indications of water ice, mostly in underground caverns in the polar region. After 1D+5 days total of the landing party on the surface, Falcon returns to Endeavour without incident.
2. As in 1, but 1D times while on the surface a seismic quake is severe enough to cause potential injury. Each party member not in the vehicle must throw their Dexterity or less to avoid being thrown to the ground, with a negative DM equal to Vacc Suit skill. Those thrown to the ground will take 2D-6 damage and those who are injured will also have their vacc suit damaged on a throw of 10+. (Throw 1D to determine the damaged subsystem: 1 or 2 = suit integrity / pressurization, 3 = communication, 4 = life support, 5 = control system, affecting all subsystems, 6 = power, affecting all subsystems.) The damage can be repaired in 1D hours with a negative DM equal to the sum of the highest two levels (including duplicates) of Computer, Electrical, Mechanical or Vacc Suit (or Battledress) among the uninjured party members. Anyone with a damaged suit will suffer 1D-3 damage for each hour needed for repair (thrown after the hour has passed). Anyone injured severely enough to “die” instead falls into a coma from which they will recover in 2D-6 days, assuming they can be transferred — within 1D hours — to the vehicle or pinnace.
3. As in 2, but one of the seismic quakes will instead be an ejecta event in the party’s immediate location. Each party member not in the vehicle must throw their Dexterity or less to avoid being hit by debris, with a negative DM equal to Vacc Suit skill. Those hit by debris will take damage and suffer potential suit damage in a manner similar to that for a seismic quake. Those suffering ejecta damage will also be pinned by debris on a throw of 12. A pinned person can be freed in 4D minutes with a negative DM for each person able to assist in their recovery. Efforts to repair pressurization damage cannot be undertaken while the person is pinned.
4. As in 2, but in one of the seismic quakes a fissure also opens below the vehicle. Removing the vehicle from the fissure and repairing the damage takes 2D hours with a negative DM equal to the sum of the highest levels (including duplicates) of ATV, Electrical or Mechanical skill among the uninjured party members.
5. As in 4, but the vehicle is more seriously damaged in the fissure rupture. Anyone in the vehicle suffers 2D-6 damage. Removing the vehicle from the fissure and repairing the damage takes 5D hours with a negative DM as above.
6. As in 2, but one of the seismic quakes will instead be a meteorite shower, with advance warning coming from Falcon, Wandering Solstice or Endeavour in 6D minutes. Rather than throwing against Dexterity each party member not in the vehicle must throw 5+, with no DMs, to avoid being struck by a meteorite. Injury and suit damage will be the same as that for those thrown to the ground by a seismic quake. On a throw of 12, the vehicle will also be damaged, taking 2D hours to repair with a negative DM equal to the sum of the highest levels (including duplicates) of ATV, Electrical or Mechanical skill among the uninjured party members.

The rest of the time in the Hart system passes uneventfully. Hart’s survey of the second world found little of interest. Solstice’s landing on the far side of Hart produced similar findings. The expedition makes its next jump 1D+1 days after the travellers return from the surface of Hart.

Third Jump: DanuuzRenamed to Garda-Vilis by Imperial astrographers, Coreward frontier (SPIN 1118 X978000-0)

“My grandmother would tell me tales of the ancient Vilani hero Mashdiikhe when I was a boy. What better name for this vexatious world that will nevertheless one day become a new Sword World than that of the cursed cutlass of the legendary sailor?”

– Commander Skína Badawi, Across the Coreward Rift, 40 D.E.

Player’s Information:

Expedition astrographers knew the “01S05C” system had a single, red dwarf  star. Refuelling would be possible from either of the two gas giants in the system. A large satellite of the inner, larger gas giant showed indications of breatheable air and also substantial liquid water. A planetoid belt orbited the star between the two giants. Observations made from Hart confirmed that the inner, 350,000-kilometre-diameter gas giant orbits at approximately 100 light-seconds, confining its jump point within the primary’s 100-diameter limit of approximately 220 light-seconds. The outer gas giant orbits at approximately 500 light-seconds while the centre of the planetoid belt is approximately 350 light-seconds from the primary.

