Doc 142.14, Date: January 15, 1994
BUILDING THE PERFECT DOG
by
Roger Myhre
This document has been an article in KU #4. Since then I have changed
the rules a bit, and modified the careers. This document will be
upgraded as new special careers pop up.
As the Traveller: The New Era (TNE) do not include Vargr character
generation I will present some rules here that I think will be of use.
Note that GDW may have other plans for Vargr character generating. As
the Vargr is quite close to humans (not counting looks, ancestry and
behaviour) their skill will be quite like. And I won't introduce any new
skills.
THE STATS
Vargr got the same stats as humans, with one exception. Vargr do not
have Social status, but their Charisma rating is the measure to find
where they stand in the Vargr society. A Vargr with high Charisma will
attract other Vargr for followers. So put a '-' in the Soc box on the
character sheet. The stats are rolled as following. STR 2D2-2, AGL 2D6,
CON 2D-2, INT 2D6- 1, EDU 2D-1, CHA 1D6.
If the total stats are less than 33, the player can add the difference
to the character stats, with these exceptions: CHAM-;cannot be increased
to more than 3. Any other stat cannot be increased beyond 11. The 33
limit is lower than the limit in the rulebook of 36. The reason for this
is that the Vargr is generaly weaker than an average human.
When calculating the weight of a Vargr use the same formula as for
humans, but the base weight is 70Kg. Making generally Vargr smaller than
Humans. The base weight is the same for males as for females. For hand
combat damage factor is the same as for humans, but add 1D6 damage each
time the Vargr elects to use his or hers claws. For using the claws the
skill is as for unarmed combat, Unarmed Melee skill which all Vargr
characters start with at level 0, Leadership is also a skill they start
with at 0.
SELECTING CAREERS
The Vargr can use all the careers in the book except for "Hiver
Technical Academy". There are some consideration to Vargr when they are
generated. Firstly their Charisma rating is a measurement of how
successful a given
Vargr is. The Charisma rating may go up and down during generation.For
CHA beyond A the cost is doubled. Thus it cost is 2 points from A to B.
But loss of one point in CHA brings you automatically from B to A. In
some careers there is possible to make a big enough mistake that you are
thrown out. This is true to all military careers. This does not however
stop the character generation, the character just has to enter a new
career, but not a military one, if he or she makes the continuity roll.
Even if you are thrown out from a career, you always finish the term
before you enter a new one.
CHA is increased/decreased like this:
+1 If promotion is made.
+1 if 12+ is rolled. Cumulative with above modifier. And promoted an
additional rank.
-1 if the promotion roll is missed by 4 or more
-2 and demoted if the roll is natural 2 regardles of DM's. Not
cumulative with above modifier. Holds true for both special duty and
promotion rolls. If a natural 2 is rolled twice in a given military
career the character is thrown out at the end of the term.
If your character is from Society of Equals in Gvurrdon, he or she must
make a special roll to be rated equal. This is essential to enter the
following careers: Any military officer, Diplomat, Lawenforces or
Aristocrat.
Difficult, Willpower
This task is rolled before the character generation is started. If the
roll is a catastrophic failure roll 1D6 and divide the result on the
STR, AGL and CON stat. Reduce the stats accordingly. This is damage
taken from the test.
Example: A player rolls 4 on the die, when he has failed. Thus the stats
has to be reduced with one each. For the remaining point the player may
choose which stat to reduce.
CAREERS:
**Oruelaen**
Psionic forces of Thirz Empire in Gvurrdon. Thirz empire has a special
force of psionic agents. They are not secret agents as portraied in
movies, but rather a information gathering group for the King in Thirz
Empire. Not much are actually known about them publicly, so a lot of
myths has been spun around them. All sophonts that are citizens of Thirz
Empire may apply. They will be tested for potentiality before they are
admitted. For ranks use Army table in the rulebook. All who are admitted
start with rank E5 Sergeant. Rank O10 General is not available for
playing characters when King Thir holds this position. As the force is
small and there is only possible to get promoted when a operative dies
or quits, the agents start at Enlisted rank, no matter what kind of
academies or careers they have attended before. Those who are admitted
get a Cha+1
PREREQUESITES: PSI strenght of 8+, and at least one of these abilities:
telepathy, Teleperception or any useful arcana.
Citizen of Thirz Empire.
FIRST TERM:
COMMISSION: 10+, +1 if CHA 6+
SKILLS: Psionics-2, Determination-2, Gun Combat-1, Perception-1
SUBSEQUENT TERMS:
COMMISSION: 8+, +1 If CHA 6+. The character becomes an Officer.
Rank O1.
