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  Powers and Principalities ©2014 Mongoose Publishing. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this work by any means without the written 
  permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden. All significant characters, names, places,items, art and text herein are copyrighted by 
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  This game product contains no Open Game Content. No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without written permission. To learn 
  more about the Open Game License, please go to www.mongoosepublishing.com.
   
  This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United Kingdom and of the United States. This product is a work of fiction. Any 
  similarity to actual people organisations, places or events is purely coincidental.
  Traveller is a trademark of Far Future Enterprises and is used under licence.
  Credits
  Classic Traveller
  Marc Miller
  Loren Wiseman, John Harshman, Frank Chadwick, Darryl Hany, 
  Winston Hamilton, Tony Svajlenka, Scott Renner, Doug Poe, David 
  MacDonald, Wayne Roth, Paul R. Banner.
  Mongoose Traveller 
  Writers
  David Thomas, John G. Wood and the ISBA – Douglas E. Berry (Gridlore); 
  Robert Eaglestone (Culinary Temple, EntreSys, Gilgaameshu, Marliiner, 
  Xenobotanicals, UCP); Roderick Darroch Elliott (Famille Spofulam); 
  Glenn M. Goffin (ISD, Yoyodyne, UCP); John Groth (AuricTech, 
  Saurian Farmers, Sweet-Carroll, UCP); Andy Lilly (additional plots); 
  Andrea Vallance (UCP); Greg Nokes (Tributis and subsidiaries); William 
  ‘Commander X’ Prankard (X-TEK and subsidiaries); Tim Reynolds 
  (Founder ShipWorks, ISBA, UCP); Robert Walsh (Maximus Interstellar); 
  Ian Whitchurch (Famille Spofulam, UCP), Michael Barry, Craig Berry, 
  Douglas Berry, Peter Brenton, Timothy Collinson, Steve Daniels, Harold 
  Hale, Andy and Sarah Lilly, Hans Rancke-Madsen, Allison Mawhinney, 
  Richard Mawhinney, Dominic Mooney, Peter Newman, William Prankard, 
  Rob Prior, David Thomas, John Wood and Jeff Zeitlin, with additional 
  assistance from Ann Hindson and Barbara Lucas.
  Editors
  Andy Lilly, Timothy Collinson, Richard Mawhinney, Dominic Mooney, 
  John G. Wood and Matthew Sprange
  Layout
  Will Chapman
  Interior Illustrations
  Sean Thornton, Olivier Frot, Carlos Nunez de Castro Torres, Evan 
  Shippard, Nuno Nobre, German Ponce, Rich Longmore, Vitor Ishimura
  Contents
  traveller
  Powers and PrinCiPalities
  Introduction 
  2
  Corporations 
  4
  Administration 
  9
  Agriculture 
  14
  Construction 
  20
  Finance, Insurance  
  23
  and Real Estate 
  23
  Manufacturing 
  28
  Mining  
  38
  Service  
  41
  Trade  
  50
  Transport, Communications  
  54
  And Utilities   
  54
  Corporate Scheming   
  59
  Glossary 
  62
  Governments 
  63
  No Government 
  65
  Company/Corporation 
  68
  Participating Democracy 
  70
  Self-Perpetuating Oligarchy  
  73
  Representative Democracy 
  76
  Feudal Technocracy 
  80
  Captive Government 
  83
  Balkanisation 
  85
  Civil Service Bureaucracy 
  89
  Impersonal Bureaucracy  
  91
  Charismatic Dictator  
  95
  Non-Charismatic Leader  
  97
  Charismatic Oligarchy 
  100
  Religious Dictatorship  
  105
  Glossary 
  112
  Religions 
  113
  Animism 
  115
  Polytheistic Animism 
  118
  Polytheism 
  121
  Rational Polytheism 
  123
  Dualism 
  126
  Interactive Monotheism 
  130
  Influential Monotheism 
  135
  Crisis Monotheism 
  137
  Remote Monotheism 
  140
  Deism 
  144
  Pantheism 
  147
  Agnostics 
  151
  Atheism 
  154
  Other Beliefs and Cults 
  157
  Glossary 
  159
  
  introduCtion
  
  3
  This book is, in many ways, a continuation of Supplement 13: 
  Starport Encounters. Whereas that book provided a ready 
  toolkit for referee’s to flesh out starports with ships, crews 
  and passengers, Supplement 15: Powers and Principalities 
  does the same with the forces and organisations that 
  control the planets players land upon – the corporations, 
  governments and religions.
  Not all participating democracies will be identical. Each will 
  have its own eccentricities and nuances. The same applies 
  to the corporations players will take jobs for or purchase 
  from. Not all agricultural companies are run the same way, 
  after all.
  By using the provided corporations, governments and 
  religions in this book, referees will be able to populate their 
  universes with the minimum of effort, ensuring now that not 
  only every starport is different, but the world beyond its gates 
  remains vivid and alive in the minds of the players. 
  The goal is to make every planet in your campaign unique and 
  interesting, and Supplement 15: Powers and Principalities 
  will do just that with no extra work on the part of the referee.
  To this end, this book covers three key areas where referees 
  can always use a little help.
  CorPorations
  This part of the book provides a broad range of public and 
  private companies with which to populate your Traveller 
  universe. No longer will your players need to buy equipment 
  from, work for, or invest in, faceless, nameless businesses 
  – you need only pick an appropriate corporation from this 
  supplement. 
  Governments
  Probably one of the most important features of a given world 
  (beyond whether one can breathe the atmosphere) is the 
  ruling government. The rulers of a world dictate the laws by 
  which one must abide, the attitude of the natives to visitors, 
  and frequently the basic philosophies by which everyday life 
  operates. Governments provide players with a wide variety 
  of challenges and adventure opportunities, in addition to 
  being valuable background colour. 
  reliGions
  Religion is almost universally intended to answer The 
  Great Questions; Who are we? Why are we here? Life is 
  incredibly common (in the Traveller universe). Most people 
  now take this for granted, but philosophers, scientists, 
  theologians and mystics still debate why such an unlikely 
  event has happened on so many worlds. There are many 
  popular explanations for why life is so widespread. Some 
  credit the Ancients, a semi-mythical species that died out 
  millennia ago. Others invoke deities and supernatural 
  intervention. Some raise Life itself to godhood, believing 
  that Life called itself into existence out of the very fabric of 
  the universe. Others go farther, believing that our universe 
  is but one of many such living (or even dead) universes. 
  Most sophont species develop religions during their climb 
  to civilisation.
  
  4
   CorPorations
  
  5
  Trade is the lifeblood of the Imperium. 
   - Cleon I
  Corporations are presented according to the products or 
  services they supply. Each has an entry as follows.
  Description
  This is data about the corporation which is generally 
  available, that is, it may already be known to the players, or 
  it can be found in the appropriate library database, obtained 
  from locals, employees, and so forth.
  Referee’s Notes
  Additional information for the referee, some of which may be 
  uncovered by research, some of which may be so secret it is 
  known only to the corporation’s chief executive.
  Plots
  One or more plots, for use as background colour, subplots or 
  red herrings within an existing adventure, or for expansion 
  into full adventures.
  the universal CorPorate Profile
  Originally developed by the Imperial Ship Builders 
  Association (ISBA), the Universal Corporate Profile (UCP) 
  is a method of describing companies and other corporate 
  entities. Originally the UCP comprised a string of hexadecimal 
  digits similar to the Universal World Profile (UWP) published 
  by the Imperial Interstellar Scout Service (IISS). When the 
  Imperial Securities Department of the Ministry of Trade 
  adopted it they found a need to make the information more 
  directly accessible and recast it in a more legible form. The 
  UCP is now the standard for information transfer between 
  business directories across the Imperium. 
  
  6
  1. name
  Though a corporation may have several names, as well as 
  subsidiaries, it should have one legally recognised named 
  body to which all operations are ultimately subservient.
  2. headquarters
  A corporation’s headquarters (HQ) is defined as the main 
  world from which it is governed. It is denoted by the world 
  name, sector or subsector hex position and sector name. 
  For example, a Regina corporation would have the code 
  Regina/1910 Spinward Marches. This is omitted for most 
  corporations in this book, making them suitable for placement 
  on almost any world.
  3. alleGianCe
  The IISS survey two-letter allegiance code is used to 
  represent the most appropriate of the following: the 
  company’s major nation of registry, the first nation in which 
  the company registered, the current location of its HQ, or 
  the largest nation the company is registered with, as shown 
  here.
  Im - Imperium
  Fa - Federation of Arden
  Da - Darrian Confederation
  Hv - Hive Federation
  Na - Non-aligned World
  So - Solomani Confederation
  Va - Vargr
  Zh - Zhodani Consulate
  4. CorPorate sCoPe
  4.1 Number of Employees
  They number of employees within the corporation.
  4.2 Range
  This shows the geographical spread of the company’s 
  operations. Ratings of 6 (Imperial) or 7 (Trans-Imperial) 
  indicate megacorporations.
  4.3 Revenue
  This represents the corporation’s gross annual revenue as 
  a percentage of the Gross Regional Product (GRP), or the 
  total monetary value of goods and services produced and 
  sold annually of all businesses in its operating area. 
  4.4 Risk
  This represents the probability of the company losing money 
  for investors, and is rated from 0 (risk-free) to 7 (extreme, 
  heavy losses expected). Note that riskier companies may 
  result in higher returns but there are no guarantees. Non-
  profit organisations are given the special code N, since no 
  return on investment is expected.
  5. external relations
  5.1 Influence
  This represents the corporation’s influence on politics within 
  its region, from 0 (no influence) to 7 (total control).
  5.2 Public Image
  This represents the company’s public image, from 0 (public 
  enemy number one) to 7 (the people’s favourite).
  6. nature
  This is the manner in which the corporation is owned. 
  7. industrial ClassifiCation
  This defines the areas in which the corporation is active. 
  Since a corporation may have more than one main operation 
  it may have multiple codes. In this case, each entry is 
  first Bank of rhylanor
  Rhylanor/2716 Spinward
  Im-3353-44-PubW-Fin-1765-65
  1
  2
  3
  9
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  
  7
  suffixed with a digit from 1 to 9 representing the proportion 
  (in tens of percentage points) of company revenue received 
  from that particular activity.
  8. CorPorate style
  8.1 Research and Development (R&D)
  This measures the company’s interest in research, from 
  0 (no R&D) to 7 (the company exists purely for research). 
  It governs the percentage of revenue that the corporation 
  is willing to invest in R&D, so a large operation with little 
  interest in R&D may still have a bigger research budget 
  than a small concern which is devoted to investigating novel 
  discoveries. 
  8.2 Tradition
  This measures the resistance of the company to changes 
  in the corporate style, from 0 (no tradition) to 7 (completely 
  hidebound). 
  8.3 Centralisation
  This measures how power is concentrated within the 
  company, from 0 (everyone has equal influence) to 7 
  (the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) may make major 
  decisions without consulting anyone). A typical large public 
  corporation will be rated 4-6; the board of directors decides 
  policy but department heads make the day-to-day decisions 
  required to carry it out. It can also be used to measure the 
  administrative rank of people within the company – those 
  with the most power have rank matching the company 
  rating, others correspondingly less.
  8.4 Unity
  This measures the unity of opinion within the decision-
  making elements of the company. It ranges from 0 (everyone 
  has their own idea of where the corporation should be going) 
  to 7 (a single united vision).
  9. laBour riGhts
  9.1 Paranoia
  This measures the degree of paranoia within the company, 
  from 0 (totally open) to 7 (genuinely paranoid). At high 
  paranoia levels, office communications are routinely 
  monitored, personnel are subjected to psychological 
  analysis and drug testing. In the extreme, security go 
  through personal effects and conduct covert surveillance of 
  staff outside work.
  9.2 Employee Relations
  This measures how the company regards/is regarded by 
  its employees, from 0 (actively antagonistic/very poor) to 
  7 (totally paternalistic/vitally concerned with its employees’ 
  well being).
  examPles
  The following examples demonstrate how the UCP should 
  be interpreted.
  First Bank of Rhylanor
  Rhylanor/2716 Spinward
  Im-3353-54-PubW-Fin-1765-65
  The First Bank of Rhylanor is a publicly listed Imperial 
  company with a wide shareholder base, governed from 
  Rhylanor, employing thousands of people and generating 
  virtually all its income from financial activity. It operates 
  over less than a subsector but is very influential there, while 
  being regarded fairly neutrally by the public. It has very large 
  revenue and is a safe investment. The bank has little interest 
  in research; it is extremely traditional, with highly centralised 
  management and rarely modifies its corporate style. There 
  are frequent and intrusive security checks on its employees 
  but the staff are well looked after.
  Sunarimi Bay Collective
  Im-2035-24-Mut-Ag7-Manu1-Ret1-Svc1-2101-04
  The Sunarimi Bay Collective is a co-operative society whose 
  activities are limited to a single area on an Imperial world. 
  Hundreds of people work for the collective,  generating 
  income mostly from agriculture (70%) but also from 
  manufacturing, retailing and service provision (10% each). 
  It has fairly limited influence locally but is moderately well-
  regarded (it has some strong supporters but also some 
  vigorous opponents) but while it generates modest revenue, 
  is not a very safe investment. It spends a little on R&D, is not 
  particularly traditional, trusts its employees and distributes 
  power very widely. Disagreements over where to take the 
  company next are common. It does its best to look after its 
  workforce but cannot afford many benefits.
  Book 7: merChant PrinCe
  The corporations presented here are intended to be used to 
  provide colour and background for players when they visit 
  worlds and interact with larger organisations. While the UCP 
  may look complicated at first (though we are sure Traveller 
  veterans will take it in their stride!), it is simply a very neat 
  way of presenting a corporation in a readily useable format.
  Referees looking for greater involvement for corporations 
  are encouraged to look at Book 7: Merchant Prince, which 
  includes a system for treating corporations in a similar manner 
  to characters, with their own characteristics and skills. This 
  is recommended if players have their own businesses that 
  interact with corporations on a regular basis, and handles 
  campaigns where such things as engaging in commercial 
  wars and corporate espionage are a core focus.
  However, for most campaigns, the system presented here 
  will be more than sufficient.
  
  1. NAME:
  UNIVERSAL CORPORATE PROFILE 
  DATE OF PREPARATION:
  2. HEADQUARTERS:
  4. SCOPE
  3. ALLEGIANCE (ENTER TWO-LETTER CODE):
  4.1 Employees 
  4.2 Range 
   4.3 Revenue (% GRP) 
   4.4 Risk 
  0. 1-9 
  0. Local 
  0. Insignificant (<10–6) 
  0. None
  1. 10-99 
  1. Global 
  1. Tiny (10–6+) 
  1. Tiny
  2. 100-999 
  2. Interplanetary 
  2. Small (10–5+) 
  2. Small
  3. 1,000-9,999 
  3. Interstellar 
  3. Low Average (10–4+) 
  3. Low Average
  4. 10,000-99,999 
  4. Subsectors 
  4. High Average (0.001-0.009) 
  4. High Average
  5. 100,000-999,999 
  5. Sectors 
  5. Large (0.01-0.09) 
  5. Large
  6. 1-9 Million 
  6. Imperial 
  6. Huge (0.1-0.9) 
  6. Huge
  7. 10-99 Million 
  7. Trans-Imperial 
  7. Immense (1-9) 
  7. Extreme
  8. 100-999 Million 
  8. Monopolistic (10-99)
  N. Not for Profit
  9. 1 Billion or more
  5. EXTERNAL RELATIONS  
   
   
         6. NATURE ____ ____ ____
  5.1 Influence 
  5.2 Public Image  
  Div 
  Division 
  Div
   Division
  0. None 
  0. Hated 
  Emp Employee Trust 
  PubS
  Publicly Listed Company 
  (PLC) (single dominant
  1. Very Minor 
  1. Strongly Disliked 
  Fam Family Business 
  shareholder)
  PubL
  PLC (limited shareholder 
  base)
  2. Minor 
  2. Disliked 
  Gov Corporate Government 
  Mut
  Mutual Company/ 
  3. Significant 
  3. Mildly Disliked 
  LL 
  Private Limited Liability
  PubW PLC (wide shareholder
  4. Major 
  4. Ignored 
  NL
  Private Non Limited
  StSp
  State Sponsored
  5. Very Major 
  5. Popular Friendly Society base)
  StO
  State Owned Enterprise
  Sole 
  Sole Proprietorship
  6. Dominant 
  6. Very Popular 
  Part
  Partnership
  Sub
  Wholly-Owned Subsidiary
  7. Total Control 7. Worshipped Liability 
  Priv
  Private Trust
  7. INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION (enter one digit to indicate tens of percentages)
  __ Agriculture  
   
  __ Transportation, Communications, Utilities  
  __ Service 
   
  __ Mining  
   
  __ Wholesale trade  
   
   
   
  __ Public Administrative 
  __ Construction   
  __ Retail trade   
   
   
   
  __ Unclassifiable  
  __ Manufacturing  
  __ Finance, Insurance, Real Estate
  8. CORPORATE STYLE
  8.1 R&D 
   8.2 Tradition 
   8.3 Centralisation 
   8.4 Unity 
  0. None 
  0. No Tradition 
  0. Equal Influence 
  0. No Consensus
  1. Very Little 
  1. A Few Customs 
  1. Very Broad 
  1. Very Little
  2. Little 
  2. Loose Guidelines 
  2. Broad 
  2. Little
  3. Low Average 
  3. Tight Guidelines 
  3. Broad Average 
  3. Low Average
  4. High Average 
  4. Standardised Rules 
  4. Narrow Average
   4. High Average
  5. High 
  5. Rigid Rules 
  5. Narrow 
  5. High
  6. Very High 
  6. Very Rigid Rules 
  6. Very Narrow 
  6. Very High
  7. Devoted to R&D 
  7. Totally Hidebound 
  7. All Power at Centre 
  7. Single Vision
  9. LABOUR RIGHTS 
  9.1 Paranoia 
   9.2 Employee Relations 
  0. Totally Open 
  0. Actively Opposed
  1. Token Checks 
  1. Totally Uncaring
  2. Minor Checks 
  2. Very Minor Benefits
  3. Standard Checks 
  3. Minor Benefits
  4. High Security 
  4. Significant Benefits
  5. Very High Security 
  5. Major Benefits
  6. Intrusive Security 
  6. Very Major Benefits 
  7. Genuinely Paranoid 
  7. Paternalistic
  10. NOTES
  
  9
  Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide 
  for human wants.
   - E. Burke
  1. Citywide fire serviCes
  Im-101N-02-StSp-Pub-0226-21-
  Description
  CFS is a well-equipped, taxpayer-funded fire-fighting service. 
  It is constantly trying to recruit high quality volunteers into its 
  ranks and also advertises for donations to supplement its 
  funds. It has stations throughout the locality and provides full 
  time fire cover at the starport.
  Referee’s Notes
  CFS was once a well-funded, well-equipped organisation, 
  funded solely from local taxes back when safety was a top 
  priority for the local government. Times change; repeated 
  cutbacks over more than a decade mean the service is 
  struggling to keep going. Equipment bought in better times 
  is aging and as items wear out they are being replaced 
  by inferior substitutes. A significant proportion of funding 
  now comes from voluntary contributors, including local 
  businesses – the recent ‘sponsor a fire-fighter’ appeal has 
  been very successful, allowing the service to defer the 
  closure of two stations. The largest single source of private 
  income is the starport authority (SPA) which demands an on-
  site team for instant response. This is expensive to provide, 
  but the SPA contribution pays enough to subsidise the rest 
  of the service.
  Apart from equipment, staffing is the main problem caused 
  by the reduced government funding. The CFS used to have 
  a small pool of volunteers to step in at busy times, but 
  now these helpers form the bulk of the workforce. Though 
  unpaid, their equipment, training and maintaining them at 
  readiness still cost money; the lack of permanent staff is 
  affecting performance. Morale is low. The fire-fighters have 
  kept the service running with sheer determination but it has 
  become obvious that the government is using their efforts 
  as evidence that the CFS can operate on an even smaller 
  budget. The public is beginning to lose faith in a service that, 
  increasingly frequently, turns up too late or with insufficient 
  equipment or people to function effectively. The fire-fighters 
  feel that it is only a matter of time before a tragedy
  occurs.
  Plots
  1: The players are hired to collect a very valuable document 
  from a government building. When they get there they find 
  the building in flames and the CFS packing up to leave. The 
  fire-fighters explain that all the occupants are now safe and 
  they have another call to attend. If the players make a fuss, 
  the frustrated captain will say ‘I don’t see why we should 
  prioritise them when they don’t care about us.’ The players 
  may offer to help, bribe or threaten the CFS group to help 
  them get into the building and retrieve their vital document. 
  2: Two burly men approach the players and look over their 
  ship. ‘Very nice,’ says one. ‘It would be such a shame if it 
  was destroyed in a fire. Lucky for you we’re here to offer you 
  some (cough) protection…’ These are collectors for CFS, 
  who have been watching too many gangster vids… 
  3: As 1 or 2 above, plus the players learn about the impending 
  station closures and a very recent death due to equipment 
  failures which has been covered up by the government. The 
  authorities will discourage players from publicising this data.
  2. the ComPany
  Im-6280-74-Gov-Pub-4435-56
  Description
  Listed in the ISD register as T’lark State Corporation, 
  everyone refers to this  government as the ‘Company’. It 
  runs the world as a socialist state and although technically 
  every resident is an employee they are referred to simply as 
  citizens.
  The Company works tirelessly to maintain the health, well-
  being and economic prosperity of all its citizens, making 
  this world the ideal place to live. Trust The Company; The 
  Company is your friend; The Company’s products are the 
  best; be proud of your membership of The Company.
  Referee’s Notes
  This world’s corporate status is a convenience to allow a 
  minimally-capitalist, centrally-planned economy to flourish 
  within the Imperium. They believe their dream of a socialist 
  paradise is hindered by the Imperial stance on free trade. 
  Though forced to compete with foreign imports, citizens 
  are proud of their society and work hard Administration to 
  prove that their way is best, and their products are as good 
  or better than offworlder rubbish. Other corporations are 
  administration
  
  10
  allowed to set up on the world, but have a hard time of it; 
  locals who work for them must leave the Company and lose 
  their citizenship; employees from other worlds lack the basic 
  rights of citizens. Given the local dislike of outsider goods, 
  external enterprises are rarely financially viable. However, 
  one import welcomed by the citizens is entertainment – 
  many of them see the rest of space as an exotic place, 
  good to read or hear about, ‘although you wouldn’t want 
  to go there’. Some young citizens do emigrate, fired by the 
  potential excitement of life elsewhere.
  Plots
  1: As part of a recent surge of citizens leaving the planet, a 
  man approaches the players, seeking passage for a large 
  group of emigrants. When they come aboard, they appear 
  excited, but during jump the players find out their passengers’ 
  view of the Imperium is based on the soap operas and 
  adventure holos they have seen. It may be difficult to break 
  the truth to them…
  2: As 1, but the passengers have paid the patron extortionate 
  amounts for the flight as they have little knowledge of 
  offworld finances.
  3: As 1 or 2, and the passengers have paid the patron for 
  housing and jobs at their destination. The patron has lied 
  and will disappear with their money at the destination. The 
  forlorn citizens (and police) will no doubt hold the players 
  responsible…
  3. environmental reGulatory 
  Commission
  Im-3233-33-StO-Pub-4422-43
  Description
  The ERC is charged with the licensing and management 
  of all projects in this system which may have a significant 
  environmental impact. It has far-reaching powers to 
  investigate and, if necessary, suspend a company’s 
  operations pending legal proceedings.
  Referee’s Notes
  With industrial pollution threatening to alter their atmosphere 
  code to ‘tainted’, this world is now very concerned about the 
  environment. They have invested the ERC with enough 
  resources and legal authority to be a truly effective body. 
  Companies, government departments and even individuals 
  have to submit proposals and buy licenses for any activities 
  with ‘a significant environmental impact’ (a catch-all phrase 
  which is interpreted very broadly). The ERC has popular 
  support, but industries pay heavily to meet the environmental 
  regulations. A tiny minority, which includes some of the most 
  powerful entities in the system, are openly hostile, actively 
  manoeuvring to limit the ERC’s powers and claiming the 
  ERC contravenes Imperial free trade rules. Unless they win, 
  this looks like backfiring as ERC enthusiasts have boycotted 
  the companies and their products. One of the arguments 
  raging within the ERC (and the population at large) is the 
  status of barren planets elsewhere in the system. Should 
  these be preserved in their natural state or exploited to 
  reduce pressure on the main world? So far, the ERC has 
  compromised by issuing only short-term licenses (although 
  the most extreme environmentalists see this as total 
  surrender).
  Plots
  1: Arriving in-system with a cargo of industrial equipment, 
  the players discover their goods do not meet the latest ERC 
  legislation – the cargo is effectively worthless. One company 
  covertly offers to buy the goods, if the players do them a 
  little favour, carrying supplies to a secret mining operation 
  on a nearby gas giant moon. The players arrive just as the 
  ERC is delivering an order to cease operations… the miners 
  respond violently.
  4. GloBal Beanstalk Consortium
  Im-1136-31-PubW-Util4-Fin1-Pub5-0444-42
  Description
  This company was formed with one goal; to build a beanstalk, 
  or space elevator, carrying visitors and cargo between the 
  highport and the planet’s surface. They succeeded and 
  rides on the beanstalk are comfortable, safe and afford 
  spectacular views of the planet and passing ships.
  Referee’s Notes
  GBC is the butt of much local humour. The project went vastly 
  over-budget and, despite high ticket prices, the company 
  is having difficulty servicing its debt. Rumours of technical 
  problems are rife, but their safety record is spotless.
  Plots
  1: The players are travelling on the beanstalk when power 
  suddenly fails. Emergency brakes bring the car to a halt 
  2,000 km above the ground. Unknown to the GBC steward 
  and panicky passengers aboard the car, an irate debtor has 
  sabotaged the beanstalk to provide leverage in negotiating 
  rapid payment of the debt by GBC.
  5. haPPy enli’s redistriButions
  Im-3142-50-StSp-Pub-0465-64
  Description
  HER helps you calculate what you need to pay the 
  government in taxes and will even transfer it from your 
  account for you. Paying your dues was never so easy as it is 
  now, thanks to Happy Enli’s.
  
  11
  Referee’s Notes
  HER won the bidding war when the government privatised its 
  tax collection. HER has demonstrated its effectiveness over 
  the last decade but is now quite unpopular with taxpayers 
  because of its high-handed approach and brutal response 
  to anyone who has problems paying up. The company is 
  invested with extensive powers (including statutory right of 
  entry to homes and offices) and does not hesitate to exercise 
  them.
  HER’s contract is coming up for renewal or reassignment. 
  It has often been suggested that HER is run by a bunch of 
  criminals, but this is dismissed as popular paranoia. Very 
  few people know that it genuinely does have connections 
  with organised crime on the planet; this, in turn, strongly 
  influences the actions of the government. To date, any 
  attempts to expose these connections have always been 
  violently quashed.
  Plots
  1: HER agents raid the players’ ship to collect due ‘transient 
  taxes’. The burly men will do their best to antagonise the 
  party and will look very pleased if they resist. The starport 
  authorities reluctantly admit that a change in local law 
  means staying dirtside more than 24 hours allows HER to 
  tax travellers and cargo as if they were natives.
  2: The players find two dead reporters hidden in their cargo. 
  The police detain the players briefly, then release them 
  and encourage them to leave planet quickly. The reporters 
  were on the verge of uncovering the connections between 
  HER, the government and the crime syndicate; the police 
  have orders to hush up the deaths. If the players investigate 
  further, the bodies will vanish and the party will suffer a 
  potentially fatal ‘accident’.
  6. imPerial seCurities dePartment
  Capital/2118 Core
  Im-462N-65-StO-Pub-1456-54
  Description
  Established by Imperial Edict 38 as a part of what is now 
  the Ministry of Trade, ISD’s mission is to preserve the 
  integrity of the Imperial securities, commodities and financial 
  markets. It is also charged with assisting member worlds 
  in the management of their internal securities markets. ISD 
  has two key divisions: Registration reviews applications 
  for the Limited Imperial Charter (LIC), then receives and 
  disseminates the prescribed financial reports of chartered 
  corporations; Market Regulation monitors interstellar 
  securities markets and intervenes in cases of fraud or 
  manipulation.
  Referee’s Notes
  It was well remembered in the early Third Imperium that 
  the Long Night had been triggered in large measure by 
  the collapse of the Rule of Man’s financial systems; ISD 
  was founded to prevent a reoccurrence. It is a largely 
  autonomous department within its parent ministry; its 
  Director reports directly to the Minister of Trade. To inspire 
  corporate confidence, ISD has always been one of the 
  least secretive departments of the Imperial bureaucracy. 
  It actively investigates violations of the Imperial securities 
  laws and has broad investigative powers, working closely 
  with the Ministry of Justice in prosecuting cases that are not 
  settled at the administrative level. The ISD has a small staff 
  of subject matter experts, scattered across the Imperium, 
  with a moderate headquarters on Capital. Registration fees 
  provide part of its funding but most comes from the Ministry 
  budget.
  Plots
  1: ISD is investigating Schunamann und Sohn, AG, LIC 
  (SuSAG) for securities fraud. SuSAG is accused of falsifying 
  test data on a new drug and including the false results in 
  reports filed with ISD to improve its stock price. The local 
  ISD agent engages the players as deputies to help serve 
  an administrative subpoena on the SuSAG Pharmaceutical 
  Division laboratory where the tests were conducted. The 
  team must accompany the ISD agent to the laboratory, 
  arriving unannounced just before the administrative staff 
  goes home for the day. The players must help copy the 
  computer databases and take away any physical evidence, 
  such as drug or tissue samples, and printed or written 
  records. Pay is Cr. 1,000 per player per day.
  2: As 1, but SuSAG has wind of the ISD subpoena and needs 
  to destroy the laboratory evidence before the raid. Posing 
  as an employee of a rival company, a SuSAG operative 
  engages the players to destroy all samples stored in the 
  laboratory for a flat payment of Cr. 20,000. The players are 
  warned not to injure anyone or they will be exposed to local 
  law enforcement authorities. In reality, SuSAG will destroy 
  the computer files via a faked hacker attack. The lab’s night 
  watch staff are not aware of the scheme, and will respond 
  rapidly to any intrusion into the lab.
  7. intelliGenCe manaGement 
  serviCes
  Im-3434-40-StO-Pub-6663-63
  Description
  Concerned about national security? IMS provides training, 
  equipment and (if necessary) personnel for any government’s 
  intelligence needs. This company has decades of experience 
  in all aspects of data-gathering and analysis, as well as leak 
  elimination and infiltration.
  Referee’s Notes
  A dictatorship on a balkanised world set up IMS in order 
  to earn money from the expertise built up through years 
  of running its secret police and spy network. The venture 
  
  12
  has been very successful; there is always a demand for 
  intelligence, even within the Imperium. IMS will deal with 
  anyone who can pay its exorbitant fees; it does not vet 
  prospective clients based on ideology. This, combined with 
  the fact
  that it does lucrative business training, equipping and hiring 
  out specialists in counter-insurgency and interrogation has 
  made the company very unpopular with sophont rights 
  groups. One of the company’s strictest rules is that it does 
  not give out information about its clients – it recognises 
  that this would immediately destroy its market. Even so, no 
  government trusts IMS to keep information from its parent 
  dictatorship; consequently most customers are from worlds 
  some distance away, who feel that they will not be harmed 
  by limited leaks of information. A closely-kept secret is that a 
  significant proportion of IMS clients are corporations, whose 
  intelligence and security needs are often similar to (and may 
  conflict with!) those of governments. Most IMS equipment 
  is imported from Spy-TEK as the latter supplies far higher 
  quality kit than can be produced locally. IMS sells or leases 
  this on at a significant mark-up to its clients. However, the 
  company’s real selling point is the experience of its staff – 
  from relatively mundane bodyguard services to highly covert 
  intelligence operations. 
  Management of IMS is in flux at the moment – the old head 
  of operations was recently assassinated and various senior 
  executives are currently jockeying for position.
  Plots
  1: Arriving on a high-law level world, the players are 
  detained in a soundproof room and shown evidence of 
  previous misdemeanours. They are given a choice; act as 
  spies for the government during their stay or be deported. In 
  reality this is an IMS training programme; the agents holding 
  them are being tested. The players will be asked to pick 
  up messages from dead letter drops and other suspicious 
  acts, though the encrypted texts are actually harmless and 
  nothing the players do is illegal. At the end of their stay, the 
  players will be debriefed by the IMS trainees, then let go, 
  with a warning not to discuss this with anyone else. 
  2: As 1, but this is a real IMS operation – the players act as 
  go-betweens for stolen intelligence documents. If discovered 
  by the local authorities, the players will be arrested and tried 
  as spies.
  8. madkashGerG & Chin
  Im-1122-35-Part-Svc3-Pub7-4356-66
  Description
  When you have to appear on ‘Trial By The People’, you need 
  the best representation you can buy. M&C have provided 
  the highest rated legal counsel for three seasons running; 
  don’t trust your opportunity for justice to anything less. On 
  this world, it is claimed that ‘justice is in the hands of the 
  people.’ Trials are broadcast live and the audience votes on 
  the result; the show’s host then passes sentence. Currently 
  led by senior partners Harika Gaarrasa and Vassily Sudeiko, 
  M&C is one of a small group of companies that has taken the 
  process to new heights of showmanship, including full holo 
  reconstructions of the crime starring famous performers.
  Referee’s Notes
  The company does a lot of work that is paid for by the 
  government. Much of this is prosecution on behalf of the state 
  but a growing proportion is legal aid work, helping those who 
  cannot pay for their own defence team. High-profile cases 
  are taken on by the company’s top people but less popular 
  cases are used as practice cases (or ‘trial trials’ as M&C 
  call them) for newer employees. Though supplemented 
  by advertising revenue, M&C’s fees for government work 
  have rocketed recently, yet the number of commissions 
  keeps growing. Cynics point out that this coincides with the 
  elevation of Sudeiko’s wife to the premiership.
  Plots
  1: One (or more) of the players is arrested and charged 
  with a crime. M&C are assigned their case but as it is 
  uninteresting they give it to one of their least experienced 
  teams. Another showy firm is handling the prosecution; it is 
  obvious that the players will lose unless they can attract the 
  interest of someone higher up in M&C.
  2: As witnesses to a crime, the players are paid to appear 
  in a holo-reconstruction of the event. When the show goes 
  out, they find their evidence has been badly misrepresented; 
  friends of the wrongly-convicted party then come after 
  them…
  9. rahman eConomiC institute
  Im-2433-45-LL-Svc3-Pub7-6544-35
  Description
  The REI is a centre for economic excellence – it employs 
  some of the best financial minds in the Imperium. It can 
  provide advisors, trainers, administrators and co-ordinators 
  for economic projects of any scale, under any conditions.
  Referee’s Notes
  Originally a school of economics, in recent years the REI 
  has moved more and more into the administration of large 
  economic programmes, primarily for local governments. It 
  is impartial regarding economic ideology and will work on 
  any project, from a fully state-planned economy to free-
  market capitalism. REI-run projects have had both notable 
  successes and disastrous failures; for the latter, REI have 
  avoided publicity or fought strenuous legal battles to deflect 
  the blame.
  Plots
  1: An REI contract on a balkanised world is threatened by the 
  
  13
  actions of a neighbouring state, who have imposed a trade 
  blockade. The REI needs the project to succeed and are 
  offering a reward for anyone who can break the blockade.
  10. third set inCarCerations
  Im-3426-32-WOS-Pub-0552-71
  Description
  TSI are experienced in managing prisons, detention centres 
  and rehabilitation programmes on many worlds. They 
  provide an economical and secure service flexible enough 
  to meet almost any local criminal confinement requirements.
  Referee’s Notes
  TSI is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lindarport Security. 
  When LS bought the company three years ago it found that 
  most of the individual prisons were being run effectively 
  but that the high-level finance and administration were a 
  shambles. It has spent the intervening time restructuring the 
  operation and has begun the messy task of cleaning up the 
  few prisons where incompetent management is apparent. 
  TSI matches their prison management style effectively to 
  local conditions by using a locally recruited workforce with 
  offworld personnel in key positions. TSI’s operations range 
  from electronic tagging and monitoring of convicts allowed 
  back into society, to prisoner transport and maximum 
  security buildings on hostile outer-system moons.
  Where legal, TSI puts prisoners to work on unskilled tasks to 
  earn the company extra income. Security has always been 
  the company’s top priority and even the worst-run operations 
  have an excellent record on escape prevention. Prisoner 
  rights are less of a concern and this has brought public 
  criticism; Lindarport are investigating ways of improving the 
  company’s image in this area. 
  The new management plans to spend another year or two 
  consolidating before aggressively expanding the company. 
  The sales group are investigating potential new customers 
  and preparing a big advertising campaign, but Lindarport 
  are wary of pushing too hard until TSI has finished its 
  housecleaning operations.
  Plots
  1: The players are arrested (justifiably or not) and placed 
  in a TSI-run prison. Unfortunately it is one of the worst, 
  with constant gang warfare between prisoner factions. The 
  guards are completely ineffective at keeping order and some 
  covertly or overtly support the gangs. As newcomers with 
  no status, the players are the targets of every frustrated 
  prisoner looking for somebody to push around…
  2: TSI hires the players to test security at a prison, by trying 
  to break out a convict planted by TSI. There will be no legal 
  repercussions if they succeed, provided no other prisoners 
  escape.
  3: As 2, but the TSI rep is acting for the prison governor, who 
  has a poor administrative record and believes Lindarport will 
  fire him for incompetence. The break out will be subdued 
  with maximum force to provide him with good publicity.
  4: As 2, but the governor has been embezzling funds for 
  years and fears discovery by the LS investigators. He plans 
  to make good his escape during the confusion of the break 
  out.
  5: As 2, but the TSI rep is actually from a crime gang who 
  wish to spring their incarcerated colleague. To reinforce his 
  story, he will supply the players with low power stun guns ‘so 
  no one gets hurt by accident’. On the day of the escape, a 
  coded radio signal increases the weapons’ power to lethal 
  levels.
  
  14
  All taxes must, at last, fall upon agriculture.
  Edward Gibbon
  1. al-G
  Im-4443-26-PubW-Ag8-Whol2-0334-22
  Description
  Al-G provides raw materials for a wide variety of synthetic 
  foodstuffs; they can also build and staff the processing 
  facilities. Algal farming the Al-G way is cheap, energy-
  efficient, and an important contributor to air and water 
  recycling. Al- G concentrate on the cultivation of their 
  product, contracting out for processing equipment when 
  necessary. Many of their plants produce a surplus, which 
  drives their wholesale trade.
  Referee’s Notes
  It is nearly impossible to grow food in traditional ways on 
  most starships, space habitats and hostile worlds. Al-G 
  uses geneered algae to produce proteins for synth-meats 
  as well as carbohydrates for synth-veg and synth-fruit. Few 
  people realise that some high-cuisine foodstuffs are also 
  Al-G products sold under alternative trading names such as 
  Allierian Finest.
  Plots
  1: A passenger books two jumps on the players’ ship but 
  after the intermediate stop-over, he fails to turn up for the 
  onwards journey. Enquiries reveal that he has not been 
  seen since shortly after arrival. As the players’ ship makes 
  to leave, it is impounded by port security. Human remains 
  have been found in the local Al-G plant and DNA tests link 
  these with the missing passenger. The victim was killed in 
  a bar brawl by a worker at the plant, who tried to hide the 
  evidence… however, until this is discovered, the players are 
  prime suspects.
  2: The players obtain a shipment of surplus Al-G foodstuffs 
  at rock-bottom prices. There is an explosion in the hold 
  during jump – the cargo area is plastered with algae. After 
  the players clean up (especially if using high pressure water 
  sprays or similar) they find algal deposits forming in air vents, 
  water outlets, etc. The shipment contained raw, super-fast 
  growing algae in addition to the inactivated, processed food. 
  The algae continued to grow, gases built up and caused the 
  explosion. Traces of the algae were subsequently spread by 
  the crew or in fine water mists (from spraying).
  2. far horizons landsCaPers
  Im-1322-25-LL-Ag-5525-44
  Description
  Whatever your dreams for your land, FHL will help you 
  fulfil them. They offer an exclusive, individually tailored 
  service; you take part in the creative transformation of your 
  surroundings.
  Referee’s Notes
  FHL is the landscaping company for the elite; it works on 
  an ‘if you need to ask the price you can’t afford it’ basis. 
  They provide planning expertise and supervise operations, 
  but subcontract most of the actual work and any specialist 
  requirements.
  The company uses sophisticated visualisation software 
  to show clients how the completed project will look. No 
  expense is spared to meet the client’s exact requirements, 
  including artificial climate maintenance, importing offworld 
  flora and fauna, and geneering them to behave correctly. 
  The company has developed a close relationship with 
  Hypagene to satisfy these needs. FHL was founded 25 years 
  ago by a group of landscape gardeners and a lone angel 
  financier. They struggled to break even for a decade but as 
  their reputation spread, they were employed by increasingly 
  top-quality landscapers, further building their reputation to 
  its current heights. Samir Benatar, the current CEO, is one 
  of the founders. In recent years he has found it hard to cope 
  with his changing role in the growing company and has been 
  frustrated by his inability to get involved on the ground. An 
  added thorn in his side is the arrogance of his rising new star 
  ‘scape designer, Guiseppe Njenja.
  Plots
  1: A wealthy noble inherits a garden world, unpopulated 
  save for a small staff on the family estate, and hires FHL 
  to transform it to fit his grandiose vision. This is the largest 
  project the company has ever undertaken and they require 
  an army of extra helpers including: security to fend off 
  environmental protesters; free traders to  transport flora, 
  fauna and equipment; scientists, engineers, labourers 
  and basic service providers to keep everyone else happy. 
  However, when their excavations uncover the ruins of a 
  previously unknown civilisation, Samir has to decide whether 
  to conceal the find, exploit it, or call in the IISS…
  aGriCulture
  
  15
  2: The players are hired to find a buried treasure (or 
  equivalent), using directions from an ancient map. However, 
  the burial site has been completely transformed by an 
  FHL operation for an immigrant noble. Interrogating locals 
  who worked for FHL on the project will identify where key 
  landmarks used to be, which allows the burial site to be 
  located – in the middle of the main lawn!
  3. Golden harvest laBour 
  assoCiates
  Im-1034-35-Part-Ag-0423-35
  Description
  Demand for farm labourers on this world varies according to 
  season and location but peaks dramatically at harvest times. 
  GHLA benefits farmers by selecting suitable workers and 
  handling their payment. It benefits labourers by providing 
  a single place to look for work, transport to and from the 
  farms and a standard contract (including formal grievance 
  procedures).
  Referee’s Notes
  GHLA was formed on a low-tech world by Brigg Sugaya, 
  son of a farmer, and Nandelle Buhl, a business graduate 
  fresh out of college. Brigg had the practical experience and 
  contacts; Nandelle had the knowledge required to set up the 
  business and make appropriate financial plans. She also 
  had the idea of advertising for workers at the starport and in 
  startown, where many people without money or prospects 
  gathered hoping to make it offworld. They started small, 
  organising labour for Brigg’s family and neighbouring farms, 
  but have grown to become the largest labour company 
  on this world. As they expanded into areas spanning the 
  equator, the differing seasons evened out demand. There is 
  now a core group of labourers
  who are effectively employed by the company; most 
  fluctuations in demand can be met by the starport irregulars 
  and only at peak times does the company struggle to meet 
  its contracts. Brigg and Nandelle try hard to satisfy both their 
  customers and labourers, but managing more than 100 full-
  time staff (mostly involved in recruitment) has taken its toll. 
  The couple have been linked romantically for some years 
  and are thinking about starting a family; however, they find it 
  hard to delegate guidance of the firm, so have deferred their 
  personal plans for the moment.
  Plots
  1: While down on their luck, the players hire on as labourers. 
  While digging a field they discover a small artefact, possibly 
  of Ancients origin. Technically it belongs to the farmer; will 
  they hand it over or try to smuggle it off the land?
  2: As above, but the artefact is a fake buried by the farmer 
  to test the honesty of the labourers. 
  3: Brigg hires the players to investigate a senior manager 
  whom they are considering promoting to run GHLA 
  while Brigg and Nandelle start a family. They want some 
  background checks to ensure the manager is really as good 
  as he seems. The players are completing their investigation 
  when by chance they find out some labourers are getting 
  special payments to work on a special farm – it is growing 
  illegal drugs under the manager’s control.
  4. hyPaGene
  Im-5552-5?-PubW-Ag7-Manu2-Non1-7444-63
  Description
  Hypagene are specialists in the genetic engineering (GE) of 
  lifeforms to meet the needs of their customers, whether the 
  requirements be ecological, economic or simply aesthetic.
  Referee’s Notes
  GE is a controversial subject in the Imperium and all GE 
  companies have to follow very strict guidelines. Hypagene’s 
  public operations are very visibly by the book, but their 
  success has turned them into a huge company, which has 
  made them prime targets of the anti-GE lobby anyway. 
  The company divides its products into two categories; 
  Bespoke covers high-price creations, precisely tailored to 
  the customer’s specifications, for which it is justly famous; 
  Mass Market items are existing designs that need no 
  further research or development, including a range of high-
  yield crops and cattle animals, air-scrubbing lifeforms and 
  popular pets such as the boosted-IQ Peeker Monkey or the 
  Baladragon. Of course, today’s Bespoke may be tomorrow’s 
  Mass Market unless the customer pays an additional 
  exclusivity fee. Hypagene’s operations are divided into three 
  market-based divisions. The Ecology Division (ED) handles 
  all projects that improve or preserve the environment, from 
  long-term terraforming to designing diseases targeting a 
  specific local pest.
  The company always points at ED’s successes to counter 
  criticisms from eco-protesters and is very careful to ensure 
  ED gets only positive publicity. However, ED only provides 
  14% of the company turnover – the economic heart of the 
  business is the Commercial Division (CD), bringing in 63% 
  of revenues. CD focuses on agricultural products, including 
  licensing and selling seeds and eggs to
  
  16
  farmers. In addition, pets and decorative plants help keep the 
  company in the public eye. The Private Division brings in the 
  final 23% of sales from private individuals and organisations 
  who wish to remain anonymous, such as nobles with unusual 
  hobbies or pleasure ships. The designs (which have to be 
  published for Hypagene to retain its license) skirt the limits 
  of the guidelines, but this is partly a blind. The products are 
  real but the prices and quantities are inflated to hide the fact 
  that a third of PD’s income comes from black projects for 
  the Imperial military. The Imperial auditors know about this 
  and aid the cover-up. Ironically, Hypagene uses this loose 
  auditing to hide their work for other military organisations 
  from the Imperium.
  Plots
  1: Arriving at an agricultural world with a cargo of Hypagene 
  seeds, the players’ ship is surrounded by anti-geneering 
  protesters who try to stop the seeds being offloaded. Any 
  conflict with the players will be captured by the local media.
  2: As 1 but the imported seed is not licensed on this world 
  (this may be an oversight by Hypagene or a deliberate 
  attempt by a local farmer to flout import laws in the hopes of 
  out-producing his competitors). Customs officers impound 
  the ship and crew while the seeds are destroyed and the 
  ship is sterilised.
  3: As 1, but the players are carrying geneered pets. These 
  critters were a pain to feed and care for during jump, but 
  now they’re out of food and must be offloaded soon or they’ll 
  starve.
  4: As 1, but the pets are carrying a geneered plague 
  designed by terrorists (or an aggressive neighbour world) to 
  wipe out the local livestock. If Customs bio-sniffers detect the 
  plague, the crew will be quarantined and the ship sterilised 
  or taken into space and destroyed. Otherwise the plague will 
  decimate cattle and ruin the planet’s economy; the players 
  will be tried as terrorists.
  5. kawa-PaBer-a-aBa fur and 
  hide suPPlies
  Im-3143-20-LL-Ag8-Manu1-Ret1-0553-42
  Description
  Specialists in kalaig products, KFHS rears its animals in 
  humane conditions and delivers highquality fur and hide to 
  manufacturers. They also supply other animal hides, and 
  their own range of exclusive, hand-crafted, fur and leather 
  products which they sell direct to retailers and consumers.
  Referee’s Notes
  This Bwap-run company initially failed to realise that farming 
  kalaig – furry creatures with rather human-like faces – was 
  going to be a rather emotive issue. They are now very careful 
  about their image and run an extremely clean operation, but 
  are still the target of many animal rights campaigners. The 
  Bwap business mentality has also made it unpopular with 
  some furriers.
  Plots
  1: The players are hired as guards and/or investigators 
  at a KFHS ranch where a number of immature animals 
  have gone missing. The players discover animal rights 
  campaigners breaking in at night and taking the creatures 
  to a nearby forest.
  2: As 1, but KFHS has implanted tracers in some of the 
  kalaig – the players have to track the stolen creatures and 
  recover them.
  3: As 1 or 2, but the thief is a local furrier who is trying to 
  build up his own kalaig farm.
  6. oCean PeoPle
  Im-204N-25-Gov-Ag7-Svc3-2644-05
  Description
  Looking for the ultimate hunting thrill? Join the Ocean 
  People on a traditional expedition as they seek out the rarest 
  deepwater creatures. If you prefer something more relaxing, 
  why not taste the unique OP dishes in the luxury of one of 
  their cruise vessels, or dress yourself in authentic piscihide 
  garments and try your hand at some of the many crafts kept 
  alive by this exciting culture!
  Referee’s Notes
  The original ocean people were a utopian experiment on 
  a fertile water world – a herderhunter- gatherer society 
  that exploited (rather than rejected) the benefits of high 
  technology. The experiment was moderately successful; the 
  community traded surplus food and sea-based products for 
  the equipment it needed. Seeing other such experiments 
  swallowed up by interstellar society and corporations, 
  they determined to preserve their culture and values. The 
  community, once acting as many independent fishers and 
  traders, consolidated itself into a single Imperial company, 
  bringing benefits from increased administrative efficiency, 
  political clout and trade leverage. To supplement their 
  exports, the community has incorporated the needs of 
  tourists into their everyday life. The most radical change has 
  been the addition of cruise vessels to the community fleets. 
  Staffed partly by islanders, these are luxury floating resorts. 
  A growing population and a profitable export market for sea 
  produce is putting pressure on ocean resources but OP is 
  careful not to overexploit the sea. However, their leaders are 
  worried about the future and are looking into technological 
  and political ways to lessen the impact.
  
  17
  Although it offers little in the way of financial reward, OP is 
  a community and looks after its people well, providing food, 
  shelter and company even for those who are too young or old 
  to be productive. The people often have to deal with naive 
  offworlders, who want to join the tribe but have little idea 
  of the contribution every member has to make; only a very 
  small number are accepted, usually those with a sensible 
  attitude and specific skills the company currently lacks.
  Plots
  1: A bedraggled, smelly old man has been hanging around 
  the starport for years, claiming the ocean people are hiding 
  secret treasures. Everyone ignores him until one of the 
  players sees him using a tiny hand-carved fishbone to heat 
  up some soup – instantaneously. If they can obtain the item 
  they find it is a nanotech heater of unknown origin. He can, 
  indeed, lead them to an underwater Ancients site where he 
  found this artefact, but he is nearly insane and the site is 
  deep and hazardous to explore.
  2: As 1, but high-ranking locals already know of the Ancient 
  site and intend to exploit it. They will go to any lengths to 
  ensure no one plunders the site or gives away its location. 
  3: As a publicity stunt, an environmental protest group 
  gets an OP elder to publicly deride the over-fishing of the 
  seas caused by offworld demand. A number of people at 
  the starport (possibly including the players) get sick eating 
  seafood. A small eco-terror cell, separate from the original 
  protest group, is trying to scare off tourists and stop the 
  export market.
  7. saurian farmers’ CooPerative
  Saurus/1320 Spinward Marches
  Im-1324-15-Mut-Ag8-Whol1-Svc1-1223-22
  Description
  The SFC co-ordinates the sale of agricultural produce 
  grown on Saurus in the lucrative Vilis market and acts as 
  a collective purchasing agent for manufactured goods 
  from Vilis. As of 1105, approximately 30% of Saurian farm 
  production is marketed through the SFC. As a sideline the 
  company also arranges the sale of both indigenous Saurian 
  artwork and hunting permits for the megasaurs that inhabit 
  Saurus’ swamps.
  Referee’s Notes
  SFC was formed on Saurus in 1074 to improve the bargaining 
  position of the world’s farmers in their dealings with buyers 
  on Vilis. In 1089, it sponsored the incorporation of Sweet-
  Carroll Lines (p.54) to reduce the cost of shipping its goods 
  to Vilis. While the co-operative is a major shareholder in 
  S-CL, in the peak harvest seasons, requirements sometimes 
  exceed S-CL’s shipping capacity and rapid shipment of 
  certain perishable cargos can bring profitable spur-of-the-
  moment contracts for free traders. The co-operative has 
  been highly successful, attracting the attention of outside 
  interests. SFC’s membership rules allow anyone to join but 
  limits their individual investment to 6%. 
  Ownership
  Farming Members 86%
  Hortalez et Cie 6%
  Imperial Family 5%
  Sweet-Carroll Lines 3%
  Plots
  1: An art collector hires the party to purchase selected pieces 
  of the ‘powerfully primitive art of the Saurians’. He reckons 
  dealing direct with the Saurian craftspeople should keep the 
  price down. The SFC dominate trade in Saurian artworks 
  and feel obligated to ensure the natives get fair prices. They 
  will view the players as unscrupulous offworlders out to 
  exploit the natives and will disrupt their dealings at every 
  opportunity.
  2: As 1, but the collector wants the players to buy the 
  artworks secretly and smuggle them offworld to avoid the 
  SFC and any taxes. To complicate matters, the artworks are 
  large and fragile.
  8. siylrilihya’a veterinary 
  serviCes
  As-1422-14-Part-Ag-4634-54
  Description
  SVS maintains Hierate traditions of care for their beasts by 
  tending to the needs of Aslan livestock located far from the 
  Hierate, where the animals suffer unfamiliar environments, 
  foodstuffs and diseases. With no clan affiliation of their own 
  the vets can treat herds for Aslan of any clan and even non-
  Aslan who own Hierate fauna.
  Referee’s Notes
  SVS is a partnership run by unmarried female Aslan in 
  Imperial space. They have good contacts within both 
  the Imperium and Hierate, allowing them access to the 
  best possible vaccines, specialist feeds and veterinary 
  information; however, in the final analysis it is the skill of the 
  partners that determines their success or otherwise. So far 
  failures have been few.
  Plots
  1: A number of large prey animals in an Aslan region of an 
  Imperial world begin dying from a mystery illness. When 
  SVS are called in they find the infection is spreading rapidly 
  and though they quickly synthesise quantities of a suitable 
  vaccine, it is difficult to administer the drug to 400-kilogram 
  beasts which run free over a huge wilderness area. The 
  
  18
  Aslan put out a polite appeal for non-Aslan manpower; if the 
  players provide useful aid the clan will owe them a debt of 
  honour.
  9. sunarimi Bay ColleCtive
  Im-2035-24-Mut-Ag7-Manu1-Ret1-Svc1-2101-04
  Description
  SBC is a community project producing seafood from the 
  unique bay ecosystem, creating desirable craftworks 
  from the colourful local corals, shells and fish scales and 
  providing guided tours of the scenic bay, diving excursions 
  and extensive scientific submarine trips.
  Referee’s Notes
  The SBC is a very lucrative attempt by local people to 
  benefit from the tourist trade. The bay is the most beautiful 
  on the continent, with a very rare combination of beautiful 
  sea creatures which also happen to make some of the 
  finest dishes on the planet. However, several large tourism 
  companies and a mass-food-processing group are trying to 
  take over the operation.
  Plots
  1: The players are hired by an unknown patron (one of the 
  larger concerns noted above) to go ‘cause some trouble’ 
  in the bay. The more tourists scared away, the more the 
  players get paid.
  2: The players are visiting the bay when they are threatened 
  by some thugs (hired as in 1 above).
  3: The bay’s submarine goes missing – the players are hired 
  to use their ship’s sensors to help locate the sub and effect a 
  rescue before their air runs out. When it is discovered the sub 
  has been sabotaged, the players are asked to investigate…
  10. ultimate kian staBles
  Im-2424-16-Priv-Ag-5214-25-
  Description
  UKS supplies some of the finest kian from their homeworld, 
  Prilissa; company-bred beasts have even won the Kian Cup 
  against pure homeworld stock. UKS deals in racing animals, 
  the heavier strains beloved of low-tech farmers everywhere, 
  the sure-footed mountain varieties and general purpose 
  pack animals. If you can find a better bloodline elsewhere 
  UKS will obtain a breeding pair and fill your order from the 
  offspring at no extra charge.
  Referee’s Notes
  Kian are two-legged mammals resembling the Terran 
  ostrich. There are several breeds; the beasts are hardy and 
  are used on many low-tech worlds in the Spinward Marches 
  filling similar roles to Terran horses, mules and oxen. UKS’ 
  sales rely on the pedigree of its stock so it goes to great 
  lengths to make sure this is kept fresh and up to date. Its 
  primary source of new genetic material is a small office 
  on Prilissa which tracks the fashions and the condition of 
  various bloodlines, purchasing animals as appropriate. 
  The company was set up by a wealthy kian racing fancier 
  to indulge her hobby; before she died she arranged for 
  her estate to finance a private trust to keep the company 
  running along the lines she had established. As a result, 
  UKS has several unusual conditions, most noticeably that 
  every employee is paid the same hourly rate whether they 
  are cleaning stables or managing the business plan – the 
  more profitable the company, the higher the rate. Everyone 
  is encouraged to take responsibility for the well-being of 
  UKS as well as that of the animals (a certain proportion of 
  the profits is always put aside to pay for the care of elderly or 
  injured kian). UKS now serves a whole subsector and though 
  its growth has slowed, analysts are baffled by the success of 
  a company which such unusual practices. With such small 
  financial rewards, any manager joining the company either 
  loves the animals or really fancies a challenge!
  Plots
  1: UKS are bringing in two pairs of ‘show kian’ to fulfil 
  their customer promise; when their ship suffers a drive 
  malfunction, the Players are hired to ship the beasts and 
  their handlers for the final jump. The kian are heavily over-
  bred, pampered monsters and the handlers annoy the 
  players with bizarre demands for their charges’ comfort.
  11. uminarGa lumBer
  Im-3333-33-Mut-Ag6-Manu4-1424-23
  Description
  UL is a major supplier of timber, providing many woods 
  but specialising in hellboria. UL plantations are carefully 
  managed to minimise disruption to the surrounding 
  environment.
  Referee’s Notes
  The hellboria tree has a pale blue striated grain pattern 
  which alters slowly over time, even once the tree is dead. 
  This makes the wood very attractive and it is used in a wide 
  variety of designer products. As the tree ages it hardens; five-
  year growth produces wood used for the racquet handles 
  of star zipwire players while twenty-year trees are turned 
  into luxury furniture. UL is one of the largest producers of 
  hellboria wood, with extensive plantations on three worlds. 
  Because the tree takes a relatively long time to mature (and 
  except on its homeworld requires above average care and 
  attention) the company charges a high price for the timber; 
  demand still exceeds supply. Huge tracts of more common, 
  low-maintenance trees provide additional income. UL 
  lumberjacks form a close-knit community. They take pride 
  in their work and many live permanently on the plantations, 
  staying with the company throughout their working lives. 
  
  19
  Some have little contact with the rest of the world. Aided 
  by their environmental science group, the company has 
  good relations with forestry management and even most 
  environmentalists. Company chief executive officer Caroline 
  Uminarga has recently stepped down to return to life as a 
  lumberjack; her successor is finance director Januk Cther.
  Plots
  1: To satisfy a rush order from a neighbouring system the 
  players are hired to collect the hellboria wood directly from a 
  plantation. When they arrive there is no sign of the loggers 
  but the wood is stacked ready for collection. During loading, 
  the somewhat xenophobic UL workers return and accuse 
  the players of trying to steal the wood.
  2: As 1, but the loggers were killed by a vicious beast which 
  begins hunting the players.
  3: As 1, but the loggers are tied up nearby and a group of 
  thieves who intended to remove the wood on trucks will now 
  try to hijack the players’ ship.
  4: When the players’ ship arrives on this world, a Customs 
  biosweep of the decks finds eggs of the Kendry Worm – a 
  wood-boring beetle. To protect the hellboria woods, the ship 
  is impounded.
  12. xenoBotaniCals of Pequan
  Pequan/1210 Spinward
  Na-2033-34-Emp-Ag6-Whol3-Ret1-3353-44
  Description
  XoP imports, grows, and exports exotic and delicate plants. 
  Whatever your horticultural needs, XoP will do their best to 
  fulfil them.
  Referee’s Notes
  Four parsecs from the Imperial and Zhodani borders, 
  Pequan is a convenient place to grow and test crops which 
  are illegal on other worlds. XoP is a small company, but owns 
  vast tracts of wilderness on the sparsely populated planet. It 
  maintains camouflaged reinforced plasticrete slabs at 
  various sites, strong enough to support a 1,000-ton starship 
  (for transporting goods without the Pequan authority’s 
  knowledge). One site has a few outbuildings which house 
  the traffic control and an unrefined fuel bunker, but starship 
  visits are rare. Each site cultivates a different type of plant 
  (roll 1D for each category below):
  Plant Type 
  Origins/Needs
  1. Carnivorous 
  1. Local
  2. Narcotic 
  2. Offworld
  3. Anagathic 
  3. Local but needs special 
  environment
  4. Succulent (water-storing)
  4. Offworld, needs special 
  environment
  5. Fruiting 
  5. Genus/origin unknown
  6. Poisonous 
  6. Bio-engineered
  Some plants may have special properties (roll 1D).
  1. Blocks selective-hearing ability
  2. Contains undetected bacterial cultures
  3. Is really the larval stage of a fast, nasty alien
  4. Has leaves/fronds/stalks that heal wounds
  5. Ingestion temporarily modifies Str/Dex/End/Int
  6. Causes motion-only vision
  Plots
  1: While moving through jungle, some players contract a 
  rash from touching a native groundcover plant. The rash 
  gradually becomes life threatening. Local medics cannot 
  fully counteract the irritant and suggest the group travel to 
  Pequan to consult the xenobotanists there. The Pequan 
  researchers can heal the player(s) but ask for a sample of 
  the plant in return (it looks useful).
  2: As 1, but this is on Pequan; the players have stumbled 
  into a XoP plantation of semi-poisonous plants intended for 
  covert assassinations. If asked for help, XoP will heal the 
  players but will try to cover up any connection between them 
  and the site.
  
  20
  …How very little, since things were made, Things have 
  altered in the building trade.
  Rudyard Kipling
  1. the demolishers
  Im-1315-24-LL-Con-1344-23
  Description
  Nothing lasts forever; sometimes when the time comes to 
  take things down, specialist help is needed. The Demolishers 
  are experts in the safe dismantling of structures in space, 
  leaving the system free of potentially dangerous debris.
  Referee’s Notes
  The Demolishers were the brainchild of Kur Trebek, whose 
  father ran a successful dirtside demolition company. Kur had 
  always dreamed of working in space; this was his ticket to 
  the stars. The Demolishers sift debris through a factory ship 
  and reuse, resell or recycle as much as possible. Depending 
  on location, quantity and local regulations, the remainder 
  is launched into a star or planetary atmosphere (where it 
  will burn up) or dumped on a barren body. As a last resort 
  they it is incinerated by a factory ship to reduce the bulk and 
  shipped out of system.
  Most of the company’s business is still in its home system. 
  They have taken on several very successful one-shot 
  contracts in nearby systems and this persuaded Trebek to 
  set up branches on these worlds; however, none of these 
  have yet managed to do more than break even.
  Plots
  1: The players emerge from jump some distance from their 
  intended destination and receive a radio signal warning of 
  impending danger: the company is gathering debris to be 
  incinerated in a controlled explosion; the detonation can be 
  cancelled, but the rubbish is heading straight for the players’ 
  ship from several directions…
  2: The players are asked to collect a package concealed 
  on a derelict space station, due to be demolished by this 
  company. Not only is the station out of bounds to all traffic 
  but the parcel contains highly illegal material hidden by a 
  criminal just before being caught and imprisoned. If the 
  players are caught, they are in serious trouble. 
  3: As 2, but the players do not know the station is due to be 
  demolished and the charges are already aboard the station 
  and counting down…
  2. diviners well-drillinG
  Im-2424-03-Part-Mine3-Cons5-Svc2-5364-42
  Description
  Short of water or other important fluid resources? DWD 
  combines high-tech solutions with proven techniques to 
  solve the principal problem with living on a low-hydrographic 
  world.
  Referee’s Notes
  DWD was founded by Nei Xao, a diviner from a desert world, 
  with a remarkable, unexplained talent for finding water. 
  DWD is very good at finding the best well sites, thanks to the 
  abilities of its founder and her hand-picked team. However, 
  after losing contracts due to client scepticism, they now play 
  down the means used.
  DWD also provides and installs the equipment necessary 
  to get at the liquid resources, but here it performs less well. 
  DWD uses cheap third-party equipment with only moderately 
  proficient techs and barely adequate after-sales support. 
  In their specialist market, the divination service cannot 
  survive alone and, much to Xao’s disgust, an ever-growing 
  proportion of their revenue comes from the hardware and 
  maintenance contracts.
  Plots
  1: A desert community belonging to the Universal Synod 
  of Reason employs DWD but also hires the players to 
  determine hether the prospectors are using proper scientific 
  techniques or mystical divining. When the players uncover 
  the latter, the Synod orders the imprisonment of the DWD 
  staff…
  2: A poorly-maintained DWD facility, extracting subterranean 
  water for a colony on an otherwise barren world, suddenly 
  fails. Though the colony’s water tanks will last several weeks, 
  panic ensues – the players get caught up in this and if they 
  have a starship, it will be mobbed by colonists demanding 
  their water supplies or trying to get offworld.
  ConstruCtion
  
  21
  3: As 2, but the failure is causing water to flood the colony – 
  ironically, there is too much water!
  4: As 2 or 3, but the players are hired to bring in DWD repair 
  staff. Given the colonists’ anger, they will probably have to 
  provide security too!
  3. GamBini Brothers
  Im-1214-06-Fam-Cons-1111-04
  Description
  The Gambinis are experts in holomeshing and can handle 
  any type of interior building or decorating work (plastering, 
  tiling, carpentry, etc.). They are now available for work off-
  planet!
  Referee’s Notes
  The Gambinis have worked the building trade for generations, 
  mostly on private residential contracts. Over the past 20 
  years they have started working on larger projects. Eneri 
  Gambini was the first member of the family to experiment 
  with non-traditional materials, using holomesh on ceilings, 
  walls and even floors to good effect.
  Holomesh can present almost any image but has an 
  unpleasant, gritty texture; Eneri combined it with other 
  decorative materials to counter this problem. This reduced 
  the image quality but since he was using it to present shifting 
  patterns rather than holovids or communications this was 
  not particularly noticeable. Eneri’s sister Yoshiko is an 
  expert on traditional mosaics, while their younger brother 
  Max concentrates on plastering and painting. Together 
  they form the core team; grandma Claire and papa Claude 
  handle finance and administration. Other friends and family 
  members are also involved, but it is the skill and imagination 
  of the three siblings that is driving the company on to bigger 
  things. They have recently completed redecorating the main 
  passenger concourse of the highport and the port is pleased 
  with the results. The Gambinis hope this will bring in more 
  offworld custom.
  Plots
  1: The players are hired to collect an important datachip from 
  beneath a floor panel in the highport (where the patron hid 
  it). When they locate the panel, they find that area of floor 
  has been covered with an immense decorative mosaic. Has 
  the chip been covered up too, or did the decorators find it?
  4. haBitats 4 all
  Im-324N-44-StSp-Cons-4346-43
  Description
  H4A is the government-sponsored and licensed provider of 
  habitats for all hostile environs in this system. Colonists may 
  purchase their new homes extremely cheaply, safe in the 
  knowledge that there has never been a fatality caused by an 
  H4A habitat failure.
  Referee’s Notes
  Overcrowding on the mainworld has caused the government 
  to encourage colonisation of other planets, moons and belts 
  in the system. To support this, H4A was formed in partnership 
  with private industry. At first, political commentators 
  anticipated cost and corner-cutting by the commercial 
  partners but the regulatory authority has kept close control; 
  after much manoeuvring, the businesses involved now see 
  it as a loss leader, with opportunities to recoup that loss in 
  other ways from their captive colonial markets – through 
  supplying supplementary equipment, furniture, protective 
  clothing and survival courses. The company uses tried and 
  tested habitat designs, concentrating on surface domes and 
  subterranean chambers. Much attention is paid to marketing 
  the colonisation effort, striking a careful balance between 
  the spartan look required to attract people with dreams of 
  pioneering and the comfort needed to get them to actually 
  sign up. The government’s opponents love to point out how 
  little difference the colonisation has made to overcrowding 
  on the mainworld and how much the programme has cost; 
  so far popular sentiment is still swayed by the romance of 
  the high frontier.
  Plots
  1: The players are hired to take H4A habitats to a colony 
  on a gas giant moon. A short while after the habitats are 
  set up, they fail, causing many deaths. The players will be 
  hunted down by the government. In reality, the habitats were 
  sabotaged prior to loading, by a group of religious fanatics 
  who wish to dissuade people from living on the moon 
  because they regard it as a holy site.
  5. infrastruCture, liC
  Im-5452-34-PubL-Cons8-Util2-2454-33
  Description
  ISL is an established firm, with a proven track record in large 
  public works projects. They undertake all types of heavy 
  construction – highways, bridges, tunnels, piping, power and 
  communications infrastructure – all tailored to the individual 
  needs of the local community.
  
  22
  Referee’s Notes
  ISL know their own limits; they subcontract specialist work to 
  other firms (such as SubAqua Plumbers) where appropriate. 
  They prefer to employ local construction workers where 
  possible, restricting their own people to key positions. Their 
  quotations tend to be higher than most of their rivals, but 
  their reputation keeps the contracts coming in. Because 
  of their reliability they are regular contractors on projects 
  administered by the Rahman Economic Institute .
  Plots
  1: A straightforward highway contract has been going 
  particularly badly, due to a combination of natural disasters 
  and the political instability of the employing government. 
  ISL wants to get out as quickly as it can, but feels it 
  must first finish the project to preserve its reputation. 
  This is currently impossible because a strike by local 
  transport workers has prevented materials reaching the 
  construction sites; ISL charters the players to bring the 
  materials directly to the sites by ground, air or space, 
  bypassing the local blockade. The transport workers will 
  not appreciate such acts…
  6. mCkendrie orBital
  Im-5532-25-PubW-Cons-3544-43
  Description
  MKO has been constructing satellites, space stations 
  and orbital platforms, both civilian and military, since the 
  Interstellar Wars. They offer a full design service and all the 
  equipment and skilled manpower required for the largest 
  projects.
  Referee’s Notes
  MKO’s claims of longevity are exaggerated; there was a famous 
  Solomani  construction firm of that name which flourished during 
  the Second Imperium but it vanished early in the Long Night. As 
  the Sylean Federation expanded, a group of primarily Solomani 
  workers took on the name; the company has expanded with 
  the Third Imperium. Despite modern technology, automation 
  and robotic aids, space construction still requires long hours 
  of hard physical labour; many construction workers conform 
  to the stereotypical tough, rough -and-tumble labourer. MKO 
  plays this up when it needs to put a human face to the business. 
  The company rarely gets contracts for Imperial highports and 
  senior management suspect that there are political reasons – 
  perhaps nepotism within the Starport Authority (SPA). MKO 
  are considering building up their expertise in drives, to begin 
  taking on work on larger in-system transports and perhaps, in 
  the future, starships.
  Plots
  1: Another company outside MKO’s area of operations has 
  set up a space construction company, also called McKendrie 
  Orbital (for similar reasons). The latter refuse to alter their 
  name and MKO believe they are now grabbing customers 
  by using the MKO reputation. They hire the players to 
  resolve the problem – by diplomacy, bribery or whatever 
  means necessary.
  2: MKO is close to winning a contract to upgrade an 
  Imperial highport in a system where they have done a 
  lot of other work. Then there is a serious failure at an 
  orbital factory; preliminary investigations by the SPA 
  report suspected use of inferior construction materials. 
  The SPA investigation will not be completed before the 
  contract needs to be signed, meaning MKO will almost 
  certainly lose out. The players are hired to check out the 
  accident and the investigators. Sure enough, a competitor 
  is behind the problems and they have friends inside the 
  SPA.
  7. suBaqua PlumBers
  Im-3435-24-LL-Cons5-Util4-Svc1-4234-23
  Description
  Piping, Pumping and Purification are three mainstays of 
  life underwater. A long-established firm of good repute, 
  SubAqua Plumbers provide integrated solutions covering all 
  these areas.
  Referee’s Notes
  SAP’s founder, waterworld citizen Gani Sharama, quit 
  his job at the air-recycling plant in his home dome to 
  become a freelance plumber but soon recognised how 
  interconnected the fluid processing systems were in an 
  undersea city. Taking a holistic view, he built up a team 
  with experience in all aspects of subaqua work. The group 
  analysed potential problems caused by independently 
  managing the different processes, setting themselves up 
  as a rapid response team to deal with failures as they 
  arose. Regular plumbing jobs barely kept the company 
  afloat but their skills, plus an innovative proposal, won 
  them the contract for fluid processing in a new city 
  extension despite competition from much larger firms. 
  Since then SAP has gone from strength to strength on 
  Gani’s homeworld but is now struggling to handle the 
  organisational changes required as the company goes 
  multiglobal.
  Plots
  1: An underwater domed city partially floods and kills many 
  people; blame falls upon SAP, who installed key systems. 
  SAP are suspicious that they were not asked to service the 
  systems for the last few years. They hire the players to prove 
  that the city cut costs by using cowboy engineers whose 
  poor quality work caused the catastrophic failure.
  
