My Little Slice of the OTU

I think I found my new favorite Official Traveller Universe (OTU) "milieu": the Galaxiad. Situated in 1902 Imperial (the 7th millennium CE!) and related to Traveller5, it presents a "pastoral" era when most big empires of the Golden Age are gone, replaced by more independent worlds and pockets of civilization within the Wilds.

Practically, the Galaxiad permits me to use almost any part of the wonderful OTU canon while ignoring other bits as I desire - a canvas I can paint a painting of my own doing on while using existing and beloved colors.

The chosen region is the Solomani Rim - specifically the Sol and Dingir subsectors. These present a rich history and vast archives of older material, all while being "virgin ground" not yet officially described in the 1902 Imperial milieu.

In my head canon, the residents of the Solomani Rim name the entire period from the Rebellion up to the recovery from the Wave - the "Deluge". The Classic Era and preceding times are "Antediluvian". This works similarly to how the term "Medieval" works in our real world: most people refer to entire centuries-long historical eras by cliche and a very rough idea of what happened in these times. Only historians and history enthusiasts (EDU 10+ and/or a skill in history) would be able to clearly and accurately recount the history of the Rebellion, Virus, recovery, Wave, and second and third recoveries.

In my version of the Galaxiad-era Rim, the (new) Solomani Confederation, as presented in the Galaxiad booklet and as known in far-away Deneb, collapsed after Terra's ecosystem collapsed. It has two successor states in the Solomani Rim Sector and one in the Coreward part of Aldebaran, plus the upstart Solar Union (Terra's resurgence) and the Vegan Polity.

Local Polities and "Strong Worlds"

Solar Union (SU) - Terra and other Sol System worlds unified under one government, which clawed its way back to the stars after eco-collapse. Hungry for relic tech to help reterraform Terra and finally terraform Mars. Aggressive and heavy handed in politics, but its citizens enjoy relative freedom (Terra is GOV C, LL 7). In a cold war with the ISC. Viewed by the ISC and SCEA as a bunch of desert bandit usurpers.

Imperial Solomani Confederation (ISC) - Dingir subsector. Neither imperial, nor Solomani, and definitely nor a confederation. A militarist bureaucracy with strong Vilani cultural elements which evolved from the old SC's navy on Dingir. In a cold war with the Solar Union and the Vegan Polity.

Vegan Polity - finally free from human domination. Decentralized as typical of Vegans. Is in a cold war with both the ISC and SCEA; the SU is trying to gain diplomatic inroads with it.

Solomani Confederation Emergency Administration (SCEA) - Concord subsector. Has a legitimate claim for continuity of government from the old SC. On paper, claims the entire space of the old (1800's Imperial) SC, in reality controls a bit over half a subsector. In a cold war with the Vegan Polity.

Surveyors from the Republic of Regina reached SCEA in the late 1800s Imperial, were shown 14-subsector star-maps, which were two centuries out of date, and heard complaints about rebels, piracy, and communication issues. They returned to Regina and reported a 14-subsector Solomani Confederation with various issues. In reality, such polity exists only on paper - for a century or so.

My house rules for world generation in the Pastoral Era/Galaxiad:

1. With the exception noted below, worlds retain their Golden Era physical characteristics.
2. For each garden world (Atmospheres 5, 6, and 8), roll 2D; on 9+, environmental damage occurred. In such case, roll 2D; on 2-8, the atmosphere is Tainted; on 9, it is Vacuum (i.e., the atmosphere was stripped by powerful weapons); on 10-11, it is Corrosive; on 12, it is Insidious (Corrosive and Insidious here usually mean intense radiation or bio-contamination from past bombardment by nuclear, bioweapon, or similar WMDs, which was so extreme that radiation or bio-contamination remains severe even after 700 years).
3. Roll population as normal for habitable worlds (Atmospheres 4-9); roll 1d6-1 for unhabitable worlds within polities, 1d6-2 outside of them. DM-1 in both cases if Corrosive or Insidious atmospheres are present.
4. If a world's TL is too low to support habitation, population is zero. The minimal TL for Tainted atmospheres is TL5; for Vacuum or Exotic atmospheres, TL7; for Corrosive or Insidious, TL10.
5. In the Solomani Rim, present TL is capped at 11. Antediluvian (i.e., pre-Virus) relics may reach TL16 or beyond, and are highly coveted.
6. With a weak interstellar economy, worlds must produce spacecraft parts on their own, which severely limits production capacities. Starport B can occur only on worlds with POP 7+, and Starport A only with POP 8+. If the Population is lower, downgrade any rolled A or B starport to C.

