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Chaosium Digest Volume 06 Number 08
Chaosium Digest Volume 6, Number 8
Date: Sunday, May 15, 1994
Number: 2 of 2
Contents:
The Algol and its Crew (Stefan Matthias Aust) TRAVELLER/BRP
--------------------
From: Stefan Matthias Aust <sma@informatik.uni-kiel.d400.de>
Subject: The Algol
System: Traveller/BRP
This is a sort of vignette to keep BRP/Traveller alive. Following are
a couple of NPCs (which could also be PCs), a short description of two
space crafts (with graphics!) and something like a possible adventure
start. Captain Pekul and his crew will be described next time.
BTW, the adventure is located in my own universe, but I think that's
not important for the story. You can also play this in a universe
like Traveller's Imperium. All you might need to know about my
universe is that both planets belong to the new federation, the former
Makdon-Imperium, which ended four years ago after the emperor resigned
and transformed the empire into a federation (It was a nearly
bloodless change of powers. Only a couple of imperial officiers
didn't believe it and tried to rescue the emperor who didn't wanted to
be rescued at all. After a short but heavy fight most former imperial
ships surrendered or retreated into the wilds, an area of free,
independent, unexplored systems.) Most people think there wasn't realy
more than a name change. There're wrong, but thats another story.
----------schnipp----------
NPCs
========================================
Maximilian J. Kent
----------------------------------------
STR 12 CON 8 SIZ 13 INT 18
EDU 16 DEX 9 APP 13 HP 11
Admin (Management) 67%, Art(flute) 40%, Computer 85%, Electronics 53%,
Leadership 61%, Robotics 61%, Research 34%, Autopistol 34%, Brawl 23%.
He's a medium sized 43 year old man with dark skin, black hair and
gray eyes. He's the general manager of Kent Industries, a megacorp
located on Diamond/3, which produces computers and robotics. He's
smart, very good at rating other people and a very successful
businesman. He can be a very hard worker, but right now he's enjoying
his life, and trying to get into politics. He's been married to Sheba
Kent for 11 years.
Sheba Kent
----------------------------------------
STR 11 CON 5 SIZ 12 INT 14
EDU 16 DEX 12 APP 17 HP 9
Computer 42%, Liaison 46%, Music (Cello) 84%.
A 38 years old beautiful looking women with light golden skin, long
black hair and shining blue eyes. She's Maximilian's wife, a very
good musican and well educated. She has an incurable illness that
keeps her CON low, but she's trying to hide her weakness. She's still
in love with her husband.
(Thomas) Robin
----------------------------------------
STR 7 CON 9 SIZ 11 INT 13
EDU 11 DEX 10 APP 8 HP 10
First Aid 45%, History 34%, Observation 41%, Service 75%.
He's the butler. He likes to be called by his surname, "simple Robin
please." He's now 72 years old and has served the Kents for more than
40 years. He has pale white skin, black hair and green-brown eyes.
He don't speak often and holds himself always in the background. He's
used to wearing an "ancient" butler uniform.
Doctor J"urgen Broyer
----------------------------------------
STR 14 CON 12 SIZ 16 INT 15
EDU 15 DEX 12 APP 9 HP 14
Accounting 28%, Biology 48%, Chemistry 45%, Computer 24%, First Aid
60%, Genetics 40%, Liaison 30%, Medicine 86%, Research 41%, Swimming
39%, Brawl 50%.
Mr. Broyer is Sheba's doctor. He's a tall and a strong man, 48 years
old. He has white skin, brown hair and brown eyes. He's always
wearing tinted sun glases. Mr. Broyer is a good doctor. He's also in
love with Sheba, who sadly didn't return this feeling.
Paul Baker
----------------------------------------
STR 14 CON 9 SIZ 12 INT 18
EDU 13 DEX 12 APP 6 HP 11
Art (gaming) 67%, Computer 103%, Mathematics 75%, Physics 48%,
Navigation 36%.
Paul is Kent Ind.'s best programmer. He's brilliant, a programming
genius, especially in the work with h-space astrogation computer
software. He's 28 years old, has white skin, red hair and blue eyes.
