 December 9, 2013 - 6:14am | I have been bopping around in the various resources and forum threads and I have a few Qs about Truane's Star Government and Culture. Q1) OC IX: is it in the same system as Pale and New Pale? Q2) What is the logic behind it being illegal and punishable by death to celebrate Springfest and Winterfest? I think I read some place that people see the government as Fascist? Just trying to understand either source of ideas in materials or logic of ideas by various folks... Thanks guys. :) "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
 December 9, 2013 - 12:34pm | there have been at least 2 System briefs on Truane's Star (Pale and New Pale) by fans that made their way into the fan magazines. Anything fan created is of course not canonical to the setting so modify to suit. That death penalty seems a bit harsh for the infraction, was there any explanation? In a round about way there is some setting info on Truane's Star in the Dragon article "The Volturnus Connection" which was about the motivation of the pirates in Volturnus. The article itself does not have the feel that the author is speaking ex cathedra from the Basillica of St Gygax, in fact IIRC it is being presented as one possible set up for the Volturnus adventure. That said there are some interesting setting details that emerge in the article like giant dangerous reptiles on New Pale and I generally endorse these details as canon. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
December 9, 2013 - 7:46pm | I did find the system briefings. I like the Dino Idea for New Pale. I have not found a reason for the death penalty for celebrating 2 arbitrary dates in the Year... other then they seem to be dates with a religious base? Maybe? http://www.starfrontiers.us/node/1354 So I am wondering if the idea is the TSG views religion as a problem. Governments in RL that are anti-religious tend towards philosophies in which the Government is either tied to a specific state cult/religion as it's authority (so all other religions are a threat to the state authority) or has replaced religion with some form of modern rationalism (all religious ideas a threat to the state authority). It seems like TSG is being hinted at as being Marxist like, but would that really work in the Frontier? It is an interesting idea. Space China? It seems like they would just have put state holidays on those dates... Labor Day or Revolution Day or Worker's Rights Day etc if Marxist Style Government. I am not even sure I like the idea of Spring/Winterfest. Just seemed really odd to see that TSG views 2 celebration dates worthy for the death penalty in the Wiki Frontier Calendar. So I suppose this is also just a general Q on what is folks take on the TS Government? "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
 December 9, 2013 - 9:12pm | Well, those footnotes in the Frontier calendar referenced in that thread you posted are completely the idea of one person. So you can take it or leave it as you will. It was something Will made up, not coming from any TSR source as far as I know. 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 |
December 10, 2013 - 11:31am | Okay good to know. I am thinking of junking the whole Sring/Winterfest thing. But this has got me thinking about what sort of Government and also Culture TS is and how to make each State/Government with in the Frontier feel unique yet be able to work together for defense and trade purposes. SF has both a wild west pioneer feel and a Indurtial pro-Monopoly feel. So thinking along the lines of what is the nature of Monopolies, it is obvious to me many kinds of Monoplies exist some are cleaverly disguissed. For instance Communism is an Industrial Monopoly System when you think about it. I might make TS some sort of Communist type government, one that allows companies to exist for many things, but the state controls many other aspects of production or resources. Thus PGC and Streel can exist and still be powerful in their own right, but the government may have seized all Ag assets for instance and these are now State run. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
December 10, 2013 - 11:54am | I treat Pale as a republic and since the Volturnus module specifically said that the police action on Cygnus Omicron IX delayed one of the Volturnus expeditions and combine that with the fact that they have one of the larger militias in the Frontier it would seem that the Pale gov is a bit expansionist as for communist I cant see them allowing the 2nd Volturnus expedition to be staffed with questionables over a handful of uniformed military. I also use generally write in problems with New Pale since its a small ag colony and pale is a large colony that the police actions on cygnus omicron resulted in its name being changed to New Pale and this ammounts to outright conquest but done for the purpose of alleviating the food riots on Pale. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
December 10, 2013 - 7:30pm | I decided they are a Republic as well... TSR is their intials  . Most Communist countries are Republics too. If I go Communist it wil be Communist Lite to Medium. Expansionist I definetly agree with that. OCIX and N. Pale being the same planet is an intriguing thought. I had time to ponder the politics of the US Civil War and it's aftermath today and I feel there are probably some ideas I can bring forward from history that would be relavent to life in the Truane's Star Republic. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