The jump from Hart proceeds without incident. Each ship emerges 161+2D hours after making the jump, dispersed in three dimensions about the star’s virtual 220-light-second diameter jump sphere. The ships are able to establish radio communication with each other in a matter of minutes and rendezvous as planned in orbit about the inner gas giant in 60+4D hours.

More detailed surveys as the ships converge on the rendezvous point identify no other planets orbiting the star. In addition to the large, standard-atmosphere, wet world already detected, a single, small, airless planetoid also orbits the inner gas giant a bit farther out. The outer, smaller gas giant has a ring system and five small, airless and waterless moons. The apparently habitable moon orbiting the large giant seems a likely candidate for settlement.

The standard formal refuelling operation, begun once the ships are in orbit about the larger gas giant, is completed in 3D hours. Survey assignments are made, with Hart sent to the planetoid belt while Endeavour remains in orbit about the giant. Wandering Solstice, to which the travellers are assigned, and both pinnaces will make landings on the seemingly habitable moon.

As Solstice approaches its first designated landing site, observations confirm a molten core world with extensive volcanic activity, likely exacerbated by tidal forces from the gas giant. The tidally-locked moon orbits the gas giant in less that 37 hours and its distance from the giant limits solar eclipses to less than two hours per orbit, giving the world something approximating a standard “day.” Oceans cover approximately 80% of the world’s surface. The massive tides produced by the giant suggest that most coastal regions will likely not be practically habitable. Surface gravity is 1.15G and pressure at the surface is approximately 1.10 atmospheres with mean temperatures estimated at 20°C. The standard oxygen-nitrogen mix atmosphere has significant sulphur compounds, likely due to the volcanism, indicating that artificial filtering will be required to breathe the air.

Referee’s Information:

1. Wandering Solstice makes three landings, first to a broad plain in the southern temperate zone of the moon’s largest continent, at approximately 4.3 million square kilometres in area more a very large island, second near a western coastal area in the continent’s northern temperate zone and finally on a small equatorial island about a thousand kilometres west of the continent. Other than the atmospheric taint — caused by chemical elements associated with the widespread vulcanism that medical personnel insist are not permanently harmful despite symptoms of serious nasal irritation — requiring the use of filter masks, conditions at the landing sites, each chosen to avoid sources of volcanic activity, are unexpectedly pleasant. The planetological observations made from space are confirmed and refined. The presence of extensive terrestrial and ocean-based, high-order flora and fauna — including at least one species of large (averaging 150 kilograms) omnivore/hunter swimmers encountered at the third landing site — suggests promising opportunities for self-sustaining settlement and agricultural exports. After 1D+5 days total of the landing party on the surface, Solstice returns to Endeavour without incident.
2. As in 1, but while at the coastal landing site some party members miscalculate and are caught in the extensive tides. Each party member must throw their Dexterity or less to avoid being swept away in the tide, with a DM-1 if the hydrographic percentage of their home-world — or a world on which they’ve lived extensively — is 30% or 70%, DM-2 if 40% or 60% or DM-3 if 50% Those swept away lose their filter mask, will take 2D-6 damage and will take 4D minutes to rescue with a negative DM for each person able to assist in their recovery and an additional DM-2 for each rescuer using a grav belt or operating the air/raft. Anyone swept away must throw Endurance or less, with a negative DM equal to the sum of the highest two levels of Brawling, Survival, Small Water Craft or Zero-gee skill, to avoid suffering 1D-3 additional damage for every ten minutes needed for rescue (thrown after the ten minutes have passed). Anyone injured severely enough to “die” instead falls into a coma from which they will recover in 2D-6 days, assuming they can be transferred — within 1D hours — to Solstice.
3. As in 2, but during the rescue effort the air/raft is swamped by waves. Occupants of the air/raft will be swept away by the tide as above. Recovering the air/raft, which remains afloat in the turbulent tidal region, takes 5D minutes, with a negative DM equal to the sum of the highest levels (including duplicates) of Air/Raft, Small Water Craft or Zero-gee skill among the uninjured party members and an additional DM-2 for each party member using a grav belt. The air/raft is undamaged.
4. As in 3, but the air/raft does not remain afloat. Recovering the air/raft takes 2D hours with DMs as above. The recovered air/raft is damaged and would take an additional 2D hours with a negative DM equal to the sum of the highest levels (including duplicates) of Air/Raft, Electrical or Mechanical skill among the uninjured party members. The air/raft can be maneuvered into the hold of Wandering Solstice without being repaired in 5D minutes, with a negative DM equal to the sum of the highest levels (including duplicates) of Air/Raft, Electrical or Mechanical skill among the uninjured party members. Repair will be straightforward once the air/raft is returned to Endeavour.
5. As in 4, but the air/raft is more difficult to recover. Recovering the air/raft takes 5D hours with negative DMs for recovery — and repair, if attempted — as above.
6. As in 2, but on a throw of 9+, any swept away party member (or at least one, determined randomly if all fail the throw) will be “rescued” by one of the carnivore/hunter swimmers otherwise encountered at the third landing site. The air-breathing creatures will help to keep the traveller afloat, gently taking them far enough out to sea to avoid the coastal waves. This will allow the traveller to avoid the potential for additional damage for additional time in the water. Upon rescue the creatures will disappear into the ocean, making their way north along the coast.

