 September 3, 2016 - 12:06pm | We all know about the mega-corps and some of the cults and cadres of the Frontier, but what about labor unions and professional societies? What impact do they have? The Zebulon's Guide had what you might consider a throw-away line about why characters would choose a profession. It went something like this: "At the start of the game, each player must chose a profession... because it provides job security and financial suppport. Each profession respects and supports its own members above any other profession. For example, there are reference centers, discount houses and hotel-like facilities associated with each profession on most civilized worlds and space stations..." (This description is what I have in my house rules, based on the Star Frontiers 2000 project). The closest that anyone has developed one of these professional guilds is Thomas Verreault in the Fall 2014 issue of Frontier Explorer magazine with the HAG (Holo Actor's Guild). For my story on Robots Rules of Order Revised, I started with a short story about a reporter covering the SCaRE conference -- Society of Computer and Robotics Engineers -- which would be another professional society, but I've yet to flesh that out. What other labor and professional societies should the Frontier have? If one is using the Espionage PSA (I think that's another jedion creation) is there some Casino Royal place that the spies of the Frontier hang out at? Anyone have any other ideas? Joe Cabadas |
September 3, 2016 - 12:11pm | Would there be any labor organizations such as the Knights of Labor? It could be a semi-secret cadre that the mega corporations hate but need to deal with. Or a spacers' docking union -- that could be infiltrated by the Malthar or Zenk criminal organizations. (That could feed into the idea of a major shipping line going bankrupt due to graft/embezzlement.) Joe Cabadas |
September 3, 2016 - 3:59pm | Oh, Chris Donovan also had an earlier post about cadres, but I think thisn topic is slightly different though related. And I nearly forgot there is the Brotherhood of Spacers, which is a guild-type organization, so that's another organization. Joe Cabadas |
 September 3, 2016 - 5:42pm | Just to throw a curve at ya, the Vrusk would not have unions. Trade Houses and Vrusk conglomerates provide all these things for their members or at least have special reciprecal deals with those that do, same thing with Yazirians, while not as important as before clans are still a major part of lives and could provide special services to their clan mates. Labor negotiations are long drawn out debates. What Dralasite is going to let someone else debate for them? Possibly Labor Debate teams to discuss things with the Management Debate team. If you work for a Megacorp and live on one of their planets you are not gonna have a labor union. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 3, 2016 - 6:23pm | Just to throw a curve at ya, the Vrusk would not have unions. Trade Houses and Vrusk conglomerates provide all these things for their members or at least have special reciprecal deals with those that do, same thing with Yazirians, while not as important as before clans are still a major part of lives and could provide special services to their clan mates. Labor negotiations are long drawn out debates. What Dralasite is going to let someone else debate for them? Possibly Labor Debate teams to discuss things with the Management Debate team. If you work for a Megacorp and live on one of their planets you are not gonna have a labor union. That's a fine curve. Yes, the traditional Vrusk trade houses would hate, loath and despise anything like today's human labor unions. I agree, the traditional Yazarians would probably see it as an intrusion into the clan structure. Now, the Dralasites and those pesky humans might just form some kind of union, though I think Star Frontiers seems to be more geared to the guild-type of organization. That's why I brought up the idea of professional societies -- that Zeb's creation -- which actually exist in the real world. Though I don't think players will want to role play going to conferences... unless that's a hook to an unexpected adventure. For example, hile attending the SCaRE conference, Fiorina Talc, one of the PCs who is a roboticist, is there when Silver Death Cultists try to kidnap one of the most brilliant robot engineers and destroy his robot with the latest AI program. Joe Cabadas |
 September 4, 2016 - 2:51pm | You've overlooked The Brotherhood of Spacers. I like SCaRE and thanks for the shout out on HAG. I'm sure mercenaries have a professional organization. And didn't we have a thread on possible veterans organisations? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 September 4, 2016 - 4:58pm | Everyone is forgetting the Synthfood Workers' Union. The point about vrusk is interesting. Posessing a strong group/hive instinct, the vrusk wouldn't think twice about a corporate culture that would make the most devoted Japanese salaryman look like a bomb-throwing anarchist by comparison. Many institutions that would seem entirely inoccuous to a vrusk (like living in company housing, shopping at the company store, etc) have their roots in RL labor history as some of the most abusive institutions man has ever come up with. Really colors the entire perception of DSOTM's backstory when you stop to consider it. If not for the capitalism angle, vrusk would be very Soviet-like in their social structure. Which is ironic. |
