Aliens of the Boom Worlds

These sophants are not available as options for player characters.  Instead, they represent some of the most numerous aliens in the Boom Worlds, or at least the ones that the Terran Directorate has encountered.  Many of these species belonged to a political entity known only as the Interstellar Empire before the solar event caused this polity to collapse.

The Founders

This species is no longer believed to exist, though certain similarities to their self-depictions and the Kruellians have lead some xenologists to hypothesize that they are one and the same.  Sources say they founded the Interstellar Empire during the height of the [Click] Imperial Period.  Their technology seems to have been more advanced than the Directorate's in some ways, less advanced in others.  They were particularly adept at genetic manipulation.

Thool

The Thool (singular and plural) are one of the most commonly encountered aliens in the Boom Worlds, and many of their colony worlds have been brought under the control of the Directorate.  Most of the planets where their colonies are located are fluid ocean worlds.  These colonies usually exist as great domed cities under these oceans, leading xenologists to believe these are not their natural habitats. Their biology seems too fragile and complex to have evolved naturally, and it is believed that they were uplifted - or perhaps even created - by the enigmatic founders of the Interstellar Empire.  The Thool see these figures as gods.

Kruelians
Kruelians are larger than many sophant species, and seem to be very prone to whatever forces cause the mutations seen in the Boom Worlds.  They are believed to have been the leaders of the Intestellar Empire before its collapse, and many continue to act as petty warlords, cult leaders, and crime lords using the remaining institutional structures of that empire.  While often viewed by other species as crass and vulgar, they show a remarkable curiosity, and it is not unusual for them to act as scientists or xenologists among the races of the fall empire.

Hunters

These beings are most often found in the employ of Kruelians, leaving many to believe that they are some sort of warrior caste from the Intestellar Empire.  They vary somewhat in appearance, with individuals being heavily genetically and cybernetically modified for their various combat roles.  Their internal structure appears remarkably flexible when compared to creatures that rely on either an endo or exoskeleton.  They do not seem to possess any way to reproduce, and it is believed that the current members of the species are relics from the time of the Interstellar Empire.

Ningaubles

This strange race does not actually appear to be native to the Boom Worlds.  Instead, they seem to have arrived after the chaos created by the solar event.  Xenologists believes that every member of their species possesses at least some psychic ability.  They often serve as information brokers in the Boom Worlds, using a combination of technical skill, psychic talent, and extensive contact networks to acquire their "goods."

Aor Beings

These creatures are perhaps the strangest the Terran Directorate has ever encountered.  Thus far, they have only been found in the vacuum of space, and all attempts by the Scout service to make contact with them have failed.  They are extremely massive, some being as large as the highfreighters piloted by the Directorates strongest astropsychics.  They do not utilize jumpsace to travel, but seem capable of some other form of FTL travel, though it is unknown if this form is affected by time dilation.  They are named for the planet Aor, where the Kruelians and Thool assert that they originate.  This planet is currently considered a Red Zone by the Directorate.

Aliens of the Directorate: Froguloids

Appearance and Biology

Froguloids appear as humanoid frogs roughly 1m in height.  They typically have green skin, though males often possess more exotic colors.  Sexual dimorphism is fairly subtle in Froguloids, but there are enough differences to tell one gender from another.  Froguloids require a larger amount of food - especially protein - and moisture than terrans, though they can usually exist in the same environments.

History

Froguloids were originally created by terrans as an experiment in uplifting.  It was thought that the process would be fairly easy since the anatomy - as opposed to the physiology - of a frog is not that dissimilar from a human.  Froguloids have long been employed by Imperial scientists in order to jump start the terraforming process on prospective planets.  It was thought that their fast metabolism as well as their propensity for mutation would help scientists identify potential atmospheric hazards undetectable by the Directorate's astropsychics.  This history has made Froglings somewhat paranoid, though not enough to damage their relationship with other species.

Froguloids now have their own systems and colonies, with a capital known as Frogulon.  They are still technically part of the Terran Directorate, but they enjoy a great deal of autonomy.  Their social structures are more or less the same as terran society except as noted below.  There is also a splinter state known as the Bullywug Star Empire, but this is fairly small and acts more as a base for piracy than an actual state.

Psychology

Froguloids are fairly gregarious and adventurous, though they have a habit of distrusting terrans.  They make excellent traders, scientists, and explorers, a fact that both terrans and Froguloids take credit for.  

They enjoy diversions of all sorts, but often tire of things very quickly.  Forguloids often become frustrated with humans, whom they accuse of being "slow." They are also known for their propensity for drink and mind altering substances, though these are usually very strong by human standards to account for the differences in Froguloid biology.