The rest of the time in the system passes uneventfully. The two pinnaces, one sent to the moon’s southern polar region and the other to the next smallest landmass in the other hemisphere confirmed the general findings of the Wandering Solstice. Hart’s survey of the planetoid belt identified moderate amounts of potentially exploitable ores. In an expedition-wide conference the gas giant’s moon was named Danuuz, for the sword of the Vilani hero Mashdiikhe. The expedition makes it next jump 1D+1 days after the travellers return from the surface of Danuuz.

Fourth Jump: AroundightRenamed to Arkadia by Imperial astrographers.
In the Classic era Spinward Marches Campaign and in the Rebellion era Imperial Encyclopedia, the UWP values for Arkadia (“Aroundight”) were “446” and the stellar data was “M8V,” while they are “546” and “G8V” in The Spinward Marches: Second Survey, reflecting data revised in the “T5 Second Survey.” (In the New Era Regency Sourcebook, the UWP data was “446,” matching the Classic and Rebellion era data, while the stellar data was “G8V,” matching the Second Survey data.) The revision of the stellar data from “M8V” to “G8V” aligns with the “T5 Second Survey Adjustments” criterion to fix “M class [primary] stars to a minimum of M4 if the [main] world is habitable,” while the increase in the world size from “4” to “5” aligns with the adjustments criterion to increase “the size of worlds with thin or better atmospheres to match the physics that small worlds can’t hold atmospheres.” The adjusted Secondary Survey data are used here., Coreward frontier (SPIN 1217 X546000-0)

“The vulcanism of this world reminded several of our company of Excalibur but those few who had visited that New Colony agreed this was a more hospitable place. It was perhaps a bit of seditious inspiration which led us to name this world for the sword Lanzelet used to best Artur at their first encounter.”

– Commander Skína Badawi, Across the Coreward Rift, 40 D.E.

Player’s Information:

Even before reaching Danuuz, expedition astrographers knew that the “00006C” system had a single yellow dwarf star and two gas giants. From Danuuz they were able to confirm that the star’s 100-diameter limit — the system’s J-1 jump point — was at approximately 420 light-seconds. A small gas giant orbited orbited at 2,500 light seconds, it’s own 100-diameter limit at 96 light-seconds forming the system’s J-2 jump point. A second, smaller gas giant orbited at 2.4 light-hours, the system’s J-3 jump point at its 100-diameter limit of 21 light-seconds.