September 4, 2016 - 6:58pm | Everyone is forgetting the Synthfood Workers' Union. The point about vrusk is interesting. Posessing a strong group/hive instinct, the vrusk wouldn't think twice about a corporate culture that would make the most devoted Japanese salaryman look like a bomb-throwing anarchist by comparison. Many institutions that would seem entirely inoccuous to a vrusk (like living in company housing, shopping at the company store, etc) have their roots in RL labor history as some of the most abusive institutions man has ever come up with. Really colors the entire perception of DSOTM's backstory when you stop to consider it. If not for the capitalism angle, vrusk would be very Soviet-like in their social structure. Which is ironic. It would probaby be the disaffected Vrusk -- the ones that aren't cut out to be adventurers, such as PCs, but don't like the hive-like culture -- that would be the more radical ones that would join some kind of labor movement, pirate gang, Zenk outfit, Sathar agent, etc. In fact, Vrusk trade house propaganda might be set up that if some uppity Vrusk want to be a part of an independent trade or guild society then they'd be accused of wanting to be a Sathar agent or Zenk criminal or just insane. That being said, the trade houses might see value in the professional societies, as long as their members get permission from the their higher ups to join. After all, it would be a way of showing leadership skills and initiative... There'd be lots of complex machinizations that would make Yazarian clan politics seem easy by comparison. And, yes, it gives a different perspective to the DSOTM. Joe Cabadas |
September 4, 2016 - 11:24pm | It would probaby be the disaffected Vrusk -- the ones that aren't cut
out to be adventurers, such as PCs, but don't like the hive-like culture
-- that would be the more radical ones that would join some kind of
labor movement, pirate gang, Zenk outfit, Sathar agent, etc. Interesting that all but one of those are groups, isn't it? I also like the idea that vrusk might view an emphasis on individuality as some sort of mental illness. Vrusk seem to be (as I said) natural-born collectivists. Collected behind the wrong leader, they could be great and terrible fascists. I feel an article on Vrusk psychology coming on... :) |
September 5, 2016 - 5:31am | How about an organization patterned after the Brotherhood of spacers but for vrusk outcasts and misfits? EDIT: in fact i think there is a cannon name for this from one of the modules: Greater Vrusk Mutual Prosperity something or other. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 5, 2016 - 8:06am | Institution. It's a corporation, not a cadre. |
September 5, 2016 - 9:24am | Institution. It's a corporation, not a cadre.
An institution isn't necessarily a corporation. On the other hand disaffected vrusk could have banded together then Incorporated for the benefits incorporation would have wondered. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 5, 2016 - 11:55am | Knight Hawks p.51. It's a corporation. |
September 5, 2016 - 1:14pm | Here's an idea: Society of Computer and Robotics Engineers (SCaRE) Headquarters: Malicon Valley, Triad (Cassidine) Executive Board: 12 members, 4 elected every two years for 6-year terms, maximum of four terms Staff President: Ohka Leevah (Dralasite) The roots of the Society of Computer and Robotics Engineers dates back more than a century before the founding of the United Planetary Federation. Originally it was one of the “Pan-Gal Societies” – professional organizations created by the Pan-Galactic Corporation to foster voluntary, universal standards in various industries. In the case of SCaRE, it attracts experts who are both computer and robotics specialists – in fact, one needs to have both of those skills (whether using Alpha Dawn or a Zebulon-type system) to become a member. Originally headquartered at Port Loren, Gran Quivera (Prenglar), the organization moved its main offices to Triad in 9 FY after several Yazarian organizations and a special Vrusk trade house school merged with the original PGC Robotics Conference to form the modern-day SCaRE. Today it has more than 180,000 members with chapters on every planet in the Frontier. Its largest chapter (SCaRE Port Loren) is on Gran Quivera and hosts the organization’s largest annual conference, which attracts robotics and computer professionals from across the Frontier and non-Aligned worlds, including from S’sessu space, the Rim Coalition and others. Its main charitable arm is the SCaRE Foundation, which supports educational programs to foster new generations of robotics and computer specialists. Dues: A basic membership is 500 Credits annually, which provides members with a 10 percent discount for attending SCaRE conferences, access to continuing education programs and help with finding jobs. The silver membership is 750 Credits annually which also provides a 10 percent discount for affiliated hypno-training centers. The gold membership is 1,200 Credits annually and
offers discounts for travel, vehicle rentals and purchases, technical supplies
and manuals, discounted peer-review for testing and validating new computer and
robotic software and gadgets, hotel discounts and more. Gold and platinum level members can vote for the officers of the society’s executive board and
run for those positions. The platinum or lifetime membership is 15,000 Credits and provides a 15 percent discount for all of the previously mentioned benefits plus access to special executive- and C-suite level briefings. Joe Cabadas |