Flavor

Froguloid society largely resembles its human counter part, including both noble titles and dress; however, they possess strongly entrenched "houses," or large family units, that act as the major political players on both Frogulon and in the Bullywug Star Empire.  They are a mix of Toad of Toad Hall, Mass Effect's Salarians, and Frog from Chronotrigger

Froguloids as Player Characters

Small (1d6 Strength, 3d6 Dexterity,) Fast metabolism (+2 DM to Initiative, double life support costs,) can survive underwater 10x as long as human characters.

Aliens of the Directorate: Reptoids

Appearance and Biology
Reptoids are, as the name suggests, vaguely reptilian humanoids.  They are taller than humans on average but typically appear leaner.  Their heads are large and round, with strangely beak-like mouths and massive, deep-set eyes.  Unlike Terran reptiles, Reptoids are able to regulate their own body temperature - though they tend to still be more vulnerable to cold than other sophants.

Females and males are virtually indistinguishable to other species.

History
Reptoids constantly rewrite their own history, so it is difficult for outsiders to know the truth.  Reptoids use scholarship of all types in order to justify or undermine existing power structures rather than to satisfy intellectual curiosity. They currently possess no true homeworld, and some Reptoid officials have told Directorate scouts and xenologists that they originated on Terra, and that they were responsible for uplifting humans.  These Reptoids claim their species did this in order to use the humans against their [Click] masters, a plan which apparently backfired.

While a compelling story, and one that seems to have precedents in ancient Terran legends, scholars of comparative xenology at many of the Directorate's state funded techno-universities have confirmed that the Reptoids make similar claims about the [Click] and a number of other alien species with which they have contact, supposedly slotting themselves into existing mythologies in order to place themselves in an ideological position of power.

What is known about them is that they were one of the first species to rebel against the [Click] Empire when the Directorate began reaching its hand out to grasp the stars.  Since then they have served the Directorate as spies among other alien populations, though several members of the Steering Committee and the College of Thought believe they are using this position to spread misinformation and to further their own interests.  Outside of their limited governmental function, Reptoids are typically second class citizens in Directorate space.

Psychology
Reptoids are known for their paranoia, deceitfulness, and self-serving natures.  Every Reptoid believes himself to be the most important being in the universe and all other things existing solely as resources to be exploited.  To humans, this often makes them appear as a species of sociopaths.  It also has made it easy for other interstellar powers to manipulate them.  This attitude is believed to have been in part due to their evolution - since their ancestors are believed to have eaten their own siblings, children, and even parents.

Flavor
Reptoids are consummate schemers and sadists in the Harkonnen mold; however, to the face of their human superiors they tend to be obsequious and fawning to a ludicrous, obviously feigned degree.  They tend to dress similarly to the dominate species in the part of the galaxy they're in - Terran fasions in the Directorate, [Click] garb in the alien successor states.  Armin Shimmerman would play a Reptoid.

Reptoids as Player Characters
Natural Armor, Natural Weapons (Claws), -1 to tests made in cold environments, regenerate any lost limb in 1d6 weeks, and roll twice for Social Standing, using the lower score as their standing among non-Reptoids

The Freetrader Conventions become STARSLUGS and some thoughts on homebrew Traveller settings

At the suggestion of Zak, the Freetrader Conventions will hereafter be known as the Simple Translation Agreement Rules Simulating Lastingly Unified Galactic Sectors, or STARSLUGS for short.  I've also been made aware of this handy document which should help in converting characters from other versions of Traveller if anyone wanting to run GT or MT decides they want in on this whole STARSLUGS thing.

On a tangentially related note, in a comment on my initial Boom Worlds/Galaxy of Fear post, Greg stated that "whenever I have seen different settings using Traveller, my mind refuses to accept it," which is a sentiment that seems to be common, even if it is not universal.  It is also a sentiment that I have a hard time understanding.  Looking at Classic Traveller, and even at the more recent Mongoose edition which I'm reading, I see a game that almost demands that you make your own setting.  It provides the referee with the tools to generate the sectors, worlds, and even the ships in which the game takes place.

Now this is not to say that there isn't a setting implied by the rules.  The most notable example of this in both CT and Mongoose Traveller is the presence of the Scout Service; however, the underfunded Star Fleet character of the scouts makes them something I'd include in a setting anyway, and I see that as little different than keeping beholders in a D&D game.

And I think that's really the key of what I'm saying: I view the implied setting of Traveller the same way I view the implied setting of D&D. They are both a set of elements borrowed from various pieces of source fiction that have been combined to make the game feel a certain way, but that are malleable and subject to the desires and inspirations of the referee.  Traveller, at least as presented in the LBBs and the Mongoose corebook, is a toolbox for making your own science-fiction adventures in the far future.

