Nobility in Traveller
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- Published on Friday, 23 December 2011 04:42
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A suggested variant by David Billinghurst
“Hey, I’ve rolled up a noble.” This has to be one of the statements a player can make during character generation that truly inspires dread in the heart of a Referee (always assuming Referees actually have hearts, of course). Those six-and-a-half little words can blow a great hole in any pre-prepared scenario.
Consider this: a character with a moderately high Social Status chooses a Naval Career. A successful Naval Officer could quite easily secure several +1 SOCs during generation to become a Duke before entering play. Realistically, there’s little chance His Grace would then be hanging around in seedy starport bars with his deadbeat mercenary chums, hustling cargo for his Free Trader. The guy in charge of a system, or several systems a) wouldn’t be permitted to do such a thing; b) would be too busy doing Noble-type things; and c) it probably wouldn’t occur to him to become a merchant in the first place – except, perhaps, at the boardroom level as a corporate player. So, unless the Noble character is on the run, with all the political ramifications that entails, the Referee is faced with a rapid re-jig of the scenario.
In the Science Fiction that inspired Traveller; such as Niven and Pournelle's ‘The Mote in God’s Eye’; Piper’s ‘Federation’ and ‘Empire’ collections of short stories and ‘Star Viking’; and Anderson’s Dominic Flandry stories; the swashbuckling adventurer-noble is a common character type. Usually lacking real political power, the character's innate nobility and sense of moral purpose compels him (or her) to behave in a certain manner and respond in a certain way. Such characters 'get things done', which is the whole point of being an adventurer, and because of their connections, can often cut corners in a way not possible for ordinary people.
Wanting to have noble characters in my Traveller campaign, without the hassle of lippy power gamers (“I’m the Duke, I want that battlecruiser, I want it painted puce, and I want it now”), I began to consider what part the Nobility actually plays in Traveller. There are few clues in the Little Black Books and Supplement 4 and few pointers elsewhere in canon, until you reach the very fine GURPs Traveller: Nobles supplement. The underlying assumption would appear to be that the nobility in Traveller, like the English nobility of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries, is bred to command, and is bred to be loyal to those above them in social status. Terms like ‘Duty’, ‘Honour’ and ‘to serve’ seem to define their worldview.
I began to feel that the table of Noble titles, as presented in Classic Traveller, was a little too coarse and a little too flat. There seemed to be a huge gap between the knights and honour nobles on one hand, and the planet-ruling barons and subsector-ruling dukes on the other, especially when it was hinted that, in some places, there were also planet-bound orders of nobility as well.
In the end, it was Frank Herbert’s ‘Dune’ that lead me to envisage a two-tier system of nobility – the Siridar or Great Nobility, the Houses Major, who rule entire planets, systems and groups of planets; and the Houses Minor who hold fiefs on planets and make up the planetary banking, industrial, military, political and scientific elites.
Player Characters who roll a high Social Status characteristic, or end up with high Social Status due to the Character creation process, are from a House Minor.
Social Status titles for Houses Minor:
Social Status Title Number of Benefit Dice
11 (B) Knight 1
12 (C) Baron 2
13 (D) Marquis 3
14 (E) Count 4
Houses Minor that advance beyond the rank and title of Count have been elevated to House Major Status.
Social Status titles for Houses Major:
Social Status Title Number of Benefit Dice
11 (B – S) Siridar-Lord 5
12 (C – S) Siridar-Baron 6
13 (D – S) Siridar-Marquis 7
14 (E – S) Siridar-Count 8
House Major titles extend beyond those of Houses Minor as follows:
Social Status Title Number of Benefit Dice
15 (F) Duke 9
16 (G) Sector Duke 10
17 (H) Arch-Duke 11
18 (J) Emperor 12
House Major ranks have the same titles as House Minor ranks, but with the prefix ‘Siridar’ – ‘Great’. The House Major Social Status characteristic is suffixed with an ‘S’ to indicate that the character is of Siridar status. The one exception is that of Social Status B Knight. The corresponding House Major title is Siridar-Lord and is the lowest rank of the Great Nobility to be assigned governorship responsibilities for an entire planet. Very few Siridar-Lords actually hold such positions and to many Houses Minor, merely obtaining the status of Siridar-Lord is the culmination of decades or centuries of effort. It should be noted that the titles of Duke (usually the short form of either Subsector or Sector Duke) and Archduke are not available to Houses Minor in the Imperial Rank system. Consequently, there is no need to prefix the title with ‘Siridar’ because if one is fortunate enough to encounter an individual of this rank, then one should be assured that one is in the presence of the ruler of a Subsector, a Sector or a Domain and act accordingly.
