 November 2, 2011 - 3:13pm | I'm moving on to stage 3 of my history project: Age of Adventure (End of 1st Sathar War to beginning of the 2nd Sathar war- also know as the Age of the MegaCorp) RE: The timeline article in issue 16 and (RE: the History of the Capella System and associated timeline in Zebs Guide to the Rim coming out in issue 18- I'll try to get the rellevant material posted in the Zebs Guide Expanded project soon) My goals with the project are: 1. to tell the "story" of that history since a story is easier to read then a dry collection of dates. 2. provide a timeline that is as free as possible from inconsistencies or things that dont make sense. 3. Remain true to the spirit of the canon, harmonize all the available material though departures may be neccessary. Precidences goes to AD & KHs and modules as primary, Dragon and Polyhedron mags as seconardy and then Zebs as bottum rung. My Methods: 1. I'll be working up another article but will act as a project lead taking imput form anyone that posts here: I'm looking for feed back, challenges and ideas as I think that will make a better final product. Anyone posting in this thread any comment of value will be listed as a collaborator. 2. I will wrestle to harmonize as much as possible and only after wrestling with things opt to leave something out or change it in someway. 3. I strive for what I call "Zero Sum Change"- what that means is that while I might make some non canon changes the end result must be the Frontier as we know it. To give an example: if you read my timeline article in 16 then you might remember that I made some significant changes concerning Terledrom and Fromeltar but in the end its still a High population system populated by vrusk and Dralasites. Striving for harmonization and Zero Sum Change should give this article the widest possible acceptance. The Zebs Controversy: Some of us are purest and dont accept Zebs while some do so I'm planning to produce a timeline that strongly focuses on the UPF and minimizes mention of the Rim and CFM. The CFM is canon to KH so I wont not mention it but I plan to craft a document that will be usable by both sides of the ZG fence (or produce 2 timelines that allow a GM to choose). I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
November 2, 2011 - 3:28pm | Ideas: 1.an early treaty signed before the formation of the UPF by a majority of colonies about the time of the founding of Prengular or at the time of the 1st common muster that was weak and insufficent but directly lead to the constitution of the UPF. More or less a Frontier version of the MayFlower Compact or the Articles of Confederation. 2. cover all the major corporate wars 3. cover the Dramune wars (was it 3 in total?) 4. chart the discovery and colonization of the new colonies that appear on the Zebs map and were not on the AD map. 5. place all modules that should fit into this age into the timeline (with the caveat that Bugs In the System may not need to be placed in the time line and can be easily left for individual GMs to slot in where they want). Modules like the Volturnus campaign, Dramune Run and the Beyond the Frontier Series should be placed in the timeline as well as important pieces of the Warriors of White Light module as they cover historically significantly events. Do all modules fit into this time frame? 6. Plague and MSO- has to be dealt with and I dont think we'll have concensus. 7. After math of the Volturnus series (I wrote an article detailing possible outcomes to that) 8. Mechanon revolt and emmigration to Mechano 9. creation of corporate owned systems and the passage of laws to limit that in the future. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 November 2, 2011 - 4:00pm | 9. creation of corporate owned systems and the passage of laws to limit that in the future.