A medium-sized (7900 kilometre-diameter), rocky body orbits at 400 light-seconds, within the star’s 100-diameter limit but also in the outer reaches of the star’s habitable zone. The planet shows indications of breathable air and liquid water. There were also indications of a planetoid belt and several other rocky body planets. A moon with a diameter of nearly 9000 kilometres — larger than the world in the habitable zone — orbits the larger gas giant. It has a dense, nitrogen-rich atmosphere but no indications of liquid or solid water. There are also indications of an extensive cometary halo of greater than average density, between four and eight light-hours from the star.

The jump from Danuuz proceeds without incident. Each ship emerges 161+2D hours after making the jump, arriving just beyond the 100-diameter limit of the star — though dispersed in three dimensions about the virtual 240 light-second diameter sphere. The ships are able to establish radio communication with each other in a matter of minutes as they emerge from jump space and rendezvous as planned in orbit about the habitable zone world in 75+5D hours. After consultations with the expedition members, the world is named Aroundight by Commander Badawi.

During the voyage to the rendezvous point the expedition’s astrographers conduct an initial survey of the system. The first planet out, orbiting at 150 light-seconds, is a tidally-locked, medium-sized, rocky-body world with only a trace atmosphere and no indications of water. The second planet, orbiting at 250 light-seconds, is a small-sized, rocky-body world also with only a trace atmosphere and no indications of water. Two other planets, orbiting between Aroundight and the larger gas giant at 500 light-seconds and 750 light-seconds, are both small-sized, rocky-body worlds with little or no atmosphere — though at each show indications of small amounts of water ice. There are no planets between the two gas giants but there is a substantial planetoid belt at a mean orbital distance of 1.4 light-hours. As many as eight rocky-body of varying sized orbit beyond the outer gas giant.

In addition to the medium-sized moon detected from Danuuz, the inner gas giant has four other, small-sized moons and a complex ring system. The largest moon has a dense, nitrogen atmosphere and an icy surface with no traces of water. Though not suitable for large-scale settlement, this moon is beyond the giant’s radiation belts but near enough to support wilderness refuelling. Of the other moons, the largest also has a nitrogen atmosphere without any indications of water while the remaining three are all icy, airless worlds. The outer gas giant has two small-sized, barren, frozen moons and just the trace of a ring system.

Surveys of Aroundight determine a thin, oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere tainted with gases from the world’s substantial volcanic activity — artificial filtering will be required to breathe the air — and a substantial hydrosphere covering more than 60% of the world’s surface. Atmospheric pressure is 0.5 atmospheres and while the partial pressure of oxygen is sufficient to enable breathing without a respirator it will be fatiguing for the travellers. Surface gravity is estimated at 0.42G and mean temperature at -2°C.

Once in orbit around Aroundight the expedition prepares for the refuelling operation, this time from the world’s oceans. Endeavour’s pinnaces are reconfigured for refuelling and join Wandering Solstice in making a landing on the temperate coastline of a medium-sized ocean in what seems to be one of the more tectonically stable regions of the world’s southern hemisphere — where the summer season has been underway for some weeks. (Aroundight’s orbital period is nearly 50 weeks but its rotational period is only a bit less than 18 hours.)

Those among the landing party enjoy the opportunity to visit a natural environment, even if it is a bit chilly, still requires limited artificial measures to breathe and the pale yellow sun is obscured by an orange-tainted, high-altitude haze. The low gravity is refreshing but also leads to slight mishaps as the travellers acclimate.

Hart is refuelled first and then dispatched to survey the inner gas giant. Once Endeavour is refuelled the pinnaces are again reconfigured, with Falcon subsequently dispatched to survey a similarly stable region in the northern hemisphere and Quetzal dispatched to survey a large, equatorial archipelago while Endeavour lifts to a survey orbit. The travellers are aboard Wandering Solstice and with the assistance of Endeavour’s air/raft begin to survey the area around the landing site as Solstice’s own refuelling operation gets underway.