For some neat examples of this philosophy from the early days of Traveller, check out Freelance Traveller's Other Roads.  Particularly interesting to me are these two campaigns, run by two different referees at the same time in different parts of the galaxy.  They are what finally convinced me that STARSLUGS would be a good idea.

The Freetrader Conventions

The Signing of the Convention Treaty on Geneva IV

In order for freetraders in the Space Cantonment, Directorate Space, and other willing sectors, to prosper and thrive, the referees of those campaigns have set out the following articles in order to ease movement between them.

Article 1
Characters may move between Directorate Space and the Space Cantonment freely provided they meet the standards required in other articles.

Article 2
Characters are bound by the rules of the version of Traveller being used in the game they are currently playing.  This includes things such as the rules for combat (both personal and ship-based), weapon damage, the functions of certain technological items, etc. 

Article 3
There is one exception to the rule presented in Article 2: skills.  Characters use whatever skill they possess that is closest to the one in the system currently being run.  This means that characters from the Cantonment (and possibly other CT games) possess broader skill categories than those the Directorate.  Skill acquisition is also based on the characters native system, and not on the system currently being run.  Skill rolls function as other items described in Article 2.

Article 4
Characters may bring their own personal effects with them, but not those held in common with other members of their party/crew.  This includes any ships the characters rolled on the benefits table, assuming the ship is being used by other party members.

Article 5
Psions, astropsychics, and aliens must submit their characters to the referee at least 48 hours in advance so that the referee has the time to read over any relevant sections of their rules/come up with how certain foreign abilities work in their area of space-time.

Signed
Representing the Cantonment: Chris Kutalik
Representing the Terran Directorate: Evan Elkins

Aliens of the Directorate: the [Click]

This write up originally appeared on my old Traveller blog, but I have edited it in order to make it more in line with my current conception of my Traveller setting.

Appearance and Biology 

Male [click] aliens appear as furry creatures slightly larger than a human in stature.  From their furry faces peer a set of compound eyes and mandibles.  Their actual skin is a carapace designed to insulate their bodies from their planet’s notoriously harsh days and nights, as well as to protect them from predators.  Females are little more than mobile bloated egg sacks.  Similar organisms exist on the [click]’s home planet, though their fur is usually hidden beneath an outer carapace.  It is theorized that these creatures are to the [click] what gorillas are to humans.

History

The [click] were once the proprietors of a massive empire that included several other species.  They ruled through fear and grand displays of extravagance that both terrorized and mesmerized their various slave species.  However, their natural propensity for infighting eventually led to the rapid collapse of their empire about the time humankind first discovered the Jump drive.  Their handiwork can be seen in the Caliboi, which humans of the Future-past know as Mu-tants.

Today the [Click] Empire is no more, but it has left a number of domains controlled by petty [click] warlords and clans.  The Terran Directorate has been gobbling these up for several years now, and few of the remaining states would be able to resist a Directorate invasion.

Psychology

[Click] culture is largely patriarchal.  Unlike other species, this is due to a strong biological imperative.  Female [click] are essentially non-sapient, and the males treat them as a commodity.  Fierce competition exists between males for who possess the most females, and war leaders will often lead raids on enemy worlds to capture women.  Oddly, this practice has also led to the kidnapping of the females of other species to display as trophies, despite the fact that the [click] cannot mate with them.

The largest class of the [click] is infertile males.  These males have usually been sterilized at birth in order to keep them in a submissive state to be used as work horses for the bureaucratic and military functions of the successor states.  A thin upper echelon maintains their fertility, but they must constantly protect it from up and coming fertile males.

Flavor

Most view the [click] as decadent.   Their clothing vaguely resembles that of the various desert peoples of Earth, with robes designed to insulate the wearer against harsh climatic conditions.  However, since the [click] have left their desert home world, the rarely need such clothing.  Today it serves a primarily decorative function and is usually bestudded with jewels and rare materials in order to show the prestige of the wearer.

The [click] are more or less space-stag beetles, and spend much of their time competing with each other for position, rank, and females. Since they are intelligent, this usually take the form of more subtle contests and schemes, though physical violence is quite common among them.  They take slights to their prestige very seriously.  [Click] consider themselves superior to other species, and they do not tend to treat with them on equal terms.  This does not mean they do not enter into negotiations when necessary, simply that they only do so begrudgingly.

[Click] as player characters

Armored; Natural Weapon (claws);  Notable Endurance; Weak Dexterity

All [click] characters are male.  Any with a Social Standing less than 11 are infertile.