September 5, 2016 - 2:24pm | I just remembered one I came up with and put in the other wiki as a House rule to give the ClarionRoyal Family article some color: The Royal Society of Astronomers. It's the most presitious organization of it's type in the Frontier (being one of the eldest helps). It publishes a holo/e-zine called "Proceedings" covering astronomic and astroyphysical discoveries. |
September 5, 2016 - 2:36pm | Knight Hawks p.51. It's a corporation. Ok its incorporated but the name totally sounds like something non trade house vrusk came up with. Its a prosperity institution so they probably got involved in banking, maybe with some help from Streel. but since part of its goals is the prosperity of its members it functions like a conglomerate with its antennae in a lot of different pies. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 5, 2016 - 3:05pm | I just remembered one I came up with and put in the other wiki as a House rule to give the ClarionRoyal Family article some color: The Royal Society of Astronomers. It's the most presitious organization of it's type in the Frontier (being one of the eldest helps). It publishes a holo/e-zine called "Proceedings" covering astronomic and astroyphysical discoveries. That's good. I'll try coming up with some other organization names too. There would be rivals to SCaRE. I wonder if these professional societies would take sides during a corportate war? Or would they make strange bedfellows where the leaders of an organization may have Streel and CDC executives working together right after the events in Mission to Alcazzar? I bet it would be the strange bedfellows example. Joe Cabadas |
September 5, 2016 - 4:00pm | As I mentioned in my megacorps write up, in Zebs (relax, breath, relax) the Greater Vrusk Mutual Prosperity is listed as a subsidiary of Streel and no longer an independent megacorp. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 8, 2016 - 3:56pm | As I mentioned in my megacorps write up, in Zebs (relax, breath, relax) the Greater Vrusk Mutual Prosperity is listed as a subsidiary of Streel and no longer an independent megacorp. Ah, but here's an idea. The GVMP could have had a professional society that was originally associated with it that was open to it and allied trade houses. When Streel took over the Vrusk mega-corp, the professional society remained independent, though it now has ties to Streel. In Pan-Gal, it is called the Vrusk Community Resources (VCR) Headquarters: Ken'zahKit (K'aken Kar) President: Kl'ntorriki (Vrusk, female) Originally called the Greater Vrusk Mutual Prosperity Society (GVMPS), the Vrusk Community Resources is a social and professional organization that was affiliated with the Greater Vrusk Mutual Prospertiy Institute. It sought to help educate employees of the old GVMPI and its allied trade houses. After Streel absorbed the Vrusk mega-corp, the society underwent a period of reformation. Although Streel plays a big role in VCR's operations, the organization primarily focuses on the training and promotion of Vrusk professionals throughout the Frontier. Approximate size: 40,000 members Dues: Basic, 500 Credits annually, which offers members a 5 percent discount on training costs, professional conferences, plus travel and lodging. Silver Level, 750 Credits annually, discounts rise to 6 percent. Gold Level, 900 Credits annually, 8 percent discount rate. Platinum (Lifetime), 14,000 Credits, 12 percent discount rates plus a 30 percent discount at special tradehouse stores, schools, lodging and travel accomodations at most Vrusk-dominated worlds (including Kraatar) Joe Cabadas |
September 5, 2016 - 6:51pm | Technicians of Minotaur (TOM) Headquarters: Maze, Minotaur (Theseus) Executive Board: 9 members, primarily from Minotaur-based companies President: George Zorba One of the oldest professional societies in the Frontier, the Technicians of Minotaur are open to any individuals who have computer, electronic, vehicle, robotics and/or communications skills. It is primarily a Human-dominated organization though it claims to be open to not only members of the other Core Four races but also any sentient being. It's base of operations is Theseus though it also has a chapter on Clarion (White Light). It offers all members a 5 percent discount on purchase of techinical manuals, tool kits, lodging and travel on Minotaur or with Star Play-related resorts and ships. Dues: Basic, 400 Credits annually. Silver, 600 Credits annually, 8 percent discount rate, plus the right to vote for executive board members and to run for various committee positions. Gold, 800 Credits annually, 10 percent discount rate plus 15 percent at Star Play-related facilities. Platinum (Lifetime), 14,000 Credits. TOM also offers a non-residential membership rate -- which is 50 percent for the Basic, Silver and Gold memberships -- for those beings who do not live in the Theseus system. Joe Cabadas |