The elevation of a House Minor to House Major status can occur in one of several ways: Meritorious Service - a member of the House Minor has performed some service of such value that a House Major will stand sponsor for the House Minor’s elevation before the Conclave of Houses Major; Marriage Alliance – a House Minor successfully marries into a House Major and then inherits the House Major’s title and estates upon the failure of the direct line. Such successions usually set off lengthy court battles as any House Major heirs, of any remove, would seek to block the elevation of parvenu blood in such a fashion; Wealth and Power - a House Minor has accumulated sufficient wealth, prestige and political power to literally buy a House Major to stand sponsor for the House Minor’s elevation. Meritorious Service and Wealth and Power are the two most common means by which Houses Minor elevate themselves to House Major status.
A Noble House will accumulate benefits. These will tend to accrue to the House over generations, with each noble character in effect acting as steward for the generations to come. These accumulated benefits are represented as a series of benefit dice rolls. Each title rank rolls the number of dice for its rank, plus the dice for all the ranks below the current rank. For example, a House Minor Marquis rolls three d6 for Marquis, two d6 for a Baron and one d6 Knight. It is quite possible to accumulate more than one example of a benefit.
All nobles have the right of patronage. This may be exercised in one of two ways: Firstly, a benefit that has been acquired more than once may be bestowed upon someone else – a player character for example – the recipient can be non-noble, but must be of good character (SOC 8+), and the bequest must be ratified at the Sector Level at least on a roll of 7+ on 2d6 (DMs: Admin, Bribery, Carousing, Court Influence). Secondly, a noble may use his or her patronage to sponsor a non-noble into the aristocracy, or a noble from a House Major may sponsor a House Minor to House Major status. A roll of 9+ on 2d6 is required with the following DMs: + Sponsor’s Bribery, Admin, Carousing, Court Influence; + half the recipient’s Bribery, Carousing, Court Influence; - (10 – Recipient’s current Social Status if a non-noble seeking elevation to the nobility) or – (14 – Recipient’s current Social Status if seeking elevation from House Minor to House Major status). If the Patronage roll is failed, then the Sponsor must forfeit one Benefit.
Table of Benefits
Roll Benefit
1-2 Pension
As a standard service pension: roll 1d6 x Cr10,000 and receive this sum per year
3-5 Business Holdings
System-wide stock/bond portfolios yielding 1d6+3 x Cr10,000 in dividends per annum. May be sold at market value.
6-8 Megacorp Portfolio
Megacorp voting stock yielding 2d6 x Cr100,000 in dividends per annum. May be sold at market value.
9-10 Court Influence
Positive DM on Patronage rolls and reaction rolls when dealing with other Nobles, and system and Imperial Bureaucracy. Can be a positive or negative DM when dealing with the media. This benefit immediately bestows one extra 2d6 roll for Benefits.
11-13 Ancestral Lands
Planetary Holdings titled to the Noble House in perpetuity, and includes a suitably appointed dwelling. Roll 3d6 x Cr100,000 for value. Yields 1d6 x 10% in revenue per annum. Requires 1d6 x 10% in maintenance every four years.
14-15 Inheritance
As Ancestral Lands, but also roll 3d6 x Cr100,000 for an additional one-off cash payment.
16-18 Right of Free Passage
Free High Passage transportation on any common carrier within Imperial Space, even to the exclusion of other passengers. This right only extends to the awardee, not to members of his or her entourage. The carrier is compensated from Imperial funds.
19-20 Right to Bear Arms
Right to bear personal side arms, excluding energy weapons, in contravention of local Law Levels.
21 Cash Grant
Imperial largess for services rendered. Roll 2d6 x Cr 100,000 (one-off payment).
22-23 Right of Commission
The awardee receives an Honorary Commission in one of Imperial Services (usually one in which he or she has served) with the right to raise and equip a military/exploration unit "... for the Commonweal of the Imperium ..." The awardee meets the expenses of the unit so raised, and is responsible for its actions. In the event of an emergency, the unit is subject to Imperial control and the Imperium underwrites all operational expenses.
24-26 Estates
Accumulated properties that the awardee owns outright. These can be land, a small corporation, or a vertically integrated series of businesses. Has a value of 5d6 x Cr100,000 and yields 1d6 x 10% revenue per annum. Maintenance is 1d6 + 15% per annum.
27-29 Right of Escort
The awardee may raise and maintain an escort of 2d6 bodyguards, armed in contravention of local Law Levels, excluding high-energy weapons. This benefit only covers the awardee's escort, not the awardee.
