Stars Without Number: Scions of the Stars, Ex astris intellectus Options

[JxJxA]

Okay, post is up. You can run with or without a captain, it's up to you guys. I just need to know where you want to start working, and what kinds of jobs.

If you open up Habin's link, you'll see each of the planets in the Kuphon System and the following categories:

• Trade
• Transport
• Delivery
• Bounties
• Search and Rescue

What are you looking for? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Buddha72]

Profession/Courtesan (to make a good impression and hopefully illicit a warm or friendly response)
2d6+2=12 (added + 1 for skill and +1 for Cha)

[MrAres]

Off ( and on ) ship Harken tends to be rather goal oriented, so he would mostly be working towards whatever our purpose is for being there. If r&r was the goal, he would do a some what less intensive search for new opportunities , resupply etc. Given enough time (couple days) left completely idle, after exhausting whatever needed to be done, he would be found nursing a deep buzz and dabbling in whatever vices are offered.

[JxJxA]

Let me know what kind of jobs you're interested in doing, and where you're going, or if you need anything else from me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[MrAres]

Harken would wait to see if some one actually asks for backup/company. That failing he would try to go with any one who sounds like they're going to get themselves into trouble. If he ends up on his own, he would end up first cruising the local market for interesting and stand out sort gear/weapons. After that, he would be in a bar with a view scanning the local job listings for anything that caught his eye.
He would be pressing to do some simple and safe transport, transport, delivery etc. sort of work so that the team can build a nice cred buffer for when their next daring adventure goes south. Knowing that this probably won't happen, he would immediately start looking into whatever job is actually chosen. Plans and such don't generally survive first contact with the enemy (and maybe even perhaps his team, we'll see how chaotic we all are (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) ) but at the very least he can hope to mitigate the dangers some how.

[JxJxA]

Ok, so here are a few jobs you'll find posted:

Trade
*Waypoint Station: Need party to deliver 80 tons spike drive fuel to Golwain in exchange for 90 tons of triticale. Will pay 10,000 credits.
Transport
*Private Party: 6 psychics looking for passage to Vishwa. Interested in demonstrating worth to study with the masters on the planet. Willing to pay 12,000 credits for passage.
Delivery
*Re: Survey stations on Matjar require repair supplies. Willing to pay 10,000 credits for job.
Bounties
*Seyger Corporation: Looking for missing employees. Suspect some form of foul play. Please contact Seyger representative for more details.
Search and Rescue
*Re: Have lost contact with relief cruiser Saving Grace and looking to hire ships to help in search effort. Please contact Re liaison on Waypoint for more details.

If these do not interest you, you can always try fishing out more unsavory opportunities from shady characters on the station...

[Fenris]

@JxJxa - In the future, since we don't know the star system at this point, would you mind giving travel time from our current location for trade/delivery/transport type missions?
More specifically, how feasible is it to do multiple of the jobs? We have the cargo/crew space to do the trade and transport missions, and possibly the Delivery mission, depending on the necessary tonnage for the repair supplies, and then head out and do the S&R. However, considering we've got to make at least 13,776 credits a month just to break even, it's not going to work if we're bouncing from one end of the galaxy to the other on those trips and weeks between. I'm assuming we can at least refuel the spike drive here since there's a gas giant with the appropriate composition nearby. So, on to the actual questions:

1.) What's the travel time to do all three (trade/transport/delivery) to avoid Golwain and do the Transport and Delivery missions using the most efficient route possible?
2.) How dangerous is it to scoop spike drive fuel out of the atmosphere of the gas giant in general?
3.) What's the appropriate skill to see how much we know about Seyger Corp and it's relationship with the Re?


@All: As for the Captain thing, I'd actually push for Harkin. I think we all have the impression that he's fiercely loyal to the crew at this point, and frankly, he's military and we're still bounty hunters, so it seems like the obvious choice. Anyone have any serious objections to that?

[JxJxA]

@ Fenris: Sure, here are the basics on starship travel. You can get more info on p.66 of the base book

It takes a base time of 2 days to travel anywhere within a hex AKA system. A class-2 spike drive cuts that time in half to 1 day. However, Ezri can trim the course for you and treat the travel time as if you were using a class-3 or class-4 spike drive, making travel between points in the system take only either 16 (the safer option) or 12 (the more dangerous option) hours. Also, only jumps from hex to hex (or between systems) uses spike drive fuel. Travel within a system doesn't expend a significant amount of spike drive fuel.

All of the jobs I posted are currently within the hex that you are in (with the potential exception of search and rescue), so you wouldn't be traveling from one point of the galaxy to the next. You'd be within the system.

