I want to put up a new cadre/party I made for comment but...

ChrisDonovan's picture
ChrisDonovan
April 10, 2016 - 6:55pm
I don't want to start any nasty debates about RL politics.  It might be a bit too much "on the nose" for some.

Should I go ahead or should I not so we don't get into any flame wars?

Thoughts?
Comments:

JCab747's picture
JCab747
April 10, 2016 - 7:18pm
The one thing about fiction is that as long as you are not blantantly making reference to an existing political party/movement, you should be able to explore different concepts. Star Trek did this, though the storylines vary depending upon who the writer was and what agenda the producer -- Roddenberry -- and the network would allow at the time.

My word of caution is if you want to make a cadre/party interesting, don't make it a strawman to push over. I.E. all traditionalists are bad because... All liberals are bad because... Give it some zest and throw it into the Frontier network.

For example: In the forums is a discussion called "New (Old) Star Frontiers Book" which is a discussion based on the old TSR "Endless Quest" books where they had a series of SF adventures.

The SF wiki site had this to say about the books:

Star Rangers and the Spy is a Fantasy Forest "pick-your-path" novel written by Jean Blashfield and Beverly Charette which is aimed at young readers and set in the Star Frontiers universe.

The book features a cover by Joe DeVelasco and internal illustrations by Mario Macari, Jr.

The reader ("You") is Ranger Chaylo, a Human boy who is a member of a club called the Star Rangers. Your fellow rangers are other children, all of them alien. Rama is a female ape-like Yazirian, Carrel is an insect-like Vrusk, and Gogol is an amoeba-like, but intelligent, Dralasite. There is also Nanny Navigator Robot. The small white Boxils also make an appearance.

The goal of the story is to stop MR. Drel, one of your father's co-workers, from stealing an experimental starship and giving it to the Sathar, who will then use it to invade other planets. The adults at Spacefleet do not believe the Star Ranger's warnings. Your father is also mentioned as being a scientist and a member of the United Planetary Federation, and the planet on which the book takes place is your home planet of Nedram. 

So, I jumped into the discussion -- after I was finally allowed to join this forum -- and wrote up this new cadre.

Cadre: Star Rangers

Brief:[i]

A decade after the end of the First Sathar War a Frontier-wide youth organization was formed to help bring the Core Four Races together. Founded in FY13, the Star Rangers has many chapters on most settled worlds throughout the United Planetary Federation with the notable exception of the Araks system. It promotes the concepts of physical, spiritual and mental development of youth while teaching survival and exploration skills.

The popularity of the Star Rangers among youth has waxed and waned over the decades depending upon societal changes. Although the organization has traditionally received great support from most sectors, including sponsorship from the Pan Galactic Corporation and the other mega corporations, it has occasionally come under attack by various other groups and governments.

On Hentz (Araks), for example, the Family of One banned the Star Rangers early on as a “countervailing influence” that threatened the moral fiber of young Yazarians. The Family of One, however, established its own group – the Fellowship of One – that mirrors many of the Star Rangers activities, but gears them specifically for Yazarians.

Members of the Frontier Peace Organization have made several charges – often contradicting each other. One common allegation is that the Star Rangers are a front organization for the Free Frontiersmen Foundation and seek to overthrow the UPF with a fascist government. Another discredited theory is that the rangers are in league with the Investors and want to corrupt the youths into supporting the rich against rest of society.

Other fringe groups ranging from the Kraatar Liberation Corps to the HUSPs on New Pale (Truane’s Star) have attacked Star Rangers chapters – both financially and literally – for attempting to dilute the purity of humanity with alien ideals.

Formation

The concept for the Star Rangers goes back to some of the youth organizations that Humans had developed on their home world prior to arriving in the Frontier. Such groups were open to peoples of different nationalities, religious faiths and genders and promoted what were often considered universal Human values.