Organizations of the Boom Worlds

In addition to the organizations described in the Mongoose Traveller core books - the Army, Navy, Scouts, etc. - there are a number of organizations unique to the Boom Worlds setting.*

The Third Section
The Third Section is a subcommittee within the College of Thought.  It's original purpose is long lost to history, but after the last war with the [Click] broke apart the last pieces of their empire, the Third Section became the Steering Committee's secret police.  Due to issues of logistics and manpower, the Third Section is rarely deployed and, despite assertions to the contrary, the Directorate is not able to maintain anything close to a police state; however, when revenue begins to dry or Steering Committee members see their megacorps begin to hemorrhage profits, Third Section agents may be deployed.  The results of these deployments are always disastrous.

The Bureau of Astropsychics
The ostensible purpose of the Bureau of Astropsychics is to train psychic-potentials in the art of psychic-astrogation.  This art has led to the discovery and exploitation of a number of new sectors, as well as the creation of the mutants that make the extreme jumps required to access the Boom Worlds possible.  However, it is a well known secret that the Bureau of Astropsychics also illegally trains a number of its members in the art of psychic warfare.  These adepts are often hired out to Directorate authorities or feuding noble houses, making it unlikely that the members of the bureau will ever be prosecuted.

The Athena Group
One of the many megacorps of Directorate space, the Athena Group specializes in terraforming.  Its greatest success is often said to be the planet Minerva, which currently acts as its corporate headquarters in the Boom Worlds.  Athena is equally known for its infamous failure, the colony on Prometheus.  The  reasons for the colony's failure are a mystery to all but the highest level officials within the company.  Many conspiracy theorists - at least those with any sense of the interstellar economy - assert that the Athena Group also serves as a weapons developer for the Third Section, or any number of other shadowy organizations.

The Pirates of Guthrum
Guthrum was one of the first planets settled after the Boom Worlds was discovered.  Unfortunately for that first wave of settlers, the residual energies of the solar event had not yet calmed enough to prevent them from mutating.  Now Guthrum is under Directorate interdiction, for its mutant population - which seems to be reasonably self-sustaining - often attacks those who enter their system.  In addition to this, they are also known to engage in piracy and lead raids on nearby systems.  Their brutality is legendary, but savvy free traders know that it is possible to reason with them.

The Oniax Syndicate
The solar event which created the Boom Worlds and destroyed the alien interstellar empire that once existed in that remote corner of space left in its wake the mutated descendants of a once glorious people.  Some of these descendents have accepted Directorate rule, but few did so willingly.  Directorate officials believe that the Oniax Syndicate is one of a number of "criminal" syndicates within the territory newly acquired by the Directorate based around pre-existing alien noble houses.  The Oniax Syndicate is known to engage in piracy - sometimes alongside the Pirates of Guthrum, sometimes opposing them - and to be a large producer of the alien drug known simply as "juice," which seems to sooth the pain of the mutants produced in this region of space while having now affect on those with more standard biologies.

The Order of the Universal Principle
The Order of the Universal Principle is a strange movement that has taken the idea of a unified theory of physics to what Directorate officials consider an unhealthy extreme.  They have eschewed scientific searches, preferring meditative rituals designed to align one's consciousness with that of the universe.  These meditations often, bizarrely, occasionally lead them to commit assassinations, suicide bombings, and other acts of terror.  These often coincide with the members of the Order ranting insanely about the secret significance of a "divine number."  The precise digit has, so far, been different at each event.  The Directorate considers them a great threat to the safety of its citizens.

Darkstar Defense
Founded on Pinkerton, a metroworld close to Sublime Terra, Darkstar Defense initially served as a mercenaries during the [Click] Wars under the name Pythagoras Ltd.  After several name changes, Darkstar Defense changed its roll to that of a privatized police force utilized on a number of metroworlds, particularly those owned by members of the Steering Committee or one of the Terran noble houses.  They provide most of the security forces in the Boom Worlds, acting as customs agents, criminal investigators, and of course good old hired muscle.

The OpProl
A technical term for a supposed unified resistance group among the farmers and workers of the Boom Worlds, the existence of the OpProl is hotly debated outside the Steering Committee and its various colleges.  Directorate propaganda attributes a large number of radical political views to this organization, including mandatory sterilization of all citizens who currently posses a faufreluches social standing of 8 or higher, affirmative action for Froguloids, Dogoids, reparations for the [Click], and some vague terror called "soshialsm."  Whether or not these views are held by anyone the Directorate would identify as an OpProl, it is true that a number of farmers and workers have begun stockpiling weapons on the worlds of Ceres and Nibelung.

*In addition, I have renamed the TAS to the Traveller's Guild because guilds in my sci fi make me happy.