Ambassador Sanders
----------------------------------------
STR 14 CON 14 SIZ 9 INT 15
EDU 15 DEX 12 APP 13 HP 12
Archeology 24%, Admin 60%, Bargain 30%, History 62%, Law 51%, Persuade
76%, Pilot (glider) 25%, Willpower 51%, Handgun 43%, Dagger 30%, Brawl
30%.
Madame Georgia Sander is a federal ambassador and a good friend of the
Kents. She's 58 years old and has been working for over 20 years now.
She's only 1.54m tall, but in very good health and well trained. She
strongly dislikes being called by her forename or without her title.
Brian McClusky
----------------------------------------
STR 16 CON 11 SIZ 16 INT 14
EDU 11 DEX 13 APP 11 HP 14
Accounting 43%, Astrogation 40%, Communications 20%, Computer 20%,
Dodge 36%, Electronics 25%, Environment Suit 60%, First Aid 45%,
Mechanic 25%, Pilot 56%, Handweapon 40%.
He's a free trader who owns two ships.
Dave Venters
----------------------------------------
STR 13 CON 14 SIZ 13 INT 14
EDU 12 DEX 14 APP 11 HP 14
Climb 65%, Craft (Sports) 55%, Dodge 48%, Jump 45%, Fencing 56%.
He's the [not husband but] partner of Ambassador Sanders. Only he may
call her Georgie and he only does so if he's angry with her. He's
clearly dominated by his partner. He's 32 years old and her third
partner. He's still a good sportsman, even if he's not practicing any
more.
Colonel Ito
----------------------------------------
STR 7 CON 11 SIZ 9 INT 15
EDU 13 DEX 17 APP 11 HP 10
Acrobatics 60%, Admin 54%, Communication 24%, Computer 25%,
Environment Suite 15%, Fleet Tactics 45%, Ground Tactics 60%,
Leadership 42%, Pilot 30%, Handgun 45%, Sword 34%.
He's an officier of the former imperial space fleet, now serving in
the federal space marines. He's 32 years old, 1.60m tall and looks
dainty.
A-03 (Andrew)
----------------------------------------
STR 10 CON 13 SIZ 17 INT 14
EDU 11 DEX 15 APP 8 HP 15
He's a human-like alien, 1.85m tall, with gray skin and no hair. His
ears and nose are barely noticable. He wears a transparent second
skin, which protects him from the atmosphare and illnesses onboard.
THE SHIPS
========================================
ALGOL
----------------------------------------
The Algol is Maximilian's private h-space-capable yacht (PY). It's
38m long, 10m wide and 6m high and holds Kent's private luxury suite,
four guest cabins, two crew cabins, a kitchen, a lounge, a small store
and hangar space for a small glider. The ship can be piloted by one
pilot with the help of the sophisticated board computer, called KC/4,
which is the best computer prototype Kent Ind. can manufacture. The
ship is armed with a double laser turret.
Btw: The ship was named after an ancient computer instruction
language, which some say was the first real high level programming
language, something, no one remembers today.
-- _----__ --__
>>=== \ >> -\---/-\
>>===_ __/ >>__- `----'
-- ---- --
[Above] [Side]
DRAKE
----------------------------------------
Now a pirate vessel, it's an imperial desgin of an attack cruiser
(IAS). Such a ship usually has a crew of about 20 men. It's 120m
long, 20m wide and 15m high. It's heavily armed. The main weapon is
a mass accellerator in the "neck". It also holds an tractor generator
in the middle of the ship. The command bridge is above the head. The
tails contains the main engines. Hangers (also in the tail) can hold
up to four armed and armored landing vehicles, each capable of
transporting 20 storm troopers.
______
--- === ____ \---\ ___
>> ------ \__________/___ \ --- -----_________ / |_
>> / | \ >> /== ------- >
>> __________\___| / >> / __-----------\____/
>> ------ / \____/ ---___/--
---_____===
[Above] [Side]
THE SCENARIO
========================================
BACKGROUND
----------------------------------------
The ALGOL is on its way to Xxo/4, the subsector capitol. On board are
all the described NPCs and the players, who best be Pilot, Copilot,
Cook & Steward, Engineer or VIPs who are a friend of the Kents, on
their way to Xxo/4. Piloting the yacht is a boring job. All you have
to do is observe the computer. Most passengers are making small talk
in the lounge. This is the time to learn more about all of the NPCs.