  23
  Money is indeed the most important thing in the world; and 
  all sound and successful personal and national morality 
  should have this fact for its basis.
   - George Bernard Shaw
  1. first Bank of rhylanor
  Rhylanor/2716 Spinward
  Im-3353-54-PubW-Fin-1765-65
  Description
  One of the longest-established banks in the region, the First 
  Bank of Rhylanor is a safe and convenient place to keep 
  your money, and a sound choice of partner for any form of 
  financing.
  Referee’s Notes
  The FBR is an old, established institution, set in its ways 
  and dependent on its reputation for reliability. So far this 
  has worked; younger, more dynamic institutions have 
  come and gone, temporarily stealing customers, but the 
  FBR has always had enough loyal members to keep it 
  profitable through the lean years. It has branches on several 
  neighbouring worlds and good relations with correspondent 
  banks on many more. Its interest rates and charges usually 
  tend to be unfavourable compared to younger institutions 
  but are more stable, making them a good choice when a 
  depression is imminent.
  Plots
  1: Adverts for the First Bank of Rhylanor with huge guaranteed 
  interest rates rapidly attract vast deposits from hopeful 
  customers. First Bank are suspicious and investigation 
  proves this is a front company misusing their bank’s name 
  to fool punters. The players are hired (along with many other 
  bounty hunters) to track down the fraudsters who put out the 
  adverts. The culprits are a local criminal gang using contacts 
  within FBR.
  2. Grey Guild
  Im-2156-52-Mut-Fin3-Svc3-Non4-1662-74
  Description
  The Grey Guild are everywhere, linking together cells 
  of thieves from thousands of worlds into an Imperium-
  wide network of crime, so secretive that even many of the 
  members do not know its true extent nor who runs it…
  Referee’s Notes
  The Grey Guild is a conspiracy theorist’s delight. Tales of a 
  massive Imperium-wide criminal network have great popular 
  appeal, and some relatively minor local organisations have 
  decided to take advantage of these stories to boost their 
  reputation. Allegedly, the Guild coordinates its criminal 
  fraternity to maximise profits; members benefit from the 
  guaranteed sale of stolen goods and strong support, both 
  against non-Guild rivals and in conflicts with the law. In 
  return, the Guild takes a large cut of any profits. In theory, 
  the Guild forms an Imperium-wide crime network; in reality 
  internal politics and greed mean that on many planets it 
  is non-existent or merely an ineffective group of minor 
  criminals.
  Plots
  1: A pair of reporters approach the players to ask for 
  protection. They claim to have evidence that the legend 
  of the Grey Guild is true, and that the local government is 
  involved. This data is false.
  2: As 1, the Guild link is false, but the reporters have 
  stumbled across dealings between key members of the 
  government and local criminals. 
  3: As 1, but several members of the government really are 
  current or previous members of the Grey Guild and will do 
  anything to prevent this becoming common knowledge.
  finanCe, insuranCe 
  and real estate
  
  24
  3. hanuman & saGaruu, Brokers
  Im-0225-23-Part-Fin-5355-23
  Description
  H&S provide brokerage of both cargo and stock. With an 
  excellent record in both fields and the dynamism to tackle 
  challenges that scare off older, more staid institutions, the 
  company can serve the most demanding of customers.
  Referee’s Notes
  Yelena Hanuman and Iikush Sagaruu were roommates at 
  business school – extremely talented students but with a 
  reputation as hellraisers. When they graduated, they found 
  they were temperamentally unsuited to the menial positions 
  available to them in an industry which, on their homeworld, 
  is male-dominated. Despite their different fields of expertise, 
  they decided to set up business together. Spurning traditional 
  behaviour, they have thrown themselves into their work with 
  an energy that shocks many of their rivals. They do not 
  hesitate to use any advantage they can to stay in business 
  in spite of establishment opposition.
  They live in a sideroom of their office, employ minimal staff 
  and frequently turn on the charm to get what they need. 
  Their biggest asset, however, remains their financial talent. 
  The partners have had some amazing successes but also 
  some notable failures. They have been careful to make sure 
  that customers understand the risks involved and although 
  they are currently under investigation for malpractice (almost 
  certainly initiated by one of their enemies) they have no 
  doubt that they will be cleared.
  Plots
  1: A group of traditional financiers determined to break 
  H&S has come up with a ‘sting’ which needs some dupes 
  to initiate it. They prime the players with information about 
  a new company about to float its stock, which is hugely 
  undervalued and guaranteed to rise dramatically in value. 
  The players are told that H&S will pay for this data. In reality, 
  the company is a front and will disappear almost immediately, 
  losing H&S huge amounts of money if they were fooled into 
  investing in it. If the players
  do not catch on, they will be arrested for fraud.
  2: H&S offer their services at a reduced rate as a special 
  deal for new customers. The players have come into a little 
  money; should they risk it with such a wild company? You can 
  extract money from the players and provide a good or bad 
  return at a later date, as necessary to drive the campaign!
  4. nits – new islands traveller 
  suPPort
  Tobia/3215 Deneb
  Im-152N-14-Priv-Fin-3222-12
  Description
  The people of the Islands clusters are isolated within the 
  Great Rift; travel outside the Islands is infrequent and too 
  expensive for all but the wealthiest. NITS is a registered 
  charity which helps the mass of would-be travellers by 
  providing them with holos and other data on Known Space, 
  including the NITS newsletter. Contributions are desperately 
  needed: money, old holos and articles for the newsletter are 
  all gratefully received and volunteers are always welcome.
  Referee’s Notes
  NITS’ main office is on one of the two high population worlds 
  close to the Deneb departure point for the Islands. The few 
  staff are overworked; there are never enough volunteers 
  to do everything. A second office has recently opened on 
  the far side of the rift but there is almost no communication 
  between the two. The only other paid workers are part-time 
  distributors in the Islands who take the NITS cargo (carried 
  by the occasional ships making the long trip) and deliver it 
  to subscribers.
  The charity appeals mostly to people who like to travel 
  themselves. Many donors cannot afford to leave their own 
  homeworld but sympathise with the Islanders’ plight; regular 
  contributors receive a copy of the NITS newsletter, which 
  is full of articles about history, astrography, travel stories 
  and interviews with mildly famous personalities. This is also 
  distributed to Islands subscribers. Many Imperial citizens do 
  not see the point of NITS’ activities, arguing that if it does not 
  help people to travel it isn’t really helping at all, and also that 
  it is dangerous to incite such dreams in warlike barbarians 
  such as the Islanders. However, the charity’s subscribers 
  are grateful for an opportunity to escape for a while into a 
  wider universe, if only vicariously.
  Plots
  1: Due to an audit by the Imperial Charities Commission 
  NITS needs to fetch some records from their Islands offices. 
  No ships are scheduled and they hire the party for an 
  emergency run.
  2: On seeing a NITS advert, the players realise that they 
  may be able to make a significant profit running passenger 
  trips to and from the Islands.
  
  25
  5. outsystem estate
  Im-1234-22-LL-Fin-4334-32
  Description
  Outsystem Estate offers a full service for those who wish 
  to buy or sell real estate and other major products between 
  the populated worlds of this star system. Robot drones allow 
  prospective buyers to view a site, starship or other such item 
  remotely from the comfort of their own world.
  Referee’s Notes
  This system is seeing heavy colonisation of its outer worlds 
  and moons. Most of this territory is still technically owned by 
  the mainworld government, but for several years it has been 
  selling off large tracts to raise funds; re-selling this ground is 
  now a significant market. 
  Plots
  1: A customer suspects that the drones are showing too 
  rosy a picture of the valley he intends to buy on a gas giant 
  moon. He hires the players to take a trip out to the moon 
  and investigate. When they arrive they find the correctly 
  numbered drones placed around the wrong valley; clearly 
  the images they are broadcasting do not match what they 
  are pointing at. Outsystem has had to reuse the drones 
  for another customer and are therefore transmitting pre-
  recorded signals to the patron; a quick check reveals the 
  patron’s site is nearby and is exactly what he was seeing 
  remotely.
  2: As 1, but the valley being sold is covered in military 
  engineering vehicles. The area has an old underground 
  munitions 
  silo; 
  the 
  military 
  are 
  behind 
  schedule 
  decommissioning it, so have requested that OE show 
  their client recorded scenes from the site until they have 
  completed work. They will not appreciate anyone snooping 
  around the site, and the munitions are hazardous.
  3: As 2, but the military are installing a longterm deep cover 
  system defence installation, so ground and space security 
  will be very heavy.
  6. shaim intelleCtual ProPerty 
  lessors, liC
  Im-3251-61-PubW-Fin-5655-34
  Description
  SIPLL are the official recorders of intellectual property (IP) 
  ownership for this star system as well as a major holder 
  of IP in their own right. If you wish to license IP they can 
  arrange all necessary administration for a relatively small 
  fee. The company also conducts investigations to establish 
  the validity of new claims.
  Referee’s Notes
  Most people in this high-law, high-population system who 
  have heard of SIPLL see it as a sprawling bureaucratic 
  parasite on people’s creativity. The IP laws of the Third 
  Imperium, only slightly less restrictive than those of the 
  Ziru Sirka, have stifled innovation everywhere; SIPLL follow 
  them to the letter. The company has a great deal of influence 
  with the government, which has protected their corporate 
  interests against stiff resistance. SIPLL holds system-wide 
  rights to more than half of the Imperial IP licensed for use on 
  this world (meaning that, for a fixed annual fee to the actual 
  holder, they administer and receive the royalties for use of 
  the IP). They are ruthless about pursuing infringements, 
  even for IP which is no longer regarded as valuable on other 
  worlds. Far less efficient is the company’s handling of new 
  developments; claims can be tied up for years while SIPLL 
  search for precedents. Many people hold the company 
  responsible for the decline of research and the arts here; 
  their accusations are almost certainly correct. 
  Ownership
  Naasirka 11%
  Hortalez et Cie 8%
  SuSAG 5%
  Other Corporations 42%
  Imperial Family 5%
  Other Nobles 23%
  Local Citizens 8%
  Plots
  1: The players buy a cheap cargo of holovids for speculative 
  trade. Before they can leave they are approached by SIPLL 
  investigators; the seller had not paid the required royalties 
  on certain techniques used in their production. The players 
  must pay the fees or get their seller (who has disappeared) 
  to pay before they can leave.
  2: As 1, but the artistic IP in the holovids precludes them 
  from being taken off world. The players must try to re-sell 
  them here (for a significant loss) or negotiate a waiver to 
  take them off-world.
  7. siedler insuranCe
  Im-3445-33-PubW-Fin-2542-54
  Description
  SI provides a wide variety of services including small vehicle, 
  life, health and accident insurance. High-risk occupations 
  and activities are catered for at very reasonable rates.
  Referee’s Notes
  SI began as a small concern on the Imperium frontier. It took 
  a high-risk approach, insuring settlers and their equipment 
  when colonising (or in some cases re-colonising) new worlds. 
  
  26
  Despite some notable payouts, the gamble paid off. SI soon 
  began to absorb other insurance companies with differing 
  specialities and as the frontier moved on it adopted a more 
  conservative role. Recently competition has been fierce and 
  the company has had to reduce its premiums drastically to 
  keep its customers. As a result it has had to streamline its 
  operations and is currently managing the optimisation of 
  40% of its workers. Its share price has suffered accordingly.
  The current CEO, Musush Gemana, is a visionary who 
  is unhappy with the current state of the company. She is 
  actively looking to recreate the dynamism of its early days 
  and has branched out into insuring active mercenary groups, 
  despite opposition from the board of directors, who refer to 
  the project as Mad Musush’s Scheme. Ms. Gemana sees 
  this as a first step; if the venture is profitable she has much 
  more ambitious plans! 
  Plots
  1: SI agents approach the players regarding an insurance 
  claim by a foe from one of their recent adventures! The 
  agents want the players to confirm that they destroyed 
  certain property and to clarify the circumstances in which 
  this happened.
  2: As 1, but the agents are really undercover law officials 
  looking to trap the players into
  confessing their illegal activities.
  3: As mercenaries, the players are preparing for a new 
  mission and see an SI advertisement. They can barely 
  afford the rates but it would provide them with security if the 
  mission goes wrong.
  8. the triButis arms GrouP
  Im-4545-34-Emp-Manu4-Fin6-0235-37
  Description
  Members of the Tributis Arms Group offer high quality 
  military, paramilitary and civilian starships as well as vehicles 
  and small-arms. Unlike most such companies, TAG is run for 
  the benefit of its employees rather than shareholders.
  Referee’s Notes
  Originally a co-operative venture by several smaller arms 
  manufacturers attempting to gain Imperial contracts during 
  the Third Frontier War, TAG grew beyond all expectations. 
  After the war, in a move that surprised everyone, the 
  company became an employee trust with the former board 
  of directors as trustees, reinforcing the company’s belief 
  in the value of its staff. The position of Tributis Employee 
  Retention Magistrate was devised, responsible for crafting 
  a life-enhancing corporate culture and dealing with troubled 
  individuals. When possible, people who are not happy with 
  their work are moved, at the group’s expense, to a more 
  rewarding area. Primarily a holding company, TAG’s policy 
  is to buy knowledge rather then cultivate it internally. The 
  group has often run up large debts to facilitate takeovers 
  of smaller companies with skills it wants, a prime example 
  being the absorption towards the war’s end of several small 
  shipyards in the Regina subsector. These gave Tributis the 
  ability to expand into the private market when peace arrived, 
  the profits being used to purchase more shipyards. Tributis 
  Naval Yards (TNY) has always been considered one of the 
  stars of the company. 
  Other sections include the Small Arms Division (SAD), 
  Military and paramilitary Vehicles (TMV), the Rapid Strike 
  Force (RSF, p.45), the Tributis Acquisitions Department 
  (TAD), and the recently acquired Pinkerdoo Design Group 
  (PDG).
  Tributis takes over the top-level administration of its 
  subsidiaries, restructuring where necessary to match the 
  corporate vision, and assigns the purchase to one of its 
  divisions. TAG has just started an aggressive campaign to 
  expand into Corridor and the central Imperium.
  Plots
  1: TAG is interested in acquiring another small weapons 
  manufacturer. However, they do not wish their interest 
  to become common knowledge or the share value of the 
  acquisition will rise, making it more expensive to buy. They 
  hire the players (who should have some appropriate military 
  background) to covertly evaluate this company.
  2: As 1, but the company to be acquired is leaking press 
  reports of a new explosive it has developed. The players are 
  hired to steal information about the explosive, so TAG can 
  determine if it is worth the extra cost of the company given 
  its rapidly rising share price.
  9. x-Bank
  Im-5544-54-PubW-Fin-1543-64
  Description
  When payments absolutely, positively have to be made 
  between systems, X-Bank use the express-boat network to 
  do so as quickly and efficiently as possible for a negligible 
  fee. Various insurance and security options are available.
  
  27
  Referee’s Notes
  X-Bank was set up by Zhiani Corpbank in Core sector shortly 
  after the x-boat service was begun in 624. It minimised the 
  costs of interstellar money transfer by using the new public 
  network to carry the required information (heavily encrypted). 
  They managed to undercut their competitors and as the 
  x-boat network expanded, so did X-Bank, outgrowing its 
  parent. It began forming agreements with other banks across 
  the Imperium and to avoid bias it became an independent 
  body. It is now the de facto standard for interstellar money 
  transfers between non-correspondent banks.
  Plots
  1: Large payments appear mysteriously in a player’s bank 
  account, always for the same amount and always sent via 
  X-Bank from their previous port of call. X-Bank officials start 
  investigating the player for fraud... The cause is an X-Bank 
  computer error, but it will take time to prove this!
  2: As 1, but this is a hacker stealing funds.
  3: As 1, but this is payment for a covert government operation 
  which must remain secret.
  
  28
  He therefore searches for means to spur them on to 
  consumption, to give his wares new charms, to inspire them 
  with new needs by constant chatter.
   - Karl Marx
  1. amalGamated air
  Im-3434-35-PubS-Manu7-Svc3-3554-33
  Description
  AA provides a complete breathing solution for vacuum worlds 
  and planetoids – air processing and generating equipment 
  accompanied by fully trained service staff on hand 24 hours 
  a day.
  Referee’s Notes
  Following a recent corporate take-over, AA has become 
  much more ruthless in its business affairs. It still offers the 
  latest technology but rather than tailoring solutions to local 
  conditions, it provides standardised systems, installed and 
  supported by inadequately-trained staff. Charges have also 
  gone up, but AA still rides the reputation it developed in 
  earlier days.
  Plots
  1: Air recycling fails on a low-tech vacuum world. To avoid 
  a panic, the local AA maintenance team claim they’ll have 
  it repaired within a few hours, but when it’s still not working 
  after two days, they eventually admit that they do not have 
  the expertise or equipment required to fix it – that is when 
  the panic really starts…
  2. antioCh arms
  HRD/1623 Deneb
  Im-6532-34-WOS-Manu8-Ret2-2544-64
  Description
  Antioch Arms produces personal arms and armour for 
  military and civil use, specialising in energy and gauss 
  weapons. The Antioch HHG-15 fusion grenade is known 
  to most marines serving in the Marches for its high yield. 
  Other weapons include the S/99 Special, a 9mm gauss 
  pistol produced by the company since the early days of the 
  Imperium, a highly experimental rapid fire fusion rifle and 
  marine hyperdense cutlasses.
  Referee’s Notes
  Antioch Arms was one of the earliest subsidiary companies to 
  be spun off from X-TEK and it closely follows the corporate 
  style of its parent, with management structure following military 
  lines. The company has been known to perform black ops but 
  never against Imperial interests; because of Navy ties it has 
  always avoided censure. Its competitors accuse Antioch of 
  promoting instability on balkanised worlds to boost sales but 
  nothing has ever been proved.
  Plots
  1: Antioch Arms hire the players at good rates as field 
  testers for a new weapon at a test area (blasted ruins in 
  a wilderness area). Everything must be recorded but the 
  players must not disclose any information concerning the 
  weapon outside the R&D facility.
  The goal is quite simple; using only the test weapon, the party 
  must seek and destroy various target drones. Obstacles 
  include dummy targets, automated attack drones and even 
  other weapon testers. There is a chance that the weapon 
  will malfunction in some way. It could fail to fire accurately, 
  jam, or even explode.
  2: As 1, but for realism, the attack drones may have semi- or 
  fully-offensive capability…
  3: Antioch hires the players to do a weapons run o a world 
  plagued by civil war. Antioch has a contract with the military, 
  but against the wishes of he government. It has invested 
  heavily in this weapons run, but will deny any knowledge 
  of the group if the government intervenes and arrests them 
  for smuggling. If for some reason the players try to keep 
  the weapons for themselves, Antioch will hire BureauX to 
  retrieve their goods.
  3. auriCteCh shiPyards, liC
  Trin/3235 Spinward
  Im-5443-2?-PubW-Manu7-Svc3-3345-44
  AuricTech: Gold-plated solutions for copper-plated problems!
  Description
  AuricTech produces military and commercial ships of all 
  sizes. Their designs are often more capable (especially in 
  terms of sensor ranges), more spacious (usually providing 
  individual staterooms for all crew) and far more expensive 
  than ships from more conventional shipyards. 
  Referee’s Notes
  AuricTech was founded on Sylea in Imperial Year 6 by 
  Marcus Weishaupt, a businessman of Solomani ancestry, 
  manufaCturinG
  
  29
  to produce standard 100-ton scout/ couriers for the IISS. It 
  soon progressed to in-house designs; the first commercial 
  success was the C20-2 light transport – a 100-ton jump-2 
  ship packing in 20 passengers. The 1,000-ton Electra series 
  yachts (procured by the Imperial Navy as the Isabel-class 
  VIP transport/C3I ship) cemented the company’s reputation. 
  Early products ranged from UA-series 30-ton ship’s boats 
  to 160,000-ton Agincourt battleships. As the Imperium 
  expanded, AuricTech shifted its base of operations to the 
  Spinward Marches. By 1100, the company was a major 
  supplier of warships to the Imperial Navy and IISS, with 
  shipyards at Mora, Trin, and Lunion. In 1101, AuricTech 
  unveiled the Montana class battleship, a 500,000-ton 
  technological tour de force. It is also a player in the civilian 
  market, having recently been contracted by Thermopylae 
  Lines to provide new designs of freighter and passenger 
  liner. AuricTech’s public image is good; military personnel 
  generally favour the performance and habitability of their 
  ships, and the public view them as competent, quality 
  builders. However, Imperial Navy budgeters believe they 
  deliver insufficient crunch for the Credit, so their warships 
  have mostly been purchased in limited quantities, with 
  the vessels serving as flagships for squadrons of more 
  reasonably priced ships in order to make the best use of 
  the superior AuricTech sensor arrays and spacious Combat 
  Information Centres. Few know that the shift to the Marches 
  was due to most AuricTech stock being donated to the 
  Imperium in 625 after the Civil Wars (the AT
  board backed an unsuccessful pretender to the Throne). 
  In 626, controlling interest in AuricTech was sold to Ling-
  Standard Products. In 845, LSP sold most of its interest in 
  the unprofitable Marches yards (and rights to the AuricTech 
  name)  to investors led by Baron Eneri haut Rearden. 
  The current CEO is Dame Jenifer Rearden-Taggart. 
  Ownership
  Hortalez et Cie 24%
  Rearden Family 18%
  Other Noble Families 14%
  AuricTech Employees 12%
  Ling- Standard Products 7%
  Imperial Family 5%
  Thermopylae Lines 2%
  Other 18%
  Plots
  1: The characters are assigned to field test a new AuricTech 
  design (ship type depends on the players’ skill set, service 
  and campaign). Possible complications include fussy 
  budget analysts; arrogant senior officers; pressure from 
  AuricTech to submit a positive report; bribes from other 
  shipyards to submit a bad report; attempts by rival shipyards 
  or governments to gain possession of the ship (or at least 
  its technical specifications); and the inevitable bugs of a 
  prototype.
  2: The players are hired to deliver an Electra III 1,000-ton 
  yacht to its new owner, several parsecs away. Complications 
  include engineering faults, pirates, rival shipyards and a 
  very tight schedule.
  4. Baron von krinGle toys
  HRD/1623 Deneb
  Im-5533-36-WOS-Manu7-Ret3-3555-21
  Description
  Baron von Kringle is a toy and novelty maker specialising in 
  gravitics. Their toys range from the ever popular gravboard 
  and graviballs to the Hulahoopajumparopapogoball which 
  combines all the classic children’s toys from the last 
  millennia in one convenient package. The toy of your choice 
  is activated at the press of a button!
  Referee’s Notes
  Baron von Kringle is the name of the company, its CEO and 
  its marketing image. A jolly, ruddy-cheeked, snowy-haired 
  and white-bearded man, the baron has been in charge since 
  the company was founded over 200 years ago (thanks to 
  extensive use of anagathics). He loves to portray himself as 
  the children’s friend, making frequent publicity appearances 
  in the lead-up to Holiday with a sack from which he distributes 
  free toys. Within the company, the baron is regarded as a 
  hard taskmaster, obsessed with lowering costs and not at 
  all concerned with the well-being of his workers. There is a 
  huge turnover of staff in the lower ranks; young people join 
  the Kringle workshops imagining something very different to 
  the sweatshop conditions they find; almost all leave when 
  their year’s contract runs out. The company relies heavily on 
  its market research to decide what would make a successful 
  toy, including product test placements and surveys in public 
  places (including starports).
  Plots
  1: Von Kringle hires the group to deliver his latest toy, due 
  to be out on the shelves by Holiday. The group must deliver 
  the goods to the world specified two days before Holiday 
  (to allow time for distribution across the world) or incur the 
  wrath of unhappy children and the Baron. However, customs 
  officials are on a work-to-rule. 
  2: As 1, plus a competitor wants to get a preview of the new 
  Von Kringle toy, so tries to bribe or steal samples from the 
  players.
  
  30
  5. Centrax metriCs & hiver
  Motion Systems
  Hv-5532-56-StO-Manu-5203-04--2513-12-WOS-
  Manu-4212-24
  Description
  Hiver electronics are the best in known space; now Imperial 
  citizens, governments and corporations can share this quality 
  in the field of motion capture and processing. Applications 
  include communications, ergonomics, health, entertainment 
  and security.
  Referee’s Notes
  Hiver corporations have always been difficult to classify; 
  many are listed as state owned by default, and there 
  is debate over who exactly to count as the employees. 
  Centrax Metrics is a long-established Hiver nest community 
  producing optical sensors, hardware and software used in 
  the study of motion. Hiver Motion Systems is a new nest 
  set up to distribute CM product in Imperial space, so closely 
  affiliated with CM that it is a subsidiary in all but name. HMS 
  products are very expensive but are very popular with big-
  budget organisations. However, while Imperial competitors 
  cannot match the HMS equipment for quality they still win 
  many orders because of cost, patriotism or the threat of Hiver 
  manipulation, fears they play up for all their worth. CM’s core 
  business is input systems for Hiver language computers; 
  optical sensors watching Hiver gestures and analysing them 
  allows for virtually hands-free communication with speaking 
  lifeforms. There is now a small market for HMS kit adapted 
  for human sign language and communicating with the 
  incurably deaf. 
  The ergonomic and population flow analysis systems are 
  much more popular, especially with ship architects. By 
  studying how people interact with prototype control systems, 
  designs can be very finely tuned. Their holo-character 
  software is often purchased by the entertainment industry. 
  However, HMS is failing to make an impact in medicine, 
  where Imperial systems already allow analysis of the way 
  people move to be used for diagnosis; a few sports training 
  centres claim HMS systems give their clients the competitive 
  edge. HMS security systems that recognise people by their 
  movements as well as their appearance have impressed 
  would-be customers but few can bring themselves to trust 
  their security to a species famed for sneakiness.
  Plots
  1: A wild-eyed pilot with his arm in a cast and a bandage 
  on his head accosts the players, claiming the Hivers are 
  engineering the deterioration of Imperial starship bridge 
  crew by sabotaging the designs using HMS products. He 
  shows them some bridge plans with controls and bulkheads 
  arranged in a very strange manner and points at the 
  label ‘optimised using HMS Layout Manager’. In fact, the 
  architects messed up the plans without any manipulation, 
  though they will never admit it.
  2: The players are delayed attempting to leave a world by a 
  demonstration at the starport. The management used HMS 
  population flow analysis to show the workers were extremely 
  inefficient; the port demanded increased productivity at no 
  extra pay. Naturally, the workers have turned nasty and 
  accusations are flying in all directions.
  6. famille sPofulam
  ??-????-??-Fam-Manu?-Non?-????-??
  Description
  Famille Spofulam? Never heard of them. And even if I had, 
  I would certainly not have bought any of their products. And 
  definitely not their weapons. Anyway, I was on holiday at the 
  time.
  Referee’s Notes
  It is sometimes said that a company defies classification; this 
  is literally true for FS, due to a virus introduced into the ISD 
  records system by persons unknown (though we have our 
  suspicions). Inquiries to the expert system tend to produce 
  answers like ‘Paranoia? Frankly, that depends on who’s 
  asking and what drugs Accounts have been taking lately.’
  FS products range from bizarre toys (such as the orbit-rated 
  MegaBoing Grav Pogo Stick) through the bizarrely daring 
  (such as the euphemistically-named smuggler’s delight, the 
  Moonshine-class Rapid Insertion/Extraction Starship) to the 
  dangerously bizarre (pelvic-mounted high-energy weapons, 
  anyone?). All display a complete disregard for common 
  practice and are bigger, bolder, more expensive or more 
  destructive than anything seen elsewhere. Hard facts are… 
  well, hard to come by.
  According to legend, the company was founded as a 
  shipyard in -25. When Hereditary Patriarch Hengabar ‘Uncle 
  Hengie’ Spofulam took the helm he firmly positioned FS 
  as a high-end niche player in a number of fields, including 
  vehicles and weaponry. He also formed a long-lasting 
  strategic alliance with the Sayat Concourse and defined 
  the organisational structure and culture that has carried FS 
  through to the present day. Little is known about the inner 
  workings of ‘the Famille’, although the dark rumours of 
  inbreeding with eugenic intent, rampant substance abuse, 
  and child labour are so prevalent they may be at least 
  partly true (and the High Energy and Starship Weapons 
  Divisions are both led by children of dubious stability). An 
  early Gridlore  advertising slogan ‘At least our products 
  aren’t designed by drugged-out children’ was quickly 
  suppressed by a massive legal action. Of course, all of the 
  above could be entirely false and merely a marketing ploy, 
  or a competitor disinformation exercise.
  
  31
  Plots
  1: Ditzie, the head of the High Energy Weapons Division, is 
  looking for test subjects for their latest offering, the Elephant-
  Mounted Particle Accelerator Weapon. The players are 
  volunteered. Note: this is a good plot to use for the last 
  adventure of a campaign. It is probably not a good plot to 
  use on any other occasion.
  2: The players are involved in a high-speed chase during 
  which their air/raft is disabled. The only other available 
  transportation belongs to a group of children playing nearby 
  – some FS fusion-powered gravboards (or a Megaboing 
  pogo stick).
  3: Three crates marked ‘FS - Export Only - DFG’ turn up on the 
  cargo manifest. The crates contain 20 flat plastic refill packs 
  of Hydrazine and Nitrogen Tetroxide (‘Ditzie’s Favourite 
  Gloop’). These are incredibly dangerous chemicals, as 
  anyone with any knowledge of chemistry will know. Put 
  together (for example, in the reaction chamber of the FS Jet 
  Bike), their waste products are corrosive, carcinogenic and 
  mutagenic. If Customs, or the local environmental authorities 
  find this on board they will impound the ship!
  4: As 3, but the DFG was not packed correctly…
  5: The players discover a derelict FS-built yacht, with a 
  spotless interior and no sign of its crew. Any player left alone 
  for more than a few minutes will discover the cleaning robots 
  are doing double duty as security robots, capturing and then 
  killing their victims by pouring Draino-13 into their ears. 
  5: The players are hired to transport a Racing Forklift team 
  to the Makalli 500 with their FS Light Export Forklift (top 
  speed 404 kph). Unfortunately the mechanics keep wanting 
  to borrow spare parts and tools; the PR rep (young, nubile, 
  ambitious, dresses in red leathers) keeps scouting for more 
  talent. Then the driver (blonde, dashing, and sober three 
  hours out of twenty-four) busts both ankles falling out a third-
  floor window while drinking Scout Brew the night before the 
  race. One of the players will have to stand in – it is worth a 
  lot of money and the PR rep will be so persuasive.
  7. far Past enterPrises
  Im-0215-25-Sole-Manu6-Svc3-5677-23
  Description
  FPE keeps alive the memory of history and cultures through 
  games, re-enactments and plays. The company is the 
  brainchild of pure-bred Vilani Mazun Shugilii, winner of 19 
  design awards and author of such classics as the Ancient 
  Days rolegame and the Ancestors’ Wars series.
  Referee’s Notes
  Mazun Shugilii was always fascinated by the past but 
  felt that traditional classes were an ineffective way of 
  teaching people. Instead he devised ways to make history 
  entertaining, beginning with a historical wargame based 
  around the Interstellar Wars period. Other releases followed, 
  both wargames and rolegames, but although popular within 
  their niche market, the company for which he worked folded. 
  Determined to continue, he set up Far Past Enterprises. 
  FPE has performed extensive consulting work and Shugilii 
  is much in demand by re-enactment societies. He is very 
  good at organising events for maximum visitor enjoyment 
  but wishes he could spend more time on actual game 
  design. He has also written a few historical plays and a holo 
  script, all of which have had a mixed reception. FPE has 
  secured backing from all the Vilani megacorporations, as 
  well as Oberlindes Lines.
  Although these funds are a tiny amount from the donors’ 
  perspective, the money has kept the company going in hard 
  times.
  Plots
  1: During a jump, a spotty youth with poor personal hygiene 
  tries to interest his fellow passengers in a FPE roleplaying 
  session based on a published adventure he has brought 
  with him: Murder in Jumpspace. When nobody wants 
  to play he decides to go ahead anyway, capturing one of 
  the passengers and pretending she has been killed. The 
  players (as crew or passengers) must deal with this over-
  enthusiastic gamer.
  2: As 1, but his chosen victim is a police witness travelling 
  under a cover identity. The
  undercover law enforcement agent accompanying the 
  witness is likely to over-react…
  3: The players emerge from jump to hear confusing 
  messages coming over the communicator. It sounds as 
  though a pitched battle is taking place for control of the space 
  above the main world but there are far too few ships within 
  sensor range to match the described events. Nevertheless, 
  the locals seem to be losing. The party has stumbled into a 
  re-enactment of a local battle, though they may not discover 
  this before they get involved. Careful sensor analysis will 
  reveal two yachts controlling fleets of small shuttles acting 
  as battleships.
  8. GilGaameshu yards
  Arden/1011 Spinward
  Fa-4431-15-SS-Mine2-Cons1-Manu7-4545-53
  Description
  Gilgaameshu Yards is a profitable concern, using its 
  mines and manufacturing operations to drive its modest 
  public shipbuilding facilities. It employs a large number of 
  local Arden workers, and provides on-the-job and off-site 
  training to bring the workforce up to interstellar standards. 
  Gilgaameshu has achieved the Friend of Education award 
  
  32
  for the tenth year in a row, for contributing time, equipment 
  and cash to local schools to train the burgeoning populace 
  of Arden in high technology. From belt mining and refining 
  raw materials to finishing technologies such as fusion plants 
  and starships, Gilgaameshu is one of the major players on 
  the Arden Free Market, and one of Arden’s best hopes for 
  changing the world into a high-tech powerhouse.
  Referee’s Notes
  Gilgaameshu Yards is a profitable company for the Arden 
  economy, and is a major force driving an increase in Arden’s 
  tech level. However, it is also a front for the secretive 
  Arden Navy, which maintains an excellent TL-12 shipyard 
  in a remote location under Gilgaameshu’s name. The 
  Arden government, military, intelligence agencies, and 
  military-contract companies own most of Gilgaameshu, 
  in conjunction with a select group of very wealthy Arden 
  citizens. Ownership is forbidden to outside entities, though 
  since ownership is via holding companies, it is difficult to 
  track down exactly who the stockholders are.
  Plots
  1: While clearing out his estate an extremely wealthy 
  patron, retired medical doctor Mr. Philihp Kazar discovered 
  a mothballed Jump-4 luxury yacht that had been on lease 
  from Gilgaameshu Yards; he forgot to return it and wants the 
  players to do so. Unfortunately Gilgaameshu has registered 
  the ship as stolen; the doctor also used another identity to 
  lease it since he was involved in some shady dealings at the 
  time, so the Arden Navy is also interested. As soon as they 
  arrive at a major port the players will become the target for 
  repo agents, bounty hunters and the Arden Navy who may 
  not believe their protestations of innocence...
  9. Gravametrix 
  HRD/1623 Deneb 
  Im-6533-35-WOS-Manu8-Ret2-4534-54
  Description 
  GravametriX produces fine gravitic vehicles for civilian and 
  military use. Their air/rafts and speeders are well-known 
  throughout the Domain for their efficiency and speed. Luxury 
  grav vehicles are available for nobles and executives, as 
  are grav sleds, tanks and APlayers for the Imperial Armed 
  Forces. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Originally a purely military supplier, GravametriX was forced 
  to broaden its market during a period of low investment in 
  the armed forces. Initial offerings were overpriced, over-
  specified and too utilitarian to do well but the company soon 
  rectified this. Their civilian vehicles are aimed firmly at the 
  top end of the market; they have a reputation for making 
  reliable, energyefficient, high speed vehicles that are second 
  to none. The marketing slogan, ‘no compromises’, always 
  makes military-orientated designers wince. 
  Plots 
  1: GravametriX hires the players as test pilots for a new 
  design of grav vehicle, employing a new propulsion system. 
  Due to an administrative blunder, when they arrive the 
  players are given a top secret next-generation grav tank 
  instead. However adept the players prove at handling the 
  tank, the army officers on the trial realise something is 
  wrong and arrest the players, thinking they may be spies. 
  Provided their police and/or military records are clean, they 
  are released with strong hints that they should not talk about 
  this. 
  2: A competitor’s vehicle has a remarkably similar drive 
  signature to GravametriX’s. The players are hired to steal 
  the design so that the company can check it for copyright 
  infringement. 
  3: As 2, but BureauX agents are actually undertaking the 
  investigation – they have hired the players to provide a 
  distraction while they make their own entry into the rival 
  company buildings. Manufacturing 30 
  10. Gridlore teChnoloGies, liC 
  Lunion/2134 Spinward 
  Im-5444-24-Fam-Cons1-Manu5-Whol3- Ret1-6342-33
  Description 
  Gridlore is a venerable family firm dating back to the 
  Imperium’s founding; it still focuses on its traditional 
  concerns – starships and trade. The company is currently 
  seeking partners willing to invest in expanding trade into the 
  Outrim Void. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Company founder Baron Arameth Gridlore was one of 
  a few nobles who wanted to push the Third Imperium’s 
  boundaries beyond those of its predecessors as swiftly 
  as possible. Heading out behind ‘the Claw’ he invested 
  heavily in colonisation of the Spinward Marches, focusing 
  on expanding trade and providing the starships necessary 
  to do so. The enterprise prospered. One of the Baron’s 
  principal concerns was that his family should retain control 
  of the company. He set up rules for inheritance and over the 
  centuries these have become increasingly elaborate. As a 
  result, Gridlore remains firmly in the Gridlore family’s hands, 
  but management transitions can cause bloody internecine 
  strife. The Board of Directors meet in the corporate HQ, an 
  orbital habitat high above Lunion. Each operating section 
  is headed by a family member; each has considerable 
  autonomy. The Overce Shipyards, also in Lunion orbit, have 
  a reputation for excellence with customers seeking custom 
  vessels; a more recent endeavour, ACQ Defence Systems, 
  is an industry leader in personal arms manufacture. Many 
  observers attribute ACQ’s success to its aggressive 
  marketing, focusing on the division’s distinctive Terran 
  penguin logo. Under the current Chair of the Board Kellier 
  
  33
  Ovari-Gridlore (62), the firm has experienced a rebirth of 
  purpose. A newly-formed division, Outrim Horizons, LIC, will 
  begin exploration of the Outrim Void within two years with 
  the purpose of expanding trade with the scattered Aslan and 
  Human worlds in that region. 
  Ownership
  Gridlore Family 53%
  Hortalez et Cie 10%
  Instellarms 7%
  Noble Families 15%
  Imperial Household 5%
  Other Investors 10%
  Plots 
  1: Gridlore is looking for travellers with a wide variety of 
  skills for their Outrim Void expedition: ex-scouts, merchants, 
  diplomats, scientists, starship crew and security will all 
  be needed. Also on board is a survivor of the Baraccai 
  Technum expedition which set out in 1107. The new mission 
  is intended to last approximately two years. This can be 
  used to lead into a long adventure! 
  2: Immediately after passing through Customs, the players 
  are stopped by bailiffs intent on confiscating their recently 
  acquired ACQ sidearms. The officials represent a computer 
  software firm who claim that the penguin image on the guns’ 
  butts is a violation of their trademark. 
  11. huai ornamentals, liC 
  Im-2344-25-LL-Manu-4224-22
  Description 
  Zdeld Huai’s amazing faunicultural creations keep his 
  customers on the cutting edge of fashion. His animal-based 
  clothing, wall and floor coverings, decorations and objets 
  d’art always invite comment and admiration from observers. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Zdeld Huai was a struggling young artist looking to make 
  his name. Certain species of animal on his homeworld could 
  shape themselves very flexibly to suit the environment in 
  which they grew and he hit upon the idea of faunisculpture, 
  stretching and extending the creatures’ natural ability to 
  produce ‘living art’. His first exhibition was a resounding 
  success, earning him instant wealth and recognition. 
  Other artists copied him but he stayed one step ahead by 
  moving into areas other than sculpture. The mimics quickly 
  adapted, but his reputation was made. As demand for his 
  works grew, Zdeld decided to concentrate on design and 
  took on assistants to perform the actual manipulation. The 
  arrangement worked well and he set up Huai Ornamentals. 
  Fellow artists accused him of selling out but he considered 
  this to be petty jealousy. HO went from strength to strength. 
  As time passed and production grew, Zdeld handed over 
  most of the design work to subordinates and withdrew from 
  the day-to-day running of the operation. He is currently 
  considering going public, or else selling his shares and 
  retiring. Zdeld is a great self-publicist, appearing regularly 
  on talk shows and HO advertisements. He comes across as 
  a passionate believer in his art, although privately he now 
  cares far more about the wealth it has brought him. 
  Plots 
  1: The players are hired to quietly recover some artworks 
  removed by accident from an HO plant. It is explained that 
  these are part of next season’s line and must not be seen 
  by competitors. The truth is that HO has been experimenting 
  with a low-maintenance line – manipulants that rarely need 
  feeding or cleaning. All was going well until the earliest 
  specimens reached maturity when their metabolic rate 
  increased, sending them into a feeding frenzy. The creatures 
  need to be recovered before they start to eat their owners… 
  2: A forensic check on a dead HO garment (possibly 
  following the events above) reveals the Hypagene trademark 
  embedded in the junk DNA, indicating that the garment 
  was bred from stock modified by the larger company. 
  HO has always claimed that its works were created by 
  traditional breeding so Hypagene’s involvement would be 
  embarrassing. Similarly, if Hypagene products are being 
  used without their permission, this would mean a significant 
  loss of intellectual property which could damage them 
  commercially. 
  3: As 1 and 2, but this is a secret Hypagene project to 
  breed HO artworks to selectively assassinate their owners. 
  Hypagene will go to any lengths to conceal their involvement. 
  There are also clues leading back to Imperial Intelligence… 
  12. knaPPers 
  Im-2043-46-Mut-Manu-2116-13
  Description 
  Knappers design and manufacture a wide variety of low-tech 
  goods from flint, obsidian and other traditional substances. 
  All items are carefully hand-crafted in genuine lithic 
  communities; high technology manufacturing techniques 
  are never used. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Knappers rely on the desire of industrialised peoples for 
  traditional goods and the image of the simple, peaceful, 
  native lifestyle. Low-tech worlds rarely make significant 
  money from selling their natural resources, but Knappers 
  have found a successful and profitable niche. Many local 
  communities are wholeheartedly involved in the business, 
  performing all functions from quarrying stone to packing the 
  finished product. The best-selling items are jewellery and 
  bladed tools, but the crafters are always experimenting – 
  blenith pottery is a recent addition to their product line. 
  
  34
  Plots 
  1: Some Knappers want to make their lives easier by 
  purchasing high-tech tools to perform jobs faster. The 
  traders who buy their goods are worried that this will 
  destroy the simple people image and have been trying to 
  block these purchases. The players are hired by a Knapper 
  representative to bring high-tech stone-working tools (such 
  as laser cutters) to the world, but when they arrive the 
  traders, and the more traditional Knappers, try to stop the 
  sale. 
  13. maximus interstellar 
  defenCe industries 
  Terra/1827 Solomani Rim 
  Im-8553-5?-PubW-Manu6-Util2-Svc2 -4433-54
  Description 
  MIDI is a huge firm with interests in many areas although 
  its core business is aerospace, with specialised shipyards 
  for military and civilian craft of all sizes. It maintains well-
  equipped private security at all its facilities, supplementing 
  its own troops with local contract agencies. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  MIDI was a major beneficiary of the Solomani Rim 
  War, declaring early for the Imperium and supporting 
  it wholeheartedly. When Terra was taken, it moved its 
  headquarters to the Solomani homeworld, receiving honours 
  and concessions from the victors. The company began to 
  expand, swallowing many smaller businesses who had 
  backed the wrong side. As a result of its actions it became 
  very popular with Imperials but hated by Confederation 
  sympathisers. Because its growth was so rapid, MIDI’s 
  management structure failed to keep up with the changes 
  and the corporation stagnated. The current CEO, Baron 
  David Colsworth, instigated a major restructuring of the 
  upper levels and MIDI has recovered well. Some problems 
  remain, however, and there is bitter rivalry between Defence 
  Division head Harlan Walker and Leann Downing, the new 
  VP of Public Relations. Subsidiaries include Ventronics 
  Industries (starship sensors, communications and fire control 
  systems); Ishyama Limited (laser and energy weapons 
  systems); Gluttonous Maximus (luxury food production/
  distribution); Confederated Dynamics (atmospheric craft 
  and grav vehicles); Confederated Electric (power generation 
  and distribution); Integrated Data Systems (computers); and 
  Pegasus Services (security). For the past few years MIDI has 
  been negotiating a merger with X-TEK, which would create 
  a new megacorporation. One of the main sticking points has 
  been a disagreement over security; X-TEK accuses MIDI 
  of being too lax while Colsworth believes the Deneb giant 
  is obsessed with BureauX to the extent that commercial 
  interests take second place. There is also significant interest 
  from the Imperium to ensure that any potential megacorp 
  involves the right sort of people doing the right sor’ of thing. 
  Plots 
  1: Following a number of threats from Solomani separatists, 
  MIDI hires the players as extra security at one of their plants. 
  When the terrorists attack, the players observe a third group 
  covertly observing the situation. These are BureauX agents 
  sent by X-TEK to check MIDI’s security procedures. They will 
  assess the response to the terrorist threat and report back to 
  X-TEK. If the players show undue interest in them, the agents 
  will arrange some further incidents to determine just how 
  intelligent and/or tenacious MIDI’s security staff can be. 
  2: Harlan Walker is notoriously blunt; Leann Downing hires 
  the players to delay him so that he misses meeting (and 
  probably upsetting) some important clients, by any means 
  necessary short of hurting him. If they are successful, she 
  may be tempted to use them again, this time to delay Walker 
  from a board meeting, so that she can promote herself and 
  make him look incompetent. 
  14. Planet x reCordinGs 
  HRD/1623 Deneb 
  Im-6534-34-WOS-Manu7-Ret3-0432-44
  Description 
  Planet X Recordings is a relative newcomer to the X-TEK 
  family. A major media producer specialising in holovids and 
  musical recordings, their outlets offer all kinds of music 
  from Vilani Opera to Classical Terran Rock & Roll. Planet X 
  Recordings is currently producing the works of Tir Na n’Og, 
  a Classical Terran Celtic Heavy Metal Rock group, on tour in 
  the Spinward Marches. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  With Hot ‘n’ Spicy (see Supplement 13: Starport Encounters) 
  signed to a major competitor, Planet X Recordings have been 
  struggling to compete in the teenage market and have been 
  actively scouting for fresh talent. However, the company has 
  a lead with older, more selective buyers and Tir Na n’Og’s 
  latest album has been a huge success. In the holovid field, 
  Planet X are well known for high quality costume dramas 
  and situation comedies but are seeking success in the field 
  of documentaries. They have recently paid a large amount 
  to persuade the renowned presenter Harlik Slicker to defect 
  to their team to improve the popularity of their work. 
  Plots 
  1: Tir Na n’Og’s latest stage show is the most extravagant 
  ever and the recording company is looking for new roadies. 
  Duties include keeping the tour ship working, procurement 
  of goods for the band, setting up the stage and, of course, 
  keeping fans, reporters and anti-social elements away from 
  the stars. 
  2: The players get a chance to try out in a Planet X studio. 
  Whether they have talent or not the experienced production 
  staff can make it sound good. The players are offered a 
  contract straight away but the terms are extensive, restrictive 
  and their royalty percentages are very low. 
  
  35
  3: MegaDoc, previous employers of Harlik Slicker, hire the 
  players to persuade him to return to them. If bribes do not 
  work, the players are told to ‘make it difficult for him until he 
  sees the light’. 
  15. sPy-tek 
  HRD/1623 Deneb
  Im-6533-34-WOS-Manu7-Ret3-1543-53
  Description 
  Spy-TEK is best known for producing fine optics and sensing 
  equipment for civilian use, including full electromagnetic 
  spectrum (EMS) sensors, image enhancement and automatic 
  visual identification systems. It also offers a complete line of 
  home and starship security and anti-hijack systems. They 
  also stock stun guns, stickyspray, Blur, and almost any other 
  non-lethal anti-assailant weaponry available in the military 
  and civilian marketplace. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  When forming BureauX, X-TEK needed a wide variety of 
  espionage and counterespionage equipment. Although 
  some could be bought from other companies it was judged 
  that for security reasons it would be best to keep design and 
  production in-house. A portion of X-TEK’s R&D budget was 
  diverted to pay for this. Spy-TEK is a commercial enterprise 
  set up to recoup some of that expense. It sells non-sensitive 
  security equipment, along with older designs no longer used 
  by the agency (which keeps the cutting-edge equipment for 
  itself). 
  Plots 
  1: The players are involved in a minor car accident which 
  cracks open the boot of the other vehicle and spills a 
  large quantity of Spy-TEK stickyspray canisters. The two 
  occupants of the car are very angry and try to stop anyone 
  from getting hold of the canisters. However, some spray is 
  picked up by a gang of street children, who use it to cause 
  havoc. 
  2: As 1, but the men have stolen a new acid spray from Spy-
  TEK for disabling heavy armour or vehicles. A child grabs a 
  can and burns one of the thieves badly by spraying them. 
  The thieves then draw weapons, fire warning shots and run 
  for it. Spy-TEK will be very grateful to anyone (such as the 
  players) who helps apprehend these thieves. 
  3: The players discover their Spy-TEK anti-hijack system is 
  using their ship communications to send bursts of encrypted 
  data whenever they are in a starport. Enquiries with Spy-TEK 
  will reveal that this is a fault in the software; then that it’s an 
  anti-hijack feature to allow their ship’s location to be traced 
  once stolen. They may eventually learn that this software 
  dumps their full databank to a BureauX receiver concealed 
  in most ports, but this feature should not have been enabled 
  on their software. Spy-TEK cannot let this feature become 
  public knowledge under any circumstances. 
  16. sylk 
  Im-3442-33-PubW-Manu-4434-32
  Description 
  Sylk is a quality clothing manufacturer, specialising in sleek, 
  silky materials using the latest heat-, light- and sound-
  sensitive colourings and scents. They are well known 
  because of their recent advertising campaigns featuring the 
  hugely successful youth band Hot & Spicy. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  With the Hot & Spicy connection, Sylk has finally succeeded 
  in making its products part of youth culture across the 
  subsector. Teens are mocked if they do not wear the latest 
  styles, applying heavy pressure on their parents to buy new 
  Sylk garments long before the old ones wear out. Because 
  of this marketing strategy the clothes are designed to look 
  good with little effort expended on making them long-lasting. 
  A two year-old Sylk shirt will already be starting to stabilise, 
  with patches of fixed colour here and there spoiling the effect 
  of the responsive cloth. Sylk’s clothing is expensive but just 
  within reach of ordinary families on the subsector’s highest 
  population worlds. Manufacturing takes place on the poorest 
  planet, where workers are paid a pittance and subjected to 
  long hours in poor conditions, which has led to a call by 
  concerned citizens of other worlds to boycott the company. 
  So far this has had little effect on sales. While still popular, 
  Hot & Spicy are no longer the phenomenal draw they were 
  a couple of years ago and Sylk are secretly looking for 
  alternatives to keep their image as up-to-date as possible. 
  Plots 
  1: Sylk has been experimenting with emotion-sensitive 
  clothing which changes colour and odour according to 
  the wearer’s mood (based on body heat, pulse, muscle 
  tension and perspiration). They have conducted simulations 
  and laboratory tests and recruit the players to try out the 
  garments. The players will be pestered by teenagers wanting 
  to know when they can buy the clothes, but showing their 
  emotions openly may be a disadvantage… 
  2: As 1, but the clothing is faulty – it can turn transparent 
  when they get angry, starts flashing if they are lying, and 
  if they get scared, it releases pheromone-analogues that 
  makes the clothing irresistible to certain local animals! 
  3: The players are offered a cargo of new Sylk clothing 
  at a low price. The garments are actually 18 months old; 
  a retailer over-ordered and failed to sell the excess. His 
  contract requires him to destroy the out-of-date stock, but he 
  preferred to forge new date certificates and sell the clothes. 
  
  36
  17. weller assoCiates 
  Im-3544-44-PubL-Manu6-Whol2-Svc2 -4444-53
  Description 
  WA deal in all kinds of precious metals and all aspects of 
  their processing, from refining to casting and delivery. As 
  well as providing refined metals for local industry, WA work 
  within local technology constraints to provide a sustainable 
  solution for self-operated metal processing, including 
  presses for minting currency. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Weller Associates began as a simple metal processing 
  company, but as they expanded they were able to market 
  their relatively low-tech industrial operation as a key asset 
  and virtue. WA target lower tech worlds and adapt their 
  locally sustainable equipment to be at the cutting edge of 
  the client’s capabilities – giving the client a competitive edge 
  but usually making it most cost efficient to retain WA for 
  maintenance. Many customers ask for minting machines to 
  be at a higher TL to make it difficult for local forgers. 
  Plots 
  1: WA minting equipment has been stolen and the world 
  is flooded with counterfeit coins, indistinguishable from 
  the real thing. WA’s guarantee may force them to pay for 
  upgrading the government mint and the cost of the currency 
  changeover if they cannot find the culprits. Bounty hunters 
  and the like are swarming around WA, hoping to become 
  part of the official investigation and get part of the huge 
  reward. The forgers have contacts in the government and 
  police but are actually offworlders – tracking them down will 
  be a very arduous but rewarding task. 
  18. x-tek of deneB, liC 
  HRD/1623 Deneb 
  Im-9562-54-PubW-Cons2-Manu6-Ret2 -3532-64
  Description 
  X-TEK is a starship and aerospace manufacturing firm, 
  specialising in weapons and propulsion systems. A major 
  supplier of advanced fighting ships to the Imperial Navy, 
  it is also involved in Naval R&D on projects such as black 
  globes and turret-sized meson weaponry. X-TEK also 
  accept contracts for civilian starships, including merchants, 
  seekers, and yachts. X-TEK facilities range from massive 
  Naval and commercial shipyards to the smaller and more 
  common Repair and Upgrade shops. They can be found 
  at most TL13+ worlds with class A or B starports within the 
  Domain of Deneb. X-TEK’s subsidiary companies range 
  from smallarms manufacturing to media entertainment. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  As a major Naval contractor, X-TEK is one of the most 
  secretive companies in the Imperium and while many 
  rivals have attempted to dig up dirt on it nobody has yet 
  succeeded. Corporate employees are no-nonsense, spit 
  and polish, by the book types; though customer-facing staff 
  are friendly and helpful, most X-TEK facilities have the air of 
  a well-ordered police state. Restricted areas are common 
  – in addition to more subtle protective measures, they are 
  guarded by armoured security personnel carrying the latest 
  in personal weapon technology. Due to the sensitive nature 
  of its research, X-TEK has developed an elite counter-
  espionage team known as BureauX. BureauX agents can 
  be found at most X-TEK facilities and are often referred to 
  as Men in Black due to their featureless black uniforms and 
  combat armour. The company’s original CEO and founder 
  was a man known only as Commander X. Awakened from 
  low berth on a vessel of unknown origin in -5 he quickly 
  made his mark as a remarkable Naval strategist, first in the 
  Chanestin wars and later on piracy suppression and re-
  contact missions. Elevated to Count in 19 he claimed an 
  abandoned deep space supply station as his fief, converting 
  it into a worldlet he called Planet X. He formed X-TEK and 
  provided ships for the Pacification Campaigns until his 
  retirement in 70, when he boarded a ship and disappeared 
  from the records. In the antebellum period, business in Core 
  Sector slumped but as war with the Zhodani approached, 
  the company focused on its Spinward operations, eventually 
  moving Planet X itself to Deneb during the First Frontier War. 
  However, the Civil War split the company and disaster struck 
  when Planet X was destroyed. Under Deneb businessman 
  Kruger Xavier, X-TEK was rebuilt after the war. Xavier won 
  some important Naval contracts and set up a research 
  facility on HRD, which became the new corporate HQ. The 
  wars with the Zhodani (and Vargr corsair actions) helped the 
  reborn company to prosper as a major weapons and warship 
  manufacturer, but Xavier ensured that the company began 
  to diversify to help it survive during times of peace. Today 
  X-TEK is enjoying renewed prosperity. The last Frontier War 
  came as a boon to R&D as many new classified contracts 
  were made with the Imperial Navy. It is rumoured that the 
  company may have made a deal with Darrian interests to 
  research pre-Maghiz technology. It has currently claimed a 
  world in Jewell Subsector for use as a testing range and has 
  spun-off an entertainment media company known as Planet 
  X Recordings. Other developments include a partnership 
  with Maximus Interstellar Defence Industries based in the 
  Solomani Rim, in the hope of opening the door for the two 
  companies to become Imperium-wide in scope and thus 
  become a true megacorporation. 
  
  37
  Ownership
  X-TEK 60%
  Imperial Navy 10%
  Domain Nobility 7%
  Imperial Family 5%
  Other Imperial Corporations 12% (MIDI 5%, GSBaG 3%, 
  Instelarms 2%, General Shipyards 1%, SUSaG 1%)
  Individual Private Stock Owners 6%
  Plots 
  1: An injured woman begs the players to carry a message 
  for Imperial Intelligence to a contact at the starport. Moments 
  later, sinister black-dressed people arrive – the players have 
  just enough time to escape. The woman is a spy for an anti-
  Imperial group (terrorists or foreign power), carrying secret 
  details of black globe research from X-TEK. The BureauX 
  Men in Black will be ruthless in their pursuit of the players to 
  regain the data, believing them to be part of the enemy spy 
  ring – the true spies are waiting at the starport…  
  
  38
  Gold is for the mistress, silver for the maid, copper for the 
  craftsman, cunning at his trade.
   - Rudyard Kipling
  1. Best quarries, liC 
  Im-2333-24-LL-Mine-3433-34
  Description 
  BQL produce some of the finest marbles in the sector, 
  guaranteed 100% natural. All order sizes accepted; 
  discounts for bulk orders. Samples available for inspection. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  An outstanding source of easily-accessible top quality 
  marble was discovered during a routine survey of an 
  undeveloped vacuum world 20 years ago. Formed to exploit 
  this resource, BQL soon turned a good profit. Naturally, 
  shipping solid marble across interstellar distances means 
  their prices are high; however, competition is low because 
  marble rarely forms on worlds without native multi-cellular 
  life. BQL’s biggest market is a nearby high population world. 
  Previous building fashions used glassteel and crystalliron; 
  now traditional materials are making a comeback. The 
  company has recently been expanding to meet increased 
  demand; it now operates five large quarries, although the 
  original is almost exhausted. There is concern that the 
  quality of marble from the newest sites may not live up to 
  customers’ expectations. The head of on-site operations is 
  currently Foreman Corbin Stikas, an ex-army sergeant with 
  a reputation for discipline and looking after his people. 
  Plots 
  1: A university wishing to investigate the mechanisms 
  through which marble formed on this lifeless world has been 
  refused access by BQL. The players are asked to smuggle 
  in a crack geology team; unfortunately they find a BQL 
  survey team in the vicinity, trying to solve the same question. 
  2: The players are hired to deliver BQL marble to a customer 
  on a nearby world. The marble seems fine when loaded, but 
  during offloading the marble simply crumbles. This is due 
  to an atmospheric contaminant which corrodes the marble. 
  However, the recipients will hold the players liable and they 
  will not be allowed to leave planet until they have determined 
  and proven the cause. 
  2. Coal survivor 
  Im-2036-47-Mut-Mine-4316-32
  Description 
  CS provides traditional fuels for the local community and 
  for export. It is run by and for local people in defiance of 
  pressure from offworld interests pushing modern energy 
  sources. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  The coal industry has been dying a slow death on this world, 
  with a continuous increase in imports of high-tech power 
  generation equipment. A group of miners collaborated to 
  save their livelihood by buying out their colliery and running 
  it as a co-operative. Naturally, CS has been milking their 
  image as ‘noble little people being crushed by big business’ 
  for all it is worth. Although criticised strongly by environmental 
  activists, CS is immensely popular with locals. The co-
  operative is surviving at the moment as local people and 
  businesses want to be seen to support the popular cause. 
  However, if interest fades, things may well get tough. 
  Plots 
  1: The players are pressured to take an export shipment 
  of coal at half the standard freight rate, to support the CS 
  heroes. If they do not agree to do this, the locals will be very 
  unhappy. 
  2: The players are approached by a CS member who 
  believes a new safety inspector at the mine is acting 
  suspiciously. In truth, the inspector has found some real 
  safety issues at the mine and is building evidence before 
  telling CS management. 
  3: As 2, but the inspector is a saboteur from an offworld 
  energy plant manufacturer. A major safety incident would put 
  CS out of business… 
  3. imPerial sandCaster suPPlies
  Im-4543-42-PubL-Mine-1445-63-
  Don’t trust your safety to anything less than the best!
  Description 
  It is key for a ship to have the right crystal mix in its sandcaster 
  canisters, to block energy weapon fire effectively. ISS have 
  mininG 
  
  39
  supplied this mix to local Imperial Navy depots for centuries 
  – a sure sign of their reliability. Civilian canisters are filled 
  with exactly the same material. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Although the content of a sandcaster canister is commonly 
  known as ‘sand’, it is actually a specific mix of crystal types 
  which requires careful treatment to produce. ISS have 
  standardised their operations across the Imperium and rely 
  heavily on automation. Most mining operations are set up on 
  vacuum worlds with suitable mineral deposits. The material 
  is processed, sorted and pressure-treated without direct 
  sophont intervention (though the systems are supervised 
  and samples checked at random). Once loaded into 
  containers, it is sent into orbit using a mass driver, where 
  ISS ships pick it up for distribution to ports and Naval bases. 
  These mining operations require significant initial capital 
  investment but ISS has a large cash reserve for this. The 
  resulting operating costs are low and allow them to undercut 
  the competition. Product quality is rigorously enforced – ISS 
  does not want to risk its valuable Naval contracts. ISS has 
  some major competitors but the only companies who have 
  achieved long-term success in its region are small, single-
  system operations, solely supplying civilian ships. ISS has 
  grown complacent about its market position; ironically its 
  dominance has helped these small firms to drum up local 
  sentiment in their favour. 
  Plots 
  1: A fault at an ISS plant allowed several shiploads of 
  dangerously substandard sand to be carried out-system 
  before the error was spotted and the problem rectified. The 
  plant manager is in a panic and is hiring every ship’s crew 
  he can to jump after the cargo vessels in an attempt to warn 
  them before the sand is sold. He will reward the players well 
  if they can stop a particular shipment of sand reaching a 
  nearby Imperial Navy base. 
  2: The players arrive in a system and receive a distress 
  signal from a ship which has lost its manoeuvre capability; 
  its decaying orbit will soon take it into the path of the ISS 
  mass driver. 
  4. miChaels & miChaels, 
  skimmers 
  Im-0206-05-Fam-Mine-2234-32
  Description 
  M&MS is a small family firm, skimming hydrogen from a gas 
  giant. They mostly sell unrefined fuel to the local starport 
  authority, but also sell direct to ships from gas giant orbit. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  M&MS is constantly on the edge of insolvency. The sale of 
  unrefined hydrogen does little more than cover their costs, 
  and the family’s dream of setting up a large-scale refining 
  operation seems unattainable. Their ships are in constant 
  use just to meet the demand; all family members pull long 
  shifts; they expect the same of their employees. 
  Plots 
  1: Members of an M&MS skimmer crew have fallen sick, and 
  the company must meet its contractual obligations to avoid a 
  financial crisis. They recruit the players as temporary crew. 
  Gas giants are dangerous places – a rogue electrical storm 
  damages the skimmer’s drives and M&MS has skimped on 
  emergency kit such as vacc suits! 
  5. oCean extraCtions, inC 
  Im-2043-53-PubS-Mine-5444-42
  Description 
  OEI’s primary business is the cracking of sea water to 
  produce hydrogen fuel for ships at the starport; they have a 
  water processing plant situated nearby. A growing proportion 
  of income, however, comes from the extraction of minerals 
  from the sea water and the company also runs a small fleet 
  of filter ships in the area. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Whether through luck, shrewd foresight or inside information, 
  industrialist Adkhar Mirgakre set up the OEI hydrogen-
  extraction plant just a few months before an upgrade to the 
  starport was announced. With OEI providing refined fuel 
  right at the edge of the proposed port expansion it made little 
  sense not to use it; the company was granted the contract 
  and has kept it ever since. Trade at the port increased and 
  the company expanded to keep pace but recently there have 
  been signs that the growth is coming to an end. Once again 
  OEI is well-positioned to prosper; ten years ago it began to 
  mine the mineral-rich ocean with experimental deepwater 
  filter vessels. These have been highly profitable and OEI 
  growth has not been affected by the interstellar downturn. 
  Environmental protesters claim that the filtering process 
  plays havoc with the ecology of creatures in the deep ocean, 
  many of which rely on a precise balance of minerals in the 
  water. Scientists are divided over the question and evidence 
  can be found to support both sides. The company recently 
  went public to raise funds for expansion but the Mirgakre 
  family still holds 80% of the shares. Following Adkhar’s 
  retirement last year on his 120th birthday his grand-daughter 
  Mirikei has taken over the running of the business; investors 
  are watching closely to see if she can prolong OEI’s golden 
  run. 
  Plots 
  1: A protest group has been unsuccessful in infiltrating an 
  OEI ship’s crew, to get a closer look at the process and 
  gather evidence that the company knows it is harming the 
  deep ocean environment. They hire the players to get on 
  board and get evidence, either as crew, or covertly. OEI 
  
  40
  have minimal security, but the ship’s crew will react badly to 
  anyone threatening their livelihoods. 
  2: A woman approaches the players, offering a cheaper 
  source of fuel than can be obtained from the starport. She 
  claims to represent OEI, cutting out the ‘middle man’; in fact 
  she is from a fly-by-night operation whose fuel comes from 
  tapping OEI pipes. Their distribution facilities are not kept 
  clean and the fuel will have dangerous impurities, increasing 
  the chance of a mis-jump. 
  6. ProsPeCtor’s Gold 
  Im-3525-26-Emp-Mine7-Fin2- Svc1-0322-54
  Description 
  PG is run by independent belt prospectors, for independent 
  belt prospectors. In return for a share of profits, PG will 
  provide all the services a miner needs, including equipment, 
  legal aid and loans in times of hardship. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  PG do plough all profits back into the fund but claims about 
  its members’ independence are exaggerated. Members 
  have to sign a contract registering the area in which they 
  are prospecting. Penalty clauses are included to dissuade 
  members who might ‘coincidentally’ decide to quit the 
  company just before making a large strike. Many mining 
  companies also prefer the simplified administration of 
  buying claims through PG rather than dealing with individual 
  prospectors. It is rumoured that troublesome independent 
  miners suffer an unusually high accident rate… 
  Operations in each belt are run independently; 1% of 
  funding goes to cover administrative costs for the company 
  as a whole, but the rest is used locally. Equipment is made 
  available to members on low-cost loan or hire purchase 
  schemes. 
  Plots 
  1: When the players emerge from jump they find that there 
  has been a severe mining accident. PG are requesting their 
  members – and any visiting ships – to mount a rescue and 
  recovery mission. However, PG will be very reluctant to pay 
  up when the players bring home the rescued miners. 
  2: The players find a belter ship which suffered a catastrophic 
  failure, killing its crew. The players should be able to claim 
  significant salvage value, but when they do so, PG steps in 
  and claims most of the onboard equipment was on loan from 
  them, drastically cutting the ship’s value. 
  7. universal Belt mines, liC 
  Im -5542-52-PubW-Mine-6653-54
  Description 
  UBM is one of the biggest Imperial companies specialising in 
  belt mining. Advanced survey techniques, highly trained and 
  motivated staff, the best equipment and good management 
  have kept the company expanding consistently from year to 
  year, making it a safe bet for investors. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  UBM has all the advantages and disadvantages of a very 
  large company: economies of scale, a huge resource base, 
  conservative inward-looking management and a reputation 
  as bad guys. It treats its employees well, but tends to have 
  little understanding of local issues in the systems where it 
  operates. UBM relies on independent prospectors less than 
  most mining companies, instead using large, well-equipped 
  survey teams. These are supported by automated, factory 
  ships which convert metal-rich asteroids into pure, easily 
  transportable ingots. 
  Plots 
  1: The local branch of Prospector’s Gold claim that UBM are 
  trying to eliminate the independents in a recently-surveyed 
  belt. They allege that UBM are using dirty tactics, including 
  tying up PG’s legal staff and funds with a flood of minor 
  actions, threatening prospectors and bribing the official 
  claims monitors. PG ask the players to go undercover 
  (as prospectors, or hire on as UBM crew) and try to find 
  evidence so that they have some chance of fighting back 
  against the giant. 
  2: As above, but UBM has suffered bomb attacks from 
  what it believes are rogue belters. It fears these terrorists 
  have infiltrated its organisation, so in addition to increased 
  internal security, UBM recruits the players as independent 
  investigators to identify the traitors. However, this may be a 
  double-bluff, where the situation is as per 1 above, and the 
  non-violent infiltrators are actually after evidence of UBM’s 
  wrong-doings. 
  
