6F0D.TXT

Doc 6F0D

By

Roger Myhre
Ammerudgrenda 168
0960 Oslo
NORWAY


Travelling in Gvurrdon Sector.

As Gvurrdon is the only Vargr sector that survived the Virus, most of the everyday
activities in this sector has been changed to ensure its survivability. The factions has been forced
to cooperated with each other (sort of), to ensure this. However as the years has gone since the
Virus struck, its presence as a danger source has been diminishing. Not that the Vargr populace
are ignorant, but when the encounter with Virus ridden ships has been almost nonexistent since
1190 the drive for re-expansion is making its presence. Only whats left of Thoengling Empire is
taking a firm stand against recontact the lost Vargr worlds. Regencys pressure on this ssue is
also an important factor.

Referees should limit the accessability over the UWP codes in Gvurrdon for two reasons.
Firstly the information flow in Gvurrdon is slow, and the Vargr society is under constant
change, and that drastically. Something that was true yesterday, may not be that today. Secondly
is that one third of Gvurrdon is in the wilds. The players may dig up information on the worlds,
but they should be old and outdated. The only information that holds true, is the worlds size,
atmosphere and hydrosphere. These physical stats will not be changed by the Virus.

Referees shoul also note that two of the worlds within the wilds are not rated as wilds in
the trade classifications. The Droyne world, Tanga (2005) survived because Droyne with
computer empathy interrogated the starship computers, if they was found containing the Virus,
the ship was destroyed, without exceptions. Visitors to this world will find the Droyne mildly
hostile. And everyone will get their ships searched, and computer checked thoroughly. Those
who resist will be killed. No exceptions, and no appology offered. The other world Ozago
(3107) with the alien race Opliaraz are so low in tech level that the Virus only had minor
consequences. However players should not know this before they visit these places. Both of
these systems has actually experienced increase of technology since the Virus arrived.

Starship travel is at its high now in The New Era. Starship purchase is somewhat down,
when all the factions has put up quarantine regulations. The trade between Gvurrdon states and
Regency has been hampered by these quarantine regulations. Particalary trade from Gvurrdon
into Regency has been hurt the most, when Regency has the strictes rules on quarantine.
However crafts from Thirz Empire and Thoengling fare better through the quarantine than other
crafts. Crafts from Corsair's Den are not admitted at all. Thirz Empire and Thoengling use the
same transponder system as Regency, which was developed to halt the spread of the Virus.
Commonality of Kedzudh was also offered the transponder suite, but declined when they was
afraid that the transponder system had hidden functions that could render their ships inoperative.
An understandable concern when Kedzudh and the old Imperium had a war going from 1117 to
about 1120. However Kedzudh was not blind for the Virus. It did put up safeguards, but
Regency are still not trusting that front too much.

For those who got a starship one way or the other, should ensure that they got a certificate
and valid transponder system. Both Thirz Empire and Thoengling are strict on these things.
before a certificate is issued, the craft will go through a quarantine, and extensive testing and
examination. Since the Virus came, the demand for better maintained ships has been increased.
Thirz and Thoengling grounds any craft that are poorly maintained. The crafts must also go
through a examination every 18 months to keep its certificate. To get a certificate cost about
12,000 credits to keep the certificate it cost 5000 credits. There is possible to hold certificate
from several factions, but only the certificates from Thirz, Thoengling and Zhodani are of any
real value. However the other states, do also require certificates, but their tests and screening
procedures are not up to the standard in the above mentioned states. The price of those
certificates are high compared to the value of it. The price ranges from 8000 to 20,000 credits
with renewal fee of about half that each year.

Non-aligned Vargr worlds do usually not have certification systems, they hold the main
certificates in quite high regard, and gives the holders of these certificates little fuzz. Corsair's
Den are maybe the faction that gives a damn in where the craft comes from. Ruled by the once
widespread Kforuzeng corsair band, the faction keeps to its name. You can sell almost anything
here, no one asks where the merchandise comes from. And if you want to buy something this is
the place to be. Even if the lawlevels are quite high on one of the world, there is usually no
problem to get whatever you look after. You just has to find the right people, and the
lawenforcement looks the other way far as you don't make trouble for the citizens of the system.

As it has been thougher to get a craft legally, many new aspiring owners steal the crafts
from others. Just by crossing a border you can escape procecution. Taking a stolen craft to
Corsair's Den are maybe the easiest route. If the craft is stolen from a Thirz Empire registrated
merchant going to Society of Equals(SoE) is a good number two when these two factions do not
go well together. The only requirement is that you can prove that you have not stolen the craft
from other belonging to that faction. SoE do got got quite strict screening procedures, but when
they test ships that are stolen from Thirz, they are somewaht lax about it, and the price to get the
certificate is cut in the procedure. Same with Corsair's Den, but the price is quite stiff, but then
again they don't care where the craft comes from.

A new way of getting a craft is to travel into the wilds and apprehend a working craft
there. To date no one has returned with a working craft. At least not alive. But this is not known,
when no one would actually admitt they got a craft from the wilds. They would likely loose it to
the quarantine until hell freezes over. Someone with this kind of plans should have both a lot of
money, and high Charisma to get other to follow him into this crazy stunt.

For Virus protection Regency views SoE as the weakest link. This is due to that it does
not go well with Thirz Empire. Thirz Empire has its guard up. Something that both Regency and
Zhodani has seen to. Thirz Empire got a large fleet of naval ships to meet any Virus infected
ships. Crafts that do not have the correct codes will immediately be put under quarantine, and
movement restrictions. If the craft do not follow instruction it will be destroyed without
warning. SoE views the naval build up in Thirz Empire suspiciously, diverging naval and
intelligence resources to monitor Thirz Empire than watch out for the Virus. Thoengling on the
other hand is commited to the bone. Loosing most of its territory due to an accident, they don't
want that to happen again.

Vargr ships proven easy to infect, but luckily enough the haphazard maintenance of the
crafts made Vargr vampire ships a lesser threat. Prone to breakdown more often than not, the
Virus progressed slowly. And Vargr unwilling to coopreate with electronic minds due to the
non-Charismatic nature of the Virus made it difficult to get crew to the ships. As the standard of
the ships increased by demand from both Regency and Zhodani the Virus found it more and
more difficult to infect new ships as the old ones broke down. Still Regency view the coreward
border carefully, expecting a breakthrough any moment. Only the future will tell if the Virus has
been closed successfully out of what remains of Gvurrdon.