What I'm after is something I can use to throw some randomness into voyages between planets.

I figure 4 tables, one for the Core worlds, one for the Border planets, another for the Rim and one for deep space.

So, for example, the Core world would have a high chance of Alliance patrols, the Rim a high chance Reavers.  That kind of thing.

But in an effort to drive my RPG related posts I thought I'd suck information and ideas directly from your minds instead of relying on the meagre spring that is my own.

Basically what I have in mind is somehting that when the ship and crew are en route to wherever I can spice things up mid journey.

So....

Where are we -  1-3___________4-6
Core worlds   -  Alliance Patrol___Alliance Patrol
Border planets - Pirates_________Alliance Patrol
The Rim -   Reavers_____________Pirates
Deep Space - Derelict ship_______Reavers
                                       
                         

But beyond the above my mind goes blank.  Now I don't want my players to think space is populated only by Reavers and the Alliance and I'm hoping that there are enough Traveller fans and Firefly fans who can throw interesting ideas my way.

Stumpy,
 Do you have a copy of the sometimes maligned Behind The Claw from SJ Games?

 in the back of the book are encounter tables very similiar to what you are looking for. Those should be easy to convert for your purposes.

 In the "Pirates" category are you including those ship-strippers/scrappers that Saffron was working with during the episode "Our Miss Reynolds" ?

- Ed C.

Quote from: KoltarStumpy,
 Do you have a copy of the sometimes maligned Behind The Claw from SJ Games?

 in the back of the book are encounter tables very similiar to what you are looking for. Those should be easy to convert for your purposes.

 In the "Pirates" category are you including those ship-strippers/scrappers that Saffron was working with during the episode "Our Miss Reynolds" ?

- Ed C.

No mate.  I don't.  Are they any good (and yes to the ship strippers/scrappers).

How about I just post the encounter tables and you convert them? Its your campaign after all.

 Here :
Encounter Procedure
1. Determine number of vessels in range (refer to system type)
2. Determine general type of vessel (e.g., Scout Vessel)
3. Determine specific type of vessel (e.g, Survey Scout)
4. Repeat if desired for next-closest craft.

Starship Encounter Tables
1. Main Shipping Route or Class V/Class IV Starport
There will be several, possibly scores of vessels in port, or in transit to and from jump points. Generate as many as needed.

3d6 roll:          Vessel Type
3             Miscellaneous Private Vessel
4-6             Scout Vessel
7-8             Navy Vessel
9-10             Port Authority Vessel
11-12             Large Merchant Vessel
13             Local Commercial Vessel
14-15             Small Merchant Vessel
16-17              Small Craft from a larger ship
18              Alien or Non-Imperial Vessel

 2.Feeder Route or Class III Port.
Traffic volume is lower. There will be 2d-2 ships in-system.
3d6 roll:                 Vessel Type
3                      Miscellaneous Private Vessel
4-6                      Large Merchant Vessel
7-8                      Local Commercial Vessel
9-10                      Navy Vessel
11                      Port Authority Vessel
12-14                       Small Merchant Vessel
15-16                      Scout Vessel
17                      Small Craft from a larger ship
18                      Alien or Non-Imperial Vessel.

Behind the Claw was written by Martin Dougherty and Neil Frier and was published in 1998. Its been out of print for some time now.

 StumpyDave - was that the kind of encounter table that you were looking for?

- Ed C.

Yeah cheers for that.  It'll take some tinkering with but it should provide me with  more ideas than I had at the start.

What I'm aiming for is something to roll, or let the players roll, to spice things up during a journey and to dissuade them from trying anything daft - like smuggling contraband/ attempting illegal salvage within range of the Core worlds, or travelling off of the main trade routes through the Rim.

What I didn't want was something that was basically
1 - 2 Alliance
3 - 4 Reaver
5 - 6 Nothing

So hopefully with a bit of work I can make their travels through the 'Verse more exciting than it would otherwise be.

One thing you might want to include are Corporate-owned shps.  On the DVD commentaries Joss Whedon and the other writers said that they had planned a bigger storyline involving the BLUE SUN corporation.  They just never got a full season to explore that route like they might have wanted to.

SO, based on that and other clues in the episodes and movie - I'd say to include the possibility of corporation-owned ships and craft. Also, some of these companies might be actually honorable...or have only 1 or 2 corrupt indiviuduals instead of the whole board of directors.

 Think of the episode "Shindig" , we as viewers were led to believe that many in the upper class were corrupt or decadent.  but at the dance party we met that older Noble who was kind to Kaylee and "saved" her from the bratty bitches. Then the Lord that Mal makes the business deal with - they may be from different social strata , but if the series had continued I could easily see that character becoming an ally to the Serenity crew. (just not one that can publicly admit it in every situation)

- Ed C.

I just can't believe given the amount of Traveller, Firefly and Serenity RPG fans in the world it's only us two in this thread.

Thanks for the insights by the way.  I should be writing an essay for college but this is more interesting.

"Two by Two , with dice of blue"



 Sorry, too good a pun to pass up.

*GROAN* Koltar, you bad man.

Dave, I'm very interested in your request, but I've only just got hold of the Serenity book, otherwise I'd be right on it, 'cause it seems like such a fundamental thing to have.

Watch this space, tho, I could be on it soon (or steal yours if you come up with something in the interim!).