  41
  I don’t know what I want, but I want it now!
   - Vivian Stanshall (as Sir Henry of Rawlinson End)
  1. Bank Janus 
  Im-5542-24-Emp-Svc-7233-66
  Description 
  Bank Janus specialises in the storage and dealing of electronic 
  information, from currency transactions to company records. 
  They tailor their systems to each customer’s individual 
  needs; personal attention and confidentiality is assured. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Bank Janus’ symbol is the silhouetted doubleprofile of an 
  ancient Solomani god of gateways, looking into the past 
  and future at the same time, overlaid with an old-fashioned 
  mechanical key. The bank deals purely in information. It 
  maintains an immense network of investigators and inside 
  contacts in corporations, public departments and the 
  underworld. It monitors all public newsfeeds and published 
  financial records, employing teams of analysts with the 
  best available software to deduce further information. It 
  pays a token amount for any new fact, thus encouraging 
  people to submit odd details about neighbourhood activities, 
  useless individually but collectively forming a detailed 
  statistical picture. On some worlds and for some types 
  of data, BJ’s operations are in a grey area of potential 
  illegality. However, the bank’s clientele (including every 
  Imperial megacorporation and many governments), plus its 
  carefully preserved reputation for neutrality, have so far kept 
  it from direct prosecution. BJ was the brainchild of an as 
  yet unidentified noble in Cleon’s original Moot. The noble 
  saw the imbalance of power in the nascent Third Imperium 
  caused by political and trade secrets and decided to create 
  an equaliser. To assure impartiality, the banks was set up as 
  a trust, the only beneficiaries of which were the company’s 
  employees; health care, pensions and other benefits are 
  excellent. The bank investigates all customers thoroughly 
  and has been known to reject applications for data. Only 
  Imperial citizens may use the service – a limitation imposed 
  in the early days to keep the Emperor happy – but what 
  they do with the data afterwards is up to them. Even the 
  results of the customer investigation may, of course, be 
  sold to others but Bank Janus will never reveal its client list 
  nor what questions have been asked. BJ only charges a 
  fee if it can provide the information requested. It has never 
  been caught trying to mislead a client but may return (and 
  charge for) undesired data, for example if the question was 
  ambiguous. Repeat customers are more likely to be given 
  helpful bonus facts than a first-timer. The cost of the service 
  limits its clientele to the wealthy few – any ‘equalising’ effect 
  the bank might have only applies to the richest citizens and 
  the larger corporations.
  Plots 
  1: The players are hired to infiltrate a corporate HQ based 
  on detailed plans and information which the patron claims 
  was provided by Bank Janus. However, the data turns out to 
  be dangerously flawed. Either the patron has set them up or 
  BJ has provided erroneous data. 
  2: As 1, but BJ deliberately provided bad data – its neutrality 
  was compromised to keep the target corporation (a major 
  customer) happy. 
  3: As 1, but the patron’s source was a front for fraudsters 
  selling bad data for hard cash. 
  4: Landing on a poor world for the first time, the players are 
  followed by crowds of people who ask strange questions, try 
  to photograph them, fingerprint them or look in their bags. 
  The people are trying to gather information to sell to Bank 
  Janus to earn a few extra credits. 
  2. Culinary temPle on vland
  Vland/1717 Vland
  Im-4511-32-StSp-Svc-0767-73
  Description
  The CTV trains Shugilii (chefs) and Khagiili (waiters) in the 
  sacred purification and preparation rites associated with the 
  Vilani native religions which roughly equate chefs with high 
  priests.
  Referee’s Notes
  CTV has three bureaux, each headed by a Grand Master; 
  these masters form the Prime Temple Authority, which is the 
  head of the judicial branch of the Temple. Matters of doctrine, 
  faith, practice, and recipe are settled by increasingly39 
  Service authoritative levels of jurisdiction. The Prime 
  Temple Authority settles the highest matters concerning the 
  Vilani Rite Temple. The Shugilii art of food preparation is 
  considered a defining cultural attribute of the Vilani. Many 
  delicacies are considered by some to be utterly disgusting 
  in their procurement and preparation; however, even dung 
  (of the right kind and under the right circumstances) can 
  be turned into a graceful garnish in the hands of a capable 
  and creative Shugilii. There are three major categories of 
  trainee: the Naabaduur (Apprentice), who lives a monkish 
  life of deprivation and meditation; the Khagiili (Waiter) who 
  serviCe 
  
  42
  learns both diplomacy and food preparation at the feet of a 
  master; the Shugilii (Chef-Priest) who is qualified to perform 
  the rite of food preparation to serve at a Vilani Temple.
  Plots
  1: The players share a ship with Daashulinta ‘Dash’ 
  Kaardhaaraag, 
  an 
  Argu-class 
  Shugilii 
  who 
  was 
  unceremoniously evicted from the CTV over an embarrassing 
  incident concerning the Duke of Ilelish and a plate of solar-
  vacuum-burned Groat gizzards. His disgrace means he can 
  only find work as a steward, chef and medic onboard small 
  liners. Dash is driven by the need to perform his culinary 
  rituals and though he can whip up excellent food with 
  whatever is available, his methods are unusual – he might 
  jam the airlock to expose the food to ‘enough vacuum’, or 
  ask the gunner to shoot a side of Tree Kraken from short 
  range ‘on minimal power’ to get the optimal taste. And he 
  does not usually think to ask permission…
  3. entresys Casinos
  Im-3423-25-Fam-Svc-0464-45
  Description 
  EntreSys rents out gambling equipment and personnel for 
  shipboard entertainment, including slot machines, card and 
  dice tables, gambling wheels, and expert game masters to 
  keep the games fun, exciting and profitable to the house. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  ESC contracts generally guarantee a 10% yield to the ship’s 
  owner or corporation, making a profit for the liner as well as 
  getting a higher rating in the travel guides. Smaller ships can 
  hire either personnel or machines alone to reduce costs or 
  volume. ESC personnel are experts in card or dice games 
  and are usually trained in self-defence (gamblers can react 
  badly to losing!) 
  Plots 
  1: The players are hired to play at the ESC tables on a liner 
  and determine whether the table masters are skimming 
  some of the profits. Very careful observation will reveal that 
  this is the case. 
  2: As 1, but the ESC staff are innocent; it’s the ship’s purser 
  that is doing the skimming. 
  4. founder shiPworks 
  Knabbib/2115 Core 
  Im-5514-15-PubL-Man2-Whol2-Ret2- Svc4-5342-33
  Description 
  FSW has been building and repairing ships for over a 
  millennium and has yards throughout the Imperium, 
  concentrated in border areas such as the Solomani Rim and 
  Spinward Marches. They service, repair and refit ships of all 
  classes and sizes in their extensive yards. An FSW space 
  dock (or one of its franchises) can be found in most major 
  systems of the Imperium. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  FSW received its official licence in Imperial Year 0, hence 
  its name. From its original head Talili Reycal to current CEO 
  Stepen Marxhela the company grew from a small floundering 
  shipyard to a major force in starship manufacturing and 
  repair. As the company grew, its focus moved to larger ships 
  in the 320’s then to warships during the Civil War. From 
  975, after buying up dozens of shipyards and dry-docks 
  around the Imperium, the company switched its emphasis 
  from manufacture to becoming renowned as a provider of 
  repairs, parts and retrofits. The company is anything but 
  traditional, taking whatever measures necessary to stay in 
  business. This flexibility has frequently saved FSW from 
  disaster but it also creates great internal confusion. The 
  current CEO’s temper is being strained by Amadas Zillink, 
  manufacturing division head of the Spinward Marches, 
  who claims that her design teams are on the verge of a 
  technological breakthrough that will put FSW back at the top 
  of the starship-production field. 
  Plots 
  1: Amadas Zillink’s new technology is from a black ops 
  expedition to the Darrian Confederation. Several highly 
  technical covert operatives, aided by wet ops agents with 
  computer hacking skills have pulled together a wealth of 
  useful technical data. The players are hired to help get them 
  out of the Confederation – either to transport them or as part 
  of a diversionary action. 
  5. house Justin 
  Na-255N-46-Fam-Svc8-Non2-0217-07
  Description 
  Few have heard of House Justin, though many of the 
  rich and famous are occasional customers on the Lady’s 
  pleasure liners. HJ provides a wide variety of services to 
  enhance their clients’ enjoyment of life, including activities 
  that are illegal on some worlds (the liner therefore remains in 
  orbit). The only complaint regularly received from customers 
  is that HJ ships turn up too rarely! 
  Referee’s Notes 
  House Justin is an enigma; on the surface it appears to be 
  a vice and drug ring but it is not driven by the profit motive. 
  Instead it runs on the principal that joy shared is magnified 
  and that pain shared is diminished, as taught by an ancient 
  Terran philosopher. Of course, happiness doesn’t pay the 
  bills, so HJ has to charge for its services. HJ’s founder, 
  Justin (last name unknown) is Terran and runs the operation 
  with his wife, daughter and son-in-law. All of the family 
  act independently (as do many of their extended family of 
  employees), taking ships where they feel they will do the 
  
  43
  most good. The House operates 15-20 vessels at any time, 
  which seem to appear erratically anywhere in human space, 
  including the Imperium, Solomani Sphere and Zhodani 
  Consulate. Analysis of these sightings would reveal that 
  even Jump-6 HJ ships could not be responsible for all these 
  sightings (for example, Justin’s ship was once seen in the 
  Marches only two weeks after visiting the Hinterworlds). 
  It is rumoured that HJ is associated with the restaurant 
  chain, O’Shugilli’s through some distant family connection, 
  but details remain obscure. Confusingly, although the Lady 
  is usually thought to be Justin’s wife, rumours that it is a 
  musical instrument strikes a chord with conspiracy theorists. 
  Only the highly strung worry about it. 
  Plots 
  1: At a low point in their adventuring, the players are stranded 
  in space but are picked up by a HJ liner. The House staff 
  are ready and willing to listen to their woes and provide free 
  passage to the nearest port. For a reduced fee (given their 
  sorrows) the players can also indulge themselves… 
  2: The players are hired by an agent of the local government 
  who claims a pleasure liner in orbit is breaching all sorts of 
  laws and that all agents sent aboard so far have disappeared. 
  Suspecting the security service is compromised, she is 
  forced to rely on independents and wants the players to visit 
  as customers and plant a special tracking device. In reality, 
  the lost agents have decided that House Justin is on the side 
  of the angels and are simply delaying reporting in until the 
  ship leaves. 
  3: As 2 but the agent is really part of the local underworld 
  which sees the liner as competition. The tracker is a 
  cunningly-disguised bomb. 
  6. imPerial shiP Builders 
  assoCiation 
  Capital/2118 Core 
  Im-250N-35-Priv-Svc-2420-33
  Description 
  The ISBA is an association of ship-builders which aims to 
  benefit all its members by sharing information and resources 
  and co-ordinating political lobbying. It also has a social 
  function, including an annual dinner at which awards for 
  innovation and design excellence are presented. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Founder ShipWorks and X-TEK formed the ISBA in year 22 
  as a joint project to strengthen their position against Cleon’s 
  Zhunastu Corporation. Sir Josphanoer Cailfor, FSW’s lead 
  negotiator, became the first Project Co-ordinator. Over 
  the following 600 years, the association grew to represent 
  the interests of many diverse entities concerned with 
  manufacturing starships. However, the organisation was 
  destroyed by the Civil War in the 7th century as members 
  found themselves supporting opposing sides in the war. 
  The ISBA has subsequently been resurrected several times 
  in various parts of the Imperium but has remained a much 
  smaller affair and has never regained its earlier strength. 
  The Project Co-ordinator is the elected head of the ISBA 
  and serves for four years unless a vote of no confidence is 
  passed. The association has always been a hotbed of barely 
  concealed strife, from political struggles between members 
  to disagreements with the Imperial government. If a contract 
  for a faulty ship design is accepted, or a truly good design 
  is shelved, it is frequently attributed to the machinations of 
  the ISBA. 
  Plots 
  1: The Emperor is to make a surprise appearance at the 
  ISBA dinner and awards ceremony, in the grand ballroom of 
  Sylea’s main orbital station. The players are hired by an anti-
  Imperial isolationist movement to infiltrate the high security 
  event and assassinate the Emperor. 
  2: As 1, but the players are Imperial security staff. In addition 
  to foiling the attack, they must find the traitor in the Emperor’s 
  personal staff who let the assassins know about this surprise 
  visit. 
  7. lifetimers 
  Im-0024-25-Priv-Svc-0434-45
  Description 
  LifeTimers provide cryogenic facilities for those who wish 
  to see the far future. Their facilities are powered by natural 
  energy sources, minimising the danger of power system 
  failures, to give ultimate security for every time traveller. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Timers’ clubs exist throughout known space. Members 
  freeze themselves in extended-duration low berths for a 
  fixed period of time then wake to see how the universe has 
  changed. LifeTimers was one such group. They were more 
  cautious than some, siting the facility on a sunny continent 
  close to water to provide solar and hydroelectric power to 
  make it self-sufficient. They set up a private trust to maintain 
  the equipment, watch over their finances and handle 
  emergencies. Fifteen years after the members were frozen 
  a world depression caused a financial crisis for the trustees, 
  who were forced to open the facility to other applicants (for 
  a large fee); this has been very successful. Some of the 
  new sleepers are Timers; there are also people waiting for 
  science to solve their currently incurable illnesses; some are 
  just looking to ride out the economic slump. The trustees 
  now have to spend time and money dealing with lawyers, 
  accountants and advertisers, but the paying customers 
  cover the running costs for the institution. 
  
  44
  Plots 
  1: A woman believes her missing husband, who disappeared 
  after withdrawing all the money from their joint account, has 
  had himself frozen by LifeTimers. The company has denied 
  this and blocked her from inspecting their facility. She will 
  pay the players all her remaining money to break in and find 
  him, plus a large bonus if they bring back sufficient evidence 
  to allow her to reclaim the funds from the joint account. 
  2: The government plans to build a dam upstream from the 
  LifeTimers facility, making their hydroelectric plant unviable. 
  The solar collectors will still support the original Timers (they 
  allowed a large safety margin) but not all the additional 
  sleepers. LifeTimers hires the players to import and install a 
  fusion generator. They wish this kept secret while they sort 
  out a new strategy so that they can continue to advertise 
  their independence from industrial power sources. 
  8. lindarPort seCurity 
  Im-3433-25-LL-Svc-0463-54
  Description 
  Lindarport is a small but fast-growing multi-world security 
  firm specialising in transporting or escorting high-value 
  cargos and VIPs. Individual operators and bodyguard teams 
  are available, as well as an excellent privacy protection 
  service. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Captain Simon Lindar was a harbour patrolman who was 
  severely injured by a terrorist bomb. Preferring medical 
  discharge to a desk job, he set up Harlow, Janes and 
  Lindar, Port Security Specialists with two other ex-cops, 
  to capitalise on their waterfront knowledge and police 
  contacts. The firm flourished as security consultants and 
  alarm installers, until Harlow and Janes were killed by 
  an armed gang who raided a warehouse while they were 
  installing the alarm system. Lindar decided to carry on, and 
  hired every suitable candidate he could afford, from ex-
  cops to retired mercenaries. He set up insurance for the 
  staff and began taking on almost any security jobs from 
  night watches to personal bodyguards. A few months later 
  his police contacts paid off and his own security personnel 
  captured his partners’ killers as they raided another 
  warehouse. The company (now Lindarport Security) gained 
  in reputation, expanding globally, then to other worlds, 
  while moving upmarket into the executive protection 
  market. Lindarport now supplies bodyguards, couriers and 
  escorts for many media personalities and is renowned for 
  its privacy protection service, including anti-surveillance 
  sweeps, setting up electronic countermeasures and site 
  security consultancy. Lindar is now in his 70’s but still 
  keeps tight control. He insists that all staff operate within 
  the law (or be able to justify any lapse as essential for a 
  client’s survival); guards on high law worlds are experts 
  in unarmed combat and high tech, non-lethal weaponry. 
  Recently Lindar bought Third Set Incarcerations, believing 
  it to be a bargain and a complementary service. He now 
  regrets this decision and is working hard to sort out the 
  financial burden this has placed on Lindarport. Much to his 
  second-in-command’s disgust, Lindar currently shows no 
  interest in retiring. 
  Plots 
  1: The players are hired to escort a courier with a briefcase of 
  vital religious documents on a large liner. They are shadowed 
  by two hefty musclemen who fade away when approached. 
  The patron has hired a Lindarport team as backup – but 
  while the players are focused on these shadows, a team of 
  art thieves will try to steal the briefcase. 
  2: As 1, but the players are hired as a decoy. The real 
  documents are transported by a separate Lindarport 
  operative. The Players are shadowed, but if confronted, the 
  shadows claim to be Lindarport operatives; of course, they 
  are really the thieves. 
  9. loCal eyes 
  Im-2434-24-LL-Ret1-Svc9-5535-24
  Description 
  Whether setting up home, selling things or just looking for 
  fun, Local Eyes helps by providing an insight into local 
  customs, giving information to bridge gaps and avoid 
  misunderstandings. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Local Eyes was founded by retired scout Darin Hanratty, 
  who was fascinated by the variety of cultures found within 
  the Imperium. Sometimes unfairly portrayed as the poor 
  traveller’s TAS, LE’s declared aim is to provide services 
  for visitors who wish to interact with local inhabitants. 
  LE is divided into Commercial (merchants), Residential 
  (immigrants and long-stay personnel) and Leisure (tourists); 
  all of these services are available from any Local Eyes 
  office, but staffing varies depending on the world. Levels of 
  service offered include Economy (brochures and data packs 
  providing just the basics), Standard (classes, seminars and 
  group tours) or Deluxe (individual service, including personal 
  tuition, guides, interpreters, and so on). 
  Plots 
  1: A rival keeps getting the sweet deals while the players 
  are mired in culture clashes, legal difficulties and dead-end 
  leads. It turns out the rival is using Local Eyes services – can 
  they really make that much of a difference? 
  
  45
  10. loxiBaC 
  Im-2433-34-PubL-Manu2-Svc8 -7121-56
  Description 
  At the forefront of medical research, Loxibac is a young, 
  dynamic firm employing only the most highly-skilled 
  scientists, to produce truly innovative medical solutions that 
  benefit shareholders and Imperial citizens alike. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Loxibac’s founders gathered a team of highly reputable 
  medical researchers and raised significant capital based 
  simply on the company’s prospects. This start was 
  consolidated by the development of several innovative 
  products including an inhibitor for some forms of cancer, 
  a selective immunosuppressant to reduce the risk of 
  transplant rejection and an effective cure for Vargr mange. 
  The company has been expanding rapidly, its stock value 
  is high and its competitors are watching Loxibac enviously. 
  Plots 
  1: Loxibac have developed a variant of Fast Drug, suitable 
  for slowing a human metabolism by a factor of 30 but without 
  the usual damaging side-effects. Human trials are about to 
  begin and they need volunteer subjects, for reasonable pay. 
  If the players volunteer they must sign a waiver absolving 
  the company of any responsibility for health problems 
  caused by the drug. Actual side effects are up to the referee 
  to determine! 
  2: As 1, but the players are in prison and are offered the 
  chance to effectively reduce their sentence by a factor of 30 
  using the drug. However, a prison is not a good place to be 
  drugged and helpless for a long period of time. 
  11. Porter & streetman 
  assoCiates 
  Im-1422-55-LL-Util1-Svc9-0444-33
  Description 
  When you have the very best antiques or art to sell, you 
  need the very best auctioneers to sell it. You need Porter & 
  Streetman Associates.
  Referee’s Notes 
  P&SA are extremely exclusive auctioneers to the rich and 
  famous. They handle only top quality merchandise and 
  their auctions are by invitation only. Being invited is a potent 
  status symbol – attending the auction tends to attract media 
  attention and gossip. P&SA use only the best auctioneers 
  and pay them handsomely to ensure loyalty. Fees are high 
  but prices tend to be higher as well, so sellers usually make 
  a larger profit than through other houses. The current owner 
  is Lady Ariadne van der Gaag, great-granddaughter of one 
  of the founders, Isaac Streetman. 
  Plots 
  1: A player who is neither rich nor famous is hand delivered 
  an invitation to a P&SA auction on a neighbouring world. 
  The well-groomed courier in P&SA livery claims ‘Porter and 
  Streetman do not make mistakes, sir.’ A count on the other 
  world wished to invite a friend on this world but mis-spelt 
  the name slightly such that it matched the player’s name. 
  The players can play on the associated media attention 
  and good-will until they arrive on the other world, but if they 
  actually enter the auction, the count will expose them as 
  fraudsters. 
  12. raPid emPloy 
  Im-3334-45-PubS-Svc-1545-23
  Description 
  Rapid Employ brings together the people with skills in need 
  of a job and the companies with vacancies in need of those 
  skills. Sliding scales available depending on experience 
  required. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  RE is a rapidly-expanding enterprise, with offices on many 
  worlds. Originally a temping agency, it now focuses on 
  worlds in recession, providing a redeployment service for 
  permanent staff ‘optimised’ out of their previous jobs, as well 
  as advising the unemployed and new business ventures. 
  It keeps extensive records of its clients and charges 
  employers more for staff with a good, verifiable record. It 
  actively recruits from starports and demob centres, and on a 
  few worlds has reached the critical size where it effectively 
  acts as a clearing house for all local employment. 
  Plots 
  1: An agent claiming to be from RE tells the players he 
  can find them work, though the form-filling takes an entire 
  afternoon. When they visit the RE office the next day to 
  see the results, RE has no knowledge of their forms, or this 
  agent. In truth the man is a freelance market data collector 
  – the players can catch up with him while he’s persuading 
  another group to fill in his forms. 
  13. revenGe! unlimited 
  Im-1324-03-Part-Svc9-Non1-2651-72
  Description 
  Wronged? Can’t find justice in the courts? Then Revenge! 
  Unlimited may be solution. Please note: only strictly legal 
  contracts undertaken. 
  
  46
  Referee’s Notes 
  R!U steers close to the edge of legality, and despite claims to 
  the contrary occasionally goes too far. They basically harass 
  their victims on other people’s behalf in exchange for large 
  fees. Their methods vary depending on local laws, but can 
  include slander, threats, sabotage or personal violence. R!U 
  agents are given a lot of autonomy by the management, but 
  their contracts are written to divert blame from the company 
  if they are caught breaking the law. 
  Plots 
  1: A car accident leaves several R!U staff in hospital. The 
  players are hired as temporary heavies to go threaten a 
  local businessman for his unpleasant behaviour towards an 
  R!U client. 
  2: As 1, but the target is a mobster and it is his heavies who 
  put the original R!U team in hospital! 
  14. rrodhoGh’s 
  Im-4504-25-LL-Svc-5112-33
  Description 
  The Vargr grooming house, Rrodhogh’s, now caters for 
  humans, Aslan and other races as well. Rrodhogh’s – the 
  ultimate in fur and hair fashions. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Kaengueksgan Rrodhogh, an Imperial Vargr from Antares 
  sector, had a talent for bringing out the best in every 
  customer’s coat. Her salon soon attracted critical acclaim 
  and with this came hordes of would-be apprentices. Making 
  the most of her new-found leadership role, Kaengueksgan 
  trained her disciples to her exacting standards then sent them 
  out to open new branches. Rrodhogh’s spread gradually 
  across the Imperium, the Julian Protectorate and parts of 
  the Vargr Extents, with branches on many high-population 
  worlds. As widely spread as many megacorporations, in 
  reality the various branches are effectively autonomous 
  subsidiaries, adapting their styles to local fashions but with 
  a continued emphasis on quality. Rrodhogh’s reputation 
  keeps most of its salon leaders from going independent. Her 
  son Oedzunur was the first to accept human customers. The 
  move was an instant success, especially with young nobles 
  looking for a novel style. Expansion of the service to other 
  races has had a more mixed reception. Each salon has few 
  staff and a small turnover but the sheer number of branches 
  means that the company’s total revenues are significant. 
  The company is now run by one of Kaengueksgan’s many 
  great-grandchildren but he lacks his ancestor’s charisma 
  and there are continuous disputes over control, both locally 
  and regionally. 
  Plots 
  1: The players are passing a Rrodhogh’s salon when a fight 
  spills out into the street. A Vargr with multicoloured dyed 
  fur falling out in chunks is fighting with his groomer while 
  other customers and staff try to separate them. A disgruntled 
  member of staff sabotaged the shampoo. 
  2: A Rrodhogh’s branch offers haircuts for Cr. 1 to non-Vargr 
  willing to be served by trainees. The results are haphazard! 
  The players are unexpectedly invited to a meeting where 
  they need to impress their hosts (like potential clients or 
  employers). If they complain about Rrodhogh’s they will be 
  accused of racism – their hosts use the salon all the time (of 
  course, not at the Cr. 1 rate). 
  15. shivshush house of health 
  Im-1034-27-Fam-Svc-4306-24
  Description 
  Health is important to everyone, but most people pay little 
  attention to it until something goes wrong. SHoH restores 
  balance to your life by helping you deal with potential problems 
  through massage, osteopathy, dietary advice, counselling and 
  other preventative techniques. SHoH is a Virushi-led community 
  but all are welcome regardless of race or background. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  About 75% of the staff at SHoH are Virushi, including all 
  the masseurs; many humans find this intimidating. However, 
  the Virushi are very skilled at what they do and almost all 
  clients are very happy with their service. Shivshush’s family 
  run the facility as a community but only those who are willing 
  and able to contribute are allowed to join. Payment is on a 
  formalised sliding scale based on the wealth of the client. The 
  poorest are not turned away but are asked to contribute their 
  labour. The centre barely earns enough to cover its costs but 
  Shivshush regards the accumulation of excess wealth as 
  harmful. SHoH does not subscribe to any particular faith but 
  holds a definite philosophical position which shares aspects 
  of many local religions. Staff and clients are expected to 
  respect each other and to work at improving their mental 
  and physical health while at the site. The community is well-
  regarded by local people; even those who do not participate 
  think of them as good neighbours. Many visit the centre for a 
  few days every few months just to maintain their well-being. 
  Plots 
  1: The players are arrested for a misdemeanour. The 
  judge views their behaviour as antisocial and lets them off 
  with a light fine, provided they attend SHoH for a week. 
  Unfortunately one of the other guests is a past adversary of 
  the players… 
  
  47
  2: A series of accidents at the SHoH end with a wealthy 
  client nearly dying from an allergic reaction to a medicine 
  administered in error. He sues the House for malpractice 
  and the authorities may shut it down. Shivshush hires the 
  players to investigate his theory that the accidents were 
  sabotage by a group of religious extremists who disagree 
  with the Virushi philosophy. 
  16. six suns ProduCtions 
  Im-0405-05-Part-Svc-3065-22
  Description 
  Creators of such hit series as Shop! and Shipbuilder!, Six 
  Suns Productions provides high quality entertainment 
  programmes for all. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  The brainchild of partners Angus Deering and Liadin 
  Imkhimasi, SSP is a small production group specialising in 
  docu-soaps – holos following the everyday working lives of 
  ‘real’ people. Imkhimasi had trained in holo production and 
  worked as an actress and as a technician but was frustrated in 
  her desire to become a director. Deering had charm, money, 
  industry contacts and a glorious voice which brought him 
  a successful career in advertising voice-overs. Increasingly 
  reliant on drink and drugs to overcome boredom, he was 
  looking for a change and Liadin’s enthusiasm inspired him to 
  start SSP. The company is tiny, requiring all staff to perform 
  multiple tasks. Deering spent his savings on the best holo-
  production equipment available. They specialised in docu-
  soaps because these lent themselves to small-team efforts 
  (a larger team just gets in the way of those people being 
  filmed) and docu-dramas were relatively rare on their world. 
  The company has created two series, both of which were 
  so well-received by local45 Service viewers that they were 
  bought by a subsectorwide network. The critics have not 
  been so generous and the network has suffered financial 
  difficulties of late. It has been delaying payment of money 
  due to SSP, which has caused the smaller company cash-
  flow problems. SSP have had to cut back to five staff (the 
  minimum needed to produce marketable holos) and are 
  actively looking for a new network to buy future products. 
  Plots 
  1: Deering and Imkhimasi approach the players as potential 
  stars of their next series (Tramp! or Merc!, as appropriate). 
  They offer royalties and the cost of the upcoming annual 
  maintenance for the players’ ship at the next port of call. 
  On the first jump, SSP are mildly irritating, insisting on 
  filming the players at inconvenient times and setting up their 
  equipment in silly places. When the maintenance inspection 
  goes badly, SSP film the players’ frustration while they are 
  stuck on-planet for an extra week. On the next jump, the ship 
  suffers repeated faults and troubles. The players gradually 
  realise that SSP may be engineering problems to make the 
  show as interesting as possible... 
  17. stellar eduCation 
  CooPerative 
  Im-4412-33-Mut-Svc7-Pub3-6217-54
  Description 
  SEC provides top-quality education for children of all ages 
  and abilities with the catchphrase ‘Improve your child’s 
  chances and help advance humaniti toward the next phase 
  of its evolution.’ 
  Referee’s Notes 
  SEC was formed 200 years ago by rich businessman Thomas 
  Devine. Devine was raised in the Church of the Stellar Divinity 
  by devout parents but became disenchanted with the church 
  and after much searching, found a religion he could believe 
  in, based on the sharing of knowledge and experience. 
  A key tenet of the faith was that humankind was destined 
  to evolve to a higher plane of existence as beings of pure 
  mental energy; an essential prerequisite for this evolution 
  was that everyone be enlightened in order to raise the stellar 
  consciousness. Devine’s faith is an offshoot of the School 
  of Shared Experience which was banned during the Psionic 
  Suppressions. To spread the word, Devine took on a small 
  group of disciples, teaching them the faith, but the benefits 
  were frustratingly slow and small. He decided to target 
  children at school and found that his formidable commercial 
  skills were better suited to creating and organising the SEC 
  than to directly teaching people. The SEC quickly expanded 
  and is now directed by five of Devine’s original students. Not 
  all teachers at SEC facilities are members of the faith but there 
  is always a religious component to the school day. Teaching 
  uses all the most advanced methods, including hypnosis 
  and chemical memory-stimulation where this is allowed. The 
  schools have a reputation for academic excellence but some 
  people have accused them of indoctrinating children; the SEC 
  responds by pointing to the number of former students who 
  do not belong to the faith. Adult education programmes have 
  recently been started on some worlds. There is a persistent 
  rumour that Devine still lives, running the organisation in 
  secret. 
  Plots 
  1: Players looking for (or investigating) psionic institutes 
  note some suspicious reports about an evening class on 
  self-actualisation run in the local school. One trainer for the 
  local SEC still secretly uses psionics for teaching. They will 
  also use their powers to deal with anyone who uncovers 
  their secret... 
  2: The players see a class of schoolchildren wandering 
  round the starport. As the class passes nearby, one girl trips 
  and falls into the nearest player; before they can disentangle 
  themselves and get up again she whispers that she is being 
  held against her will and asks for the player’s protection. In 
  reality, she just has an overly-dramatic dislike of school, but 
  her story is somewhat embellished. 
  
  48
  3: As 2, but the girl is a powerful latent psionic who rebelled 
  against SEC’s secret psi teaching methods (her untrained 
  mind suffered great pain from the psionics). She is now 
  being forcibly indoctrinated by the over-zealous teachers. 
  18. triButis raPid strike forCe 
  Im-2525-13-WOS-Svc-0524-55
  Tributis RSF: When you absolutely need it destroyed tomorrow.
  Description 
  The five-battalion Tributis RSF is a highly mobile mercenary 
  company, available for strike, cadre, and Special Ops 
  mission. They operate two detachments, one equipped at 
  TL12, the other at TL15. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Following the Fourth Frontier War, the Tributis Arms 
  Group acquired the Rapid Strike Force mercenaries, a 
  light armoured platoon specialising in high-speed strike 
  missions. Tributis has greatly expanded their scope and the 
  RSF is now dispersed over more than 20 subsectors; many 
  surviving original members are still active in organising and 
  training newer recruits. The RSF has always kept its roots 
  in mind and maintains a very high level of mobility. It has 
  several crack commando units for orbital insertions and all 
  its infantry are mechanised. RSF battle tactics are centred 
  on speed and mobility. ‘Shoot and scoot’ is their motto. 
  Although the company mostly operates independently of 
  TAG, they use their equipment in battle to test and perfect 
  it. These actions are also used as demonstrations of TAG 
  equipment for prospective clients. The security forces at all 
  Tributis installations are trained by the RSF. 
  Plots 
  1: TAG is buying out a small mining concern that has 
  developed a novel method for extracting deep space ore. 
  The players are hired to provide site security for two weeks 
  between the takeover announcement and the arrival of 
  RSF troops and TAG Employee Retention Magistrate staff. 
  There is a lot of ill will between the hard-driven workers 
  and the owners (a married couple who are retiring with the 
  proceeds from the sale); Tributis is rightly concerned about 
  possible sabotage. A day after the announcement, the main 
  fuel depot is destroyed, stranding everyone at the base. A 
  message is found demanding proceeds from the sale be 
  distributed to the employees. When the owners refuse, the 
  computer and radio rooms are sabotaged, leaving only the 
  emergency environmental systems functioning. Finally the 
  ex-owners are targeted for assassination. 
  19. yoyodyne ProPulsion 
  systems 
  Terra/1827 Solomani Rim
  Im-2335-24-Sub-Svc-6263-66
  Description 
  YPS was one of the first Terran jump drive manufacturers; 
  in 1038 it was reborn as the brainchild of brilliant jump drive 
  designer Jon Karper von Bikbutay, and since then has 
  become one of the leading firms in the design of jump drive, 
  manoeuvre drive, and power plants. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Although details of the original Yoyodyne’s history have 
  been lost over the 3,000 years since it last operated, in 
  1038 parts of its original building remained standing in 
  New Jersey’s Dead Zone. Von Bikbutay was preparing to 
  go into business and, seeing a holo on the archaeological 
  excavation of that site, decided to name his new firm after 
  the ancient predecessor. The new YSP headquarters are 
  located in the New York Arcology, not far from the site 
  of the old plant, but it has employees throughout the Sol 
  system. Yoyodyne was acquired by GSbAG, LIC, in 1100. 
  Since then, approximately 90% of its design work has been 
  devoted to GSbAG products, though Yoyodyne maintains 
  virtually complete autonomy in its design methods. GSbAG 
  has long had the exclusive licence to provide vessels to the 
  Imperial family and most such ships now in service use drives 
  designed by Yoyodyne. Recently, an engineering intern 
  found a flaw in an old jump drive design that appears to have 
  been carried over to some current drives. In theory, this error 
  could lead to fractures in the zuchai crystals causing sudden 
  precipitation out of jump. The intern’s detailed report passed 
  only slowly up the management chain as each rank required 
  investigation before passing it upwards. The report has not 
  yet been passed to GSbAG as the cost of redesigning and 
  replacing thousands of jump drives throughout the Imperium 
  would bankrupt Yoyodyne and dramatically cut into GSbAG’s 
  corporate profits for several years. 
  Plots 
  1: YSP hires the players as independent consultants to 
  inspect various drives and see whether the faults found 
  by the intern are being exhibited. The party must keep an 
  extremely low profile while obtaining legitimate access to 
  vessels belonging to the Imperial family. They must also 
  avoid notice by GSbAG until they have reported back to YSP. 
  Finding a vessel assigned to a member of the Imperial family 
  is itself a challenge. A Yoyodyne manager will supervise the 
  team but will not join them for any inspections. 
  2: An Imperial family vessel precipitates out of jump space 
  immediately after jump. No one is injured but the Imperial 
  Navy begins a detailed inspection of the drives. The players 
  are hired to ensure the Navy’s report does not conclude the 
  problem was due to a Yoyodyne design error. 
  3: As 2, but the intern hears of the incident and feels he 
  should bring it to Imperial attention. The players are hired to 
  silence him, by whatever means. 
  
  49
  Every one lives by selling something
   - Robert Louis Stevenson
  1. donald’s used air/raft 
  emPorium 
  Im-0026-15-Sole-Ret-0664-71
  Description 
  When buying a used air/raft you want two things: a good 
  price, and confidence in its condition. Donald’s offers both. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Since his partner ran off with most of the firm’s money Donald 
  Chibewa has been convinced that people are out to get 
  him. He distrusts his employees, micromanages everything 
  and will not listen to advice; as a result things have been 
  going steadily downhill for the business, which is now barely 
  breaking even. Donald has a good eye for the value and 
  condition of vehicles but less of a head for paperwork. He 
  never deliberately cheats anyone, but he is a hard salesman. 
  Many customers have come away convinced they have a 
  bargain when they have paid over the odds. 
  Plots 
  1: Donald is offered a cheap fleet of vehicles from a hire 
  company which is upgrading, but he can’t raise enough 
  money in time, so he is looking for backers. Players with 
  money to spare could find this a good long-term investment. 
  However, Donald’s paranoia leads him to be rather over 
  inquisitive – after an initial period of enthusiasm he will begin 
  enquiring as to the players’ jobs and the means by which 
  they make their money.
  2: As 1, but Donald begins to believe the players are going 
  to run off with all his money (even if a large proportion of it 
  is now their money). He will become increasingly secretive 
  and he will be dismissive of any request for accounts or 
  access to the money. If the players persist, he will hole up 
  in his office with a shotgun and threaten to kill anyone who 
  comes ‘to steal my business again’. 
  3: As 1, but Donald wants to make money fast. He hires out 
  some vehicles on special conditions; if the hirers can drum 
  up 10 more customers within the week, they pay nothing 
  for the hire, and receive commission on the sales. If not, he 
  retains their deposit (usually 10% of the rental). 
  2. enli & elsa’s General store 
  Im-0034-57-Fam-Ret-1167-03
  Description 
  Enli and Elsa Ligarmuka run a small, friendly general store 
  in a rural village a long way from the nearest starport. They 
  offer most commonly requested hardware and groceries, 
  and will happily order special items for customers. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Enli and Elsa arrived in the village over twenty years ago. 
  They set up shop and were accepted by the somewhat 
  xenophobic villagers surprisingly quickly – partly because 
  they always seemed to be keeping one or two of any items 
  a villager asked for in stock, just in case. Elsa is psionic, 
  with a special talent that seems to be a limited form of 
  precognition. She can look at lists and feel which items are 
  going to be important. She gets great pleasure by exceeding 
  her customers’ expectations but, recognising she has a 
  peculiar gift, she and her husband deliberately chose an out-
  of-the-way location and low-profile business to avoid undue 
  attention. 
  Plots 
  1: While the players are in town, a bounty hunter arrives, 
  claiming that Elsa is a fugitive from Imperial justice (she is 
  merely on file as a suspected psionic but he will make it 
  sound more dramatic than this). Some villagers approach 
  the players quietly and ask them to prevent the bounty 
  hunter from harming their friendly store-keepers. 
  3. ivan evans, eleCtriCal 
  wholesaler 
  Im-1053-24-Sole-Whol-0363-72
  Description
  IEEW is a major importer of high-tech consumer electronics. 
  If your customers want it and it can’t be produced locally 
  then IEEW is undoubtedly the best source. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  As a young man, Ivan saw an opportunity for profit when 
  a free trader arrived with a hold full of high-tech gizmos 
  for quick sale. Swiftly arranging a loan through his mother 
  (a businesswoman herself) he acquired the items and 
  trade 
  
  50
  proceeded to sell them piecemeal to friends and local 
  retailers with a modest mark-up. He used the profit to 
  form his own company and to buy more goods. IEEW 
  has expanded from its humble beginnings. At 45, Ivan 
  now directly employs more than 50 people and supplies 
  electrical outlets across the continent with items that cannot 
  be produced on-world (‘I specialise in the unavailable’, says 
  Ivan). He has his own fleet of delivery vehicles to keep down 
  costs and many good contacts on neighbouring higher-tech 
  worlds. His mother’s investment has been paid back many 
  times over. Though IEEW has grown dramatically, Ivan has 
  decided not to register as a limited liability company, despite 
  advice from many friends. Until recently a model employer, 
  he has become increasingly paranoid about internal security 
  since a group of delivery drivers attempted to make off 
  with expensive electronic goods from a transcontinental 
  shipment. Ivan is a short, round human with blue-black skin, 
  a ready laugh and a high lilting voice. He sees the company 
  as an extension of himself and spends most of his waking 
  hours working, although he has been spending more time at 
  home since his mother’s recent illness. 
  Plots 
  1: IEEW is sending a particularly large shipment cross-
  country and Ivan fears his delivery workers will steal it. He 
  hires the Players to accompany the goods and keep an eye 
  on things; naturally this makes them extremely unpopular 
  with the regular employees who are quite honest. 
  2: As 1, but the employees are not trustworthy and intend 
  to make off with the goods, once they have got rid of ‘those 
  snooping offworlders’. 
  3: The players arrive with a cargo of new gadgets; Ivan has 
  heard the pre-release publicity and believes they will be hot 
  sellers. Unfortunately the marketing was a little premature 
  and the devices do not live up to their specification. Ivan 
  thinks he’s been swindled and threatens to sue the players. 
  4. kankir shiPPinG 
  Im-3435-15-Mut-Util4-Whol6-1103-13
  Description 
  Kankir Shipping is one of the fastest growing shipping 
  companies in the sector. Its fleet of over 100 vessels of all 
  sizes can support the full range of options for interstellar 
  haulage, from bulk goods to small luxury items, and offers 
  flexible terms designed to meet the customers’ needs. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  KS was formed by a group of independent traders looking 
  for a way to compete with the larger lines. Organising 
  themselves as a cooperative, the traders shared information, 
  jointly planned routes and trans-shipped cargos for each 
  other. Through a combination of skill and good luck, they 
  have been successful, and as the company has grown it has 
  taken on an increasing role in interstellar trade in the region, 
  purchasing larger vessels for bulk haulage. KS is still run 
  along co-operative lines, but the original members wield far 
  more power than those who joined later. Growth has begun to 
  slow down; it appears a restructuring along more traditional 
  corporate lines would be beneficial for further expansion 
  but there is strong resistance from some members. A vote 
  has been called at every one of the last five annual general 
  meetings, and each time the motion for change has been 
  defeated by an increasingly narrow margin. 
  Plots 
  1: Two KS captains try to recruit the players’ ship; they 
  believe if they can attract enough new members to swing 
  the next vote, they will benefit from the large windfall. 
  Naturally the players will come under pressure from these 
  captains to vote for restructuring; they will then be pressured 
  by the opponents, accused of being bribed, etc. If the vote 
  succeeds, the players can take the windfall and go, or stay 
  with KS (if they are still accepted). 
  5. ma Barker’s 
  Im-3443-24-PubS-Ret-0526-51
  Description 
  A chain of Vargr fast-food restaurants serving traditional 
  Vargr fare, but also catering for humans with a taste for 
  spices. Ma Barkers are a familiar sight in many starports. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  There is no universal traditional Vargr cooking but if there 
  was, Ma Barker’s would not provide it. These restaurants are 
  aimed directly at the human market and, in particular, at the 
  just-landed spacers who have had a few too many drinks and 
  who then dare each other to eat the hottest food (or most 
  unusual meat). The Vargr who work in Ma Barker’s tend to be 
  very low status; even so, they quit with alarming frequency.
  Plots 
  1: A charismatic Vargr, Knourra Uegusdouk, has organised 
  protests against Ma Barker’s for its ‘demeaning portrayal of 
  a noble race’. Some of his followers have decided to take 
  things further and plan to break in and set light to the local 
  establishment. The players may be caught up in the protests, 
  witness the break in, or be hired to help with the protest or 
  break in (if they are Vargr). 
  6. noBle imaGe 
  HRD/1623 Deneb 
  Im-6534-35-WOS-Manu4-Ret6-3434-34
  Description 
  Noble Image outlets are almost everywhere behind the 
  Claw, with stores at the majority of the larger starports. They 
  produce the finest in electronics and personal technology 
  
  51
  – everything from wristcomps to psi-helms to vision 
  enhancement sunglasses. Noble Image also produces fine, 
  handcrafted duelling rapiers and revolvers for the noble who 
  wishes to protect his ‘honour with dignity and style’. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  The company actually operates in two distinct markets. 
  Ironically, the retail outlets at starports are targeted at 
  upwardly-mobile consumers who are not themselves of the 
  nobility but aspire to be like them; most genuinely noble 
  customers use the exclusive, personal, home delivery 
  service which the company provides for their benefit. Much 
  of the equipment sold by Noble Image is bought in, frequently 
  from other subsidiaries of XTEK, rather than manufactured 
  by the company. Some of these lines are produced 
  exclusively for Noble Image but many are simply re-branded 
  versions of pre-existing product. The distinctive styling on 
  the handcrafted items comes from the use of Aslan labour. 
  In particular, the duelling weapons benefit from an unusual 
  blending of traditional Aslan carving with human motifs and 
  as a result are instantly recognisable as Noble Image items. 
  The company promotes each artist such that they develop 
  a reputation, adding considerably to the value of their work. 
  Plots 
  1: The latest gadget from Noble Image is the FLN-1120 Flynn 
  fencing trainer. This is simply a hovering spherical robot with 
  a practice rapier attached to it. At the starport this robot is 
  being demonstrated in front of the store. The Players are 
  welcomed to challenge the bot to a mock duel. Difficulty can 
  be set by voice command and at the higher levels the bot is 
  quite devious. The players may be embarrassed by the bot’s 
  expertise! 
  2: As 1, but the bot malfunctions and begins wounding the 
  combatant or even the bystanders. 
  3: A customer leaving a Noble Image store bumps into 
  one of the players. He is quite abusive, insisting it was the 
  character’s fault and challenging them to a duel to first blood 
  with his new rapier. He is actually a skilled opponent who 
  will probably win if the character fights and will gloat loudly 
  about it afterwards; if the challenge is refused he will dog 
  the players’ footsteps, trying to provoke them. In either case 
  he will be found dead in an alley the following morning. He 
  was murdered by another noble he had offended, but many 
  people saw the incident with the players… 
  7. o’shuGilii’s 
  HRD/1623 Deneb
  Im-6533-35-WOS-Ret-0422-33
  O’Shugilii’s! It’s a great place to meet friends, co-workers 
  and family. The atmosphere is always pleasant and the 
  food excellent. While at your next starport, why not visit 
  O’Shugilii’s? Please note violence is not tolerated; weapons 
  must be checked in at the door. If you want a fight, take it to 
  startown.
  Description 
  O’Shugilii’s is a chain of restaurants and public houses quite 
  popular in the area behind the Claw. They combine the best 
  of old Terra (in particular Ireland) with that of Classic Vland. 
  The food includes basic fare found throughout the region 
  as well as Vilani and Terran delicacies, including spicy fried 
  Argu patties, Janx Pudding and ground Frezel gourds. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Like all within the X-TEK family of companies O’Shugilii’s 
  is protected by the BureauX; unlike its siblings it also has 
  unofficial outside connections and members of House 
  Justin are frequently seen chatting to the staff. The House’s 
  philosophy also seems to have rubbed off on the chain. 
  Almost all outlets are as good as the advertising, with a great 
  atmosphere and friendly people (both staff and customers). 
  Many travellers have taken their troubles to O’Shugilii’s and 
  come away without them. The Culinary Temple on Vland  
  has objected to the company’s chosen name as demeaning 
  to true Shugilii and orthodox Chef-Priests are forbidden 
  from working for the chain. Very few other people pay much 
  attention to this official pronouncement as the food is very 
  good (and the traditional Vilani dishes are genuinely cooked 
  in the approved fashion). 
  Plots 
  1: The players are eating at an O’Shugilii’s restaurant when 
  a noted food critic comes in. A disturbance outside draws the 
  door security guard outside, then another customer attempts 
  to choke the critic. The attacker is a chef whose restaurant 
  has recently gone out of business because of a scathing 
  review from his victim. Only the players are near enough to 
  do anything; if they interfere, the ex-chef will grab a steak 
  knife and use the critic as a hostage. 
  2: While eating at an O’Shugilii’s, the players notice a 
  suspicious customer hovering between the tables; closer 
  inspection reveals they are covertly dropping a fine 
  powder over some of the dishes. This is a member of 
  the Culinary Temple spreading mild poison around in an 
  attempt to discredit the restaurant. If the players tackle 
  the poisoner, O’Shugilii’s will be very grateful and will give 
  them a special voucher for free food at any O’Shugilii’s in 
  the subsector. 
  8. vilani man/vilani woman 
  Im-5552-34-PubW-Ret-1555-53
  Description 
  Vilani Man/Vilani Woman has served humaniti since before 
  the formation of the Third Imperium. They provide traditional 
  clothes for all classes as well as innovative modern designs 
  for the daring. 
  
  52
  Referee’s Notes 
  VM/VW is a very traditional company; what it describes as 
  ‘daring’ would be classed ‘conservative’ by more Solomani-
  influenced observers. While it is true that they provide a full 
  range of clothing, they attract little custom from the nobility 
  since they do not offer a hand-tailoring service. VM/VW 
  claim that their computer styling provides just as good a 
  fit but most nobles disagree. A critic once accused them of 
  providing ‘middle of the road clothing for the middle-class, 
  middle-aged middle management’; a harsh comment but 
  with a certain ring of truth. The company was founded in 
  Vland sector around -300, as the Long Night drew to a 
  close. 
  Ownership
  Naasirka 43%
  Sharurshid 18%
  Zirunkariish 8%
  Imperial Family 4%
  Others 27%
  Plots 
  1: After visiting a VM/VW store, the players find themselves 
  being followed. Eventually they find their belongings 
  ransacked but only their VM/VW clothes are taken. If asked, 
  the company will claim to know nothing about it and will offer 
  replacements as a goodwill gesture; if the players investigate 
  further they may be able to discover the truth: elements in 
  Naasirka have been using VM/VW for industrial espionage, 
  bugging members of rival firms. A player was given bugged 
  clothes by mistake. How the players use this information is 
  up to them. 
  9. vilani suBJeCt raCe 
  Im-2316-04-Sole-Ret-2374-02
  Description 
  Vilani Subject Race aims to bring Vilani fashion to those 
  excluded by the masters of the First Imperium – the minor 
  human races with shapes not matching the Vilani ideal and 
  non-humans of any description. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  VSR was founded as a political statement 40 years ago by 
  Deelo Forasee, a disgruntled Geonee with a strong dislike 
  of all things Vilani. He initially produced Geonee clothing 
  parodying Vilani styles, but when the range proved popular 
  he decided to cater for other races as well. As interest 
  grew he started selling franchises to entrepreneurs in 
  neighbouring systems. Deelo is surprised by the success 
  of VSR and is not sure what to do about it. He feels that he 
  ought to be able to make some political mileage out of the 
  situation but suspects the message is being lost along the 
  way. The company is currently being sued by Vilani Man/
  Vilani Woman, who claim that Deelo’s success is based 
  on their name recognition and that their good reputation is 
  being damaged by his substandard workmanship. Deelo 
  believes the real reason is more political but can’t afford to 
  lose in court; he will be liable for full damages since VSR 
  never incorporated (he sees Limited Imperial Corporations 
  as being an artefact of Vilani commercial practices). 
  Plots 
  1: Deelo is running out of funds to fight the court case. He 
  believes certain groups concerned with the rights of minor 
  races may be willing to help but he and his staff are currently 
  forbidden to leave the planet, so he needs someone to carry 
  a message. Unfortunately he is right about the political 
  motivation for the action and VM/VW will not make delivery 
  of the message easy... 
  2: Given his current troubles, Deelo hires the players to 
  watch his warehouse. Sure enough, some Vilani activists try 
  to set his stock alight. 
  
  53
  Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these 
  couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.
   - Herodotus
  1. aGuukaruu storaGe 
  Im-0023-04-LL-Util-0244-11
  Description 
  AS provides cheap, no-frills, short or long-term warehousing. 
  Insurance available on request. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  One step up from the cheapest warehousing, AS is typical 
  of basic starport storage facilities everywhere. The few staff 
  work shifts to cover all required jobs – receptionist, crane 
  operator and security guard – and keep the business open 
  at all hours of the day (starports never sleep). 
  Plots 
  1: The players arrive to collect their goods from AS, only 
  to find nobody on duty and the door unlocked. A lone AS 
  worker is asleep in the office and their goods are gone. It 
  looks like theft, but once tempers have cooled, a check of 
  the records and remaining stock gives clues that their stock 
  was accidentally shipped out by another company and 
  can be recovered fairly easily… provided it did not contain 
  anything too compromising, that is! 
  2: The players come to collect or deposit goods but a very 
  scared employee refuses them access, claiming they are 
  closed for refurbishment, or on strike, or… look just go away! 
  Unknown to the players, he has a gun pointed at his head, 
  because heavily-armed thieves are currently removing the 
  entire warehouse contents via the rear doors. 
  2. BarGain travel 
  Im-0034-13-LL-Util-3333-24
  Description 
  World-hopping on a budget? Need to get places fast? 
  Bargain Travel can find the right ticket at the right price for 
  you! 
  Referee’s Notes 
  BT provides a service to passengers and ship owners alike, 
  ensuring that berths are rarely empty and that people can 
  travel on a budget. Many tickets are sold cheaply on a 
  standby basis – the passenger may be bumped if someone 
  comes along who is willing to pay the full fare. Other deals 
  guarantee a berth but say nothing about the conditions of 
  the journey, which can result in a cramped and unpleasant 
  trip. 
  Plots 
  1: The players buy berths through Bargain Travel and are 
  told they will be met at the starport with the tickets two hours 
  before the flight. Time passes but the tickets do not arrive. 
  Someone bumped the players, but BT forgot to notify them.
  3. Beni ma interPlanetary 
  Im-2243-44-Fam-Util9-Whol1 -2656-?4
  Description 
  For settlements on planets and belts around both the primary 
  and its far companion, in-system transportation is vital to the 
  system economy. BMI is the single biggest provider of in-
  system freight and passenger capacity on all major routes. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  BMI is run by octogenarian Rashid ibn Ma, great-grandson 
  of the founder (‘Beni Ma’ means ‘sons of the horse’). Almost 
  every family member works for the company but it has 
  grown so large that outsiders are also recruited. These 
  applicants are vetted exceptionally carefully and there have 
  been accusations of discrimination against them; certainly 
  almost all managers are family. Financially and logistically, 
  BMI divides its operations by region. Head office is on the 
  mainworld, handling matters of general policy, but each 
  major population centre has its own office which is fairly 
  autonomous for local matters. The company divides its 
  operations according to the skills and facilities required for a 
  particular run: ground-to-orbit, local space (between moons 
  or stations orbiting a single world), short interplanetary, 
  long interplanetary and microjump (trips over seven days in 
  normal space, including travel between the primary and its 
  companion). BMI now runs its own academy, which handles 
  their space pilot and steward training needs. They need few 
  transPort, CommuniCations 
  and utilities  
  
  54
  jump pilots, so these are recruited externally. The company 
  treats its employees well but demands a high level of 
  performance from them; family members who cannot make 
  the grade are quietly reassigned to less critical positions 
  while outsiders are let go. 
  Plots 
  1: Two BMI starships are currently undergoing repairs, but 
  service must be continued, so the players are contracted to 
  make a microjump to the far companion. They are not told 
  that the repairs are for damage sustained during repeated 
  pirate attacks (or hijackings by in-system rebels). 
  2: Rashid intends to retire soon. His brother and several of 
  Rashid’s children are hoping for his role, jockeying for position 
  and building up support in the family. One of them hires the 
  players to make the opposition look bad – the means are up 
  to them but plausible deniability must be maintained. 
  4. Channel 17 media GrouP 
  Im-3143-33-PubS-Util7-Ret2-Svc1 -3554-33
  Description 
  C17MG is now the largest broadcasting company on the 
  planet, providing quality viewing and up-to-the-minute 
  news globally. C17MG can meet every need – education or 
  entertainment, holovids or text, interaction or relaxation. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  C17MG was formed by Bwap financier Kaper-wewepa-
  waka-a shortly after he arrived on this world. Through 
  shrewd marketing and farsighted buyouts of established 
  firms the company grew swiftly; it now controls almost half 
  of the broadcasting stations, produces its own programmes 
  and merchandising and has financial interests in various 
  other telecommunication firms. Few realise that although 
  many C17MG broadcasts are produced in-house, few of 
  them are popular. Imports from larger companies such as 
  Planet X Recordings and independently produced local 
  shows tend to get higher ratings. This doesn’t worry the 
  management, as profits are still good and the programme-
  making budget has been cut for the third successive year. 
  The news division has a good reputation but has been 
  struggling to maintain its quality. Rival networks gleefully 
  covered the recent resignation of a group of executives and 
  presenters in a dispute over editorial control. The remaining 
  less experienced teams must now prove themselves. 
  Ownership
  Kaper-wewepa-waka-a 59%
  Makhidkarun 11%
  Other Corporations 17%
  Imperial Family 5%
  Private Individuals 8%
  Plots 
  1: C17MG News seeks an interview with the party about 
  one of their recent exploits; they are very persistent. If the 
  players grant the request they will find the results distorted 
  in whatever way is most likely to interest viewers; if not, their 
  refusal will be used to make them the bad guys in a story 
  which bears little resemblance to reality (but just enough to 
  make a libel case expensive). 
  2: A C17MG worker approaches the players with a 
  recording he has made that he wants them to take to 
  an offworld broadcaster. It details an alleged financial 
  scandal within the government, discovered by C17MG but 
  suppressed by Kaper himself. Someone is certainly trying 
  to get at the worker, and once he has talked to the players 
  they are pursued as well – whether or not they accept 
  his commission. Kaper and a government contact are 
  swindling huge amounts of money. 
  3: As 2, but Kaper is being blackmailed by the government 
  fraudsters. He will deny any involvement but will try to use 
  the players to free himself from the blackmail and get a good 
  story out of it! 
  5. Chu’s taxis 
  Im-0025-04-NL-Util-1224-32
  On call all the time. Choose Chu’s!
  Description 
  A fast, efficient, cheap and convenient taxi service running 
  throughout the city and to the starport.
  Referee’s Notes 
  Chu Adnan’s fleet stands at five enclosed air/rafts and 
  three grav sedans. He has kept his operation going in the 
  face of strong competition from bigger firms through sheer 
  determination and hard work, putting in long hours for little 
  personal gain. This has now paid off, and he has a good 
  reputation locally with many loyal customers. He has a core 
  family of four drivers and a receptionist; these people have 
  been with him for years, other staff come and go. 
  Plots 
  1: The players are travelling to the starport by taxi. It seems 
  to be taking a very long time, and the driver finally admits 
  that he has lost his way. He pleads with the characters not 
  to tell his boss (Chu) as he is new and might lose his job. If 
  they help him and do not reveal his incompetence, he will be 
  a useful ally later, giving them free rides, street gossip and 
  similar services. 
  2: As 1, but the driver is actually taking the players to a quiet 
  back street where a gang will rob and perhaps even kill them.
  
  55
  6. inteGrated transit authority 
  Im-424N-73-StO-Util7-Pub3-3337-52
  Description 
  The ITA directly or indirectly controls all public transportation 
  in the star system, managing everything to ensure all 
  transport runs on time.
  Referee’s Notes 
  The people of this world place great value by efficient public 
  transport and willingly make sufficient public subsidies 
  available for this to be possible. The ITA is charged with 
  overseeing all public transportation and, unlike similar 
  bodies elsewhere, it has the power to enforce its policies. 
  Key features of their strategy include banning all powered 
  transport from cities (except for ITA carriers, emergency 
  services and a limited number of licensed commercial 
  vehicles); all ground, water and atmospheric vehicles are 
  fitted with a transponder so ITA computers can monitor traffic 
  flows and send routing advice (or in some cases, orders); 
  traffic offences are seen as major infractions and punished 
  with heavy fines and community service sentences. The 
  public transport system is as good as the ITA can make it, 
  with regular, reliable gravcar services in cities and gravrail 
  cross-country; feedback mechanisms for complaints and 
  praise are also well-integrated. The ITA is not responsible for 
  in-system traffic and there are occasional disputes over the 
  point at which control should be transferred. The ITA also has 
  bases on the moons of outer system gas giants. Its authority 
  here is only nominal but the small populations this far out are 
  relatively compliant, so the ITA effectively controls all non-
  space traffic throughout the system. Some decry the lack of 
  freedom the regulations entail but most citizens are happy 
  with the way the system works, particularly those whose 
  lives have been saved by the extremely rapid response of 
  the emergency services made possible by ITA management. 
  Plots 
  1: The players need to get to a specific place within the 
  controlled traffic zone of the capital city. Every time they try to 
  get there using the public transport system they are thwarted 
  – the trains do not stop, the buses get rerouted – and if they 
  try to walk they find the footbridge closed for repairs. Does 
  the ITA want to stop them getting to their destination? In 
  reality they are not being paranoid – a terrorist is claiming 
  they have planted a bio-weapon in the area; to avoid panic, 
  the public have not been informed, but all ITA traffic is being 
  directed away from the area. 
  7. marliiner enterPrises, liC 
  Rhylanor/2716 Spinward 
  Im-1415-15-PubS-Util7-Ret2-Svc1 -0266-13
  Description 
  Marliiner Enterprises is a small interstellar transport operation 
  moving people, freight, and mail between Rhylanor and 
  Porozlo in the Spinward Marches. Currently the company 
  runs three liners, employing almost a hundred people. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Nathler R’Elvarte is the original owner and largest 
  shareholder of Marliiner Enterprises. He is something of a 
  local hero to the Free Trader crowd, having worked his way 
  up from just an old tramp trader. His crew hit the jackpot 
  when they discovered a small cache of Ancient artefacts. 
  Nathler used this to secure the niche trade route that has 
  made him a wealthy individual. He resides on Rhylanor, 
  where he involves himself in local subsector business 
  politics. What his admirers do not know is that some of the 
  artefacts were used to bribe SPA contacts on several worlds 
  to allow R’Elvarte’s liners a piece of the hotly competitive 
  and highly lucrative Rhylanor-Porozlo trade route. However, 
  his original Far Trader (the Marliiner), refurbished by his 
  own tiny shipyard, contains one of the remaining treasures 
  – an antimatter battery, with sufficient output to power the 
  ship for about a hundred years. His ship therefore has 
  extra space that no customs inspector would imagine could 
  exist. ME owns stock in a few fledgling trade lines and 
  sometimes collaborates in mutually beneficial trans-shipping 
  agreements. ME has also done business with MarchLines 
  and Oberlindes. 
  Ownership
  The R’Elvarte family 65%
  Heroni MinCorp 10%
  Baroness Kira von Huytera 10%
  Harris Engineering LIC 10%
  Other 5%
  Plots 
  1: Baron du Nobe of Lunion offers the players a nice reward 
  for stealing Nathler’s refurbished Far Trader. Little do they 
  know that the Baron has been paid to sabotage all Nathler’s 
  liners; he plans to blow the whistle on the group, using their 
  infiltration as a diversion to get a crack team of saboteurs 
  past security and into the shipyards. 
  2: A noble on Rhylanor hires the players to find out whether 
  it is true that Nathler once sent a Far Trader from Rhylanor 
  to a college on Regina. If the players do some digging, they 
  will find the ship was piloted by Nathler himself and that he 
  spoke with a few noted archaeological professors there, 
  exchanging some unmarked packages with them before 
  returning to Rhylanor. The noble asks them to find out, by 
  whatever means necessary, what was in those packages 
  (he is trying to determine what artefacts Nathler owns). 
  3: The players find an abandoned Free Trader between 
  Rhylanor and Tremous Dex. Inside is a hidden packet 
  marked ‘Marliiner’ containing coded Imperial military data 
  about Arden’s forces. Nathler is trying to broker a deal 
  between Tremous Dex and Denotam to set up a feeder line 
  to transport food into the Imperium. He suspects Arden of 
  
  56
  planning to conquer the world and is worried about losing 
  his trade opportunity; Arden is actually seeking closer trade 
  ties. If the players try to deliver the package to Tremous 
  Dex, they find an Arden team already there; if they try to 
  sell the information on the open market they will be labelled 
  as smugglers or anti- Imperial agents; if they return the 
  information to Nathler they will be rewarded. 
  8. southern standard Power 
  Im-3152-52-PubW-Util-4443-32
  Description 
  SSP generates and distributes more than 40% of the 
  world’s electricity, making it by far the largest supplier. They 
  guarantee to match any competitor’s price and have an 
  enviable record of avoiding power cuts. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  SSP has been growing steadily for decades, often acquiring 
  smaller suppliers, such that now it dominates the energy 
  generation industry. Because of the world’s anti-monopoly 
  laws it is now in a quandary: investors demand further 
  growth but if it takes a larger slice of the market it may be 
  forcibly broken up. The directors have taken a three-pronged 
  approach; promoting high energy projects and greater 
  consumer energy use to increase demand, encouraging the 
  use of cleaner electricity for which they can charge more, 
  and vigorously cutting costs. This has kept the company 
  growing in the short term but they need to come up with 
  longer-term solutions soon. The most advanced power 
  generation technology the world can produce is fission; SSP 
  has been importing fusion generators, but there are still a 
  lot of older power plants online. In the past SSP has been 
  careful about safety and waste disposal but with the new cost-
  cutting measures this is no longer the case. They are also 
  having problems introducing so-called green alternatives – 
  attempts to set up solar, wind or wave farms and dams for 
  hydroelectric plants all suffer ‘not in my backyard’ protests 
  from locals. SSP stock is almost entirely owned by onworld 
  concerns. 
  Plots 
  1: A group approaches the players, claiming to be 
  environmental activists who believe that safety is being 
  compromised in an old fission plant operated by SSP. They 
  want the players to help get them into the plant to acquire 
  video evidence. Unfortunately the group are actually 
  terrorists on a suicide mission who intend to blow up the 
  plant. 
  2: A cargo of food the players are due to ship offworld is found 
  to be radioactive. Has SSP been dumping waste near where 
  it was grown? The players will get no compensation unless 
  they can prove who is responsible for the contamination. 
  9. sweet-Carroll lines 
  Saurus/1320 Spinward
  Im-1314-15-PubL-Util7-Whol3 -0224-34
  Description 
  S-CL carries freight, speculative cargo and passengers. 
  They operate primarily on the Saurus-Vilis run; many of their 
  clients are tourists wishing to hunt the megasaurs native to 
  Saurus’ swamp regions. S-CL is also a specialist in providing 
  charter flights; all ships carry fuel refining plants to enable 
  wilderness expeditions. A much-advertised selling point 
  for S-CL passenger traffic is that every ship has enough 
  emergency low berth space for all passengers and crew – a 
  useful safety feature. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  A former merchant with Oberlindes Lines, Kyle Sweet 
  approached the Saurian Farmers’ Co-operative (p.15) with 
  a business proposal in 1089; if the SFC would help bankroll 
  him, he would set up a shipping line to provide cheaper 
  transport of SFC-controlled goods to the industrial world 
  of Vilis. The SFC Board of Governors wanted another 
  merchant to participate in capitalising and operating the 
  new shipping line and Sweet enrolled the captain of the last 
  Oberlindes ship on which he had served, Andrei Carroll, who 
  contributed his 80% ownership of his ship. Following his 
  marriage in 1103, Carroll sold his share of S-CL to his cousin 
  Eneri McCormic and retired to the life of a country squire in 
  the hinterlands of Saurus. Current S-CL assets include four 
  refurbished 200-ton Far Traders, with emergency low berths 
  replacing the standard low berths. Fuel refining plants were 
  originally installed to reduce operating expenses but have 
  proven a boon when hiring out ships for private expeditions. 
  By holding a significant percentage of stock in S-CL, the SFC 
  recoups a portion of their shipping costs. This subsidisation 
  justifies a regular service outside normal shipping lanes. The 
  Saurus-Vilis run is a marginal route and the main competition 
  comes from free traders rather than larger companies; the 
  latter would prefer to move in by taking over an existing 
  concern. S-CL has recently been the target of three take-
  over bids but all of them have been firmly rejected. 
  Ownership
  Kyle Sweet 32%
  Eneri McCormic 30%
  Saurian Farmers’ Co-operative 25%
  Hortalez et Cie 8%
  Imperial Family 5%
  Plots 
  1: The players are hired to take a hunting party to Saurus. 
  Unfortunately, the patrons do not tell them of S-CL’s 
  exclusive rights to use of the three spaceports (Class E) 
  within the megasaur hunting preserves. By avoiding co-
  
  57
  ordinating the hunt through the SFC and S-CL, the hunters 
  are saving a lot of money but also laying themselves open 
  to charges of trespass and poaching. There are also the 
  inherent hazards of hunting the megasaurs with hand-held 
  weapons (using energy weapons violates both the sporting 
  spirit and Saurian law). 
  2: As 1, plus the group encounters native Saurians who, 
  lacking any warning of the hunters’ presence by the local 
  SFC liaison, are somewhat hostile – the hunters may 
  become the hunted… 
  3: As 1 or 2, plus escaping Saurus is hampered by an 
  attempted interception by an heavily armed S-CL ship. 
  10. x-link 
  Im-2347-42-PubW-Util-0433-33
  Taking up the torch of fast communication where the Scout 
  Service stops.
  Description 
  Mail travels fast by x-boat, but there are many worlds which 
  are not directly on the main x-boat route. For these people 
  X-Link provides a regular, reliable mail service. 
  Referee’s Notes 
  Many entrepreneurs have attempted to make money filling 
  in the gaps left by the Imperial Interstellar Scout Service’s 
  express boat network but most worlds do not generate 
  enough mail to support the required number of long-legged 
  ships, leaving data instead to be carried by merchants 
  who happen to be going in the right direction. X-Link’s 
  territory includes several profitable high population worlds 
  and the company uses the income to subsidise the loss-
  making routes. It also receives government subsidies from 
  those worlds that value the service highly. X-Link attempts 
  to balance two main factors when preparing schedules – 
  the cost, and the public perception of the service as fast 
  and reliable. However, some bad decisions over the last 
  decade have seriously damaged the company’s reputation: 
  insufficient investment and the cancellation of some loss-
  making runs led to reduced income, making it still harder 
  to keep the smaller routes open. The new CEO, Alvin das 
  Gupta, has adopted an aggressive strategy to reverse the 
  company’s fortunes. A key focus is to counter the perception 
  of X-Link as unreliable. Although this has resulted in larger 
  losses in the short term, analysts are optimistic about the 
  company’s future. X-Link crews are encouraged to carry 
  some freight to help offset costs (although for security reasons 
  passengers are forbidden). This practice has become even 
  more important recently because of the financial squeeze, 
  making the ships more like subsidised merchants. Only a 
  small amount of cargo can be carried, but it can be priced as 
  low as necessary to ensure the space is filled – any money 
  is good money! An argument is currently raging between 
  some board members over whether the company should 
  replace its fleet with larger subsidised merchants; das Gupta 
  strongly opposes this. 
  Plots 
  1: Due to an unexpected safety problem with two X-Link 
  ships simultaneously, the mail service is threatened. This 
  could be disastrous for the gradually-recovering public 
  confidence. X-Link will recruit the players’ ship to fill the gap, 
  paying over the odds to keep the service running. 
  2: As 1, but one of the messages in the databank carried 
  by the players is a virus, which will spread throughout 
  the databank, attempt to infect the players’ ship and the 
  communications systems on the destination world (unless 
  the players realise the danger and disable the databank 
  transmitter). 
  3: The players need to send a vital message in a hurry; 
  X-Link seems to be the only secure option. Locals see the 
  service as a bad joke, commenting that they will be lucky if 
  the mail is delivered at all, let alone quickly; the company 
  representative disputes this. The players must choose 
  whether to make a costly detour to deliver the message 
  themselves or entrust it to X-Link. 
  
  58
  Trade is the lifeblood of the Imperium.
   - Cleon I
  Player venturers
  As mentioned earlier, referees looking to make corporations 
  central to their campaigns are directed to consult Book 
  7: Merchant Prince. However, those wanting to keep big 
  business on the sidelines and avoid book-keeping may 
  prefer to use the method of presenting corporations in this 
  book and involve their players through the ideas below.
  The classic example of players running their own business 
  is the ‘merchant’ campaign – one or more of the characters 
  own a ship (or a share in one), which they use to generate 
  income through trade. Corsairs are similar, though their 
  source of income has rather different risk factors! Fixed-
  location businesses (shops, farms, etc.) are rare as 
  adventurers rarely settle in one place for long.
  finanCe
  Capital is the first key factor in setting up and running 
  a business. The bottom line is that money is needed to 
  keep things running, and profit is the desired outcome. 
  Few entrepreneurs can afford the initial capital investment 
  required to start a business on their own, and obtaining 
  funding is not always easy. This is especially true of venture 
  capital for a trading vessel, which is regarded as a high-
  risk investment. Cash flow can also be a problem once the 
  venture is up and running, even if the business is making a 
  profit.
  Plots
  1: Nobody will finance the players’ planned venture, except 
  at extortionate interest rates. An agent offers the funding, 
  but only if her unnamed employer can join the scheme as 
  part-owner.
  2: The players find themselves unexpectedly in the red, but 
  their creditors will not wait for things to improve and seem 
  intent on bankrupting the characters. Possible causes for the 
  crisis include; debtors defaulting on their debts; increased 
  corporate taxes; increased import and/or export duties; 
  unfavourable interest rates; the secondary effects of almost 
  any of the other situations detailed further on.
  3: The government offers strong financial incentives to 
  entrepreneurs to set up shop in an economically-depressed 
  part of the world. Only when they have accepted do the 
  players find out how bad the conditions are – the local 
  workforce is demoralised and the infrastructure is very poor.
  emPloyees
  Labour is the second key asset in almost any business. 
  Finding and retaining the right people for the right job is not 
  easy, especially for high-profile jobs such as starship pilots, 
  executives and scientists, but sometimes also for the factory 
  floor.
  Plots
  1: The players are short-staffed at a vital time; a vital employee 
  is headhunted by another firm; an infectious disease strikes 
  down many employees, leaving them unfit for work; a traffic 
  accident injures or kills key staff; it is a religious or political 
  holiday; people are not prepared to work, even for extra pay; 
  some of the workforce are on strike, either because of the 
  players’ practices or in sympathy for workers elsewhere.
  2: A downturn in profits means the players can no longer 
  keep their entire workforce. Who will stay and who will go?
  resourCes
  Resources and assets (including land) are the third key 
  factor of a business. These are most important in primary 
  industries such as agriculture and mining, but almost all 
  businesses are dependent on having a trading location and 
  their outputs depend on some form of input materiel.
  Plots
  1: A natural disaster disrupts the players’ supply lines, their 
  distribution network or a company site.
  2: The rent on the players’ site doubles. They must persuade 
  the landlord the rise is unjust, come up with the money, or 
  move elsewhere.
  3: As a result of a new government transport strategy, the 
  players are presented with a compulsory purchase order for 
  their land.
  CorPorate sCheminG  
  
  59
  rivals
  Competition usually benefits consumers with lower prices, 
  but to most entrepreneurs competition is an unwelcome 
  obstacle. 
  Plots
  1: A rival seems to be anticipating the players’ every move. 
  Is it luck, skill, or an inside source? 
  2: A bomb destroys key company property. Did a rival plant it, 
  or has the company offended an environmental or religious 
  action group?
  3: A bold rival tries to take over the players’ business. If the 
  players resist the buyout, will the rival up the offer or employ 
  bribery, threats, etc.?
  reGulation
  In theory, the Imperium guarantees free trade between the 
  stars, but this sometimes conflicts with its policy of non-
  interference in the affairs of member worlds, creating a 
  regulatory interface – usually at the edge of the starport or 
  startown. Even trade taking place on a single world or within 
  a system can be subject to variations in local law, reflecting 
  local customs, safety issues, etc.
  Plots
  1: The players arrive with a potentially highly profitable 
  cargo, only to find that their goods need costly additional 
  licensing before they can be sold.
  2: As 1, but the goods are now prohibited and thus 
  worthless… unless there’s a black market.
  3: The government bans a resource that the players’ 
  business needs in order to operate.
  4: New environmental, religious or political policies require 
  the players to change the way they conduct business. The 
  new way is, of course, more expensive.
  5: The government decides to nationalise an industry, 
  including the characters’ company, but is offering 
  compensation far below its worth.
  workinG for others
  Many players find themselves in casual employment from 
  time to time; mercenaries work for their unit, and merchant 
  starship crew without shares in the vessel are generally full-
  time employees. Some of the following plot ideas can also 
  be applied to government workers such as active military, 
  scouts and diplomats.
  unemPloyment
  In the short term, unemployment (or the fear of 
  unemployment) can help employers by keeping wages 
  down; in the long term it benefits no-one. It is never a good 
  thing for the unemployed…
  Plots
  1: A character is sacked. The dismissal is fair but comes at 
  a bad time, for instance when debts are pressing and a loan 
  shark wants to collect.
  2: The players are dismissed unfairly due to discrimination 
  against offworlders. Can they prove their case when the 
  system is stacked against them and every hour in court is 
  very costly?
  3: The players cannot find a job without a union card, and 
  cannot get a card without a job…
  4: The firm goes bust, and the players (along with all the 
  other workers) are let go.
  Casual work
  Much work is done without a formal contract: the employee 
  agrees to perform some task and receives a pre-agreed 
  payment at the end of the work. This is common for manual 
  labour; payment is often on a daily (or at most weekly) basis.
  Plots
  1: At the end of the work period the company refuses to pay 
  the agreed amount (or anything at all). Without a contract 
  what can the players do? 
  2: The players find the health and safety conditions are 
  appalling for cheap casual work.
  3: The players are constantly intimidated by regular workers, 
  perhaps because they fear their own jobs are at risk from 
  cheaper casual labour.
  fixed-term ContraCts
  A more formal arrangement involves a contract between the 
  employer and the employee, usually for a fixed time or until 
  a specific job is completed.
  Plots
  1: The players suddenly find they need to move on, but 
  their contract has a month before it expires and the penalty 
  clauses are severe.
  2: Halfway through the contract the players find that they 
  cannot possibly fulfil the conditions.
  