SKILLS:
ELISTED: Psionics, Determination, Unarmed Melee, Gun Combat,
Perception
OFFICERS: Psionics, Determination, Space vessel, Gun combat,
Unarmed Melee, Perception
ALL TERMS:
SPECIAL DUTY: Spacehand, Crime, Social Science, Vehicle, Tactics,
Interaction.
PROMOTION: 8+, +1 If CHA 6+, +1 if INT 8+
CONTACTS: Military, Government (Officers only), Intelligence,
Academic.
Roll 10+ on 2D6 for the contact to be from outside the
Thirz Empire.
OTHER EFFECTS: +1 per term as officer for scout/courier ship. Money is
calculated from CHA stat not Intelligence. Use Advanced
stellar as base when calculating money. Initiative is
rolled 1D6
**Aristocrat**
As an aristocrat you know how the interstellar governments in the
extents is working. And if you are lucky and use your skills properly,
you might be able to carve out a place for your own.
PREREQUESITES: CHA 8+ or Population of 6 or more. Must not have been
thrown out of a military career.
FIRST TERM:
SKILLS: Charm-2, Interaction-3, Social Science-2, CHA+1
SUBSEQUENT TERMS:
SKILLS: Charm, Interaction, Fine Arts, Determination, Economics,
May trade in skill levels for CHA increase.
ALL TERMS:
SPC ADVENTURE: 7+. Spacevessel, Perception, Unarmed Martial Arts, Vice,
Crime
CONTACTS: Government, Military, Intelligence
OTHER EFFECTS: +1DM per term for yacht. Whenever the CHA stat is reduced
below 8 the character may not continue this career. Note
that CHA may not get above 15 or F.
**Fair Witness**
This career are only open to citizens of Thoengling Empire in Gvurrdon
Sector. A Fair Witness (FW) is a profession where a Vargr, or some other
sophont has gone through a training, giving total recall. FW is pledged
to report whatever it observed when on duty. Most FW is working free-
lance, but need a permit to do so. There is almost impossible to bribe a
FW to tell something else, that the FW did observe. The reason for this
is that the job itself gives quite good economical freedom, and
Charismatic standing among the Vargr. A FW will never offer an oppinion,
nor a theory when on duty. Or speak his or her meaning when recalling
something they observed while on duty. Thus if asked why a person acted
has he did, the FW cannot answer this, but only tell what the person
did. The FW will recall what he saw, heard, smelled, felt and so on. A
FW may be hired by anyone, but as they get better, their fee increase
accordingly. FW are often used when deals are been made, or when there
is need for a independent witness in a certain process.
When an obervation is going to be made, let the PC roll an imprint task,
using observation as asset. Base difficulty should be difficult,
adjusted depending on the situation. When the given situation is to be
recalled later, a new task is rolled. The difficulty on this task
depends on the success level on the prior task.
Asset: Observation
Imprint Success Level Recall Difficulty
- -----------------------------------------------
Outstanding Success Routine
Success Difficult
Failure Formidable
Outstanding Failure Impossible
More than 1 year ago +1 level of difficulty
Recall Success Level How much was recalled?
- ---------------------------------------------
Outstanding Success 100%
Success 75%
Failure 50%
Outstanding Failure 0%
For more information on Fair Witness, read "Stranger in a strange land"
by Robert A. Heinlein, a must read for a SF fan.
PREREQUESITES: INT 9+, Citizen of Thoengling Empire, No criminal career
prior to this.
FIRST TERM: CHA+1, INT+1, EDU+1, Observation-2, Interaction-2,
Willpower-1, Vice-1
SUBSEQUENT TERMS:
SKILLS: Social Science, Perception, Interaction, Charm,
Fine Arts, Skill levels may be traded for CHA
ALL TERMS:
SPC ADVENTURE: 9+, Cha+1, Crime, Determination, Gun Combat, Vice,
Economics, Physical Science, Melee
CONTACTS: One contact per term from either: Goverment, Legal,
Business
OTHER EFFECTS: Roll 1D6/2 for initiative. Calculate money from either
CHA or Observation asset, wich-ever is the highest.
VARGR VERSUS OTHER SOPHONT INTERACTION
First time a non Vargr character is interacting with Vargr NPC's or
other Vargr characters, divide that characters CHA with 2, and drop
fractions. The result may not be below 1. Note however that this will
reduce all assets
EXCEPT language skills. For the character to increase his or hers CHA to
normal level follow the general CHA increase and decrease rules below.
The opposit is also true when a Vargr are going to interact with humans
for the first time. Note that both of these cases relates to Humans in a
Vargr dominated society, or Vargr in a Human dominated society.