- Q

Quote from: Koltar"Two by Two , with dice of blue"



 Sorry, too good a pun to pass up.

I. Am. Going. To. Hurt. You.

Right this is what I've got so far.  However I still want extra bits, random ship malfunction, different responses from the ships in question, different types of skullduggery.  Le me know how I can improve this.

Serenity Encounter Tables

1. Core Worlds/Trade Routes to Border Worlds

Roll 1d10

1-3 - Nothing.  You are aloooooone in the vast depths of spaaaaaaaace.
4 - A small, private, vessel
5 - A large, private, vessel
6 - A small corporate vessel
7 - A large corporate vessel
8 - A small Alliance vessel
9- A large Alliance vessel
0- Something Else

2.Border Planets/Trade routes to the Rim

Roll 1d10

1-3 - Nothing but the stars and your own private thoughts.
4 - A small private vessel
5 - A large private vessel
6 - A large Corporate vessel
7 - A small Alliance vessel
8 - A large Alliance vessel
9- A small Reaver vessel
0 - Something Else

3.The Rim/Deep Space

Roll 1d10

1-3 - Nothing.
4 - A small private vessel
5 - A large private vessel
6 - A small Alliance vessel
7 - A large Alliance vessel
8 - A small Reaver vessel
9 - A Large Reaver vessel
0 - Something Else

4.Something Else

Roll 1d10

1 - 3  Nothing.  Must have been a sensor blip.
4 - 7 This is Alliance Deep Space Patrol XXXX.  Prepare to be boarded.
8 - 9 Pirates!!!!
0  -This is Free Trader Beowulf.  Calling anyone. Mayday. Mayday.

I'm probably the only one who thinks this, but ... shouldn't the encounter table be filled in as play progresses and the PCs gain enemies and complications?

Like, if you piss off a crime lord then you get "Crime Lord's agents come gunning for you" added to a previously empty space in the encounter table.  You let River and Simon Tam stay on your ship and you get a whole swath of encounter slots filled in, with all different crap.  Like that.

I would add some variation on distress calls.  For example, distress calls might be more commonly faked to draw the unwary the farther out you go.  For example:

Validity of Distress:

1. Core Worlds/Trade Routes to Border Worlds

Roll 1d10

1-8  Valid emergency
9     Faked as lure
0     False alarm (they may think that losing the refrigeration units for the Champagne should count as an emergency...)

2.Border Planets/Trade routes to the Rim

Roll 1d10

1-6  Valid Emergency
7-9  Faked as lure
0     False alarm (they may think that passage off this rockball should count as an emergency...)

3.The Rim/Deep Space

Roll 1d10

1-5  Valid Emergency
6-9  Faked as lure
0     False alarm (it's already too late for these folks...)

Source (Valid Emergency):

1. Core Worlds/Trade Routes to Border Worlds

Roll 1d10

1-2  Short range shuttle
3-4  Small, private, vessel
5     Large, private, vessel
6     Small corporate vessel
7     Large corporate vessel
8     Small Alliance vessel
9     Large Alliance vessel
0     Yacht/Luxury Liner

2.Border Planets/Trade routes to the Rim

Roll 1d10

1     Short range shuttle
2-5  Small private vessel
6     Large private vessel
7     Large Corporate vessel
8     Small Alliance vessel
9     Large Alliance vessel
0     Colony

3.The Rim/Deep Space

Roll 1d10

1-6  Small private vessel
7     Large private vessel
8     Small Alliance vessel
9     Large Alliance vessel
0     Colony

Source (Lure):

1. Core Worlds/Trade Routes to Border Worlds

Roll 1d10

1-4     Scavengers/wreckers
5-8     Small pirate ship
9        A small Alliance vessel (customs check!)
0        A large Alliance vessel (customs check!)
 
2.Border Planets/Trade routes to the Rim

Roll 1d10

1-3     Scavengers/wreckers
4-6     Small pirate ship
7-8     Large pirate ship
9        Small Reaver ship
0        A large Alliance vessel (customs check!)

3.The Rim/Deep Space

Roll 1d10

1-3     Scavengers/wreckers
4-6     Small pirate ship
7-8     Large pirate ship
9        Small Reaver ship
0        Large Reaver ship

Type of Emergency:

1. Core Worlds/Trade Routes to Border Worlds

Roll 1d10

1-5  Failure of critical system (1-4  Life Support, 5-8  Propulsion, 9-0  Computer)
6-7  Medical emergency
8     Fugitive from justice on board
9     Hijacking attempt
0     Pirate attack

2.Border Planets/Trade routes to the Rim

Roll 1d10

1-4  Failure of critical system (1-4  Life Support, 5-8  Propulsion, 9-0  Computer)
5-6  Medical emergency
7     Fugitive from justice on board
8     Hijacking attempt
9     Pirate attack
0     Reaver attack

3.The Rim/Deep Space

Roll 1d10

1-4  Failure of critical system (1-4  Life Support, 5-8  Propulsion, 9-0  Computer)
5     Medical emergency
6     Hijacking attempt
7-8  Pirate attack
9-0  Reaver attack


TGA

Quote from: TonyLBI'm probably the only one who thinks this, but ... shouldn't the encounter table be filled in as play progresses and the PCs gain enemies and complications?

For what it is worth, I agree...  


TGA