  60
  3: After signing up for a term of work on a world with a hostile 
  environment, the players find they have to buy all their 
  equipment, food and protective gear at extortionate prices 
  from the company store; they cannot avoid being in heavy 
  debt to the company when their contract is over. Worse, the 
  company will not provide transport off the world unless the 
  players can pay for it…
  oPen-ended ContraCts
  This is the most secure form of employment. The contract 
  states the terms and conditions under which the employee 
  can quit or be fired, but specifies no fixed duration.
  Plots
  1: The company merges or is taken over, and announces all 
  contracts will be renegotiated, or that the players’ jobs are 
  no longer required. 
  2: While performing their job, or when moving on, the 
  players find that one world does not recognise the legality of 
  another’s contracts.
  3: The characters fail to read the small print when they 
  sign up, e.g. the basic contract does not include a pension, 
  clothing, accident insurance…
  Consumers
  Players may encounter awkward customers, but their biggest 
  problems usually occur when buying goods or services from 
  other corporations.
  Plots
  1: The players start receiving demands for payment from a 
  company they have never heard of. Is there some mistake 
  on the company’s part, or has someone being misusing their 
  identities?
  2: The players buy something expensive that turns out to 
  be useless because of shoddy workmanship. The local laws 
  offer no protection to consumers, so how can they get their 
  money back?
  3: The players buy something only to find at a later date that 
  far too large an amount has been debited from their account, 
  and the vendors have mysteriously disappeared…
  
  61
  Asset: Anything of value owned by an individual or business.
  Business: Another name for a firm.
  Capital: Physical items (such as factories or tools) and staff development (training) required by a business; one of the main 
  factors of production.
  Capitalism: An economic scheme in which firms and individuals hold the means of production; a free-market or private-
  enterprise economy. Except for interstellar government and the military, the Imperium as a whole is capitalist (although 
  many individual worlds are not).
  Collectivism: An economic scheme in which the state holds the means of production; a centrally-planned economy. Imperial 
  law on free trade makes it difficult for pure collectivist societies to exist within its borders.
  Company: Another name for a firm.
  Consumer: A buyer of goods or services from a business.
  Corporation: A state-owned company, or one funded by shareholders. Less formally, another name for a firm.
  Creditor: A firm or individual owed money by the company for goods or services provided.
  Debtor: A firm or individual owing money to the company for goods or services received.
  Entrepreneur: An individual organising a business in an attempt to generate a profit.
  Firm: A producer of goods and services.
  Friendly Society: An organisation into which members can deposit funds and from which they can draw money in times 
  of need.
  Goods: Tangibles such as steel, soap or air/rafts produced by a firm for sale (or, more formally, contributing to the fulfilment 
  of intelligent creatures’ wants).
  Labour: The sophont effort required by a business; one of the main factors of production.
  Limited Liability Company: A firm whose shareholders are protected from loss greater than the amount originally invested.
  Megacorporation: A company with significant presence in every sector of a large interstellar empire (such as the Imperium, 
  Zhodani Consulate or Hive Federation). There are 13 Imperial megacorporations, all large and diverse enough to wield 
  significant political power.
  Mixed Economy: A scheme in which the state holds the means of production for some goods or services but firms and 
  individuals provide the rest. Many Imperial worlds have mixed economies.
  Mutual Society: An organisation which distributes all profits to its members, who are regarded as creditors rather than 
  shareholders.
  Natural Resources: The raw materials and land required by a business; one of the main factors of production.
  Publicly Listed Company: A firm financed by the sale of shares which can be bought or sold on a stock market.
  Return On Investment (ROI): The profit margin (revenue minus costs) divided by the amount of money invested in the 
  business. A measure of the money-generating efficiency of the company.
  Revenue: Money coming into a company, either from the sale of goods and services or from grants.
  Services: Intangibles such as hairdressing or banking offered by a firm for sale (or, more formally, contributing to the 
  fulfilment of sophonts’ wants).
  Subsidiary: A firm owned (and often controlled) by another firm.
  Trust: Assets managed for the benefit of some group by appointed trustees.
  Venture: A high-risk project.
  Glossary
  
  62
  Governments
  
  63
  format 
  This section is divided according to the government codes 
  used in the Traveller Core Rulebook to classify the method 
  by which a world is ruled. Each entry in a section has the 
  following details: a description of the government - its basic 
  ideology and distinguishing features, a section for the 
  referee containing additional details which might not at first 
  be apparent to players, a plot which you may wish to exploit, 
  linked in some manner to the government and its background. 
  You should feel free to adapt any or all of this information to 
  suit your campaign background and/or personal preferences. 
  Selecting a Government 
  Consult the section of this book corresponding to the 
  government code from the Universal World Profile (UWP) 
  of the world your players are intending to visit. Either skim 
  read the available government entries and decide which is 
  most suited to your purposes, or choose one government 
  description at random. Now read through the entry in detail 
  and make notes on any ideas which occur to you, with 
  regard to similarity to an existing regime (which will help 
  you describe it to your players). If any plots or non-player 
  characters occur to you, jot these down too. 
  Player Information
  Generally the players should be able to gain most of the 
  information in the description section (of a government entry) 
  simply through background knowledge of the area or quick 
  reference to any decent library data source. The referee 
  section contains data which the players should only obtain 
  through a detailed library search or, in preference, by talking 
  directly to travellers who have already visited the world. 
  Adapting for Alien Worlds
  The government descriptions in this book avoid, where 
  possible, any reference to the type of world on which they 
  are set. In most cases you should be able to adapt a given 
  government to the planet, whether it be a rocky asteroid or 
  an Earth-type planet. 
  ‘Davus Farrar… Yes, I’d like the exit visa please… Yes, 
  that’s the - hold on, by Lorbil, goddess of transactions, 
  what’s this bill?’
  ‘Yes please sir off-world person, this payment is 
  required to allow you to leave.’
  ‘This is a joke, isn’t it? “Use of planetary oxygen at a 
  rate of Cr3 per day?”’
  ‘Pleasing you sir, but we all share this world’s beautiful 
  air and your breathing has been adding contamination 
  to it.’
  ‘And what’s this? “Import of various bacteria and micro-
  organisms…” blah blah, hold on - this is a list of normal 
  human gut bacteria!’
  ‘Yes sir thanking you but our ecology is sensitive to 
  external contamination.’
  ‘Oh yes? And I guess you’re going to tell me you don’t 
  have any gut bacteria?’
  ‘Oh sir, we are all born in debt to our society. The 
  best we can be hoping for is to pay back our dues by 
  working hard throughout our pitiful lives.’
  ‘Look, this item reads “re-education of citizens”? This 
  lot totals nearly Cr100!!!!’
  ‘I’m afraid after talking to people like you many citizens 
  require counselling as they become bewildered as to 
  the benefits of our wonderful society.’
  ‘You mean they see the light, that’s what you mean!’
  ‘I’m sorry sir but your bill is now Cr150 - I feel I will 
  need to be counselled myself due to the trauma of this 
  interview.’
  ‘I want to see a supervisor! NOW! No, hold on! Let me 
  guess - it’s more expensive to re-educate a supervisor, 
  yes?’
  ‘Of course, yes, thank you sir.’
  ‘Oh, take the !@?!* money. I just want off this god-
  forsaken dirt ball.’
  
  64
  No discernible planetary government structure.
  1. Clan world 
  The locals are all members of families, each of which 
  has a specific job. Thus there are Talkers (diplomats and 
  merchants), Fighters, Healers, Growers, Herders, Butchers, 
  etc. Individuals are referred to by a personal name and a 
  matri- or patronymic and occasionally by a nickname. An 
  example name, combining these factors, could be Sam’s 
  Boy Shifty Dickie Talker. 
  Referee
  Any visitors wishing to do business here are required to 
  undergo adoption into the most appropriate family. They 
  must then uphold that family’s interests and good name 
  (they should not defraud the natives and then fly away). 
  Casual visitors may join the Guest family. Once adopted 
  into a clan, taking on the attributes or responsibilities of 
  another clan is frowned upon except where necessary, such 
  as in an emergency. Those who abuse local hospitality are 
  expelled into the Pariah clan, the consequences of which 
  are unpleasant, if short lived. 
  Plot
  This world has many inherent hazards relating to its 
  atmosphere, flora and fauna. However, only the Healers 
  are allowed to discuss such things, so players may well fall 
  foul of these dangers while the Talkers and others stand 
  by looking helpless (they are not allowed to apply first aid, 
  either…). 
  2.enliGhtenment 
  The inhabitants of this world believe that each individual is 
  a lone agent, winning through out of pure self-interest. They 
  accept that individuals have dependants who need support 
  (families comprise individuals who share responsibility for 
  the dependants). The locals co-operate only on a barter 
  or reward basis, e.g. trading medical treatment for food. 
  Physical goods, services and the promise of future support 
  or services are all valid barter items. Knowledge is also 
  valuable and can be bought and sold. This society requires 
  that its members have a thorough understanding of its 
  ideology, and that they are sympathetic to it. The main local 
  taboo is that no one can try to win through by offering peace 
  enforcement or security services. This results in a prompt 
  lynching. Failure to perform a contract is a very shameful 
  thing, which results in a dearth of people to do business with 
  in the future (in addition to any retribution by the other party). 
  Decisions affecting the society as a whole are reached by 
  consensus, either face to face or through electronic or video 
  media. 
  Referee
  Players should be careful what they offer or promise on this 
  world - the inhabitants do not recognise groups, governments 
  nor many of the laws off-worlders take for granted. The 
  inhabitants also react very badly to anyone not fulfilling their 
  contracts. 
  Plot
  Torbas Zik approaches the players to get him off planet 
  quickly. He has obtained a valuable collection of antiques 
  in exchange for telling an important local of a planned 
  assassination attempt by a fellow local. Not only has Torbas 
  found his information was wrong (invalidating his deal) but 
  the supposed assassin is irate and is also after him. 
  3.liBerty County 
  The citizens of this world perform some mineral extraction, 
  farming and low grade manufacture. However, their 
  main interest is to live free, rather than to become rich or 
  important. They have a horror of centralised authority and 
  of having rules and orders imposed upon them. They abhor 
  concepts such as police forces, taxes and trade restrictions. 
  The citizens band together as a local militia, and go out on 
  patrol, mainly to prevent fires, find lost children and so on, 
  but also to look out for signs of government interference. 
  Settlers with the same ideology are welcome, but will be 
  shunned if they prove a disappointment. 
  no Government
  
  65
  Referee
  Free traders and independent travellers are welcome 
  here: weapons, luxury and novelty items are sought after, 
  as is news of local oppressors (such as any neighbouring 
  governments). The locals take most visitors at their word, 
  and will become very angry if they ever find out their trust 
  has been betrayed. Trading activity will be a little slow, given 
  the dispersed population. 
  Plot
  Thieves from a neighbouring world have taken refuge here, 
  with enough cash to live out their lives. There are no police 
  here, no extradition treaty and the thieves are now on best 
  behaviour. However, the noble who was their last victim is 
  hiring a group of bounty hunters to covertly bring them back 
  for trial… 
  4. eden 
  The natives of this world live in blissful innocence amid the 
  ruins of a high technology civilisation. A combination of bad 
  leadership, extreme conservatism and popular apathy led to 
  a decline in their knowledge, to the degree that they are no 
  longer able to sustain their high-tech systems. The populace 
  has dropped sharply due to a lack of medical treatments 
  for diseases brought recently by off-worlders. They are now 
  barely self-sufficient, relying heavily upon remnants of the 
  old technology. For example, many use food from the cold 
  locker stores in the old buildings, cooking it in the automated 
  (talking) microwave ovens. However, as each piece of 
  equipment fails, it can rarely be repaired. 
  Referee
  Traders may find little to trade here or may strike lucky - if they 
  have a replacement part or technical knowledge required to 
  keep a critical piece of equipment going, the locals might 
  just decide to swap for some fabulous works of art or some 
  other valuables which are now of little use to them. 
  Plot
  One of the players acquires a minor illness prior to visiting. A 
  number of locals become nervous that they will be subjected 
  to a new plague and make every effort to save their people 
  by getting rid of the player. 
  5. GrievanCe day 
  This world is the worse for an ancient disaster and a 
  brutal civil war. The natives live in small, dispersed clans 
  who survive by reclaiming the resources of the preceding 
  civilisation. They break down old buildings to get at the 
  masonry and metal frames, excavate power lines and water 
  mains and filter the contents of spoil tips. Each clan has 
  a defensive element, an extraction element and a defined 
  territory. Some areas have been poisoned by weapons of 
  war, such that extracted resources must be traded for food 
  and medical supplies (often from off-worlders). Occasional 
  truces are called and sites are cleared to allow ships to 
  land. However, the clans tend to spend more time stealing 
  from each other than observing their frontiers or trading 
  peacefully. Violence has been reduced to some degree by 
  Grievance Day, a regular truce allowing the clans to gather 
  peacefully. The event focuses upon setting out each clan’s 
  grievances against each other, so that they can be cancelled 
  out. Any inequalities remaining (such as you killed Jim, we 
  killed Leonard, but you knocked down our toilet as well, so 
  you owe us) are compensated for in trade goods, or by a 
  promise of service. This system is actually quite equitable 
  and Grievance Day has developed into a popular fair, 
  including lots of eating, drinking and sporting events. 
  Referee
  Local hospitality traditions hold strangers inviolate until a 
  feud develops, and most of the locals are reliant upon food, 
  medical or other imports. Traders may be paid in reclaimed 
  antique currency, specie, reclaimed valuable materials, or 
  by barter. Cleared landing fields will adjoin the territory of 
  2D clans. Each day the players’ ship remains, roll 3D. If the 
  roll is less than the number of clans, there is a spontaneous 
  outbreak of violence, which could carry over to the players’ 
  ship. Visiting during Grievance Day gives a +D3 DM on any 
  trading-related checks. If this society has acquired space or 
  star travel, piracy may be a problem and the system may be 
  amber rated.
  Plot
  Violence erupts during a visit by the players and wounded 
  natives try to take refuge with the players (for example 
  aboard, or hiding beneath their ship). The players must 
  decide whether to watch these victims being massacred, or 
  help defend them (the landing zone is in theory the ‘territory’ 
  of the players so they might be excused if they use force to 
  defend themselves). 
  6. Get that stitChed! 
  In this state groups are formed on gang lines, held together 
  by terror. There is no law, and interpersonal relationships are 
  generally governed by superiority in combat. Interpersonal 
  issues are usually resolved without a fight, on the basis of 
  which individual would most likely win if a fight did occur. 
  There is a common and seemingly unbreakable cycle, 
  from timid deference and lordly restraint between gangs, to 
  irritable cooperation, the formation of larger gangs, and then 
  sudden break-up in a spasm of violence. Lesser individuals 
  follow the local top dog then scrabble to serve someone 
  else when their leader gets killed. Internal gang coup d’etats 
  are rare - most gangs merge through competition between 
  
  66
  leaders. The end result is a hybrid of organised crime and 
  a return to the ancestral savannah. Being old and sick is a 
  disadvantage; a point appreciated by the local scavengers 
  and predators. This society is now very resistant to change. 
  Attempts to regulate it by neighbouring worlds (and the 
  Imperium) have failed, although occasionally a few power-
  suited marines are sent in to show the locals who’s boss. 
  Referee
  As members of the Imperium, players are regarded as part 
  of the Emperor’s ‘gang’ and are shown some respect in the 
  starport and startown. They can go further afield if they like, 
  but will then be dependent upon their own abilities to win 
  over the natives. 
  Plot
  A foolish vice-president of a neighbouring world was taken 
  hostage in startown. His ransom is a starship and an array 
  of weapons. His company, encouraged by the Imperium, 
  wishes the players to infiltrate startown, determine which 
  gang is holding the VP and try to obtain his release - by 
  whatever means necessary.
  
  67
  Government by a company managerial elite; citizens are 
  company employees.
  1. Jorkil ComPany 
  This corporation controlling this world dominates the 
  starport and all aspects of high technology. The company 
  only supports the population in respect of any work they do 
  for Uncle Jorkil (the company literature portrays its leaders 
  as parental figures). For example, individuals engaged in 
  important work for the company have their health needs 
  taken care of; when not working directly for ‘Uncle J’, they 
  must pay for their own medicines and treatment. The same 
  philosophy is applied to law enforcement, crime prevention, 
  the fire brigade and other public services. A side effect is the 
  tendency of the police to emphasise protection of company 
  property and interests over that of people generally. Similarly, 
  unless the inhabitants of a building are deemed important 
  to corporate plans, the fire brigade will give them a lower 
  priority than saving the building they are dying in. The result 
  is that there are two strata of citizenship: core employees, 
  who effectively have a job for life; and mobile employees, 
  who are taken on to perform specific tasks. The society is 
  thus divided between well fed, smug, healthy haves and 
  diseased, malformed have-nots. The have-nots can only pay 
  rent while working for Uncle J, otherwise they live in shanties 
  around the local corporate citadel, and cluster around the 
  gates when the gang bosses come out to hire day labourers. 
  Any have-nots fortunate enough to acquire a longer term job 
  (such as domestic service or medical experiment subjects) 
  get accommodation inside the compound but are usually 
  thrown out at the end of their contracts. Occasionally, in a fit 
  of human frailty, some corporate managers adopt have-nots 
  as surrogate family members, but are forced to pay for their 
  medical and educational expenses. Falling from favour with 
  the company can devastate one’s life, thus most citizens 
  are constantly anxious and untrustworthy. Apocalyptic and 
  salvationist religions are strongly represented among the 
  have-nots. The company seeks out and eradicates unionists 
  and other revolutionaries. The private education system 
  requires the ‘haves’ to devote much of their income to 
  assuring that their children will be qualified to remain in the 
  core work force. Have-nots with remarkable talents come to 
  the attention of the company through police information, and 
  may be recruited into new risky ventures or the dirty tricks 
  divisions. 
  Referee
  Travellers to this world will be untroubled provided that they 
  pay for everything, including the costs of any investigation 
  of crimes perpetrated against them. If they cannot pay, 
  then they will find themselves living in a rusty shack eating 
  cardboard salvaged from the corporate tip… 
  Plot
  A corporate executive has been cunningly back-stabbed by 
  a colleague; through manipulation of the computer systems, 
  the executive has no access to his accounts and unless he 
  can pay a range of bills within a few days, he may be thrown 
  out. He pleads that the players help him with a loan (a large 
  amount!), help resolve the computer problems (by hacking if 
  necessary) and trace whoever was responsible (he cannot 
  prove it is his colleague). If they are successful, he can 
  repay them twice over (a huge amount!) 
  2. sensitivity inC. 
  This society is corporate controlled and dominated, but 
  all the inhabitants are voter-shareholders in the company. 
  However, the votes are skewed so that the executive has 
  the same influence as the management and workforce 
  combined. This means that the chairman’s casting vote 
  usually clinches any close-run decisions. All the locals have 
  been indoctrinated into believing that this is as it should be. 
  To avoid accusations that it is behaving like Jorkil Company, 
  this corporation has elaborate social security provision, 
  frequent partner satisfaction surveys, wear-what-you-like 
  days and a lot of culturally uplifting events. Ceremonies to 
  reward the employee of the week, month, year and so on 
  are big occasions, marked by extensive buffets, balloons 
  and lapses in manners. The only downside to this is the 
  amount of paperwork (printed and/or electronic) required to 
  get anything done. 
  Referee
  Travellers will probably find the whole mess suffocating, and 
  it will be very expensive to reside on this world unless you 
  work for the company. Every employee will be desperate to 
  get good feedback on the customer satisfaction forms they 
  are required to use for every transaction. 
  Plot
  The players are approached by a harried trade executive. 
  He feels his well-paid position is in jeopardy unless he signs 
  up a major deal and gets a 105% customer satisfaction 
  return on it. He would like the players to pretend to be top 
  level executives from off-world, sign the papers, give him an 
  excellent mark, and meet his bosses. Provided the subterfuge 
  goes well and his position is stabilised, in a month’s time he 
  will simply tell his bosses that the off-worlders reneged on 
  the deal - he should have something else in place by then. 
  ComPany/CorPoration
  
  68
  Unfortunately for the players, he is actually setting up this 
  fraudulent deal for a colleague whom he intends to frame. 
  The players may notice that the paperwork does not have 
  their patron’s name on it yet (he plans to fill in his colleague’s 
  details later). 
  3. Berek state 
  This world is run by public limited companies, but along 
  franchise lines rather than monolithically: Berek Trading, 
  Berek Humanitarianism, Berek Externalities, Berek Judicial 
  Services, Berek Interior, etc. Citizens have one voting 
  share in each company as a birthright. The private limited 
  companies compete to win the franchise to provide services 
  for each public company. The public companies have a 
  charitable ethos: they do not distribute a profit, but reinvest 
  and otherwise disburse their dividends among worthy 
  causes. There is no tax as such, as such funds are recouped 
  through the dividend system. The operations of the state 
  are performed by the successful franchisees, under the 
  scrutiny of the appropriate company’s board, but there is 
  obviously scope for corruption; the franchisee’s employees 
  can collaborate to skew votes (at the company’s General 
  Meetings) in the franchisee’s favour, and the franchisee’s 
  executives can bribe board members to collude with them 
  against the public interest. Naturally, a private company’s 
  first duty is to its shareholders rather than to the community, 
  so franchisees tend to emphasise big dividends over good 
  service. Citizens are encouraged to develop an interest in 
  the public companies, and may purchase extra shares in 
  them, either with cash, or through the cash equivalent of 
  voluntary good works undertaken in the community. Citizens 
  are encouraged to attend General Meetings, but seldom do. 
  Referee
  Travellers will find that everything on this planet falls into one 
  of two categories; privately owned and swanky, or publicly 
  owned trade will involve a certain amount of bribery; make 
  a Routine (+2) Broker check. Failure means the players 
  must roll an extra die on the Modified Price Table, and take 
  the worst three dice). The usual boundary disputes occur 
  between agencies (all trading tasks take D3 more hours 
  than usual, or an extra D3 days if a routine Admin check is 
  failed). Violent travellers will find that the state’s police and 
  armed forces are poorly equipped and understaffed, but that 
  private security forces are top quality and well armed. 
  Plot
  Tolomek are a private company who hold the major starport 
  ticketing franchise. They double-book tickets, add excess 
  fees and generally make a packet. The players may fall 
  foul of their deceit or may be hired by a government official 
  to determine why Berek Starports (the public company 
  responsible for all franchises within the starport) has not 
  stopped this. It is simple - key people in Berek Starports are 
  getting huge cash backhanders from Tolomek. The latter are 
  willing to kill to keep this a secret, as it is hugely profitable. 
  4. ComPany town 
  This state is controlled by a very self-conscious company 
  (Seal of Quality, inc. SA. PLC) which has decided that 
  awkward things like quality control and customer satisfaction 
  can be dispensed with provided that the company motto ‘A 
  Sealed [thing] is a good [thing]’ is repeated often enough, 
  and that SoQ’s imprimatur appears on the item or service 
  in question. Every conceivable product bears the company 
  logo and certificate of quality, complete with a facsimile of 
  the founder’s signature, which looks a bit like a Mr. Walrus. 
  Of course, what this means is that everything produced 
  locally is expensive tat, and there is a healthy black market in 
  products from other brands. In fact there is a vogue amongst 
  the higher management to use nothing produced by SoQ, 
  except when appearing in public. 
  Referee
  Travellers will be pestered for off-world designer goods and 
  pressed to endorse local products. If they ever try to complain 
  about the quality of anything locally produced (this situation 
  is likely to arise within minutes of arrival on the planet), they 
  will be shown the Seal with all due solemnity, and told to lump 
  it. A similar fate awaits traders at the starport. Unless they 
  have agreed a black market sale, they will have to pay to get 
  their goods inspected and Sealed. Usually the goods are 
  declared inadequate, dangerous and are ‘destroyed’ (that is, 
  stolen) by the customs officials. Merchants can circumvent 
  this by becoming SoQ franchisees; Cr. 100 gets you a little 
  rubber stamp. All one needs to do then is stamp the goods 
  (which will take ages) and customs will be happy. Obviously, 
  this works in reverse with exports: Sealed goods are almost 
  worthless off-world. The players can while away those days 
  in jump space by rubbing the Seal off their goods. 
  Plot
  The players are approached by a young woman who says 
  she can supply them with Seal stamps with apparently legal 
  ink (the ink contains tiny coded microdots) which fades after 
  a given period of time. Strangely enough the players have 
  just received an order for a shipment of valuable off-world 
  grav vehicles that would not be allowed on world unless 
  carrying the Seal… is it too good to be true? 
  
  69
  Government by advice and consent of the citizen.
  1. smuG world 
  This world was settled by idealists who were taken with the 
  philosophy and teachings of an ancient civilisation from 
  their homeworld. Following these principles, they have 
  created a society of citizen-warrior-philosophers, who bow 
  to no outside power (unless it has spinal meson guns). The 
  citizens feel that it is the civic duty of each person to spend 
  some time (typically a year) in the police, the judiciary, or as 
  an executive officer (minister). The holders of these posts 
  are selected at random from a list held in a central computer. 
  The citizens’ education prepares them for this variety of 
  roles by being rather broad, if not superficial. All legislation 
  is decided by popular ballot, which is done through the 
  communications net (if this world has a population digit of 
  less than 100,000 voting is performed face to face in a big 
  stadium). Visitors are accorded rights and privileges only 
  so far as they can pay for them, or to the extent that these 
  people are of interest to the state. Traders, manufacturers 
  and visiting experts are welcome, but refugees and settlers 
  are not. Visitors intending a long term relationship with 
  this world can buy a residency permit, giving them slightly 
  more rights and protection than a casual visitor. The local 
  laws favour citizens first, residents next and visitors last. 
  For citizens, extreme punishments include death or exile 
  (which most citizens dread) but fines are the most frequent 
  penalty. Visitors and residents can expect death and/or the 
  confiscation of property. The Imperial Consulate (at the 
  starport) will offer safe haven for fugitives.
  Referee
  Visitors will tend to find the locals infuriating: they are smug, 
  superior and condescending. As they are convinced that 
  their society is perfect, they are even less bearable when 
  travelling off-world. 
  Plot
  The Imperial Consulate is looking to provoke a major incident 
  with the locals to justify a full scale invasion. They may hire 
  the players to hack the voting computers (or otherwise rig 
  the system) to cause sufficient panic that the marines can 
  be called in. 
  2. CarinG and sharinG 
  The citizens of this world have the highest opinion of 
  themselves as individuals, and are keen that their fellow 
  citizens agree with their self assessment. The planet was 
  settled by religious extremists who fought a particularly 
  bloody war. This ended in the moderate factions turning on 
  and killing their demagogues (an event still marked by the 
  Sanity Day public holiday). The moderates decided upon a 
  new doctrine which encapsulated the positive, life affirming 
  parts of the old scriptures and enshrined ‘no more leaders, 
  no more gods’ as the highest public doctrine. Perpetuating 
  such a system requires thorough indoctrination, so the locals 
  adopted a standardised education system. Anyone vexed 
  by the workings of this perfect state can share their doubts 
  and feelings with special therapists, who reassure them 
  with their own positive experiences. All laws are debated 
  through the communications net, often passionately, but 
  never acrimoniously: having opinions is a virtue, as is 
  being susceptible to reasoned argument. All citizens are 
  fairly well informed and each will debate enthusiastically 
  with outsiders. Foreign policy is essentially conciliatory and 
  accommodating. (This planet may be considered part of 
  the Imperium, but this is a legal fiction: all Imperial facilities 
  are at the edge of the system, and are jump capable. Both 
  the Imperium and the locals maintain the pretence that 
  the Imperium will leave if the locals ask it to.) This society 
  may seem perplexing to outsiders: rich employers and their 
  poor employees meet on terms of perfect social equality; 
  each understands this financial disparity as a negotiated 
  relationship, freely entered into by both sides. Leadership 
  in defence is entirely formalised; the Book of Strategy and 
  Tactics is owned by all citizens, and is updated regularly by 
  the citizens (after debate, naturally). All citizens train in the 
  local militia, but they supply their own equipment, so their 
  armament varies widely. The militia is mostly light infantry 
  with a small amount of powered armour and a few fighter 
  planes. Close friends may purchase, crew and maintain a 
  tank or a flying gunship between them. 
  Referee
  Visitors can find this society heavy going: the locals are 
  friendly enough, but very talkative, being keen to brush up 
  their debating skills with foreigners. The simple legal system 
  applies with equal force to all on the planet, and trade is 
  fair and equitable. You can also buy or sell almost anything 
  here, although items which allow individuals to exert undue 
  power (bio-warfare weapons or thermonuclear devices) are 
  taboo. 
  Plot
  A group of rich citizens wish to take passage off-world to 
  study a new jet-copter gunship and (probably) purchase it 
  to bring back and run as part of the militia. As well as the 
  problems of helping obtain and ship such a war machine, 
  the players will have to cope with their patrons’ need to 
  assert their superior culture over everyone that they meet. 
  PartiCiPatinG demoCraCy
  
  70
  3. neurosis 
  The citizens of this world are obsessed with their mental 
  health, the negative effects their actions have on others and, 
  much more importantly, the effect that others’ actions have 
  on them. Hence, most days in the workplace begin with a 
  colleagues circle meeting where co-workers sit down and 
  discuss how they hope the day is going to go. Inevitably, 
  the end of the day concludes with a similar workshop where 
  they analyse how the day lived up to their expectations. Any 
  unresolved conflicts are worked out in counselling sessions. 
  The same behaviour is carried over into family and other 
  personal relationships, and spontaneous sharing frequently 
  breaks out at the slightest excuse. At the planetary level, this 
  translates into protracted discussions which continue until a 
  consensus is reached. This has caused all policies to end 
  up somewhere between laissez-faire and abject capitulation 
  to external reality. The planet is recognised as a difficult 
  entity, in part because its natives are so neurotic. All crime is 
  seen as a mental illness of sorts, so that all criminals (who 
  are mostly foreign) are kept in counselling until they are 
  better (completely brainwashed by the resident neurotics). 
  Arresting criminals usually involves stun weapons and is 
  carried out with apologies and sincere enquiries about the 
  feelings of the perpetrator. Having to resort to lethal force is 
  regarded as failure. 
  Referee
  Travellers may find being asked ‘how do you feel about 
  that’ all the time a bit odd, but can amuse themselves by 
  provoking anger among the natives. Perhaps surprisingly, 
  trade is a brisk and efficient affair as the transparency of 
  local behaviour is a barrier to any sharp practice; they know 
  that the trader wants a healthy profit, they know what they 
  can afford and a compromise is reached. However, the 
  method of reaching the deal seems strange. 
  Plot
  A player is mistaken for a wanted criminal and, after being 
  stunned and apologised to, is taken off to be counselled. 
  4. viCtim Culture 
  This society is self-consciously and idiosyncratically fair. 
  Recognising that all people have different talents and 
  abilities, and that society tends to work in favour of those 
  who have a certain set of these (intelligence, good looks, 
  rich parents, etc.) this state is run on a sort of handicap. The 
  list of beneficial traits has been identified, and all the things 
  which make you unattractive to an employer or business 
  partner get you extra points (the higher your points score, 
  the greater your need for a state benefit or service, thus the 
  sooner you get housing or medical treatment). This scheme 
  has worked through to the legislature, where people like 
  to speak for themselves (no one else would understand). 
  The executive is artificially large, to allow all disadvantaged 
  groups to have a voice. Large companies must have a 
  workforce with the same percentage of each disadvantaged 
  group as occurs in the wider population. In many cases 
  this has had the effect of promoting very small commercial 
  outfits except where the state is in control. 
  Referee
  There will be some odd moments for visitors here, for 
  example when confronted by a queue, a local will work out 
  who is more disadvantaged, and who is less so, and push 
  in at the boundary. Stern but very patient liaison officers 
  will be on hand to make sure that everything is working 
  well. They will be particularly keen to assist any neophyte 
  traders in finding responsible people to deal with. People 
  will read labels thoroughly and then quiz shop assistants on 
  what their interpretation of the words is. Leaflets covering 
  rights and responsibilities will be thrust at strangers. Traders 
  in search of a quick deal will be pursued by other agents 
  demanding that their more disadvantaged collective be 
  considered. These effects will become more extreme the 
  further visitors stray from the starport. Provided merchants 
  ignore any trading partners beyond the small, efficient outfits 
  they find by themselves, and fend off any approach from the 
  state sector they will be fine. If they do not then they roll only 
  2D on the Modified Price Table, and have to spend D3 days 
  longer than normal concluding their business. 
  Plot
  The players give passage to, or share a voyage with, 
  travellers from this world. These people will interrogate 
  stewards (and other passengers) about all conceivable 
  minutiae; which allergenic compounds are present in their 
  bedding, dietary requirements, etc. Anything the players find 
  annoying will become an absolute necessity to these people. 
  5. stakeholder soCiety 
  In addition to venerating an individual’s civil rights, this 
  society also imposes commensurate obligations. So to be 
  educated, you must be attentive; to be protected by the law, 
  you must abide by it yourself; to have a stake in government, 
  you must dedicate yourself to public good. Everyone has a 
  vote and anyone, in principle, can be a minister or a judge. 
  However, there are far fewer positions of trust than there are 
  people who fancy the jobs, so one must be appropriately 
  committed to following the correct dictates: a minister for 
  environment would be expected to clean up the parks; a 
  judge would help run evening classes for delinquents; a 
  housing official might serve up soup to the homeless. The 
  legal system does not try a criminal on a single offence but 
  rather their whole life and value to society are considered, 
  with the specific offence acting as a pretext to bring the 
  accused into court. Similarly, the accuser or victim is also 
  audited and the remedy (if any) is doled out according to 
  each party’s contribution to society; any loss caused to 
  society in general (and then to the victim in person); and 
  
  71
  what either party may promise about their future conduct. 
  Punishment is creative, to say the least. 
  Referee
  This system works tolerably well for the planet’s native 
  population but travellers will find that their value to the 
  host society is close to nil, and that they are treated with 
  appropriate scorn. Any court or rules decisions will be to their 
  disfavour. This is especially important in trade; if the value 
  rises above 150% of normal, the other party will immediately 
  file a complaint for sharp practice, which might result in 
  anything from a fine, to impounding the players’ ship. 
  Plot
  The players are arrested (with good reason or mistakenly) 
  for a minor misdemeanour but then find they have to justify 
  their entire life’s works or (given their low value to this world) 
  they will be sentenced to several years of community labour. 
  
  72
  Government by a restricted minority, with little or no input 
  from the masses.
  1. Jane austen world 
  The state is controlled, in its own interest, by an entrenched 
  local nobility. Life is skewed in their favour by a mix of legal 
  privileges and exemptions. They maintain their influence 
  by instilling a sense of deference in the population, by 
  ownership and control of the media and by ensuring that 
  their children are better educated than those of the great 
  unwashed. Whether the lives of the common people are 
  appalling or comfortable depends entirely on the disposition 
  of the local grandees. The nicer nobles have philanthropic 
  establishments, the others have workhouses. However, to 
  stop the peasantry becoming an eyesore, most communities 
  have a poor house, a soup kitchen and a damp and rundown 
  cottage hospital. 
  Referee
  Visitors of high social status (10+) will find themselves 
  fêted, but will of course be expected to reciprocate. Lower 
  class itinerants will find themselves worth as much as their 
  bank balances. Anyone acting against the interests of the 
  aristocrats (whether causing them harm, defrauding them or 
  stealing from them) will find the state responds with ultimate 
  force. 
  Plot
  A noble’s son has eloped with one of the unwashed. His 
  parents cannot be seen to condone this, nor to actively 
  pursue him. They will pay the players well to persuade 
  him to give up his love or else ensure he has a permanent 
  accident. 
  2. senate and PeoPle 
  This society is mostly comprised of a plebeian class, although 
  it is controlled by a self-appointed patrician class. The 
  patricians take all political offices, in particular all posts in the 
  ruling senate. They are educated to believe that they should 
  act in the interest of the state as a whole, and that their lofty 
  social position requires them to take an equivalently high 
  moral stance. The fact that they enjoy these privileges and 
  get to make all the big decisions is taken as proof that their 
  society works. Legally speaking, the senate can regulate 
  both themselves and the people, while the people can pass 
  laws covering their own behaviour (plebiscites). It is possible 
  for suitable individuals to be elevated to the patrician class, 
  but the most that the average pleb can expect is to be looked 
  upon as a senior pen-pusher. 
  Referee
  The local laws regard all visitors as plebs unless they have a 
  Social Standing of 10+ in which case they are given honorary 
  patrician status for their stay. Laws are fair and rational, 
  typical penalties being imprisonment, fines, industrial 
  conscription, exile or death, with reduction to plebian status 
  being a dread sentence applied to a few sinful patricians. 
  Plot
  A trader has a valuable trade deal for this world, but has 
  no chance of sealing the deal unless he is regarded as an 
  honorary patrician. Given his actual SOC of 6, he is seeking 
  players of higher class to give him a few quick lessons and 
  to accompany him as an entourage (to reinforce his status 
  and give him on-the-spot advice). 
  3. Business world 
  This world is ruled by a gang of rich merchants who arrange 
  things so that they remain in charge. Unlike a corporate 
  state, these people do not co-operate but rather they 
  compete through the action of their diversified corporations. 
  Eventually one corporation may become truly dominant 
  (becoming government code 1), but that time is very 
  remote indeed. Members of the successful corporations 
  bid to provide the various services; police, health, media, 
  etc., and then run them down in pursuit of profit. Crime and 
  punishment is focused on protecting the merchant rulers. 
  Breaking a contract, taking or breaking the possessions of 
  the rich, or defaulting on a loan are all heavily frowned upon, 
  while killing a labourer is usually thought a fairly minor crime. 
  All the corrective services have been put out to tender and 
  are of a low quality: death by drowning, working on chain 
  gangs and so on. Fines and confiscation of assets are de 
  rigeur for any sentence, however trivial. 
  Referee
  Visiting traders can expect to have a prolonged stay. They 
  must first decide just whose landing and entry clearance 
  service will provide the best value (roll D3 + the world’s 
  Population code for the number of offers). Whether selling 
  or buying cargo, or purchasing other kinds of goods or 
  services, they will receive multiple offers from a range of 
  providers, all of whom are extremely competitive and will 
  be greatly offended if not chosen by the players. This will 
  self-PerPetuatinG oliGarChy 
  
  73
  be true regardless of the financial standing of the travellers 
  involved: the locals always believe there is a profit to be 
  made, even from the poorest traveller. 
  Plot
  A man gives a player a holocrystal just before being executed 
  in cold-blood by the security forces. The crystal contains 
  details of a plot by one merchant group to dominate the world 
  through collusion with an Imperial megacorp. Naturally, any 
  of the merchant groups would pay huge amounts to get hold 
  of this evidence. 
  4. new Jane austen world 
  The ruling class on this world is an elegant, propertied elite, 
  who act as magistrates and make their laws in a comfortable 
  palace. Their luxury is maintained by a yeomanry which 
  outnumbers them by approximately 20-to-1, most of whom 
  are brave, cheerful, cheeky (but respectful), and as thick as 
  two short planks. The world’s income actually derives from 
  off-world holdings of the most scandalous type: strip mining, 
  asset stripping, sweatshops, flouting of safety regulations 
  and even direct slavery, etc. 
  Referee
  Visitors are treated politely; high status travellers are invited 
  to parties and weekend trips shooting wildlife. Merchants will 
  wheel and deal over a barley wine in a comfortable drinking 
  establishment. Laws are strictly applied, but by very polite 
  police officers. As soon as the suspect gets to prison or into 
  a convenient cellar, the façade drops; they are beaten black 
  and blue before being shipped off to a work camp on the 
  frontier. 
  Plot
  The players are asked by an off-worlder to investigate the 
  disappearance of a young off-worlder noble. The youth 
  offended one of the elite and, on a pretext, was arrested 
  and sent to a work camp. Discovering this will be difficult 
  - the noble’s itinerary is known by contacts at the starport, 
  but a direct approach to those he visited last will be politely 
  rebuffed with denial of ever having met such a youth. More 
  questioning will lead to internment in a work camp, but a 
  covert approach to a lady-in-waiting will reveal she was 
  ‘sweet’ on the youth and will explain how and why he was 
  taken away. Getting him out of the labour camp and then 
  exacting his revenge may prove more tricky. 
  5. the rule of the fittest 
  The founders of this perfect state were much inspired by 
  a long-dead philosopher (analogous to Terra’s Friedrich 
  Nietzsche). Regrettably, their inspiration was a woman-
  hating loon with cerebral syphilis. It is still disputed whether 
  they knew this, or whether they simply thought this would 
  not have coloured his outlook. The state that they have 
  built revolves around not trusting half of the population or 
  allowing them near to anything important, while forcing 
  the other half to endure a variety of physical and mental 
  tortures. The latter is intended to make them stronger… or 
  destroy them. Few supermen ever think they are going to 
  fail, despite the appalling score of corpses preceding them. 
  The top dog is whichever male has devoted most time and 
  effort to becoming a physical and mental colossus. The ruler 
  controls as many underlings as he can dominate. His pack 
  is similar to a top-down diversified corporation with a harem 
  in the annexe. While collusion with other colossi would 
  seem advisable, this is not on, as the mightiest heroes 
  are those who stand alone. The end result is that public 
  life is dominated by men with wonderful immune systems, 
  very focused intellects, big muscles, surgically reinforced 
  joints and ligaments and the most monumental self regard. 
  The difficulty is that they do not understand compromise, 
  diplomacy, win-win situations or women. Actually they hate 
  women. 
  Referee
  Interstellar relations could be better; every visiting man 
  is treated as an opponent in the game of ‘I’m hard, I am,’ 
  and women can conduct no business apart from gyrating 
  on tables, cooking and having babies. The Imperium would 
  like to give the natives a kicking to show them what a real 
  society can do, but this would be a diplomatic faux pas. 
  Plot
  The players find themselves in a confrontational situation 
  with a local top dog. There will be off-duty members of 
  the Imperial marines around who will back up the players, 
  encouraging them not to back off. Whether they lose or 
  win (competitions like ‘let’s see who can catch a bullet in 
  their teeth’ are commonplace) the competitive nature of the 
  marines and followers of the top dog will result in a small 
  fight, which builds into a huge running riot (the Imperial 
  Marines have been waiting for a good excuse to have a go 
  at these posers and if there is a plausible enough pretext 
  – such as protecting Imperial citizens such as the players 
  - their commander is more than willing to let the leash slip). 
  6. warlords inC. 
  This society is controlled by an association of free companies 
  who use the planet to provide logistical support for their 
  military ventures. Foreign currency and trade goods are 
  obtained through the sale of military services; the association 
  takes a percentage of an individual unit’s fee. This state has 
  an evil reputation and could well be rated as an amber or 
  red zone. Criminals, deserters and assorted sociopaths 
  end up on this world in search of sanctuary or even gainful 
  employment. Soldiers being soldiers, there is constant 
  friction between the military and civilian populations. Trade 
  is problematic: the state is oriented to the export of services 
  and the import of goods, thus the major way to make money 
  is to ship in goods (often weaponry) and ship out mercenary 
  units. Since the latter are usually en route to a war zone, this 
  can be a risky (if lucrative) business. 
  
  74
  Referee
  Visitors are regarded as sources of valuable intelligence and 
  (if they act at all suspiciously) may be suspected of being 
  spies. They are questioned very closely on arrival and will be 
  followed at any time that they leave the starport. Strangers 
  are also often the victims of bullying or random violence by 
  mercenaries. The number of criminal types on the world 
  makes it an exceptionally hazardous place to spend any 
  time. 
  Plot
  A nearby world fears its rebels may be supported by a coup 
  using troops from this world. The players are hired to spy 
  on incoming equipment specific to such an operation (such 
  as desert kit if it is a desert world, hostile environment kit if 
  it has a hazardous atmosphere, and so on). If the players 
  can locate the unit hired for the coup, they will be paid an 
  extra fee to infiltrate the unit (as mercenaries) and sabotage 
  it before it can help the rebels.
  7. theBes By heinlein 
  This state is a model of a balanced economy and domestic 
  order, but only members of the military can hold positions of 
  authority or be involved in politics. This means that the army 
  is inclined to swank about and has extra privileges (such as 
  tax exemptions and the right to insist on being called sir by 
  civilians). Foreign policy is, ironically, conciliatory; there is 
  a good chance that those entering a battle will never return 
  home, and as wielding power requires one to be alive, it is 
  generally accepted that the risks of being on the losing side 
  are unacceptable - better to avoid conflict if possible. 
  Referee
  The conciliatory nature of the ruling military leads to 
  an interesting problem for visitors: much of the local 
  iconography and oral tradition is devoted to praising the 
  heroism and ability of the soldier/rulers, who actually rarely 
  do anything more dangerous than watching their troops 
  marching around the parade ground. Pointing this out is a 
  severe breach of etiquette, of course. That aside, visitors will 
  find this state to be orderly and pleasant enough, provided 
  they remember that they are legally defined as being inferior 
  to the local military and watch their manners. There is a local 
  underground, and visitors who get embroiled with it are in no 
  end of trouble. 
  Plot
  The players are approached by Yain Trumps, who wishes to 
  smuggle some heavy armaments off-world. Yain arranged 
  for the stolen weapons (missiles and light artillery) to be 
  replaced with plastic replicas, on the principle that the world 
  has avoided war for decades and the mothballed equipment 
  would not be missed…
   8. world of the Generals 
  The military holds this state under its rule with unabashed 
  brutality. Members of the officer corps hold civilian posts 
  of commensurate status: thus lieutenant generals are 
  continental governors and subalterns are borough mayors. 
  The people are cowed, despondent and if suspected of any 
  misdemeanour are given to disappearing mysteriously at 
  about three in the morning (‘travelling off-world’ in official 
  parlance). The generals enjoy the prestige of huge public 
  engineering works. The underground press claims that the 
  foundations of these developments are full of the bodies of 
  those who fell foul of the regime. 
  Referee
  General advice to visitors is to be very careful indeed. Do 
  not give offence to the local provosts and do not criticise the 
  local regime when outside your ship. An increasing problem 
  is that the state is not awfully efficient. The generals like to 
  kit out their favourite troops in gaudy uniforms and enjoy the 
  latest toys, and this accent has a depressing effect on the 
  local economy. As the soldiery have not been paid in living 
  memory, they are given to inventing impromptu taxes and 
  collecting these at the point of a gun. 
  Plot
  A number of rebel groups have taken to Robin Hood style 
  operations, robbing military banks so that the poor can pay 
  their taxes. The players are asked to smuggle weapons to 
  one such group. 
  
  75
  Government by elected representatives.
  1. a world in BalanCe 
  This planet is ruled by two political parties who command 
  roughly half the vote each and who are, to outside 
  observers, mostly indistinguishable. The difference between 
  them is that one party, the Democratic Republicans (DR), 
  favours finance and banking while the other, the Republican 
  Democrats (RD), is inclined towards trade and industry. This 
  dichotomy influences the balance of trade: when the DR are 
  in charge the local currency is strong, and thus imports are 
  cheap, but the cost of exports rises. This has the effect of 
  depressing the industrial sector and raising unemployment. 
  The electorate therefore vote for the RD next time round. The 
  RD depress the local economy, causing import prices to rise 
  and making it easier for industrial producers. However this 
  feels like an austerity regime to the electorate, the inflation 
  rate rises and imports become more expensive. Thus the 
  DR gets back in again. 
  Referee
  The main effect on visitors is that prices are rather volatile. 
  Every time they stop off at this world, decide who is in power 
  (roll 1D, odds it is the DR, evens it is the RD). If the DR are 
  in, then import prices (paid on cargo being sold) are lowered 
  by 2D%, and export prices (paid on goods being bought) are 
  raised by 2D%. The reverse is true if the RD are in charge. 
  Plot
  The players are hired to help ship out a large consignment 
  of computer technology - the seller is desperate to get it off 
  planet before the election results are known; he will then 
  wish it to be shipped straight back. He is using the fluctuation 
  of import/export prices to perpetrate inventory fraud to avoid 
  taxation. 
  2. sPeCial interests 
  This planet has a pluralistic system entrenched by 
  proportional representation. This means that while significant 
  shares of the vote are held by a few mainstream parties, 
  the balance of power is in the hands of an assortment of 
  fringe groups and eccentrics. The actual composition of the 
  government changes rapidly as new coalitions are formed 
  and then break up acrimoniously. The main feature here 
  is that while the main partners in a coalition can get their 
  policies through, they have to bow to the interests of their 
  more specialised partners. 
  Referee
  The players cannot depend upon constancy in the economy 
  or laws of this world! 
  Plot
  Roll 1D before the players’ ship touches down to determine 
  the current political situation.
  1: Religious extremists have managed to outlaw work during 
  new religious holidays of D3 days a week (consecutive or 
  spaced out). 
  2: Moral tribunes have decided that some forms of dress are 
  outrageous for one sex or compulsory for another (generally 
  being too disgusting to contemplate). 
  3: Protectors of family life have passed a law preventing 
  non-married or same sex groups who are not siblings, or 
  parents and children, from sharing hotel rooms. 
  4: In an effort to protect local jobs and industries, visiting 
  traders are prohibited from doing their own work: they have 
  to hire local intermediaries at all stages. They are not allowed 
  to hire themselves out to other such merchants! 
  5: Exports of local products are being taxed at 5D% to 
  encourage economic self sufficiency. 
  6: To save the environment from the perceived effects of 
  synthetic graviton emission, visiting ships are required to 
  dock at an orbital facility and hire a reaction engine powered 
  lighter to transport their goods to the surface (and back 
  again).
  3. a house divided 
  This world is a two party state where strife rules: one party 
  represents the rich and their lackeys, and another party 
  represents the workers. The vote is calculated on the basis 
  of electoral districts rather than by number of voters so, by 
  making sure that the workers’ districts are more densely 
  populated than those of the rich, the rich party tends to 
  be in control. This makes for a very robust political culture 
  indeed. The workers are organised as a constitutional 
  party, but also have revolutionary aspirations. The rich are 
  similarly constitutional, but retain private investigation and 
  enforcement services. The division between the two parties 
  can be seen at every level of society, from the insincere 
  works picnics and other outings (at which the bosses can 
  be seen grimacing at the forced intimacy) to union disputes 
  which are occasionally turned into terrorist plots by agents 
  provocateur. Civil rights marches have previously turned into 
  massacres. To balance the rich party’s unfair weighting of 
  the electoral districts, rich districts are frequently threatened 
  rePresentative demoCraCy
  
  76
  (with street violence or explosions) to make them return 
  Worker representatives at the next election. There can 
  be vicious street fights (often on a huge scale) between 
  unionists and the ‘scabs’ who continue to work while their 
  colleagues are on strike. The only break in this regime are 
  the four World Unity Days; planet-wide parties where the 
  rich try to placate the poor with festivals of food, drink and 
  entertainment. These are clearly unsuccessful, but are now 
  expected by the masses, such that stopping them would 
  simply cause yet more bloodshed. 
  Referee
  Travellers can expect delays of D3 days in commercial 
  activities undertaken on this world. The delay is usually 
  due to wildcat strikes and unofficial stoppages. Prolonged 
  stoppages or walkouts may cause delays of up to 5D weeks. 
  Visitors may be approached by members of either party, to 
  favour them in transactions, seek political leverage off-world, 
  or even infiltrate the opposing party. Traders who consort 
  with scabs may well be beaten up by workers. Those who 
  do not go through official channels and work directly with 
  labourers may be beaten up by the rich party’s enforcers. 
  Plot
  The players stumble into a small street fight between unionists 
  and some bosses protected by hired security. Depending 
  upon their attire, the Players are mistakenly assumed to 
  be with one or other group and are also assaulted. One of 
  the unionists throws a petrol bomb, a security man shoots 
  back… 
  4. under the thumB of the firm 
  On this world the local politics are dominated by one middle 
  ground party (the Firm), while the margins to left and right 
  are cluttered with a number of smaller groupings. These 
  latter could defeat the Firm if they co-operated, but over 
  many years they have only managed to bring themselves 
  to do so for a few voting issues and never for the main 
  elections. The Firm has been in power for so long that it is 
  thoroughly enmeshed with the local establishment, where 
  it makes corrupt deals, gorges itself at the public trough 
  and generally flaunts its invincibility. The local media is 
  respectfully reproving of the government’s excesses, but 
  always supports them fully at election time. 
  Referee
  Obsequiousness is the order of the day for dealing with any 
  business, as the Firm has stamped its corruptive influence 
  throughout this world’s corporations. This abuse of power 
  leads to inefficiency and delay. Most contracts, guarantees 
  and other ‘paperwork’ are defective (due to fraud or plain 
  incompetence) such that any goods exported from this world 
  will lose 3D% of their final value on the Modified Price Table 
  when sold off-world. Regular traders pay bribes to ensure 
  that they get what they really paid for, but new visitors are 
  likely to get stitched up. 
  Plot
  A new leader has arisen within the ranks of Democoop, one 
  of the many parties. He is so politically adept that he might 
  finally manage to bring several of the smaller parties under 
  a single banner. Naturally, the Firm does not wish this to 
  happen. The players may be hired to implement the Firm’s 
  wishes (by discrediting, threatening, kidnapping or killing the 
  new leader) or they may be hired by Democoop to prevent 
  such events. 
  5. eternal viGilanCe 
  This state reluctantly changed from a pure to a representative 
  democracy because the process of face to face discussion on 
  a planetary scale was too time consuming and, if truth be told, 
  the people were disillusioned with it. However, the authors of 
  the present constitution were fond of the old ways and did their 
  best to assure that personal freedoms were protected at all 
  costs. They instituted the most ferocious antitrust legislation 
  possible and supplemented it with the True Description Act 
  and laws to limit the size of any company. In effect no company 
  can exist where the actions of its workers are more than two 
  steps away from its chief executive, so the chief executive 
  delegates to a line manager, who then instructs the actual 
  workers. This has the result of limiting the largest companies 
  to about 400 employees. To an extent, this is circumvented 
  by establishing a pyramid of holding companies, but it has 
  the salutary effect of cutting down on bureaucracy. The Anti-
  trust laws are designed to ‘prevent utterly the combination 
  of commercial or private enterprise against the public good’. 
  They specifically forbid collusion in price fixing, enforce 
  competitive tendering ‘in a company’s area of operation’, and 
  have a vaguely worded ‘conspiracy against the public good’ 
  clause. The most entertaining law is the True Description 
  Act, which limits advertisements to a simple, uncontentious 
  account of a product’s purpose, fitness for the same and its 
  shortcomings. The Act also proscribes any advertisement 
  which ‘seeks to induce excessive demand’ which means 
  it is quite hard to introduce new products to this market. A 
  second, less obvious aspect of the Act is that excessive 
  induced demand often arises from built-in obsolescence, 
  so all manufacturers and importers either do their best to 
  provide sturdy, hard wearing goods, or include the caveat 
  ‘this machine will break one month after the guarantee period 
  expires’ in their advertisements. 
  Referee
  Private travellers may find the openness and honesty of 
  the local culture refreshing. However, traders will have to 
  acclimatise themselves to telling the truth. Failing a Broker 
  check for a cargo means the quality of their cargo has been 
  challenged and it loses 1Dx10 % of its value when rolled for 
  on the Modified Price Table. 
  
  77
  Plot
  Covert use of a hierarchy of holding companies is, to 
  some degree, acceptable. However, the players are hired 
  to investigate the remarkable success of a select few 
  companies in off-world dealings. These companies are 
  part of a huge fraudulent holding structure by an Imperial 
  megacorp. The latter will do its best to conceal this, as the 
  Anti-trust advocates would be vehemently opposed to such 
  interference from a huge external corporation. 
  6. PuBliC aCCountaBility 
  A close shave with a military coup convinced this state’s 
  people that they would have to keep a firm hand on their 
  representatives’ throats. To regain public esteem, politicians 
  were required to stand as individuals, not parties and were 
  also obliged to publish a personal manifesto. This has to 
  cover two areas: the hopeful candidate’s plans and the 
  ethical philosophy which inspired them. Electoral terms 
  run for five years, of which the first and last six months are, 
  respectively, a settling-in period and a public audit. To stand 
  any hope of re-election, and occasionally to avoid criminal 
  charges, the incumbent politicians have to satisfy their 
  electorate that they did what they promised (or must offer 
  transparent reasons why they failed); that they kept faith 
  with the spirit of their tenure of office; and that they avoided 
  bringing dishonour on the elected assembly. This last item 
  requires that politicians not only abstain from wrong doing, 
  but that they abstain from giving the impression of wrong 
  doing, and even of frivolity. 
  Referee
  The system works well. The public are genuinely interested 
  in current affairs and tend to be politically literate (features 
  which may surprise many visitors). In return, the natives 
  find ignorance of politics to be pitiable and they may treat 
  their guests as over-sized children. The high awareness 
  of current affairs means that local traders will only accept 
  plausible stories about cargoes and business ventures so all 
  trading, bribery and fast talk tasks will be one level harder. 
  Plot
  The players are hired to gain evidence of a given politician’s 
  wrong-doings. In fact, he is squeaky clean so after a short 
  investigation their patron will pay them to fabricate some 
  appropriate evidence. Best to be off-world by the time it gets 
  to court… 
  7. Clear and transParent 
  This world noticed that without a substantial involvement 
  of the electorate, the representative democratic systems 
  of neighbouring worlds tended to die off, being replaced 
  by an oligarchy or dictatorship. A major contributor to this 
  failure rate seemed to be the ability of political parties to 
  buy themselves into power with saturation advertising 
  such that people felt that their vote did not actually count 
  for much. All political parties are now state funded and are 
  forbidden to generate their own income. All parties have to 
  be constitutional, and  prepared to contest and abide by 
  the results of elections. All valid candidates receive a fixed 
  sum in electoral expenses and a couple of public servants 
  to act as aides. Party members can offer their services for 
  free, but any expenses have to be approved by Electoral 
  Civil Servants. Elections use an additional member system; 
  candidates stand in first-past-the-post contests, and any 
  imbalance (between the number of seats won and the total 
  proportion of the vote gained by each party) is made up 
  by giving extra seats to representatives drawn from each 
  party’s list of reserve candidates. To promote this election 
  culture, elections and referenda are held regularly: each 
  party has to contest a quarter of the seats every year, and 
  any changes to the constitution have to secure 67% of the 
  vote in a referendum. Rather than make voting compulsory, 
  the electorate are exhorted to take part: the fact that they 
  have voted is recorded on their Citizen Smart Cards. Legally, 
  politicians can opt to ignore correspondence from, or refuse 
  to acknowledge the existence of non-voters. Accountability 
  is assured through a tiered government, with political 
  power devolved at the lowest level to phalanxes, each of 
  5,000 members, which are responsible for day to day local 
  policies, with a budget and employees to implement them. 
  City, county, regional, continental and planetary levels have 
  increasingly greater power but at a strategic level, rather 
  than operational. Additionally, the concepts of state security 
  and official secrecy were abolished; all correspondence 
  received by elected politicians is available for voters’ scrutiny 
  on the local computer web and all political conversations 
  can be observed, either through a voice conference facility 
  or through visitors’ galleries at all the conference chambers. 
  The same goes for all civil service activities. Of course 
  private or personal business is excluded, but ‘any elected 
  representative or civil servant caught trying to conceal 
  improper public activities behind the veil of privacy’ are dealt 
  with very sternly indeed (barred from future public office or 
  government employ and imprisoned for 2D years). 
  Referee
  Visitors here will find that everything is orderly and will notice 
  that there are always elections and referenda taking place. 
  Trade will run smoothly with very little red tape, but travellers 
  will find that they will require a patron (a voter who will help 
  the players by talking on their behalf) if they intend to get 
  involved in anything which involves the local power structure 
  (this might be as simple as resolving a customs dispute). 
  Plot
  A number of individual intelligence units have noted a 
  large amount of confidential government and military data 
  making its way off world. Naturally, all political discussions 
  are, in theory, available to the public but security matters 
  are talked around using catch-phrases and code words as 
  otherwise significant on- and off-world interests could be 
  compromised. They believe the intelligence leak is being 
  perpetrated by a neural learning computer which can 
  
  78
  somehow amalgamate the multitude of publicly available 
  data into a clear definition of future military and government 
  actions. In principle, the government cannot move against 
  this; the freedom of information movements would crucify 
  them. However, a small group of off-worlders, suitably 
  supported by local intelligence units, could locate the spies, 
  destroy the computer and stop this data getting off-world. 
  8. different and ComPlementary 
  This state’s extreme sex segregation grew backwards out of 
  the pre-Diaspora Solomani fashion for declaring that females 
  required extra political representation and considerations for 
  their special interests to be covered adequately. A parallel 
  thrust of the period was the obsession with the supposed 
  genetic determinants of key female abilities: always knowing 
  where things are, superior social skills and affinity for co-
  operative work. Later in Solomani history, this ideological 
  predisposition broke down with exposure to different, 
  inarguably genetically human cultures, a greater appreciation 
  of hysteresis effects and of the role of infantile behaviour 
  conditioning (through nurture). Most other humans quietly 
  brushed this whole idea under the carpet, but this state fell in 
  love with it. During the Long Night, the complementary roles 
  of nurturer and protector became so thoroughly entrenched 
  in the local culture that they are never questioned. Thus 
  there is now a society with parallel governments (first past 
  the post for males, proportional representation for females, 
  reflecting the respective notions of competition and co-
  operation), and a bewildering set of rules as to which sex can 
  do what. This last feature has not been determined rationally 
  but has evolved over the centuries from an initially random 
  distribution of sexes and jobs. Another oddity is that, due to 
  the extreme sex segregation males and females rarely meet 
  for any reason other than for copulation: all youngsters are 
  raised exclusively by females, and boys are thrown out into 
  the male world when they reach puberty. 
  Referee
  Visitors here will find that they are expected to talk only to 
  members of their own sex. Members of each sex will even 
  try to convince players that the sexual liberalism outside this 
  world is wrong. They will also find that there are arbitrary 
  distinctions between man’s work and woman’s work. Of 
  course, this inefficiency means that things arrive late, in 
  different sorts of containers (add ½D days to delivery time 
  to model this). 
  Plot
  Whenever the players undertake a task, roll 1D; an odd 
  number indicates the task is ‘man’s work’, otherwise it is for 
  women only. Deliberate and repeated breaking of these rules 
  will result in the player being beaten up by irate members of 
  the opposite sex. 
  
  79
  Government by specific individuals for those who agree to 
  be ruled. Relationships are based on the performance of 
  technical activities which are mutually beneficial.
  1. the nerdmeisters 
  In this society, the scientific community has left no one in 
  any doubt as to who is in charge. The scientists maintain 
  their control through knowing useful things such as the 
  self-destruct codes for the life support system, the power 
  plants and the communications network. The scientist upper 
  class are curious people and always trying out new ideas, 
  for which they need experimental subjects. Naturally, this 
  leaves them little time to do little things like grow food, make 
  clothes or build shelters. As a result they are kind enough 
  not to blow up other people’s power plants in return for being 
  kept in luxury. The creation of children is of great importance 
  to the scientist rulers - they are constantly searching for 
  means to refine and perfect their gene pool. Unfortunately 
  this has led to genetics becoming the major interest of these 
  leaders - not only do they rank each other on their parentage, 
  but they also experiment widely with the extremes of bio-
  modification, eugenics and other sciences. Naturally, rather 
  than subject their fellows to experiments, they make wide 
  use of the lesser populace as laboratory subjects. Unlike the 
  world of Genetics are Good, the general populace are not 
  happy with their lot. However, isolated outbreaks of rebellion 
  are quickly put down when the offending city’s power, life 
  support and other critical functions are turned off. Clearly 
  this threat tactic would become invalid if all the peoples 
  rebelled at once - for the Nerdmeisters would be committing 
  suicide if they killed off all their workers. However, should 
  such a time come, perhaps the ruling class would decide it 
  was better to go out with a bang… 
  Referee
  Visitors, especially good looking ones, would be advised 
  to make their dealings with this society as perfunctory as 
  possible. The ruling classes like to compete with each other 
  to see who can acquire the best mates from off-worlders. 
  Courting consists mostly of exchanging information on 
  lineage, IQ rating, etc. At best, attractive visitors (of either 
  sex) will find themselves surrounded by several suitors all 
  having the social skills of a rampant terrier. 
  Plot
  A player with a particularly high physical or mental aptitude is 
  approached by a man offering a free ticket for an all-expenses 
  holiday on this world. He will even offer other members of 
  the player group tickets if necessary. Unbeknownst to the 
  players, the Nerdmeisters view visitors as useful sources 
  of novel genetic material, which may be obtained for their 
  experimentation through a variety of means… if they are not 
  careful, they will find they don’t need a return ticket, but they 
  may be saved by local rebels. 
  2. Gun Power 
  On this world the military industrial complex has simplified 
  the process of government to ‘we make the weapons and 
  you will do things for us or you will die’. This is distinguished 
  from a military dictatorship in that it is the armaments sector 
  rather than the military which has achieved a primacy in this 
  state; the companies retain the services of the military as their 
  servants, not as their masters. The prioritisation of military 
  hardware above other productivity has done untold harm 
  to the competitiveness of the rest of the society. Needless 
  to say the natives are generally listless, oppressed and 
  occasionally individually aggressive. Except, that is, when 
  they aren’t being shot at, experimented upon or drafted into 
  the militia. 
  Referee
  Visitors can expect to face moral dilemmas as the gun 
  makers watch their soldiers push people around. They 
  can also expect to be watched very carefully themselves 
  just in case they are industrial spies. They might even get 
  embroiled in a local revolutionary organisation or, even 
  worse, into a government trap. The tech level for armaments 
  and computers will be at least one level higher than any 
  other category of technology. The lack of high quality goods 
  in these other areas means that the world is often willing to 
  trade for them in exchange for some really excellent engines 
  of destruction. 
  Plot
  The players are hired to infiltrate one of the high tech 
  weapons factories and steal some of their advanced design 
  work. Very risky, but extremely well paid! 
  3. doinG our Bit 
  On this world, people are free from taxes and any other kind 
  of obligation provided that they spend one sixth of each year 
  performing their trade for the state. This period is usually 
  taken as one or two blocks during a year (for an Earth-type 
  world, for example, this would be two 30-day periods or one 
  60-day period). This philosophy has resulted in a great deal 
  of standardisation in software engineering and manufacture 
  generally, to allow tasks to be passed from one person to 
  the next as easily as possible. Consequently, a lot of the 
  noise which slows down work in other societies is absent. 
  feudal teChnoCraCy
  
  80
  Coupled with the very light burden on the citizen, this society 
  is mostly made up of enthusiastic workers. There is no full 
  time police force or army but rather a territorial force six 
  times normal size, of whom one sixth are on duty at any one 
  time. To fill the remaining five-sixths of their time, there are 
  a lot of private security, mercenary and investigation outfits. 
  During a crisis, mobilisation of the assets of this state would 
  be prodigious. Similarly, the public medical and education 
  services are much smaller than their private counterparts, 
  and needing to rely on them would result in real personal 
  disadvantage. 
  Referee
  For visitors, this society should be safe enough, but with a 
  couple of caveats: the constant turn-around of officials makes 
  bribery and other corrupt practices difficult, and local prices 
  are quite volatile. The authorities frequently seek to make 
  good any deficits in their balance of trade with impromptu 
  tariffs, which can significantly impact visiting traders. 
  Plot
  An Imperial agreement has just been delayed again by 
  the regular change of officialdom. The Imperium wants the 
  agreement signed now, and will hire the players to ensure 
  the current official has an accident (or similar) so that his 
  successor - known to be sympathetic to the agreement - will 
  have to enter office a month early. 
  4. GenetiCs are Good 
  The founders of this world believed in the overriding 
  importance of genetics in personality formation, and 
  decided to take advantage of it to found the perfect state. 
  The colonists were social scientists and experimental 
  biologists who experimented with their genetic material to 
  create the perfect inhabitants for their world. A millennium 
  or so down the line, they have produced a society which 
  works… almost. The early settlers divided the duties of 
  their people into two basic categories; obeying and leading. 
  The obedient were to do all the work, and were adapted 
  to fit their new duties through both genetic engineering and 
  behavioural conditioning, while the leaders (intended to 
  make all the tough choices) were tinkered with to develop 
  their mental faculties. Touchingly, this tinkering also included 
  incorporating anything which had been reported to promote 
  psionic abilities. When the scientists felt that they had 
  produced a stable product, they used further manipulation to 
  fix the traits they had introduced as dominant characteristics. 
  They also conditioned the various different populations to 
  reproduce only within their own groups, both through social 
  pressure and by rendering the products of cross group 
  reproduction infertile, effectively producing a selection of 
  different species. This planet is thus effectively inhabited by a 
  variety of very specialised, distinct groups, each with its own 
  form of life style, work, entertainment, etc. However, while 
  the inhabitants have found physical characteristics are easy 
  enough to manipulate, they have had much less success 
  with intelligence, which tends to be developed through 
  environmental processes. The stability and conservatism of 
  this society has reduced the need for incisive and innovative 
  minds (the daily round is not all that stimulating) and the local 
  culture no longer encourages intellectual curiosity. Note that 
  unlike the Nerdmeisters, the inhabitants of this world have 
  completed their genetic manipulation and all are happy with 
  their resulting place in society. 
  Referee
  Although this world disturbs most visitors, it makes sense 
  to the natives. They feel that they all have a place in their 
  society. Many visitors make the mistake of thinking that the 
  inhabitants of this world are either evil scientists or mindless 
  drones. The truth is more complex; despite the appalling 
  behaviour of their remote ancestors, these people are fully 
  aware individuals, who happen to be very good at what they 
  do. When creating characters from this world, roll 2D for 
  each characteristic except SOC. Any points above 7 in INT 
  or EDU can be transferred to STR, DEX or END as desired, 
  on a one-for-one basis. SOC is assigned at the end of 
  character creation and is equal to 2 plus the highest career 
  rank achieved. 
  Plot
  The players are recruited to covertly locate and copy the 
  ancient records of the founding geneticists - their patron 
  believes significant information about psionic powers may 
  be found therein. Genetic engineering for psionic powers did 
  not actually work, but a lot of people suspect it might have.
  5. teChno-PrinCes 
  When this paradise was founded, the technocrats 
  responsible decided that their best bet for continued primacy 
  was to establish two parallel societies: their own diversified 
  social structure and a similar society for the non-technocratic 
  majority. In return for taking care of information and 
  technology needs of the majority, the latter were expected to 
  reciprocate by doing the laundry, growing the food, building 
  things and serving in the army. After the Long Night, the 
  technocracy still resides in large palaces, patronises the 
  arts, has its own shops and familia regiments in the army 
  (with nice white uniforms, shiny buttons and lots of frogging). 
  However, everything they have is now shoddy and second 
  rate. Apart from the Princes’ full time (foreign) servants, 
  everything done for them is done reluctantly and badly. The 
  food and goods the proles deliver is the worst of any given 
  batch. Princely orders are followed in the Švejkite manner. 
  In practice manoeuvres, the familia is allowed to win through 
  the opposition’s expedient of marching across a large area 
  of open ground. When the proles serve as mercenaries 
  elsewhere, or take part in interstellar exercises, they are 
  
  81
  a daunting prospect, whereas the familia are regarded as 
  a laughing stock and ranked lowest in fitness for role or 
  marksmanship competitions. 
  Referee
  Non-noble visitors are treated courteously and receive 
  uniformly excellent service. Trade is honest and efficient 
  (+2 DM to all categories of cargo, freight and passengers 
  available). 
  Plot
  The players are hired to escort an Imperial noble (part of 
  the Diplomatic Corps) on world. The noble is expected to 
  call on her local counterparts. The journey is bad enough; 
  the limousine has not been cleaned (inside or out) in living 
  memory, but it is as nothing compared to the abysmal 
  hospitality. School dinner-quality catering, power cuts, no 
  heating and grimy bed linen are the best most Princely 
  families can manage. They are also under the impression 
  that this is because their useless proles cannot do any better. 
  
