 April 2, 2009 - 11:52pm | In SF-0 Crash on Volturnus page 11 (in the original) titled "Player Character's Background Report" at the very bottom of the page beneath the bios of the missing expeditions is this statement: "Truane's Star has found itself short of personnel and funds due to colonial troubles and associated police action on Cygnus Omicron IX recently, They have hired you, a team of unkown adventurers....." First question: where is Cygnus Omicron IX? 2nd question if they're so short handed form an police action how did they even mount an expedition to face down the sathar in Volturnus? 3rd question: if all the personnel in the first team are lvl 5-6 why are they hiring lvl 1 unkown adventurers? My personal answer for #3 is that the players are patsies and are meant to fail. "Well Mr. Carpetbagger, we got something in this here territory called a Missouri boat ride." - Outlaw Josie Wales. "Get ready, little lady, Hell's coming to breakfast." - Lone Waite |
 April 3, 2009 - 9:55am | If memory does not serve well I thought the PC's were en-route *somewhere* and crash landed? IMHO its not the Level that dooms the PC's, its the lack of gear/equipment/weapons. Star Frontiers scales based on gear, not levels. |
 April 3, 2009 - 9:58am | First question: where is Cygnus Omicron IX? Between Cygnus Omicron VIII and Cygnus Omicron X.  1) I did check AD, KH and Zebs and could not find it listed. The map in Zebs shows several unnamed systems. It could be one of those. "colonial troubles and associated police action" indicates that it is a colony of Truane's Star. The map shows that Truane's Star has no close unexplored systems. If it is a colony, it is far away from Truane's Star. 2) Perhaps it was one of those future projects that TSR never completed because they stopped supporting Star Frontiers. It could also have been just a cool sounding name that the writers pulled out of thin air as it really didn't effect the module. 2nd question: If they're so short handed from an police action how did they even mount an expedition to face down the sathar in Volturnus? They didn't. With the exception of Commander Jameson, the original expedition members are all Corporates or University Types. The costs were probably paid by the corporation and the university. Jameson was sent along to "keep an eye" on them. It was probably a deal made by the government: You pay all expenses, our man goes along and is in charge, or you don't go. The Sathar are not mentioned at all. The original expedition was a survey to gather data on possible mining operations and colonization of the planet. The PC briefing does not say anything about the Sathar at all. 3rd question: if all the personnel in the first team are lvl 4-6 why are they hiring lvl 1 unkown adventurers? The government of Truane's Star probably only sent a rescue expedition under pressure from the corporation and university. It looks bad in the press to do nothing. They probably think the original expedition is dead and this is not a priority given their other troubles. No one suspects Sathar. It should all be routine. Thus they hired cheap and available - the PCs. Possibly the Most Dangerous Pineapple in the Universe. Possibly Not. |
April 3, 2009 - 1:45pm | 2nd question: If they're so short handed from an police action how did they even mount an expedition to face down the sathar in Volturnus? They didn't. With the exception of Commander Jameson, the original expedition members are all Corporates or University Types. The costs were probably paid by the corporation and the university. Jameson was sent along to "keep an eye" on them. It was probably a deal made by the government: You pay all expenses, our man goes along and is in charge, or you don't go. The Sathar are not mentioned at all. The original expedition was a survey to gather data on possible mining operations and colonization of the planet. The PC briefing does not say anything about the Sathar at all. Actually I meant at the end of SF-1 when the PCs can radio home and inform everyone of the impending Sathar attack. Maybe in the modules it was just the UPF force that comes to the rescue but I thought it was a joint UPF and Truane's Star fleet. "Well Mr. Carpetbagger, we got something in this here territory called a Missouri boat ride." - Outlaw Josie Wales. "Get ready, little lady, Hell's coming to breakfast." - Lone Waite |
 April 3, 2009 - 2:51pm | Truane's Star technically DOES have a colony...the Streel colonized world of Corpco in the New Streel system. Least, according to ZEB's.... "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
 April 4, 2009 - 4:45am | There was a decent debate on this over at the SF.org forums a few years ago. IIRC it was agreed that Cygnus Omicron IX was a gas giant occupying Truane's ninth orbit. I had penned a background for it after that...I'll have to see if I can find it now. |
April 4, 2009 - 4:58am | Okay found it... Cygnus Omnicron IX is a Habitat space station around a moon named Omicron (named in sequence from the Greek alphabet) which in turn orbits around a gas giant named Cygnus in the Truane's star system, occupying the ninth orbit. There could be other habitats around this moon (in particular #1-#8). I recall there were several proposed backstories posted in that discussion as to what exactly was going on there. Here's mine: _________________________________________ Streel's official stance on Cygnus Omicron IX is, of course, the "use of creating Galactic Peace and Prosperity". Streel has been actively mining the gases of Cygnus Omicron, particularly the nearly limitless supply of liquid hydrogen. These fuel profits are enjoyed both locally and by selling the L-Hyd to neighboring systems such as Zebulon, Dixon's Star, and Prenglar. Thus fulfilling the "prosperity" portion of their mission statement. During the passage of the "Operation: Dreadnaught" bill, PanGalactic was awarded contract renewal to maintain and service the UPF's fleet of battleships despite challenge by Streel. Passage of OD brought further smiles to PGC executives as the resulting orders increased for construction of more battleships.
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April 4, 2009 - 9:23pm | I remember seeing that in the .org forums, Shadow, and I like; I've made one tweak for Space Rats in that Clarion and the Pale worlds are on equal footing in terms of power and influence, as Clarion was the first colony in the Frontier Sector, and, along with Triad and Rupert's Hole, is the primary world in the United Kingdom of Clarion and Cassidine, with the UKCC basically becoming more of a loose alliance similar to the British Commonwealth(my starting point), with Rupert's Hole being a full republic, and Triad retaining a Governor-General, but is otherwise similar to Canada and Australia. The UKCC was one of four power blocs in the Frontier in pre-Fed times, with the Port Loren Alliance Treaty Organization(PLATO; PGC, Gran Quivera, Gollwin[Morgaine's World], Exodus, Genesis, Minotaur and Lossend), the Hargut Pact(run by Streel and the Truane's Star government[same difference], consisting of the Pale worlds, all the Yaz colonies and sometimes Outer Reach), and the Association(Inner Reach, Groth, Tereldrom, Circe, Kir'kut and the Vrusk worlds) being the other three, with Laco being independent, and Volturnus being Rimmer territory prior to the Capellan Wars fought between the Coalition and the Pact in pre-Fed times. "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