[Lore 25] Full Ishtar and Apep Sectors Map WIP #3

I made even further progress with my Lore25 challenge maps: a full Referee's map including Drill routes, and a Players' map with only the commonly-known stars and routes noted. On the Referee's map, the dashed lines are well-known Drill routes, while the dotted lines are forgotten and/or secret ones.

Referee's Map

Players' Map

[Lore 25] Full Ishtar and Apep Sectors Map WIP

I have progressed further in developing my Lore25 starmap for the Ishtar and Apep sectors. Now with all polities, borders, and world names marked. Note that worlds that already had Sobek(reptilian aliens) names were given the names of male Egyptian gods by Humans who did not wish to pronounce complex Sobek words. Most worlds which were unexplored by Sobek so far were given the names of Canaanite deities. The main exceptions are the nameless worlds of the Anomaly, as well as the new world names of the Liberated Worlds, Sde Prachim (formerly Laana - "Wormwood" or "Bitter Grass") and Tkuma (formerly Ba'al).

There is a good balance between polities (with their intrigue and conflicts) and independent (and sometime lost) worlds with their weirder features.

[Lore25] Ishtar and Apep Sector Maps WIP #1

I have been dedicating the first week of the Lore25 challenge to drafting the star maps of the adjacent Ishtar and Apep Sectors into a simple, easily printable, B&W map. As this is SWN and not Traveller, the map is much simpler, simply showing dots, names, borders, and Drill routes across space rather than all the world, base, and starport types shown on a typical Traveller map.

This is the first work-in-progress of the map, showing world locations, a few major world names, and the borders of the Anomaly.

Next would be naming all worlds and designing jump routes, and finally creating a player's map where worlds without official jump routes are not shown.

Next Year's Challenge: Lore25!

Similar to my abortive attempt at the Sector23 Challenge two years ago, I wish now to undertake a new yearly challenge, hopefully to bring to completion this time! Something nice to spice up my time and get my creative world-building juices flowing.

2025's challenge, as suggested by Discord friends, will be Lore25. The challenge, as the name implies, is a world-building challenge focused on setting lore rather than mechanics; develop a setting out of whole cloth with a year's worth of lore. 1-3 paragraphs a day (365-1095 paragraphs by December 31st, 2025! At 100 or so words per paragraph, that's 36,500 to 109,500 words total!

This time I will write up a setting for Kevin Crawford's excellent Stars Without Number: Revised Edition (SWN:RE). I will keep my setting vaguely compatible with the default one presented in the SWN:RE core book, but will - of course! - strictly respect the author's intellectual property; other than very vague references to a Deluge toppling a vast Terran State, and similar points permitting such compatibility, the lore written in this setting shall be my own. The focus will be on local lore and events anyway, but the two Sectors (about the size of two Traveller Subsectors) will be easy to drop into any SWN game.

Below is the challenge's plan:

January 2025 - Universe Foundation. Starmap, system names, polities overview, species overview, cultural overview, history outline (in a 5-pagaraph style: Forgotten History, Ancient History, Classic History, Modern History, Recent Events).

February 2025 - Philosophy and Culture. Philosophies, religions, cultures, cults. Including the Sobek (agamid-reptile aliens!) sun-worshiping religion! One idea per day.

March 2025 - Astrography. Flesh the worlds; there are going to be 50 of them. So, 2 worlds a day on average. Typical SWN world description table/paragraph.

April 2025 - Technology. Beyond the SWN:RE standard, I shall endeavor to write one unique technology or technological artifact per day.

May 2025 - Characters and NPCs. One unique important NPC per day. Not necessarily with stats, as most are various leaders and groundbreaking scientists, but at least a paragraph each.

June 2025 - Factions. SWN:RE is excellent at this, and I will try to create 2-3 factions per week for 8-12 total SWN:RE-type factions with full stats and agendas.

July 2025 - Wars! The big Human-Sobek conflict, as well as smaller ones. Potentially one week to write 7 paragraphs for the Human-Sobek conflict, then 1 small conflict per day.

August 2025 - Creatures and Species. Sentient alien stats and character generation (Sobek and potentially others), plus various non-sentient critters. These are easy to create in SWN:RE.

September 2025 - Economy and Trade. One paragraph about economics per day Potentially adding trade data from SWN: Suns of Gold to each world if time and energy permit.