During the First Common Muster against the pirate fleet of Hatzck Naar, a young Nelson McMeamy of the White Light System joined the Clarion Royal Marines and was deployed into the Frontier. When the pirates destroyed his ship, he soon found himself on a Pan Galactic privateer (the PGS Surety) with a mixed crew of Humans, Vrusk, Yazarians and Dralasites. Here McMeamy made lifelong friends who helped shape the early days of the UPF.

Two decades later, when the Sathar invaded the Frontier in 3 PF, McMeamy was a colonel in the Clarion reserves and was called up for active duty in the Second Common Muster. He served as a liaison officer, initially between the Clarion forces and the rest of the Core Four races but was soon tapped by Admiral Morgaine to help coordinate the activities of the growing defense fleet.

Although based on Gran Quivera (Prenglar), McMeamy often traveled to many of the Frontier worlds, renewing his acquaintance with several others who served aboard the PGS Surety. McMeamy and his friends often talked about the need to train the youth for the necessities of defending their planets against future alien menaces.

During the Battle of Two Fleets in 2 FY, where the Sathar were defeated but at the cost of much of Morgaine’s forces and the loss of the admiral himself, McMeamy was severely wounded and spent two years recovering on Gran Quivera. He wrote a memoire of his experiences serving under Morgaine along with several other short books aimed at the youth of the Core Four races. One book, Rangers of the Frontier, became very popular and the basis for starting the Star Rangers.

By FY8, McMeamy (now Lord McMeamy after inheriting his father’s royal title) and seven others – including Dalaa Naaro and Jeeka Srobbalee of the Yazarians, K’llee and YKk’ll’tkk of the Vrusk, Lloomahnee and Oodaahkay of the Dralasites, and Kai-Fu Jinping of the Humans gathered on Gran Quivera to establish the first Star Rangers chapter, which was sponsored by the newly formed Star Law police organization. Star Law officials saw the youth group as a natural venue to train potential candidates for the future.

From its first chapter on Gran Quivera, the Star Rangers quickly spread to other planets – even to the Outer Reach (Dramune), which is known for its criminal government. However, not everyone welcomed the new club. Many Vrusk trade houses saw the Star Rangers as a threat to socializing young Vrusk, so only the more adventurous of their kind joined at first. As noted earlier, the Family of One also saw the rangers as a menace to the traditional clan system and banned the group from establishing any chapters in the Araks system.

Lord McMeamy was the commandant of the Star Rangers until retiring in FY44. Afterward, he was an advisor to the organization until he passed away in FY71 at age 109 due to illness and complications that could be attributed to his injuries back in the First Sathar War.

Star Rangers in Popular Culture

The growth of the Star Rangers was also aided by book series and an early youth holovision show called “Star Rangers,” which was produced between FY23 and FY27 by Jean Blashfield and Beverly Charette.

The series starred Ranger Chaylo (Jose Monarrez), a Human boy; Rama (Haileen of the Backa Clan), a female Yazarian; Carrel (KRL Vr’Kal’kkix), a Vrusk male, and Gogol  (Gantoorlp), a Dralasite. The child actors were supported by Nanny Navigator Robot, a modified Pan-Galactic Model H-1-Eleven service robot.

The children lived on the fictional planet of Nedram, loosely based on Gran Quivera, which had blue dirt and was home to many of the Spacefleet’s top officials plus a groundside spaceship construction facility. The first adventure, “Star Rangers and the Spy,” featured the children spoiling the efforts of a Sathar agent, Mr. Drel, from stealing an experimental starship and giving it to the worms.

Another fictional race, the Boxils – white, cube-shaped creatures with four stubby legs and humanoid faces – often appeared in the episodes, often reacting with comic effect to some event occurring.