  82
  Government by a leadership answerable to an outside 
  group. Often a colony or conquered area.
  1. CivilisinG mission 
  This planet has come under the control of a more powerful 
  neighbouring government which claims to be helping the host 
  society by expanding its industrial and knowledge base and 
  by rooting out corruption. In reality it is trying to wipe out all 
  the cultural reference points which made this planet unique. 
  The conquerors genuinely believe that they are civilising this 
  world, but will refuse to acknowledge that they are doing 
  it in an unnecessarily violent manner. The rulers maintain 
  a constant smiling friendly appearance while dissidents 
  are murdered or simply disappear. There are spontaneous 
  public demonstrations of support for the regime, and a 
  change in taxation policy subsidises collaboration and 
  intermarriage with the invaders. Cultural exchange events 
  force the locals to come to appreciate the superior values 
  of their new masters, and informally compulsory friendship 
  circles are commonplace.
  Referee
  Visitors are likely to notice how heavily the virtues of peace 
  and order are emphasised on this world. They will find the 
  cost of local produce to have been pushed to one or other 
  extreme. Some goods are expensive because they have 
  been through the invaders’ quality control, while other goods 
  are very cheap, being sold by locals desperate to liquidate 
  their assets and leave. It would be as well for visitors who 
  intend to return, such as traders, to affect a sympathy for 
  the ideas of the ruling power; failing that, neutrality would 
  be a good choice. Anyone taking an interest in the plight of 
  the conquered is just begging for trouble. It is not unknown 
  for off-worlders who ask too many questions to suddenly 
  disappear. 
  Plot
  The players are asked to ship a cargo of agricultural 
  machinery to this world. The crates really do contain farming 
  equipment, but the associated paper and electronic manuals 
  are filled with rebel literature inciting insurrection. This is 
  unlikely to be noticed at customs, but will be traced back to 
  the players later, once the literature is widely available. 
  2. Just Children, really 
  The rulers of this world are not the same species as the 
  ruled. The leadership monopolise high technology and have 
  imposing military forces, while those they rule work in the 
  mines, on the land or in dangerous occupations. The rulers 
  hold themselves aloof and have little if any interest in the 
  affairs of their subjects. All that matters is that the food and 
  the ores appear on time in the right quantities. Failure to 
  comply has been known to result in a large rock falling from 
  a very great height. 
  Referee
  No doubt travellers would find this treatment of a whole 
  species deplorable, but it is unlikely that they will discover 
  the true situation. Around the starport and major towns there 
  are plenty of collaborators who will give the party line if 
  asked, who will bow and scrape and do cute native things, 
  and who will kill or maim their own kind for a bit of material 
  comfort. What most travellers will notice is that raw materials 
  are cheap and plentiful and the facilities gracious. 
  Plot
  The players are recruited as aides (bodyguards) for a 
  reporter and her cameraman who wish to covertly poke 
  around in the outback of this world, to determine just how 
  despotic this regime is. They will certainly be watched, but 
  with some thought should get some prize-winning footage. 
  This will be irrelevant if none of them manage to get off-
  world alive… 
  3. the Guests 
  This society is controlled by a foreign power which wishes 
  to remain aloof from the street level butchery necessary to 
  maintain control of this world. Local traitors, Quislings and 
  other criminals provide the illusion of a government with 
  domestic support, supposedly free from outside influence. 
  Needless to say this is far from the truth. The local forces 
  are equipped by the friendly power, are subordinate to it 
  in wartime, and the embassy of their guests is enormous, 
  with rather a lot of signals intelligence equipment, and what 
  looks like an armoured barracks. Everything available in 
  the markets is low quality and there are seemingly endless 
  queues. The listless, hopeless look in the eyes of the 
  populace shows how their guests have broken their will. 
  There are frequent power failures (except in the government 
  blocks which have their own generators) and the government 
  services (police, emergency services, etc.) prioritise the 
  guests and their underlings. Locals who express doubts 
  about their guests are either framed for small, non-political 
  crimes or disappear, if only for a while. If they return, they 
  are thinner, quieter, and fully aware of the wonderful people 
  who help their society stand on its own feet. 
  CaPtive Government
  
  83
  Referee
  Visitors to this world will notice, but would be advised not to 
  remark upon, the failing state of this society. Trade goods 
  purchased here will fetch 1D% less on the Modified Price 
  Table when off-world due to their lower quality. There will 
  also usually be D3 days delay in acquiring the goods at the 
  port. Selling one’s goods here is problematic; the state’s 
  inefficiency has led to it imposing heavy taxes on imports, 
  and all government-related contracts will be for a selling price 
  of 2D% below the Base Price. Traders could sell to the black 
  market of course, but this would be dangerous. Naturally, 
  traders from the colonising power will get preferential 
  treatment and will make a point of rubbing their competitors’ 
  noses in that fact. There may be occasions when visitors are 
  contacted by members of dissident factions, or by agents 
  provocateur. Such visitors should be careful, for the guests 
  operate a wide network of spies and turn-coats. 
  Plot
  The players are tasked to deliver a cargo of luxury goods 
  to the guests’ embassy. En route (either during the stellar 
  trip or on planet) dissidents will attempt to plant a bomb in 
  the cargo. If the players allow this to happen, they will be 
  blamed when the embassy suffers severe damage and will 
  be hunted down by several hired assassins. 
  4. reGrettaBle neCessity 
  In this society, the locals are being ruled from outside because 
  they are fractious, unpleasant and downright dangerous if 
  left to their own devices. There are military governors, huge 
  forces and a lot of humanitarian support for the occupation, 
  but the locals are firmly opposed to it. The civilised nature 
  of the occupation is evident from the labyrinthine rules of 
  engagement and standard operating procedures followed 
  by the peace keepers, to the extent that the locals frequently 
  ambush them, rob them and embarrass them with seeming 
  impunity. While this society is dangerous, especially if you 
  are a peace keeper, it is not amber rated. That would be an 
  admission of failure. 
  Referee
  Travellers should be advised that the authorities take a very 
  dim view of arrivals with military backgrounds seeking to 
  ‘tour the country’. Shipments of weapons are, needless to 
  say, banned. However, because of the need to perpetuate 
  the fiction of order, trade prices are controlled to keep them 
  in line with neighbouring worlds. 
  Plot
  The players are hired to escort an off-world charity-sponsored 
  medical team who are bringing critical vaccines to this world 
  to fight a new epidemic. Unfortunately, not only are some 
  natives hostile to help from outsiders (believing the epidemic 
  is a bio-weapon simply to make them dependent on off-world 
  help) but rebels may steal the medicines, believing they can 
  sell them on the black market. In any armed conflict, the 
  peace keepers will be of little use due to their overly limited 
  engagement rules. 
  5. masters and servants 
  This society has just lost a war to someone who means 
  business. There is no sham of acceptance or democracy 
  here, just a naked display of force. From the police who 
  walk the streets armed with assault rifles, to the punishment 
  beatings and public executions, there is no sign of any 
  accommodation with the invaded. Almost everything here 
  requires a permit or licence (with associated interviews, fees 
  and delays). All types of travel are monitored, with checkpoints 
  being a regular feature of all land-based transport systems. 
  The soldiers use a special form of currency - occupation 
  credits - and expect priority treatment ahead of citizens and 
  all but the most important off-worlders. The conquerors will 
  not be satisfied until they feel sure that every native head 
  will bow to them. The locals rebel sporadically, and are cut 
  down. Dissident leaders are rounded up, tortured and killed. 
  Whole villages are wiped out in revenge for the death of 
  one invading soldier. Public gatherings of more than ten 
  people are forbidden and are broken up with force - the use 
  of chemical agents is commonplace and live rounds and 
  fragmentation grenades are used against large crowds. The 
  invaders are quite unabashed about their brutality: they are 
  the victorious army, what else should they do? 
  Referee
  If they can stomach this, travellers will find this society a 
  place where a lot of unsavoury business can be done 
  profitably. Individual soldiers will have plenty of loot that they 
  would rather convert into hard cash. All kinds of recreational 
  goods are needed by the army, and the local output will be 
  very cheap (if of low quality). It would be best, of course, 
  if travellers remained inside the starport compound. There 
  are a lot of desperate people out in the dark streets of the 
  surrounding cities. 
  Plot
  The players are approached by a group of soldiers who 
  wish to have various art treasures smuggled off-world. They 
  will want two of their number to escort the cargo to a bank 
  on a neighbouring world. However, not only is a higher-
  ranking officer trying to track down these treasures for his 
  own collection, but the locals will also try to regain them - by 
  persuasion if possible, by force if necessary. 
  
  84
  No central ruling authority exists. Rival governments 
  compete for control.
  1. united states 
  This world considers itself to be sufficiently urbane to have 
  a single voice at the interstellar level, while maintaining 
  diversity at home. It therefore has a supranational authority 
  which runs the starport and represents individual states’ 
  interests with the outside and vice versa. 
  Referee
  Travellers to this world will find that although the facilities are 
  adequate, they lack personality and are not run efficiently. 
  The cuisine is designed to assault as few palates as possible, 
  and the officials they meet are anodyne and uninteresting. 
  However, as soon as they go out into the street, things 
  will change. A big issue with supranational authorities 
  is that they tend to be money hogs, so there are many 
  people more than happy to undercut them. This borders 
  on illegality, but it’s profitable. Travellers will probably not 
  get any worse punishment than a slapped wrist if they get 
  caught; the authority is intended to preserve the wonderful 
  diversity of this world, and the travellers are up to their necks 
  in it. Essentially, authority facilities are boring, expensive 
  and safe, the outside is a bit wild, inexpensive and very 
  stimulating. Merchants can get 1D% better prices if dealing 
  direct with the public, and deliveries take D3 less days to 
  arrive. This is illegal but socially acceptable behaviour. 
  Plot
  One of the states believes it has been badly represented by 
  the supranational authority. The players will encounter this 
  due to the disruption of starport operations by a computer 
  virus, small firebombs, etc. 
  2. staBility in a world of 
  differenCe 
  This planet’s starport is a huge orbital installation. Early in 
  this planet’s history, a commercial group decided to relocate 
  to the Clark belt (where geo-stationary orbits are possible). 
  After some competition with the main world, they quickly 
  monopolised interstellar travel. Eventually a peaceful 
  agreement was reached with the multiple world states, 
  such that the commercial group took over ownership and 
  operation of the associated ground port under licence from 
  the individual states. The agreement can be summarised as; 
  ‘We will pay rent for these ground facilities. In return for this, 
  we won’t drop rocks on you and you won’t try to infiltrate, 
  assault, or destroy our orbital port.’ The commercial group 
  realised early on that they needed to supply all the states with 
  ports to keep them happy. Although a few of the states had 
  attempted to begin their own ground ports, the investment 
  needed to complete ports in every state was well beyond 
  the capability of either the states or the orbital port owners. 
  The solution arrived at is a mobile ground facility: essentially 
  a huge set of caravans and trailers which deploy around a 
  landing area and contain prefabricated buildings housing all 
  the facilities for the port. Portable beacons, communication 
  equipment, etc. provide quite adequate traffic control and 
  landing telemetry. To stop any nation complaining, the 
  facility is rotated between all of them over a rather long (32 
  year) cycle, and the rent is paid out to all the states, with the 
  current host of the down port getting a double share. 
  Referee
  Travellers will find the orbital terminal to be comfortable and 
  efficient, but the surface element is a bit of a dump. If the 
  orbital port were ever to be destroyed, the starport would 
  immediately drop to class E. To reduce the likelihood that the 
  surface nations ever decided to try to take-over or destroy 
  the orbital facility, the port authority makes sure that its rates 
  are very good indeed, and that its operation is efficient and 
  fair. Taxes are thus minimal, the effect for traders being that 
  all goods they sell will fetch D3 % more than that generated 
  on the Modified Price Table, and all bought goods will be D3 
  % cheaper. 
  Plot
  The mobile starport is about to move nations but the current 
  host wishes ill of its successor and wishes to delay the 
  transfer and disrupt operations thereafter. The players may 
  be hired to perform the necessary sabotage or, alternatively, 
  to prevent such a delay. 
  3. let a thousand flowers 
  Bloom! 
  Every state on this world maintains its own starport, its own 
  individual interstellar policy and its own territorial space 
  (projected from the state’s terrestrial borders for as far as 
  their sensors will reach). This arrangement obviously favours 
  the equatorial countries (their territory includes the Clark 
  belt) and there is a technological gradient on the planet, with 
  the richest and most advanced states straddling the equator, 
  while the less well off and more backward polities cluster 
  around the poles. The main starport is linked to the most 
  advanced and powerful nation, and serves to entrench its 
  status as this world’s policeman. 
  Balkanisation
  
  85
  Referee
  On approaching this world, many visitors will be heading for 
  the main starport, but they will still receive a huge volume of 
  communications traffic from other starports, (advertising their 
  services) and from all the states whose space the players 
  have violated on the way in (the precise volumes of space 
  owned by each is constantly being re-negotiated). Despite 
  threats of retaliation or interception, there will be no trouble: 
  no one in authority is quite that stupid. However, when the 
  players land, they will be served with bills from everyone 
  they have annoyed. They do not have to settle these (as 
  none of the states has jurisdiction within another’s starport) 
  but should they land at a different port in future, they will 
  find that such charges are never forgotten, and the interest 
  charged on unpaid fines can mount up quite quickly… 
  Plot
  On landing at one starport, the players find their ship has 
  been mis-registered as owing fines from 12 years ago. The 
  accrued interest is around Cr. 5,608,345… 
  4. our own world, our own 
  way 
  This planet really celebrates its own diversity. It is divided into 
  intensely proud if somewhat insular states who are determined 
  to emphasise their own cultural traditions, which are very diverse 
  indeed. Cultures range from the extremes of the depraved to 
  the noble and saintly. During a fit of moral responsibility, the 
  Imperium established an enclave on this world, so that anyone 
  who wanted to return to sanity could exercise the rights and 
  privileges of Imperial citizenship by getting drafted. In time, this 
  enclave has grown into the world’s starport and trading centre, 
  and is a rich source of income for the Imperium. 
  Referee
  Travellers will find the starport unremarkable enough, 
  except for the Rag Market, a huge enclosure, partly roofed, 
  where all the world’s nations and many of its trading houses 
  maintain a presence. This market can provide almost 
  anything, including large quantities of contraband and illegal 
  items. An especial favourite is copyright infringement alley, 
  where canny locals will knock out copies of any item, ‘just 
  like the real thing, honest, guv’. This highly competitive 
  environment works in the traveller’s favour, so visitors can 
  expect to benefit by 2 x D3 % on all prices. The enclave 
  has stopped competing as a brokerage, but still charges for 
  berthing and demurrage. Anyone can rent a stall in the Rag 
  Market for Cr. 2 per hour per square metre. 
  Plot
  The players find their next shipment off-world is of local 
  fakes rather than the real item. If this is freight, the receiver 
  will accuse the players of selling the real goods and trying to 
  replace them with cheap rubbish; if the players bought the 
  shipment, then the fakes were sufficiently good to fool them, 
  but not their buyers. No doubt the players will want revenge! 
  5. who Cares? 
  This planet was settled by a large number of laid back 
  folk who decided that it was their spiritual duty to take it 
  easy for the rest of the galaxy. They are split up into little 
  (county sized) statelets which occasionally bicker and 
  fight, but which mostly just get along. Economic activity 
  is very depressed here. The locals are fond of poppies, 
  hemp, mushrooms and other similar cash crops, practice 
  highly efficient (in terms of yield per hectare) but labour 
  intensive agriculture, and generally just hang out. From an 
  outside observer’s perspective, there is a huge reservoir 
  of concealed unemployment, and the local health service 
  is rudimentary, emphasising acupuncture, homeopathy and 
  other alternative therapies. Wars, when they break out, 
  are generally very small scale and have a low fatality rate. 
  Preferred weapons are explosive compounds and mind 
  altering chemical agents: the locals have a gift for both. 
  Referee
  There is a surprisingly high level of interstellar traffic to 
  this world, simply because it is a good place to get out of 
  your head, and because the natives sell their crops at a 
  low price. The starport is actually run by immigrants who, 
  despite being heavily reliant upon the local crops, are still 
  viewed by the locals as oppressively uptight. Some locals 
  live in the starport area, because they like proper medicine, 
  electricity, etc. Trade here takes for ever (2D extra days 
  per transaction) and selling to the natives for cash is not 
  profitable (prices generally 5D % lower than on nearby 
  worlds). However, direct bartering of imported goods for 
  native crops could result in a cargo which is worth a huge 
  amount on other worlds, provided one has the black market 
  contacts to safely sell such mind altering drugs. Of course, 
  the customs officials of neighbouring worlds take a close 
  interest in any cargo or passengers originating at this world. 
  Plot
  The players take a local passenger off-world but find him 
  apparently dead just before landing on the next world. He is 
  actually in a drug-induced catatonic trance and will recover in 
  24 hours, but it should scare them and the customs officers 
  will arrest him for the other ‘medicinal’ herbs in his luggage. 
  6. mind Games 
  This world seems like an unusually fractious balkanised 
  planet, with a healthy demand for engines of destruction 
  and a very competitive, very comfortable and extremely 
  secure starport. For the benefit of traders and rash tourists, 
  the Starport Authority maintains an office in the capital city 
  of each state on the world, these offices having full embassy 
  status. 
  
  86
  Referee
  What is not apparent to outsiders (so the players can only 
  find this out the hard way) is that the Starport Authority is 
  controlled by a self-perpetuating clique of psionic adepts who 
  arrange things to keep the world’s nations at each other’s 
  throats. They also manage trade so that visitors will always 
  make sufficient profit to encourage their return, but never a 
  huge amount (this will require some arithmetic if you are so 
  inclined; work out how much the players need to satisfy their 
  repayment schedule and salaries, then give them enough 
  extra for a round of drinks). The psionicists also arrange 
  for the efficient delivery of outgoing cargoes, and visiting 
  traders should find their stay very pleasant indeed. 
  Plot
  The players meet (or transport) an enthused psi-shield seller 
  en route for this world. Shortly after arriving they find him 
  murdered. No guesses for who is responsible, if you have 
  read the referee’s section above… 
  7. under strain 
  The experts at the Census office agonised long and hard 
  before deciding that this world was in fact Balkanised. 
  Constitutionally it has a global representative democracy, 
  but unfortunately, this and the attendant rule of law only 
  hold good as far as the starport and nicer parts of the urban 
  centres are involved. The outback is the site of an armed 
  struggle which has been going on for as long as anyone 
  can remember. Despite having purported ideologies, the 
  various revolutionary factions are now gangs of racketeers 
  and kidnappers who prey on their host population and 
  occasionally operate in the big cities with the assistance 
  of dupes, bleeding hearted liberals and dedicated urban 
  guerrillas. The situation is complicated by the fact that a lot 
  of constitutional political parties have historical links with the 
  guerrilla movement, and some even control its actions and 
  give warning of government moves against them. A lot of the 
  factions have more than one division, so a constitutional party 
  could have military, cultural and urban revolutionaries. The 
  factions cover a range of beliefs, from religious fanaticism, 
  through autonomous government to communism. The 
  planetary government is incapable of policing the entire 
  world, and focuses its efforts on the main population 
  centres. This normality is punctuated by assassinations and 
  robberies (the main manifestation of revolutionary activity in 
  the cities). The government mounts its own raids into the 
  outback, often with Imperial or mercenary assistance. 
  Referee
  Outside the safe havens noted above, this society could 
  be sufficiently dangerous to rank an amber rating. Anyone 
  dealing with a specific faction automatically becomes an 
  enemy of the others. Travellers in the hinterlands risk kidnap 
  and ransom, or torture and execution as a spy. Traders will 
  find that selling prices for mood-lifting drugs, weapons and 
  surveillance equipment are in their favour (add D3 to the roll 
  on the Modified Price Table). There is a healthy passenger 
  trade for mercenaries, fund-raisers for the revolutionary 
  groups and journalists, as well as a steady outward trickle of 
  exiles and ex-revolutionaries on the run. 
  Plot
  The players are hired to smuggle a shipment of medical 
  supplies from the starport through customs and some 
  guerrilla-infested outlands to a specific rebel group. The 
  players can disguise the supplies or bluff their way through. 
  Hidden amongst the medicines is a vial containing a lethal 
  bio-weapon for use by the rebel group. 
  8. riCh taPestry 
  This world has a drastic assortment of cultural purists, 
  separatists, bigots, segregators and others who all have the 
  constitutional right to enforce their own laws on members of 
  their own societies. This situation grew out of a desire during 
  the immediate pre- Diaspora period for smaller cultures to be 
  preserved from absorption in the United Earth machine by 
  their settlement elsewhere. An early attempt at colonisation 
  was delayed by an argument over the authorities’ desire 
  that the colony’s descendants be able to rejoin mainstream 
  human society at a future time. The emigrants were strongly 
  opposed to this and refused to do anything other than mount 
  noisy protests until they got their own way. The end result 
  is a Commission which regulates off-world trade for those 
  societies which desire it, joins in on the losing side in the 
  frequent wars (to prevent the absorption of one state by 
  another) and which returns refugees to face their remote 
  ancestors’ ideas of justice. The Commission retains armed 
  forces drawn from those societies which have a warrior 
  ethic, and enables some kind of regular outside contact, but 
  otherwise does nothing at all for the people. 
  Referee
  Visiting merchants will find that the Commission’s trading 
  facilities are fine (they retain the services of passionate 
  free traders to run this for them). Similarly, travellers’ 
  accommodation needs are well taken care of, and the cuisine 
  is outstanding. Many of the small states and communities 
  are well worth a trip and partly finance themselves out of 
  tourism but there are other, more hard line polities where 
  the only holiday might be described as a bracing survival 
  adventure. 
  Plot
  The Commission hires the players’ ship to transport 
  holidaymakers to one of the states which has only just 
  opened its doors to foreigners. The travellers come back 
  rather less happy than they went and the players will suffer 
  their angry ranting! 
  
  87
  9. PerfeCt Chivalry 
  This world has a huge number of petty kingdoms and 
  principalities due to the use of appanage (the provision of 
  territory for each heir) as the system of inheritance. This has 
  led to the fragmentation of society into minute portions, some 
  little more than a church, a pub and a handful of farms. Given 
  that each of these portions is meant to support a monarch in 
  style, economic efficiency is lamentable. There is very little 
  hope of the formation of larger polities, short of fratricidal 
  wars of conquest or (much more commonly) the acquisition 
  of lands and titles by financiers through foreclosure. However 
  as local tradition requires that land be held by people, not by 
  institutions, the financiers rapidly find themselves effectively 
  becoming the new magnates. Unless they limit themselves 
  to one child, these new nobles end up splitting their estates 
  just as their predecessors did. The wars which rage across 
  this planet are curious affairs: a principality could become 
  lost inside a golf course; a tractor mounting a light machine 
  gun is heavy ordnance; and logistics is no problem when 
  you are just popping next door for a bit of a scrap. War is 
  thus a picnic which both sets of villagers come along to 
  watch. Those who feel like getting stuck in, line up with their 
  seigneurs, shotguns at the ready and drink themselves into 
  fighting trim. While the princes exchange stirrup cups and 
  choice snacks, the commoners make rude gestures at each 
  other. Then the two lines advance, there is a whiff of buck 
  shot and they settle down to clubbing each other with their 
  gun butts. Fatalities are rare, but injuries are common, so 
  the wars happen at the beginning of summer or after the 
  harvest, so as not to interfere with farming. 
  Referee
  Travellers who like to see thick nobles and sturdy peasants 
  beating seven bells out of each other in a rural idyll will find 
  their tastes well catered for here. The same does not go for 
  merchants: few of the local principalities can actually provide 
  a full cargo, and it is rare to find a local factor who will take 
  an entire consignment of goods off a trader’s hands, so 
  trade is distressingly slow: add 2 x D3 days to trading tasks. 
  Similarly, the need to consolidate produce from a very large 
  number of small suppliers means that the unit cost of goods 
  on this world is higher than it would otherwise be (subtract 1 
  from the roll on the actual value table). 
  Plot
  A noble hires the players to infiltrate the courts of his 
  neighbours such that they have convenient accidents, 
  allowing him to expand his rather small holding; should 
  the neighbouring villagers cause problems he expects the 
  players to teach them a lesson. 
  10. Gone native 
  This planet, which supported its own sentient life before 
  humans ‘discovered’ it, was earmarked for a campaign of 
  conquest by settlement. It was hoped that aggressive human 
  colonists would kill the natives out of self-preservation, thus 
  saving the principal companies the trouble and expense. 
  However, to the settlers’ immense credit, they soon realised 
  the true situation and made common cause with the 
  indigenous population against their masters. A protracted 
  guerrilla war followed, with the natives and their human 
  ‘traitor’ friends keeping the corporate authorities penned 
  into environmentally sealed enclaves along the coasts and 
  around the starport. The corporations would probably have 
  won in the end, but for the Long Night which cut them off 
  from outside aid and forced them to exploit the rest of the 
  planetary system for resources, rather than fight against an 
  enemy which was recovering as fast as the corporations’ 
  external support dried up. Over the next millennium, as the 
  more hard line corporate types festered in their citadels and 
  the defector/native alliance fused into a remarkable mixed 
  species civilisation, the space-based element realised that it 
  had very little in common with the companies on the surface 
  and developed along separate lines. The system now 
  consists of a variety of societies: the bitter, siege-minded 
  Strongholds filled with ‘true’ humans; asteroid belt colonies 
  and O’Neill stations; and a patchwork of sophisticated native/
  human Republics. The spacers are the system’s police and 
  take a dim view of the wars which occasionally break out 
  between the Strongholds and the Republics. 
  Referee
  Visitors will have most to do with the space-based 
  civilisation as they regulate trade and operate the system 
  defence squadron. The Republics are mostly self-sufficient 
  but being outward looking and energetic societies they like 
  to receive visitors, and quite often have good quantities 
  of goods to trade. The Strongholds are worth a visit too, 
  provided travellers are human, in no way adapted to non-
  Earth standard conditions, and have not previously visited 
  the Republics (those who have are tolerated but distrusted). 
  Everyone they meet will ask ‘when is the Race coming to help 
  us?’ in all seriousness, which could be good for a few laughs. 
  The Strongholds’ most interesting export is their icons, 
  which ‘fuse human supremacist imagery and inspirational 
  spirituality into durable artefacts of breath-taking power and 
  restraint’, according to the catalogue. A referee might opt to 
  make the natives either Droyne or Chirpers. 
  Plot
  The players are hired by a Republic to investigate rumours 
  that Stronghold extremists have hired an off-world laboratory 
  to develop a bio-weapon to exterminate this world’s non-
  human residents. 
  
  88
  Government by agencies employing individuals selected for 
  their expertise.
  1. Private emPires 
  This world was once a representative democracy which 
  funded its numerous political parties from the public purse, 
  to eliminate corruption. Combined with the power sharing 
  arrangements typical of proportional representation, this 
  resulted in the parties becoming closely associated with the 
  ministries which ran the services in which they were most 
  interested. Thus the socialists got health and transport, the 
  tree-huggers got environment and so on. After a while, the 
  democratic state withered away and the parties decided that, 
  as they were going to control their favourite ministries anyway, 
  they may as well save the exchequer the expense of funding 
  a moribund electoral super-structure. Consequently, if you 
  want to do good, you join Health, Transport or Environment, 
  and if you were a bully at school, then the Ministry of the 
  Interior is the place for you. Of course, joining a ministry is 
  the same as pronouncing your political and ethical principles 
  to the world. A side effect of this is that all the ministries have 
  a most pronounced personality all of their own; austere and 
  dignified for the Exchequer, whimsical for the Environment, 
  laconic for War. 
  Referee
  Travellers should n0t find too much to bother them here, 
  except that they will be operating at an unfortunate junction 
  between the Exterior, Exchequer, Trade and Transport 
  ministries, so each major activity will be delayed by 1D hours 
  while the civil servants sort out their boundary disputes. 
  Plot
  Major financial cutbacks are required by the Exchequer 
  and Transport gets to be the one picked on by its peers this 
  time. As a result anything not currently making a profit at the 
  starport grinds to a total halt, berthing fees and import taxes 
  quadruple overnight. 
  2. a lamP in the dark 
  In this society, the administrators realised quite quickly that 
  while politics is a matter of fashion, government is a matter 
  of style. The civil service recruits suitable new members 
  from the best that the world’s schools can produce, and 
  ensures that their appreciation of culture, reality and their 
  circumstances is complete. When suitably indoctrinated, 
  they start in the lowly Departments and, with sufficient 
  determination and talent, end up in high office. Regulations 
  are passed rather than laws, and they are formulated and 
  revised by experts in the field. Thus the society is stable, 
  cultured and ordered. It is also diabolically inefficient, serves 
  its people badly and is only stable because of the energy 
  of the departments of Information Services and of Public 
  Order. The civil servants do not apply brutal retribution to 
  dissenters; they know talent when they see it. Working on 
  the principle that the best game keepers are ex-poachers, 
  captured rebels tend to be signed up for the appropriate 
  department and then educated to act for, rather than 
  against, the government. The government maintains strict 
  control of prices of most products (leading to over- and 
  under-pricing of many items compared to other worlds). It is 
  a strong supporter of ballet, theatre and opera. However, it 
  is a desert for sport fans. Imported entertainment, especially 
  the cheap, tawdry type commands a premium among the 
  common people. 
  Referee
  The majority of this world runs on documentation, so Players 
  will find that progress will be fastest if they have paid for 
  the best quality contracts, permits, etc. It is impossible to 
  persuade any civil servant that there is any more efficient 
  way to perform a service - it is ingrained within each such 
  bureaucrat that doing job X requires form Y to be filled in (in 
  triplicate), stamped by three departments (in different cities, 
  or even continents) and then filed in the pending tray for 
  several weeks. A hard-working traveller might persuade a 
  clerk to place their form in the urgent pending tray, but that’s 
  about as flexible as they get. Due to its inefficiency, there are 
  1D day delays for all significant contracts. Prices are often 
  fixed by the bureaucracy, meaning that an item in demand 
  may have been fixed at a relatively low price (giving the 
  opportunity for profit) or vice versa. Double a trader’s Broker 
  skill when rolling on the Modified Price Table.
  Plot
  There is a growing mountain of holovideo sets which the 
  government will literally give away if the players will ship 
  them off-world. The alternative for this over-production is 
  that the product is recycled - at great cost. 
  3. non-Profit reward 
  In this society, the basic dynamic is which department has 
  the biggest share of the expenditure, the nicest offices and 
  the most and best staff. This is because the civil service 
  ethic is so deeply ingrained that the administrators’ actual 
  pay is not commensurate with their level of responsibility. 
  Naturally, therefore, they seek compensation in other ways. 
  The main fight is between the Treasury and the Department 
  of External Affairs, but all the other Departments are keen 
  Civil serviCe BureauCraCy
  
  89
  to compete in wasting money on grandiose schemes and 
  private empire building: you might very well earn a lot less 
  than some captains of industry, but they can certainly buy 
  you a very expensive lunch. The net effect of this is a top-
  heavy and inefficient administration which only remains in 
  power through the wholesale collusion of other interested 
  parties, such as financiers, manufacturers and organised 
  crime. This means that the common people subsidise their 
  own exploiters. The rule of law is not too onerous here; it is 
  manifestly unfair, and those higher up the pyramid get lighter 
  and lighter sentences. However, there is no apparatus of 
  repression, and the authorities do not care what outsiders 
  think. There is dissent, but it is usually expressed as apathy 
  and depressed economic activity. 
  Referee
  Given the authorities’ disdain for the views of outsiders, 
  visitors are unlikely to get into trouble for criticising the way 
  things are run. General inefficiencies are likely to add D3 % 
  to all purchase prices (subtract an equivalent amount from 
  all player selling prices). 
  Plot
  The players are hired as streetwise aides to an entrepreneur 
  who wishes to build a new office complex so plush that the 
  civil servants will be fighting each other to get into it. He 
  needs help making local deals plus he expects to need 
  protection against the local mob, on whose toes he will be 
  firmly treading. 
  4. JoBsworth’s world 
  Here everyone the state employs has strictly laid-down 
  duties and responsibilities, which are fastidiously observed. 
  The governing ethic is do not do it if you are not paid for it, 
  and this attitude is common to all state controlled ventures, 
  which of course includes the customs and port authorities 
  and just about any service which travellers would want to 
  use. Society fairly crackles with frustrations and irritation 
  as counters close for three minutes because the relief shift 
  is slightly late. There is a private sector, mostly concerned 
  with production and entertainment, but all services are firmly 
  in the hands of the state, which directs them through an 
  assortment of bureaux whose demarcation lines are exactly 
  drawn and jealously guarded. Permits and restrictions, often 
  seemingly pointless, abound. For example: fluorescent 
  orange cartons show up against most backgrounds, and are 
  therefore safer. So all cartons must be fluorescent orange. 
  However, the precise definitions for these two terms are 
  open to interpretation. Thus it might be possible to secure 
  a good deal from an independent factor, but it could still be 
  screwed up by an official refusing to allow the containers 
  on the dock because either they are not fluorescent, or 
  because they are fluorescent, but are not cartons (and thus 
  should not be fluorescent)... 
  Referee
  This society is most appropriate for light relief (for the 
  referee) and maximum irritation (for the players). 
  Plot
  You need me to tell you a plot? Start with fluorescent orange 
  cartons and work up from there! 
  
  90
  Government by agencies which are insulated from the 
  governed.
  1. the world maChine 
  Some wise old professor once programmed a huge 
  computer with an algorithm for the perfect society, and this 
  planet bought it. The World Machine knows everything, 
  makes the best decisions and orders society accordingly. 
  At least that’s what it said on the box. The result is that this 
  world has only one kind of anything: all walls are beige, all 
  carpets rust, all plants are green with red flowers, everyone 
  wears a grey boiler suit and all the soap is pine scented. 
  A large and arguably inaccurate database of genetic traits 
  is used to assign infants to schools and to their ultimate 
  careers, and their subsequent education is designed to 
  make them optimally productive for that career, no matter 
  what other skills they may show a talent for. The Machine 
  rewards individuals for the work they do, and in accordance 
  with the venerable professor’s prejudices. Thus academics, 
  domestic servants and workers get a reasonable standard 
  of living, while bureaucrats, traders and security forces have 
  much more spartan arrangements. The planet’s foreign 
  policy is transparently tit for tat, with provision to mutate to tit 
  for two tats if the rest of the galaxy plays along. Diplomats, 
  officials and other representatives are stonily loyal to the 
  World Machine, and almost seem to be programmed 
  themselves. There is, of course, some dissent: this is 
  fuelled by off-planet goods and information, and is ignored 
  by the Machine provided that it does not run contrary to 
  its algorithms. Coloured underwear is a sign of antisocial 
  tendencies. 
  Referee
  Visitors can expect to trade raw materials for utilitarian 
  products through official channels, or contraband (cosmetics, 
  lingerie, entertainment and software) for stolen or illegal 
  goods (including computer parts and harrowing art work) 
  on the black market. Just wandering around looking foreign 
  will be enough to generate a lot of interest, and visitors can 
  expect to be pestered for off-world novelties. Tales of places 
  where life is different go down well, of course, and players 
  can get a long way with a packet of wine gums, which would 
  be a taste explosion compared to the local food. 
  Plot
  The players are hired to escort Dan the Mad Processor while 
  on this world. Dan’s act revolves around the destruction (by 
  hammer, tongs and explosions) of old computer equipment. 
  He was booked by a rebel group under the guise of a 
  government department. His first performance will result in 
  a riot by the Machine-loving crowd. 
  2. the rule of law 
  This world’s constitution, and a fairly complete plan of duties 
  and responsibilities (including core job descriptions) is 
  literally carved in stone. Huge monoliths carrying a total of 
  several million lines of writing, are arranged in a rectangular 
  grid pattern in the largest park in the capital city. Aligned 
  with the long axis of the grid are the supreme court building, 
  and the Justice Spire, a 100 metre obelisk used in public 
  executions (the condemned are dropped from the top). The 
  preferred career here is the law, and all advocates (defence, 
  prosecution and judiciary) are drawn, at state expense, 
  from a pool which all local lawyers must join. Lawyers are 
  assigned to each of the roles at random, and to prevent any 
  suggestion of corruption, must refrain from developing social 
  links with non-lawyers. Promotion is gained by winning cases 
  or by making a ruling which isn’t overturned on appeal. All 
  trials are before a single judge, and both parties must be 
  represented. As it is only prowess in court which counts, and 
  not public acclaim, the advocates do not really bother with 
  public relations, and the media are packed with trivia and 
  light entertainment. 
  Referee
  The problems for visitors to this world are largely concerned 
  with the local obsession for litigation. There is no real leeway 
  for bargaining, as everything is set down in stone, or can be 
  extrapolated from one of the resulting legal codes. The local 
  currency is regularly deflated to ensure convertibility (into 
  Imperial Credits) and prices for all goods are set under the 
  Exchange of Goods Law. Any new import has to be judged 
  by an appropriate court (the bargaining is performed on the 
  trader’s behalf by an advocate) and the price is then set, 
  forever. This actually has a potentially huge advantage, in 
  that traders will know which speculative goods are likely to 
  sell here, and which will not. 
  Plot
  A corporate president is about to be sentenced to prison due to 
  a technicality of the great laws. His defence is hopeless so he 
  will hire the Players to fabricate a copy of one of the monoliths, 
  with the offending law modified in his favour. Replacing the 
  huge stonework at dead of night will be no small feat! 
  imPersonal BureauCraCy 
  
  91
  3. inCorruPtiBle 
  To avoid any suggestion of corruption, and in the naïve hope 
  of preventing any possibility of this, this world’s civil service 
  was taken over by brutal young reformers who established 
  a faceless society. Anyone working for the state is forbidden 
  to use a name while about the state’s business, and no one 
  encountering the state apparatus is allowed to actually meet 
  a civil servant face to face: individuals or groups from each 
  side sit in small booths with a separating grill through which 
  they can speak. As technology has developed, electronic 
  interfacing has allowed both parties to be separated by 
  continents, while still allowing impersonal communication 
  and the exchange of electronic documents. Such practices 
  extend to the police, who always keep their face plates down, 
  and who are very intimidating as a result. Fortunately, this 
  system does not work particularly well. While it is possible to 
  segregate the civil service as much as possible, and to have 
  closed leisure facilities and ghettos for bureaucrats, there 
  is still a minority of hardy individuals who break through the 
  wall and use their information to their own benefit. Similarly, 
  the civil servants do have outside lives and interests, and 
  these inevitably bring them into contact with their subjects. 
  On these occasions personal relationships can develop, and 
  the stony impartiality of the system gets subverted. 
  Referee
  Travellers are likely to find this world somewhat strange. 
  Newcomers might get the impression that the blank wall with 
  the voice coming from it is just a tatty computer simulation. 
  Problems arise if there is a difficulty of any kind (such as 
  late deliveries, theft or accident) as in these circumstances 
  it is never possible to determine which individual was 
  responsible. On the streets, the society appears almost 
  normal. However, the people will seem twitchy: they never 
  know when there might be an important official standing 
  next to them (so they are always careful what they say), and 
  the police really do look very mean. 
  Plot
  A player is attacked when his voice is mistaken for that of a 
  faceless civil servant by an irate individual who was refused 
  his pension due to an administrative mistake. When revealed 
  as an off-worlder the attacker will be most apologetic.
  4. movinG uP 
  On this world, the bureaucracy is separated from the people 
  by a horizontal social barrier. All children take the civil 
  service entrance exams, and are psychometrically tested. 
  The results are sent to the recruitment bureau along with a 
  picture of each child. Those who pass the criteria of native 
  ability, venality and attractiveness are recruited into the 
  elite, where they swan about in designer clothes and seek 
  advancement through displays of ability, broadmindedness 
  and adaptability. They also mix with similarly inclined 
  financiers and industrialists into what amounts to a well 
  organised conspiracy against the common people, and an 
  outstanding party to boot. Conditions for the masses and 
  for any visitors are much the same: services are poor and 
  facilities are badly maintained, it is next to impossible to meet 
  anyone in authority, and the police always seem to have 
  something more important to do. Any tendency to foment 
  revolution is dissuaded by a policy of making individuals feel 
  alone against the power of the state; tax statements, permits 
  and assorted permissions are all targeted at individuals, 
  never pairs or groups. The media reinforce this image of 
  self-centred individuals such that no one really trusts anyone 
  else; even long-term partnerships (such as marriage) are 
  fragile and subject to constant mistrust. 
  Referee
  Off-worlders will find it difficult to relate to the people of this 
  planet as they will all appear nervous and shifty, unwilling to 
  commit to contract or relationship. Even a simple question 
  (such as. ‘What’s the time?’) to a stranger will be met with 
  suspicion (perhaps ‘Why do you want to know?’). The same 
  is true of mercantile relationships; unless the shippers have 
  a prior arrangement (such as have been to a party) with the 
  state, then they will be offered non-negotiable prices and be 
  given a closed list of available freight and cargoes. 
  Plot
  A rich couple have realised that their beloved child is not 
  going to pass the civil service exams - they hire the players 
  to rectify this, by whatever means they can. 
  5. loBBy world 
  On this planet, the authorities do not care to deal directly 
  with the citizenry. Rather, they prefer to use lobbying 
  organisations as intermediaries. This is a drain on local 
  efficiency, and it is compensated for by bleeding the people 
  through taxes. The authorities recruit their personnel by a 
  species of head-hunting, but this is unknown to the general 
  populace. A special recruitment agency scours the colleges 
  for the right stuff: motivated go-getting individuals who are 
  willing to sever all personal and family ties in the public 
  interest. These individuals then cultivate relationships with 
  lobbying firms and between them they implement many 
  extremely disparate business plans, building projects 
  and other schemes. The effect of all of this is to keep the 
  bureaucrats and their lobbyist chums in the good life. 
  Which is more than can be said for the locals; the ultimate 
  consumers of the grand plan will find that it has been 
  diluted, scrimped upon, left dangerously incomplete or just 
  not done at all. While this is inconvenient in some cases, it 
  is life threatening when it involves medical supplies or civil 
  engineering (for example). In general the natives suffer poor 
  service, little choice and long queues. Naturally, the leaders 
  have sufficient sway to ensure that they always stay on top 
  (for example, being admitted to the one hospital that has not 
  collapsed and in which the life-support machinery is known 
  to work properly all the time). 
  
  92
  Referee
  Travellers will find that a casual visit is a little uncomfortable, 
  and that a business deal is close to a nightmare. All plans 
  have to be funnelled through a lobbyist who will approach 
  a good contact. The contact will then mess around with the 
  arrangements and attempt to get the outside party to agree 
  on slightly worse terms than before (more stringent delivery 
  schedule, lower price, different volume). Of course, adept 
  traders will simply bump up their first asking price and will do 
  very nicely out of it. 
  Plot
  The players are inside a major building when part of it 
  collapses - many civilians are killed but the players should 
  escape (with some injuries). The collapse is blamed on the 
  government’s shoddy work and a particular lobbyist (should 
  the players seek reparation). 
  6. soCial deBt 
  This society is essentially a meritorious gerontocracy, but it 
  got there by an indirect route. The planet began as a Second 
  Imperium penal colony. The idea that you had to work to 
  secure your release had ingrained itself thoroughly before 
  the Long Night came down. To avoid any awkwardness about 
  due process, voting and other inconveniences, everyone on 
  this world is born in debt. Recognising in advance that each 
  individual is going to be an irritation, a drain on resources 
  and a safety liability for at least twenty years, the constitution 
  imposes an individual’s debt to society and the government 
  insists on repayment from an early age. Anything in the 
  public interest (such as learning languages or science 
  subjects) is rewarded by a lessening of the debt. Anything 
  neutral (such as being creative, practising sports or studying 
  the humanities) leaves the debt unchanged. Being a further 
  drain (by illness, indolence and antisocial behaviour) 
  increases the debt. A similar pattern is carried on after 
  education, with work in the social interest counting in your 
  favour. The greater the level of debt, the lower the level of 
  entitlement to civil rights, and the higher the level of personal 
  taxation. Paying off a debt can be done by completing a 
  career in police or military service, as a scientist, teacher, 
  in medicine or as an administrator (the state’s blind spot!). 
  This enables the citizen to join the ranks of the Governors 
  - thereafter regarding others in debt as untouchable (hence 
  the impersonal nature of this state). There are no elections, 
  law is revered, Governors generally enjoy their new-found 
  powers and so are wholly approving of the arrangements. 
  Unlike their citizens, Governors are also allowed to travel. 
  Referee
  Trade is routine, except for the tariffs on products which 
  might inconvenience the world: unhealthy foodstuffs, 
  imported entertainment and all kinds of drugs. Some locals 
  in heavy debt to their society may attempt to take passage 
  off-world. Ships caught with such passengers will be in 
  serious trouble. 
  Plot
  The players will find themselves billed when they depart this 
  world: the bill ranges from use of planetary oxygen to the 
  import of E. coli, and the costs of re-educating several locals 
  unfortunate enough to spend any time with the players. 
  The bill must be settled before departure, by cash or by 
  performing work for the state (the bill is Cr. 10 per day, more 
  if the players have been particularly obnoxious). 
  7. exPert oPinion 
  The settlers of this planet were awed by the massive 
  intellect of their leaders. The leaders were so enamoured 
  of their own abilities that their conceited beliefs have led 
  to the government imposing a system of professional 
  qualifications and aptitude examinations on the citizenry. 
  To hold a job at a certain level, you must have passed a 
  specific examination. These examinations apply to nearly 
  every aspect of life. By extension, the level of your skill in 
  any area gives you a ranking against other citizens, and in 
  a disagreement, the higher skill wins automatically, even 
  if the argument deployed is actually wrong. The locals are 
  exceedingly deferential to those with higher level skills, and 
  have been conditioned to accept their word without question. 
  This system has attractions: everything is simple, there are 
  no real arguments (except when experts with equal skills 
  disagree), and the top down power structure enables big 
  or impersonal projects to run efficiently. Personal matters 
  present difficulties, of course, and a recurring theme in soap 
  operas is a love match across social boundaries. Either the 
  lesser partner enrols in night school in a heart-warming frenzy 
  of self improvement, or the better qualified half debases 
  themselves for love (their problems after the resulting loss 
  of status are supposedly gratifying and instructive). The 
  main problem with this society is that its education system 
  is obsessed with the recapitulation of received wisdom, and 
  has stagnated completely. 
  Referee
  Skills are ranked numerically (each rank being roughly equal 
  to a level of a Traveller skill). For any major task, visitors are 
  required to take a local examination to confirm their skills are 
  appropriate. This costs Cr. 100 and takes 1 hour, per level 
  of skill. This then allows the locals to determine whether the 
  player is lesser or greater with respect to a given skill. For 
  example, traders determining the sale price of their goods 
  only use their Broker skill level as a modifier if it is greater 
  than that of the expert on hand when the deal is made (the 
  expert’s level will be D3+D3). If the players argue about this, 
  then subtract the difference between their skill and that of 
  the expert, from the value roll. Players will generally find 
  themselves either being held in awe for their great ability, 
  
  93
  or being lectured to as though they are slow, delinquent 
  children. 
  Plot
  If a player exhibits some great degree of skill in a task, the 
  locals will tell them of Hyilia - a great expert in the given 
  field. Hyilia will challenge the player to a test of the skill. If 
  the player does well and then spends 2 weeks per level of 
  their current skill training with Hyilia, they will raise their skill 
  level by 1 (once only). 
  8. Baksheesh, Baksheesh 
  On this world, the government does nothing except tax 
  the population, build huge pyramidal office buildings 
  (actually these are arcologies where the bureaucrats live 
  in luxurious isolation) and talk to important visitors. The 
  Imperial Diplomatic Corps loves it here. The same is not 
  true at ground level: a great ocean of tatty shanties houses 
  the majority of the population. The starport is in a fortified 
  compound, and the only route from it to the pyramids is by 
  air. The local occupations are begging, joining apocalyptic 
  religions, casual labour and taking bribes. Local production 
  is highly automated so that the need for skilled workers (also 
  known as industrial civil servants) is minimised and most 
  jobs can be filled by people with no skills at all. The culture 
  of bribery applies everywhere (even the police can be bribed 
  to overlook most crimes) except within the pyramids, where 
  it is punished most severely. 
  Referee
  With such a depressed local economy, this state relies 
  heavily on its export trade in high value goods. As high value 
  goods tend to be low volume, this world deals with small 
  traders rather than bulk transporters, so merchants like the 
  Players are always welcome. This is evident from the fact 
  that the port workers are clean, polite and eager to please. 
  They will even beat beggars away with sticks if the Players 
  decide to go out and about. Naturally, this extra service 
  should be rewarded. In fact any service beyond standing, 
  smiling, with one hand open, palm upwards, at waist height, 
  requires a small honorarium. Once the fellow with the broom 
  has swept clear the bit of pavement in front of the access 
  terminal, merchants can conduct trade with the pyramids in 
  the normal Traveller fashion, except that outgoing cargos will 
  predominantly be luxury items. Traders who accept ‘bargain’ 
  deals with anyone outside the pyramids will be robbed blind. 
  Plot
  Tips are typically only D3 credits, but the players will only 
  find this out through experimenting. A player failing an 
  Average (+0) Carouse check will over-tip; news of this will 
  spread fast! Any future reward which is less than the first one 
  paid out will result in truly shocking treatment. Baggage will 
  accidentally be tipped into an open sewer; freight containers 
  of fragile goods will be dropped; environment seals will be 
  open; and a lizard will appear in the bidet. 
  9. Gimme, Gimme 
  This state’s early liberal democracy mutated into a socialistic 
  welfare state and then finally degenerated into a moribund 
  system which was controlled by its civil servants. These 
  bureaucrats put it very simply; ‘We will implement the 
  constitutional framework you want, for money and the 
  promise that you will not to bother us’. The result was 
  an inclusive constitution in which all the nice things that 
  an individual could expect to happen were guaranteed 
  by statute, and anchored in the requirement that they 
  could only be rescinded by a 67% majority of the whole 
  citizenship. This is such an unlikely event that only two 
  constitutional guarantees have ever been revoked; the 
  declaration of ‘eternal independence’ from any interstellar 
  empire except ‘our own’ (the Imperium put paid to that), and 
  the Lifestyle Acceptance Regulation of 3475 AD. The locals 
  are reasonably sure that their world owes them a living 
  and are exceptionally obdurate and truculent when anyone 
  suggests that they do things for themselves. They can just 
  about motivate themselves to work in order to distinguish 
  themselves from their neighbours, whom they despise as 
  lazy and worthless. Bizarrely, this society also pays lip 
  service to personal growth, public service and virtuous 
  living, all of which are enshrined in the state religion with 
  such homilies as ‘Neither a lender nor a borrower be’, ‘Just 
  say “Can do!”’ , ‘I broke it, I’ll fix it.’ Apart from making a 
  shoddy job of whatever it is they do, the main entertainments 
  are watching horrific themed chat and audience participation 
  shows or trying to sue the bureaucracy for non delivery of 
  civil rights. 
  Referee
  Travellers, especially those from the more robust cultures 
  will find these people gruesome. Any complaint about poor 
  quality, late delivery, rudeness or unhelpfulness will be met 
  with an injunction to respect the subject of the complaint’s 
  civil rights next time. This will be accompanied by a boycott 
  of 5D hours. Travellers will, however, find the bureaucracy a 
  pleasure to deal with; efficient, charming and wry. Of course 
  the rotten quality of this world’s goods is well known in the 
  trading community, and the maximum roll (including all 
  skills and DMs) that can ever be reached on the Modified 
  Price Table when selling goods from this world is 9. After 
  one trip, the players will find out why all the other traders 
  stick to freight only, and the sole passenger service is by a 
  subsidised liner with an ever-changing crew. 
  Plot
  The players escape this world with a cargo and passengers 
  only to find that the recipient expects the crates to have 
  been hand-polished in transit and the forms to have been 
  signed in high quality gold ink. This is after the passengers 
  have spent the entire trip complaining about every trivial 
  imperfection in their cabins, the food, etc. 
  
  94
  Government by a single leader enjoying the confidence of 
  the citizens.
  1. the livinG saint 
  This world is ruled by a genuine, albeit extremely focused 
  philanthropist who makes sure everything is pleasant, 
  peaceful and safe. This is brought about by a policy of 
  indoctrination, the elevation of self-policing and following 
  the leader’s example to prime virtues. The leader’s example 
  is available in comic format, with daily updates in the state 
  regulated news media. It is also taught to the world’s children 
  in parables and bed-time stories. As concern for others is 
  another virtue, the locals are very nosy and are always on 
  the look out for the unsatisfied. Anyone failing to live up to 
  the high standards of the leader is to be pitied… and re-
  educated. It is quite difficult for outsiders to find evidence of 
  this aspect of the leader’s plan, but if they look they will see 
  the halfway houses where those on their way back into the 
  community can be seen trying to fit in - trying to maintain a 
  permanent smile, for instance. 
  Referee
  It would be well for travellers to mind their manners, and 
  for traders to choose their cargoes with care as all kinds of 
  things can give offence here. However the prices are stable, 
  and everyone seems nice enough. 
  Plot
  Jenz Olsen has sold an awful lot of dolls of the Living Saint 
  which quote his parables when squeezed. Unfortunately the 
  dolls are cheap and are falling apart - the citizens are in 
  uproar at this and are after Jenz who pleads with the Players 
  to get him passage off this world immediately! 
  2. a PoPular hero 
  The despicable tyrant who runs this world is careful to 
  keep his hands clean. By identifying himself with all that is 
  good and his enemies with all that is wrong, and by casting 
  his world as an island of hope in a sea of despair, he has 
  convinced his subjects that he is their best hope. He has 
  been so successful that the people assume that he does not 
  know about the terrible, corrupt things that happen all around 
  them. It is presumed that he is ignorant of the death squads 
  and the internment camps. The leader’s popular image is 
  emphasised in colossal murals and sculptures, generally as 
  a protector, provider of knowledge or giver of presents, but 
  also as a keen sportsman and enthusiastic dancer. 
  Referee
  Visitors will see a different picture of course, and the local 
  underground will be keen to open their eyes. This is very 
  dangerous and traders would be advised to conclude their 
  business quickly and leave. Anyone wanting to take in the 
  sights will be sent out with a personable tour guide of an 
  appropriate sex and shown a few public works and some 
  charming folk dancing. Going off alone is forbidden. All 
  service will be sloppy, slow and substandard; the only kind 
  of dissent available is apathy. 
  Plot
  A young woman befriends a male player and asks him to 
  take her off-world with him. She is one of the leader’s ex-
  mistresses, has extremely incriminating holocrystal evidence 
  with her (valuable to off-world rebels) and is being chased by 
  the secret police. 
  3. eridu 
  This world is ruled by an individual dictator who is selected 
  as the best available exemplar of the heroic idiom. The 
  monarch must be wise, brave and fair; good looks are an 
  added advantage. In return for spreading these qualities 
  about, the monarch gets status, celebrity and stuff. Lots of 
  stuff. The monarch is the principal shareholder and chief 
  executive of the world corporation, but must submit to 
  the selection process every seven years. Selection is by 
  open competition (the Contest), judged in the wisdom and 
  fairness contest (the Moot), the skill at arms contest, and the 
  war contest (involving a model of interstellar relations). The 
  competitor with the highest total score becomes monarch 
  while their predecessor joins the Council of Advisors. The 
  career of each monarch is followed very closely, partly 
  because of the state propaganda machine, and partly 
  because an intimate study of the opposition might show 
  weaknesses. The planet’s laws can be a little confusing, 
  as they are simply an accumulation of the decisions of 
  previous monarchs, with commentary and clarifications by 
  the Council. The monarch cannot be bound by previous 
  decisions, with the single exception that the Contest cannot 
  be outlawed. This can lead to problems should the monarch 
  become mentally unstable or power-hungry; in theory the 
  ruler could perform hideous acts and acquire vast wealth 
  simply by passing the appropriate laws. Such decisions may 
  be moderated by the Council if necessary. Only once has 
  a monarch become so crazed - they suffered an unusual 
  demise which is never spoken of openly, and a new Contest 
  was held immediately to find a new leader. 
  CharismatiC diCtator 
  
  95
  Referee
  From a visitor’s point of view, there are few hazards 
  associated with this world. In fact if a Traveller has all the 
  right qualities then he or she will be eligible to enter the 
  Contest; a lot of hopeful adventurers travel here to do just 
  that. 
  Plot
  Some act performed by the players’ pilot during their visit 
  falls foul of an ancient law which declares anyone doing 
  such an act to be insane. Insane people cannot be allowed 
  to pilot starships thus the players’ ship is grounded. The only 
  way out of this is to do some heroic act to disprove one’s 
  insanity – such as take part in The Contest. 
  4. Good queen Bess 
  This hereditary ruler has a very good relationship with her 
  people, despite being tight-fisted, capricious and vengeful. 
  She achieves this by frequently going out among her 
  people, and modestly declining the credit for anything nice 
  that happens. She is, however, the terror of her wealthier 
  subjects, because she imposes herself (and the cost of her 
  upkeep) on anyone who might be rich enough to support 
  an independent power base. This has the gratifying result 
  of making them poorer and also preventing much long term 
  planning (such as finance and planning which might lead to 
  a coup d’etat). 
  Referee
  Senior visitors and traders are advised to send a small token 
  of their respect (artwork or exotic produce) to the palace, on 
  arrival. Occasionally, the queen has been known to impose 
  upon off-worlders, perhaps to obtain (temporarily) an entire 
  liner for her entourage to make a diplomatic visit to another 
  system. The major traders accept this as a necessary 
  imposition to maintain good trade relations. It is best not to 
  be rude about the queen. This will lead to fights with locals 
  which the police will not bother to break up. 
  Plot
  The players are passed by the queen’s carriage in the street 
  - the monarch notices some oddity in the players’ behaviour 
  or dress (likely, given they are off-worlders) and insists that 
  they accompany her for 1D+3 days to entertain her with 
  tales of foreign worlds (insist means do it or die). If they play 
  their cards right they will be well rewarded, although once 
  she loses interest in them they will be escorted back to the 
  starport. 
  5. kinG of kinGs 
  This planet is constitutionally an absolute monarchy whose 
  hereditary King (only males may be crowned monarch) 
  prefers to keep the dirty business of ruling at arms length. 
  The monarchy is supported by a system of satrapies whose 
  rulers (satraps) can do as they please provided that they 
  keep the King’s laws, pay his taxes and acknowledge his 
  supremacy. As a physical token of this subservience, the 
  King maintains (at local expense) a small unit of guards in 
  each Satrapy. These troops are quaintly kitted out in archaic 
  uniforms on local riding beasts and are armed with wheel-
  lock pistols and scimitars. The result is akin to balkanisation 
  except that there is always an appeal to the King as court of 
  last resort and all inhabitants will strenuously deny that the 
  planet is disunited. The King also holds the popular annual 
  Tribute Day holiday, which was originally a humiliating 
  festival when the Satraps sent goods to the palace in a 
  show of subservience. Now it is an excuse to parade the 
  achievements and wealth of the satrapies, and is more like 
  a carnival with floats, street parties and revelry. The current 
  King, Cyrus XIII loves it. 
  Referee
  There is no reason to be cautious on this world: the monarchy 
  is popular, the Imperium is obviously an upward extension 
  of the same principle of devolved authority, and the people 
  are happy. The assorted Satrapies tend to be run on benign 
  monarchy lines themselves although there is some friction 
  and the following border incidents can be a little sharp. This 
  might be inconvenient for travellers, but it is a gift to the 
  Imperium’s arms manufacturers, as it provides live fire tests 
  in a variety of climatic conditions. 
  Plot
  The lead officer of the Pontin Satrapy has caused the King 
  great embarrassment by openly flirting with members of the 
  monarch’s harem. However, official retribution would show 
  weakness on the King’s part so he wishes to hire the players 
  to do the job for him. The players can determine the means 
  of embarrassment (such as dragging the officer naked 
  through the streets), provided the officer is not killed. The 
  King must not be implicated in the venture or his popularity 
  would suffer. 
  
  96
  Government by a single leader who does not have the 
  popular support of the people.
  1. numBer one 
  The Leader is in charge. It has always been that way, and 
  always will. When this Leader disappears, another pops up 
  and things go on as before. Opposition to order is futile and 
  in any case very painful. The Leader owns everything, gives 
  people enough to eat and drink and everyone gets by. Off-
  worlders come and off-worlders go, and things are always the 
  same. The Leader is in charge, what else is there? This grey, 
  conformist society has been controlled by the Leader of its 
  only political party for generations. The method of selection 
  is unknown, but the result is obvious: order. There is dissent, 
  and it is smashed, there is workplace inefficiency, and it is 
  stamped out. There is crime and there are disappearances. 
  The Party has been in charge for so long it does not even 
  bother to pretend that there’s an outside enemy. There is the 
  Leader, there is order. Nothing else matters. 
  Referee
  Travellers will want to conclude business here quickly, usually 
  trading one sort of basic commodity for another. They will 
  meet very few people and they will leave. Travel outside the 
  startown is heavily frowned upon and any comments against 
  the Leader will result in immediate termination of one’s stay 
  on the planet. 
  Plot
  The players are hired to escort several anonymous citizens 
  off-world. These people will pay well and expect to be aided 
  while they tour a neighbouring world. These are not spies 
  nor escapees, but party officials wishing to experience life 
  beyond the Leader. Naturally, they will thoroughly disapprove 
  of their visit but at least one will wish to return with samples 
  of the ‘foul merchandise’ (such as malt whisky) available 
  here. 
  2. hello aGain 
  This world started out as a religious settlement, loosely 
  based on a peaceful, philosophical outlook (similar to 
  Tibetan Buddhism). The key belief that has been retained 
  after many millennia is that the Highest is reincarnated into 
  the body of an innocent. Otherwise, the ruling class has 
  been saturated with entirely secular, unbelieving priests. 
  When the Highest dies, there is a nine month interregnum, 
  after which the priesthood is led to the birthplace of an 
  appropriately unexceptional infant, who is taken into the 
  Temple. The infant is taught rulership and law, and love of 
  the new Leader is inculcated among the people. As a reward 
  for providing the new Highest, the parents are taken, with 
  any close family, into the Temple complex, where they live 
  in blessed seclusion, free from the cares of the world. This 
  is a polite way of saying that they are strangled and their 
  bodies thrown into a deep pit within the Temple complex. 
  The priesthood have got the hang of power, and know 
  enough psychology to avoid recruiting anyone who would 
  upset the situation, so the state is run tolerably enough. 
  The Temple is supported by the people’s offerings, and the 
  leader always seems concerned and just. As the Highest 
  is publicly associated with all decisions, policies and state 
  actions, it is in no way apparent that the Highest is just a 
  puppet, and the long term consistency of government is 
  taken as proof of the many generations of wisdom handed 
  down through reincarnation. Needless to say, anyone who 
  starts suggesting that the people are living under the heel 
  of a gang of murderous hypocrites ends up in blessed 
  seclusion (see above). 
  Referee
  Travellers will find it fairly easy going within the starport 
  and its surrounds; the priests understand about trade, and 
  deal fairly. People seem content (or at least demonstrate 
  the usual range of human emotions and behaviour), and 
  the ruler seems to be affable, if remote. Travel outside the 
  normal territories is not restricted, and there is little sign of 
  the true nature of the government. However, travellers who 
  become involved in governmental issues might conclude 
  that all is not what it seems. Naturally it is in their best 
  interests to quiet while on planet. 
  Plot
  The players are approached by a poor family in panic, who 
  ask that their child be hidden for a few weeks. They know 
  that the local priests have been eyeing up their little one as 
  a new Highest and hope to save him, and their own lives, by 
  hiding him until the priests have to go look for someone else. 
  3. el Presidenté 
  This planet has been ruled by a self-selected (secondary) 
  sociopath for as long as anyone can remember. Secondary 
  sociopaths have a high order of social skills, but no empathy, 
  and tend to cluster. They like each other and despise 
  everyone else. As a result they have established themselves 
  as a ruling élite, under the absolute control of the sociopaths’ 
  sociopath, El Presidenté. This relationship remains until one 
  of the élite kills the incumbent tyrant and takes over. There 
  is a purge of the outgoing president’s supporters, and a 
  general bloodbath. This has bad effects on the populace; 
  sociopaths have interesting hobbies, which generally 
  non-CharismatiC leader 
  
  97
  have bloodletting elements, and they like to use political 
  opponents as their material. Sociopaths also acquire the 
  weak-willed as imitators and allies, so state oppression is of 
  unparalleled brutality, but of doubtful efficiency. 
  Referee
  Oddly, travellers are mostly inviolate: outsiders would not 
  necessarily understand El Presidenté’s unique genius, and 
  might draw the attention of interfering do-gooders to the 
  planet. Trade is therefore well regulated and encouraged. 
  The locals will seem to be exuberant and party mad (live, 
  drink and be merry, because the death squad might call at 
  three in the morning). Dissent is quite often expressed in 
  magnificent local art forms; especially music, dance and 
  literature (anything which can be slipped out on a really 
  small holo-crystal, or which could be misinterpreted as 
  meaningless pap). The locals also understand the need for 
  visitors to be polite to the government, but any sign that they 
  might actually approve of the existing brutality will lead to 
  sullen, uncooperative behaviour and perhaps even violence. 
  Plot
  The next psychopath is advancing on the presidential palace 
  and the Imperial ambassador wants out - now! The players 
  may be seeking safety at the embassy or may be hired to 
  help move out the ambassador’s valuables to a villa safely 
  outside the main city. In either circumstance, involvement in 
  a running gun battle is likely. 
  4. PomP and CirCumstanCe 
  This society is entirely governed by ritual observance, 
  ornate ceremonial and is wholly hidebound by its traditions 
  and heritage. The president is a hereditary figurehead and 
  the government rules dispassionately. The bureaucracy 
  makes sure that the citizens do as they should and that 
  the hovertrams run on time. Every single native family 
  has a hereditary position which cannot be relinquished. All 
  occupations have a dress code which cannot be altered. 
  Every working day begins with the boss saying good morning 
  to all the employees and thanking them for being there. They 
  all thank their employer for their jobs. Every day the army 
  officers ask their troops three times ‘Are you ready for war?’ , 
  and the soldiers yell back ‘Ready! Ready! Ready!’ The state 
  is entirely impervious to change. At the start of the Long 
  Night this seemed like a good idea, but it is inappropriate 
  for the dynamic Imperial period. The only advantage of 
  this ossified society is that it helps with tourism, but only 
  for adventurous tourists. The ceremonies must take place 
  just so, and although they include contingency plans for bad 
  weather or illness, they do not in any way accommodate 
  casual observers. 
  Referee
  There are categories of trade goods (novelties, to local 
  lawyers) which are simply not allowed on planet. To know 
  which these are in advance, the player must succeed at a 
  Difficult (-2) Broker check. A Formidable (-6) Admin check 
  must be rolled for a visiting merchant to mesh well enough 
  with local activities to assure prompt delivery of goods; add 
  one extra day for each point of negative Effect. 
  Plot
  Whether as visitors, or providing passage to natives, the 
  players will encounter innumerable irritations. For example, 
  coffee can only be served mid morning, after lunch and 
  dinner; tea is limited to breakfast, mid afternoon and after 
  supper (where cocoa can be substituted); specific alcoholic 
  drinks are allowed at points during the day, with specific 
  meals, etc. 
  5. rota system 
  The power bases - finance, mercantile, religious, military, 
  communications media and manufacturing - take turns at 
  running this world. Each puts up a dictator who has supreme 
  executive power for a period of two years. This supremo is 
  little more than a puppet, making policy adjustments in favour 
  of their backers, in the hope that a number of these rulings will 
  survive until the next presidency. The end result is a selection 
  of stop-go policies in virtually every area of public life, with 
  a few behind the scenes compromises assuring some kind 
  of basic economic activity. The major difficulty is that there 
  is very little state provision of services, and most healthcare, 
  education and transport needs are catered for by the private 
  sector. The public domain most adversely affected by the 
  rota system is the army, which tends to experience eight 
  years of retrenchment for every two of stable investment. 
  This has knock-on effects in manufacturing, and except for 
  small arms, all this state’s materiel is imported. The police 
  suffer too, as whichever power base is in office expects 
  to be exempted from obeying inconvenient laws during its 
  stint. The power bases also expect exemplary service from 
  the public sector (such as better treatment than the general 
  citizenry). There are occasional rumblings of revolt, but the 
  dictators are used to dealing with this. 
  Referee
  Visitors to this world encounter run down, shabby municipal 
  buildings, apathetic civil servants and an ever-changing 
  panorama of public relations campaigns instituted by whoever 
  is dictator at the moment. All public sector activities are 
  inadequately trained, poorly equipped and unenthusiastic. 
  They are also paralleled by bright, shiny private sector 
  outfits who monopolise the profit making aspects of social 
  provision. Private fire-fighters here are difficult to distinguish 
  
  98
  from protection racketeers. Traders will find that conditions 
  are generally favourable, especially during the Army’s turn 
  when the demand for arms goes through the roof. It is better 
  to avoid this planet during the mercantile dictatorship when 
  anti-competitive tariffs are imposed (Cr. 10 per kilolitre, in 
  or out). 
  Plot
  The media are currently in control and extremes of live 
  entertainment are in vogue. Given their background, the 
  players are offered a weekly fee to have a holorecorder 
  embedded in their skull to record their adventures for global 
  broadcasts. 
  6. nanny state dissidents 
  Travellers, malcontents and drug-users refer to the Exemplar 
  of Morality as ‘Nanny’. Especially when (as at the moment) 
  Nanny is a man. The very first Nanny (also a man, Daniel 
  Aston), had noticed at the same time as his devoted followers 
  had given him control of the starport, the communications 
  net and the power grid that the problem with laws was that 
  someone would get around them by insisting that the court 
  take notice of what the precise wording of the law said, 
  rather than its intention. Nanny therefore decided to base 
  all future social regulations on moral imperatives. This was 
  unfortunate given that Nanny’s main interests were decency, 
  cleanliness, seemliness and corrective measures such as 
  gruelling punishment drills, flogging and public executions. 
  The central role of these concepts was discussed at great 
  length in My Moral Struggle, this world’s equivalent of a 
  digest of law. Poor Mr Aston was badly let down by his own 
  children, seven of whom fled the planet and four others 
  he had to flog, brand and eventually hang for ‘ingratitude, 
  slander and unrepentant lewdness’. While this meant that 
  there would not be an Aston dynasty, it did give him the 
  idea of the Exemplar system. The most moral people in the 
  realm would be observed, tested, graded, be inducted into 
  the judiciary and be given cases to try and any eventual 
  tie would be resolved by psychometric testing. The winner 
  was the Exemplar in Waiting, to succeed on the death of 
  the incumbent. In the history of this world, rather a lot of 
  elderly Exemplars have been found wanting. Touchingly, 
  they always muster enough decency to take their own lives 
  and spare the state the embarrassment of an appearance 
  on the scaffold. 
  Referee
  Travellers will find this world very hard going. Instead of a 
  business deal, a trader is subjected to a discourse on what 
  the local broker expects from the deal and the cargo and will 
  ask painstaking questions until the visiting party has satisfied 
  any reservations or queries. As lying and exaggeration are 
  immoral, any false or colourful description of the cargoes will 
  lead to an appointment at the whipping post. Anything which 
  promotes lewdness in others is also suppressed. Needless 
  to say Aston was a vegetarian, teetotal non-smoker. Private 
  visitors will find the natives to be po-faced, repressed and 
  easy to shock. They are also very conservative dressers, 
  and are morally outraged by anyone who isn’t. As a 
  propensity for being shocked, combined with a willingness 
  to act upon it, are prerequisites for a career on the bench 
  or in government, it is wise not to upset anyone. This is 
  especially true for foreigners, as the Book says they are 
  ‘naturally wicked and wanton’. They also refused to extradite 
  Aston’s seven children. 
  Plot
  Three descendents of Aston’s children have decided that 
  they should return to the world to try to correct the mistakes 
  of their predecessor. Depending upon the skill set of the 
  players, they will be hired as aides, diplomats or bodyguards. 
  The trip will be eventful and quite hopeless, with the main 
  problem being how to avoid being imprisoned for wearing 
  the wrong clothing during the hours of darkness, or some 
  such. 
  