October 2025 - Myths and Legends. One spacers' legend per day. Such as the lost planet of Carcosa, and whatever is going on within the Anomaly.

November 2025 - Adventure Hooks. One per day. SWN:RE has excellent tools for that based on the worlds I'll create in March.

December 2025 - Review and Polishing. Editing the setting lore into one cohesive document. Who knows, it might even get published in 2026!

Dark Nebula 2900: Library Data N-Z

Art by Nomad_Soul

Following the Library Data A-M I posted yesterday for my Dark Nebula 2900 setting, here are the N-Z entries.

New Libdis (Kimson’s Stand 0502; formerly A87A9BB-C; currently C87A871-8): once the formal Rule of Man capital of the Dark Nebula Sector, today an irradiated hell. Contact with New Libdis was sporadic at best when travel was still economically viable. The latest official data (dated 2882 CE) indicates economic collapse and widespread internecine warfare, including tactical nuclear combat. There are at least three warlords on New Libdis claiming the title of “Sector Duke”, ruling their own irradiated domains with a handful of remaining TL-B equipment. Later informal data received from independent scouts indicates a certain political stabilization, though radiation levels are still high.

Night, the: the current situation in which interstellar communications and trade routes with Terra and the rest of the Rule of Man have collapsed. Academic consensus places its beginning in the 2740’s CE, but public opinion sees the arrival of the Last Ship from Terra in 2780 as its actual beginning.

Nine Stars Incorporated: the Maadin Confederation’s largest privately-owned corporation, specialized in aerospace and shipping, as well as asteroid mining. In intense competition with the Mizahni Golden Sun megacorporation. Headquartered in the Mechane Belt.

Nugiiri: see Droyne.

Psionics: “powers of the mind” allowing telepathy, telekinesis, and teleportation, among other supernatural abilities. While there is no clear evidence of their existence, rumors of them abound, especially connected to conspiracy theories surrounding the Dark Nebula itself. Ziru Sirka records noted Vilani research in this field, which results were ambiguous.

Pyramid Builders: a reportedly extinct alien species who colonized the Dark Nebula Sector around approximately 9,000 BCE. The Pyramid Builders lacked Jump Drive technology and travelled in slower-than-light sleeper and generation ships. The Pyramid Builders were adapted to live in what Humaniti considers to be insidious atmospheres, and “terraformed” several local worlds to suit their preferred environment. An example for such a world is Kamat (Maadin 0705). Their sites usually include pyramids, hence their contemporary name. To the present, no written script or other records of this species were found.

Ramshackle Empire: see Rule of Man.

R.A.T.S: Rage Against the Total State, a controversial dissident powerpunk band from Mechane (Maadin 0703). Anarchistic to the bone, R.A.T.S band members cycle in and out of Confederation jail due to “disturbing the peace”, “disorderly conduct”, and engaging in “sedition”. Their songs bluntly attack the “stuffed shirts” of the Maadin Confederation and its “Totalitarian” culture, calling for “A Storm of Fire” to bring about “Absolute Freedom”. Popular among youth, its music is often blamed for juvenile delinquency and acts of vandalism. 

Rose of Agidda, the: a Type-A2 Far Trader, Imperial Registry Number 42893-7. The last ship bearing news from distant Terra to reach Maadin (Maadin 0702) in 2780. Its arrival, and the horrid tales its crew brought from the dead Rule of Man, heralded the fall of the Night. Common Maadini and Mizahni opinion sees its arrival date as the actual beginning of the Night. The ship now resides in the Grand Confederate Museum on Maadin.

Rule of Man: the imperial successor state of both the Ziru Sirka and the Terran Confederation. Saw the unraveling of the Vilani social and economic system, leading to incredible instability and to its eventual collapse within four centuries. Terran optimism about the superiority of their dynamic economy to Vilani custom turned into despair as the introduction of meritocratic elements and open economics into the Vilani system led to destruction of everything the Vilani meticulously built over millennia. Maadini public opinion and state propaganda see the Rule of Man as a betrayal of the Terran Confederation’s values and blame it for the fall of the Night.

Samueloff, Nadezhda (Force Commander; 2856 to present): the Confederate Military Presidium’s current Chairwoman and member on behalf of the Confederate Marine Corps. A decorated heroine of the Second ihatei War (2882-2885). Chairwoman Samueloff enjoys great popularity among the Confederate population, and leads an aggressive line in interstellar relations, particularly towards Mizah, but also the Aslan.