One of the episodes, “Captured Planet” (S01-12), was banned in the Truane’s Star System by the government of Pale for “malicious intent” to “flagrantly violate the public trust” and “manipulation of the facts.” The plot concerned an alleged Sathar attempt to cause widespread mannakan crop failure and spark a food crisis throughout the Frontier. The storyline incorrectly stated New Pale’s population as being only 20,000 people while alleging that the planet’s farms were run strictly by the Pan Galactic Corporation and its robot harvesters. Streel Corporation and the United Farmers Alliance of New Pale strongly objected to the tale, but it has become an underground cult classic.

The holovision series ended in FY27 after a tragic accident where an air car carrying Monarrez and Haileen crashed, killing the actors and four production staff members, including the lead director. Conspiracy theories have swirled ever since that Sathar agents blew the air car out of the sky, but nothing was ever proven.

Gantoorlp went on to become a comedian, playing various venues throughout the Frontier until the Dralasite was ensnared in an embezzlement scandal in FY63. Fleeing Star Law authorities, it purportedly ended up on the Outer Reach.

Vr’Kal’kkix, who grew up in the Vrusk entertainment trade house known as Kar’Reh’Ll (the character name Carrel was derived from KRL’s name), also remained in the entertainment field, but often served as a spokesbeing for Star Law. He later became a director of several movies and holovision series.

In FY63, Vr’Kal’kkix became the producer of a HV series called the “New Star Rangers.” He also produced a spinoff series called “Young Star Law” in FY75.

The original Nanny Navigator Robot and models of the Boxils, which were robots made to act like living creatures, are on display at the Kajavian Museum of Frontier Culture at Port Loren on Gran Quivera.

Many of today’s Frontier adventurers and more than a few members of Star Law, Spacefleet, the Landfleet and the UPF Marines, had their start as Star Rangers.

 Uniform and Ranks

What Frontier adult doesn’t remember the early Star Rangers recruitment advertisements with members of the Core Four races in the classic white-and-red ranger uniforms with the slogan, “Join the Galactic Legions” underneath? The uniforms were designed to be bright, colorful and easily recognizable and featured an early bodycomp. Modern ranger uniforms are derivatives of this look.

Similar to the military, Star Rangers have seven “ranks of merit” to distinguish members of different accomplishments and experience levels, starting with the basic Ranger rank all the way up to Dragon, which is the highest level. A ranger advances in rank by learning progressively harder skills in citizenship, leadership, personal growth, physical fitness, planetary exploration and the “ranger spirit.” As they learn, rangers are expected to explore various vocation and avocations while also performing community service.

When a youth joins a chapter, they earn the rank of Ranger by being able to provide some basic knowledge about the Star Rangers’ ideals. As a club member gains more knowledge, they achieve the rank of Surefoot (a translation from the word ikkal which deals with how a soft-skinned larval Vrusk is able to move around without injury). Other ranks in progression are Second Class, First Class, Star, Nova and finally Dragon. Before they turn age 20, Dragon rangers are able to earn up to six Star Clusters, representing additional service work.

Except for the Ranger rank, if a Star Ranger wants to advance in rank, not only does the being need to complete the necessary requirements, but must submit records of these accomplishments to a board of review. 



[i] “New (Old) Star Frontiers Book,” http://www.starfrontiers.us/node/7896 . Based on the discussions on the Star Frontiers forum website. Additional ideas based on the descriptions of the history of the Boy Scouts.

Oh, and the "Dragon Ranger" rank is, of course, inspired by the Boy Scout's Eagle rank. In this case, it's for the Lossodragon from Frontier Explorer Issue 1.

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Joe Cabadas

JCab747's picture
JCab747
April 10, 2016 - 7:21pm
So, I've presented a cadre based on a real life organization, but tried to give it a bit of a Frontier twist. That way, it can be taken anyway a referee wants to.

Some people these days really, really hate the Boy Scouts, some are indifferent to them and some enjoy them.

Practically anything that you come up with, someone will try to tear it down and tear it apart. Others may praise it but not give you a good critique where you can improve your presentation. Hopefully you can provide something here that some of us will find beneficial.