Referee’s Information:

1. The refuelling of Wandering Solstice is completed without incident. Surveys of the region suggest a moderate, if somewhat cold climate and find no indications of frequent, severe weather in the area. There is abundant native flora and fauna suggesting the potential for extensive agricultural activity. (The atmospheric taint will make it difficult to introduce off-world fauan but there are several promising grazers which might serve as potential livestock — though several large pouncers and chasers which prey upon these creatures are also identified.) Falcon and Quetzal find similar circumstances, with Quetzal identifying many promising aquaculture species. Orbital scans from Endeavour also identify many promising potential ore deposits though these tend to be in more volcanically active regions of the planet which will make ore extraction more challenging.
2. As in 1, but during the refuelling operation several “nests” of 1D+2 large — approximately 50 centimetres in diameter — eggs are discovered buried across the beach where Solstice is positioned. After a short discussion a decision is made to expedite the refuelling operation and reposition the starship further inland, all of which happens without incident.
3. As in 2, except the “nests” are only discovered once several six-tentacled, soft-shelled hatchlings emerge from the sand and begin to make their way to the ocean. The refuelling operation is interrupted before completion as efforts are made to lift Wandering Solstice from the beach and reposition the ship further inland. Hatchlings continue to emerge from the beach over the next 2D+4 hours, while in the process of moving the ship 6D hatchlings are killed or are too seriously injured to make their way to the waves. Eventually, Solstice is moved to a previously-identified nearby freshwater source and refuelling is completed without further incident.
4. As in 3, except many of the hatchings begin fighting each other, with the victor eating its vanquished opponent. In addition to the hatchlings killed or injured in the process of moving the Wandering Solstice further inland as many as a quarter of the partially-eaten hatchlings are strewn across the beach by the time the last hatchling has made its way to the waves.

5. As in 2, but during the refuelling operation dozens of large creatures emerge from the waves along the coastline. They are a mottled orange-red, six-tentacled, nearly three meters across, with a large, hard, rounded-conical shell. They move quickly across the sand — though not quite as quickly as a fast moving human. At various points several meters from the waves they begin digging in the sand, each revealing a “nest” of the large eggs which have begun to hatch. Some of the creatures searching for their “nests” will displace the refuelling hoses running from Wandering Solstice to the ocean, rupturing a hose on a throw of 8+. Several will make their way between the landing pads of Solstice, uncovering “nests” buried under the ship. Undisturbed creatures will lead their hatchlings back to the water after 3D+7 minutes.   

   If the creatures are obstructed by a traveller they will attack with teeth, inflicting 2D-3 damage if the traveller fails a throw against dexterity, with positive DM for brawling skill. Any traveller wounded severely enough to “die” instead falls into a coma from which they will recover in 2D-6 days, assuming they can be transferred — within 1D hours — to Solstice. The creatures will not retreat if attacked with hands or hand-held weapons but will flee if attacked with firearms. A creature will not come to the assistance of another but an attack on a creature will also not deter another from trying to reach its own “nest.”

   (The “amphibious gatherer” listed in Classic Traveller Supplement 2: Animal Encounters, p. 40, GDW 1980, may be used for the creatures which look something like the illustration on p. 1 of that volume).   

   As in 3, eventually, Solstice is moved to a previously-identified nearby freshwater source and refuelling is completed after an additional 1D hours to repair the damaged hoses.

6. As in 5, but each adult creature also has a thrasher which inflicts 2D+2 damage.

After 1D+5 days total of the landing parties on the surface, Wandering Solstice and the two pinnaces return to Endeavour without further incident. The two ships rendezvous with Hart in 4D hours, the crew of the cutter having established that the inner gas giant will make a suitable wilderness refuelling location but having found little else of particular interest. The expedition makes its next jump 1D+1 days after rendezvous of the three ships.