You can do multiple jobs if you like, but you'll have to have the cargo space/room and board to accommodate it all and convince the people you are working for that it's ok using persuasion skill checks. Keep in mind that these jobs will likely become "complicated" because that's when the adventure starts! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

On to the specific questions:

1-If you want to haul ass, it will take 12 hours to go to Matjar and another 12 hours to get to Vishwa. Plus, whatever time you'll need to unload cargo, take passengers to their destination. Possibly longer if complications arise. (Note: They will arise, but probably not for every job)
2-Scooping fuel out of a normal gas giant or star is easy enough that you don't need a skill check. It takes 4 days to do it, and actually costs about the same in food for the 5 of you (400) than it would to refuel immediately at a refueling station like Waypoint (400). They might not like it if you try to refuel from their planet for free.
3-As for figuring out the relationship between Seyger and Re, you would know automatically if you have Culture/(world in system), can roll History for a target number of 6, or Culture/Traveler at a target number of 8. You can also ask around.

Edit and Big Note: Golwain's cold war is between polities on the planet, not Re and Seyger. If you piss off the locals, you won't necessarily burn bridges between those two orgs.

[Lain]

@All: As for the Captain thing, I'd actually push for Harkin. I think we all have the impression that he's fiercely loyal to the crew at this point, and frankly, he's military and we're still bounty hunters, so it seems like the obvious choice. Anyone have any serious objections to that?

No serious objection, as long as he doesn't get too military (ie follow orders or get off the ship on every little thing)

[Fenris]

@Lain - I'm betting he's too group focused for that kind of attitude, but hey, mutiny makes for interesting RP too, right?! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

@JxJxa - Thanks for all the info - I should have done a little cross correlation and realized all those places were in-system. Could have answered my own questions. And thanks for the note about Golwain.
Sounds like the times weren't nearly anything I needed to be as worried about, in terms of break even each month.

[JxJxA]

@Fenris: No problem. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) It's a new system, so it's confusing to everyone, including me. I figured keeping things in-system would be a good start.

[JxJxA]

Also, yeah, I should have been a little clearer on Golwain's entry about the cold war there. I was writing them up quickly, and then started realizing how many systems I would have to roll planets for. x_x

[MrAres]

Harken would be happy to be the nominal Captain of the ship. After spending a bit of time with him you would know he has no interest in enforcing his discipline upon any one else in the group. If someone showed a constant habit of endangering the ship and its crew, then he would push to have them kicked off the boat. Other than that he knows he's not in a military unit so he doesn't expect the ship to run like one.

[JxJxA]

Also, just to clarify, I'm keeping Ezri distant to keep the story about you guys than her. She's included as a means for fast and easy transportation through the stars. If you want to include her in the developing story, that's cool. However, I don't want her to become a "THAT GUY" type of DMPC. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Buddha72]

I second the vote for Harken to be the captain.

Culture/Traveler
2d6+1=6

History
2d6+1=7

Nothing from me!

[MrAres]

Don't worry I'm not offended by your npc's behavior (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Harken wouldn't hold having an attitude against her, he's just going to adjust his behavior towards her accordingly. As long as she's competent and loyal all is good.

As a note I do have my stats written out, just not my gear finished. Don't have either of those skills so I'm no help there.

[JxJxA]

Cool. I'm trying to play her as a mix between Han Solo and Akima (Drew Barrymore's character from Titan A.E.). Given that she's so far the only person who can fly the ship, program drill routes for the ship, and repair the ship, and she totally hasn't stolen the ship from you, she's loyal enough... So far... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ork.gif)

[JxJxA]

@ MrAres: I think you're going a little crazy with the colors, lol. Inner dialog is the lavender at the bottom of the second column on the right. It's not a big deal, but I like using the colors I picked because they're easier on my eyes when reading. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[MrAres]

Gotcha. Hard to tell what its going to be when your picking it out. For me at least. I'll attempt to keep them consistent-ish

[Buddha72]

Anyone else have History or Culture skill to roll?

[Fenris]

@MrAres - it sounds so old fashioned, but you can also type the actual code, like (color=#DDA0DD) before the words and (/color) after, where you replace the parentheses with brackets [ ]. I sometimes find it easier to hit specific colors like that then to try and pick from the grid.

@JxJxA - I'm assuming since you didn't put an attribute with the skill roll for History or Culture, it's just INT.

@Buddha - In retrospect, seems like I should have History, doesn't it? Ah well, lessons learned...

Culture/Traveler - Culture/Traveler 0 + Int(+1) (2d6+1=12)

Apparently I know something!

[Lain]

Anyone else have History or Culture skill to roll?

nope just Culture spacer Skills are expensive!

[JxJxA]

Finally at a computer when Dumpshock is up and running. Post is up. Fenris, I gave you a bit more information because of the good roll, and yes I meant to include intelligence. For the most part, the associated attribute to the skill is pretty obvious, but I'll remember to include it.

[JxJxA]

Also, did you want me to bump you all up to the habitat hub?

[Lain]

Also, did you want me to bump you all up to the habitat hub?

I'm all for bumping along