Drinaxian Traveller – A Pirates of Drinax Campaign

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  • Week 41 – Krrsh’s Account

    Krrsh’s Captain’s Log: The Day Democracy Finally Worked

    There are moments in history when a people, battered by adversity, look around themselves and realise that only one individual possesses the courage, charisma and magnificent coat required to lead them. For the crew of the So Much For Subtlety, that moment came while several of them were floating helplessly in space. The expedition aboard the Vagabond Soul had apparently developed poorly in my absence: screaming, gunfire, Lars being stabbed through the throat by a techno-ghoul’s fingernails: the usual sort of thing. Anastasia ordered me to detach the breaching tube, rejected my heroic proposal to come aboard and rescue everyone personally, then suddenly appeared naked on my bridge. Humans have some very peculiar emergency procedures.

    The others blew themselves out of the airlock into space, leaving Captain Krrsh – well, not yet technically captain, but history was clearly preparing itself – to collect them. I brought the Subtlety around in a manoeuvre of such precision that future naval academies will probably animate it for instructional purposes and plucked my crew from the void one by one. Lars was particularly uncooperative because he was dying at the time, his suit rapidly becoming a personal blood aquarium, but I delivered him to Parsifal and the autodoc with moments to spare. I cannot take full credit for saving his life. I will, however, take most of it. Medical treatment is famously ineffective when the patient is still tumbling eighty metres off the port bow.

    After reducing the nanobot-infested Vagabond Soul to its component atoms, we landed at Hilfer for fuel, where the authorities demanded to speak to our captain with regard to ships exploding in orbit and some fairly unpleasant presumptions regarding Drinaxian commerce raiders. There followed an awkward silence. Apparently, after two years of piracy, invasions, revolutions and fleet battles, our little group had never actually agreed on who should be captain. There was discussion. There may have been a vote. There was definitely pointing. Everyone looked at me. By sheer good fortune, I happened to have a tailored Captain’s uniform handy. I went to my quarters, donned it and my most extravagantly-billowing cape, and smiled paternally at my new crew. I cannot wait to see how delighted and impressed Sharyl will be, when he finds out.

    When I arrived in his office, the starport security lieutenant immediately began asking suspicious questions about piracy. I looked at him. I looked meaningfully at my fur. “Lieutenant, are you suggesting that because I am Vargr, I must therefore be a pirate?” I have never seen a bureaucrat retreat so rapidly without physically moving. After several minutes of his stuttering assurances regarding Hilfer’s commitment to sophont diversity, I demanded to speak to his captain. He stumblingly agreed. This was his second mistake.

    The captain was much more reasonable. I explained that I commanded an accredited Royal Drinaxian vessel and represented the Dragon Throne. I may have mentioned Acrid. I may have marginally enlarged my own role in its liberation. Then I realised what the man truly wanted: recognition. “Indeed,” I told him, “as Captain of a Royal Drinaxian vessel and plenipotentiary representative of the Dragon Throne…” I am not 100% certain what “plenipotentiary” means, but Timaeus uses it and people usually stop arguing afterwards. I explained that his services merited immediate royal recognition. He asked whether I meant… I nodded gravely. “Captain, kneel.”

    And he did. I knighted Captain Eddy Khidir on the spot, despite possessing absolutely no authority whatsoever to do so. There were witnesses. They applauded. I have lied to customs officers, bounty hunters and other pirates; I once convinced a man I was an accredited dance instructor because it seemed preferable to paying an entry fee. But even I was slightly baffled by this. Half an hour later I returned to the ship with permission to refuel and depart. Later, a delighted Captain Sir Eddy Kkidir arrived to pay his respects. Nobody challenged the validity of his title, so frankly I think precedent is now on my side. I remain, irritatingly, unknighted myself.

    KRRSH
    Captain, His Drinaxian Majesty’s Ship the So Much For Subtlety
    Saviour of the Floating
    Defender of Vargr Civil Rights
    Maker of Knights
    Possible Holder of the Royal Prerogative (de facto)

  • Borderland Run 7 – INS Stories

    128-1106 Tyokh

    The Tykhisto (Reavers’ Claw) clan and their Ahroay’if (Gilded Diamond) rivals have declared a war of assassins. This follows repeated raids into the Borderland sector by the Reavers’ Claw clan which the Gilded Diamond and their Tlaiowaha overlords see as threatening the Imperium trade route which is the source of their immense wealth.