Best Regards,
Joe Cabadas

Bio-Social's picture
Bio-Social
April 10, 2016 - 7:31pm
For my part, if I think your new cadre looks like political flame bait, Chris, I will just refrain from comment.
But I encourage you to post it. You did give a warning.

If nobody offers any feedback, or things get hot in a hurry, maybe it is too "on the nose."

YMMV

ChrisDonovan's picture
ChrisDonovan
April 10, 2016 - 7:41pm
Well, here goes what I have so far:

The Local Rights Alliance maintains that government at all levels - but especially the UPF - has become too powerful and usurps the natural rights of planetary and local authorities and individuals. In particular they object to laws that in any way tax or regulate corporations and businesses or interfere with trade on any scale. The party has many open members, and more support some or most of it's positions. It has the most influence on younger colony worlds and ones such as Pale, New Pale, Kraatar and Lossend where the population is either sparse, primarily devoted to basic agriculture/industry, or both.

Members of the LRA have called for convening a new Treaty Assembly to re-write the UPF Charter and Articles of Federation to remove nearly all UPF authority over matters other than those that would explicitly stated. The primary role of the UPF, if the LRA were to work it's will, would be to maintain Spacefleet against the Sathar threat, a cause which the LRA strongly supports, and which has gained it the support of the Anti-Satharian League.

The LRA has worked with the Alliance for the Rights of the People on their anti-Star Law campaign. It is rumored that the group known as the Investors supports them strongly, as do the CEOs of many Frontier mega-corporations. Conversely, statements made by LRA members and candidates that seem to support the positions held by the Firsters, Kraatar Liberation Corps, and several other controversial cadres have drawn much public criticism, as has the party's strong ties to the Family of One.

The LRA hates the Galactic Light party, the Universal Family Movement, the Synthfood Workers Guild, Brotherhood of Spacers, and the activist group known as the Liberators. The feeling is mutual.


Shadow Shack's picture
Shadow Shack
April 10, 2016 - 8:34pm
Ooh...politics! Can I play? Foot in mouth


The UPF has just passed a new law called: "The Affordable 
Starship Act" declaring that every citizen MUST purchase a new starship by Deka 32, fy101. These "affordable" starships will cost an average of 54-155 billion credits each. This does not include taxes, towing fees, licensing and registration fees, fuel, storage fees, berthing, or maintenance & repair costs. 

This law has been passed because until now, typically only wealthy and financially responsible people have been able to purchase a starshipThis new laws ensures that every citizen of the Frontier can now have an affordable starship of their own, because everyone is entitled to a new starship. If you purchase your starship before the end of the year, you will receive 2 free spacesuits (does not include monthly usage fees). 

In order to make sure everyone purchases an affordable starship, the costs of owning a starship will increase on average of 250-400% per year. This way, wealthy people will pay more for something that other people don't want or can't afford to maintain. But to be fair, people who can't afford to maintain their starship will be regularly fined and children & dependants (up to age of 25) can use their parents' starship until they turn 26; at which point they must purchase their own starship

If you already have a starship, you can keep yours (just kidding; no you can't). If you don't want or don't need a starship, you are required to buy one anyways. If you refuse to buy one or can't afford one, you will be regularly fined 800 credits per day (billed weekly, one week minimum) until you purchase one, or face imprisonment. 

Failure to use the starship will also result in fines. People residing on the outpost worlds, plague worlds, secret mega-corp worlds, moons, uninhabited planets, asteroid belts, or other areas with no access to space stations and/or jump routes are not exempt. Age, motion sickness, experience, knowledge nor lack of desire are acceptable excuses for not using your starship

A Council of Worlds appointed review board (that doesn't know the difference between the Pan Galactic Eureka or Streel SC chemical booster) will decide everything, including when, where, how often and for what purposes you can use your starship along with how many people can accomodate you in your starship and determine if one is too old or healthy enough to be able to use their starship. The board will also decide if your starship has out lived its usefulness or if you must purchase specific accessories, (like a 400K Cr energy sensor) or a newer and more expensive starshipThe CoW appointed board will also decide the color and style for each starship. Failure to comply with these rules will result in fines and possible imprisonment. 