Maximilian wants to get into contact with some VIPs in Xxo. Also,
he'd like to rename Diamand/3 to Kent's World. Most of his employee
already use this name. Finally, he wants to have some time with his
wife.
Sheba wants to be with her husband. There's a cello aboard and the
computer can accompany her, so there'll be a fine concert.
J"urgen watches Sheba, worried about her health. He likes to be with
her, something Maximilian didn't like as much as J"urgen.
Sanders wants to return to Xxo. Her partner accompanies her. If
things are working as Sanders likes (and they usually are), he has no
will of his own.
Paul is a computer freak. He's going to Xxo because of some
maintenance work he should do for Kent Ind. He's very bored on this
journey and only leaves his quarters for food. Otherwise, he tries to
stay in a state of cyber-delirium. It's his fault that the computer
will break down, because he uses 90% of its work capacity (high
priority of course) for his own cyber-space programms. He's very
uncooperative and wants to be left alone.
Colonel Ito has to visit Xxo too. Important information (in a
briefcase he always carries near to him) has to be reported to
headquarters.
McClusky needs some approvals for this second free trader ship.
Because his first is on the way and the other isn't allowed to fly,
he's very glad he can journey with the Algol.
Andrew likes the humans and wants to learn from them. Because of his
very high VIP status, he seldom has problems finding some kind people
to help him.
ACTION
----------------------------------------
The action begins shortly after the jump to Xxo. Suddenly, a ship
(the Drake) aproaches on collision course. It's a pirate looking for
loot. He'll attack the Algol. The first shot will destroy the main
drive, damaging the engines. Then Captain Pekul, the commander of the
Drake will catch the ship with the tractor beam, trying to dock the
Algol and send a new crew abord.
After the destruction of the engines, the Drake will establish
communication. Maybe the Algol tries to escape, but only with
maneuver drives it's impossible. Repair isn't possible in this short
time either. The boarding crew will wear combat armor, if the
passengers of the Algol want to try to defend their ship. I think
they will lose, because there are no heavy weapons abord.
Pekul will notice what a great catch he has made and try to extort
money from the Kents. He'll put Maximilian or Sheba (Max will offer
himself instead of his wife) onboard the Drake as a hostage.
The next jump of both docked-together ships will fail, and both ships
will be seperated. The Algol will fall onto an unknown planet in the
wilds, without drives, with a defective computer and pirates aboard.
It's up to the gamemaster, what happens next...
Dialog log KC/4
----------------------------------------
***Please notice:
Unidentified ship on collision course.
Possible Identification:
65%: Imperial cruiser, class ISK
23%: Imperial cruiser, class ISK/2
05%: Imperial attack cruiser, class IAS
03%: Bezigaar stealth destroyer, class I
***Important notification:
Unidentifed ship is approaching.
***Important notification:
Ship is too fast.
Collision possible.
85%, if unidentified ship don't change course.
***Query:
May I try to evade?
Please answer yes or no.
***Please notice:
I need an answer in the next 3 seconds.
I will assume yes as default answer.
New course set. Avoidance program started. Standard orthogonal
avoidance course. Unidentified ship changing course.
***Please notice:
Un***Warning:
Computer failure.
12 main processors breaking down.
All utility programs will be terminated.
58 main processors breaking down.
readjusting workload.
***Warning:
Not enough computing capacity.
Have to terminate avoidance program.
***Important warning:
Engine room:
Failure of fuel circle 2.
Failure of fuel circle 4.
Self tests ok.
Assumption:
81% Sabotage.
08% Material failure.
01% Computer failure.
***Computer warning:
Computer defective.
Sensors defective.
+++Selftest is running - please be patient.
+++Selftest aborted
***Please notice:
Explosion at engine room.
Structure breakage at engine room.
***Panic:
Power failure.
Saving...
----------schnipp----------
bye.
--
Stefan Matthias Aust // ...and they told us, what they wanted
// was a sound that could kill someone...
--------------------
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