Fifth Jump: Danuuz, Coreward frontier (SPIN 1118 X968000-0)

“Like every member of the expedition I too was pleased to be turning toward home. Nevertheless, I had a sense of melancholy as we prepared to jump from Aroundight. So much of the Coreward frontier still remained to be explored.”

– Commander Skína Badawi, Across the Coreward Rift, 40 D.E.

Player’s Information:

Before departure from Aroundight a decision is made to conduct no further landings at Danuuz and to keep the expedition ships together while in the system.

The jump from Aroundight proceeds without incident. Each ship emerges 161+2D hours after making the jump, dispersed in three dimensions about the star’s virtual 220-light-second diameter jump sphere. The ships are able to establish radio communication with each other in a matter of minutes and rendezvous as planned in orbit about Danuuz’s gas giant in 45+3D hours.

Once the the ships are in orbit about the gas giant, all three ships conduct orbital surveys of the gas giant and of Danuuz during the refuelling operation. Refuelling is completed in 3D hours and the expedition makes its next jump in 3D+5 hours.

Sixth Jump: SvavasormRenamed to Vilis by Imperial astrographers.
UWP and stellar data for Vilis (“Svavasorm”) is consistent across all data sources but the alternative Classic era Behind the Claw notes that the world has an “industrial pollutant taint,” indicating that its atmospheric taint is artificial, the product of it being an Industrial world in the Classic era. Because Vilis has not yet been settled in Dominion era, it is assumed that this artificial atmospheric taint does not (yet) exist, and the Atmosphere UWP value has been adjusted from “9” (dense, tainted) to “8” (dense)., Coreward frontier (SPIN 1119 X583000-0)

“The great swimming, constrictor snakes of the gloomy rain forest — and its hidden lakes and rivers — inspired our name for this world, calling to mind the wyrm-slaying sword the Valkyrie Sváfa gave to Helgi Hjörvarðsson.”

– Commander Skína Badawi, Across the Coreward Rift, 40 D.E.

Player’s Information:

Before departing Isenfang, expedition astrographers knew that the “01S04C” system had a yellow dwarf primary star with a red dwarf companion. The system had no gas giants but a medium-sized rocky body world with water present meant there would be a refuelling source for the expedition ships. More detailed observations made during the first deep space refuelling stop as well as from Hart and Danuuz confirmed that this planet orbited at a distance of 320 light-seconds, comfortably within the primary’s habitable zone but also well within the star’s 100-diameter limit — the system’s J-1 jump point — of approximately 420 light-seconds.

The small companion star orbits the primary at approximately 85 light-minutes with a 100-diameter limit — the system’s J-2 jump point — of approximately 22 light-seconds.

In addition to the water-bearing world there are six other rock body worlds in the system, two of which orbit the companion star, some also with indications of water but all in orbits which suggest it would be ice. Two planetoid belts orbit the primary star, a less-dense one immediately inward from the water-bearing world and another one in an orbit between that world and the companion star which seems to be a promising site for mineral prospecting.

The jump from Danuuz proceeds without incident. Each ship emerges 161+2D hours after making the jump, arriving just beyond the 100-diameter limit of the star — though dispersed in three dimensions about the virtual 420 light-second diameter sphere. The ships are able to establish radio communication with each other in a matter of minutes as they emerge from jump space and rendezvous as planned in orbit about the habitable zone world in 105+4D hours.

Surveys of the world determine a dense oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere with a hydrosphere covering 33% of the world’s surface. Atmospheric pressure is 1.9 atmospheres with a partial pressure of oxygen sufficient to enable breathing without a respirator. Surface gravity is estimated at 0.67G and the mean temperature at 12°C.

Once in orbit the expedition prepares for the refuelling operation from the world’s oceans. Endeavour’s pinnaces are reconfigured for refuelling and join Wandering Solstice in making a landing on the temperate coastline of one of the largest oceans in the world’s northern hemisphere — where the summer season has been underway for some weeks. (The words orbital period is nearly 377 days while the quick rotational period is a bit less than thirteen hours.)