BTW, we discussed some of this on the site, I think in the Colonization Workshop project. Just one comment so far, here's my opinion;
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November 2, 2011 - 4:21pm | @ woot: IIRC there are about 4 mega corp owned planets/systems: Pan Gal, New Streele, Devco, and I think one of the new systems not on the AD map is controlled by another mega-corp and Zebs states that tough new laws were introduced concerning planet ownership. so I dont want to bog down in what is likely but rather focus on what is and cover it in the timeline your statement that they would have a major stake in many systems is correct but there is the vineer that the system is controlled by its government; whatever the reality really is. I think that the formation of Corporate systems should be an out growth of prior corporate conflict and should be a part of the "story" of the corporate wars. Some incident should trigger the passage of laws by the UPF to limit this trend of corporate owned systems. Not sure what that trigger event should be though. As to the law I think it should be something about every planetary population should have self determination once over a specified population sizes- in other words outpost are still controlled by who set them up and once a world qualifies for UPF membership it can organize politically and petition for recognition. I actually explored that in the Digging In the Dust of Laco article (saddly not published yet but likely in 18) PGC has exerted control on Laco since the 1st Sathar war and done all it can to block its entry into the Council of World lest the corporation looses its monopoly on control of the Tetrarch ruins. My read on Devco is different than Pan Gal and New Streele, That CDC helped resettle the refugees from the Blue Plague there (which is canon) but that it would really like to divest itself and see the local population take over administration. (non conan) also that the formation of this corporate planet happened with the blessing of the Council of Worlds- CDC feeling left out of the "we own a system club" led by PGC and streel and its offer to aid the refugees in exchange for a charter to a system. It quickly found out that Devco system was a money drain it cant get out without losing face so it endures administering it hoping for a self government movement arising. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
November 2, 2011 - 4:35pm | Planets that MUST be discovered during this period from the Zebs Guide map: Belnafaer (requires the charting of 2 jump routes) Pan Gal (requires the charting of 2 jump routes) New Streel (requires the charting of 2 jump routes) Solar Minor (requires the charting of 1 jump route) Solar Major (requires the charting of 1 jump route) Devco (requires the charting of 2 jump routes) Tristkar (requires the charting of 1 jump route) Systems that should be discovered from the modules: Rhianna (should settle what its location is some divergence in sources on this) Waller Nexus Liberty Question: The map I'm working from lists a system called: Donal's Reach, anyone know where that comes from? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
November 2, 2011 - 5:08pm | Catalog of Corporate Conflict 1. Laco's War- famous for being the first Corporate War and the longest. Between Streel and PGC- outcome PGC out spent Streel and left in control of Laco. 2. Shortest on Record between 2 moon mining corporations from Outer Reach: stray missile ignited cache of TD19 and punctured every vac suit of all the combatants, battle lasted 3 minutes. 3. Mission to Alcazar: corporate war detailed in the module between Streel and CDC 4. PGC and Tachton almost came to blows or did and settled quickly in Timeon. I like to write that the reason Tachton and PGC settled quickly is that PGC was engaged with conflict on Laco with Streel and could not afford a 2 front war. Special Cases: Dramune Wars 1,2, & 3 not really corporate wars Note according to Zebs DW1 happens 6FY which probably makes it before Laco's War; one may safely assume that the ranks of pirates have been swelled by out of work veterans form the First Sathar War causing them to push Inner Reach. Resulting in a tricky problem for the Council of Worlds since both planets are signatories. Dramune 2 (according to Zebs) happens 30 years latter in 36 FY And DW3 is 61 FY (note I need to break out the Dramune Run module and make sure there are not any contradictions in dates and events) Statements in zebs suggest that there are many more corporate conflicts and after SW2 the tensions resumed. My feeling is that this time period of 0FY to 80FY should be about the rise and power of mega corps: corporate wars, corporate colonized planets, other bad corporate behavior. The book says that anti merger laws were past during the SW2 and that other tough laws past controlling planet ownership. So my gut tells me that about the SW2 should be the high water mark of the mega corp. The course of the war and legistlation has curtailed ther worst abuses of mega corp power after the war. Resumed hostilities between competing mega corps and changes in society have led to a wanning of the mega corp power in the decades following SW2 but in the age under consideration the story is power to the mega corp. After the SW2 they're still around and still powerful but a little less so as changes occur in society. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 November 2, 2011 - 6:24pm | The Drammune run module is set in fy 61. That's one thing the Zeb's timeline got right in relation to previously published material. Ad Astra Per Ardua! My blog - Expanding Frontier Webmaster - The Star Frontiers Network & this site Founding Editor - The Frontier Explorer Magazine Managing Editor - The Star Frontiersman Magazine |