  99
  Government by a select group, organisation or class 
  enjoying the overwhelming confidence of the citizenry.
  1. Party, Party 
  This planet is ruled by a single party which is obsessed with 
  public relations - on the grounds that if you can fool enough of 
  the people enough of the time… The Party is acutely aware 
  of the fact that there are large parts of the economy that 
  they don’t control - the financial and manufacturing sectors 
  - and hence limits its activities to promoting happiness in its 
  people. This involves parades, festivals of culture, indirect 
  taxation and stern discouragement of dissent and apathy. 
  There are regular Joy Days and Pride Marches, when the 
  citizens are obliged to join in spontaneous displays of, well, 
  joy and pride. At such times a liberal quantity of recreational 
  chemicals and party food is provided by the government 
  for its citizenry. There are plaques celebrating workers and 
  citizens of the month, and diligent citizens are awarded the 
  Hero of Labour medal. 
  Referee
  Travellers may well be taken in by the regular Joy Days and 
  Pride Marches. What they might not appreciate is that the 
  state also discourages private gatherings and occasionally 
  seals off and systematically searches suspect housing 
  estates. As can be imagined, there are disappearances, bits 
  and pieces of non-elective brain surgery and organisations 
  such as the Youth League for Truth and Beauty. When 
  trading, travellers are advised to deal with the locals in the 
  state sponsored Friendship Houses where very good prices 
  can be obtained (the commercial and industrial backers of 
  the regime insist) and where visitors can be sure of meeting 
  only the most contented citizens. 
  Plot
  The players are hired by a concerned young woman who 
  wants them to find her father - a cynical scientist, she 
  knows he was going to join an Anti-Pride March several 
  days ago. There were no incidents reported on the news 
  but the players can determine from bystanders that there 
  was a small scuffle and the protesters were removed to be 
  educated. Her father may be saved prior to this or may be 
  found to have developed a sudden heartfelt love for the 
  ruling party. 
  2. si, Patron 
  Like many worlds, there are haves and have-nots. However, 
  here have-nots set themselves at the feet of a have - their 
  patron. Patron-client relationships are the most common 
  kind of non-familial bond in this society. The patrons give 
  their clients jobs to do, and generally expect clients to protect 
  their interests, in return for which the patron will patronise 
  the clients’ businesses, look after their health and security 
  and burn down their houses if they defect to anyone else. 
  That sanction aside, patron-client relationships are civilised 
  enough. At an executive level, the patrons run the society 
  between them - a sufficiently highly ranked patron can gain 
  ministerial office by the acclamation of their peers. The 
  patron can then appoint appropriate clients to offices within 
  the ministry. As failure to perform, gross embezzlement or 
  proven bribery results in a knife in the ribs, most patrons 
  attempt to do their jobs well. Becoming a patron is easy 
  enough; you say ‘I will accept clients’ in public and register 
  yourself on the tax roll. Paying tax enables you to vote 
  and to hold governmental office. The tax payable is quite 
  onerous, being the previous year’s deficit divided between 
  all the patrons, and it needs to be recouped from the patrons’ 
  respective client bases. This means that patrons have to 
  acquire clients. Ideally, prospective clients step out of the 
  woodwork of their own accord; realistically, people need 
  a special kind of persuading. Note that anyone, native or 
  otherwise, can become a client or patron.
  Referee
  If, as for most visitors, you are not a client, then you can enjoy 
  the state’s facilities for free; a situation which makes all the 
  patrons unhappy. It does not last for long. Anyone who stays 
  on the planet for more than two weeks or becomes a regular 
  visitor will have to become some patron’s client (or become 
  a patron themselves). Trade relationships will be done 
  through any broker, but any repeat business should find its 
  way to the same broker, or there will be great aggravation. 
  Apart from that proviso, visiting this world is fairly safe.
  Plot
  When the players encounter Sylvia Fennig she will plead 
  with them to help her - through an administrative error she 
  was kept here beyond the two week period and forced to 
  become a client. Legally she cannot leave unless (for 
  example) a player buys out her patron - she would be willing 
  to work passage or whatever is required to pay them back. 
  3. the rule of the three 
  This state has three executive offices, covering External 
  Affairs, Internal Affairs and Finance. These positions 
  are filled by the most hawkish and energetic candidates 
  available, and the offices are held until death or voluntary 
  retirement. If two of the officers feel that the third is bringing 
  the government into disrepute, they can have that individual 
  CharismatiC oliGarChy
  
  100
  removed, which is seen as a valuable safeguard. Each of 
  the three is obsessed with public relations: being unpopular 
  attracts envy and envy attracts assassination attempts, and 
  all of them are keen to be recognised as the big movers 
  within their spheres of influence. Selection for a vacant 
  office is either performed by the two remaining rulers, or is 
  by the outgoing incumbent’s nomination. Apart from friction 
  with the treasury, and the fact that all three offices maintain 
  their own intelligence and security forces, the spheres of 
  influence do not overlap very much and there is little rivalry 
  between them. Public support for this regime is based on 
  the winning personalities of its leaders, its simplicity, and the 
  multiplicity of intelligence and secret police services. 
  Referee
  Visitors will find this world unremarkable; in fact it is 
  remarkably orderly and peaceful when compared to most 
  worlds. 
  Plot
  The Internal Affairs (IA) secret service is trying to acquire a 
  global surveillance capability which will allow it to monitor 
  and then (through blackmail, etc.) manipulate the other 
  two leaderships to ensure their successors all favour the IA 
  philosophy. The players will be approached to smuggle part 
  of this surveillance capability (high tech spying equipment) 
  onto the world. 
  4. the Guild masters 
  This society is organised on craft guild lines: each job has an 
  appropriate guild, and all the guilds have an internal ranking 
  system. The higher ranks get to form governing bodies at 
  the different levels: local, state, continental and planetary. 
  The planetary government is composed of the guild 
  masters, who are there until death or incapacity takes them. 
  Generally speaking, most guild members approve of their 
  particular master’s office and actions, but are less likely to 
  extend this courtesy to leaders of the other guilds. However, 
  being convinced of the merits of workplace organisation, 
  they approve thoroughly of their state’s political system. 
  Referee
  Visitors will find that work place organisation has led to 
  overpricing, and the friction between the different guilds 
  results in delays in delivery or performance of services. 
  Prices are 1D % to the players’ disadvantage, and all 
  deliveries are D3-1 days late. The only thing which the 
  players can do legally on this world is to buy and sell through 
  members of the Merchants’ Guild and consume goods and 
  services. To work on this planet requires guild membership 
  which is pretty much hereditary. 
  Plot
  The players encounter a fellow trader who shortly after is 
  beaten to death by a gang. It turns out he had been selling 
  outside the guild. Shortly after, the Merchant Guild head is 
  murdered using off-world weaponry. The locals turn against 
  the players and other off-worlders. This is all a plot by 
  isolationists within various Guilds. The Imperium will hire the 
  players to stay (or return to the world if they have fled) to find 
  out who’s behind it all. 
  5. the Best of the Best 
  On this world competition rules. Society is fairly free and open, 
  but public life and economic activity are oriented towards the 
  recognition and reward of outstanding achievement, and the 
  approving media do everything in their power to build public 
  acceptance of the system. It works by consistently rewarding 
  success: even those children with the highest test marks in 
  the week’s schoolwork are published. This continues into 
  adult life, whether one works in business, government, 
  industry, sport or entertainment. Each entry includes a lot 
  of detail of the achiever - effectively a curriculum vitae of 
  their life. People scramble to have their ideas endorsed and 
  to be associated with celebrities or high profile events and 
  products. As the society has developed a fairly sophisticated 
  ranking system for recognising achievement, those with the 
  highest rank in any one sphere get jobs at the top of that 
  endeavour. Hence the highest scoring financier is Treasurer 
  for the next term. Terms are not fixed, but come to an end 
  when an incumbent really screws up. 
  Referee
  Travellers may feel exhausted by the spunky, go-getter 
  attitude of the locals. In any trade, brokerage, gambling or 
  other ‘competitive’ activity, they will find that not only do their 
  competitors generally get a DM of +D3 on any check, but 
  even native colleagues will compete to out-do the players. 
  The failure of this society is that it really is not that good at 
  long term planning, and has a pronounced stop-go policy 
  at the planetary level. This means that it tends to follow 
  the natural trade cycle, and does not really stand out in the 
  interstellar relations. 
  Plot
  Radicals are fighting over whether key decisions (political, 
  financial, etc.) can be left to neural learning computers 
  which, although machines, can beat most natives in the 
  specialised tests of individual ability. As a result of resistance 
  to this concept, the players are hired by a computer importer 
  to stop his imports being vandalised. 
  6. Cream rises 
  Much to the glee of the merchant and criminal classes who 
  disport themselves at the base of this society’s pyramid, their 
  rulers are obsessed with the ideals of justice, austerity and 
  probity. In fact psychometric tests for these virtues ensure 
  that only individuals with these qualities in abundance make 
  it into the ranks of The Guardians of Public Service. The 
  government actually only concerns itself with public works: 
  the transport infrastructure (and low cost public transport 
  services), defence (including criminal law), health and 
  
  101
  education. Everything else is provided by free competition 
  on the open market. The result of this is that the world has 
  excellent hospitals, police and judiciary, roads and schools, 
  a monorail system and a small, poorly equipped but superbly 
  trained and well motivated army, system squadron and air 
  force. As a belief in ethical virtues has to reinforce itself 
  constantly, and as the leaders of this planet are consciously 
  selected for this trait, the rulers tend to view those who don’t 
  possess their vision with pity. Of course when they break 
  one of the life-affirming, ethical laws, the Guardians get very 
  peeved indeed and attempt a reconciliation. Failing this the 
  full weight of the law falls on the criminal. However apart 
  from fines, public work and shaming in the media, the main 
  sanction is denial of the privileges of the high office which the 
  malefactors wouldn’t want anyway. Incarceration and exile 
  are penalties reserved for the post persistent recidivists. 
  Referee
  The local merchants are rather hawkish, but otherwise trade 
  is normal. This society does have the advantage that medical 
  treatment is free. Settlers are welcome, provided they keep 
  out of trouble, pay their taxes and do not annoy the local 
  merchant/criminals (who take personal exception to being 
  messed about). Retribution works on the principle that what 
  the Guardians do not see, they cannot stop or meddle with. 
  Plot
  The players are asked to sponsor (provide free passage for) 
  a poor, frail invalid to this world; unable to pay for treatment 
  on his own world, the man can be given a few more years of 
  life here. In return the players will get great publicity on his 
  own world which should lead to more job offers. 
  7. safety first 
  This planet’s timid population places all its trust in the 
  Protector class, who do everything. In addition to a huge 
  number of obsessive safety regulations (which cover 
  anything: shoe laces are unsafe because you might trip 
  or get caught in machinery, etc.) the people are convinced 
  that it would be very bad for them to place themselves in 
  danger. To get around this, everyone carries a little cellular 
  transponder which broadcasts an ‘SOS’ message whenever 
  it is set off. The Protectors respond as quickly as they can. 
  The Protectors fill the roles of army, paramedics, fire brigade, 
  police and government. A cynic might observe that the 
  Protectors have taken over and imprinted abject submission 
  on the populace, but this is not quite true. Anyone can 
  become a Protector (psionic abilities are an advantage). 
  Protectors are taught a major discipline (war, law or helping 
  people), political philosophy and interstellar affairs. They are 
  trained to take charge. They are supported by the press, 
  sympathetic portrayal in soap operas and a monopoly on 
  violence. Most of the time they don’t abuse their position, but 
  if they did, you’d never find out. A popular urban myth is of 
  the Protectors’ club where every vice is available. 
  Referee
  Visitors who keep their noses clean and do not litter will be 
  fine here. Of course the customs procedures are exacting 
  (add D3 hours to clearance times). Visitors will see 
  Protectors strutting around in their silver uniforms, but will 
  not have anything to do with them unless they are involved in 
  a disaster or break the law. There is no nonsense about the 
  use of minimum force; the Protectors will not even attempt to 
  take prisoners if they pose any kind of threat. 
  Plot
  The players will witness a bank robbery by a rebellious local; 
  the victims will flap about like landed fish but the robber (and 
  the players if they have done anything other than grovel 
  on the floor) will be arrested by the most heavily armed, 
  uncompromising troops the players have ever seen. 
  8. from eaCh aCCordinG to 
  aBility, to eaCh aCCordinG to 
  work done 
  This state began as a communist regime but failed to wither 
  away, instead retaining all the characteristics of a one-party 
  dictatorship, especially that of keeping its leadership in 
  luxury at the expense of the citizenry. Membership of the 
  Party is the only route to good living, and membership is 
  a privilege which has to be earned. Earned by showing a 
  willingness to be indoctrinated into believing that everything 
  the Party says is the truth, and to devote every free hour to 
  Party work (snitching on neighbours, work mates and family 
  members). The final prize for Party work is induction into and 
  promotion through the ranks of the Central Agency, which 
  is where the real money is earned. Party members are 
  quite convinced that the work they do entitles them to this 
  level of reward (houses in the country, big cars, penthouse 
  flats, champagne) and look forward to the day when the 
  Revolution is so advanced the proles can have it too. 
  Referee
  The Party will insulate Travellers from the worst inequalities; 
  it is recognised that they wouldn’t understand and could be 
  upset. However, the locals will make strenuous attempts to 
  contact outsiders, partly to beg trinkets, partly to engage in 
  black market dealings, partly to get the real story out and 
  occasionally to enmesh visitors in the overcomplicated 
  schemes of the secret police. Trade proceeds normally 
  except that merchants cannot use any Broker skill DM 
  unless they first succeed in an Average (+0) Streetwise or 
  Deception check. 
  
  102
  Plot
  Certain radical proles have decided they cannot wait for the 
  Revolution. A shipment of rich wines and foodstuffs carried 
  on the players’ ship will be poisoned while in customs. The 
  players will be held responsible for the resulting massacre 
  of Party members unless they can prove their innocence. 
  9. show trials 
  This world is dominated by a Communist government which 
  has been in power since the planet was settled by idealists at 
  some time during the Diaspora. Unlike many similar worlds 
  which just mutated into corrupt, inept oligarchies, the Party 
  on this world was made of sterner stuff. Here the Revolution 
  is continuous. The party and its acolytes (especially the 
  talented youngsters who are brigaded together to be the 
  cadres of the future) are always on their guard for signs of 
  counter-revolutionary activities. The manifestations of this 
  are a rise in materialism, apostasy, and the penetration of 
  society by the agents of Reaction. The Party is very skilled 
  in spotting these, of course, and they tend to appear every 
  time there is a shift of personnel at the top. The public face 
  of this society is bland, impenetrable and efficient. However 
  that is not the case for the locals: they face problems in 
  manufacture (central planning is required for ideological 
  reasons, but it is hard to implement) and in service provision. 
  The Party is remote from the people; membership is by 
  invitation, although brown nosed commoners can join the 
  Friends of the Revolution, which eats into your free time, 
  and forces you to go out sweeping the streets before work 
  starts. There is a constant demand for consumer goods, 
  information on the outside world, and of course for low cost 
  off world travel. 
  Referee
  This does not affect visitors much, provided they do not 
  stray from the starport or visit anywhere not on the official 
  tour routes. More enterprising traders will encounter 
  problems (Admin, Streetwise and Deception checks are 
  one level of difficulty harder) and if they get caught, they 
  will end up on trial before the world’s media, in prison and 
  without the ship they came on. Even hanging around in 
  the starport is potentially fraught with danger: people are 
  always trying to sneak information about the real situation 
  to outsiders; sometimes they are sincere, sometimes it is 
  state entrapment. The real situation is shocking: show trials, 
  executions, disappearances, poverty and ill health. Trade 
  with this planet is easy - the planned economy guarantees 
  that traders will never lose money, but there is less latitude 
  for a killing (roll 2D+3 instead of 3D on the Modified Price 
  Table; there are no Broker DMs). Visiting the natives can 
  secure higher prices (Broker skill can be used if successful 
  at a Difficult (-2) Admin check, followed by either a Difficult 
  (-2) Streetwise or Deception check). Catastrophic failure 
  could lead to incarceration and confiscation of assets. 
  Plot
  The players are hired by an ex-scout who is concerned 
  that attempts to amber rate this world seem to have failed, 
  despite good cause. He wishes them to investigate the on-
  world scout group. Previously the Party has threatened court 
  action or trade sanctions or mounted a charm offensive but 
  indeed there are two occasions on which key scouts have 
  either been bribed or blackmailed. 
  10. kitChen CaBinet
  This planet is ever so popular with tourists, travel shows and 
  those journalists who churn out ‘and finally’ items. It has an 
  adorable aristocracy who participate in pretty rituals, silly 
  light entertainment vehicles, high profile scandals and heart 
  warming charitable crusades. These are never far from the 
  headlines, but they are regarded by most as harmless fun. It 
  is occasionally wondered how such a collection of intellectual 
  featherweights could run a society which is stable, happy 
  and tolerably prosperous. The answer is that they don’t. 
  Due to this state’s strict primogeniture and belief that all 
  positions of responsibility should be filled by the scions of 
  noble houses, all army officers, judges, bank presidents and 
  high clergy are members of aristocratic families. All of these 
  people have personal servants, to whom these nobles turn 
  for advice. Consequently all matters of policy and diplomacy 
  are decided by a conclave of butlers, who give highest 
  priority to the preservation of their society’s way of life 
  followed by material advantage. The same is true of judicial 
  sentencing, moral stances and general education. When the 
  inevitability of the Ramshackle Empire’s collapse became 
  apparent to the butlers, valets, ladies maids and nannies of 
  this planet, they decided that it was in their duty to preserve 
  their civilisation. They undertook an educating mission for 
  themselves, inclining more towards P.G. Wodehouse than 
  Machiavelli. Without ever dropping the façade that they 
  were devoted servants, they so ingratiated themselves 
  with their employers that they ended up giving the advice 
  on which all decisions were made. They are resolved on 
  this point: it is necessary to induce absolute dependence 
  in their employers, so that the nobles instinctively look to 
  their servants for any kind of help. The rule from below 
  stairs is not apparent to casual observers: the Imperial 
  Diplomatic Corps knows all about it but is quite happy to 
  observe the appropriate formalities; ask a question one day, 
  get an answer the next. This means that the aristocrats can 
  agonise about it overnight and their body servants can put 
  them out of their misery when they wake them with morning 
  tea. The local nobility is so dependent on their servants that 
  they will not travel without at least one of them. 
  
  103
  Referee
  None of this really affects non-noble visitors. The servants 
  have arranged it so that none of the local ceremonial gets 
  in the way of business, and that any rebellious feelings are 
  diffused by a comprehensive and efficient welfare state. 
  Actually, most locals have got into their roles and are happy 
  to play the picaresque scamp. Noble visitors have to put 
  up with house parties, parlour games (sardines, hide and 
  seek or murder in the dark preferred) and attending race 
  meetings. They will also find that their personal assistants 
  turn bossy and manipulative. If they do not bring a servant, 
  one will be provided. 
  Plot
  The players are accompanying a group of nobles (as aides or 
  perhaps as nobles themselves). One of the nobles is found 
  knifed after a game of Murder in the Dark. All the evidence 
  points to it being a servant (whom the noble had offended 
  earlier). In reality one of the other nobles held a long term 
  grudge and planned the murder. The servants cannot be 
  seen to solve the murder, nor to ask the players directly to 
  solve it, but will act through their puppet masters. 
  
  104
  Government by a religious organisation without regard to 
  the needs of the citizenry.
  1. niCe world 
  Here a humanistic philosophy has taken hold and is choking 
  the planet to death. Everything is nice, no one is ripped off, 
  robbed, offended, hurt, lonely, and most important of all 
  left untreated. This world checks everything: satisfaction 
  surveys abound, all questions must be answered, and any 
  problems are sorted out through face to face conciliation, 
  group therapy and similar traumas. If you do not want to be 
  better, you are drugged abducted and locked up until you 
  do. And they can check. 
  Referee
  Travellers here will find a multiplicity of tasteful, safe, high 
  quality goods and services, high class entertainment and 
  curious sporting events (like synchronised swimming). After 
  their first encounter with the authorities they will learn not 
  to complain about anything. Prices are normal, but nothing 
  unsavoury is available. 
  Plot
  The players will find it difficult to leave - not staying to 
  breathe in the local atmosphere is seen as discontentment 
  (and crying out for treatment), so any players expressing a 
  desire to leave will be encouraged to stay. If they are careful 
  what they say and talk politely for at least a day or two they 
  can escape! 
  2. home of heroes 
  This planet’s population believes that it has the racial destiny 
  of conquering the entire universe and that whenever its 
  heroic warriors get killed, they are reincarnated into the next 
  generation of the master race. The master race has not yet 
  fulfilled its destiny because it is always being betrayed from 
  within and conspired against from without. Although some of 
  the War Priests disagree, it is recognised by the planet’s more 
  moderate politicians that in order to take over the universe, 
  they have to build up a big space navy and arm it with really 
  good weapons. This planet is, therefore very keen indeed 
  to trade with its neighbours and has a voracious appetite 
  for anything that might give an edge in combat. It has a 
  large intelligence unit dedicated purely to obtaining Ancient 
  artefacts. Dissent is not encouraged, but dissent in favour 
  of a more hard line with foreigners is usually safeguarded 
  by the War Priests. The majority of the diplomatic service 
  are nothing more than spies, reconnoitring for the oncoming 
  take over of the universe. 
  Referee
  Visitors will be tolerated, trade will be fair, and will take place 
  extremely quickly. The natives will be torn between the desire 
  to show their wonderful civilisation to its future subjects, and 
  the instinct to give them a kicking as a foretaste of the great 
  Crusade. Complaining to the police will not help much. 
  Plot
  A patron hires the players to follow a party of ‘heroes’ from 
  this world (the patron believes they know the location of an 
  Ancients site). The patron wishes the players to locate the 
  Ancient site for him and (if possible) retrieve any artefacts 
  not removed by the team of heroes. 
  3. unClean, unClean 
  The settlers of this new Eden were strictly isolationist and 
  introverted, and tried not to have anything to do with the 
  galaxy at large, until they discovered that they needed a lot 
  of medical aid. The world’s environment, flora and fauna 
  harboured many illnesses which were only evidenced within 
  the colony after several generations. The true hard core went 
  and hid themselves in the outback, while the more moderate 
  factions began to encourage limited outside contact. Due 
  to a desire to populate known space with the faithful, the 
  hard core element are committed to generating big families, 
  while as a result of pollution by more liberal influences, the 
  moderates tend towards fewer, better educated children. 
  This has had the result that there is a small starport with 
  a tolerant but deeply spiritual community round it, amid a 
  sea of fanatics. The peace is kept by asking any visitors to 
  respect local traditions and not to tease the country cousins, 
  in return for which the savages will not sweep down and 
  return the starport to ‘God’s way’. The liberals try to reinforce 
  this by keeping themselves better equipped and more united 
  than the hard liners but, being liberal, their hearts are not 
  really in it. What keeps the fanatics manageable is their 
  tendency to kill each other over tiny points of doctrine. 
  Referee
  Prices are very competitive here, and weapons are a much 
  appreciated trade item. The most striking thing from a 
  visitor’s point of view is the number of emaciated mad men 
  with loud hailers who just stand on street corners bellowing 
  drivel until they collapse from dehydration. 
  reliGious diCtatorshiP 
  
  105
  Plot
  The players find themselves on the outskirts of the city when 
  a group of the outback brethren come looking for trouble. 
  4. mix n’ matCh 
  This planet is ruled by the almost impossibly Labyrinthine 
  precepts of an old, polytheistic, revealed religion. The 
  great prophet (or new-age loon) Francis was once hit by 
  the fundamental revelation that if everyone just followed 
  the mythology of an appropriate deity, translated into a 
  contemporary idiom, of course, then everything would be 
  alright for ever. Francis might very well have understood the 
  foregoing concept, but his successors have been arguing 
  about it ever since. This has not stopped the population from 
  developing an intricate caste system in which each caste 
  follows Francis’ version of the myth cycle of an appropriate 
  deity (updated to reflect real world conditions).The pantheon 
  has been looted from the traditions of just about every 
  culture which Francis had ever heard of so there are gods 
  of fortune (for gamblers, venture capitalists and merchants); 
  soldiers worship gods of war; the police follow gods of 
  judgement and retribution; etc. Problems arise because 
  there are many overlapping deities (who are also regarded 
  as spirit guides, guardian angels and totem figures) who 
  have different mythologies. Consequently the instructions 
  their followers take are inconsistent, and are in any case 
  subject to reinterpretation in the light of contemporary reality. 
  Add the caste system’s strict demarcation and hereditary 
  nature and you have a monstrously confused society where 
  you need three people to do each job. However, as most 
  of the divine traditions involved have fertility and ‘secret 
  mystery’ elements, there is much scope for time-wasting, 
  mind-warping fun. 
  Referee
  Visitors will be struck by the vast selection of temples, 
  shrines, and churches, priests, acolytes, pilgrims and 
  votaries and hordes of sellers of coloured beads, holy relics 
  and special incense. As caste demarcation is so exact, 
  there is only a small chance of a character being pestered 
  by missionaries, however they will be regularly quizzed by 
  hopefuls to determine their background and employment; ‘A 
  military man, eh? Ah well, you have come to the right place 
  for I am Phelim of the ground trooper sect. Oh, you’re a tank 
  man. No, sorry, you’ll be wanting Tyranir, god of death by 
  shelling.’ 
  The missionaries who concentrate on gangs of scruffy 
  interstellar vagrants are probably not the sort the players 
  would want to meet anyway. However, this does not apply to 
  traders; Tlazoteotl, goddess of seduction and vice, is always 
  happy to accept new worshippers. Obviously trade will take 
  longer than usual, but given the effect of special incense on 
  the native traders, visitors can opt to take the best two out of 
  three dice on the actual value table. 
  Plot
  A statue of a figure alleged to be Francis himself has been 
  discovered on a neighbouring world. The players are hired 
  to escort representatives of just ten of the key religions to 
  examine the statue. These will want to bring back the statue 
  but the local world regards it as an archaeological relic and 
  thus sacrosanct. The players will be paid extra to help steal 
  the statue. 
  5. utoPia 
  When Thomas More wrote that only God could create the 
  perfect state, he probably did not have Edwin Scrope in 
  mind. The astoundingly rich Mr Scrope, in his self realised 
  role as the Perfect Being, decided to reinterpret The 
  Great Book (of an ancient religion) in the light of his own 
  perfection. He consequently erased all sexist, homophobic 
  and similarly unpalatable references, and inserted the Book 
  of Wondrous Machines and the Second Book of Leaving, in 
  which he explained his pivotal role in the industrial revolution 
  and the space programme. He re-edited the equivalent of 
  Revelations to better account for human history and added 
  the Book of Friends and Creatures in which he extended the 
  privilege of having a soul to the ‘blessed ally species’ of cats, 
  dogs and horses, and explained what his worshippers could 
  do to any other animal they came across. The Book of Herbs 
  and Spices contained his work in the field of recreational 
  pharmacology. While he was doing this he was also recruiting 
  very suggestible people to lead to a promised land. They 
  boarded a tatty old ship and set off corewards. Old Scrope 
  is long dead. This charismatic psychotic’s embalmed, gilded 
  corpse abides in a rather vulgar mausoleum. His work 
  lives on and his people have prospered following his daft 
  religion to the letter: it is lucky that the Book of Wondrous 
  Machines set the record straight on the value of , not to 
  mention that whole planets/sun orbit thing. The legal system 
  is entirely transparent; it is in a series of chapters of the book 
  (analogous to Exodus, Deuteronomy and Leviticus) and is 
  applied with perfect impartiality. 
  Referee
  Travellers might well be bemused by the three Days of Rest, 
  the strict diet (no meat originating from creatures of four or 
  less legs) and the strange architecture, but this place should 
  provide few unpleasant shocks. The natives are hospitable 
  in a pitying kind of way, but have many odd habits derived 
  from the Great Book. There is their curiosity about those 
  with earlobes (natives have their earlobes removed a few 
  months after birth, for they provide a hiding place for the 
  devil…). For some reason they also have a tendency to grab 
  each other by the thigh - in a friendly manner, of course. 
  Plot
  The players are hired by a group of fanatics who are in 
  search of the Great Missing Chapter of Scrope’s book (the 
  bit that defines which end of a banana one should peel from 
  and other great mysteries). 
  
  106
  6. heaven’s mandate 
  Set up according to the New Revelations of the sage Kung 
  Fu Tzu, as told to his prophet Julie Wong, this world is a 
  nice, orderly, respectable, top down social pyramid. At the 
  top is the Big Dragon (BD for short), ruling with the mandate 
  of Heaven and sporting a rather far-out hat. At the bottom 
  are the Dragon’s dung - shifty reprobates such as beggars, 
  merchants, financiers and other swindling, grasping 
  parasites. Between these two levels are the functionaries 
  and state officers, then the defenders (the military/police 
  caste) and the workers, who despite relative poverty have 
  quite high status. Individual subjects take whatever jobs 
  they fancy and for which they are suitable, but there is 
  effectively a negative relationship between making money 
  and achieving social advancement. Service to the state is 
  admired, not money. Government is simplicity itself. BD’s 
  directives are the last word in law and politics, interpreted 
  if need be by the state Officers, and enforced by the 
  Defenders. It is the duty of all other inhabitants to obey the 
  BD’s words, because the BD has Heaven’s mandate. BD’s 
  rules are consequently the will of heaven, and that’s that. 
  Unless, of course BD loses Heaven’s mandate to a worthier 
  ruler. The test for this is easy too: it is proof positive that 
  the incumbent Big Dragon has lost the mandate of Heaven 
  when said incumbent is overthrown in a coup d’etat or loses 
  a civil war. In the case of natural death, the state officers 
  provisionally nominate a suitable successor and wait for any 
  tests of validity to resolve themselves. 
  Referee
  Travellers will find that no matter how tolerant they try to be, 
  the locals will make assumptions about them, based on their 
  apparent social role. Thus ship’s crew, nobility and working 
  people will be treated with respect, while the merchants, 
  generally the top dogs at the starport, have the worst 
  facilities and are subject to intrusive customs procedures 
  (body searches, et al). Cross-generation relationships 
  are generally characterised by respect for the elder and 
  indulgence of the younger, while inside the same generation 
  they are far more liberally minded. Currently there are only 
  three laws and prescribed punishments; for killing, death; 
  for theft, similar loss and adequate recompense; for injury, 
  equivalent suffering and adequate recompense. What these 
  mean is up to the presiding magistrate who sits alone and 
  is judge, prosecutor and sole investigator. This society does 
  not believe in prisons, and will frequently impose indentured 
  labour instead. 
  Plot
  The players are hired to help and guard an entrepreneur 
  who is offering a ‘wealth removal’ service to help those who 
  wish to achieve social advancement. Naturally, a few cynics 
  have realised this is not quite true to the spirit of this society 
  and would like to teach the entrepreneur the error of his 
  ways - should things heat up he will ask the players to get 
  him and his valuables off-world quickly. 
  7. voiCes 
  This world is home to a charismatic, evangelistic faith which 
  preaches that the Supreme Being talks to the faithful, and 
  that the really blessed can hear the words clearly. Thus social 
  selection is skewed towards the generation and veneration 
  of people who hear strange voices or noises, whether due 
  to vivid imagination or a mental affliction. In the statistically 
  very rare cases when the subject is dangerous (mentally 
  unstable), they are regarded as having fallen under the spell 
  of the Enemy. This is not a reflection on the unfortunate 
  subject, who needs looking after in a secure environment. 
  Such subjects are cared for at the state’s expense, not 
  least because the pronouncements of the evil one are high 
  grade spiritual intelligence. With enough faith, such people 
  will be cured. The ‘safe’ voice-hearers are welcomed and 
  supported, and their voices (which are, of course, generated 
  by their own subconscious) are taken to be Divine advice. 
  The rationalisation of the system is this: order is reflected 
  in the regular procession of the sun across the sky, the 
  tendency of life to spread and of good people to prosper; 
  chaos manifests itself when things break, when good things 
  happen to bad people (and vice versa) and unpleasant 
  random events. The locals reason (as did the Greeks) that 
  the whole immensity of the Divine is a bit much to take in 
  and can drive you mad; this explains the mental instability of 
  many of the better voice-hearers. 
  Referee
  Travellers will find that they have to keep an open mind here; 
  bullying the weak and pitiable is not on, neither is being rude 
  about the local religion. If the visitors do anything which the 
  locals regard as suspect, such as sharp business practice, 
  the advice of one of the blessed will be sought. As noted 
  above, the blessed are integrated as fully as possible into 
  society, so they will have been educated to a fair standard, 
  and the Divine word could very well be intelligent advice. 
  Quite obviously, law breakers are agents of chaos, so there 
  is the asylum. The truly recalcitrant are put out of their misery. 
  Plot
  The players encounter several strange situations where 
  ‘blessed ones’ suddenly begin giving away money or crying 
  out for cuddling or sweet foods. The more perceptive players 
  will note the same young child asleep in both locations - he 
  is a strong natural psionic and his uncontrolled dreams are 
  being received as words of holy wisdom by those around 
  him! 
  8. titter ye not! 
  The original settlers of this planet had intended it to reflect 
  the values of a leading occultist who believed himself to be 
  a Great Beast. Fortunately, their descendants proved to 
  have more robust mental health and all they retained of their 
  founders’ faith were the two dicta: ‘Do what thou wilt shall 
  be the whole of the law’, and the contrary ‘love is the law, 
  
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  love under will’. All on their own the inheritors reinvented 
  simple utilitarianism and decided that, in combination, what 
  the Great Beast must have meant was ‘Do what you want 
  provided that you do not limit other people’s freedom to do 
  the same, and be nice to people. Sleep with them if you like.’ 
  The end result is a fanatically tolerant and easy going society, 
  full of laid back, friendly, sensual people. They have very 
  few inhibitions and taboos, and raise their children in large, 
  informally related family/ friend groups. They do appreciate 
  real world needs and have a fully developed social structure 
  protected by an indifferent military establishment. Other 
  native idiosyncrasies of note are their fondness for Gothic 
  fashions and architecture and their puckish sentencing 
  policy: the obverse of not limiting the freedom of others is 
  that those who break the law are subjected to imaginative 
  burdens and penalties. The locals have lost their original 
  ponderous dignity and now talk with innuendo-laden 
  flirtatiousness, punctuated with fits of giggles. 
  Referee
  Some visitors enjoy the freedoms of this world, but the 
  penalties for misdemeanours can be terrible. The market for 
  luxury items gives a 2D % bonus to their selling price. 
  Plot
  The players find themselves being held up by a gunman who 
  insists upon robbing them without violence. If they cause 
  violence back they will be the ones arrested… 
  9. old-time reliGion 
  The people of this world follow the creed of their octopoid 
  god scrupulously, but don’t let it get in the way of business. 
  They are fond of the sayings; ‘Ye shall have everything in 
  abundance’ and ‘The gods help those who help themselves’. 
  Their philosophy extends to ‘an eye for an eye’, right down 
  to the ‘root and branch unto the fifth generation’. Revenge 
  is a dish served with great relish, to just about anyone even 
  vaguely involved in the original misdemeanour. Strangely, 
  the creed prohibits murder and advocates repentance 
  and forgiveness. However, this has been refined over the 
  years, following the principles that to err is human, and it 
  is difficult to promise to do better (spiritually speaking) in 
  a highly competitive environment. Thus confession, true 
  repentance and forgiveness of sins are once only deathbed 
  events. This has the side effect that the locals are obsessed 
  with technologies which prolong life and with procedures 
  allowing the time of death to be determined with precision. 
  In other words, when the locals are sufficiently decrepit that 
  their doctors feel that death is imminent, a priest is called 
  in, does the confession and forgiveness bit and a doctor 
  applies a painless lethal procedure. Society is composed of 
  happy, striving capitalists with a scattering of priests. Priests 
  come in two flavours: the Fellowship of Holy Poverty, and 
  the much more numerous Apostles of Repentance. The 
  Apostles are in charge, and dislike the Fellowship intensely, 
  and would wipe them out, but for their inescapable spiritual 
  provenance, and the fact that they are a cheap manageable 
  opposition. The Apostles take a much sterner line with 
  independent holy people, self proclaimed prophets, and 
  similar unbelievers, blasphemers and heretics. The religion 
  has a charismatic character, with lots of singing, dancing 
  and speaking in tongues. Most of the locals truly believe that 
  they have a personal relationship with the deity and interpret 
  life events in that light. 
  Referee
  Visitors may be inconvenienced by the regular days when all 
  commercial activity is forbidden and everyone is ‘encouraged’ 
  to go to church. Travellers should avoid causing offence; 
  breaking the law can result in ferocious penalties. Visitors 
  should not contradict the belief that everyday events can be 
  attributed to the tentacles of the Almighty. Psionicists are 
  regarded as witches and are sentenced to death, along with 
  their close relatives (to contain the spread of the ‘affliction’). 
  Plot
  A member of the Fellowship begins following a player around; 
  if challenged he will refuse to declare his purpose until forced, 
  when he will reveal that he has a method of calculating a 
  person’s time of death from their foot movements. 
  10. mother earth 
  The inhabitants of this world think it’s alive. Not as a 
  metaphor, but as a matter of fact. They are therefore both 
  grateful to the planet for allowing them to live on it and 
  zealous about guarding it from harm. As a source of pollution 
  and as a persistent threat to the ecology, they take steps to 
  circumscribe their own actions for the benefit of their world. 
  In order to imbed this philosophy in the social fabric, they 
  have made a religion of it. The precepts of this faith are to 
  be found in the Revelations to Maude and are enforced by 
  her priesthood. Revelations is an overcomplicated book in 
  which the planet invited the Prophetess to a world where 
  the faithful could abide, and in a novel twist, showed her 
  two visions of the future. One was the destruction of the 
  planet through misuse, while the other was the eternal 
  bliss of living there with Respect. Respect dominates the 
  inhabitants’ lives; all possible environmental harm is avoided 
  through scrupulous recycling, careful management of local 
  resources and the replacement of harvested plants with 
  new ones. It is with deep regret that the locals acknowledge 
  that their presence has lessened local biodiversity and they 
  accept the increase in domestic parasites (cockroach and 
  clothes moth analogues and the growth of fungi around air 
  vents) as a mild chastisement by the planet. They refuse 
  to eat animals, preferring to grow vats of algae rather than 
  eat food stolen from the mother. Resource reclamation is 
  accompanied by huge ceremonies of public contrition, 
  which involve flagellation, fasting and general mortification 
  of the flesh. The priesthood is on hand to make sure that 
  the mortification is done with enthusiasm. They also prefer 
  to live in floating off-shore structures rather than sink their 
  
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  foundations into the screaming body of their home. Worship 
  takes place in the open, either on a barge or in a field. The 
  faithful declare what they believe, how grateful they are to 
  their planet, list the nasty things they have done, and beg 
  for forgiveness and the planet’s continued sufferance. It is 
  led by priests who look like extreme punks in dirty Hessian. 
  They have taken the mortification of the flesh to heart 
  and practice body piercing, ritual scarring, fasting and the 
  wearing of sackcloth and ashes (rubbed into hair and skin). 
  They are very thin; as the local saying goes ‘a fat priest is a 
  bad priest’. 
  Referee
  There is a flourishing trade with this world: the locals 
  know a lot about ecology and are happy to take students 
  and to export their ideas. It might be as well to note a few 
  idiosyncrasies here: the penalties for littering, polluting and 
  being disrespectful to the planet or its priests are severe. 
  Visitors are required to make small acts of contrition for 
  putting the biosphere to extra trouble and traders have to 
  make a modest contribution to church funds (Cr. 10 per 
  passenger or tonne of goods in or out). 
  Plot
  The players will be able to find local health foods and 
  natural materials (from renewable sources) which are in 
  high demand in the Imperium’s speciality shops. However, 
  all such shipments must be accompanied by an equal 
  volume of their most odious sewage. In return, the players 
  can import high tech goods which cannot be produced in an 
  environmentally friendly way. 
  11. will roBert’s BiG idea 
  Brother Bill Bob (3B) had a scheme. People were best 
  off being nice to each other, managing their rage through 
  sharing, caring and commitment. 3B also disliked the idea 
  of leaders: once you knew the truth, what good were they? 
  The swine would only change things. So Brother Bill Bob 
  set it all down in 3B’s Threefold Way to Bliss. This book, 
  which ends with ‘This is the Word. Anyone who tells you 
  different is just plain wrong’, inspired a movement which 
  eventually took hold of a pestilential little rock somewhere 
  in space. Because there are no leaders, and because 3B 
  hated to use the same word twice, the Word is packed full 
  of ambiguities, shades of meaning and points of contention. 
  The society which resulted works quite well; Brother Bill 
  Bob’s three other main dictates were for sexual segregation, 
  the number 3, and its square 9, this being the basis of the 
  Plan. Society is split, as nearly as possible into groups of 
  nine people all of the same sex, who care and share and 
  commit themselves to looking out for each other. Each 
  individual is also committed to an outsider of the opposite 
  sex. This pairing raises a family, whose children join an adult 
  grouping when they turn 18. Actually, new adults are given 
  the choice of joining a Nine of their own free will or breaking 
  their parents’ hearts and being shunned by the community. 
  Sometimes the newly adult have to wait until a vacancy 
  comes along. The individuals’ economic lives are based on 
  their talents and inclinations, but they are always on hand to 
  help the other eight members of their Nines. Groups which 
  have less than nine members are open to new admissions. 
  Social frictions break out over the interpretation of the Word, 
  what to do when members of a Nine end up hating each 
  other and how to deal with outsiders. 
  Referee
  Outsiders usually show little interest in the Word, and are 
  only concerned with seeing the sights, conducting business 
  and waiting for a connecting flight. However it seems unjust 
  to leave them ignorant of the Word, so they are pestered by 
  evangelists. Off-world traders are visited by their partner’s 
  other eight friends who make it clear that any deal must be 
  fair and above board (if a player forgoes all or part of the 
  Broker DM on the Modified Price Table, the portion forgone 
  counts as a beneficial modifier in all social encounters). 
  Consulting with the other eight adds D3 hours to major 
  transactions and D3 days to delivery times. 
  Plot
  The players get to share (or provide) passage with seven 
  natives returning home after two were killed in an accident. 
  In their need to acquire Nine-ship again, the natives will 
  temporarily adopt two players into their group - at first simply 
  befriending them, then increasingly talking of 3B’s great 
  book. They mean well - honest. 
  12. at arm’s lenGth 
  This state is owned, financed, controlled and operated by 
  the Galactic Church of Purity. The world itself is a den of 
  vice, a haven for criminals and a damn fine place to have 
  a party. The Galactic Church found itself in possession of 
  some very large development grants, and noted that most 
  rates of return were on the low side. They then noticed that 
  Kim Leslie, a noted figure in Solomani criminology, was 
  in need of substantial investment for a licensed, taxed, 
  otherwise peaceful sink of depravity provisionally named 
  Fun World. Initially, the Galactic Church had qualms, but 
  then they looked at the dividends and decided that the irony 
  of vice supporting virtue was just too beautiful. They leapt 
  at the chance. A side effect of this was that members of the 
  Galactic Church had a well deserved reputation for industry 
  and probity, so a lot of other money followed theirs into the 
  venture. Eventually, there was so much cash available that 
  the developers had to extend their vision to encompass a 
  diversified host society to support their casino town. As Kim 
  Leslie had a poor reputation, the Church became the major 
  shareholders, with Kim receiving dividends. This is how it 
  remains: the planet is brash, lively but rather trouble free: 
  the authorities know who the criminals are but do not touch 
  them if they keep quiet. In return, the fun houses pay taxes 
  to the Church, and the Church has daily parades, preachers 
  on every corner, pickets of the least salubrious attractions 
  
  109
  and a huge training college. Although the Church’s activities 
  are sincere, possibly even acts of contrition for living off the 
  wages of sin, most visitors think that they are part of the 
  fun, and join in enthusiastically, contributing to charities, 
  singing along with the choirs and teasing the pickets. Old 
  hands among the faithful find this a little sad especially as 
  neophytes tend to take false hope from this public acclaim. 
  Referee
  There are no problems here unless visitors go armed, break 
  the law or are obnoxious. The Church runs a tight operation 
  and will not let anything spoil it (thus all trade prices are fair). 
  Plot
  Brokers who consistently get good prices also get job offers; 
  the Church has an eye for talent. So do the fun house 
  bosses: likeable (high social skills), able (high gambling) or 
  useful (high combat skills) people can earn a good living 
  here. If the players stay in touch with their employers, they 
  will find job offers on other planets too; some of the local 
  crime groups are devout churchgoers. 
  13. men of Bronze 
  Someone had to try to recreate Plato’s Republic, and 
  these boys gave it a go. Everyone here is inculcated in the 
  belief that they are an intrinsic part of their society, have 
  a natural and necessary role to fill for the public good, 
  and that they will be personally satisfied only through 
  the performance of their social function. Consequently, 
  everyone is psychometrically tested, examined and certified 
  fit for a specific occupation, separated from others as far 
  as is possible, and trained up to be mentally and physically 
  fit for the job. Jobs run from philosopher king right down to 
  toilet cleaner, and each occupation has accepted standards 
  of behaviour, ‘appropriate’ living conditions, and a system 
  of support and counselling to help people remain happy in 
  their places. Of course people are not bees, so this does not 
  work very well; cognitive dissonance strikes in all too many 
  cases, helped by Plato’s complete loathing and absolute 
  ban on anything frivolous or entertaining. In fact the only 
  permissible pastimes are athletics and intellectual debate, 
  which are not enough, although they add new terror to the 
  term ‘café society’. Therefore a lot of citizens find themselves 
  in residential care, on drugs, or slavering after foreigners 
  and their naughty diversions. This last is policed by the Men 
  of Bronze, the local police force, customs service and army. 
  Referee
  A Difficult (-2) Life Sciences (psychology) or Formidable 
  (-6) Streetwise check will alert players to corruptible men 
  through whom they can off-load contraband. Failing that, 
  the only cargoes which the locals will touch are functional 
  manufactures, raw materials and agricultural products. 
  Plot
  The players bring a group of locals back to their homeworld. 
  Strangely, the locals seem quite upset, claiming their eyes 
  have been opened by seeing other worlds. Shortly after 
  they land the locals are arrested by the Men of Bronze (for 
  subversive activities) and the players will be interrogated 
  to see if they were instrumental in corrupting the minds of 
  these people. 
  14. the CaliPhate 
  When the Solomani went to the stars, the word of the Prophet 
  went along too, despite the problem that a pilgrimage to 
  his birthplace might be hard to achieve. The society which 
  emerged is a strict theocracy, in which everybody submits 
  to the will of the One God and to the rule of his deputy the 
  Caliph. The Caliphate gave the second Imperium a great 
  deal of trouble and here at least the Long Night was most 
  welcome. Without the need to protect itself from the meddling 
  of a hostile super power, this world settled down to the same 
  kind of civilised, urbane, hospitable and tolerant society that 
  it had been in Earth’s middle ages. In fact the Caliphate 
  maintained its entire industrial and technological base intact 
  throughout the Night, even to the extent of making discrete 
  visits to Earth, so that at least some of the Faithful could 
  visit their holiest place. This world is an unenthusiastic 
  member of the Imperium, and because of the regular trips 
  to Earth the Caliphate is simultaneously a security risk and 
  an unparalleled intelligence resource. The only real local 
  difficulty is the argument over whether the sixth pillar of the 
  religion should mean ‘struggle for personal improvement’ or 
  ‘holy war against the infidel?’ The Caliph is satisfied that it 
  means the first, and is happy to arrange the beheading of 
  those who have a go at the second. 
  Referee
  Travellers are advised to respect the local laws, especially 
  those concerning mind-altering chemicals and addressing 
  the question of vice. Woman travellers will find a better 
  reception if they cover their legs and hair; the people in 
  the urban centres are open minded and understand that 
  strangers require some latitude, but appreciate it if their 
  guests make the effort. Most of the time visitors will find the 
  local people to be friendly, welcoming and interested in the 
  worlds outside. Traders should be honest and assertive in 
  their dealings: they will earn friends and respect that way. 
  Would-be criminals should be aware that the laws against 
  theft and fraud are strict and punishable by savage beatings, 
  mutilation or public execution. 
  Plot
  The players’ ship is chartered for a long trip in the direct of 
  Sol. The travellers refuse to discuss their purpose (they are 
  en route to their holy site on Earth and their intended ship 
  was held up with a major drive failure). 
  
  110
  15. animal CraCkers 
  Everyone here is required to emulate the spiritual essence of 
  the Wise Animal Guides in their daily lives, and all this state’s 
  knowledge is cast in parables featuring talking beasts. While, 
  this is mostly confined in daily life to figures of speech and 
  a truly awesome number of superstitions, the state religion 
  does protect the lives of animals completely. The local 
  people live on a strictly vegetarian diet supplemented with 
  synthetic vitamin supplements, and will not hurt or otherwise 
  interfere with an animal in any way. Children are taught to 
  be friendly but alert, (like the Harun Feather-rat). Merchants 
  should be shrewd but honest (like Mr. Rolf the Jungle King). 
  The Priesthood do their best to mimic the movements and 
  noises of their particular totem beast. The local soldiery 
  are taught to be relaxed, but always ready (like cats), self-
  sacrificing (like the eek-bird) and loyal to their pack (like the 
  sabreelk). Pack is the local equivalent of platoon and the 
  only higher level of organisation is the herd, or flock in the 
  air force. Most local terminology has animal associations; 
  hospitals and schools are called nests, homes are called 
  dens. Industrial structures are dams or hives. The people 
  never do things like walk under ladders or break mirrors. 
  They are forever putting fallen eye lashes in their hair and 
  blowing out candles (supposedly giving them a free wish). 
  Local structures and natural features often have good or bad 
  fortune associated with them and the people devote a lot of 
  their time to making appropriate observances at them. 
  Referee
  Nothing here should upset visitors unless they are carnivores, 
  for whom no allowance is made. A disconcerting feature is 
  the tendency of the natives to look at passing animals for 
  inspiration or guidance: the movement of an insect or a cat’s 
  choice to yawn are taken, quite seriously as omens. Things 
  take time here; D3 extra hours for customs clearance and 
  D3 extra days for deliveries. 
  Plot
  When the players wish to use their ship, they find it 
  surrounded by a small family of cats. The locals will not let 
  them take off while the cats are there, nor allow them to 
  move the cats. The locals will not deliver cargo, refuel the 
  ship or do anything until the cats leave of their own volition. 
  16. mother knows Best 
  This polity is an explicit matriarchy backed up by an 
  uncompromising state religion and a really groovy statue 
  of a big snake with a woman’s arms, torso and thirty-
  six mammaries. On paper, the dominant ethos is life 
  affirmation, mutual support and niceness, but the actual 
  institutions strike outside observers differently. There is a 
  hierarchy of matriarchs running from Planetary all the way 
  down to Community. Each matriarch is selected by her 
  superiors and within her own sphere of activity, her word 
  is final. To complete the picture, every mother is matriarch 
  in her own home. The Sisters who founded this state were 
  of the opinion that men were surplus to requirements. 
  While the founders preferred to manufacture daughters 
  only through gene splicing or the artificial fertilisation of 
  ova with material from other ova, they did keep a store of 
  frozen sperm just in case. When their medical capabilities 
  declined during the Long Night they resorted to using the 
  semen and eventually to making children the old fashioned 
  way. This produced a surplus of males. The society still 
  practises male infanticide, but a proportion of boys are 
  retained as pets and as soldiers. Deep in the Long Night 
  a lot of the Sisters fell out and started to conquer each 
  other, a process which led to the current Matriarchate. 
  While women took all the command decisions, they used 
  their expendable men as cannon fodder and this system 
  has continued to the present day. Men appear in athletic 
  competitions, the visceral blood sports favoured on 
  this world and in the combat arms of the armed forces. 
  Particularly impressive specimens are allowed to father the 
  children of the more important Matriarchs. The locals boast 
  that while girls need to understand science, art and politics, 
  boys need only learn how to love, fight and tell the truth. 
  Local men are very happy with the arrangements. 
  Referee
  Male visitors will have problems here; they have no civil rights, 
  and are not even really regarded as mentally competent. 
  Any female companion will be assumed to be their owner 
  and all business will have to be conducted through her. All 
  male crewed ships can deal with this state through the legal 
  fiction of being adopted by a local factor who will arrange 
  things on their behalf. As the planet requires off world trade, 
  the factor will do her best to secure good deals. 
  Plot
  Female players with male companions will be invited to 
  enter them in a competition - usually a hybrid of full-contact 
  karate and wrestling, although it might include athletics or 
  weight lifting. 
  
  111
  Appanage: Making provision for all children, usually by dividing the parental estate between them equally. 
  Constitutional: Of the essence of the state. Constitutions can be written (usually delineating philosophical principles, 
  personal rights and sometimes, responsibilities) or residual (anything not forbidden is allowed). A written constitution can fall 
  into disrepute over time, because the meaning of words change. For instance property meant ‘that which is close and dear, 
  including personal liberty’ in the eighteenth century, now it just means ‘my stuff (which you don’t touch, not ever)’. 
  Democracy: Rule of the people but which was originally understood to exclude women, slaves and effectively the uneducated 
  and those too poor to take time off work. Most Classical and Renaissance writers preferred to translate democracy as ‘mob 
  rule’. 
  Feudal: The holding of land in return for a pledge of limited personal service, incorrectly taken to mean abject subservience. 
  A feudal society still has taxes and rents. 
  First Past the Post: An electoral mechanism where the candidate with the largest share of the vote wins, even if that share 
  is not a majority of votes cast. 
  Hysteresis: The tendency of people to be influenced by their history. 
  Kung Fu Tzu (Confucius): His work, available in English as The Dialects, describes a state where just laws, duty and 
  respect for elders make everything right. This proposition becomes more attractive the older you get. 
  Machiavelli: Best known for The Prince, a short treatise on rulership, Niccolò Machiavelli also wrote the diabolical Discourses 
  on the Republic and the fanciful On War. Machiavelli is the father of Realpolitik and the origin of the proposition that it is 
  better to be feared than to be loved. 
  More, Saint Thomas: Coined the term Utopia (Greek for ‘no place’ or ‘good place’), had a fatal disagreement with Henry 
  VIII, and always wore a hair shirt (which his daughter took to wearing after his beheading). 
  Nietzsche: German thinker who wanted to ‘philosophise with a hammer’. Nietzsche was a major influence on Nazi ideology 
  and was obsessed with the idea of the superman. 
  Patrician: The senior class in Roman society, from whom senators were drawn. 
  Picaresque: Having the properties of a loveable, lower class rogue. 
  Plato: Inventor of Atlantis as a metaphor for the consequences of pride and an implacable foe of light entertainment. He 
  described his perfect state in The Republic. 
  Plebian, pleb: Non-patrician Romans. 
  Plebiscite: A law which plebs could pass and apply to themselves but not to patricians. 
  Primogeniture: Inheritance by the first born only (unless a will makes different provision and often provided the first born 
  is male). 
  Proportional Representation: Any one of several dozen suggestions of those who do badly under first past the post. 
  Proletarian: Rich through offspring (that is, the availability of children to sell into slavery). Very poor Roman citizens. 
  Quisling: A local puppet ruler for an invading power. 
  Realpolitik: A German compound word for the facile observation that politics is concerned with matters of pragmatic 
  advantage, not abstract theories - no matter how noble. 
  Republic: From res publica or ‘public affairs’. A state managed in the public interest by its governors, typically a hereditary 
  élite. 
  Švejkite: From The Good Soldier Švejk by Jaroslav Hašek, in which the hero leads his regiment’s surrender to the enemy 
  by following all his orders to the letter. Published in the UK by ISBN 1 
  Glossary
  
  112
  reliGions
  
  113
   ‘What in the name of Manod is that sound?’
  ‘…’
  ‘Hey, I said WHAT’S THAT NOISE?’
  ‘Sorry, hold on a second…’
  ‘Ear plugs - no wonder you did not hear me the first time.’
  ‘Well, you can hear the racket - five minutes working on this 
  water recycler and I just couldn’t take it any more.’
  ‘So what’s the racket then?’
  ‘It’s the Aslan in 5A. A couple of the other passengers have 
  already complained but apparently the captain says there’s 
  nothing we can do.’
  ‘What? With that raucous noise? Surely if it’s disturbing the 
  others the captain should have had the cat confined to the 
  brig?!’
  ‘Religious tolerance statute 738, apparently - one of those 
  new-fangled things the Emperor pushed through the senate 
  some months back. That ‘noise’ is “religious chanting” 
  according to the Aslan.’
  ‘But why does it sound like he’s gargling?’
  ‘He only chants while he’s in the shower. He takes one about 
  three times a day.’
  ‘Sheesh!. That is one clean cat.’
  ‘Yes, but only because all his dirty fur has ended up in our 
  recycling system. Look at this filter… yuck! Oh, please tell 
  me this is not a furball?’
  This section is intended to provide Traveller referees with a 
  selection of interesting beliefs with
  which to flesh-out the worlds of the Imperium or your own 
  custom star systems.
  Religion begins as an attempt to explain the world and its 
  phenomena; followed by the more general questions of life, 
  the universe, and existence. Religions often evolve into 
  philosophical schools which set down modes of conduct 
  intended to lead the believer to a better existence. As they 
  develop, religions may also become a means of entrenching 
  cultural identity and stability and (sometimes regrettably) 
  for establishing or maintaining a power structure. Early 
  religions may include ancestor worship, veneration of 
  climatic processes, plant and animal species and even 
  individual topographic features. A common key belief is in 
  the existence of incorporeal entities (spirits), interacting with 
  and influencing events in the physical world. Early religious 
  rituals might have been used to bring success in hunting 
  or good crops. Over the millennia merging of cultures may 
  result in the integration of the associated belief systems. At 
  the same time, breakaway extremist or purist groups often 
  cause divergence. 
  reliGion within the imPerium 
  The Imperium practices freedom of religious expression 
  provided the activity of churches and sects does not threaten 
  the peace and security of other member star systems. 
  However, Travellers may discover that the religious practices 
  and beliefs they encounter are more restrictive, repressive 
  or more complex than they anticipate when they leave the 
  security of the Imperial starport extrality zone. It should 
  be emphasised to Travellers that local religions are rarely 
  something to be ignored - breaking a religious stricture may 
  cause offence or bring swift retribution, perhaps even death! 
  format 
  This section is divided into sections according to the general 
  religious classifications used by the Imperial Scout Corps. 
  Each entry in a section has the following details; a description 
  of the religion - its basic ideology and distinguishing features, 
  a section for the referee containing additional details which 
  might not at first be apparent to players, and one or more 
  plots which you may wish to exploit, linked in some manner 
  to the religion. You should feel free to adapt any or all of 
  this information to suit your campaign background and/or 
  personal preferences. 
  
  114
  animism
  Animism is the belief that all aspects of the natural landscape 
  (rivers, mountains, etc.), the flora and fauna (plants, trees 
  and creatures) are inhabited by spirits or gods. Similarly, all 
  phenomena (storms, etc.) are caused by these spirits or by 
  dedicated gods of the phenomena. The potential range of 
  spirits or gods is thus quite huge and there is little or no 
  regime to it. 
  1.aBlenka 
  Found throughout human colonised space, Ablenkas have 
  taken animism to new heights by treating not just natural 
  objects as spirit-filled but all objects. Such objects are known 
  as calipe. Six times a year, on specific days, each follower 
  is expected to collect together one item from each of four 
  different groups. Namely, an item from the natural world, 
  one from their own personal world, one technological thing 
  and an item of information. A like-minded believer must be 
  found to discuss aspects of each of the items’ divinity. Upon 
  their death, each believer is buried with the chosen object 
  (anything from a seed to a starship!) - a calipe - that they 
  wish to become. 
  Referee
  Ablenka developed over several millennia. If there was an 
  original founder, the name has been lost over the ages. 
  Players may mistake followers of this faith as slightly strange 
  collectors. 
  Plots
  1: The party are asked to transport an item which is then 
  damaged or destroyed in transit. The owner is an Ablenka 
  who claims damages far exceeding the item’s intrinsic value 
  as it was to be his/her calipe. 
  2: A player becomes friendly with an Ablenka and is asked to 
  take part in the ritual discussion of six mundane objects and 
  how they contribute to the spirituality of the cosmos. The 
  Ablenka will then reveal that they are dying and request that, 
  no matter what happens, the players ensure their desired 
  calipe is buried with them. 
  2. helioGaianism 
  Heliogaianism originates from within the worlds of the 
  Terran Confederation and comprises the twin beliefs that 
  planetary biospheres are themselves living organisms 
  and that, as stars have influence (via astrology), they too 
  have personalities. The personality of stars is dependent 
  upon their perceived effect on an individual’s star chart. 
  The basis of a star’s personality is derived from that of the 
  astrological constellation in which it lies. Followers of this 
  faith believe that stars and planets are receptive to human 
  communication. There are many branches of Heliogaianism, 
  among them. 
  Official: These believe that Terra is the only correct place 
  for humanity. The more militant try to stop others leaving the 
  homeworld by sabotaging their ships. 
  Orthodox: Neo-Luddites who give themselves the benefit 
  of the doubt as far as space travel is concerned. Otherwise 
  they will have nothing to do with high technology beyond 
  wrecking any they come across. 
  Reformed: These believe humanity’s destiny is to spread 
  among the stars, and the stars themselves want humanity 
  there. However it is only polite to perform appropriate 
  ceremonies of thanks at the new location. 
  Referee
  The astrological correspondence fell apart once faster-than-
  light travel became commonplace. Heliogaianism needed 
  reforming in order to fit into humanity’s expanded horizons. 
  It did this by correlating the zodiacal effects of stars on Earth 
  with estimates of those stars gravitic influence on the planet. 
  The data was then extrapolated to visible stars of other 
  settled systems. 
  Plots
  1: Amongst the party’s passengers is a radical reformed 
  Heliogaianist who wishes to visit the local star more closely. 
  An expert in computers, he hacks into the ship’s astronav 
  systems such that after take off it dives towards the sun. The 
  players may panic but after one circuit of the star the ship 
  will resume normal operation. They can try to circumvent 
  his hacking in the meantime (as this detour will add several 
  days to their time insystem!) 
  2: The party carry an Orthodox Luddite to a high tech, high 
  population world. They are preparing to lift with new cargoes 
  and passengers when the Port Authority’s security detain 
  them for shipping in a terrorist. Apparently, the Luddite has 
  performed a major act of sabotage and had bought another 
  ticket on the party’s ship to get off planet. He has not been 
  caught yet and may be heading for the players’ ship… 
  
  115
  3. neo-PaGanism 
  The followers of this faith believe that it is a resurrection of 
  the traditional religions of Terra. In a similar manner to some 
  other faiths, this organisation has come under investigation 
  from the Ministry of Justice to establish if it is, in fact, another 
  elaborate tax evasion vehicle. However, the outcome of the 
  enquiries concluded that it was not a fraud - the state of 
  the religion’s assets and the members involved in running it 
  were too shambolic to suggest tax evasion! Members of this 
  faith tend to cluster around places with shops where they 
  can buy candles, incense, oils and little bags of herbs. They 
  gather whenever a moon is about to rise and scamper naked 
  around a bonfire until they are exhausted, then settle down 
  to a nocturnal beanfeast with mulled ale and sausages. 
  Referee
  This faith is a pale recollection of what once was. Once 
  the living sacrifices, the close connection with the land and 
  flocks, the central importance of the local stream and the 
  ever-present danger of raiders from the next valley are 
  removed, there is not that much left of the traditional religion 
  to resurrect. What remains is a vague impression of the 
  mysteries of Eleusis, literary accounts of Bacchanalia, the 
  mildly amusing phrase sky clad and a conviction that if they 
  associate themselves with an ancient persecution - in this 
  case that of witch-like people - you acquire spiritual depth. 
  They insist on being taken seriously, but are often treated 
  with smiles of mild indulgence. 
  Plots
  1: The party has the misfortune to encounter a member of 
  the faith at a festival just before the full moon. The member 
  will focus their attentions on one of the characters who they 
  feel would be ideal for bringing back the old ways. They will 
  attempt to draw them off from the party to capture them for a 
  sacrifice at the coming moon rise. 
  2: Members of this faith, while travelling between systems 
  on the same ship as the players insist upon holding a 
  celebration when the ship passes a moon in normal space. 
  Unfortunately, as the ship is on approach to a gas giant for 
  refuelling there are a large number of moons which will rise, 
  and are being used for an excuse for inebriated revelry. 
  4. let the sun shine 
  This faith is superficially similar to the beliefs of the Lords 
  of Light but originated amongst starship crews during the 
  longer journeys associated with early Solomani exploration 
  vessels. Light worshippers are usually long-term space 
  travellers who have seen much darkness in space and desire 
  the presence of bright light to prevent anxiety or depression. 
  Often, they will sleep with the lights on for reassurance, and 
  have a great belief in the healing quality of light. 
  Referee
  Worshippers carry sources of light with them at all times 
  and do not tolerate darkness very well. If they awoke to a 
  darkened room they would panic (ingrained culturally now, 
  but probably originating from a time when loss of light equated 
  to a potentially fatal power plant failure). Worshippers are 
  most often found on the enormous family-crewed bulk 
  carriers that endlessly circulate through the core regions of 
  the Imperium. The belief moves between ships and is slowly 
  becoming a more formal affair with writings and a slowly 
  developing philosophy. 
  Plot
  1: A crew member from one of the bulk carriers has bought 
  passage with the party’s ship to catch up to another bulk 
  carrier, where she is to marry. A light failure in her cabin incurs 
  her wrath (born out of real fear) but she’s finally pushed over 
  the edge and panics when the pilot dims the lights prior to 
  jump. She genuinely does not know about this custom and 
  believes there is a power plant fault. In her terror, she will 
  not be quietened until she has been provided with several 
  alternative sources of light (torches, etc.). 
  5. Cult of the void 
  As the Solomani colonised the stars, Walter Beaumont (a 
  physical chemist) started the Cult of the Void. He preached 
  about the importance of the five elements to would-be 
  travellers and colonists. The Cult initially did not have 
  a strong following, but after the Long Night a resurgence 
  began as more and more people turned from more secular 
  beliefs. 
  Referee
  A text written by Beaumont forms the core of the Cult’s 
  beliefs; the journey into a new life starts with a passage 
  through the vast void which can take an unwary acolyte into 
  the abyss. Once the rite of passage has been completed 
  you will join other initiates on the new world. With an 
  induction into the necessary elements for survival in your 
  new home your new life will begin. To colonists, Earth 
  and Water are essential to sustain life and they must be 
  looked after and tended in order to feed both families and 
  livestock. Fire is required to keep one warm and cook one’s 
  food, but a lack of vigilance can result in the destruction 
  of all that one has striven for. One must be careful not 
  to make the same mistakes as one’s ancestors and take 
  too much from the elements. Doing so may cause a new 
  world to turn against one just as has happened in the past. 
  
  116
  Without enough trees the Air will grow stale and will not be 
  able to sustain life. 
  ‘We all have a responsibility to look after and respect 
  each of the elements or ultimately we shall loose our 
  children’s future.’ 
  Plot
  1: Fanatics of the Cult who believe that the colonists have 
  grown unworthy of his teachings have stolen the original 
  book of Walter Beaumont. The party is hired to retrieve this 
  valued religious artefact. 
  6. animal anGel allianCe 
  This society offers to put one in touch with one’s personal 
  animal angel. Essentially, they believe that not only are 
  there spirits in almost all creatures and objects, but that 
  each person is attuned to a specific spirit. Willing recruits 
  pay for a lengthy period of attunement, during which Alliance 
  helpers try to determine the location of the associated spirits. 
  This may include novel forms of divining, much touching of 
  animals, rocks and the like and eventually each recruit is 
  told the nature and location of their spirit. This may be a 
  small stone in their immediate neighbourhood or a strange 
  alien creature on a world many parsecs away. The follower 
  is then supposed to obtain their allied spirit and keep it with 
  them thereafter. Through communing with the spirit, the 
  follower benefits from their advice (often through dreams). 
  Referee
  This religion has been accused of being a money extraction 
  operation; the attunement is often expensive. Then again, if 
  the Alliance can identify a rock on another world, presumably 
  they have to do quite a bit of research! 
  Plot
  1: A sceptical player should be encouraged to try out the 
  attunement, perhaps on the advice of someone who gives 
  them some remarkably accurate ‘dream advice’. They will 
  be told they should seek out a weasel-like creature on a 
  specific cliff in a jungle on a neighbouring world. If the player 
  goes through with this and pays their Cr. 5,000, they will 
  eventually find something more like a fat rat awaiting them. 
  This creature is actually mildly psionic and, having picked up 
  the player’s desire for friendship, will attach itself to them. 
  Whether they grow to be a pest or a genuine aid in the future 
  is up to the referee! 
  7. the Preservers 
  This organisation is claimed to date from pre-jump Earth. 
  Alarmed at humanity’s propensity to obliterate those 
  features of the ecosystem which interfered with the pursuit 
  of the profit, a conglomeration of entertainers raised funds 
  to preserve areas of the biosphere sufficiently large to be 
  self-sustaining. This philosophy has been continued into the 
  Imperial era and some groups of Preservers have taken on a 
  far more religious outlook, regarding the rape of a biosphere 
  as being a direct assault on various deities. Preventing 
  such rape, but whatever means necessary, has led some 
  Preservers to become eco-terrorists. The majority, however, 
  concentrate on consolidating purchased lands (on various 
  worlds), planting between them, expanding animal friendly 
  zoos and building up an exhaustive library of life forms in 
  frozen DNA and actual embryos where possible. 
  Referee
  Naturally, those who rape worlds for profit (from strip mining 
  to deforestation) really dislike the Preservers. The latter can 
  often have sufficient financial muscle to protect themselves 
  and enforce their views. 
  Plots
  1: The players are hired by a relatively small Preserver 
  group as temporary rangers to guard the boundaries of their 
  land against poachers. 
  2: The players are hired by a mining corporation to disrupt 
  a land purchase registration about to be placed by local 
  Preservers. Given a week’s delay (such as by stealing the 
  Preservers’ paperwork) the miners will have time to put in 
  their own claim. 
  
  117
  Polytheistic Animism is the belief that certain natural 
  phenomena are associated with specific deities. There 
  is commonly a defined hierarchy of these gods and/or 
  goddesses. There may be a huge range of gods but, unlike 
  strict animism, they operate within a defined regime. 
  1. siatsdler worshiPPers 
  A dwindling group of Zhodani worship the Siatsdler (or 
  ‘Beings’) who are personifications of the six Shidr (or 
  ‘seasons’) of Zhdant. Ataniebl (or ‘harvest’) is supreme 
  amongst them and Atshtiavl (‘chill’) is regarded as the least 
  powerful. Complex inter-relations between these deities 
  rule the lives of the Siatsdler who are usually very well 
  acquainted with meteorological sciences. In Atrint (‘spring’), 
  a sacrifice of dried moss is burnt. Believers are convinced 
  that the devastation of Zhdant that occurred during the final 
  war of the Ancients is about to be repeated but that the 
  combined power of the Beings will be sufficient to save all 
  true believers. 
  Referee
  One mark that identifies Worshippers amongst themselves 
  is the way they tap the back of their hand to their cheek every 
  hour as a mark of respect to Ataniebl. This faith developed 
  in the pre-history of Zhdant, and lingers on. It is tolerated by 
  the nobility and intendant classes as a harmless pastime 
  (mainly) of the lower classes, and is gradually dying out, 
  with less than a thousand practising worshippers believed to 
  survive. Siatsdler is a form of polytheistic animism, in which 
  the followers hope to be saved from the imminent ‘final war’. 
  There is a strict hierarchy within the faith which maintains 
  control of documents believed to date back to the times 
  of the Ancients. Although Siatsdler is dwindling, there are 
  regular missions to try and save more of the Zhodani and 
  others. 
  Plots
  1: Fire suppression systems on the players’ ship will be 
  activated when a sacrificial ritual gets out of hand. The smell 
  of moss will pervade the ship for some time to come but no 
  real damage will be done. The Worshippers will be a little 
  embarrassed but will not miss the opportunity to tell anyone 
  who listens why they do what they do. 
  2: In the middle of trade negotiations a player’s nervous 
  habit (scratching the back of their hand on their chin) will 
  be misinterpreted by a Siatsdler worshipper. The player will 
  then be taken aside for a lengthy explanation of why the 
  Worshipper is convinced that the final war disaster is nigh 
  and that the two of them should make plans to leave the 
  area as soon as possible. Should the player play along with 
  the Worshipper’s conviction that he is another Worshipper, 
  the players will get very advantageous trading deals. 
  2. starfolk 
  Starfolk believe that the stars are gods and they have a 
  complex pantheon based loosely on stellar classification 
  with ‘O’ Type stars the most venerated. All stars are thought 
  to be children of the First One - the monobloc from which the 
  universe formed. ‘Starmen’ are highly charismatic leaders 
  who make stellar pronouncements each day to starfolk. 
  These pronouncements are vague and flowery, but lapped 
  up by followers who will become stars at death if they have 
  attached themselves to a Starman and listened faithfully. 
  Referee
  In the Third Imperium, Darrians are held in absolute 
  abhorrence as god destroyers through the use of the Star 
  Trigger. Occasionally, Starmen have preached that revenge 
  should be taken against the Darrians. Followers number 
  in the thousands, and may often be found travelling the 
  starlanes to become closer to the stars. 
  Plots
  1: The party provide transport to an enthusiastic group of 
  starfolk under a very charismatic leader. If the party fail to 
  prevent a hijacking attempt they will find the starfolk have 
  placed the ship on a direct course into the nearest star to 
  make them all gods. 
  2: The party are hired to investigate the collapse of a star to 
  a white dwarf and find out why it took place. They not only 
  have to deal with the emotional outfall of distraught starfolk, 
  but a firm conviction that this was not stellar evolution at 
  work but a deliberate act (probably by a Darrian!). 
  3. Gaianism 
  The belief that each garden world is connected to the divine 
  life giving force. This is based upon the Old Terran Gaia 
  Principle, where all life is connected to each other on a 
  world. Gaia is both the Earth Mother and the force of nature 
  itself. This is similar to animism, but with a divine force/being 
  controlling it all. Nature is to be respected, as all things are 
  interconnected. The adherents believe in reincarnation, but 
  what one does with one’s current life does not determine the 
  outcome of the future life. Gaia will ultimately decide where 
  your life force is needed when one ‘passes over’. Seasonal 
  PolytheistiC animism
  
  118
  festivals are observed, mostly a naturalistic ritual followed 
  by a celebration. The organisation is loose with each local 
  area having their own priest or priestess. 
  Referee
  The religion is open to anyone who wishes to join, but they 
  are not evangelical; they believe in each person’s choice to 
  participate. It may be found across the Third Imperium and 
  Solomani Confederation, but is has more followers in the 
  Solomani colonised regions. 
  Plot
  1: The party are hired to find lanthanum deposits on a recently 
  colonised world. There are rich deposits on a remote, heavily 
  forested, part of the world. Many native animals make their 
  homes here, as does a Gaianist settlement. The party must 
  make arrangements with the Gaianists for the lanthanum 
  extraction without disrupting the balance of nature of the 
  forest. Failure to do so will initially result in the sabotage of 
  the Players’ efforts, and eventually lead to outright armed 
  conflict. Unfortunately the caves in which the lanthanum is 
  found are home to a native creature. Wanton killing of these 
  beasts will guarantee the wrath of the Gaianists. 
  4. the dua almu
  The Dua-Almu believe that the first human life on their world 
  was the result of the sacred ice panda rubbing against 
  standing stones set in the ice. This slight warming of the 
  stones, along with the panda’s breath, resulted in the first 
  ten humans - the Dua-Noc - who are venerated and whose 
  tombs are by the sacred standing stones. Followers eat no hot 
  food, and pray at random times throughout the day, stopping 
  suddenly (whatever they were doing) to stand absolutely still 
  (wherever they may be). They then spend several minutes 
  singing quietly before resuming their previous activity. 
  Referee
  The followers are reluctant to leave their native planet and if 
  they do they are very nervous travellers. The faith is found 
  on a low tech planet on the Imperial fringes. 
  Plot
  1: One of the Dua-Almu takes passage on the same ship as 
  the party, and becomes increasingly nervous as the journey 
  continues. This will eventually result in a panic attack at an 
  inopportune moment. This attack is unlikely to be violent, 
  but may require the characters to coax the Dua-Almu out 
  of an inaccessible space (for example the drive or avionics 
  access ways). 
  5. vulCanism 
  A city-based religion where most of the inhabitants are 
  adherents and worship the local volcano which brings 
  fertility to the land and judgement on wrong-doers. Priests 
  claim that they are accurately able to predict eruptions and 
  warn the faithful to evacuate their homes, thus non-believers 
  and wrong-doers are left to face the wrath of the volcano. 
  Referee
  In actuality it is the old, the infirm and the very young (who are 
  not fast enough to escape) who tend to die. The predictions 
  of the priests are accurate, thanks to the purchase of some 
  high technology seismic analysis equipment with an orbital 
  observation satellite many years before. This faith is found 
  in a small area of a low technology, medium population 
  world, whose cities cluster around the world’s lakes in fertile 
  areas at the base of the volcanoes. Outside these areas the 
  ground is generally not viable for agriculture. 
  Plots
  1: The party are arranging a trade deal on this planet, when 
  the merchant hears a bell, and makes some excuse of 
  needing a few minutes to make a religious observance. They 
  disappear into the back of the shop… After a few minutes 
  the characters may notice that it has gone quiet. Outside, 
  the priests have evacuated the city and only unbelievers are 
  left. The rubble and tremors associated with an eruption are 
  then heard and the players will have to get back to their ship 
  as soon as possible as the starport is on the local flat rock 
  structure, part of the lava plain. 
  2: The party are approach clandestinely by one of the priests 
  to supply a replacement seismic warning system as the old 
  one is wearing out. Once supplied, the priests may not want 
  the characters to escape knowing that their predictions are 
  more technological than their people realise. 
  6. the flood-maker 
  This Aslan sect believes the flood-maker brings fertility to 
  their homeworld and cleanliness to their fur. They believe 
  that floods wash away unclean aspects of all worlds and 
  provide a fresh start for the survivors and the land. The 
  waters coat the land with a deep silt, out of which life springs. 
  Referee
  Members of this faith show the behaviour patterns typical to 
  Aslan - honour, pride and a sense of rightness. There tend to 
  be more female members of this religion, and generally they 
  tend to extend their philosophies to cover most disasters. As 
  a result, they are unbearably cheerful in the face of disaster, 
  looking for the good which they believe will come from any 
  such time of trial. 
  Plot
  1: The party find themselves on a long duration journey 
  where their transport has a closed environment with an Aslan 
  who is a follower of the flood-maker. The players may be 
  irritated when the water recycling system bungs up with fur 
  
  119
  (the Aslan insists on regular baths or showers during which 
  they sing an ear-splitting song loudly and continuously). The 
  Aslan will be belligerent if prevented from practising their 
  faith but then hopelessly optimistic if anything goes wrong 
  during the journey! 
  7. the suPersedinG saPPhiC 
  sisterhood 
  The SSS is a conglomeration (over many centuries) of 
  several religions each based on predominantly female deity 
  hierarchies, preaching that bringing forth new life into the 
  world is the key aspect of godhood. As technology became 
  available for artificial fertilisation, gene splicing, in-vitro ova 
  merging, cloning, etc. the SSS decided that males were 
  redundant. They run a selection of business enterprises, 
  operated exclusively by females with males used only for 
  the most subordinate roles. 
  Referee
  The SSS have an extremist arm. They might have simply set 
  out to massacre males but instead have created a virus which 
  substitutes x for y chromosomes when a cell reproduces. It 
  generally takes seven years to complete this process for a 
  grown male subject and produces a hulking, big footed ugly 
  woman, which most of the SSS think of as puckish justice. 
  Women can be carriers of the virus, which has a body fluid 
  vector and also edits the DNA to prevent the emergence 
  of males from any future union. There is currently no cure. 
  Thankfully perhaps, the virus only works on humans. 
  Plot
  1: A local SSS group has been spreading the trial virus near 
  to a military base and, through close association with the 
  male soldiers, has been monitoring the results. The Players 
  may encounter this when operating as mercenaries or be 
  asked to investigate peculiar changes some wives have 
  noticed of their military husbands. 
  