Scout: a generic term describing various explorers and couriers, whether military, corporate, or independent. In 2555, the Rule of Man rejected a proposal for unifying all official exploratory and courier activity under a single governmental service, leaving this activity distributed between various competing interests.

Scout/Courier (Type-S): a common starship classification dating back to the Ziru Sirka. A 100-ton general-purpose courier ship capable of light exploration activities.

Solomani: humans of Terran descent. “Terrans”. Many of the humans in the Dark Nebula Sector claim Solomani ancestry, which is only partially correct. While many of the colonists who reached the sector came indeed from the old Terran Confederation worlds, the Rule of Man population there was of mixed Solomani and Vilani descent, and so were the colonists reaching Maadin and subsequent colonies. Alongside the Vilani and the Aslan, Solomani consider themselves a “Major Race”.

Solomani Confederation: see Maadin Confederation.

Spinward Frontier: Mizahni sci-fi holodrama set in the far future of the 57th century CE, far to the Coreward from the Dark Nebula. It follows the adventures of Captain Miller and his free-trader crew as they engage in honest trade and less legal shenanigans at the edge of a futuristic New Imperium. Miller’s famous nemesis is the extra-dimensional alien Grandmother, though recurring threats include mind-bending human-aliens, wolfmen from the stars, and an insidiously sentient computer virus. Rebooted twice, Spinward Frontier still retains its enormous fan base. Despite being lambasted by Confederate politicians as “dripping with monarchist drivel”, it enjoys its greatest popularity on Maadin.

Stalker (slang): an opportunistic explorer or looter (depending on who you ask) searching for artifacts on N3 in the Dark Nebula or in other alien (and human!) ruins across the Dark Nebula Sector. Stalkers are reputed to be shady characters and to sometimes use violence to wrest choicy finds out of the hands of their competitors.

Three-Year War: see Mizahni War, 2nd.

Tlasayerlahel: a relatively new Aslan corporation established by the Yerlyaruiho clan in 2788 CE to provide transport services to the clan’s holding in the Aslan Tail. Today (2900 CE) it provides cargo and passenger services to both the Aslan Tail and the Kuzu Subsector, as well as less frequent lines to the Maadin Subsector. As usual with Aslan companies, the clan’s dominant males serve as Tlasayerlahel’s top executives, as well as starship pilots and gunners, while the clan’s females perform administrative and engineering work.

Terra (Terra/Sol 0207; A877A89-C [last known statistics]): also known as Earth; the Solomani homeworld. Apparently, one of the several homeworlds on which Humaniti has evolved. Terra rose to interstellar prominence in the 22nd century, with the Terran Confederation’s conquest of the vastly larger Ziru Sirka but was eventually replaced by Dingir as capital of the Rule of Man. Terra’s status as of 2900 CE is unknown. The above UWP was derived from old Rule of Man records and may vary greatly given the current situation.

Terra Ascendant: Maadinite alt-history holodrama set in a universe where the Ziru Sirka subjugated Terra in 1947 CE. Terra Ascendants takes place in 2258, after a Terran rebellion overthrew the Vilani yoke. It follows the travels of the starship Avenger and her daring captain Faith León. Currently (2900 CE) in its 10th season, this holodrama is hugely popular both within the Confederation and outside it - and even in Aslan space. Much to the dismay of Mizahni authorities, this show, with its Confederate propaganda undertones, is incredibly popular on Mizah as well.

Terran Confederation: the old Terran state founded in the early 22nd century CE out of the old United Nations in face of the Vilani threat. A republic in essence, the dynamic nature of the Confederation and its aggressive nature led to its eventual victory over the Ziru Sirka, despite the latter’s massive strength on paper. Eventually replaced by the imperial Rule of Man. Maadini public opinion, as well as propaganda, sees the Terran Confederation as the glorious “Golden Age” of interstellar humanity - and its replacement by the Rule of Man as a betrayal of all it stood for.

Tua-Tong Incorporated: a Mizahni megacorporation specializing in agritech, competing with HexaCorp in the field of biotechnology. It is Mizah’s largest food manufacturer - where it enjoys a vertical monopoly from mechanized farms to processing plants to grocery stores and restaurants.

Vilani: humans who originated from Vland. The Vilani ruled the vast Ziru Sirka for millennia, only to be conquered by the young Terran Confederation in the 24th century CE. Vilani culture emphasizes tradition and stability, often at the expense of technological progress. Viliani society is bureaucratic, stratified, and quite collectivist. Vilani technological designs are rarely innovative - indeed, most were in service for centuries - but are highly reliable. Many humans in the Dark Nebula sector are of mixed Solomani-Vilani descent. Alongside the Solomani and the Aslan, Vilani consider themselves a “Major Race”.