CHARISMA INCREASES AND DECREASES
When a session is over there should be checked if the leader of the
group, the character with the highest CHA, will increase his charisma.
The difficulty level is up to the referee. But I will give a few
pointers.
Asset: Leadership.
The session was an outstanding success Average
The group met its goals in the session Difficult
The group barely made the goals Formidable
The group made only a few of its goals Impossible
If any of these tasks are a catastrophic failure the leader loose 1
point of Charisma. If the leader has CHA of A or more increase the
difficulty with one level.
The difficulty levels should be modified with how difficult the
adventure was. If the adventure was an total failure, the character must
roll a formidable task to prevent Charisma decrease. If that roll is a
catastrophic failure, the leader loose 2 points of Charisma.
The leader may also by commendate or reprimand the others in the group,
and thus increase or decrease the CHA of these characters. The leader
may only commendate a character if he himself got a CHA increase, but he
may reprimand a character whenever he wish. But reprimand a character
without reason will have counterproductive results, and the referee
should penalize this.
One good roleplaying tip is that the referee places the players in
clockwise fashion, with the highest CHA rated character to the left of
him. Whenever there is an important decission to be made, ask the leader
first. Ignore the others for a while. If the leader is hesitating, this
can mean a loss in
Charisma specialy if other players start to come with solutions. This is
to simulate that the other Vargr always look to their leader. If the
leader fails the others may take command. The referee should be a bit
careful with this approach though. The player may not be good at
roleplaying in this fashion, so the referee should give him more time
than a player that got good abilities at this type of roleplaying.
Whenever 2 players got equal or a difference of one level in Charisma a
Charismatic struggle erupts. The leader must then roll a difficult
leadership roll to stay in position. If the roll fails, the two players
change position. If a catastrophic failure is rolled, the leader loose 2
CHA points.
The referee may also increase or decrease the CHA of characters during
play, to give them a feel of how successful they are. However this
should be used sparingly. If a player shows some initiative, and do
something daring and succeeds he should be awarded. In doubt let him
roll a difficult task. Equally he should loose Charisma if he does
something and fails, especially if he endangers the mission and the
adventure group.
Other uses of Charisma is that a high Charisma Vargr will always reduce
the Initiative to the opposition by one to a minimum of one, if they
are of lower Charisma. If the Charisma to the leaders of the two groups
are equal, let the player roll a difficult leadership to gain the upper
hand. If this fails the opponent get the upper hand. When calculating
loss of initiative to combat damage use the original initiative.
Remember these rules is only valid in a Vargr society. A human will have
a hard time to prove herself, but when she gets the wheels turning,
there might not be anything stopping her. Note that If the non Vargr
character increases her Charisma above her original level it is returned
to normal when interacting with other non vargr characters or NPCs.
BRIBING VARGR
This may sound easy, but many has fallen into the trap, believing the
Vargr nature is working for them. What they do forget is that do not
oppose to the Charisma of the clerk in front of them, but the Charisma
of his superior officer or leader.
An example is maybe in order. Lets say an Vargr journalist is working on
a special report, and need graded information from the police. Offering
money for bribery is pointless. As for most human societies social
status is measured by the wealth you got. This is not the case with
Vargr. To a Vargr you have to offer increase in Charisma. Money is
something that comes along. Money is not as important for a Vargr as for
most human cultures. Money is a tool nothing more nothing less. However
money should be offered in the bribe, but the amount never is large. Its
just a small contribute for the service rendered. So the journalist must
actually make up a case were he can prove that the police officer will
increase in Charisma if the journalist is successfull in his
investigation. Remember that Vargr are pack animals opposed to humans
which are more invidiualistic. A Vargr will always view a certain action
in the light of what the group will gain by that given action. Each
individual Vargr always try to improve their status within a group. This
sound contradictory, but viewed from the human point it is, but for the
Vargr it makes sense. If the indiviual Vargr feels that he or she will
gain Charisma to belong to that group it will be loyal to it, and do
whatever is in her power to increase the group Charisma. Going back to
this journalist, he must convince the police officer that the whole
department will gain by giving the information he needs. In most cases a
person trying to bribe a Vargr only have to go up against the closest
leader to the Vargr trying to be bribed.
The difficulty is such a bribery attempt is rarely easier than
Difficult. If the group leader of the opposition are of lower Charisma
it might be easier. The difficulty level should also be adjusted to how
the bribing player is arguing, and how he or she present the deal.
There is also possible to buy information on the street by Vargr. In
these cases money have more to say, when this kind of information is
bought from Vargr that never are attached to a group over long period of
time, and thus do not have the neccessary group loyalty, except for its
own day to day survival.
M-;Roger Myhre, 1993/1994
Roger "StarWolf" Myhre