30-31 Governorship
Administrator of a planetary system, with duties and responsibilities to be determined by the Referee. Annual stipend is determined by the system starport type: MCr 1 if Class A, KCr 750 if Class B, KCr 500 if Class C, KCr 250 if Class D. Position must be renewed every four years on a roll of 8+ on 2d6, DMs for skills the Referee deems appropriate.
32-33 Right to Bear Arms
Right to bear personal side arms, excluding energy weapons, in contravention of local Law Levels.
34-35 Cash Grant
Imperial largess for services rendered. Roll 4d6 x Cr 100,000 (one-off payment).
36 Fiefdom
The awardee is granted a star system to be administered with local autonomy, effectively, through the awardee's House, creating a Class 3 Government (Self-perpetuating Oligarchy).
37-38 Court Influence
Positive DM on Patronage rolls and reaction rolls when dealing with other Nobles, and system and Imperial Bureaucracy. Can be a positive or negative DM when dealing with the media. This benefit immediately bestows one extra 4d6 roll for Benefits.
39-40 Imperial Senatorial Appointment
The awardee enjoys a special status and a high level of trust within the Imperial Moot. With the Right to directly 'advise' both higher ranking nobles and the Emperor, the awardee may review the actions of system governors within his or her home sector
41-42 Viceroyship
Administrator of several (2d6) planetary systems. Rules through Planetary Governors with a stipend set at double that of Planetary Governors and set in the same way. Need not be renewed.
43-45 Right of Lawful Dissent
Under special circumstances, the awardee may personally circumvent local authority 'in the best interests of the Imperium'. This Right also includes the Right of Automatic Audience with higher ranked nobles to advise them on matters of importance.
46-48 Viceroyship
Administrator of several (2d6) planetary systems (usually within one or adjoining subsectors), or of one subsector. Rules through Planetary Governors with a stipend set at double that of Planetary Governors and set in the same way. Need not be renewed.
49-51 Right of Commission
The awardee receives an Honorary Commission in one of Imperial Services (usually one in which he or she has served) with the right to raise and equip a military/exploration unit "... for the Commonweal of the Imperium ..." The awardee meets the expenses of the unit so raised, and is responsible for its actions. In the event of an emergency, the unit is subject to Imperial control and the Imperium underwrites all operational expenses.
52-53 Estates
Accumulated properties that the awardee owns outright. These can be land, a medium sized corporation, or a vertically integrated series of businesses. Has a value of 5d6 x Cr1,000,000 and yields 1d6 x 10% revenue per annum. Maintenance is 1d6 + 15% per annum.
54-57 Sector Leadership
Administrator of 2d6 Viceroyships or adjacent subsectors, or the dominant noble in a Sector. Rules through Viceroys with a stipend set at triple that of Planetary Governors and set in the same way. Need not be renewed. Has oversight of the military forces of the Sector.
58-60 Right of Licence
Certain industrial practises or operations, or transactions of a certain type, can only be legally carried out within a designated area with the appropriate licence. Licences will be granted by the appropriate office upon payment of the appropriate fee. The Right of Licence generates a stipend for the holder of 1d6 x Cr1,000 x the population number of each planet within the licence area per annum
61-63 Nobility Creation
The awardee may personally confer Noble status upon any individual, without ratification by the Moot. No benefits are conferred as these are only dispensed via Patronage, the Emperor or the Moot.
64-66 Domain Leadership
Administrator of 2d6 Viceroyships or adjacent subsectors, or the dominant noble in a Sector. Rules through Sector Dukes with a stipend set at quadruple that of Planetary Governors and set in the same way. Need not be renewed.
67-68 Right of Decree
The Right to personally pass or amend Imperial decrees 'on behalf of the Emperor'. Only a higher ranking noble may overturn such decrees.
69-70 Right of Pardon
Right to grant full and complete Pardon for any and all crimes committed. High Justice crimes, such as treason, mass murder, illegal possession and/or use of nuclear or biological weapons, requires a pardon confirmed by both the Emperor and the Moot.
71-72 Right of Taxation
May personally control Imperial revenue sources via Tax Rates and exemptions.
Sources:
The Imperial Nobility by Ian MacKinder, based on the articles 'Sceptre and Starship' and 'Robe and Blaster' by Ahnre and Stuart
The article 'Robe and Blaster' by Rick D. Stuart - White Dwarf 22.
GURPs: Traveller - Nobles by Loren Wiseman and Joe F. Zeigler - Steve Jackson Games
Traveller Supplement 4: Citizens of the Imperium by Games Designer's Workshop