    115-1106 Borite

    Already reeling from a series of Oghman Raider attacks, Borite’s suffering continues with the news that they were hit by a major Glorious Empire slaving raid in the past few days, with over six hundred citizens seized.

    329-1105 Garda-Vilis

    An Ine Givar terrorist attack on a sports stadium in the city of Lethbet on Garda-Vilis has lead to the deaths of over 300 people. This is the second major attack claimed by Ine Givar in 1105 and marks a noticeable up-tick in activity after several years of their absence from the headlines.

  • Imperium News Service – 1105 Summary

    Every session or two, I like to add some news stories from the INS (which is not restricted to Imperium systems) to add background, drop hints, foreshadow storylines or provide adventure hooks that the players can choose to engage with if they wish to do so.

    These are most of the stories from 1105. A few from 1105 arrived later since they came from more distant areas of Deneb, the Marches of further afield.

    One or two may ring a bell to long-time Traveller players!

    72-1105 Chronor – The Imperial Ambassador to Chronor (Spinward Marches 0304) was assassinated; The “Pantheress” (a “Tigress” class dreadnought) has been dispatched to receive the body. Accusations of Zhodani involvement have been denied by Consulate representatives.

    097-1105 Regina – Officials of the General Shipyards on Regina today announced that they have completed negotiations with Tukera Lines to locally manufacture L-Hyd drop tanks for use on high-capacity commercial vessels. The first production examples are expected to be available within six months, at which time Tukera Lines will begin high capacity service from the interior. Component assembly will be carried out at General’s more modern facilities on Pixie (0303-A100103-D).

    A spokesman for General Shipyards explained that local yards are not yet capable of manufacturing the long-storage capacitors required for the process, but that production of the drop tanks is possible, thus allowing the high capacity starships of the Tukera Lines to begin service to the Regina subsector.

    Local production will also allow the extension of the J6 Imperial express boat service, making military and civil government communications faster and more efficient to and from Capital.

    162-1105 Kterioa – The seasonal Ihatei congregation on Kterioa has this year peaked at over two thousand Aslan. Experts have suggested that the recent trend of geometric growth will see sufficient Aslan gather in 1106 to pose a threat to Asim, Drinax, Paal or Sink.

    182-1105 Arunisiir – Trade tensions along the Borderland flare up again after a violent incident involving heavily armed Aslan ihatei on Arunisiir. Rumours suggest the Borderland Alliance is at risk of fracturing over disagreements in policy toward Aslan expansion.

    184-1105 Arunisiir – Reports claim that the recent attack on Arunisiir by Aslan Ihatei has been successfully repulsed. Government sources denied the extensive involvement of off-world mercenary forces, claiming that Arunisiir troops and citizens rallied against the attack and drove off the invaders with heavy losses. While the presence of the Charnwood Regional Defence Company forces was admitted, Arunisiir sources clarified that the mercenary troops were committed to security duties away from the line of contact.

    192-1105 Torpol – Torpol saw Oghman Raiders attack an isolated polar mining installation and kidnap several technicians into slavery. Taking advantage of their experience of fighting in arctic conditions, the Oghman force also seized substantial amounts of mining machinery. Residents have demanded that their government locate the deep space refuelling point that allows the Oghmans to raid Torpol with their Jump-1 ships.

    192-1105 Salif – Salif forces were able to defeat another effort by opportunistic raiders to attack outgoing shipping. This represents the second attempt in recent months following an attack by an alleged Theevian raider group comprising three ships including a repurposed Vulture class salvager on 106-1105. Salif government sources confirmed the repulsed attack and stated that “this demonstrates the iron-clad resolution of the Salif government to protect system trade and our valuable mineral exports.”

    207-1105 Marduk – A trawler captain on Marduk operating out of the capital region recently reported an unusual and persistent sonar anomaly when searching for shoals of fish. Conspiracy theorists suggest that this is yet more proof of the existence of the so-called Gods of Marduk. Scientists suggest that the sonar anomaly is more likely to be caused by an underwater rockslide.

    298-1105 Gram – Gram has announced that due to “intolerable provocations” from the Darrian Confederation, they are increasing fleet expenditure and reactivating six mothballed divisions across the Sword Worlds Confederation. Reports from Third Imperium sources condemn this as “reckless posturing that places peace in the Spinward Marches at needless risk.”