December 10, 2013 - 9:36pm | My other take on the setting is that the Council of Worlds is just that of worlds and that the constitution of the UPF does not admit moons. thus systems where a moon is inhabited it is not represented by a voting member in the COW. Thus Pale got away with the conquest of its neighbor through fast talk and the fear of a major sathar incursion (the Battle of Volkos and the space battle of Zebulon) The name CO9 suggests that its the 9th moon of a gas giant called CO to me. The fact that the Volturnus Connection article suggests unrest in the population of New Pale I view that as an expression of native patriotism that Pale has thrust new colonist upon them and some were mixed species thus the HUSP movement found expression and I created a Granger movement that is resisting the new trend toward corporate owned farms. There is a lot of room for unrest in such an environment. I favor increasing corruption in the republic and increasing corporate influence by STreel (basically STreel is able to by and sell politicians) I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 December 10, 2013 - 11:26pm | I did not find anything on Truane's Star on Wiki nor SFMAN. I checked Zebulon's Guide and AD Expert. I do not see anything that states about the holidays illegal - death penalty. Pale is orbit 3 and New Pale is orbit 4. There are 8 planets and an asteroid belt. Pale and New Pale are planets - not moons. Cygnus Omicron or Tiberon is a gas giant, occupying the eighth outermost orbit nearly 7.6 billion kilometers from the sun. As for Spring and Winterfest - these would be observed on AG planets ~ planeting season and harvest season. Some reason that Congress takes breaks when they do. As for Resource and Industrial planets...not much reason to celebrate these days. I only see New Years and Federation Day. That's it. Who said these holidays are not to be observes in Truane's Star - death penalty? Where? |
December 11, 2013 - 6:16am | It is in House Rules: Frontiers Calendar It is one refs ideas, so I was wondering if anyone had an idea of his logic on the big DP... I could only come up with him viewing the 2 dates as sort of combinded religious mash in another post... so I was wondering if I had missed something. I was wondering if religion was banned or what in TS. I am guessing just his take on it. I am okay with making TSR a bit heavy handed but just not too much. RL is weird that way too, one gov agency will give you an awesome job well done and thanks for saving our employees and another one will swoop in and reprand you all for the same event. So I can see a gov having a range of reactions and actions it might take even conflicting ones. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
December 11, 2013 - 7:16am | just noticed something- New Pale has the second highest gravity in the AD book- 1.4g. Any brief on the planet ought to account for the impact of this. To be a native of New Pale you need to have a STR above X ammount. (I'm loathe to make it a +Y bonus to STR for being form New Pale or every character will suddenly be a farm boy from New Pale, Laco or Morgaine's World) The refugees from New Pale that went to Laco during SW1 were ok with Laco's gravity but the refugees from Pale were probably uncomfortable. And no doubt someone visiting Pale from New Pale that gets into a fight will likely pound on anyone from Pale. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
December 11, 2013 - 7:51am | Yeah, I made an issue of the 1.4 g on New Pale when I ran my Obar Enterprises play by post game. It also explains (at least partially) why New Pale was settled later even though it has the better climate. No one wanted to deal with the higher gravity. And in my game, New Pale is closer to the star as it has warmer climate while Pale is cooler. I'd have to review the Volturnus module but I don't thing there is anything offical that states which planet is closer but that makes more sense based on what little information there is. 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 |
December 11, 2013 - 9:17am | I believe you are correct that there is no cannon statement as to which planet is close to the star. My classifying of New Pale as a moon probably doesn't work with such a high gravity but it was one solution for the mystery of just where is cygnus omicron 9. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 December 11, 2013 - 10:52am | @jedion, I took your cygnus omnicron explanation to be an outpost on a moon further out in the system, not as New Pale. Did you talk that way early on? -iggy |
December 11, 2013 - 1:42pm | @jedion, I took your cygnus omnicron explanation to be an outpost on a moon further out in the system, not as New Pale. Did you talk that way early on? That was shadow's take on it and a good one too. I dont believe I wrote on New Pale being CO9 but I may have chatted here and there on it awhile back. I've wrestled with many of the nagging little inconsistencies and this is one. I like my idea but Shadows is simpler and simplicity has a power all its own. Having just noticed that New Pale's gravity is 1.4 it doesn't really make sense for it to be a moon. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
December 11, 2013 - 3:29pm | Good points. It does make sense for New Pale to be closer to the Star and Pale further away. Gravity being high I am thinking planet over moon. Climate wise you are talking major culture differences before gravity is even considered. The Gravity issue and pcs, I suppose there are 2 ways to go: ignore it or give pcs from higher gravity worlds an edge. Though I can see a lot of John Carter types running around too if you go with edge. Maybe they would lose the edge if off world to long, or maybe for game purposes people adapt easier then in real life would so non-issue? Sci-Fi versus Science. I imagine it is the type of game you decide to run super realistic or just enough realism and deciding where that just enough line is. I suppose you could just House Rule the gravity on New Pale to be less then what is in the material. Maybe one of the reasons New Pale is mostly Human is the gravity? CO IX either has to be out on the edge of TS system or in another system all together (TS gov expansion gone wrong?). Or CO IX is something completely different, what if it was not a planet or a moon? (Just tossing that thought out) There is another way to solve the CO IX Problem: (Cue Star Trek Music) Don't forget to tune into next week's episode "Where did Cygnus Omicron 9 Go?" "Captian it's gone!" (Ship's Navigator) "Planets don't just disapear Ensign, are our coordinates correct?" (Captain) "There where millions of people living there!" (Ship's Medical Officer) "By my computations Captain we are at the correct coordinates." (Science Officer) "Sathar Attack?" (Captain) "Unknown Captain." (Science Officer) "Go to Red Alert!" (Captain)  "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