Visitors: an urban legend about mysterious aliens residing deep in the Dark Nebula, emerging from it abduct victims from human worlds for unknown ends. These rumors resemble the old, pre-starflight Terran legend about “Gray Aliens”. That type of legend was, of course, proven to be mostly or completely false once the Terrans encountered the Ziru Sirka and the Vegans.

Vland (Vland/Vland 0307; A967A9A-C [last known statistics]): Vilani homeworld and the old Ziru Sirka’s capital. One of the several proposed human homeworlds. Vland reached spaceflight millennia prior to Terra and built the vast Ziru Sirka around it. Eventually replaced by Terra and then Dingir as capital of the Rule of Man. Vland’s status as of 2900 CE is unknown. The above UWP was derived from old Rule of Man records and may vary greatly given the current situation.

Unit #72: a Rule of Man research unit established 2712 CE. Appropriating billions of desperately needed funds, the unit chose five stars within the previously unexplored Dark Nebula itself as their base. There, they tried to develop technologies which will - so they claimed - save the ailing Rule of Man from its inevitable collapse: artificial intelligence, cybernetics, genetic engineering, and, especially, new technologies for interstellar travel and, theoretically speaking, faster than light communication.

United Miners of Salia (UMS): illegal union of miners on Salia (Maadin, 0205), fighting for better pay and better safety measures in the dangerous mines controlled by the Mizahni HexaCorp. The latter is notorious for its strict security measures, low pay, and lax safety regulations, leading to mining accidents. Following a violent crackdown by corporate security during the failed strike of 2897, the UMS leaders fled to Maadin, where they were granted political asylum.

Ziru Sirka: “Grand Empire of the Stars”, the millennia old Vilani imperial state which once ruled known space. Founded in 500 CE following five millennia of interstellar exploration and centuries of war, it ruled with an iron fist and unimaginably complex bureaucracy. It was headed by three Bureaux and a Shadow Emperor, based on a stable semi-planned economy. However, stability brought about stagnation. Faced with the dynamic Terran Confederation in the 22nd to the 24th centuries CE, the Ziru Sirka’s stagnation and petty bureaucratic politics brought about its conquest by the much smaller Terran state. Maadini propaganda usually likens Mizah, as well as the old Maadin Imperium, to Ziru Sirka’s final years.

Dark Nebula 2900: Library Data A-M

I have once posted the Library Data for my Dark Nebula 2900 setting - a quasi-OTU Classic Traveller setting. However, I will repost the edited version thereof, in two parts, on the blog itself for your enjoyment.

Here is the star-map for reference purposes:

The following common information is easily accessible from a ship’s Library program or from planetary datanets in the Dark Nebula region.

Abbas, Armando (later Emperor Armando I; 2723-2812 CE): Maadin’s last governor under the Rule of Man and first Emperor of the Maadin Imperium. Founder of the Abbas Dynasty (2785-2870 CE). An effective if ambitious ruler. Reigned 2785-2812 CE.

Accelerando (2690 to 2747 CE): the final period of the Rule of Man’s collapse in the Dark Nebula Sector. In the chaos and corruption of the late Rule of Man, well-connected scientists could preproperate mass budgets for their own projects. Therefore, this was a period of strangely accelerated technological development, often along arcane and unorthodox lines. In the Dark Nebula Sector, the center of this research was in the Dark Nebula itself, leading to the Event in 2747.

Amlaris, Minerva (2625-2711 CE): Second Imperium scout captain. Famous for her successful first contact with the Aslan in 2659 CE, following a misjump, as part of which she fought her famous blade vs. dewclaw single combat against an Aslan male.

Archon Industries: A Mizahni megacorporation, originally an arms manufacturer, but now producing a wide variety of heavy industrial products, from ATVs to jump drives. Archon Industries is a strict but fair employer, and an outspoken proponent of the militant faction in the Mizahni Council of State. However, it strongly denies its ties to dissident factions within the Maadin Confederation, calling such rumors a “well-coordinated Confederate smear campaign”.

Alfonso (2750-2843): second emperor of the Maadin Imperium. Emperor Armando I’s second eldest son; rumored to have poisoned his elder brother. A mediocre ruler, known for his penchant for ambitious construction and lavish celebrations. Reined 2812-2843.