Council of Worlds officials are exempt from this new law. If they want a starship, they and their families can obtain starships at the expense of tax payers. Unions, bankers and mega-corp executives with large political affiliations are also exempt, although if they actually want a starship they would have to pay for it out of pocket (easily recovered via increased dues, fees and interest rates, or mark-ups on services & products respectively).

Remember the UPF Council of Worlds motto: "We are constantly looking out for YOUR best interests!"
I'm not overly fond of Zeb's Guide...nor do I have any qualms stating why. Tongue out

My SF website

JCab747's picture
JCab747
April 10, 2016 - 9:18pm
Shadow Shack wrote:
Ooh...politics! Can I play? Foot in mouth


The UPF has just passed a new law called: "The Affordable 
Starship Act" declaring that every citizen MUST purchase a new starship by Deka 32, fy101. These "affordable" starships will cost an average of 54-155 billion credits each. This does not include taxes, towing fees, licensing and registration fees, fuel, storage fees, berthing, or maintenance & repair costs. 

This law has been passed because until now, typically only wealthy and financially responsible people have been able to purchase a starshipThis new laws ensures that every citizen of the Frontier can now have an affordable starship of their own, because everyone is entitled to a new starship. If you purchase your starship before the end of the year, you will receive 2 free spacesuits (does not include monthly usage fees). 


Remember the UPF Council of Worlds motto: "We are constantly looking out for YOUR best interests!"


Not bad, but I think it would be the Affordable Starliner Act for Passengers (ASAP).

Too many Frontier beings are unable to partake of their right to travel from star system to stary system because of a petty thing known as cost. Trans-Travel has had too large of a monopoly on the system so Pan-Galatic, Streel and the CDC have teamed up to lobby the Council that travel needs to be affordable. Everyone must therefore help pay into the travel system...
Joe Cabadas

JCab747's picture
JCab747
April 10, 2016 - 9:44pm
Or there could be the "Great Sape Project" by the Universal Family Movement.

They object to other Yazarians who want to use Sapes -- a highly intelligent animal (See the module "Bugs in the System") -- as robot-like laborers. The "Movees" want the Council of Worlds to recognize Sapes as having full rights as the Core Four races. As a kicker, the Movees want to be appointed as the Sapes guardians and given voting rights on the council to boot.
Joe Cabadas

Shadow Shack's picture
Shadow Shack
April 11, 2016 - 12:59am
ASAP was the precursor to ASA. As it turned out the citizens of the Frontier weren't content with "free passage anywhere" and they started demanding their own means of travel instead. Three decades later and there was such a huge surplus of ships you could practically buy your own ship for 10,000 credits, even if you couldn't fly it, kid...




...and that's how starships became so common in Star Wars.
I'm not overly fond of Zeb's Guide...nor do I have any qualms stating why. Tongue out

My SF website

JCab747's picture
JCab747
April 11, 2016 - 5:40am
Got it. There would have to be the cash for starship clunkers program later to get the UPF's economy stimulated again... 
Joe Cabadas

TerlObar's picture
TerlObar
April 11, 2016 - 6:27am
Now that that tangent is over, I like what you've got to start with the LRA.  It's definitely a group I can see forming in the Frontier as the UPF gains power and influence. Maybe add a bit out tactics they use to push their agenda and the name of a leader and headquarters area.  Otherwise, it's a short sweet write-up just like the others.