December 11, 2013 - 4:39pm | Edge for those from New Pale: I'm leary of the +X % to STR but something along the lines of +1 PS score or a +10 to feats of strength in certain situations but the character must start with a STR over a certain number like 55 or 60. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 December 11, 2013 - 9:42pm | Quick back up Communism is probably the most used government system on planet Earth. Most people mistake the Soviet dictatorships for Communism which they obviously weren't. Communism in which everyone is provided according to their needs and everyone gives according to their abilities is what most tribal societies used throughout history. Only when people started forming cities and imposing ruling classes on themselves did things change. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
December 11, 2013 - 10:47pm | And in my game, New Pale is closer to the star as it has warmer climate while Pale is cooler. I'd have to review the Volturnus module but I don't thing there is anything offical that states which planet is closer but that makes more sense based on what little information there is... Pale is closer. There is a mpa of Truane's Star System. It shows Pale, New Pale the asteroid belt, etc. But, to explain the gravity - it could have higher spin. Pale has a 55 hour day, so New Pale should be something like 110 hours +. But, if it spinned quicker, the days would go quicker - hence the 20 hour day. My understanding is that Omicron 9 is the last planet in the system. |
December 12, 2013 - 4:54am | And in my game, New Pale is closer to the star as it has warmer climate while Pale is cooler. I'd have to review the Volturnus module but I don't thing there is anything offical that states which planet is closer but that makes more sense based on what little information there is... Pale is closer. There is a mpa of Truane's Star System. It shows Pale, New Pale the asteroid belt, etc. But, to explain the gravity - it could have higher spin. Pale has a 55 hour day, so New Pale should be something like 110 hours +. But, if it spinned quicker, the days would go quicker - hence the 20 hour day. My understanding is that Omicron 9 is the last planet in the system. What Map, where? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
December 12, 2013 - 6:21am | Quick back up Communism is probably the most used government system on planet Earth. Most people mistake the Soviet dictatorships for Communism which they obviously weren't.
Communism in which everyone is provided according to their needs and everyone gives according to their abilities is what most tribal societies used throughout history. Only when people started forming cities and imposing ruling classes on themselves did things change. I am unsure if that is actually true, only because people see/project their favored economic system and ideals on to the beliefs and behaviours of "primitive people". The back to Eden syndrome of "civilizied people" tends to colour what people see in tribal societies. The Ancient Greeks and Romans did the same to the Ancient Celts as far as presenting Celts as either Noble Savages imboding what they wanted or Murderous Savages. Communism is a system of economics and governence developed for the industrial age. I think people project Socialism, Capitalism and Communism onto tribal societies because they want validation for their own beliefs... this includes projecting the Hippy Love Fest idea of everything was peachy until white men showed up, no war, no human sacrifice, no slavery etc (untrue), or everyone was living in harmony with Mother Earth (not true). Our desperate search for validation and an idealic society without "ills" (as defined by the beholder) has led to alot of misinformation in books and in school. Anyhow I believe it could be possable to have a functioning Communist Society in the Frontier that makes Credits becuase we have that on Earth now. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
December 12, 2013 - 7:38am | Like communism being projected backward another industrial age concept has also been projected backward, that of the noble savage both support each other. Strangely prior to the myth of the noble savage they were just dirty savages. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
December 12, 2013 - 1:37pm | Hi, Jed. I listed it under Adventures for beginners. I think it was in a module or on the wiki. |
December 12, 2013 - 1:42pm | It was the wiki. Then it just lists a System History but, no info. |
December 12, 2013 - 3:26pm | There is a brief in Frontier Explorer #6. |
December 12, 2013 - 4:32pm | It was the wiki. Then it just lists a System History but, no info. I'd love to know the source of that image. A web search shows it only showing up on that wiki page. I don't remember it from any of the rules or modules. I thought there was a Truane's Star system brief in the Star Frontiersman but I can't seem to find it. 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 |
December 12, 2013 - 6:42pm | Besides the physical planetary aspects... Cultural Adaptation is something to consider it seems the planets are as different climate wise as Hawaii and Alaska, this would affect the human cultures I would think. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
 December 14, 2013 - 6:15am | Unless anyone else has made one, the only system brief I'm aware of is the one I belted out for the Historical Adventures project: |
December 14, 2013 - 8:08am | Yeah, I tracked that down and that's where the system map came from. Plus there's the one we published in issue 6 of the Frontier Exploerer by dmoffett. 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 |
December 14, 2013 - 3:26pm | Frontier Explorer has the system brief, plus a couple others that SFman did not have. |
December 14, 2013 - 6:23pm | Is it possible that that map came from a Polyhedron or Ares adventure/article? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
