The following document will cover setting details, NPCs, and related information to assist the game referee in running a campaign centered on a group of adventurer scientists working for a major museum/research institute in the Frontier. Inspiration for this campaign is taken from action packed thrillers like Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, and The Mummy.

Background 

Triad Institute of Technology (TIT) was established by decree of the Council of Worlds to be a research center independent of mega corp control. Its idyllic campus includes a beautiful mall and gardens spread over several city blocks in New Hope, the capitol of Triad. Triadians are immensely proud that Triad won out over Gran Quivera for the location of the institute.

The mandate that TIT is to be free of direct mega corp influence is aimed at the issue of control. Mega corporations direct research according to what is considered profitable. The institute, officially at least, directs research based on academic considerations. Being federally funded, TIT often must invest resources toward research for the benefit of Star Law, Space Fleet and Land Fleet. The upside is that the institute can occasionally call on these and other federal organizations for assistance in the pursuit of its aims. 

Note: TIT gaining help from other federal organizations is not the same as a Star Law marshal commandeering a space ship in the pursuit of a criminal. The cross agency assistance usually requires written requests, bureaucratic review and time consuming coordination with said agency.

The fact that the institute is independent of the mega corps does not mean that the mega corps are not involved. Traid is the headquarters for Cassidine Development Corporation (CDC) and Nesmith Enterprises of Triad (NET), both with heavy investments in the high tech field. Surprisingly many mega corps have established grants and endowments, for the university, recognizing that highly trained researchers and scientist graduating yearly is a benefit to their research programs. CDC, NET, and even Streel have become significant patrons of the institute. Pan Galactic Corporation, which supported the bid for Gran Quivera to host the institute has not. In fact PGC's Artifact Research and Development Team has become a significant competitor of the Acquisition Service.

The Acquisition Service works directly for the museum portion of the Institute. They acquire and authenticate artifacts as well as negotiate for collections in private hands to be loaned to the institutes's museum. The service is made up of scientist, technicians, adventurers and what one might even call mercenaries. Their duties range from the mundane; investigating counterfeiters, to the exciting; discovering alien artifacts on strange new worlds. 

The service has at its disposal the research capabilities of the institute as well as a modest inventory of equipment. For most assignments it contracts for interstellar transport on commercial vessels. If a mission is believed to be of significant importance a chartered vessel maybe provided. Rather than transport vehicles from Triad the service relies on locally rented vehicles unless travelling beyond the known Frontier.

Members of the Acquisition Service have the benefit of free training at the institute if its a skill that the referee rules is taught there. For example laser weapons marksmanship would not be while computer sciences would. In addition the service provides its teams with a credit line to cover mission expenses. Team members who are qualified (ie they have weapons skills) have a federally issued gun permit allowing them to possess and transport most pistols and rifles on interstellar transports. They still need to follow local laws and check proscribed weapons, like rifles on planets like Clarion. While it would be frowned upon for the team to walk around armed for razor tooths in settled areas it is recognized that security precautions need to be taken in wilderness and unexplored areas.