September 8, 2016 - 9:58am | Warriors of Warhon Headquarters: Barakha Prefecture, Hargut (Gruna Garu) President: Raaz Rhorrn of Clan Kitala Board of Directors: 12 members Officially recognized by the UPF as a nonprofit veterans group, the Warriors of Warhon is a multi-Yazarian clan organization which was founded nearly a century before the First Sathar War. It came at a time after the last survivors of Yazaria (also known as Wahloo in many Yazarian dialects) had arrived in the Frontier to the worlds that the the seer Grandee the Blind had fortold long ago would become the new home of their race. One of the last vessels that were supposed to leave Yazaria was the fleet carrying the imperial Warhon and important members of his clan. However, those vessels never made it to the Frontier and the leaders of the Family of One declared a year-long period of mourning for the loss of Warhon and those who couldn't be evacuated from the Yazarian homeworld. The Warriors of Warhon were initially founded at the behest of the Family of One to honor and uphold those Yazarians who were brave in the spirit of the ancient hero Toranaga, one of the greatest of the old warhons. Members of the WoW are those Yazarians -- or in very rare cases, members of other races who have been adopted by a Yazarian clan -- who have exhibited gallantry and nobility in both combat and life. To join the organization, one must be recommended by at least two existing WoW members and then receive at nine or more votes of approval from the board of directors. Traditionally, even for the most qualified candidate, a board member will cast a "no" vote to indicate how everyone falls short of the perfect ideal of the warhon. The membership in WoW is limited to 3,500 and the cost to join the organization includes a 1,500 Credit initiation fee and 1,000 Credits annually. This provides members exclusive discounts for weapons and armor purchases, including for military and paramilitary vehicles and robots, on top of 10 percent discounts for travel, lodging and dining. An added benefit is that if a member of WoW finds themselves in trouble, he or she can call upon any and all nearby WoW members to provide support -- whether it is for battle, legal issues, health or other non-combat difficulties. Joe Cabadas |
September 8, 2016 - 10:22am | Members of the Warriors of Warhon are expected to wear a distinctive gorget colored deep brown with an orange stripe and decorated with Toranaga's crest in front. Joe Cabadas |
September 10, 2016 - 6:51am | I like the WoW I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 10, 2016 - 6:54am | I like the WoW If you have any other recommendations for it, please provide them. I am using information you posted as source material. Joe Cabadas |
September 10, 2016 - 12:52pm | Honestly, you've got SCaRE, VCR, & WoW 3 make a good submission to the zine, dress them up with an introductory paragraph talking about how professional organization have been largely overlooked in the setting an present these 3 as examples. EDIT: only thing more you could do besides creating a 4th is plot hooks. Do you have my email Addy? If you want help working on plot hooks contact me through the site and I'll send my direct email address, I just don't want to post it publicly. I'm sure after reviewing the organizations a 2nd time I could suggest 3 that tie into the individual group's interest. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 10, 2016 - 1:29pm | Hold one second, WoW is not a non-profit organization. It is much more a gentlemen's club of the Victorian Age, like an explorer's club. That is unless for some reason you think funding private miltary missions is something the UPF considers a "charitable endeavor". Other than that it looks good. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
September 10, 2016 - 1:42pm | Honestly, you've got SCaRE, VCR, & WoW 3 make a good submission to the zine, dress them up with an introductory paragraph talking about how professional organization have been largely overlooked in the setting an present these 3 as examples. EDIT: only thing more you could do besides creating a 4th is plot hooks. Do you have my email Addy? If you want help working on plot hooks contact me through the site and I'll send my direct email address, I just don't want to post it publicly. I'm sure after reviewing the organizations a 2nd time I could suggest 3 that tie into the individual group's interest. Don't forget TOM -- Technicians of Minotaur. Joe Cabadas |
September 10, 2016 - 1:43pm | Hold one second, WoW is not a non-profit organization. It is much more a gentlemen's club of the Victorian Age, like an explorer's club. That is unless for some reason you think funding private miltary missions is something the UPF considers a "charitable endeavor". Other than that it looks good. Well, good point. But it's a for-profiteering professional society. But, I'm sure the Yazarians would argue that a warrior's way might be charity to some. Joe Cabadas |
September 10, 2016 - 1:45pm | Hold one second, WoW is not a non-profit organization. It is much more a gentlemen's club of the Victorian Age, like an explorer's club. That is unless for some reason you think funding private miltary missions is something the UPF considers a "charitable endeavor". Other than that it looks good. Hhmmm, it would not surprise me that Yazirians would consider funding private military missions a charitable endeavor. Human to his yazirian friend: "I don't think you quite got the idea behind charitable endeavors." Yazirian: "Sure I do, true charity begins with the shedding of blood and eliminating that pirate band will be a charitable gift we're giving to the Frontier at large. Think of all the poor starving children on Pale who won't go to bed hungry at night because pirates are no longer disrupting grain shipments." WoW is not strictly a professional organization. Perhaps we should just bill the article as new cadres. With some discussion of professional societies? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 10, 2016 - 1:46pm | Oops forgot TOm, yeah I'd say do the article, just put WoW last. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
September 10, 2016 - 2:07pm | Perhaps we should just bill the article as new cadres. With some discussion of professional societies? </b> I could do that. Joe Cabadas |