After consultations with the expedition members, the world is named Svavasorm by Commander Badawi. Hart is refuelled first and dispatched to survey the outer planetoid belt and companion star. Once Endeavour is refuelled the pinnaces are again reconfigured, with Quetzal subsequently dispatched to survey a similar coastal region in the southern hemisphere. Falcon is dispatched to survey an expansive, equatorial savannah. The travellers are aboard Quetzal.

As Quetzal approaches the planned landing site the travellers notice its similarity to the refuelling location, another coastal region with lush forests and rocky shores — though it’s winter here and much of the terrain is snow-covered. Forward sensors detect an unusual reading — what appeared to be an odd bit of rocky terrain from orbit is showing high concentrations of processed metals and complex composites. Most unusually, there are minor indications of a dormant artificial power source.

Slowly approaching the landing site for visual observations the travellers are surprised to find what appears to be a ship’s hull sitting on a flat outcrop, concealed by forest growth and snow. The power source readings are confirmed to be from the ship’s power plant which appears to have exhausted its fuel. There are no indications of life-signs — other than native fauna — or of any activity around the ship.

Quetzal sets down in a relatively clear beach near the ship. The rocky, forested terrain is unsuitable for the pinnace’s all-terrain vehicle so the travellers proceed to the ship on foot. (The pinnace pilot and gunner remain aboard Quetzal, communicating details to Endeavour in orbit. Endeavour informs them that a handful of engineering and technical personnel will be sent to the site to assist in examining the ship.) As they approach the ship, the travellers find indications of a small encampment for perhaps six or eight individuals which has been abandoned for quite some time.

The snow-covered ship, partially concealed by the extensive local flora, has unusual markings. Throw Education or less for any traveller to recognize them as ZhdantianZhdantian is the name used for Zhodani in the Sacnoth Dominate. Zhdantian traders first appeared in Sword Worlds space — coming from Darrian space — about two centuries ago. While a trade agreement was reached with the Dominate about 60 years ago many Sword Worlders have yet to encounter a Zhdantian.. The landing party will not be able to gain entry to the ship until the technical personnel arrive in 3D hours. Over the course of the next 48 hours an extensive investigation of the ship is conducted — while non-technical members of the landing party complete their surveys of the surrounding area. The ship seems to have been a small, armed starship somewhat similar in form and function to Hart.

Referee’s Information:

1. The ship appears to have been here for several decades but apparently landed under its own power. There is no indication of crash damage but most of the more portable items aboard have been removed. Most of the ship’s main systems— jump and maneuver drives, main computer, weapons and sensor systems — have also been removed. The one exception is the power plant, which was apparently left in a low-power mode to allow it to power a transmitter beacon — though the power plant seems to have failed some years ago (the detected power readings being established as consistent with those of a power plant which was left in operation for an indefinite period).   

   An extensive survey of the area suggests that there are only limited indications of external activity and no remains of the crew.