  120
  Polytheism is a system where multiple gods, all of roughly 
  the same importance and power, co-exist, generally within 
  one or more god-specific habitats. A given deity does not 
  tend to have a link to a specific natural phenomena (as per 
  animism) although they may be associated with specific 
  powers (love, war, etc.). Where a polytheistic religion has its 
  origin in animism, some deities may retain animistic-related 
  names or associations. 
  1. ChurCh of the stellar 
  divinity 
  One of the most popular churches in the Imperium, the 
  Church of Stellar Divinity teaches that the stars themselves 
  are gods, and when a believer dies, their soul goes to 
  join with the Gods. The religion is fairly easy to belong to, 
  asking little more than adherence to the Golden Rule, and 
  attendance at the weekly services. There are numerous 
  minor variants to the strict church doctrine, but most of these 
  are tolerated as the will of that God. 
  Referee
  The Golden Rule is never disclosed to non-believers, but is 
  an open secret due to the widespread nature of this church. 
  However, discussion of the Rule in front of a church member 
  by a non-believer will often cause offence. 
  Plots
  1: The party are hired to transport a fairly highranking church 
  member to another system. In jump, she dies of a stroke. At 
  the destination, the party are accused of dooming the leader 
  by allowing her to die cut off from the Gods. 
  2: Two non=player characters in close proximity to the 
  players (on the same ship or involved in the same adventure) 
  find they are from different branches of the church. Their 
  theological differences swell until their arguments threaten 
  the players’ mission. 
  2. the temPle of the stellar 
  divinity 
  The Temple of the Stellar Divinity believes that all races 
  are derived from star gods, and that the stars will ultimately 
  destroy all life and create it anew. Believers are convinced of 
  every sophont’s ability to become a star if they can be born-
  again at a high enough spiritual level. One way to achieve 
  this spirituality is through chanting and the quest for an ever 
  more perfect form of words and music. The church is well 
  known for the beautiful and often very popular chants used 
  in their long services. 
  Referee
  Found throughout the Imperium with a small membership, 
  this faith is another which appears to have derived from 
  humanity’s obsession with the stars. Some of its more 
  extreme followers believe that early destruction by sun-like 
  effects (such as standing next to a nuclear device when it 
  goes off) will bring them nearer to divinity. 
  Plots
  1: The players are engaged to hunt down a team of linguists 
  who are prepared to translate some of the chants into Hiver. 
  The only experts they will be able to find will be a disparate 
  group of people whom it will be hard to even get to travel 
  together to the temple, never mind work together. 
  2: A fellow traveller turns out to be a disciple and reveals (in 
  great secrecy) to a player the fact that he has a special relic 
  of his church - a star map that purports to mark the sites 
  of temples many, many millennia previously. The disciple 
  wants to visit these sites if they still exist and an observant 
  player will notice that some of the sites correspond to known 
  Ancient sites. 
  3. the Cult of the deeP ones 
  The Addaxur, a carnivorous reptilian minor non-human race 
  of the Zhodani Consulate, exhibit a semi-religious belief 
  system based on characteristics of their homeworld and 
  their unique sensory abilities. Their primary senses are smell 
  and sophisticated underwater sonar. The planet Addaxur (A 
  A8A876-D) is a water world, with a high proportion of heavy 
  minerals making the planet’s surface gravity in excess of two 
  standard gravities. The heavy minerals include radioactives, 
  which heat up the interior of the planet and make the ocean 
  floors geologically active. The reptilian Addaxur live in the 
  ocean surrounding the planet’s many volcanic islands, but 
  venture ashore to feed and reproduce where they are safe 
  from large aquatic predators. The Addaxur’s sonar sense 
  detects tectonic disturbances beneath the ocean floor, 
  which in pre-history were explained as voices of the Deep 
  Ones - a race of giants living at the bottom of the planet’s 20 
  kilometre-deep oceans. Many Addaxur have maintained this 
  belief to the present day. 
  Referee
  There are followers among the Zhodani proles (non-psionic 
  lower classes) in the sectors surrounding Addaxur. 
  Polytheism
  
  121
  Plot
  1: A wealthy Zhodani merchant (a prole) approaches the 
  party to crew a submarine which will bring back proof of the 
  existence of the Deep Ones. The party will be able to clinch 
  a spectacular trade deal if they are able to demonstrate the 
  existence of Deep Ones on the planet. Any giant, deep-ocean 
  creature will be sufficient, but live capture is essential. The 
  repercussions of obtaining such proof may be dangerous! 
  4. the ChurCh of all faiths 
  The Church of all Faiths was founded by a history student 
  who decided that every religion was correct. The only way 
  to ensure salvation was to worship in every way known, 
  changing every day. The Church is small, and currently 
  found only on Sylea. They follow a 2962 day year, to allow 
  for each of the religions they have identified to be properly 
  observed. 
  Referee
  The Church compound resembles a movie set due to the 
  huge number of costumes, props and artifacts required for 
  the rapid conversions. Some libertines keep track of the 
  Church’s calendar, and conver’ for the more hedonistic 
  faiths... The faith was founded in -13 on Sylea by Philip 
  Godet and has around a 100,000 members across the 
  Imperium. 
  Plots
  1: The Church hires the players’ ship to investigate the 
  religions of a recently re-contacted world. The trip takes five 
  weeks. That is 35 different religions to deal with. Be creative! 
  2: A player happens to be the very image of a religion’s 
  major force of evil. For one Sylean day, the character will be 
  pursued by fanatic Church members determined to slay him. 
  5. mother worshiP 
  Followers of this religion worship their individual mothers as 
  goddesses who bring life to all. They carry holovids of their 
  mother with them always and visit their mothers once every 
  three to four weeks (at least). 
  Referee
  The mothers themselves are sometimes believers, but some 
  are not, so this worship can cause some friction between 
  mother and children. 
  Plot
  1: One of the characters is approached by a serving Imperial 
  Marine who asks them to deliver a message and small gift to 
  his mother, a few jumps away. He explains he has not been 
  able to contact her as his unit was moved out unexpectedly. 
  He gives them the gift, message and delivery details. Soon 
  after, the party are intercepted by the Marine’s colleagues 
  who wish to retrieve the message so they can use it to 
  tease the marine. The players must decide how they wish 
  to respond. 
  6. the rePenters 
  This cult flourishes in the richer backwaters of Imperial 
  society, where people often spare a few credits for the poor 
  and needy, but rarely have any genuine care for such people. 
  Fortunately for them, the Repenters do care. Irritatingly, the 
  Repenters care totally and care all the time. They will not 
  stop caring and sharing until the whole Empire cares too. 
  Referee
  The Repenters is a coalescence of campaign groups from 
  a range of religious groups. Their church has settled down 
  into a diocesan syncretist institution with a recognised 
  hierarchy on each world. It is partly a well-informed and 
  sage research establishment, specialising in social justice, 
  partly an aggressive street level proselytising and fund-
  raising movement and partly a way for the over-privileged to 
  assuage their guilt at not being born a peasant. Promotion 
  within the hierarchy is by good works and visible simplicity 
  of living. 
  Plot
  1: The players are hired by a businessman whose shady 
  mercantile dealings have brought him the unwanted 
  attentions of the local Repenters who now him everywhere, 
  pointing out the error of his ways. The police are not 
  interested in helping him, so he wishes the players to deter 
  the Repenters (permanently if possible). 
  
  122
  Rational Polytheism is the belief in a small number of deities 
  who manifest themselves in numerous different ways, each 
  perhaps having a different name, association and method of 
  worship. At first site such a religion may appear to outsiders 
  as plain polytheism. 
  1. the aurum astrum 
  Numerous branches of this faith exist, some on good terms 
  with one another, others feuding bitterly. Each has its 
  own distinct variation on the beliefs with a constant core; 
  the belief that magic works. Adherents pursue spiritual 
  progress via esoteric mysticism, based on a grab-bag of 
  techniques from a variety of cultures - mostly resembling 
  those of ancient Terran Europe and the (Terran) Middle 
  East, but from numerous other sources as well. Prominent 
  activities include arcane rituals filled with chanting in dead 
  languages, meditation on sacred geometric patterns, and 
  obsessive pursuit of any rare or unusual books, artworks, 
  or similar items which might aid in the path. God-images 
  used metaphorically in the faith’s teachings and ritual are 
  (mostly) Egyptian or Greek, but again wider borrowings are 
  common, and all are (usually) held to be aspects of a single 
  divine presence in the universe. In the Imperial era, many 
  adherents of the Aurum Astrum assert that what others 
  describe as psionics is in fact a discipline known to their high 
  initiates since ancient times, and that this discipline can be 
  taught to anyone who accepts the faith. Furthermore, they 
  also claim that their system teaches powers far beyond the 
  known capabilities of traditionally-trained psions. 
  Referee
  The Psionic Suppressions (ca. 850), led to a deep paranoia 
  in many Aurum Astrum groups, as they were forced 
  underground to protect their persecuted psionic skills. 
  Whether the Aurum Astrum can in fact train its adherents in 
  psionics is an open question, as is the existence and nature 
  of the super psionic powers attributed to the group’s elite 
  inner circle. 
  Plots
  1: The players are contracted to transport a sealed 
  shipment of rare books and objects between Aurum Astrum 
  communities in adjoining star systems, with a representative 
  travelling with the shipment. On arrival, both the intended 
  recipients and a rival faction try to claim the shipment, the 
  latter claiming it was stolen from them. Whichever group 
  the party decide against will seek revenge, ranging from 
  leaving disturbing ritual objects in the players’ quarters to 
  sabotaging their ship. 
  2: A female noble hires the characters to provide security 
  against unnamed potential attackers. Gradually, it becomes 
  clear that the noble is an ex-Aurum Astrum member who has 
  published some of their secrets, and fears reprisals. Whether 
  she is paranoid or prudent remains to be determined. 
  2. suBJeCts of the Celestial 
  Court 
  The Subjects of the Celestial Court believe that three deities 
  control all aspects of the universe. These deities appear 
  in many different forms depending on the circumstances. 
  Doctrine stresses obedience to authority, and adherence 
  to tradition; through such behaviour the believer will enter 
  the next life with appropriate rewards. Outsiders are rarely 
  welcomed into the faith, most members were born into the 
  church. The Subjects have been undergoing a decline since 
  joining the Third Imperium, as many younger members 
  reject the rigid social code imposed by the faith. 
  Referee
  This faith developed on Vland (the Vilani homeworld); it is 
  unknown if it actually predates the Ziru Sirka. During the 
  Rebellion period (post 1116 Imperial), there is a sudden 
  resurgence in the popularity of this religion. Most encounters 
  with worshippers will occur within the Vilani Sphere - only in 
  the Ziru Sirka was this faith found beyond this region. 
  Plot
  1: A teenage Subject child runs away and hides on the 
  players’ vehicle or ship trying to escape off-world. Although 
  capable of expressing their objections rationally, the child 
  is still legally a minor, and the players may face charges of 
  kidnapping if the situation is not handled carefully. 
  3. the servants of deruPo 
  Derupo, (the Greatest God), has multiple Attributes; Lyando, 
  the Goddess of the Harvest; Nes, the God of War; Ryalas, 
  the God of Makings; Yal, the God of the Stars; Kamba, 
  Goddess of the Seas; Saleno, Goddess of the Hunt; Dombor, 
  God of Peace; Lapesir, God of Health; and Ryner, God of 
  Weather. The high priests of the various attributes meet 
  ‘in Clave’ to make and implement government decisions. 
  All instances of an activity consecrated to an Attribute, or 
  requesting assistance of an Attribute, must be preceded by 
  a propitiatory offering to the governing Attribute. Depending 
  on the activity/request, this may be anything from praying 
  or genuflecting to an idol or altar to a ritual bloodletting 
  or sacrifice. The high priests define (under the rubric of 
  rational Polytheism
  
  123
  the Word of the God) procedures that are pleasing to the 
  Attribute; special dispensations must be requested for 
  consecrating non-standard procedures. Training is by rote, 
  but exploration is not discouraged; the High Priest of an 
  Attribute may allow new procedures or discoveries to be 
  consecrated to the Attribute, or to Derupo’s Self, and thus 
  approve it for routine use. 
  Referee
  The Servants of Derupo are found on just one world, a 
  theocracy where other beliefs are seldom tolerated. Those 
  offending or preaching another faith may find themselves on 
  the receiving end of an experimental ritual. 
  Plot
  1: A player needs medical attention while on-planet. During 
  the course of the treatment (obsolete, but still effective for 
  the player’s ailment or injury) one of the players is bound 
  to enquire why a more modern, more effective treatment is 
  not being used. They are rapidly convicted of blasphemy, 
  and sentenced to death. Their friends can apply to the 
  ecclesiastical court for a stay (which will be granted) in 
  an attempt to get the conviction overturned, due to the 
  offending character being an off-worlder unfamiliar with 
  local religion. Once the stay is granted, they will have 
  three weeks to either convince the trial court to reconvene 
  and overturn the sentence, or to convince the high priest 
  of Lapesir to consecrate the procedure suggested by the 
  arrested character. The latter will require the priest be taught 
  the procedure, shown why it is better than the consecrated 
  procedure, provided with any tools, implements, drugs, 
  etc., not locally available, and shown how those tools, etc., 
  may be made or procured locally (giving profit-minded 
  characters a route for opening up regular trade). Of course, 
  the players will have to be careful to avoid the same fate 
  as their colleague. Success will lead to the death sentence 
  being commuted to ten years hard labour. The high priest 
  themselves must then pardon the convicted player to have 
  them released. A jailbreak is always an option but will result 
  in a death sentence for all involved. 
  4. telor 
  Followers of Telor, the primary faith of the Darmine 
  minor human race, believe that there are fundamental 
  numerological patterns underlying all things. The prophet 
  Telor was educated in the traditional Vilani manner by an 
  assimilationalist upper class clan but went on to reject 
  Vilani cultural norms in favour of a codified form of the 
  loose polytheism that governed Ishag prior to its conquest 
  by the Vilani. Telorists believe that it is almost certain that 
  anything that happens in fours (or multiples or fractions of 
  4) has an inner meaning that should be thought about. To 
  many believers the Telor faith is the single most important 
  factor in their lives. It has served as the primary means of 
  preserving the traditional Darmine culture. The Telor faith is 
  a polytheistic one with the sun, the moons, the land, and the 
  water being seen as the primary deities. Traditionally Telor 
  requires private devotion every 4 days, or one quarter of a 
  month, and public ceremonies of devotion every 64 days, or 
  one fourth of Ishag’s year. Telor taught that the body was the 
  seat of the soul and that therefore hedonistic promiscuous 
  indulgence of the body would show reverence toward the 
  soul. 
  Referee
  Toleration of Telor can be very trying for a non-believer 
  as its numerological obsession is unnerving. Some non-
  Darmine critics of the religion have suggested that the 
  rigidity of its numerological basis may lie in a fundamental 
  tendency towards obsessive compulsive behaviour which 
  is purportedly endemic to the Darmine race, possibly due 
  to Ancient genetic engineering. Telor wrote that the fourfold 
  way was only for humans and thus believers have been 
  brought up to distrust aliens. They do not believe that aliens 
  are inferior but rather that aliens cannot fully understand 
  and must therefore be dealt with with caution. This faith 
  developed on Ishag/Zarushagar around -3520 Imperial, 
  and there are in excess of 5 billion worshippers within ten 
  parsecs of Ishag. 
  Plots
  1: The players, whose ship is berthed at the local starport, 
  are approached by a married group of four Darmine who 
  wish to acquire High Passage on their ship for its next four 
  jumps. It seems their ship is on docking pad four (this will 
  work even better if the ship is Jump-4, displaces 400 tons, 
  has a crew of four, and so on). All is as it seems but the 
  passengers will prove very annoying. They will constantly be 
  asking questions like ‘What was the weight to four significant 
  figures of the box this meal came out of?’ ‘How do you spell 
  your full name? I need to check its significance.’ ‘How many 
  standard minutes did it take to build this ship?’ ‘We need to 
  use the ship’s lounge for our revel.’ (which turns out to be a 
  fertility ritual).
  2: The (preferably four) players, who are unfamiliar with 
  Telor, are hired by a Telorist patron as her bodyguard. She 
  is a merchant who is negotiating a deal with some fellow 
  Telorists and she anticipates trouble. The negotiations go 
  badly and subsequently someone will try to assassinate 
  the patron. However, the assassin will work in a predictable 
  manner – such as. firing four bullets at four o’clock on the 
  fourth day after the meeting. 
  
  124
  5. ChurCh of seCular saints and 
  martyrs 
  The followers of this Church venerate those people of such 
  perfect charity, humanity and exceptional public relations 
  that they are forever associated in the public mind with the 
  best of good works. These saints, alive or dead, are beyond 
  criticism, and their lives are held out as examples of the 
  capabilities of the (originally) human spirit. 
  Referee
  Although the church has a spiritual arm, dictated to self-
  improvement and teaches a slanted version of history, the 
  main purpose of the church is to make money. This money 
  originally went to the causes which the Saints and Martyrs 
  were associated with: poverty relief, arms control, hospices 
  and animal friendly research: but a high proportion of it now 
  goes to keeping the church elders in luxury and to erecting 
  huge buildings for the faithful to pray in.
  Plots
  1: The Church announces a new saint who is still living. The 
  recipient is embarrassed by this accolade and, through a 
  friend, contacts the players to get the saint off-world and 
  away from unwanted attention. 
  2: As per the preceding plot but the players are approached 
  by a megacorporation to try and get the saint to endorse a 
  product. The saint refuses to talk to them, but soon after 
  the church approaches the players to discuss terms under 
  which such endorsement could take place. 
  3: One of the more spiritual members of the church 
  accidentally accesses the wrong archive and discovers the 
  true uses that the church is putting its funds to. They approach 
  one of the players (who they know from past service) to ask 
  them to help expose the truth and right wrongs. 
  6. the followers of many 
  The Followers of Many believe that there are just three 
  deities - star god Aso, world god Boso, and Cho, god of the 
  emptiness (i.e. everything other than stars and planets). Just 
  as stars can have many appearances and planets likewise, 
  so Aso and Boso are many-faced deities (of undetermined 
  sex). The Followers live their entire lives behind masks, 
  using different masks to represent their status and role. 
  With modern technology, ancient metal masks have been 
  replaced by composite plastics which can change shape, 
  colour and feel to reflect every aspect of the user - from how 
  healthy they are feeling to their emotional state. However, 
  masks are generally left fairly blank - the Followers abhor 
  the uncontrolled manner in which outsiders’ faces reflect 
  their inner soul. A mask may only be removed when alone or 
  with one of one’s promised life-partners. 
  Referee
  Dealing with Followers is difficult - human communication 
  relies heavily upon facial expressions. Although unmasked 
  visitors may be tolerated in public areas of a Follower 
  town, close liaison (trade, dealing with senior officials, etc.) 
  requires even outsiders to wear masks (usually marked 
  in garish orange to show them as unbelievers). Some 
  Follower groups wear masks less often, preferring to make 
  themselves up instead. A few individuals are reputed to be 
  used by the intelligence agencies as experts in disguise and 
  facial surgery. 
  Plot
  1: The players observe a murder committed by a masked 
  person. They fail to catch the perpetrator but do find a mask. 
  The police take on the case but the players are then recruited 
  by Followers who wish the players to prove their belief that 
  someone was masquerading as one of their number. 
  
  125
  Dualism is the belief that there are only two deities or deific 
  principles, representing two opposing viewpoints (such as 
  good versus evil), thus leading to continuous antagonism 
  between them. Their belligerence is reflected in opposing 
  forces of nature (such as water versus fire or light versus 
  darkness). Believers often spend a great deal of their time 
  discussing these opposing morals/ethics of the two deities. 
  1. hi’alya 
  This faith is one of the more closely studied among Imperial 
  sociologists. It arose during the Long Night, on a relatively 
  isolated world with both a native sophont species (plains-
  dwelling centauroids) and an immigrant human population 
  of mixed Solomani and Vilani descent. Occasional traders 
  visiting the world would report that a religious movement 
  of epic proportions was sweeping the human population, 
  leading to a renaissance in art, letters, and government. 
  These visitors described in glowing terms the peaceful, 
  friendly, welcoming society whose hospitality they had 
  received. Other traders disappeared entirely after having 
  stated their intention to pay this world a visit. It was soon 
  discovered that the new religion – Hi’alya, or Glory of God 
  in the local language – had taken a dark turn. The native 
  sophont species had been annihilated, as had a sizable 
  fraction of the human population. The world has been under 
  interdiction by the Imperium since the latter’s border reached 
  it, with subtle interventions from time to time to prevent them 
  from reacquiring space-travel technology while the Imperium 
  decides how to handle the potentially large problem of 
  integrating this world into interstellar society. Hi’alya teaches 
  that two deities, of good and evil, are battling for control of 
  the cosmos. It further teaches that those controlled by the 
  evil god will always betray themselves by certain quirks in 
  appearance, behaviour, or speech, collectively known as 
  the Signs of Evil. However, the list of potential signs is so 
  long, complex, and subjective that avoiding them all is very 
  difficult for an off-worlder. 
  Referee
  The Guardian of the Faith (the autocratic leader of the 
  religion, and de facto ruler of the planet) is seen as a living 
  aspect of the good deity, and thus is free to change the list 
  of Signs at will, usually triggering spasms of planet-wide 
  death and destruction as newly evil people and items are 
  eliminated. The locals are aware of the Imperial interdiction, 
  and will greet any visitors with great enthusiasm – until they 
  betray one of the Signs of Evil, at which point the offender 
  will be immediately, publicly, and painfully killed. Any 
  companions will not be suspect, however, unless they too 
  display a Sign of Evil. 
  Plots
  1: The party are Imperial operatives, sent to this world on 
  a covert mission to disrupt a research facility which is close 
  to perfecting space-travel technology. They must derail 
  and discredit the research without betraying themselves as 
  Imperial agents. One risky but attractive strategy would be to 
  arrange for a key researcher or the research itself to display 
  a Sign of Evil, triggering destruction of the researcher, the 
  facility and the disbanding of the project. 
  2: The party is refuelling at the system’s gas giant when they 
  detect a distress signal from the (interdicted) planet’s surface. 
  Apparently a noble’s yacht has crashed in a rural area. The 
  noble offers a huge reward for rescuing him and his crew – a 
  dozen people in all. The players will have to avoid Imperial 
  entanglements, and the natives. If successfully rescued, 
  the noble will claim to be a great adventurer who was trying 
  to return a religious relic to the locals. He will bluff his way 
  through detailed questions although his crew will seem less 
  certain of the story. If the players try to blackmail him with 
  threats of reporting his actions to the authorities, he and his 
  crew will turn nasty: they are actually a covert Imperial scout 
  team, intended to undermine the current autocracy. 
  2. the Chosen 
  Farmer Irzu Arnashi discovered a cache of relic technology 
  and decided to use it to help her people. She saw the find as 
  a gift of Imuripipar, the noble aspect of their deity - the fact 
  that many of the devices were corroded and useless was 
  obviously the work of the destructive Lagashag. She wanted 
  to reform her church, but did not anticipate how the people’s 
  beliefs would be restructured around her and her find - she 
  has become the arbiter of all disputes, and is expected to 
  look after everyone’s welfare. 
  Referee
  Arnashi has been trapped by her situation for the past thirty 
  years, and despairs over ever escaping it. She is concerned 
  that anything that she says may be taken out of context, 
  and the meaning twisted. She feels a heavy sense of 
  responsibility, and misses the past when she was a humble 
  farmer. The world will be TL3 or less, with a small or medium 
  size population. 
  dualism
  
  126
  Plots
  1: Arnashi falls ill shortly after the party arrive - they are 
  accused of being agents of Lagashag by a population intent 
  on their destruction. If they get to see Arnashi it will be plain 
  that she is suffering from radiation sickness caused by one 
  of the recently renovated relics. 
  2: A group seeks sanctuary on the players’ ship, claiming 
  to be part of a persecuted minority. Only later will it become 
  clear that they are followers of Lagashag, out to ‘correct 
  the balance’ by performing random acts of violence against 
  people and property. 
  3. PhilosoPhies of merlna 
  Followers of the Philosophies believe that the Universe is 
  permeated by forces of darkness and light and those who 
  learn to recognise the differences between these two forces 
  will eventually achieve Divine Enlightenment. A religious 
  leader, the Holy Philosopher, issues guidance to worshippers 
  regarding their daily meditation. These proclamations 
  are discussed amongst communities of worshippers who 
  contemplate their meaning. 
  Referee
  Throughout the Third Imperium, the Holy Philosopher 
  resides on Dral (0728 Core Sector). According to legend, 
  Merlna Agmirgushi, a half-Solomani, half-Vilani religious 
  figure during the Rule of Man (Second Imperium) founded 
  the faith. The precise date is unknown, lost during the Long 
  Night. Followers are found through the Imperium. 
  Plots
  1: The time has come to select a new Holy Philosopher 
  and the players are hired to escort one of the prospective 
  candidates (chosen for their knowledge of Merlna’s writings) 
  to Dral for the official selection ceremony. 
  2: One of the players (or a non-player character) is a 
  member of the faith, and is troubled by a recent event in their 
  personal life. The rest of the party accompanies the player to 
  Dral to seek guidance from the Holy Philosopher. 
  4. harmonianism 
  There exist two opposing forces, constantly in conflict with 
  each other, at every level of existence (the universe, nature 
  and every individual). This faith’s goal is to acknowledge 
  the existence of these forces and balance them within and 
  without. Achieving harmony in one’s life pushes one’s soul 
  closer to paradise. Followers believe in reincarnation; each 
  life is but a lesson to be learned on the path to achieving 
  harmony. When all the lessons have been learned, one’s 
  soul is truly in harmony with the universe, a perfect balance 
  of the two fundamental forces. That soul is then admitted 
  to paradise. Harmonians have a central priesthood which 
  holds the sacred texts of harmony. Only the priests have 
  gained enough harmony within their souls to understand 
  the texts and interpret them to the masses. Harmonians 
  usually live together in small communities and can be found 
  throughout charted space. 
  Referee
  As a result of their beliefs, followers of this faith may be found 
  acting on the side of what may traditionally be considered 
  evil, as this will support the achievement of a balance. This 
  religion may be found throughout the Imperium, with tens of 
  millions of followers; the followers can be quite enthusiastic 
  about their views, looking to recruit members of humanity. 
  Other sophonts such as the Aslan, K’Kree and Vargr are 
  looked upon unfavourably, as their nature is described as 
  inherently unbalanced by the sacred texts. 
  Plot
  1: A Harmonian priest hires the party to recover some of the 
  sacred texts of harmony recently stolen from their vaults. 
  The group will have to search the community, interacting 
  with Harmonian culture to find the culprit. Eventually it will 
  be discovered that it was a student of the priesthood who 
  stole the texts. Knowing the priests would never allow him 
  to view them, he stole them to try and read them for himself. 
  He is now keen to reveal to fellow students that, in fact, 
  anyone can understand the texts. The priests will argue that 
  this is a very superficial understanding but it might be more 
  convenient for them if the student were struck down for his 
  theft… 
  5. lords of liGht 
  The followers of the Lords of Light believe that light is the 
  good of existence, and that darkness is where evil hides. 
  Believers refuse to sleep in darkened rooms, and will never 
  voluntarily enter a dark area. The truly strong believers 
  think those who live around dim stars are consorting with 
  evil. Worshippers avoid dark clothing, and make pains to 
  keep everything brightly lit. Services are held in open, airy 
  churches, preferably with numerous skylights, every few 
  weeks. The incidence of services increases in the darker 
  seasons of the year on systems with noticeable seasonable 
  variations as the followers pray for their safe passage back 
  to the light. The faith’s churches are some of the most 
  beautiful in known space. 
  Referee
  Followers of this faith tend to be found near clusters of new, 
  brightly burning stars. The fear of darkness has lead many 
  researchers to believe that the religion must have started 
  out in a binary or trinary system where true darkness is 
  never found. Persistent rumours remain of a sect which is a 
  mirror image of this religion. 
  Plots
  1: When the characters attempt to deliver cargo to a Lord of 
  Light area, the presence of dark clothing or a dark vehicle 
  causes a very poor reaction by the locals. When they further 
  
  127
  discover that the cargo is painted/coloured black and not 
  white as they’d ordered, a quick response will be needed to 
  avoid a sticky situation. 
  2: The party comes across a good bargain for solar panels. 
  If they try and sell them in the Lords of Light area there will 
  be a very bad reaction because in addition to being dark, the 
  solar panels are believed to steal the light of the stars. 
  6. the restored Canon ChurCh 
  of sylea (rCCs) 
  Claiming the authority of a longrunning Terran religion, the 
  RCCS has become one of the most widespread religions of 
  the Third Imperium and Known Space. Holding to a strict 
  good versus evil philosophy, the RCCS is very conservative; 
  services are held in an ancient Terran language, and Church 
  doctrine seems quite restrictive on a wide range of subjects, 
  from marriage to salvation, having changed little since the 
  foundation of the RCCS in -535 by Bishop (later Pope) 
  Michael Enshuggrim. The RCCS admits alien races on a 
  case by case basis; very few races have applied. Authority 
  is vested in the Pope, who also carries the position of Baron. 
  Day to day authority lies mostly with the Archbishops who 
  oversee the Church on Imperial worlds. 
  Referee
  The RCCS often faces charges of being an unfeeling 
  machine, due to its restrictive, conservative doctrine. 
  However, it also supports and performs a great deal of charity 
  and disaster relief work. There has been occasional friction 
  with the Imperial Authorities, with the usually argument being 
  that the RCCS should keep from interfering with politics. The 
  RCCS will happily accept members and sends out missions 
  to recruit unbelievers. 
  Plots
  1: The party is hired to escort a Bishop to his new diocese on 
  a world just recently admitted to the Imperium. The Bishop 
  is beginning to have real doubts about some aspect of his 
  belief and will engage anyone nearby in angst-ridden debate 
  about the nature of truth and so on. Any out of the ordinary 
  event may push him into demanding the party return him to 
  his world of origin. 
  2: The characters obtain information on early church history 
  that could be very damaging. Part of a computer file they 
  buy in a cheap lot of Library Data tapes contains a text that 
  a knowledgeable scholar will confirm to be a non-canonical 
  text that paints a very poor picture of some noted early 
  church fathers and contains passages flatly contradicting an 
  already controversial precept of canon. 
  7. thammerites 
  Thammerites believe in Bartha rightness and Null-Bartha 
  wrongness. Disciples strive towards rightness as revealed 
  in 120 sacred texts - some ancient, some more recent. 
  Rightness might include fundamental physical laws of 
  the universe, moral issues, or quite arbitrary and minor 
  stipulations given in the texts. By striving towards Bartha, 
  followers avoid an eternity within the chaos of Null-Bartha 
  (and whether they spend eternity with Bartha depends on 
  how right they’ve been in their lives. With little in the way of 
  an organised hierarchy, Thammerites meet every 50 days 
  to discuss one of the 120 texts which they all have read in 
  the previous 50 days. Those considered most right lead the 
  discussions but any can contribute. Thammerites may be 
  found throughout the Imperium. 
  Referee
  The definition of right and wrong for this religion comes 
  from the close, subjective, readings of the sacred texts 
  - the interpretation of which may be swayed by a suitably 
  charismatic person. 
  Plots
  1: The party’s ship is considered right on a world where the 
  Thammerites have considerable power or influence. Crowds 
  will gather as close to the ship as the starport allows and will 
  hinder cargo handling and other port operations. The Port 
  Authority will claim to be neutral but will delay the ship for 1D 
  days on some pretext so that more people can see the ship. 
  Meanwhile the players will find themselves receiving the 
  close attentions of excited Thammerites, which may cause 
  discomfort. Careful exploitation of the situation may result in 
  the party gaining better prices, and their port fees may be 
  waived if the right believers are approached. 
  2: A situation the reverse of that above. Agitated and 
  distraught crowds gather, this time chanting ominously ‘Null-
  Bartha, Null-Bartha’. Again, the Port Authority will claim to be 
  neutral but will eventually ask the party to leave immediately 
  - before they can complete any cargo transactions. They will 
  be allowed to refuel (and may even do so at no cost if they 
  embarrass the port officials enough over their treatment or 
  threaten to bring the situation to the attention of the Imperial 
  Ministry of Justice). 
  
  128
  the divine spirit of the galaxy itself appeared to Sullivan and 
  told him to reveal the truth. Sullivan is a very charismatic 
  man whose almost hypnotically compelling voice has 
  convinced tens of thousands to join his faith. Prinslooians 
  can be easily recognised by their asymmetrical Vilani style 
  robes of indigo-died Terran cotton. They can be seen in 
  public places throughout the world. They will typically go 
  up to anyone they see and, with a face glazed over with 
  religious joy, say ‘Hello, would you like to hear about the one 
  true way to achieve all?’ 
  Referee
  Followers of Prinsloo give all their worldly goods to the faith. 
  They work sixty hours a week and pray and proselytise 
  thirty hours a week. Every aspect of their lives is controlled 
  by Sullivan who lives a decadent lifestyle supported by his 
  cultists. Sullivan founded the cult 25 years ago on a high 
  population world. It is estimated that there may be 50,000 
  followers, most of whom remain on the homeworld. 
  Plots
  1: A member of the ship’s crew does not report back to the 
  ship. This can be a non-player character or, if they are up to 
  playing it, a player. They do not respond to communicator 
  signals. When the party homes in on the communicator 
  signal they find it in a local pawn shop. The faithful player 
  brought all his remaining worldly goods here to sell. When 
  the party goes to the main temple they are not allowed in. 
  By shadowing the temple they can find their friend and 
  shipmate. When they do he is very eager to tell them about 
  the faith. Under the laws of this planet the characters cannot 
  do anything about his decision. Do they leave their friend or 
  kidnap and deprogram him? 
  2: A local man comes to the players for help after his wife 
  joined the cult, abandoning him and their young children. 
  He offers them his life savings (a modest sum) if they 
  can recover his wife. He claims that Sullivan is a powerful 
  psionicist who is using his powers to coerce his followers. 
  8. Prinsloo 
  Prinsloo is a syncretistic religion which is a mixture of Vilani 
  and Terran faiths. The founder, the Most Revered One Eneri 
  Sullivan, was a former NCO in the Planetary Army. Prinsloo 
  teaches that earlier faiths had an element of truth in them 
  but that the whole truth was never revealed anywhere until 
  
  129
  Interactive Monotheism is the belief in the existence of a 
  single deity, who takes an active interest in the daily actions 
  of followers. The deity may be omnipresent, omniscient or 
  use lesser agents to watch its followers and influence their 
  lives. 
  1. anG’rrok 
  Ang’rrok is the shaman of a primitive tribe on this world, 
  about whom many claims are made. Most relate the tale of 
  his many uses of supernatural powers to protect his people. 
  Of course, no rational citizen of the Imperium still believes 
  in magic. He preaches against the injustice of Imperial 
  Occupation. 
  Referee
  This religion may be found on any TL0-1 world, and will have 
  been founded in the last 30 years. Ang’rrok is a powerful 
  psionic, and has used his abilities to become a living god 
  to his followers. He is gathering followers, and has sworn 
  to drive the Imperials off his people’s land. How Ang’rrok’s 
  latent abilities became so powerful are a mystery, but he has 
  spoken of the cave of mad dreams and the One who waits. 
  Plots
  1: Ang’rrok leads his followers against the small Imperial 
  settlement on-world. The players are caught in the horde’s 
  attack. 
  2: The players are hired to investigate the existence of the 
  cave of mad dreams. They discover that there is such a 
  cave and it houses an Ancients computer site; the site is not 
  happy to be disturbed. 
  2. GaBreelism 
  Gabreelism has as its basis the beliefs of the Searchers 
  for the One Faith - its holiest writings were written by two 
  such Searchers - and incorporates its mission as part of 
  its structure. While it tends to be inclusive (and as a result 
  met much resistance from the remnants of the Solomani 
  Occupation Government after the Collapse) its adherents 
  hold very strong beliefs regarding the use of automation, 
  particularly artificial intelligence systems and robotics. Virus 
  to a Gabreelist is an evil, soul-less abomination that must be 
  destroyed regardless of whatever intentions are professed 
  by ‘it’ or its allies. Followers of Gabreelism recognise the 
  spiritual leadership of the Priestess of the Faith, a psionic 
  holy person who issues pronouncements on topics ranging 
  from proper behaviour to prophecies (actually psionic 
  visions) of the future. 
  Referee
  Traditionally, Gabreelism was founded by Gabree-el 
  Dahnara in Jerusalem on Terra (popularly known as Earth) 
  in the Imperial year 1132, the year that she gave her famous 
  Call to the Faithful speech. The New Terran Calendar uses 
  this year as year zero. 
  Plots
  1: The players are hired to provide transportation and 
  security for a group of Gabreelist priests who are attempting 
  to spread their faith to a world in the Wilds. Unknown to the 
  party or the priests, agents of a rival pocket empire, the 
  Dingir League, are already on the planet and are preparing 
  to cause trouble. 
  2: The players are hired by a Terran corporation to discover 
  who has been sabotaging the corporation’s efforts to salvage 
  an assembly line from an automated factory on Agidda. The 
  trail leads to an ultra-orthodox Gabreelist faction based out 
  of Prometheus. 
  3. disCiPles of the BriGht way 
  The Disciples believe that God dwells in jump space and 
  speaks to followers whilst travelling in jump. Views of 
  jump space are called the Face of the Deity and a secret 
  combination of drugs and meditation reduces the chance of 
  going mad when looking at the ever-shifting greyness of the 
  jump bubble. This knowledge is both secret and not entirely 
  effective. 
  Referee
  Most passenger and cargo lines refuse passage to the 
  Disciples, due to prior disconcerting experiences where 
  hatches and access ways have been opened to allow a 
  better path to God. Many are willing to pay large amounts 
  for any kind of passage except low, and will put up with 
  uncomfortable and cramped quarters. Some own their own 
  ships and offer passage to brave Travellers. Followers of the 
  Bright Way may be found throughout known space. 
  Plots
  1: A polite, well-dressed young man approaches the party 
  and asks them to deliver a large crate to the starport. He will 
  pay each member Cr. 1,000 for the delivery, on condition 
  that they do not open or examine the contents of the crate in 
  any way. If asked, the man will identify himself as a Disciple. 
  The crate contains four Disciples, who want to stow away on 
  board an interstellar ship. They are harmless, but completely 
  insane. 
  interaCtive monotheism
  
  130
  2: A similar crate is offered as above, but this time it contains 
  a small, home-made effort at a jump-drive with timer attached 
  to deliver a message to the divine being. The man will ask 
  the crew to jettison the crate outside the 100 diameter limit 
  but will not reveal why. In fact the jump drive will not function 
  but could cause a potentially dangerous explosion. 
  4. ChurCh of velis 
  The beliefs of the Church of Velis mirror more mainline 
  monotheistic religions. However, adherents of the Church 
  of Velis believe that he was a prophet of God, who through 
  his words (both spoken and lyrical) and his actions 
  provided Mankind with divine inspiration. Most followers 
  are concentrated in the Solomani Rim region, but can 
  also be found throughout the Third Imperium, Solomani 
  Confederation and elsewhere. 
  Referee
  This religion originated on Terra before the foundation of the 
  Rule of Man. The faithful credit the foundation of the Church 
  to Velis Repsley, a late 20th century Terran entertainer. The 
  actual foundations can be traced to a group of fans/religious 
  fanatics who founded the religion soon after his death. 
  Plots
  1: 
  The 
  players 
  must 
  investigate 
  the 
  mysterious 
  disappearance of several items of Velis memorabilia from a 
  museum on Terra. Several members of the Church of Velis 
  have been implicated in the disappearance. 
  2: The party are hired by a mysterious stranger to provide 
  him with transportation to a nearby world. All indications are 
  he is Velis (he is merely a Velis impersonator in reality). A 
  crowd of Church of Velis fanatics spot him and chaos ensues. 
  Alternatively, the party are hired by a wealthy Church of 
  Velis member to track down the mysterious stranger who 
  resembles Velis (and it really is him - the referee is free to 
  invent a nearly plausible explanation). 
  5. Caretakers of the anak’t 
  In the beginning, there was nothing. Then came the Anak’t, 
  building and maintaining all the material in the universe from 
  their own substance. So believe most of the members of 
  the minor race here. The Anak’t are a lizard-like animal who 
  build exotic structures in the same way that spiders build 
  webs - but these are large, solid and beautiful, like fairy tale 
  castle versions of termite nests. The Anak’t are rare, and 
  guarded zealously by the Caretakers - since they maintain 
  the fabric of the universe. 
  Referee
  This religion may be found on a single world inhabited by a 
  minor race with a medium or low population (7-), and a low 
  tech level (3-). The religion developed when the race was 
  young. 
  Plot
  1: The party have stopped at the port on the world where the 
  Caretakers are found, en route to another system. However, 
  the ship becomes infested with Anak’t building furiously, and 
  the authorities will not let them leave or kill the creatures. 
  Nor will they compensate them for the effective loss of their 
  ship (the players will be informed that they should consider 
  it a great honour)! 
  6. the travellinG ChurCh 
  The Travelling Church is made up of members who 
  occasionally take one or two year sabbaticals to travel the 
  space-lanes and promote their worship of T’uaslua. Fairly 
  ordinary citizens otherwise, whilst on their starfaring journeys 
  they are very likely to look for Travellers in need of help, 
  whom they will provide them with food, shelter, transport or 
  whatever might be required. The Travelling Church is only 
  concerned with humanity and no aliens would be included 
  in such largess. They will endeavour to help those in need 
  anonymously if at all possible but make sure that it is clear 
  that it is T’uaslua who has provided. Believers who are not 
  travelling meet informally in houses and arrange collections 
  and donations on a planetary basis to provide for any of 
  their members who are passing that way. There is no formal 
  organisation at a higher level. Some believers on higher tech 
  worlds have taken to meeting on grav platforms over a mile 
  above the planet’s surface, as this both brings them closer 
  to T’uaslua in his home amongst the stars, and advertises 
  T’uaslua’s presence. 
  Referee
  Followers of this faith may cause concern to down-at-luck 
  Travellers who will no doubt be suspicious of such unlooked-
  for charity! 
  Plots
  1: If the party are down on their luck, the human members 
  may be the recipients of a gift from T’uaslua. Attempts to 
  trace the donor will be difficult. If they succeed, the donor will 
  make strenuous and persistent conversion attempts on the 
  most receptive players. 
  2: In the starport, the party are approached by collectors 
  looking for donations to the Travelling Church. If they choose 
  to give any money, they may find their luck is good for a 
  month as a result of prayers said on their behalf (but not in 
  violent or illegal situations). The exact nature of luck is at the 
  referee’s discretion. 
  7. searChers for the one faith 
  This faith holds that all Terran religions are valid, each 
  being a different interpretation of the divine message. The 
  Searchers have established a massive computer database, 
  maintained on Home and Terra, where all religious scriptures, 
  teachings, and sayings are pooled. The Searchers hope that 
  when all Terran belief has been assembled and analysed, 
  
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  the message of the Divine Being will become evident. A 
  wide variety of beliefs regarding the nature of God and the 
  nature of worship can be found among Searcher members. 
  The Searchers do not recruit members from other sentient 
  species. Searchers can be found travelling throughout 
  Solomani and Imperial space, interviewing religious leaders 
  and amassing data. 
  Referee
  This religion was proposed by Dr. Myadus Lynne on Terra 
  during a conference on Solomani religious beliefs and 
  spirituality in 650 Imperial. The faith is generally restricted to 
  Solomani Confederation or former Solomani Sphere worlds. 
  Plots
  1: The players are hired to escort a prominent member of 
  the Searchers to a religious conference on Turin in the Alpha 
  Crucis sector to locate some caves, wherein it is claimed 
  there have appeared a series of writings of the One Being. 
  Given the caves are in the middle of a hazardous jungle this 
  is no easy task. It will take around 30 hours to record the 
  writings which are on every surface of the strangely smooth 
  cave walls. 
  2: The party are hired by a member of the Searchers who 
  believes he has found the key to locating a lost holy relic 
  which will give great insight into the message of the Divine 
  Being. Unfortunately the relic is in the possession of a 
  wealthy collector who refuses to let anyone examine it, and 
  the Searcher has concluded that the only way to obtain the 
  relic is to steal it. 
  8. onaara 
  Onaara (also nicknamed the Trader’s Creed, or a similar 
  phrase in several other languages) is a religion practised 
  almost exclusively by merchant starship crew members. 
  There is no central Onaara church; instead the faith 
  spreads by informal and very low-key recruitment of new 
  members by those already practising. Onaara consists of 
  a spiritual component (a personal deity who is an aspect 
  of the single god, Onaar), an ethical component (a rather 
  abstract commitment to service all sophonts), and a 
  physical component. The latter is a martial art called Onaar-
  asii (roughly translated as Onaar-concentration). Each 
  component is pursued with varying degrees of seriousness 
  by different adherents. The only organisational structure 
  associated with Onaara oversees tournaments in Onaar-
  asii, while also promoting the philosophy more or less as 
  a sideline. However, most adherents treat Onaar-asii more 
  as yoga-like body exercises than as a practical fighting skill. 
  Adherents taking Onaara’s spiritual side seriously will tend 
  to have a small altar or other sacred space for meditation. 
  This can be as unassuming as a small box which is pulled 
  out from under a bunk at need, containing a gemstone and 
  perhaps a candle for meditation. On ships where all or most 
  crew members practice Onaara, it is quite common to find a 
  more elaborate altar in one corner of the ready room. 
  Referee
  Curses based on Onaara are almost universal among 
  merchants, even those not practising the faith. Colourful 
  phrases featuring various parts of Onaar’s anatomy will often 
  be heard when something goes wrong aboard a merchant 
  vessel. The faith originated during the Long Night, when a 
  thin web of independent tramp merchants was all that held 
  the tatters of civilisation together. The details of its origin are 
  lost; numerous attempts have been made to tie the name 
  of its deity, Onaar, to some planetary culture, but so far no 
  convincing case has been made. 
  Plots
  1: A crew member or passenger on the same ship as the 
  players is a strong adherent of Onaara; during a jump, 
  another passenger discovers this, and is openly disparaging 
  of this crazy superstition, missing no opportunity to mock and 
  belittle the faith and its practitioners. The follower eventually 
  cracks and uses their martial arts to retaliate. The players 
  will gain the good will of one or perhaps even both sides if 
  they stop the fight and find a peaceful resolution. 
  2: The party are contracted to provide security for 
  contestants at a regional Onaar-asii competition; local 
  organised crime is suspected of having plans to rig the 
  competition in some way. This could include injuring or 
  killing competitors, bribing judges or the like, or could 
  simply be an unfounded rumour. 
  9. monastiC order of the 
  soldiers of God 
  Also known as the Chaplains, this religion is only open to 
  those of Solomani descent. They are a military monastic 
  order which traces its roots to ancient Sol. On the battlefield 
  they are very aggressive and militant. These battledress 
  wearing brothers inspire fear in all who meet them, especially 
  the battle-hardened Inquisitors of this order. 
  Referee
  Many atrocities are rumoured to be attributable to the Order, 
  but not within their hearing. They claim to be able to trace 
  their roots back to similar orders before the founding of the 
  Second Imperium, and to have ultimately been founded by 
  a Terran called Pietre. Fortunately (for their enemies), there 
  are less than ten thousand brothers in the Order, and they 
  are spread across several sectors. Their relationship with 
  the Church of Sylea and the RCCS is unknown. 
  Plots
  1: The party are hired to break someone out of prison on a 
  remote world. The price seems right. But no one told them 
  it was a Chaplain base. More surprises; the person they are 
  trying to break out turns out to be a Cardinal in the Church of 
  Sylea who was reported dead… 
  
  132
  2: The Chaplains are on a holy mission fighting heretics who 
  bombed one of their holdings without warning or reason. The 
  surviving Chaplains are in need of combat-trained veterans 
  immediately for assistance in retaliation/ investigation as 
  their closest holding is many parsecs away. The party are 
  hired for meagre pay, though they are promised eternal 
  reward in the life hereafter. However, the players learn too 
  much and discover hints of ancient technologies and even 
  older secrets that may shake the church and all of the 
  Imperium apart. What are these references to a Temple and 
  an Ark? 
  10. synaGoGue of the stars 
  Almost 6,000 years old at the time of Vilani contact with 
  Sol, this ancient religion has persevered through the most 
  daunting challenges, including determined efforts at their 
  extermination. Their longevity of a core system of faith 
  and beliefs has made them an item of interest to Vilani 
  religious scholars. Adapting to interstellar society was 
  difficult and required much rethinking of the Ta’alm-uad and 
  reinterpretation of the To’or-ah, but they have nonetheless 
  kept a coherent and identifiable culture and tradition. 
  Referee
  There are some who believe that the lost tribe (one of 
  thirteen sacred tribes) from Terra’s distant past, was actually 
  a Vilani offshoot that had contact with ancient Sol. The faith 
  is found throughout Solomani contacted space. 
  Plots
  1: The new crew member is working out well. But in the 
  middle of a crisis where his technical (or other) skills are 
  required, he says that it is a holy day and he can do no work, 
  in fact none at all for the next 24 hours. What to do? The 
  players may reason that he cannot actually do the work, but 
  can he talk about it? The party will need to find a way around 
  this problem! 
  2: Joshua’s coming of age party is coming up soon and his 
  father hires the party to make a quick run to a nearby system 
  to acquire a few tons of rare Gefeltefish for the celebration. 
  It should be a milk run with just enough time. But when the 
  ship develops a major drive fault, the players are in a spot. 
  If they do not get the cargo to the celebration on time, they’ll 
  lose more business than they can imagine because Joshua’s 
  father owns the largest trading company in this subsector 
  and can blackball the players at every local starport. 
  11. ChurCh of sylea 
  The Church of Sylea (later the Imperial Church of Sylea, and 
  later still, the Imperial Church) is another tool for the Third 
  Imperium’s expansion efforts. Where the Imperium cannot 
  go, missionaries can. Their dogma preaches the value of 
  unity of belief and political organisation. They are adept 
  at incorporating the beliefs of various faiths into their own, 
  thus attracting followers of all sorts. Worshippers include 
  Solomani, Vilani and Sylean alike. They use this diversity to 
  advantage in their missionary work. 
  Referee
  Vague rumours of an Inquisition surface from time to time, 
  but these have never been substantiated. Open criticism in 
  the Third Imperium is decidedly unwise. There is a degree of 
  friction with the RCCS, but both organisations may be found 
  working side by side. 
  Plots
  1: Father Sier Mar needs passage from the outof- the-way 
  world on which he finds himself. He is willing to pay a high 
  rate for passage to the closest major church holding. As the 
  party prepare to leave orbit, local authorities order them to 
  stand down. The players must decide whether to hand over 
  the Father to the locals, who are claiming he has stolen 
  RCCS documents. 
  2: The players deliver a cargo to a small planet they haven’t 
  been to before. As they are unloading, armed men in priest’s 
  robes appear and arrest them for heresy. Has the Church 
  created its own government on this planet? Or is someone 
  seeking to discredit the church by acting this way? 
  12. Canine time worshiPPers 
  Vargr beliefs are not generally well known to the other 
  sophont races, but there is at least one sect which worships 
  time. They pray for more time to allow them to fulfil their 
  dreams - their aims in life. Ceremonies are actually very 
  intricate with detailed readings, chants and discussions 
  of the nature of time and Vargr society. Unfortunately, this 
  intricacy may be lost on most of the other sophont races as 
  the services are often seen as rowdy Vargr behaviour with 
  much guttural growling, yelping and gambolling. 
  Referee
  As Vargr society can be chaotic, the aim of this faith is an 
  understandable desire, as members strive to resolve the 
  conflict of their chaotic society, against their aspirations. 
  Sometimes the only real outward sign of such a worshipper 
  is an outward obsession with time (many clocks, watches 
  and fascination with the time systems on different worlds). 
  Plot
  1: The party is given a contract to deliver goods to an 
  Imperial Research Station, which is raided by the Vargr while 
  they are there. Surprisingly, the Vargr are not interested in 
  the material things at the base, but rather the information 
  and opinions of the scientists and engineers. It turns out that 
  the Research Station is working on investigations into the 
  manipulation of time through jump technology. Of course, 
  
  133
  should the players find this out they may become targets 
  for Imperial Agents seeking to keep the knowledge of the 
  research secret. 
  13. oCd Cult 
  Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is recognised as a disease 
  entity, but members of this cult view their own OCD behaviour 
  as directions from a higher being. Thus they obtain positive 
  reinforcement every time they perform their highly repetitive 
  rituals, both during meetings with other members and at 
  home (for example, checking the life support power supply 
  multiple times every hour) and also when they are meeting 
  others and strangers (for example, shaking hands every 5 
  minutes). 
  Referee
  This is a very small cult, which is often not accepted by the 
  authorities. However, they do keep track of when meetings 
  occur, to allow them to check on their medical patients. 
  Plot
  1: The party arrives back at the starport to collect their 
  ship after some maintenance, and find that the work is not 
  ready. The foreman says that he just has a few things to 
  check and goes back to the engineering section. Checking 
  the paperwork while he is away will show that his has been 
  doing the same checks for the last three days, repeatedly. 
  He believes that his higher being is instructing him to keep 
  on checking this minor equipment until it is perfect, and will 
  make many excuses why he cannot hand the ship back to 
  the party. Without his signature, the ship cannot fly. The party 
  begins to discover why this repair company was available at 
  such short notice. 
  
  134
  Influential Monotheism is the belief in the existence of a 
  single deity, who only takes an active interest in the daily 
  actions of followers at key moments in their lives. The deity 
  may be omnipresent, omniscient or use lesser agents to 
  watch its followers and influence their lives. 
  1. the virtuous sons of 
  Creation 
  The Virtuous Sons (and Daughters) believe that you have 
  control over your own destiny - including the circumstances 
  in which you will be reincarnated. Thus, the poor and the 
  sick owe their condition to lack of faith and will. Believers 
  try to prove their worth, so charity is plentiful - but always 
  accompanied by a sermon. Equality is an evil concept, and 
  animal rights are irrelevant. Church authorities hold a tight 
  rein on the media. 
  Referee
  This faith developed on a world which suffered greatly 
  during the Long Night, under a religious dictatorship. Some 
  followers may be found off-world but most are still on the 
  original homeworld of the faith. 
  Plots
  1: War is brewing between the Virtuous Sons’ homeworld 
  and a strongly-egalitarian nearby world. Imperial diplomats 
  and the Imperial Navy have to intervene before things get out 
  of hand, but mercenary groups are sensing an opportunity 
  for profit... 
  2: The party are temporarily stranded in a Virtuous Sons’ 
  dominated area, and the local priest decides to use them 
  as examples of the results of weak faith. Denouncing 
  them publicly at every opportunity, the priest will make it 
  hard for the party to deal with any of the local populace. 
  The authorities will have little sympathy and if the party get 
  obstreperous life will become even harder. 
  2. dediCated servants of larrh 
  The Servants of Larrh are completely un-selfseeking and 
  will not take any paid employment. They are often found 
  as personal servants to a munta with whom they will stay 
  for life (their own or the munta’s); if forced to take a wage 
  they will donate it to their church. On the hour, every waking 
  hour, they promise in set prayers in an archaic language 
  to be dedicated to serving others and not themselves until 
  Larrh’s revelation. Once every two years they will make a 
  pilgrimage to the local capital in a ritual offering of service to 
  their government. The more authority the capital has vested 
  in it, the greater the devotion. 
  Referee
  Each servant believes that they will eventually have a 
  revelation from Larrh at which point they will follow his 
  instructions immediately and to the letter (whether it be to 
  gamble on the local lottery or join with Larrh and commit 
  suicide). 
  Plot
  1: A dedicated servant gets her revelation whilst in jump 
  space. She proclaims she is to join with Larrh and and there 
  may be hints about opening airlocks, crashing the ship or 
  anything else which might induce paranoia amongst the 
  other passengers or crew or party. In fact, all she is actually 
  going to do is quietly take poison in her stateroom. However, 
  the Servant’s munta insists that she must be kept alive 
  and may eventually admit that the Servant (who would be 
  disgraced if this were to be made public) is bearing his child. 
  3. the maChine God 
  The colony was set up at the height of the Rule of Man on 
  a very inhospitable world, a world rich in some very rare 
  minerals, thus justifying a sealed colony. This colony was to 
  be run by one of the most advanced expert systems know 
  to humanity at that time. The system ran the life support and 
  maintenance systems, was self-repairing, and was the life 
  of the colony. Without it all would eventually break down and 
  the people would die. As mining operations grew so did the 
  colony and eventually it became known as the City. Then 
  came the collapse of the Rule of Man and the onset of the 
  Long Night. Cut off from the outside world with little or no 
  hope of rescue, sealed on an inhospitable world, the people 
  in the City began to panic. Fear led to anger and anger led 
  to violence. Many died - administrators and scientists who 
  could not defend themselves were the first victims and many 
  more followed. The City slid into barbarism with the strong 
  ruling the weak. Then a madman tried to end it all by blowing 
  a hole in the dome. Thousands more died before the City 
  could repair itself and the by-now superstitious people 
  believed that the City had sent a warning. A prophet came 
  forward and preached that the City would bring disaster 
  and all would die unless they heeded its warning. This led 
  the people of the city to worship the City and the Machine 
  god that ran it all. They would offer up prayers for guidance, 
  for forgiveness and for thanks. The prophet himself was 
  influential monotheism
  
  135
  venerated as the Voice of the Machine and around him 
  formed a priesthood. They preached non-violence and used 
  the threat of ‘the Wrath of the Machine’ to dominate those 
  who would not co-operate. 
  Referee
  Millennia have passed and still the expert system continues 
  with the tasks that it was programmed to do, heedless of the 
  worship given to it by the people of the City and the priests 
  that manage them. Limited contact has been made with the 
  Imperium. 
  Plots
  1: After many centuries the expert system has begun to 
  fail and the City is dying. What could have caused God to 
  desert them? Is it the newcomers with their blasphemous 
  talk of computers and programs? Perhaps the players can 
  offer some way of repairing things before the locals decide 
  sacrificing the off-worlders might be a solution… 
  2: A fault has developed in the expert system such that it 
  initiates an evacuation procedure. All available personnel, 
  equipment, etc. are to be loaded aboard ships and taken 
  to a neighbouring world. The players may find good money 
  carrying cargo and passengers as ships are scarce here. 
  4. ChurCh of strenGth 
  The Supreme Being teaches his believers that their mortal 
  body must be a strong temple to receive immortality. The 
  teachings, related by the prophet Philippa Niets, declare that 
  the body gets stronger when intentionally pushed beyond 
  the pain barrier. Services tend to consist of mass fitness 
  sessions, where getting closer to the Supreme Being is best 
  served by getting as tired as possible. Groups jogging along 
  the streets try to recruit newcomers into the church. 
  Referee
  Severe mortification of the flesh leads to hallucinations, 
  compensatory endorphin secretion and a feeling of common 
  cause with fellow sufferers; this is mostly what binds the 
  church followers together. 
  Plot
  1: There are some within the church who take the fitness 
  regime to extremes. One such group believe that they must 
  prove themselves against others - they kidnap outsiders 
  and force them (on pain of death) to take part in violent and 
  ruthless contests of strength, dexterity and endurance. The 
  losers tend to die of their resulting exhaustion or injuries. 
  The players are hired by a concerned mother, whose fitness-
  fanatic son disappeared mysteriously a few days ago (he 
  was kidnapped for a contest and is now dead). 
  5. the God with the BiG Gun 
  Sometimes there is a need for a god. The comparative 
  anthropologists of the Imperial External Affairs Ministry 
  recognised that in the Imperial expansion it was difficult 
  to convert newly discovered planets from their existing 
  religions to a suitable Imperial credo. For the more primitive 
  worlds, the empire’s lack of a religious basis was perplexing. 
  In their minds these indestructible, fire-spitting, flying warrior 
  demons (marines in battledress) had beaten their own gods. 
  It was felt rather futile to tell them that there might be no 
  god or even an infinite number and that, relatively speaking, 
  we are just tiny specks of dead star dust whose actions are 
  irrelevant to the universe. Far better to reinforce their beliefs 
  in the invulnerable fire-spitting demons and encourage them 
  to transfer their allegiance to the new, all-powerful Imperial 
  god. 
  Referee
  Diplomats visiting newly acquired primitive Imperial worlds 
  are required to dress in godly dress, perform miracles (using 
  high technology) and ensure the locals revere an appropriate 
  composite idol. The more able locals are inducted into a 
  priesthood and are very gradually introduced to the reality 
  of the Imperium such that the world can begin to accept off-
  world visits and trade. 
  Plot
  1: An interdicted world, subject to the Gun God principle, 
  has become a slave world under an Imperial governor who 
  enjoyed the idea of being master of a whole planet of fearful, 
  awe-struck followers. An underling attempts to make this 
  known but is killed shortly after having passed his knowledge 
  to the players… 
  
  136
  Crisis Monotheism is the belief in the existence of a single 
  deity, who only takes an active interest in the actions of 
  followers at critical points in history. The deity may be 
  omnipresent, omniscient or use lesser agents to watch its 
  followers and influence their lives. 
  1. the way of Glory 
  The Way of Glory is increasingly popular among Imperial 
  soldiers, especially the Marines. Glorists believe that 
  combat is the ultimate expression of faith in God, and that 
  a good death in combat assures one of a favoured place 
  in the afterlife. Glorism is an informal religion, with groups 
  of believers congregating on an irregular basis. There is 
  no formal priesthood. Glorists believe that a great warrior’s 
  equipment can be imbued with his spirit, and pieces of a 
  hero’s equipment are often the centre of Glorist shrines. 
  Referee
  Glorist philosophy may result in units behaving in a 
  unexpected manner - holding a position when Imperial 
  doctrine (and indeed common sense) would suggest retreat, 
  for example. At its best this faith becomes a driver for an 
  honour culture within the military; at worst the unit’s culture 
  may develop an attitude not unlike barbarian warrior cultures 
  of Ancient Terra. 
  Plots
  1: The players are hired to retrieve the equipment of a 
  Marine who died in the Chanestin War. The patron has the 
  serial numbers for the bulk of the man’s gear. Some of the 
  marine’s gear will still be in service and obtaining it from 
  the military could prove tricky (though their record keeping 
  makes it easier to locate). The remainder may be tracked 
  down in surplus stores and so on which will be exceedingly 
  difficult and time consuming. The players will have to visit 
  several different worlds but the patron is willing to pay well. 
  It may not be possible to locate every last item but if the 
  they come close, the patron will get very excited. One of 
  the hardest items to recover will be an old laser rifle lost in 
  zero-G combat and now in its own orbit around a star! 
  2: A terminally ill Glorist has decided to make a bid for the 
  afterlife in the same place that the players happen to be. The 
  Glorist is heavily armed, and quite irrational. Too ill to pass a 
  medical to sign up even with a backwoods mercenary group, 
  the Glorist’s last vestiges of morality may just give the party 
  time to act before he starts a killing spree or taking hostages. 
  2. the maChinists’
  The Machinists (a nickname; they have no name for 
  themselves) believe sophonts are indebted to their Creator 
  for the flesh they are given. Nerve refusion technology 
  allows them to reduce the debt by replacing some of that 
  flesh with metal and plastic. The loan on the old flesh can 
  be transferred to those more willing to pay it. Machinists 
  are voluntary cyborgs, replacing fully-functional body parts 
  with prosthetics. Most of the cost is covered by the medical 
  purchase of their surplus flesh for transplants. At this TL the 
  bionics are no more capable than the original flesh - but at 
  least the only payment for them is in this life. 
  Referee
  Imperial culture is generally opposed to voluntary 
  replacement of human organs by cybernetic prosthetics - 
  as a result, the actions of the Machinists would be frowned 
  upon in many systems. The faith is only a half century old, 
  and is found on a TL11 industrial world. Very few members 
  are found off-world. 
  Plots
  1: A young child comes to the party seeking help. Her 
  Machinist parents intend to replace her eyes with prosthetics, 
  and she does not want this. 
  2: An anti-cyborg gang is terrorising Machinists who work in 
  the starport extrality zone, mugging them and smashing their 
  bionic parts. The authorities seem unwilling to get involved. 
  The party will become involved when a Machinist working in 
  a store they have used is set upon in front of them. 
  3. the Cult of one (monadin) 
  Monadin is the sole worshipper of god. God speaks only to 
  Monadin, preparing him for a crisis that will come. As god’s 
  only representative, all of Monadin’s actions reflect god’s will 
  and are part of his preparation for the Terror that comes. God 
  needs no other worshippers than Monadin for only Monadin 
  can avert the coming crisis. 
  Referee
  Most who encounter Monadin and learn of his beliefs (it’s 
  hard not to), believe he is mentally ill, but there are stories told 
  of a friend of a friend of a cousin of a guy who saw Monadin 
  save a starship in which the hull should have breached but 
  did not, thanks to Monadin’s praying. Are these miracles or 
  are they achieved with ultrahigh tech equipment? 
  Crisis monotheism
  
  137
  Plots
  1: Monadin comes to the party seeking passage aboard their 
  ship. He cannot say to where exactly or for how long. Rather 
  he tells them, albeit politely, that they will take him aboard 
  for as long as God wills. The players have heard the stories 
  about Monadin and are hesitant to dismiss him. In fact, they 
  cannot seem to resist him at all. Although they seem to have 
  complete control over themselves, they cannot actively 
  resist Monadin. Is he psionically forcing them to do as he 
  wishes, or is it a higher power? And what with all the strange 
  coincidences? (Any psionicists aboard cannot use any 
  precognitive powers or any telepathy powers on Monadin). 
  2: The party and Monadin are both on the same lightly 
  populated world. Monadin announces at the starport, and 
  anywhere else he can, that everyone must exit their buildings 
  and structures and remove all electronic objects from their 
  presence at noon three days from now, or face doom. The 
  players are asked to investigate what he is talking about by 
  the local authorities, because he’s stirring up a lot of trouble, 
  especially amongst the less educated. But what are they to 
  do when they find evidence that Monadin is right, especially 
  when that evidence is then destroyed? And is Monadin the 
  cause or the cure? 
  4. reliGious military order of 
  st. riCardo i, kinG of sylea 
  Generally open only to those of the Sylean minor race and 
  Sylean-born Vilani, this order is less sincere but more patient 
  than the Church of Sylea with which it is affiliated. Despite 
  this affiliation, it has a more moderate approach to daily living, 
  and focuses its attention on preparing for crises and trying 
  to diffuse them before they begin. Obviously influenced by 
  Sylean Vilani, they take a long-term view of events. There is 
  still an organisational preference for the pure-bred Sylean, 
  but Vilani are able to advance. The monks are sometimes 
  called Ricardos. 
  Referee
  The Order was founded by Mikal Kern, a former Colonel 
  under King Ricardo’s command during the Long Night. Most 
  of the Order may be found on Sylea, but small expeditionary 
  missions occasionally accompany larger missions of the 
  Church of Sylea. 
  Plots
  1: Popular entertainment has always had fictional stories 
  about another Cleon (or your favourite Third Imperium 
  Emperor); the Emperor’s New Clone, the Man in the 
  Crystaliron Mask, etc. But when best-selling author Coml 
  Tancy announced that he was going to begin researching 
  and writing a definitive treatment based on actual fact, public 
  anticipation grew because of the author’s uncanny ability to 
  accurately portray state secrets in his Imperial Navy series 
  of books. Now his publisher has tried to contact the reclusive 
  author to no avail. The deadline for his first draft has come 
  and past. He was last seen entering the grounds of the 
  Ricardos on Ton Vorn. The party are hired to find him or 
  his electronic manuscript and return it to the publisher for a 
  handsome reward. 
  2: Local meeting houses of the Ricardos have been being 
  bombed lately. And some of its undercover agents have 
  been assassinated. They hire the players as independent 
  agents to investigate who is behind these attacks. But who 
  should they go to when they discover that it appears the 
  order is attacking itself? 
  5. doomsayers ColleCtive 
  Woe, woe and thrice woe - these people have a taste for 
  apocalyptic prophecy and enjoy scaring themselves. They 
  also go out and try to scare others, both to hear themselves 
  talk and in a sincere attempt to alert the rest of the Galaxy 
  to the doom which approaches. This doom is not a plague 
  or a sudden snap collapse to a singularity; it is generally 
  the return of a massive Power which will rearrange worlds 
  in accordance with the goodness of their inhabitants. Of 
  course this means that the Doomsayers fear for much of 
  the Imperium. Most Doomsayers offer a rapidly approaching 
  date for this visitation. Usually the date is quite immediate, 
  next Tuesday or on the birth of a new child. 
  Referee
  The Doomsayers are entirely unabashed by all their failures 
  to accurately predict the Change so far. Usually, they claim 
  they knew the Change was less imminent than they had 
  indicated, but that they felt it better to shock their audience 
  into a realisation of the dangers. 
  Plot
  1: One of the players is harassed by a doomsayer whilst 
  at the starport; this will not stop unless they repent or they 
  get security to remove the offending preacher. After the date 
  that they were told that the Visitation was due, they receive 
  a visit from some local thugs about an invoice. Apparently, 
  the doomsayer is invoicing them because of the actions that 
  they had to take to save the world in the face of the player’s 
  intransigence. The thugs are friends of the doomsayer who 
  have decided to help them out. 
  6. the heralds of lamarCkian 
  seleCtion 
  This small, thinly spread and highly mobile organisation is a 
  driven body of people who object to the philosophy of doing 
  good. Charity, they claim, is against all the godly principles 
  of natural selection: adapt or die! Heralds travel widely, 
  attempting to sell their idea of the need for courage in the face 
  of adversity, the undesirability of humanitarian intervention 
  and the moral taint gained by relying on other people. They 
  
  138
  are sometimes criticised for accepting sponsorship but claim 
  that this is a necessity to support their proselytism. 
  Referee
  The Heralds gain a great deal of sponsorship from companies 
  and nobles who wish to maintain starvation wages, keep 
  enslaved natives under the thumb, etc. 
  Plot
  1: A local megacorporation boss is relying upon low wages 
  at a production plant on this relatively primitive world. At least 
  one religious group has arrived to bring charity to the under-
  privileged but the boss has brought in the Heralds to counter 
  them. The players are hired to bring in charity supplies but 
  are then discouraged from unloading at the starport by the 
  Heralds (who will, if necessary, attempt to bribe the players 
  to destroy or take away the cargo). If the players learn of the 
  slavery they must decide whether to intervene. 
  7. nouV
  A self-consciously purist revision of the other attempts to 
  discover a scientific basis for faith, nouV (pronounced ‘nees’) 
  is a return to the basis of anthropopsychic cosmology and 
  the mighty brain of that intellectual giant Anaxagoras of 
  Clazomenae (500-428 BC). Anaxagoras preferred to explain 
  the bits of cosmology which were beyond his knowledge - 
  and there were lots - by saying that a first cause nouV 
  (‘mind’) did it. nouV is described as a big whirly thing which 
  separated out chaos into the elements. Most of Anaxagoras’ 
  writings are lost, but nouV argues there a still a lot of whirly 
  things out there: galaxies are whirly, black holes are whirly, 
  tap water’s whirly and you cannot get whirlier than a hot tub. 
  Referee
  Followers of this religion undertake many experiments with 
  whirly things to try to get closer to god. This ranges from 
  computer studies of the mathematics of turbulence around 
  plugholes to various attempts to reach god (generally 
  involving a spinning spacecraft diving into a spinning sun, 
  or some such). 
  Plot
  1: Having met several nouV scientists (perhaps passengers 
  on the players’ ship) the players are hired as lab rats for 
  a whirly experiment. They will be accelerated in a huge 
  spinning bullet around a 50 km diameter magnetic rifle. 
  Apart from the hideous strain imposed upon them, they may 
  find some strange side effects (temporary glimpses of the 
  future, short periods of psionic ability, etc.). 
  