And I like the Star Rangers write-up too.  We sould probably gather up any new cadres/factions and do another article in the magazine.
Ad Astra Per Ardua!
My blog - Expanding Frontier
Webmaster - The Star Frontiers Network & this site
Founding Editor - The Frontier Explorer Magazine
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ChrisDonovan's picture
ChrisDonovan
April 11, 2016 - 7:57am
I would change the name of the "Star Rangers" to something like "Star Scouts" or "Solar Scouts" or use the word "Explorer" instead of "Scout".

"Star Rangers" sounds too much like "Star Law Rangers".  Love the idea though.

i may have some more on the LRA later on today or tonight.

JCab747's picture
JCab747
April 11, 2016 - 9:19am
ChrisDonovan wrote:
I would change the name of the "Star Rangers" to something like "Star Scouts" or "Solar Scouts" or use the word "Explorer" instead of "Scout".

"Star Rangers" sounds too much like "Star Law Rangers".  Love the idea though.

i may have some more on the LRA later on today or tonight.


True, but "Star Rangers" comes from the TSR books. My explanation is that the club deliberately chose the name to be close to Star Law Ranger.

And the LRA is an interesting concept and certainly worthwhile.
Joe Cabadas

ChrisDonovan's picture
ChrisDonovan
April 11, 2016 - 11:35am
Ok, here's a revision:

The Local Rights Alliance maintains that government at all levels - but especially the UPF - has become too powerful and usurps the natural rights of individuals and local/planetary authorities. In particular they object to laws that in any way tax or regulate corporations and businesses or interfere with trade on any scale.

The primary beliefs of the LRA are stated as follows:

  1. All rights are the natural property of individual sentient beings, not creations of any agreement, society or state. The primacy of this principle cannot be disputed.

  2. The rights of sentients broadly fall into two catagories:

    1. freedom of person – to control one's own body and mind absolutely, and

    2. freedom of property – to acquire and to dispose of resources as one is able utilizing the efforts of body and mind.

      1. Consequent to the above, the initiation of force against another sentient inevitably violates the recipients rights above. As such, force may only be initiated against another to protect one's own rights.

  3. Rights of one sentient in no mannner whatsoever impose any legal or moral obligation upon any other sentient other than that of respecting said rights.

  4. On occasion, it is desirable for sentients to act in common cause. To that end, governments suitable to the furtherance of such causes may be instituted, provided that:

    1. Such governments have only those powers explicitly granted to them by the consent of the individuals that form them.

    2. Said individuals are free to alter the form of that government at their pleasure, alter its mandate, or disband it entirely as they choose.

    3. Any government instituted be kept as close as possible to the sentients under it's jurisdiction in order to be better able to understand their conditions and to ensure their ability to properly oversee its actions.

Members of the LRA have recently begun calling for the convening of a new Treaty Assembly to re-write the UPF Charter and Articles of Federation to remove nearly all UPF authority over matters other than those which would be explicitly stated. The primary (virtually only) role of the UPF would be to maintain Spacefleet against the Sathar threat, a cause which the LRA strongly supports.

The LRA primarily furthers it's goals by heavily funding sympathetic political candidates and by endowing foundations and universities to write papers supporting LRA positions. It also supports a great deal of ground-level organization among lower-income, disaffected voters by blaming the UPF or planetary governments for everything from local unemployment to fluctuations in planetary climates.

The party has many members, and more support at least some of it's positions. It has the most influence on younger colony worlds and worlds such as Pale, New Pale, Kraatar and Lossend where the population is either sparse, primarily devoted to basic agriculture/industry, or both. It is also highly popular among the well-to-do. Many milli/billi-creditaires publically support the LRA, especially the CEOs of many Frontier mega-corporations.

 

The LRA has joined efforts with the Alliance for the Rights of the People on their anti-Star Law campaign. Its strong support for Spacefleet has gained it the approval of the Anti-Satharian League. The LRA hates (among others) the Galactic Light party, the Synthfood Workers Guild, Brotherhood of Spacers, and the activist group known as the Liberators. The feeling is mutual.