Armando II (2819-2870 CE): third and last emperor of the Maadin Imperium. An incompetent, hedonist ruler who cared more about court intrigue and luxuries than about rulership and warfare. Appointed many of his close associates to admirals and generals. As most were incompetent in military matters, this was a major factor contributing to the humiliating defeat at the hand of the Aslan in the First ihate War. Following the War, Armando II’s already unpopular rule lost any shred of legitimacy in the eyes of the Maadinite populace. This led to mass demonstrations in 2870, which the Emperor attempted to suppress by force - leading to a mutiny by mid-ranked officers and to a coup, which Armando II did not survive. Reigned 2843-2870.

Aslan: an alien species originating from Kuzu (Kuzu 0209). Despite their clear differences from Terran felines, early explorers described them as “lion-like” and thus gave them the name “Aslan” after a major character in C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia (published 1950 CE), who was a lion. While said differences from Terran lions soon became apparent, the name and derogatory comparisons to Terran housecats stuck. Aslan society is sexually dimorphic, with males being adept at war but inept in administration or technical matters, which are the province of females. The Aslan male has an inborn territorial instinct, which, in combination with the Aslan inheritance system (giving the father’s entire land to his firstborn son) leads to an endless desire for conquest. As the Aslan developed jump drives themselves in 2520 CE, Aslan considered themselves a “Major Race” alongside the Vilani and the Solomani.

Aslan Heirate: the Aslan interstellar government. Established on Kuzu in the 26th century CE, the Heirate prevented global thermonuclear war by forming a confederative arrangement between the twenty-nine dominant clans, where clan leaders can deliberate and settle matters between them “relatively” peacefully (“relatively” here also means occasional limited wars, but the Heirate prohibits total warfare). The Heirate is decentralized, with its military forces composed of individual clan militaries and most corporations being clan owned. This decentralized nature limits the Heirate’s ability to bring its full might to bear against its rivals, as individual clans are often reluctant to wage war to protect other clans’ interests.

Aslan Tail: the long “main” of star-systems, all within a parsec or less from each other, to the Spinward and Rimward from Kuzu. The Aslan colonized the Tail early, before they purchased Jump-2 technology from the Solomani. However, the Tail has a high concentration of uninhabitable worlds. Thus, Aslan have a strong incentive to expand to the Trailing, clashing with Solomani interests.

Big Five, the: the five Mizhani megacorporations - Crystal Ventures, Tua-Tong Incorporated, Archon Industries, Golden Sun, and HexaCorp, each owned by a Great House.

Carcosa: a spacers’ legend - the presumed sixth world of the Dark Nebula, orbiting a red sun, which may only be reached by a misjump. There, a massive alien city is said to reside. There is no evidence of such a sixth star, let alone a red dwarf, despite meticulous research, but many spacers still adhere to this legend.

Crystal Ventures: a Mizahni megacorporation, focused on high-tech light industry, with secondary activity in financial and telecommunication services. Well-known for the quality of its goods and for the elitist attitudes of well-paid but competitive employees. HexCorp’s main domestic competitor in electronics

Dark Nebula Sector: our Sector, located on the far Spinward edge of former Rule of Man space. The Dark Nebula’s nominal Sector Capital was on New Libdis (Kimson’s Stand 0502), but this world has eventually lost its status. The Dark Nebula Sector surrounds the eponymous Dark Nebula, an anomalous region of space located inside a small nebula. This Sector was sparsely colonized in the waning years of the Rule of Man.

Dark Nebula, the: a small nebula at the center of the Dark Nebula Sector. There are five star-systems within the Nebula. Early explorers reported anomalous readings in these systems. In 2717 CE, Unit #72 set up its research bases in these systems. On November 3rd, 2747 CE, the Event occurred, causing the disappearance of all five star-systems from the Dark Nebula. These systems returned, unexpectedly, in August 2892 CE. Both Maadin Confederation and Mizhani authorities consider the Nebula as a navigational hazard and urge Travellers to avoid it. Currently, other than a “scout base” (and informal community of “Stalkers”) on N3, the Nebula is considered uninhabited.

Desertborn: a minor race native to Rim (Kuzu 0602), with strong reptilian characteristics. They stand on two legs and have a long tail. Their eyes are large and bulbous, with slit pupils, and their fingers and toes hold adhesive pads. The Desertborn language sounds like a collection of clicks and chirps, and they speak alien tongues in a particularly chirpy voice. On their homeworld of Rim, Desertborn patiently lurk on dry, rocky cliffs, standing motionless for hours, their natural coloration and absolute stillness helping them blend into the desert surroundings. Then they strike their prey, swiftly and mercilessly. While their society is often based on small, closely-knit tribal units with a low population density, they already had an industrial civilization when Solomani explorers discovered them in 2641 CE. Following human contact, they developed their own spacefaring technologies and began exploring and settling the Rim system, though they still depend on Terran worlds - especially Mizah - to purchase starships from.