November 2, 2011 - 6:58pm | I think a major theme should be ambition and the testing of the UPF/Council of Worlds Part of that "testing" is the mega corps running rampant. part of the mega-corps running loose could also be responsible for stirring up the mechanons. Though the mega corps were encroaching on the mechanons the mechanon agenda was very much anti biologicals so the story of the mechanon revolt is muddled. During this time Star Law is founded, they're involved in tracking sathar agents, begin to try to regulate mega corps, they become involved in the Mechanon revolt, They eventually branched into the Rim. Star Law becomes in many ways the white knights trying to protect the UPF in the time of its testing to see if it will stand. Plague and MSO, Blue plague is reputed to be spread from Star Mist by the unregulated transport of an animal. Is there a value to suggesting a mega corp connection- just suggesting it but not making it 100%. it picks up the theme of the mega corps run amok. But anyway the scope of the Blue Plague and the formation of the MSO is certain to be a major "testing" of the UPF. The Dramune Wars which are wars between two member planets also become a testing of the UPF and Council of Worlds. The first one plays out between Inner Reach and Outer Reach with the Council of Worlds say they have to stay hands off. Some journalist question the ability of the Council of Worlds to keep the peace. Perhaps some of the other soverign planets pressure Outer Reach and exert some foriegn policy while the Council of Worlds stands by. Dramune War 2 errups but is small scale and almost a non issue in that Inner Reach had become fed up and sent its militia after a band of pirates, it looked like a re erruption of the inter system fighting but political maneuvering among crime lords and syndicates on Outer Reach, lead by the Malthar, leaves that band unsupported. However, The Council of Worlds if feeling the need to prove itself and orders a Space Fleet taskforce supported by some militia units to be a peace keeping force and separate the combatants. One thing leads to another and there's some shooting and Raptor squadron of the Royal Marines sees some action. Dramune War 3 (I could be wrong I just haven't had time to pull the module but if the events of the module are what is Dramune War 2 then the notes here on #2 and #3 should be reversed) is the major pruning back of the Malthar and the pirate lords on Out Reach as per the Dramune Run Module. Once and for all the issue of war between Inner and Outer Reach is decided. and the Council of Worlds finally rests easy. All of this testing of the fabric of the UPF culminates in SW2 RE: War Time Lines the main time line should not be bogged down with a blow by blow of a war like the SW2 section of the Zebs Timeline. Separate timelines of a corporate war or of SW2 can be done and if anyone is interested in those they can delve into it more deeply. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
November 2, 2011 - 7:18pm | RE: Plague Worlds I have invested a huge ammount of time in to this issue. Greek letter plague worlds just make little sense. you have to insert them into the timeline, date their discovery, their colonization, create some basic information on them and name them. the idea that a whole civilization will switch to a greek letter designation, rather than call it by the name they always knew makes no sense. White Light amoung other systems was listed as being quarrentined and yet its not off limits now. which also makes no sense. if the cure is developed by MSO and the quarrentine was lifted on some systems then the UPF having a shoot on site order for ships lifting from the un-named plague system seems a bit excessive. My solution is to simply ignore the plague systems; they were never colonized and this explains the lack of jump routes to them as well as the lack of any astro catalog data. its the simplest solution and the least complicated. It already is like they never really existed anyway so Why Not? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
November 2, 2011 - 8:03pm | I'm 100% with you jedi on the plague worlds. Just leave them out. If you want the plague, which isn't a bad idea, just have it run its course on the already existing planets with temporary quaranteens and then have them lifted when the cure is found. The plague worlds never sat well with me either, to the point that I normally ignore the whole Blue Plague theme completely. Ad Astra Per Ardua! My blog - Expanding Frontier Webmaster - The Star Frontiers Network & this site Founding Editor - The Frontier Explorer Magazine Managing Editor - The Star Frontiersman Magazine |
November 3, 2011 - 5:44am | I think its the simplest solution, Terl Obar, and anyone who wants the plague planets can simply add them for his game and do all the leg work required to work them up. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 November 5, 2011 - 12:09pm | 1.an early treaty signed before the formation of the UPF by a majority of colonies about the time of the founding of Prengular or at the time of the 1st common muster that was weak and insufficent but directly lead to the constitution of the UPF. More or less a Frontier version of the MayFlower Compact or the Articles of Confederation. I like this! There should be some weak treaty with a boring name that everyone in the frontier forgets about. Human and Yazirian children gloss over it in school, Dralasite children learn about it as a minor part of a political joke, and Vrusk larvae dutifully memorize it's name and date but never use the information.The treaty should mainly concern itself with trade and the recognizing of the credit used by PGC as a common interchange for racial currencies. Gotta get the mega-corps started. There should be some statement recognizing the governments of the separate races as equals. To this there would be some mention of each government getting equal representation. This is driven by the humans who tend to fracture their governments by world. This then becomes the obscure legal precedent for the other races to get extra representation for each planet their government represents. The humans keep spreading out to more planets and thus getting more representation so the other races start colonizing more worlds to keep up with and check the humans. This also helps foster the separation the Family Of One that the yazirians go through because they don't like their representative being puppets to the Family. -iggy |
November 5, 2011 - 12:45pm | The Star System Generator calculates the habitable zone based on stellar mass, see page 3. Refer to: Star System Generator IMO, the "edge" of a system would be the furthest orbital body which I guess would be the Ort cloud or the comet with the furthest orbit. I guess...  |
 November 5, 2011 - 2:11pm | I actually explored that in the Digging In the Dust of Laco article (saddly not published yet but likely in 18) Keep your eyes peeled. Available soon! (Sometime in early to mid 2013).