Statements made by LRA members and candidates that seem to support the positions held by the Firsters, Kraatar Liberation Corps, and several other controversial cadres have drawn public criticism, as has the party's strong ties to the Family of One. It is rumored that the shadowy group known as the Investors is a major source of the party's funding.








Bio-Social's picture
Bio-Social
April 13, 2016 - 3:54am
So they are basically just classical liberals. This was supposed to be controversial?
I don't see the flame bait.
(edit: rhetorical question, not request for RW political commentary)

The only thing that seems odd to me is the level of megacorp support. Shouldn't the megacorps mostly support the UPF, as it provides " free" security for them? It also opens up new markets, and probably buys a lot of goods and services from them.
And , if you go with the federal state model instead of the alliance, then wouldn't they be able to get the UPF to write all sorts of regulations and lay taxes that favored them and crushed out smaller upstarts?
Rent-seeking of all sorts; subsidies, state enforced monopoly contracts, etc.

I could see an individual CEO supporting them, but I don't buy " many" unless the megacorps and UPF have a vastly different relationship than what I imagine.
But that last bit says it all: what I imagine.
If your Frontier is very different, your cadres and corps probably differ, too.



Bio-Social's picture
Bio-Social
April 12, 2016 - 7:37pm
It also seems strange that they would strongly support Spacefleet, if they are against the UPF being too strong and they favor local power.
Wouldn't going back to the Common Muster be a more consistent position?

Then again, if this group is engaged in practical politics, it probably won't have a fully consistent position. Too inflexible could be bad. It needs to draw in different interest groups and factions.

YMMV

LRA looks cool, though.

If you use the Zeb's Guide Frontier, a cadre like this makes a lot of sense. Someone should be pushing back against centralization and expansion of UPF control.

ChrisDonovan's picture
ChrisDonovan
April 13, 2016 - 1:46pm
removed to keep the discussion centered on the fictional party rather than any RL connections

Bio-Social's picture
Bio-Social
April 13, 2016 - 3:46am
Deleted by user.



ChrisDonovan's picture
ChrisDonovan
April 13, 2016 - 2:01am
Sorry to see you go.  You did ask why I drew it the way I did and what about it I thought might be potentially offensive.  So I told you what my model was.  Nothing more.

JCab747's picture
JCab747
April 13, 2016 - 7:11am
ChrisDonovan wrote:
Sorry to see you go.  You did ask why I drew it the way I did and what about it I thought might be potentially offensive.  So I told you what my model was.  Nothing more.


Yes. This is a fictional organization for a fictional universe. If someone is so inclined, they can use LRA as the "vast evil Yazarian/Vrusk/Dralasite/Human/S'sessu/Vimh/Sathar conspiracy" or they could be the hobbits storming the gates of Mordor and ready to carry the day for the good guys... or like most real life organizations and situations, people with a different point of view who are just trying to get by.

There's the old adage, "politics makes strange bedfellows." So, an organization or a mega corp can have different agendas or seemingly contradictory policies. In fact, the people within an organization can have vastly different goals.

Although there is another saying, in fiction things need to make sense. In real life, they don't.

Best Regards,
Joe Cabadas

ChrisDonovan's picture
ChrisDonovan
April 13, 2016 - 9:45am
If I 've learned anything in my 45 years, I've learned that people can convince themselves of the moral soundness and logic of just about anything in the right circumstances.  And most of the time, there can be honest disagreement over those determinations.  There are some obvious exceptions, but we don't need to go down that road here.

Political parties in a game like SF is largely what us grognards would call "fluff" in any event.  PCs aren't normally going to fly to Gran Quivera to deliver a fiery oratory against Streel's use of "indentured labor" on it's new colony. (Ok, they can, if that is the type of group you have...) Mostly they're gonna fly to the colony and generally start making a mess doing the Guy Fawkes/Diego de La Vega/Madame Lefarge routine.