2. As in 1, except that the main systems have been carefully sabotaged in a manner seeming intended to make it difficult to understand their specific functions in any detail.
3. As in 2, except the travellers also encounter extensive evidence of long-abandoned habitation, including what seems to be a small area of now-overgrown cultivation, in the area around — and in — the ship. Nearby, 1D+3 graves are also discovered. If one or more bodies are exhumed from these graves, a medical examination will confirm them to be Zhdantians who died of “old age” perhaps half a century ago. All apparent portable components remain though some have been removed from the ship and are found among the ruins of the habitation. These and the major systems still aboard the ship have all been carefully sabotaged.
4. As in 3, except there has been no sabotage of components or systems. A detailed technical examination determines that the jump drive is substantially damaged but the maneuver drive and other ship’s systems seem to be operable with power. This conclusion is confirmed when limited power is provided by improvised means from Quetzal. After further examination it is determined that all ship’s systems have been carefully wiped of any data.
5. As in 4, except that data has not been wiped. The expedition lacks the capabilities to translate the Zhdantian information in any detail but are able to determine that the ship mis-jumped and that the crew landed on the world over a century ago. The last data entry, by an elderly female (there is no indication of this person’s body among the graves), was made nearly fifty years ago.
6. As in 5, except that among the portable components are 1D suits of combat armour (as listed in the Classic Traveller Alien Module 4 —Zhodani). Expedition technicians are able to get the combat armour working but are unable to understand a complex, powered array in the helmet. (The psionic abilities of Zhdantians are not widely recognized among the general populace of the Sacnoth Dominate. On a throw of 10+ one of the travellers will have heard mostly exaggerated rumours of Zhdantian psionic powers — suggesting that the array must be some sort of “psionic shield” — but the rumours and the offered explanation for the array — are discounted by the technicians.)

Over the next two days the technicians are able to remove the ship’s major systems — sabotaged or not — and transfer them via pinnace — Falcon is enlisted in this effort — to Wandering Solstice. After 1D+6 days of the landing parties on the surface, Wandering Solstice and the two pinnaces return to Endeavour without further incident. The two ships rendezvous with Hart in 4D hours, the crew of the cutter having established that the outer planetoid belt is rich in exploitable ores. The expedition makes its next jump 1D+1 days after rendezvous of the three ships.

Seventh Jump: Deep space, Coreward frontier (SPIN 1019 X000000-0)

“Our return to the deep space rendezvous point provoked little of the unease experienced on our original arrival. This was less due to us now being ‘experienced explorers’ and more about our nearness — as if fifteen trillion kilometres away could ever be considered ‘near’— to home.”

– Commander Skína Badawi, Across the Coreward Rift, 40 D.E.

Player’s Information:

The deep space jump to the fuel cache goes as planned. Each ship emerges from jump space 161+2D hours after making the jump from Svavasorm. All ships of the expedition are able to establish radio communication with each other in a matter of minutes as each ship emerges from jump space and their relative positions are quickly established shortly after the last ship arrives. The ships are able to rendezvous at the fuel cache in 2D days. Likewise, the refuelling of Wandering Solstice from Hart — any remaining fuel aboard Hart and Endeavour not needed for the Jump-1 back to Isenfang is off-loaded at the cache — is accomplished without incident in 3D hours. The expedition makes its final jump 3D+5 hours after refuelling and arrives at Isenfang without incident in 161+2D hours, where they are welcomed quietly by representatives of the expedition’s sponsors.

Subsequent events to be determined by the referee.

References

• Fleetwatch, Marischall Adventures, 1981.
• “From Port to Jump-point,” Leroy Guatney, The Journal of the Travellers’ Aid Society #22, Game Designers’ Workshop, 1985.
• Spinward Marches Campaign, Game Designers’ Workshop, 1985.
• Imperial Encyclopedia, Game Designers’ Workshop, 1987.
• The Regency Sourcebook: Keepers of the Flame, Game Designers’ Workshop, 1995.
• Behind the Claw: The Spinward Marches Sourcebook, Steve Jackson Games, 1998.
• Sword Worlds: The Day After Ragnarok, Steve Jackson Games, 2004.
• “Adventures in the Arkadia System,” Mark Gellis, The Journal of the Travellers’ Aid Society (online), Steve Jackson Games, August 1, 2006.
• “The Arkadia System,” “The Garda-Vilis System” and “The Vilis System,” Tony Jones, “Memory Lapse” campaign website (www.clockworksky.net/rp_traveller_top.html), archived by Internet Archive, May 2008.
• “Adventures on Choleosti,” Mark Gellis, The Journal of the Travellers’ Aid Society (online), Steve Jackson Games, July 1, 2008.
• The Spinward Marches: Second Survey, Far Future Enterprises, 2016.

 

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