 View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
November 5, 2011 - 2:23pm | Regarding the Mechanon revolt related to the megacorps would be the megacorps trying to enslave the Mechanon under grounds that they're machines, not organic. There would also be a lot of unscrupulous trackers being paid by equally unscrupulous businessmen trying to secure Mechanon as cheap labor. There might even have been a whole political to-do over it across the Frontier. Once the Mechanon were recognized as autonomous, then the issue of territory would rear its ugly head. Once territory gets into the mix, then the rogue Mechanon seek out their own world where their territory can be guarded. They claim a world and a system that suits their needs and no one wants, previously known as "Deadspace". Since no one wanted it before, they have no claims to it now. So they enforce a no-fly-zone around their new system. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
December 15, 2011 - 2:30pm | The mechanon revolt and how its handled depends on who's controlling Volturnus; who's the authority. I explored the possibilities in an article but I think we have to assume its not total eorna sovereignty but that the UPF is involved to some degree since Star Law is credited with defusing it in Zebs. That said perhaps Volturnus is a special case or a territory of the UPF. Note: latter in the timeline it states that the UPF Govenor for Volturnus is assassinated by an altered mechanon in FY105 I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
December 15, 2011 - 6:29pm | Five Possibilities for the Government of Volturnus Post the Battle of Volkos (ie post the Volturnus Campaign) 1. Government of Pale asserts its claim and steps in (its a strong logical possibility but I dont consider it likely for a variety of reasons) 2. Mega corps swarm Volturnus and do what they want; planet becomes a government free mass exploitation zone (not a fan of this possibility) 3. UPF/Council of Worlds steps in and administers the planet via an appointed governor; no local laws the mega corps have to obey beyond what the governor imposes- sets up a situation with some authority but lots of room for classic lawlessness of the Frontier; The hanging judge, Parker admistering the Indian territories is a good analogy 4. Diminished and dying eorna race manages to hang on to planet and license exploiters to exploit various resourses; lots of mega corp competition, 5. with the egg ship ending a re-invigorated eorna race governs their own planet and joins the UPF 25FY The Mechanon menace on Volturnus first comes to the UPF's attention, but cannot be dealt with because of the Blue Plague (note the Blue Plague has been raging since 17 FY and will continue to do so for another 2 years by the book) 54 FY The Mechanon Revolt. Mechanons on Volturnus revolt. Only through quick action of the part of Star Law is a full-scale war avoided. 70 FY The Mechanon Civization of Voltrunus undergoes an upheaval. The majority of peaceful Mechanons migrate into undeveloped space between Scree Fron and Dixon's Star. 77 FY Mechanon is discovered by migrating Mechanons. Its entry into the UPF is blocked until the legal status of the Mechanons can be established. 105 FY (post SW2) An altered Mechanon assassinates the governor of Zebulon. The UPF suspects that the sathar may be establishing an extensive spy and terrorist network. The possible sathar use of mechanical life forms, such as mechanons, as agents becomes a preime investigative goal of Star Law. 106 FY The Mechanons are officially informed by the UPF that they are not considered a stable enough society, at this time, to be allowed equal status in the UPF. They are forthwith considered "wards of the Federation." The protection and supervision are the responsibility of the Council of Worlds. While most Mechanons accept this as a necessary step toward independence, some rebel and go underground, swearing to avenge their race. Many of these are suspected of being sathar agents. Suppositions from the timeline material 1. Zebulon System has a Governor and a Star Law presence. This must be a UPF appointed governor and the whole system appears to be under UPF administration. whether the eorna are a dying or thriving race its probably they have only one city, Volkos and they run their own affairs there. How much autonomy the eorna have from the UPF is up for debate. I would further stipulate that Zebulon is an important Space Fleet station. 1) its the border between the Rim and UPF, 2) its been a historic line of sathar advance into the Frontier. At the vary least there is a task force headed by a hvy cruiser 2. the phrase "wards of the Federation" is interesting, I would make the case that its use with the Mechanons is not the first time it is used but that the primitives of Volturnus are also classed as "wards of the Federation" and they they were classed such at the time of the UPF stepping in to administer Volturnus. 