I just finished running a story, in fact, where Streel assassinated the King of Clarion to gain covert control of the government there.  They missed his daughter though.  The PCs could have taken her to the UPF for a "Padme before the Republic Senate" scene, but they skipped straight to the "Battle of Naboo".

The battle won, characters rewarded, and (so they thought) nicely rid of one 19 year-old trouble magnet...until she abdicated the throne and declared she was going with them... *evil*

Tollon's picture
Tollon
April 13, 2016 - 3:11pm

Different ideas for naming scout organizations.

Interstellar Survey, Interstellar Exploration Corp, Star Scouts, Just plain old Rangers, Now this one I like because it really never gets used Pathfinders.


Bio-Social's picture
Bio-Social
April 13, 2016 - 4:17pm
Queen Christina style!

Buckle those swashes.

ChrisDonovan's picture
ChrisDonovan
April 13, 2016 - 7:02pm
^???

JCab747's picture
JCab747
April 13, 2016 - 7:21pm
Tollon wrote:

Different ideas for naming scout organizations.

Interstellar Survey, Interstellar Exploration Corp, Star Scouts, Just plain old Rangers, Now this one I like because it really never gets used Pathfinders.



Dear Tollon:

Yes, those alternative names may work. I still need to finish writing a submission for Frontier Explorer, so I'll throw it into the proverbial hopper for the editors to consider if they think "Star Rangers" is too close of a name to Star Law Rangers.
Joe Cabadas

Bio-Social's picture
Bio-Social
April 13, 2016 - 7:52pm
Reference to the real Swedish monarch who abdicated to live an adventurous life abroad.

I was put in mind of her by the other poster's ( sorry cannot see name now) reference to the young Queen of Clarion doing something similiar in his campaign.

Bio-Social's picture
Bio-Social
April 13, 2016 - 7:55pm
I am fairly sure I read/ played that game-book as a kid.

 Or maybe it was my little brother's book?

Not sure.
I agree that Star Rangers sounds awfully like Star Law Rangers. But that's how the book has it.
What about Pioneers? 
Not Star Pioneers, I think, but Interstellar Pioneers.



ChrisDonovan's picture
ChrisDonovan
April 13, 2016 - 9:14pm
Bio-Social wrote:
Reference to the real Swedish monarch who abdicated to live an adventurous life abroad.

I was put in mind of her by the other poster's ( sorry cannot see name now) reference to the young Queen of Clarion doing something similiar in his campaign.


Ah.  I get it.  it wasn't so much that she wanted to "lead and adventurous life" (though she has a HUGE crush on one of the PCs), but she just couldn't confront the memories of her dead father plus that she didn't want to see Clarion torn apart by further civil strife.

That was me, by the way... :D

And for the record: I like "Solar Explorers".

iggy's picture
iggy
April 13, 2016 - 10:53pm
If the book is a holovid show then star rangers is probably the name they use to avoid legal concerns.  We often see the boy scouts called things like the wilderness explorers in movies for legal reasons.  How about frontier explorers or rovers to nod at BP's rover scouts for older boys.

However Pathfinder nods at scouts in South Africa and would make the leader name be pathmaster.
-iggy

JCab747's picture
JCab747
April 16, 2016 - 10:44am
I've started adding some materials from my campaign about Kraatar (Tristkar) in the Projects section under Dark Side of the Moon.

I figured that nothing had been added to that project since it was created 5+ years ago. One subject is my fan-created cadre, the First Families of Kraatar. So, please join that project section and add any critiques there.

I will post additional info to the Dark Side project as I can.
Joe Cabadas

jedion357's picture
jedion357
April 19, 2016 - 5:44pm
I like Star Rangers, Boy Scouts started because Gen. Baden-Powell wrote a book intend for military scouts and it was immediately popular with boys. When he saw this he retooled and organized scouting. There could easily be a similar connection between the Star Law Rangers and the Star Rangers. Whatever that connect is would be fluff fodder. 
I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!