Droyne: an alien species living on Kapros (Maadin 0610) and potentially on several additional worlds in the old Imperium. Droyne present both reptilian and insectoid characteristics. Their society includes a multitude of “castes”, resembling eusocial insects. While, contrary to popular human opinion, they lack a “hive mind”, the “lower” castes show far less individual drive than members of other species. Recent research of the old Vilani record shows a 98.73% probability that the Droyne are an identical species to the Nugiiri from Kilennur (Sol/Harlequin 0808), or a closely related species. Droyne seem to operate jump drives of their own design but seem to be uninterested in interstellar expansion or colonization. Thus, debate still rages whether they are a Major Race.

Dust Front: militant (and highly illegal) wing of the United Miners of Salia (UMS; Maadin 0205), agitating and, as per the rumor, organizing for an armed insurrection against HexaCorp. The latter accuses Dust Front of being a proxy for Maadin Confederation covert operations, an accusation the UMS categorically denies.

Event, 1st (2747 CE): the disappearance of all five star-systems in the Dark Nebula on November 3rd, 2747 CE, resulting from experimentation in exotic physics.

Event, 2nd (2892 CE): the reappearance of the five Dark Nebula stars in the skies of Taida Na in August 2892 CE, leading to dangerous attempts by various parties to re-explore the Nebula.

Golden Sun: A Mizahni aerospace and shipping megacorporation. Operates lines to all major worlds in the Maadin Subsector, focusing on Mizah-Confederation trade and transportation. Intensively competing with the Confederation-based Nine Stars Incorporated, the Subsector’s other transportation megacorp.

HexaCorp: a Mizahni generalist megacorporation invested in anything from biotechnology to mining. Crystal Ventures’ main domestic competitor in electronics and Tua-Tong Incorporated's greatest rival in biotechnology. HexaCorp is notorious for its bad record in labor rights and its dabbling in morally questionable research. This company owns the neighboring world of Salia, where it engages in heavy mining. HexaCorp is the Subsector’s primary robot manufacturer, and thus, naturally, has a keen interest in AI research.

Hrea Aoiyil Euarosei (2869 CE to present): Kouaolew Yehi Hlya’s wife and shrewd executive officer. This Aslan will be instrumental to any future expansion by her husband, as she is talented and experienced in managing military logistics. She enjoys popularity among females as her husband enjoys among males. Maadinite media presents her as the evil mastermind behind her husband’s nefarious dreams of conquest.

ihatei: “Second Sons”. Aslan inheritance laws grant the father’s land to his firstborn son. Second sons must, therefore, seek their own lands. With the advent of star travel, such young non-inheriting Aslan males become explorers in search of unclaimed territories - or invaders seeking conquest. Fueled by the hormones of youth and by the Aslan male’s inborn territorial drive, they are a force to be reckoned with.

ihatei War, 1st (2862-2866 CE): the first major military conflict between humans and Aslan. A wave of Aslan ihatei seeking new territories invaded the human-colonized space to the Trailing of Kuzu. Within two months, they controlled Pasar (Kuzu 0507), Godoro (Kuzu 0606), and Simsek (Kuzu 0505), with harsh fighting continuing on Enjiwa (Kuzu 0510). Within a year, they went as far as Salia (Maadin 0205), threatening Mizah and Maadin directly. Faced with a common threat, Maadin and Mizah signed an unease mutual defense pact and launched a counterattack. However, despite the fierce human military efforts, the Aslan emerged victorious and retained their conquests of Pasar, Godoro, Simsek, Astek, and Daanari. These events destabilized the Maadin Imperium and eventually brought its downfall.

ihatei War, 2nd (2882-2885 CE): the second, recent confrontation between the Aslan and the human colonies. The ihatei attacked Hasara (Kuzu 0804), Taanga (Maadin 0105), and Salia (Maadin 0205), threatening Mizah and declaring the aim of conquering the Maadin Confederation as well. The Confederate fleet, bolstered by allied Mizahn squadrons, launched a counterattack, pushing the Aslan back to Daanari. By 2884, Aslan lines collapsed under the combined human attack, liberating Pasar (Kuzu 0507), Godoro (Kuzu 0606), Simsek (Kuzu 0505), Astek (Kuzu 0305), and Daanari (Kuzu 0704) and forcing back the Aslan to old Hierate space. Signing a ceasefire in 2885, the Aslan agreed to relinquish their former conquests in return for the Solomani forces' withdrawal.