3. For some reason the big events in the "mechanon timeline" are spaced approximately 25 years apart. M menace in 25 FY, Revolt in 54 FY, Migration in 70 FY, founding of Mechano in 77 FY (breaks the pattern), 105 FY Mechanon assassinates a UPF official and they are denied entry to the Council of Worlds. Not sure why other then the writers wanted to spread them out over a 100 year period. One has to ask who or what are the Mechanons revolting against? Must be the admin by the UPF. If the eonra are a semi-autonomous state doing there own thing I dont see their revolt being fully directed against them but perhaps as a just part of their overal anger with all biologicals. Eorna could very well have an issue with the mechanons since they are evolved from the eorna's robots dating back to the day of Doom. Perhaps the mega corps stirred the pot to aggravate them. But in the end the drama is between the Mechanons and the UPF and Star Law becomes the point beings to head off the revolt. 4. Menace first pops up in 25 FY? Why not when they are first seen during the Battle of Volkos in the Volturnus Campaign? Would have to interpret that statement as some incident happened- mechanons fought with mega corp personal, attacked primitives or eorna for encroaching in their lands, UPF citizens were captured or killed for similar reasons. 5. Funny that it seems like the Mechanons up and migrate, almost like no one knew it was happening till it happened. Then since they are capable of just up and leaving when they want its further funny that they could becomes "wards of the Federation" like they are primitives or children. 6. The final entry in the timeline sets them up as a major foil, for the setting during the 2nd century, Easy to imagine the Mechanons being quite ticked off over the "wards of the Federation" thing. Almost like they are being pushed into the arms of the sathar. 7. Not all mechanons emigrate and only the "majority of the Peaceful Mechanons" leave Volturnus. This means that those that are left are mostly the non peaceful mechanons, some are peaceful but the exodus to Mechano concentrates the problem mechanons on Volturnus. Volturnus will become a hot bed of activity of the Silver Death Cult, evil biological/UPF hating mechanon activity and STar Law will require more agents on Volturnus then its raw population numbers would normally warrent. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
December 15, 2011 - 8:30pm | They could be considered "wards" if their sentience and legal autonomy are in question. The divergence in different Mechanon shows the Mechanon logic is based much upon their experiences rather than a Mechanon program, showing complete sentience and self-determination. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
December 15, 2011 - 9:19pm | The divergence in different Mechanon shows the Mechanon logic is based much upon their experiences rather than a Mechanon program, showing complete sentience and self-determination. Thats an interesting analysis; doesn't change the fact that the rulings of "unstable society" & "wards of the Frontier" are nothing more than a knee jerk panic based reaction to the assassination. In some ways its fairly typical but it will have a negative impact on UPF security. Funny thing, I hate reading through the tedious blow by blow of SW2 in the Zebs Timeline and never read past the beginning of the war. I've long debated as to what to do with Volturnus after the classic campaign there, even writing an article on the 5 possibilities, if I had only read past the 2nd sathar war I would have spotted comment about the governor of Zebulon which would have had my answer; though that was pretty much the direction I felt things should go to start with anyway. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
December 15, 2011 - 9:38pm | The Age of Adventure is the age when many of the published modules take place Its dates span the formation of the UPF/end of SW1 to SW2 Basic theme during this age is, "The Testing of the UPF" (might change the word testing to tempering) Basic idea is that stuff happens and it leads to a reaction by the UPF interstellar crime- founding of Star Law Blue Plague- founding of the MSO Rise of the Mega corps- A) corporate wars- eventual military involvment by UPF B) corporate owned systems - "tough new laws" Interplanetary war (Dramune Wars 1,2,& 3) Mechanon Menace then Revolt- Star Law intervenes (one of its finest hours perhaps?) All of this culminates in SW2 The general trend of sathar involvement during this period military, with some espionage but after SW2 the trend shifts to espionage away from military I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 December 16, 2011 - 9:59am | Perhaps the Mechanon revolt occurred because the UPF imposed governor and the Eorna continually treated the Mechanons as mere machines, not sentients, and when the Mechanons tried to leave the planet peacefully, they were denied. This was the final straw, causing the warrior caste 's long dorment combat programming to be activated. Perhaps they saw the denial of the Mechanon's to reach the stars as a threat to the evolution of the Mechanon "race". This is of course if you want to cast the Mechanons not as an agressor race, but as a more sympathetic species, whose actions are merely reactions to being oppressed by the organics. "Hey guys I wonder what this does"-Famous last words "Hey guys, I think it's friendly." -Famous last words "You go on ahead, I'll catch up." -Famous last words "Did you here that?" -Famous last words |
 December 16, 2011 - 10:01am | One thing you should add to the list as a separate event is the Sathar Covert War. No one knows how many were involved and what the victories or losses were but this event lasted a LONG time and led to many of the UPFs policies. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