  139
  Remote Monotheism is the belief in the existence of a 
  single deity, who intervenes only very rarely in the affairs 
  of mortals. The deity may be omnipresent, omniscient or 
  use lesser agents to interact with mortals but is either busy 
  elsewhere (with other godly projects) or restrained in some 
  manner from frequent intervention. 
  1. Chronst seCt 
  The Chronst Sect is exclusively male and follows strict rules 
  given in the writings of their long-dead founder, Chronst. 
  Monks of the Chronst Sect are extremely devout in their 
  worship of the Great One. Their assured superiority makes 
  outsiders see them as very arrogant, a charge which is not 
  unfounded. Chronst left several (actually very dull) books 
  which the monks jealously guard from outside eyes. Some 
  describe the Great One and his fabulous surroundings; 
  some record Chronst’s lectures and travels; and some give 
  Chronst’s Rule for Living which details how believers should 
  conduct themselves and dress (dark blue culottes and a 
  light blue shirt). 
  Referee
  One of the Rules includes the manual copying of the tomes. 
  Every additional copy has been hand-written at TL8- or re-
  keyed into memory letter by letter at TL9+, which gives them 
  great worth to followers of this faith. The Chronst Sect do not 
  believe the Great One will ever intervene in the affairs of the 
  universe except one day to resurrect Chronst to live as an 
  eternal amongst his faithful. Chronst died a millennium ago, 
  and there are only a few thousand members in the entire 
  Imperium. 
  Plot
  1: Believers charter the players’ ship. One of them will go 
  into a trance for several hours and then claim to be the 
  resurrected Chronst. The others will worship this passenger 
  with incredible awe and reverence (and point to various signs 
  in the writings that confirm the claim). If the party perform 
  any checks, they discover that the erstwhile immortal is a 
  known con-artist and has been previously jailed for fraud. 
  Convincing the Sect members of this will be difficult; the 
  players may instead choose to manipulate the situation to 
  their advantage. 
  2. Chaftlifl 
  Believing in their God, Stek, Zhodani followers of Chaftlifl 
  (or the Place) look forward to a glorious eternal future when 
  they will finally be able to interact with their God. During 
  their lives they have a fairly hedonistic outlook which is 
  their preparation for this wonderful afterlife of plenty and 
  happiness. Followers of Chaftlifl hold in very high regard 
  those who have walked with Stek. These are very unusual 
  occasions when followers have had a unique vision. 
  Referee
  Some followers of Chaftlifl have apparently predicted the 
  future remarkable accurately. Curiously, no Zhodani with 
  any psionic ability has ever experienced this phenomenon. 
  Followers of this faith may be found in concentrated in 
  regions through Zhodani Space. The faith was founded 
  around -3899 Imperial, a century or so after the first Zhodani 
  Core Expedition. 
  Plots
  1: The party are travelling in a ship near Zhodani space 
  and may encounter some followers of Chaftlifl. They may 
  stumble upon, or even be invited to, one of their parties. This 
  will be quite a wild affair and any non-Chaftlifl Zhodani will 
  be appalled at the licentiousness. However, it will be a good 
  opportunity to meet all kinds of people. 
  2: A Chaftlifl follower has a vision of the party meeting 
  an untimely and violent end in a year’s time. While the 
  description is very clear, details are lacking that would make 
  it possible to avoid the situation entirely. Whether this is just 
  a dream or a real (perhaps somehow psionically induced) 
  vision of what is to be will be up to the referee to decide in 
  a year’s time. 
  3. the Called to terra
  The Called to Terra believe that their god has specifically 
  selected them to work toward the building of a unified and 
  co-operative society of all sophonts that can ultimately trace 
  their species’ origins to Terra. They view society as a tool 
  of co-operation, and work to ensure that no society under 
  their influence allows what they consider abuses or non 
  co-operation. Followers are encouraged to visit the group’s 
  museum and archives on Terra at least once in their lives, to 
  see records of graphic examples of what they are working 
  against, and to learn of the work of individuals who have 
  inspired the group. 
  Referee
  The overall organisation exists to promote the sharing of 
  ideas and resources; most of the power and direction is in 
  the hands of the ad-hoc local groups working towards the 
  ultimate goal. Local groups have occasional conventions to 
  share ideas and results, to debate and decide the meaning 
  remote monotheism
  
  140
  of abuses and non co-operation, and discuss the best ways 
  to achieve the organisation’s goals. Membership is open 
  to any sophont of ultimately Terran origin; this includes all 
  humans (both major and minor branches), Vargr, uplifted 
  Dolphins, simians, and so on. Non- Terran races are not 
  shunned, though they can never be Called; sophonts of non-
  Terran origin are welcome to live within the society provided 
  that they accept the values and modes of the Terrans, and 
  make no attempt to impose their own values and modes 
  upon those societies. The Called are prevalent in the area 
  nearest Terra, but can be found throughout charted space, 
  wherever Terran races can be found. 
  Plots
  1: The ideals of the Called do not prevent pro-Terran bigotry 
  from developing in their members; some perceive non-
  Terran races as less than fully sophont, or as unworthy of 
  the respect due sophonts of Terran origin. A local group 
  of the Called has recently become active on a planet with 
  mutually hostile human and Droyne communities; the 
  Droyne community has resources unavailable to the human 
  community, but which the Called believe are essential to 
  the human community. They will hire the party to assist in a 
  clandestine raid to confiscate the resources. If discovered, 
  the raid is likely to provoke open warfare between the 
  species. 
  2: As above but an informer has told moderates within the 
  human government about the planned raid, and they have 
  approached the players to prevent the raid, preferably after 
  it has reached Droyne territory and in a public manner to 
  prove co-operation is possible between sophonts. 
  3: A group of the Called wishes to charter the party’s ship to go 
  to Terra from a planet near Sylea. They are willing (and able) 
  to pay the equivalent of High Passage rates for Mid Passage 
  accommodation, plus standard freight rates for their stowed 
  goods (approximately 1 ton per person). They have plotted 
  a route to Terra (fuel availability is virtually guaranteed, if the 
  party’s ship can refine unrefined fuel, as all systems have at 
  least one gas giant). They will pay 10% of the total cost up 
  front in Imperial Credits, with the remainder payable in gold 
  upon arrival at Terra. En route, they will attempt to recruit 
  members but will be jailed on one planet (more than halfway 
  to Terra) where proselytism is illegal. The sentence is ten 
  local years with no parole. The others insist that the party 
  must help release the jailed members, or they will forfeit the 
  remainder of the payment. 
  4. the united way 
  The United Way is successful because it appeals to people’s 
  laziness - there is little that worshippers have to do. The 
  main practical tenet is that the greater percentage of your 
  worth you donate to the church, the better your position in 
  the afterlife. In theory it is entirely up to the individual how far 
  to take this, but social pressures are strong. Also in theory, 
  there are no taxes - but vendors on the homeworld helpfully 
  add a hefty donation surcharge to their prices which is 
  passed on to the government. 
  Referee
  People who do not wish to pay can go before a public 
  meeting to obtain an exemption - their names and faces 
  will then be prominently displayed in the Non-Contributors 
  Index. The United Way has spread throughout the subsector. 
  The homeworld population accounts for a little over half its 
  adherents. The faith developed from a religious dictatorship 
  on the homeworld during the collapse of the Rule of Man. 
  Plots
  1: A frightened, wealthy individual approaches the party 
  seeking protection and a way off-planet. Claiming to be 
  a businessman fleeing an assassin hired by rivals, he is 
  actually a corrupt church official who has been lining his 
  own pockets with money from donations and has just been 
  uncovered. 
  2: A region of the homeworld has declared that services 
  provided by the government are giving things back, and harm 
  the long-term prospects of the faithful. They are destroying 
  roads and refusing all services that are wholly or partially 
  government-funded. The church asks for unpaid volunteers 
  to help out, since all official efforts are being sabotaged. 
  5. monastiC order of st. marC 
  This fraternity is concerned with the gathering of knowledge 
  and are sometimes known as Marcers - pronounced 
  markers and meaning marked ones. Though relatively 
  few in number they can be found throughout the Imperial 
  fringes, especially where there is evidence of the Ancients. 
  These monks should be considered essentially evangelistic 
  scholars. They can occasionally be found serving aboard 
  Scout vessels. 
  Referee
  Although the preservation of knowledge is very important 
  to the Marcers, investigation and education are where 
  they are more commonly encountered, either exploring 
  an archaeological find, or teaching low-tech populations. 
  The Order was founded by a group of scholars inspired by 
  the work of St. Marc, who received permission from King 
  Ricardo to maintain a great library on Ton Vorn to preserve 
  knowledge and learning. As the Imperium ages and becomes 
  more decadent, the numbers entering the order fall, and it 
  never exceeds ten thousand members. 
  
  141
  Plots
  1: The party encounter Brother Oldewen on a low-tech 
  world. Assigned to the planet to educate, as well as explore 
  for ancient knowledge, he has become troubled and spends 
  his days drinking himself into a coma in the local starport 
  bar. He has stumbled onto something, ‘a great evil,’ he 
  says if prodded. He wants to leave the planet, and will do 
  anything to leave in a hurry. The players are his ticket off-
  world. Will they help the monk off-world, or investigate what 
  has scared him to the root of his being - he seems afraid of 
  the children he was teaching (they have been subjected to 
  covert geneering).
  2: Marcers hire the party to take them to a wellknown, heavily 
  explored but barren world that has a popular gas giant fuel 
  depot. They bring aboard a lot of equipment that they will not 
  let the crew see (religious artefacts, they say). Everything 
  seems to be fine until the Marcers are transported to the 
  surface. As soon as the Marcers set up their camp, things 
  start going haywire. The ship’s main system’s go off line 
  and it cannot escape orbit or communicate with anyone 
  in the system. Even weapons are off line, for no apparent 
  reason. Transport between the ship in orbit and the surface 
  is possible though. Is it the Marcers (they are experimenting 
  with various electromagnetic fields enhanced by the rock 
  structures within this planet)?
  6. Binay aBrim 
  The Binay Abrim claim to be one of the oldest continually 
  practised Terran religions. The Binay Abrim god, who is 
  never named, is viewed as a stern and demanding god, but 
  one who does not often interfere directly in human affairs, 
  although certain covenants are said to have been made 
  with humanity. The righteous live according to a complex 
  set of laws set forth in holy texts, but a greater importance 
  is given to living according to high standards of ethics and 
  morals. There is some ritual observance, generally on a 
  weekly basis. Special academies are established for study 
  of scripture; there is much debate about the meaning of 
  various passages, and students and teachers alike argue 
  various points of view, often with the skill and rigour generally 
  expected of legal experts. A respect for education is a major 
  part of the ethical framework of the religion; most Binay 
  Abrim will be found in professional positions, most notably 
  medicine, law, and finance. 
  Referee
  Binay Abrim do not actively solicit converts, neither do they 
  actively discourage them, although conversion involves a 
  course of intensive study prior to ritual admission into the 
  religious community. The Binay Abrim are found throughout 
  the area of Terran colonisation or administration. The more 
  righteous of the Binay Abrim often live in communities 
  separate from the mainstream of the planet’s society, and 
  even the least righteous set themselves apart by their 
  religious practices. They are therefore easy targets for anger 
  when there are poor economic conditions, when epidemics 
  strike, or when governments become oppressive. 
  Plot
  1: The party are approached by persecuted Binay Abrim for 
  passage off-planet at premium rates for low passage. The 
  local government, however, demands they be turned over 
  to them for crimes against the State and the People. The 
  starport administration will suggest to the Players that the 
  decision is theirs, but that the charges are probably trumped 
  up - just an excuse for persecution. Note that once a person 
  is designated a bona-fide passenger, or is an employed 
  staff member or ship crew member, the starport covenant 
  requires the Port Authority to protect them within its confines. 
  Local news feed will report many arrests and murders of 
  Binay Abrim; one feed will be cut off in the middle of a report 
  of an organised massacre, and replaced by a continuously 
  repeating message that the feed is off-line due to State 
  Security issues. If the party grant passage, and word of this 
  gets out, they will be besieged by large numbers of Binay 
  Abrim all seeking passage, offering varying compensation, 
  from premium prices for steerage to nothing at all (pleading 
  for the players’ mercy). The longer the ship remains, the 
  larger the crowds will be, and the more desperate offers they 
  will hear. 
  7. the dark ray PeoPle 
  Followers believe that all worlds are born from the all-
  powerful dark matter goddess Enam who gives all beings 
  life by shooting invisible rays at that being at birth. The 
  religion is spread throughout the Imperium and Solomani 
  Confederation, having originated in Dark Nebula sector 
  during the Rule of Man. The primary belief is that it is 
  important for all sophonts to stay alive to guard their life 
  force for as long as possible. This is because the life force 
  is a gift from Enam. 
  Referee
  This religion was not favoured in the Imperium during the 
  initial expansion from the bounds of the Sylean Federation, 
  as many worshippers were opposed to the use of military 
  power and the cost in lives of expanding the Imperium. 
  Followers will vigorously attempt to prevent anyone from 
  risking their lives because of their beliefs. They are often 
  perceived as a pacifist organisation although this is not 
  strictly true. 
  
  142
  Plots
  1: During the reign of the Third Emperor, Artemsus, the party is 
  recruited for an intelligence agency plot in conjunction with the 
  Church of Sylea. They are to infiltrate the Dark Ray People to 
  discover if they are truly anti-Imperial. If they are just ‘misguided’ 
  they are to be encouraged to stop condemning the Imperium’s 
  use of force. This will place the worshippers in a dilemma - 
  whose life is more important? The non-believing millions, or the 
  lives of those that worship Enam? 
  2: The party obtains a military cargo contract, and soon after 
  their ship is picketed by a group of Dark Ray People who set 
  up a camp outside the docking bay to elicit support against 
  the material expansionism of the Imperium. The players 
  need to find a non-violent way to bring their cargo through, 
  and may have to restrain the Imperial Marines assigned to 
  escort the delivery. 
  
  143
  Deism is the belief that a single god created the entire 
  universe but thereafter has taken no part in mortal affairs. 
  Followers cannot interact with, or expect intervention by, 
  such a god. 
  1. the Caretakers 
  The Caretakers believe that God created the universe, and 
  then left his children, the sophont races, to be the caretakers 
  of creation. Therefore, it is the duty of all to show goodwill 
  to each other and make the universe a better place for 
  each successive generation. Once a year each caretaker 
  is required to give some portion of their wealth to some 
  charitable organisation, or give some service to those less 
  fortunate. 
  Referee
  Followers of this faith often spend much time deciding upon 
  what the correct form of their duty should take each year. 
  Members of this faith are found throughout known space. 
  Plot
  1: The party are hired to transport a care package to an 
  under-developed world within the Imperium. Instructions 
  are explicit as to where and how the care package is to 
  be delivered. En route the ship is attacked by pirates or 
  hijacked. The cargo is stolen and the patron demands it 
  be recovered. It is very clear that for the patron everything 
  hangs on the successful delivery of this cargo; they become 
  almost fanatical about retrieving it from the assailants. 
  2. kynos 
  Kynos means reality-truth or logic. Most adherents believe 
  that they have a personal sense of the existence of a deistic 
  creator who still cares for creation, though cannot affect it. 
  The highest calling one may have in life is to search for the 
  truth (in the scientific sense) and then give it away to any 
  who request it. An adjunct to the most effective pursuit of this 
  goal is to embrace the sub-philosophy of Yillnaldy, meaning 
  the mastery of passion. This is a philosophy rather than 
  a specific devotion; ideally, an adherent will live his entire 
  life according to it. This generally involves the eschewing 
  of most expression of emotion; an extreme form - reaving 
  - involves training and seclusion aimed at completely 
  eliminating emotional response. There is no organisation 
  except among those who seek the extreme of reaving; the 
  nearest equivalent to scripture is the writings of the original 
  explicator of the philosophy on various subjects supposedly 
  exemplifying the philosophy. 
  Referee
  The pursuit of the answer to philosophical questions is 
  considered part of scientific truth, and is encouraged, but 
  not to any greater or lesser extent than questions that can 
  be tested by experiment. Missionary activity is, in practice, 
  limited to encouraging others to seek scientific truth, and to 
  promote the sharing of knowledge, but always argued on a 
  rational basis rather than a philosophical one. This belief is 
  found throughout the Imperium, in moderately high numbers. 
  Plots
  1: Yillnaldy is not universal even among practitioners of 
  Kynos. One young researcher has become convinced that 
  an Imperial Research Station is withholding information that 
  could lead to better jump drives, and wants the information 
  made public (the researcher is incorrect; although the 
  research station is in fact doing jump research, there 
  is currently no useful information that has not already 
  been revealed). A background check will reveal that the 
  researcher worked at the Research Station until the previous 
  year. Deeper investigation shows they were discharged 
  for psychological instability resulting from jump space 
  exposure. The researcher will provide information on the 
  layout, several (expired) computer access codes, and a list 
  of files and documents, and will ask the party to obtain the 
  files and documents and turn them over for publication. If 
  pressed long and hard enough, the researcher may be able 
  to scrape up Cr. 25,000, payable on delivery. 
  2: An independent research facility has discovered 
  something that the local authorities wish to keep under 
  wraps. As the leader of the research team is a Kynos 
  practitioner, the authorities know he will attempt to publish 
  the information. They do not know the ultimate source of 
  the publication, although they do know one of the couriers 
  that will be involved in transporting the information. They 
  will approach the party to capture the courier or otherwise 
  prevent publication of the research. 
  3. Beyond the limits of sPaCe 
  and time 
  This faith developed amongst the Scientific community 
  of the Rule of Man and was even popular amongst Vilani 
  researchers freed from the constraints of the caste system 
  of the Ziru Sirka. Followers of this faith accept scientific 
  theories of cosmology to a point - they believe that the 
  singularity which exploded in the Big Bang was formed by a 
  supreme being, a being which is now beyond the confines of 
  the universe, looking in on its creation. Believers are strong 
  deism
  
  144
  proponents of research into deep space sensor systems in 
  an attempt to see the light from the earliest moments of the 
  universe, the point at which the Big Bang happened. They 
  believe that if they can see the moment of the creation of 
  the universe they will see the Supreme Being, and achieve 
  deeper understanding of the ways of the cosmos (the first 
  light is claimed to have been well-researched already, but 
  the followers of this faith believe there is always more to 
  discover). 
  Referee
  Followers of this belief are often found in astrophysics 
  research programmes, particularly those run by the 
  Imperium. Others have departed with the Solomani 
  Confederation’s Expeditions Rimward. Although low in 
  numbers, and somewhat academic in nature, followers may 
  be found throughout the Imperium. 
  Plots
  1: The party is approached by a researcher from Beyond 
  who offers them significant payment if they will cross the 
  border into Zhodani space to discover the purpose of the 
  expeditions they have been staging to Coreward. The 
  researcher does not reveal his sources, and understates 
  the danger of the mission which will require a raid on the 
  Zhodani University on Chronor/Spinward Marches. 
  2: The party has been earning good money deploying deep 
  space research satellites for a group of the Beyond in empty 
  space. These data from these satellites is being collated 
  and synthesised to effectively provide a massive sensor 
  array, seeing farther than anything before. Returning to a 
  previously visited system the players discover the scientific 
  team they left there has disappeared and no one is talking. 
  They may discover that a number of Imperial Marines were 
  seen in the University the night before the team disappeared. 
  If one of the characters checks their mail they will find an 
  unmarked envelope with the payment and a note asking the 
  character to contact one of his colleagues, and tell them to 
  ‘look carefully into Longbow’. 
  4. the aslan shrine of heroes 
  Most Aslan believe that the universe did not just happen but 
  was created. The Creator, for want of a better term, used It’s 
  very essence to create. It became the stars, the planets, the 
  seas and land. It became the prehistoric jungles in which 
  the race was birthed and It became the plains on which they 
  developed. But most importantly It became life. All living 
  creatures and all things are made from It’s form. Thus the 
  idea of worshipping god is ludicrous. How can you pray to 
  a creator that has given up Its very essence to become the 
  universe? It no longer exists in a way that can be understood. 
  As an Aslan grows it is taught that it is not just an individual 
  but part of a family, a pride, a clan. Its actions do not just 
  reflect upon its own honour but that of all those Aslan that 
  have gone before and all those that will come after. This can 
  be a very heavy burden for a young Aslan to bear and so 
  they seek guidance. As the Creator no longer exists, they 
  must find that guidance from other sources. Most revere 
  those Ancestors that have been true to Aslan ways, mighty 
  heroes of Gun and Claw, cunning diplomats, wily traders 
  and the sharpest minds of the Aslan race. They carry items 
  that remind them of the Ancestors that have made their 
  mark on the family, pride and clan. These objects are the 
  Aslan’s personal Shrine of Heroes. Obviously the sexes 
  have different ideas about what qualities should be revered. 
  A male Aslan’s personal shrine would include objects that 
  symbolise the great warriors from his family, a Trohk retelling 
  of great deeds, an image of a powerful duellist or a plate 
  with the names of great battles inscribed upon it. Whereas 
  a female Aslan’s personal shrine may well be the writings 
  of a famous scientist, a lock of mane from the administrator 
  of a great estate or any thing that reminds them of those 
  Ancestors that epitomise that which they wish to become. 
  The shrine can also have a darker purpose; it may also 
  contain items that remind them of that which is not Aslan. 
  Reminders of cowards and cheats, of liars and those without 
  honour. It is a great fear of many Aslan that their name will 
  not be remembered for their honourable actions but instead 
  for their dishonourable deeds. 
  Referee
  The Shrine of Heroes is not just a personal affair. Each 
  family, no matter how small, will have a Shrine dedicated to 
  those who have gone before and those that have given the 
  family its honour. Each pride will also have a Shrine and the 
  Shrines of the greatest clans are extremely ornate, perhaps 
  containing the armour of a great warrior or the complete 
  works of a renowned scientist. But be warned: one of the 
  greatest insults you can make to an Aslan is to insult his 
  Shrine and the duel you will find yourself in will not be to 
  first blood. 
  Plots
  1: An item has been stolen from an Aslan shrine and taken 
  into human space. The Aslan are hunting for it and beware 
  any that come into possession of it. 
  2: An entire Aslan starship was lost when its new power 
  plant exploded - just a few days after its installation by an 
  Aslan engineer. The latter fears her apparent incompetence 
  will bring great dishonour upon her clan shrine unless she 
  can prove the power plant itself was faulty. She will hire the 
  players to help research the design and the suppliers to help 
  prove her case. 
  
  145
  5. PansPermism 
  Life is incredibly widespread. Most people take this for 
  granted, but biologists still debate why most lifeforms are so 
  similar. For example, transplanted humans faced incredible 
  difficulties surviving in the alien ecosystem of Vland, yet they 
  not only survived but prospered: the biochemistry of Vland 
  and most other worlds is remarkably similar. Panspermia is 
  one explanation. Panspermists hold that life originated in only 
  a few locations; some say only once. The building blocks of 
  life, such as amino acids, then spread from world to world like 
  an unopposed infection racing through the universe. Life is 
  similar on so many worlds because it evolved from common 
  building blocks. Finds of amino acids and RNA fragments in 
  the Oort cloud and interstellar space have proved that this 
  is a scientific possibility. Some individuals, both scientists 
  and lay people, have made Panspermia the philosophical 
  foundation of their lives. Taking proof of possibility as proof of 
  occurrence, they attribute mythic significance to discovering 
  the original locus from which all life spread. 
  Referee
  The forms of Panspermia are virtually endless, linked 
  only by the quest for the Ultimate Beginning: cladistic 
  analysis performed on vast genetic databases, deep probe 
  expeditions to sample interstellar dust clouds, comparative 
  study of creation mythologies, even seances with spirits of 
  the Elder Race. For some this is an eccentric obsession, 
  for others it is the justification for every action they take. 
  Reverence for all life, extermination campaigns against 
  cladistic outliers, charismatics and con-men: Panspermism 
  has seen them all. 
  Plots
  1: The party have been chartered by a group of Panspermists 
  to sample deep space or an Oort cloud. Coping with 
  equipment failure so far from normal support would make an 
  unusual Man against Nature adventure. Discovery of helium-
  based life offers opportunities for fame and fortune, despair 
  and disillusionment. The Panspermists may welcome the 
  discovery for the information, or they may seek to suppress 
  it because it contradicts their particular belief structure. 
  2: The characters meet a group of Panspermists fleeing 
  persecution for their religious beliefs. They believe that all life 
  is sacred, and thus oppose any military action. This is being 
  viewed as treason by their government, which is currently 
  involved in a bitter war. To further complicate matters, the 
  enemy is truly horrific - savage, ruthless and murderous. If 
  run as a simple snatch-and-rescue adventure, this would 
  waste the opportunities for philosophical discussion. If 
  you wish, you can have fun as the players talk with the 
  Panspermists during lulls in the action. A Road to Damascus 
  conversion is unlikely but some role-playing groups delight 
  in such chances; others would likely kill any character struck 
  by an attack of conscience during a firefight!
  3: The players are caught up in a religious massacre on a 
  Panspermist-dominated world. The trouble starts with subtle 
  discrimination and moves on to harassment and persecution 
  of those considered genetically unacceptable. To complicate 
  matters, the genetic make up of some players causes them to 
  be regarded as cladistic outliers and thus subject to cleansing 
  (death). The players have a chance to rise above their own 
  predicament; heroically saving the oppressed (many examples 
  of such eugenic cleansing can be found in past history). 
  
  146
  Pantheism is the belief that there are no individual deities, 
  but rather that god is everything and everything is god. It 
  may also be regarded as a synthesis of all known religions 
  and deities. 
  1. the soJourners 
  The Sojourners believe in repeated reincarnation until one 
  can break the cycle. What makes them unique is the belief 
  that you will be reincarnated close to the place you die, and 
  conceived very soon after your death. World of origin is no 
  barrier - an Aslan may return as a human - and a respect for 
  all life is a natural consequence of this. Many Sojourners are 
  vegetarian; the most fanatical will only live on food that does 
  not require anything to die. None will casually cause harm 
  to others. 
  Referee
  It is believed that this faith may have derived its primary 
  concepts from Terran Buddhism sometime before the Long 
  Night. Sojourners hold discussions about their beliefs in many 
  places, and it is possible that they could be encountered by 
  a party somewhere, where they are mistaken for a lecture 
  party. 
  Plots
  1: A group of Sojourner priests are harassing a Droyne 
  community. Their head priest (who was proselytising the 
  Droyne) has just died in the vicinity. The Sojourners claim 
  that their head priest is being reincarnated there, and they 
  wish to take him away for training. The party are hired to 
  kidnap a specific Droyne and transport him off-world. If 
  they are not willing to do this, their task is to simply locate 
  a Droyne that meets the Sojourner’s very specific criteria. If 
  the party were around at the time of the head priest’s death 
  one of them will be identified as the next head. 
  2: A Sojourner retreat is being threatened by a corporation 
  that intends to take the land for more productive purposes. 
  The brothers will only resist passively - but they believe 
  the corporate take-over was illegal. If the party could find 
  evidence quickly, they would be well rewarded. The only 
  way of finding this evidence will be a break-in that requires 
  the presence of a Sojourner who once worked for the 
  megacorp. Of course, his or her contribution to the break-in 
  must be entirely passive. 
  2. universal synod of reason 
  This church teaches that all of Creation is a vast puzzle 
  (composed of myriad sub-puzzles), and that our work here 
  is to solve it. Every event or phenomenon, no matter how 
  seemingly trivial, is a vital clue to the solution. Many of the 
  church’s fundamental teachings come from its founder, Elias 
  Vanim, who wrote over 100 books setting out examples of 
  God’s Puzzles and a set of formal systems for characterising 
  and solving them. Later leaders of the church have extended 
  Vanim’s work, as have numerous other adherents, finding 
  greater or lesser favour with the hierarchy - though those 
  in the latter group are merely ignored, not persecuted. 
  Reasonist services are a bizarre combination of traditional 
  ritual (chanting, pageantry, prayer) and what can only be 
  described as a game show, with contestants drawn from the 
  congregation competing to solve mathematical or geometric 
  puzzles, or in trivia competitions (to display mastery of 
  potentially useful data). 
  Referee
  Some local branches actually offer cash prizes to the 
  winners, though the hierarchy frowns on this practice. More 
  commonly the reward is simply a common perception that 
  winners are more likely to be welcomed by God on their 
  death - because they will be able to solve the entrance exam 
  to the afterlife! One comedian has called this the ultimate 
  quiz at the end of the class. The faith was founded on Sylea 
  around -40 Imperial, and is concentrated in the orbital 
  residences. It has spread throughout the Core sector and 
  beyond, albeit at a low level. 
  Plots
  1: The party are engaged in some shady actions and notice 
  that they are being observed by an unknown individual. 
  The observer proves elusive for some time, but when 
  caught proves to be a Reasonist who has noticed their odd 
  behaviour and is attempting to interpret it as a message from 
  God. The players must determine how much he knows, how 
  likely he is to tell the authorities, and how to act in response. 
  2: A wealthy and eccentric Reasonist hires the party to obtain 
  a series of seemingly unconnected pieces of information 
  and random objects, most of which are difficult to find, under 
  heavy guard, or both. He offers a very good payment for the 
  entire set, but will pay nothing if anything is missing. This 
  can set up a long and interesting scavenger hunt.
  Pantheism
  
  147
  3. tuwukh-kawan 
  Tuwukh-Kawan is practised by a remote community on 
  a human-compatible planet colonised by a mixed group 
  of Terrans and Vilani who were dissatisfied by life in a 
  technological society under the Rule of Man. Tuwukh-
  Kawan does not hold that God (who is called by the same 
  name, Tuwukh-Kawan, literally, ‘the heart of all’) as such is 
  uninvolved with the world, as implied by the glossary entry for 
  pantheism; the philosophy is more of a hybrid of traditional 
  pantheism and Interactive Monotheism, wherein Tuwukh-
  Kawan is actively involved in the minutiae of ordinary 
  existence. Similarly, the spiritual aim is not a conscious 
  promotion of harmony, being rather an ecology, where 
  conservation of resources, non-aggression, and living within 
  the natural order are taken as given, rather than promoted 
  specifically as goals. These concepts form the cornerstone 
  of the society’s lifestyle; no specific devotional activities are 
  required, living by the ecological/religious precepts is both 
  the will and the honouring of Tuwukh-Kawan. Similarly, no 
  specific religious hierarchy is required; elders of the society 
  are generally accorded more power and honour due to 
  their wisdom and experience, rather than because of any 
  mandate. Liturgy as such does not exist; the nearest thing to 
  it would be the teaching of sound ecological principles to the 
  young - but this is not done separately from other teaching. 
  Referee
  No attempts to convert others are made, and outsiders 
  are never viewed as full members of the community - but 
  outsiders’ children who are brought up within the system are 
  accorded full status. Moreover, through either generations-
  long experience with the local ecology, or perhaps latent 
  psionic talents (it is impossible to know which), the people 
  believe themselves to have an innate sense of the rightness 
  or wrongness of a person, creature, or thing (and in fact, 
  they do seem to accurately identify rightness or wrongness 
  according to an ecological definition). Beauty is viewed as 
  being connected with rightness, which is a fuzzy concept 
  that is best translated as harmoniousness with nature or 
  naturalness. The community does not tolerate wrongness 
  - a person whose actions are consistently against the 
  maintenance of the ecology will be reconditioned in the 
  interests of preserving the rightness of the world. 
  Plot
  1: The players’ ship is forced to land on the planet to make 
  repairs after a mis-jump; the planet has no starport, not even 
  a beacon to mark a flat spot of rock. Nevertheless, they are 
  able to put down on a plateau of bare rock less than a day’s 
  walk from the main community of Tuwukh-Kawan followers. 
  Parts for the repairs to the players’ ship will, naturally, be 
  unavailable - but it will turn out that manufacture of the parts 
  is well within the local technology. While in the community, 
  the party will not be shunned, but neither will they be 
  welcomed with open arms. All attempts at payment in cash 
  or intrinsic values (for example gems, precious metals) will 
  be met with total incomprehension; the concept of money 
  does not exist within the culture at all, and that of value only 
  in connection with the utility of the thing valued. Ultimately, 
  resolution of the party’s problem will be possible; the locals 
  do understand the concept of a little wrongness (the death 
  of a creature who’s bones are vital to the manufacture of the 
  part, or else some pollution of the atmosphere) leading to a 
  greater rightness later - the main challenge will be avoiding 
  causing the locals to view them as wrongness that must 
  be killed outright, and to convince them of the necessity of 
  tolerating the little wrongness of making the needed parts in 
  order to achieve the greater rightness of getting the party to 
  leave the planet. It will be an uphill battle, since not killing the 
  party could lead to the greater wrongness of other outsiders 
  coming and doing wrongness to Tuwukh-Kawan. 
  4. unCle John’s Band 
  An odd group, dedicated to preserving the traditions started 
  by the Five of whom Kesey was the first. Services feature 
  improvisational music and communal dancing. Worshippers 
  wear brightly coloured clothes, and profess a strong belief 
  in miracles. Details of the cult’s liturgy is unclear, but seem 
  to centre around a box of rain. Non-believers are not privy 
  to what the box of rain is. Followers often greet each other 
  by saying: ‘Are you kind?’ and ‘We are everywhere!’ A small 
  percentage of the religion’s most devoted believers travel 
  from world to world providing services for local faithful. 
  Referee
  The homeworld of this faith is traditionally the planet Fenario, 
  which does not appear on any known charts. The legendary 
  founder is known only as Kesey. The worshippers of this 
  faith actively seek to convert others to their beliefs, and may 
  often be found travelling between the stars to achieve this 
  goal. 
  Plots
  1: Concerned parents contact the players; their daughter 
  has run off with the Band. They want her back, or at least 
  assurances that she’s safe. 
  2: As the Year 48 approaches, Banders from around the 
  Imperium converge on Sylea to celebrate the 2,600 years 
  since the Five came together. A large group will take passage 
  on the players’ ship. 
  5. PsioniC Brotherhood 
  This is a small organisation which seeks to know the divine 
  through study and training of the psionic ‘Mysteries’. The 
  divine intelligence, God, exists in everything, even in the 
  collective consciousness and this is what the believers 
  seek to understand. Most are telepaths and know how to 
  regulate their bodies psionically. A select few know the other 
  mysteries of teleportation and telekinesis. These individuals 
  are revered as they are closer to enlightenment. Devotion to 
  
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  the mysteries is shown by performance in the Igah Hipodile 
  or Psionic Games. The group’s organisation is loose, with 
  most decisions made by the individual members, but a 
  hierarchy exists. There is the Grand Master who oversees 
  all training; the Masters of the individual psionic disciplines; 
  the Adepts; and finally the novices. 
  Referee
  Prior to the Psionic suppressions of the 800s, members of 
  this faith were occasionally found visiting Psionic Institutes 
  in Imperial Space. After this date no members of this faith 
  are to be found away from their homeworld in the Zhodani 
  Consulate. 
  Plot
  1: This plot could happen on the borders of Imperial Space 
  in the Spinward Marches. The party are approached 
  by a psionic brother. He would like to hire them to find a 
  kidnapped novice. He has been given a ransom note that 
  specifically said not to get the police involved. The party are 
  to find information on the kidnappers (part of an anti-psionic 
  league) and rescue the young novice from their clutches. 
  The rewards are the gratitude of the Brotherhood, and free 
  psionic testing/training if the players so wish. 
  6. the universal siBlinGhood of 
  harmoniC Crystallisation 
  The Siblinghood teaches that everything is partially divine 
  but that only items with a pure atomic structure, such as 
  crystals, are pure. Siblings are sensitive to what goes on 
  around them and have a profound respect for all things. 
  This reverence for nature does not stop them from changing 
  nature, since people are natural, whatever they do is natural. 
  Referee
  Most adherents are inconspicuous and are identifiable 
  only by their ever-present crystals and their notions about 
  architecture, naval architecture, etc. The more devoted 
  members of the religion may live in caves, rock houses, 
  or artificial crystal structures. They are often employed 
  in scientific or construction fields. The faith developed 
  during the Long Night and spread out from the Interstellar 
  Confederacy. 
  Plots
  1: The players’ ship is chartered by a group of Siblings posing 
  as a scientific group. They are extremists who have been 
  persuaded that by breaking the starship’s zuchai crystal 
  while the ship is in jump and then wearing the fragments 
  they will gain enlightenment about jump space. This action 
  may result in dire (even fatal) consequences when the ship 
  returns to normal space. 
  2: The players (who ideally include someone with 
  prospecting or geology skills) are hired by Siblings to serve 
  as workers on their crystal dig. The dig uncovers a covert, 
  long-abandoned military base once intended to support an 
  invasion from a neighbouring world. 
  7. followers of the way 
  Similar 
  to 
  Zen 
  philosophies, 
  this 
  religion 
  teaches 
  enlightenment through self-discipline. This self-discipline is 
  most clearly seen in the rigorous physical and martial training 
  that its members practice. Practitioners often wander the 
  galaxy in search of unique experiences that may serve them 
  on the path of enlightenment but they also often spend years 
  in solitude or in monasteries silently pondering existence 
  or concentrating on a single physical skill, enhancing it to 
  amazing levels. 
  Referee
  Skills frequently chosen for study are Bow Combat, Sword, 
  Brawling and Perception. They generally speak very little 
  and will not fight unless forced to. Those who practice this 
  philosophy may be found throughout the Imperium. 
  Plots
  1: A group of Wayfarers approach the party. Their monastery 
  and the nearby village are being constantly harassed by 
  high-tech bandits that use energy weapons to take the 
  harvests and pillage periodically, destroying what meagre 
  income the village has and killing any who oppose them. 
  They need high-tech weapons and training in how to use 
  them, but can only offer Cr. 20 per person. 
  2: A character unwittingly saves the life of a Wayfarer. The 
  monk begins to follow the character around attempting to 
  serve them in any way they can. If pressed as to why, he will 
  admit that he experienced a flash of enlightenment when the 
  character saved his life (although he cannot really explain 
  it - besides, you have to seek your own enlightenment) and 
  has the feeling that it will happen again (perhaps this monk 
  should be introduced to Monadin!). 
  8. a sinGular Pursuit 
  There are still those who have not heard that zero point 
  energy negates the whole concept of heat death (the 
  gradual cooling of the universe). Among these are a hard 
  core terrified of the idea of the Tepid Eternity. They believe 
  they can avoid their doom by surviving high on a black hole’s 
  gravity well. The First Seeker, Raymond Graham has been 
  developing this theory over 200 years (he uses anti-ageing 
  drugs) and thinks he can succeed by getting things to run 
  on Hawking radiation, interacting with X-rays, etc. Of course 
  there are problems, not least finding a black hole to use. 
  Luckily, money is not one of them: Raymond inherited a 
  
  149
  major fortune from his father’s megacorporation and has 
  invested it in multiple-site deep space astronomy, two long 
  range exploration ships and a share of survey data from the 
  Scout Corps themselves. 
  Referee
  Mr Graham may appear insane to some, but he has sufficient 
  followers to populate his dream of an O’Neill station orbiting 
  a remote singularity. The richer followers are being put 
  in cold storage, to awake during the Twilight of the Stars 
  while others search for a suitable singularity and pester 
  cosmologists and astrophysicists to recognise that the end 
  is coming, no matter from how great a distance. 
  Plot
  1: One of Graham’s stranger experiments is to attempt to 
  create a miniature black hole. This involves accumulating 
  a large number of gravitic generators on the moon of a 
  carefully chosen gas giant. No one on the project seems 
  to know exactly what’s going on as Graham is extremely 
  secretive. The players are hired to transport various unusual 
  cargos to this site - the secrecy and strange goings on 
  should arouse their paranoia! 
  9. the ChurCh of Pure 
  aBstention 
  Anyone can be pure, provided they follow a low protein 
  diet, abstain from drink, drugs, sugar, caffeine and the like, 
  be sure never to be alone with one of the Impure, never 
  sleep for more than thirty minutes at a stretch, never marry 
  or otherwise liase with the opposite sex and work hard for 
  the Church. All of these factors either make one remarkably 
  hardened or very suggestible. The former tend to become 
  priests, the rest are their obedient followers. The overriding 
  belief is that death through such abstention will allow one to 
  reach a state of nirvana. 
  Referee
  COPA has diverged on different worlds. In some cases the 
  priests believe as fervently as the followers in nirvana; if 
  they do not manage to die through abstention then a mass 
  transition is arranged (usually involving bringing together 
  the local COPA group in one room with a big bomb, poison 
  gas, etc). On other worlds, the priests use the religion to 
  milk the followers of their worldly possessions. The priests 
  do not believe in nirvana, but prefer to live in luxury on their 
  followers’ donations. 
  Plot
  1: The players are asked to seek out a source for a totally 
  illegal poison gas. Their patron is a COPA priest who is 
  intending to help his followers transcend mortality to join 
  god. Once they have provided the gas (or some similar 
  killing mechanism) the players should become gradually 
  aware of the priest’s intentions. If they do not prevent the 
  upcoming catastrophe, the authorities are likely to regard 
  them as accomplices to murder… 
  
  150
  Agnostics believe it is impossible to determine whether 
  there are any true deities or whether the universe is godless. 
  Quite what is acceptable as proof of the existence of a deity 
  is a fiercely debated subject amongst some people, while 
  others simply regard it as an interesting scientific question 
  which may never be resolved. 
  1. arChiteCts of tomorrow 
  (araGishGe drandirdiikun) 
  A quasi-religious charitable organisation dedicated to the 
  betterment of society for the benefit of posterity. Founded 
  in - 2484 on Daibei by a breakaway group of disciples of 
  Dekumagi Shilaaguk. These disciples did not reject the 
  existence of a supreme being, but merely declared such an 
  existence unproven. The Aragishge thus allowed people of 
  all faiths to join as long as they believed in the goals of the 
  organisation. This made it popular with a large section of the 
  population and ensured its spread throughout Daibei Sector 
  and deep into surrounding sectors. The Long Night shattered 
  the coherence of the organisation, but it survived in the form 
  of small local organisations on hundreds of planets. 
  Referee
  Two or three times a week followers are expected to give 
  to anyone they meet begging; or to visit those in prison or 
  hospital with words of encouragement; or to encourage 
  a politician in their work for society. Once a month they 
  work voluntarily for a day in a refuge, charity shop or other 
  charitable service. 
  Plots
  1: Characters hear rumours of a valuable item in one of the 
  Architects’ shops. The rumour is false (or else the item has 
  long since been snapped up) but contact with the volunteer 
  worker in this shop who is actually a wealthy merchant, will 
  lead to a good job. 
  2: Whilst hospitalised (or in prison), the party receive a visit 
  from an Architect. If the players makes polite conversation, 
  they will find out the visitor is a highly placed government 
  official who can be sweet-talked into waiving port fees (or 
  some similar benefit) if the character expresses an interest 
  in the official’s belief. 
  2. soCiety for ethiCal relations 
  Members believe in ethical and moral behaviour aimed at 
  promoting good intersophont relations, both at the individual 
  level and at the group/community level. Active attempts at 
  conversion are non-existent, but practitioners are not averse 
  to discussion of the basic philosophy, and conversions have 
  been known to occur as a result of the discussions. Most 
  members act on request as ‘Speakers for the Dead’ - such 
  an assignment requires them to speak at funerals, relating 
  the true history of the deceased, in an effort to promote 
  understanding of the deceased by those in attendance, 
  and ultimately, to promote greater understanding between 
  sophonts. Practitioners invariably request such a Speaking 
  for their own deaths. 
  Referee: There is no formal liturgy, but virtually all members 
  have read the scripture, two books, both by the same 
  anonymous author, purporting to be Speakings for (a) an 
  alien race wiped out by the Terran Confederation prior 
  to contact with the Vilani, and (b) the Terran leader who 
  laid the groundwork for the conversion of the weak and 
  disunited United Nations into the strong and unified Terran 
  Confederation. There is an additional document, describing 
  the hierarchy of foreignness, that is widely circulated among 
  members, and serves as a description of the world view that 
  is prevalent among members. Members are found primarily 
  in the vicinity of Terra and on Terra itself, but have been 
  known to be found elsewhere in the former Rule of Man 
  area. 
  Plots
  1: A Speaker approaches one of the party for information 
  on an old acquaintance. The character will realise that the 
  acquaintance has died, and that the Speaker is trying to 
  learn more about the acquaintance for his Speaking. If the 
  players ask the right questions themselves they will realise 
  the acquaintance was murdered; the circumstances of the 
  murder were such that the players may feel obliged to do 
  an independent investigation and embark on a mission of 
  vengeance. 
  2: If one of the players is a Speaker, the player learns of a 
  request for a Speaking on a nearby planet, and accepts the 
  request. Upon arrival, they learn that the request was made 
  by the deceased against the protests of the deceased’s 
  sticism family; the local religion views Speakings as 
  abominable, and the family and religious community will 
  resist the character’s attempts to gain information for the 
  Speaking. The world on which this occurs has a little known 
  statute against religious persecution which can be invoked 
  to give the players inquisitor status. This mandates full co-
  operation and precludes any limits on investigation (even if 
  imposed by the government). Using this statute, two weeks 
  of investigation will reveal that several government leaders 
  and high-up religious officials are involved in a barratry 
  and piracy ring directed against a Vilani megacorporation. 
  aGnostiCs
  
  151
  The corporation suspects this but, ironically, is barred from 
  investigating by the world’s government. An additional two 
  weeks of research is required to do a proper Speaking. If the 
  players used the inquisitor status there will be a riot at the 
  Speaking, which the party must quell without co-operation 
  from the government. 
  3. rationalists 
  Rationalists are devoted to unifying the diverse beliefs of 
  known space into a single coalesced and unified form, 
  believing that this act will reveal the true nature of God. 
  Individual Rationalists are fairly agnostic, taking very little 
  on faith. Many members are historians or sophontologists. 
  Rationalists react very negatively to the merest mention of 
  the Church of All Faiths. 
  Referee
  Rationalists often cause offence to other religions when they 
  infiltrate them to discover their secrets. This faith developed 
  on Sylea, sometime in the Second Imperium. 
  Plots
  1: The players are recruited to find a Rationalist researcher 
  missing on a primitive world. Evidence at his campsite shows 
  that he believed that he had found the great secret to the 
  unified belief. In fact he has found an Ancient artefact that 
  he thinks will provide a Rosetta stone to understanding the 
  Ancients. Unfortunately, he has been trailed by a follower of 
  the Church of All Faiths who does not want such an artefact 
  found. The party may just be in time to stop the murder of 
  the researcher. 
  2: A Rationalist passenger on board the players’ ship makes 
  a pest of himself by questioning the Players and passengers 
  about their beliefs, and deriding any superstitious habits 
  exhibited by the crew (like dimming the lights before 
  jump). If there are any fervently religious types aboard, the 
  atmosphere will become quite charged. 
  4. the awakened 
  The Awakened believe that the physical world is an illusion, 
  and that reality may only be touched through cryogenic 
  suspension. Rik Adugi discovered this when under hypnosis 
  following time spent in an emergency low berth, allowing 
  him to remember some of his ‘real’ experiences (which are 
  usually lost on waking). 
  Referee
  The Awakened will usually purchase Low Passage, but one 
  rule is that they must convert two others before they are 
  allowed to be permanently frozen, so they will sometimes 
  forego this to pursue a likely candidate. The faith was 
  founded around 200 years ago on a TL10 planet by Rik 
  Adugi. It is not believed that the group has any links to any of 
  the various timer clubs operating throughout Imperial space 
  (such clubs are paid to store people in long-term low berths, 
  reviving them at an agreed date). 
  Plots
  1: There have been a higher than average number of 
  low berth failures in this part of space recently - sabotage 
  is suspected. There have been Awakened on all ships 
  involved, though non-believers have been in some of the 
  affected berths. Is someone pursuing a vendetta? 
  2: One of the Awakened gains access to the engineering 
  section and will attempt to freeze themselves (and anyone 
  else close) instantly by flooding the compartment with liquid 
  hydrogen. 
  5. ChurCh of all worlds 
  One of the most controversial large religions in the Imperium 
  is the Church of All Worlds. Its critics assert that it is nothing 
  more than a huge tax scam, and few of its members argue 
  otherwise with particular conviction. Its teachings are few 
  and vague, basically consisting of a unified doctrine linking 
  most mainstream human faiths under a single system. Holy 
  Offices (such as entry to the priesthood) may be obtained by 
  signing an affirmation of faith in the Church’s teachings and 
  - more significantly - paying a large fee to the local Church 
  office. In return, the Church will assist members in obtaining 
  any legal benefits extended to religious organisations, 
  typically tax breaks. Some members treat the Church as a 
  joke, organising services which parody other more serious 
  religions, or simply serve as an excuse for wild parties. A 
  few smaller, less mainstream religions have joined the 
  Church of All Worlds en masse (simply because doing so 
  was easier than applying for non-profit status on their own), 
  but have kept their own original beliefs and practices despite 
  their membership. There are even some groups within the 
  Church who claim to take it very seriously, and conduct 
  elaborate weekly services, prayer meetings, and the like – 
  though many suspect that these too are elaborate jokes of 
  a more subtle style. All in all, the Church of All Worlds is a 
  confusing mess, just the way its members seem to like it. 
  Referee
  Some branches have engaged in more legally dubious 
  practices, such as serving as a front corporation to hold the 
  papers of members’ businesses, thus shielding them from 
  taxation, fees, and other nuisances. The Church is almost 
  constantly under investigation by several Imperial and 
  planetary government agencies, and has been brought to 
  court many times on charges of fraud and tax evasion – and 
  so far, it has won every significant case. The Church was 
  
  152
  founded on Shudusham in the year 65, and membership 
  has spread throughout the Imperium by the time of the Civil 
  War. 
  Plot
  1: The party is in dire financial straits, one step ahead of an 
  army of creditors and tax collectors who want their ship. A 
  sympathetic starport worker suggests that they shield the 
  vessel from repossession by joining the Church of All Worlds, 
  re-registering the vessel through the Church, and declaring 
  it a (mobile) temple. This may turn out to be a good idea, 
  serving as a powerful weapon in an ongoing bureaucratic 
  battle; conversely, it may turn out to be part of an elaborate 
  scam to trick the players into relinquishing title to their ship. 
  6. CaPranism 
  Named after Fritjolf Capra, who observed the striking 
  similarities between (a non-differentiated) oriental religion 
  and quantum physics. This cult attempts to contact the 
  Cosmic Principle which the followers feel must be out there 
  somewhere and indeed ‘all around us, here and now’. 
  Referee
  This artificial creed is a way for agnostics to feel good about 
  themselves. They sit in their domes, looking up at the sky and 
  contemplating the conic sections projected holographically 
  around them. They put money in the collection plate without 
  even noticing. The faith has never had a large number of 
  followers, and grew during the expansion of the Rule of Man. 
  Plot
  1: The party’s ship is chartered by a group of Capranist 
  believers who want to jump to an empty parsec and attempt 
  to contact/touch the cosmic principle. The jump will be 
  uneventful, but the contact equipment will cause an fuel leak 
  by shorting some systems out. The players will be forced 
  to resolve their lack of fuel (to jump back to the nearest 
  world) by locating a nearby ice comet. Some elements of 
  the believers may feel this is a sign that they are meant to 
  stay here so that the principle can be revealed. 
  7. the multiPle lives fellowshiP 
  The MLF does not believe in a god but rather that wisdom is 
  all-important. They go beyond past life regression, believing 
  that the brain can still remember, or host, a range of past 
  personalities. These are perceived as helpful aides to current 
  existence - an accumulation of wisdom over the millennia. 
  Naturally, the further back the previous personality, the 
  weaker the linkage to their memories. 
  Referee
  The MLF are generally well-meaning and a large proportion 
  of their time is spent investigating history, to help MLF 
  followers identify their past selves (regression does not 
  always result in immediate knowledge of one’s past identity, 
  but perhaps only flashbacks to past experiences). 
  Plot
  1: A group of miscreants intend to use the MLF principle 
  to delude several rich individuals into paying them a huge 
  amount of money to research their past history. Their 
  regression sessions involve covertly administered drugs 
  and hypnosis to find out which past figures the dupes 
  would like to be associated with. They then implant the 
  appropriate memories and their victims begin ‘remembering’ 
  their past - usually as famous leaders, inventors and the 
  like. The Players may end up as dupes, be hired to guard 
  the operation or be asked to investigate it by a concerned 
  visiting MLF priest. 
  
  153
  Atheism is a rejection of the existence of any form of deity 
  or deities. Rational Atheism uses science and/or logic as 
  the basis for this rejection; Sceptical Atheism relies on the 
  personal belief or faith that there is no supreme being; 
  Philosophical Atheists do not understand the concept 
  of deities; and plain Atheism is simply a complete lack of 
  religious beliefs. 
  1. the sChool of shared 
  exPerienCe 
  The School of Shared Experience affirm life, human nature 
  and rational thought as far more important than any idea of 
  God (rational atheism). They believe in the value of self and 
  intelligence but without any religious connotations. Scholars 
  aim to make the world a better place by shared thought and 
  knowledge and to that end they have weekly linkings where 
  they get together to share these experiences. Higher levels 
  of thought and scholarship in fact involve some psionic ability 
  to join in and a good proportion of the scholars are psionic 
  (particularly the more senior ones). Only a few scholars will 
  be found on any one world but they have a presence on 
  many worlds. 
  Referee
  The School will be outlawed on most Imperial worlds 
  following the Psionic Suppressions in the 800s. Full details 
  of its founding have never been disclosed. 
  Plots
  1: A psionic player is approached by an elderly scholar 
  concerned about the suspected corruption of their cell. They 
  need help finding out whether some new members really are 
  subverting the school’s beliefs or whether they are simply 
  getting paranoid in old age. This could be a good opportunity 
  for the party to discover or develop any latent psionic talent. 
  2: Players hunting for a psionic institute may be attracted by 
  an advertisement placed by a local cell of the school. They 
  are looking for volunteers to help with research into psionic 
  ability. If the party have any aptitude they will get some free 
  training, if not, they’ll be used as controls for a while and 
  then released from any obligations. 
  2. sCientifiC rationalism 
  Followers of this belief seek to quash all religion by replacing 
  it with the faith of science and rational thought over God 
  (rational atheism). They truly believe in the Marxist statement 
  that ‘religion is the opiate of the masses’. As there is no God, 
  nor an afterlife that has been scientifically proven to exist, 
  the belief is that one must make the most of one’s life. This is 
  usually done by learning the sciences and contributing new 
  studies and discoveries to the scientific community. Needless 
  to say, most adherents are scientists and academicians. 
  Referee
  This group is very zealous and will try to awaken anyone they 
  feel is being blinded by primitive beliefs and self-righteous 
  dogma. Still, they believe that there are some races (such 
  as the Vargr) whose minds are just too primitive or chaotic 
  to accept the truth. There are many followers of this belief 
  throughout the Imperium and beyond - however, not all are 
  as zealous or organised. 
  Plot
  1: A well known scientist (also a Scientific Rationalist) is 
  a passenger on board the ship the party are on. Another 
  passenger accuses her of converting his child away from 
  the traditional beliefs of the family. The child was a student 
  of the scientist while at university. These two need to be 
  watched carefully as this may develop into a very heated 
  situation. The scientist may hire a player as a bodyguard for 
  the trip. The bodyguard will face a constant barrage from the 
  scientist about the wrongs of religion who will make every 
  effort to convert the players. 
  3. the entroPists 
  These followers ensure that they promote chaos wherever 
  they go by such acts as opening locked doors, altering 
  signage, sounding fire or personal alarms, crying wolf 
  over robberies, and so on. They believe this is essential to 
  maintain the random Brownian motion of atoms and thus 
  maintain the laws of physics in the universe (an alternative 
  form of rational atheism). Some members, however, have 
  clearly joined just to have an anarchistic fling. 
  Referee
  Extremists of this group generate scares in the press (for 
  example, food contamination) and have been known to use 
  terrorist tactics (for example, bombings) to achieve their 
  aims. 
  Plots
  1: An Entropist takes passage on the party’s ship. Suddenly, 
  they are beset with many random minor failures (valves 
  closed which should be opened, settings altered). The 
  Entropist is very computer literate and is planning to hack 
  into the jump controller to ensure a random exit vector. 
  atheism
  
  154
  2: The players are caught up in a terrorist bombing. They 
  identify the bomber and give chase. When (if) captured the 
  bomber shows no remorse - it was an act of entropy and 
  necessary. 
  4. followers of the invisiBle 
  hand 
  This group has radicalised Adam Smith’s metaphor for the 
  workings of a free market and ended up with a spiritual 
  justification for the centrality and rightness of being selfish 
  (rational atheism). Quite a few of the members of this church 
  end up with a flair for business and the organisation is rather 
  wealthy. They also take Professor Smith’s injunction against 
  mercantile or work force combination very seriously and 
  help out everyone else by putting a stop to unfair trading 
  practices, unionisation, monopolies and mergers. They 
  regard all of these activities as morally and spiritually wrong, 
  as well as objectively undesirable in trading partners. Most 
  preventative action is in the form of books setting out how 
  things could be and infomercials, but the church will also 
  finance court cases in the public good. 
  Referee
  A few extreme Followers will take direct action, sometimes 
  of the lethal kind. 
  Plot
  1: One of the followers offers to intervene to help the party 
  out during a labour dispute at the docks at the starport. If 
  they accept, the Followers will begin a court action against 
  the Union and the Port Authority which will result in the 
  players becoming hate figures caught between both sides. 
  The well-meaning Follower will not realise the financial and 
  social effects of their action, as the Unions will blackball the 
  ship in adjacent systems, and the Port Authority will perform 
  stringent checks on the safety of the players’ ship and also 
  contact their colleagues on other worlds to join in. 
  5. Children of the diasPora 
  The Children are a Solomani movement pushing for a return 
  to Earth. They consider the Solomani to be superior to the 
  other human races, and believe that only Terra can lead 
  mankind. They are somewhat dismissive of the question of 
  religious beliefs (sceptical atheists), considering them either 
  a personal choice, or secondary to the more important goal 
  of returning home. 
  Referee
  This faith has two periods of great friction during the Third 
  Imperium - the period before the absorption of Terra into the 
  Imperium in 588, and the Solomani Rim War in the late 900s. 
  This belief was first espoused by Ingmar Svenson on Sylea 
  in the year -10 Imperial. Followers of this belief pattern are 
  predominantly found in areas of the Core Imperial regions, 
  and in previously Vilani dominated areas. 
  Plots
  1: The party, containing aliens or non-Solomani humans runs 
  into an extremist faction of the Children. The Children will 
  begin by verbally attempting to convert any Solomani in the 
  group to their way of thinking. They will be openly abusive to 
  the others, attempting to drive a wedge between the players. 
  If the players of Solomani extract show any interest in the 
  Children they will benefit from gifts and excellent business 
  deals until they convert. If they try to brush the Children 
  aside, they could turn nasty and engage in actual violence. 
  6. the seCret soCiety of suPreme 
  BeinGs 
  Existence of the Society is unproven, although conflicting 
  rumours spring up from time to time. It is allegedly a society 
  of thirteen wealthy sceptical atheists, who are engaged 
  in a perpetual competition. The goal is simple: to create 
  a religion with yourself as supreme being. Rankings are 
  published each year, based on two criteria: a vote of all 
  members, and a calculated score. The score depends on 
  number of adherents, the TL and devotion of the faithful, 
  how few resources the member spends to achieve this, and 
  several other factors. There are 27 non-voting Collators who 
  gather information for the vote and score calculation. 
  Referee
  The truth about the existence of this society will be very hard 
  to discover, and could prove fatal if the characters imply that 
  another religion was founded by the society. 
  Plots
  1: A noted theologian has come forward with evidence that 
  one of the major religions was actually started by a member 
  of the Society! The party may be hired by various patrons, to 
  investigate or suppress the findings, or to protect, evacuate 
  or eliminate the theologian. Alternatively they can just be 
  caught up in the ensuing chaos. The evidence is obviously 
  false and has been disproved already but the theologian is a 
  fanatical conspiracy theorist and the truth is being swamped 
  by media hype and a panicky public. The church may be 
  delaying release of the truth to build up publicity. 
  2: As per the preceding plot but the evidence is strong yet 
  inconclusive, and the church is likely to be split right down 
  the middle. The evidence may have been planted by a 
  rival member of the Secret Society or recovered from the 
  belongings of the responsible Society member who died of 
  a heart attack at an unfortunate moment. 
  
  155
  7. the rePositorians 
  These philosophical atheists believe that the AAB (the 
  Vilani Repository of All Knowledge) actually does contain 
  all knowledge (including how to run your life) if approached 
  in the correct manner. The megacorporation Makhidkarun 
  provides an expert system to help believers get at this 
  information; for each query by a believer they supply a 
  Khukii - a random (or ‘universe-directed’) snippet of data 
  from the library which should be interpreted in the correct 
  manner to solve the believer’s current problem or provide 
  general enlightenment. 
  Referee
  This faith was founded during the Rule of Man (approximately 
  -2000 Imperial) on Vland as part of a backlash against the 
  Solomani. It is common amongst Vilani technicians and 
  workers at the AAB. 
  Plots
  1: An archaeologist approaches the Players claiming to 
  have found conclusive evidence that Repositorianism was 
  started by a Solomani officer. She wishes to smuggle this 
  information off-world before the Repositorians can find her. 
  2: Based on the last three month’s Khukii readings, a 
  minor official decided that the most efficient way to serve 
  his community was to take his own life. His son believes 
  the readings were tampered with by an enemy, but nobody 
  believes him. Maybe he is just paranoid, or perhaps his 
  father really did find out something he shouldn’t have… 
  8. struCturists 
  The biochemical processes that life depends on are only 
  possible when the fundamental physical constants of the 
  universe are within a narrow range. Too far in one direction 
  and the universe is frozen, unchanging; too far in the other 
  and it dissolves in randomness. Life exists on the knife-edge, 
  between order and chaos. There is no theoretical reason 
  why the universe’s physical constants have the values they 
  do: they could easily be different. If they were, though, life 
  would not exist as we know it. Some believe that we inhabit 
  one of a vast number of possible universes, and thus there 
  is nothing special about our universe; others believe in an 
  undiscovered principle, a Grand Unified Theory waiting for 
  the lucky scientist. 
  Referee
  Structurism is more a philosophy than a religion. Most of 
  its adherents have a scientific background. Those whose 
  belief-pattern is more mystical tend toward two reactions: 
  wonder and despair. 
  Plot
  1: A researcher claims to have discovered the key to the 
  Unified Theory, but dies en-route to a Structurist meeting 
  where he was to reveal the information. All his belongings 
  were lost. The party is recruited to find out why he died and 
  what happened to the theory. (He was accidentally murdered 
  by a more radical religion who wanted to keep his particular 
  findings from the public.) 
  
  156
  There are beliefs and cults which do not fall into the normal 
  categories of deity worship. 
  1. the Cult of the dead 
  Every infant born to parental believers is given by the priest a 
  date on which that person will die. This ceremony occurs five 
  days after the birth of the child, in front of ten witnesses. If a 
  person dies early, it is deemed highly unlucky for the whole 
  lineage and if possible families will place dying relatives in 
  suspended animation until the predetermined day of death 
  arrives. 
  Referee
  Believers know they cannot escape their fate as other cult 
  members will arrive on the date of their death to ensure that 
  ‘nature takes its course’… 
  Plots
  1: A member of the cult has established rather a good life 
  for themselves off-planet. However, they know their allotted 
  time is soon and if the original ten witnesses are not notified 
  of their death they, or an assassin, will come to ensure his 
  timely death. He cannot afford to change his identity or leave 
  planet, so the cult member has decided to eliminate the 
  ten witnesses. The party is hired to assassinate those four 
  witnesses not already deceased. 
  2: The players run into a desperate man who asks for their 
  protection. He is closely followed by an armed group who will 
  want the players to step aside and let nature take its course. 
  Supposedly the man’s allotted time has come but he claims 
  a business rival has altered his records. If the players get the 
  man to safety he will hire them to have the records corrected 
  and find evidence of his rival’s involvement. Naturally, this 
  might just be a clever plot to avoid his allotted death. 
  2. the demeter GrouP 
  This informal group of planet-hoppers believe that if they 
  eat or drink anything of the planet they are on, they will be 
  irrevocably tied to that planet . This means that they cannot 
  leave (or are polluted beyond hope and must roam alone for 
  the rest of their lives). They carry with them all they need to 
  consume: food is usually in the form of small tablets with all 
  essential nutrients, and water is carried simply for drinking. 
  They carry a recycling system from which they generate 
  water from their bodily fluids and a water generating cell 
  which uses raw hydrogen and oxygen. 
  Referee
  Such people have a substantial amount of baggage when 
  they travel and for this reason many groups travel in their 
  own ships. An elite group also wear respirators at all times 
  to ensure their bodies absorb only pure atmosphere rather 
  than that of a particular planet. Should a player accidentally 
  contaminate a member of a group, the member is viewed as 
  an outcast, and the player responsible may face retribution. 
  Plots
  1: The baggage of several group members is damaged or 
  lost while travelling on the players’ ship. The players must 
  determine how to feed and water the group now that their 
  recycling equipment and foodstuffs are lost or contaminated. 
  2: A local is desperately in love with a female member of a 
  Demeter group who is about to leave planet (perhaps on the 
  players’ ship). He asks the players to contaminate her food 
  and water with local food so that she will be forced to say 
  on the planet. 
  3. the red mist 
  There is much injustice in the universe and the law can 
  only be relied upon to catch and punish a small fraction of 
  wrongdoers. A cult has grown up to right these wrongs, by 
  inflicting suitable vengeance on anyone whom they regard 
  as guilty (such as a known criminal having committed a 
  major misdemeanour but being acquitted at the trial due to 
  a technicality). 
  Referee
  It is claimed that this cult originated from stories in the 
  holo-comic Red Hand of Vengeance. This may be true, 
  but in reality there is no such organisation as the Red Mist, 
  although many people get convicted for being members. In 
  reality it consists of a number of fairly twisted individuals who 
  have deluded themselves into thinking that they are acting 
  as the hand of vengeance for a deity (any deity, it does not 
  really matter to them). 
  Plots
  1: The players are hired as bodyguards for a rich banker who 
  has been acquitted of defrauding thousands of investors 
  out of their pension money. The banker believes he may 
  be targeted by the Red Mist (and indeed he will be). The 
  players might have to think twice about putting their lives on 
  the line for such a person (yes of course he was guilty!) 
  other Beliefs and Cults
  
  157
  2: Players are usually guilty of something - have them 
  arrested! They can try to bribe their way out of court or be 
  released on a legal technicality. However, once free they will 
  begin being tracked by a member of the Red Mist… 
  4. the affirmers 
  This creed started out as a self-help group and is now run 
  by and for the benefit of those whom God helps because 
  they help themselves. Affirmation was originally by prayer, 
  which involved grovelling on the floor and declaring what a 
  miserable sinner one had become. The Affirmers have taken 
  this one step further - their prayers have become more of 
  a boasting session. Rather than humble prayer in private, 
  Affirmers are sociable and meet in expensive, tasteful, 
  windowless churches. 
  Referee
  Becoming an Affirmer is difficult. You have to be a known 
  criminal, hideously rich or some such. Services are often 
  undertaken in huge communal hot tubs (ideally made of 
  wood from an endangered rain forest) within the church. 
  There is usually spiritually uplifting entertainment (sufficiently 
  uplifting to be illegal on many worlds) and some interaction 
  with the gods of chance (such as gambling). 
  Plot
  1: A noble believes his son may be involved with an Affirmer 
  group. He wishes to hire the players to check this out (very 
  discretely) and if true, to prevent his son from further visits 
  to their church. If this involves somehow disrupting or 
  destroying the church, the noble does not care. However, 
  should the players take direct action against the church, 
  they will attract the retribution of the other miscreants that 
  worship there. 
  5. leaGue aGainst sPeCiesism 
  The golden age before the Long Night enabled many acts 
  of folly but one group with their heart in the right place was 
  the LAS. Originally the League reasoned that, given the 
  ability to create food from tanks of algae and fungi, the need 
  for agriculture and animal husbandry had disappeared. 
  LAS claimed that the tendency to split creatures into prey, 
  pests and pets was speciesist (including, for example, 
  the tendency to eradicate plant species which human 
  idiosyncrasies identified as weeds). The League reasoned 
  that humanity had reached a state of technological and 
  social sophistication that allowed it to ‘walk lightly on the 
  land’ rather than ruining yet more ecosystems. The League 
  fared badly during the Long Night, but grew back as the 
  Third Imperium expanded. 
  Referee
  The LAS is well respected among life support engineers, 
  ecologists and animal rights groups, has lecturers at the 
  larger universities and an active public relations unit. It is 
  much disliked by farmers and their associated infrastructure 
  (from seed providers to manufacturers of agricultural 
  machinery). 
  Plot
  1: An extremist group of the LAS has begun preaching that 
  if its principles are applied universally, then all the sophont 
  species should be given equal rights. A lecture tour on this 
  subject is disrupted by a group of radical human supremists. 
  The players are hired to prevent such problems at the 
  remaining lectures (at one of these, a number of minor 
  sophont species will turn up to bolster the equality principle, 
  potentially resulting in a fairly large riot with the human 
  supremacists). 
  6. Born aGain PowerBase 
  This is a style of religious organisation rather than a religion. 
  In it, the members of a faith undertake to spread it with a 
  strategic recruitment policy targeted at those who could be of 
  use, where possible placing their confederates in positions 
  of authority/influence. 
  Referee
  With care it is possible to subvert whole organisations 
  - police forces, political parties, even whole industries. 
  Despite frequent historical records of such infiltration, it is 
  still commonplace throughout the Imperium. This principle 
  can be used with almost any of the other religions in this 
  supplement, whether they be aimed at promoting good or 
  evil ideals. 
  Plot
  1: The players fall foul of a member of such an organisation 
  and find themselves subjected to harassment through his 
  many associates. Tracing the source for their problems will 
  be difficult until they discover that all the trouble-makers can 
  be traced back to members of this cult or religion. 
  
  158
  Animism: All natural phenomena and objects (trees, rivers, wind, etc.) are caused or inhabited by spirits or demigods. 
  Animism, Polytheistic: Certain natural phenomena are associated with specific gods or goddesses, arranged in a distinct 
  hierarchical order. 
  Agnosticism: It is impossible to know whether or not there is a God. 
  Anthropopsychic: The belief that a god has similar mental processes and driving factors to that of humans. 
  Atheism: A total rejection of the existence of a Supreme Being; complete lack of religious beliefs. 
  Atheism, Philosophical: A failure to understand the concept of a Supreme Being. The question of religious beliefs is 
  meaningless. 
  Atheism, Rational: A rejection of the existence of a Supreme Being on the basis of science, logic, or reasoning. 
  Atheism, Sceptical: A rejection of the existence of a Supreme Being on the basis of personal, non-rational conviction (faith). 
  Barratry: Fraudulent practices on the part of the master or crew of a ship to the prejudice of the owners. 
  Cladistic: Study to determine if organisms share common ancestors by statistical analysis of their traits. Cladistic outliers 
  are organisms which fall outside the normal statistics. 
  Deism: God created the universe, but thereafter took no part in mortal affairs, and is permanently out of reach. 
  Diocesan: Division of followers into areas, each under the jurisdiction of a bishop. 
  DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acids are present in the chromosomes of all plant and animal cells and carry coded instructions for 
  the passing on of hereditary characteristics. 
  Dualism: Two mutually antagonistic gods or principles, one good and one evil, exist; their struggle is mirrored in nature and 
  in moral/ethical problems. 
  Exclusive: A religion which limits its recruitment, for example to the offspring of existing believers. Members of such a 
  religion may also be restricted in the interaction they are allowed with outsiders. 
  Garden World: A world which will support human life without the need for artificial life support. 
  Inclusive: A religion which does not place any constraints on the people which may be recruited (for example, previous 
  followers of another religion may be allowed to join). 
  Monotheism, Crisis: God is involved in mortal affairs only at crucial moments of history. 
  Monotheism, Influential: God interacts with sophonts only at key moments in life. 
  Monotheism, Interactive: A single god exists and is interested in the daily actions of sophonts. 
  Monotheism, Remote: God exists, but is not generally available. A select few interactions in mortal affairs may occur from 
  time to time. 
  Panspermism: The Ancient Greek doctrine that the elements were a mixture of all the seeds of things, now translated to 
  mean all life comes from a common source, which may or may not be divine. 
  Pantheism: God is not a personality - God is everything and everything is God. 
  Polytheism: Multiple gods (probably with lingering animistic associations or titles) exist, each of roughly the same importance. 
  Polytheism, Rational: A multiplicity of gods is viewed as numerous different aspects of a handful of true divinities. 
  Proselytism: The conversion of others to one’s own religion. 
  RNA: Ribonucleic acid, plays an important part in the development of proteins. 
  Structurism: The belief that because the universe shows evidence of design and/or evolution it can be regarded as being 
  alive and/or divine. 
  Syncretism: A union or reconciliation of diverse or opposite beliefs and practices. Origin on Terra in the 17th Century 
  (Solomani calendar). 
  Glossary
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Traveller/01 - Classic Traveller/Traveller - Supplement 15 powers_and_principalities.pdf