Ilana (2811 to present): the current Queen of Mizah. Third child of Maxim II; her two elder brothers falling in war against Maadin and the Aslan. The aging Ilana is still in good health but is rumored to planning to abdicate in favor of her daughter, Princess Ilana II, in the “near” future. Reigns from 2867 to the present. Oversaw Mizah’s part in victory against the Aslan in the Second ihatei War, and built reasonable relations with the Maadin Confederation, though these relations have soured recently following the Confederation’s rapid 

Imperium, the: see Ziru Sirka.

Kouaolew Yehi Hlya (2872 to present): Popular and ambitious Aslan ihatei leader, promising his many, multi-clan followers’ glory and territory if they follow him to war against the humans. Young and brave, this Aslan is the second son of a prominent warrior of the Hkeakhya Clan. Maadinite media considers Koualolew to be the greatest single threat to the Confederation, an accusation he is proud of.

Last Ship from Terra, the: see Rose of Aggida.

Maadin (Maadin 0702; A8759C8-B): first human colony in the Maadin Subsector, established in 2600 CE; today, capital of the Maadin Confederation. An industrialized, densely populated world suffering from three centuries of pollution, Maadin is not necessarily a pleasant world to live on. However economic activity and opportunities abound, especially with the Confederation’s current rapid economic growth and war preparation - both of which creating millions of jobs. The Military Praesidium rules Maadin directly, in what amounts to permanent martial law. However, its rule is relatively lenient for such a type of Charismatic Oligarchy government. This world attracts industrial job seekers, traders, and anyone interested in Confederate politics - and, according to rumors, a significant number of Mizahn industrial spies.

Maadin Confederation (2870 CE to present): a human interstellar state centered on Maadin (Maadin 0702), with its industrial hub concentrated on Maadin itself and in the asteroid belt of Mechance (Maadin 0703). Established 2870, the Confederation is a militarized, authoritarian state led by the popular Military Praesidium. It encompasses 9 star-systems. The Maadin Confederation sees itself as a heir to the old Terran Confederation, and formally rejects the aristocratic culture of the later Rule of Man. Its main rivals are the independent human world of Mizah and the Aslan themselves.

Maadin Imperium (2785-2870 CE): following the Rule of Man’s collapse, citing "Continuity of Government'' laws, Maadin's governor, Armando Abbas (later Emperor Armando I), declared himself Emperor. While he attempted to expand his imperium to the rest of the Maadin Subsector, he only managed to control nine worlds, Maadin included. The Maadin Imperium was an aristocratic state replete with nepotism, corruption, and incompetence, unlike its much more stable neighboring monarchy of Mizah. Defeated by the Aslan in the 1st ihatei War (2862-2866 CE), this state lost its final shreds of legitimacy among its subjects, leading to its overthrow and the establishment of the Maadin Confederation.

Marcus, Maxim (later King Maxim I, 2729-2819): last Rule of Man governor and first King of the Kingdom of Mizah (Maadin 0304), founder of the Marcus Dynasty. An astute statesman and skilled strategist who was able to guide Mizah through the war with Maadin (Maadin 0702) despite Maadin’s numerical and material advantage. One key to Maxim I’s success was his strict adherence to remnants of Rule of Man nobility privileges and corporate interests, forming a powerbase of powerful families backing him. Reigned 2785-2819.

Maxim II (2770-2867): second King of Mizah. Oversaw civic and military development and partial industrialization of Mizah. Led Mizah to victory in the Second Mizahni War (2820-2823). Held in high regard by Mizahni nobility, eclipsing even his legendary father. Under his reign, Mizah regained its TL-B classification and was awarded with “Rich” status by the Mercantile Guild. Reigned 2819-2867.

Mercantile Guild: an association of smaller interstellar merchants, from Free Traders to small companies. Founded in 2662 CE by Free Traders desiring a better competitive position compared to Rule of Man megacorporations. The Mercantile Guild maintains facilities on all worlds rated with Starport C or better, and allows non-Merchants, particularly military personnel, to invest in it in return for periodic passage tickets. It also publishes the bi-annual Merchant Review, a guidebook for traders operating in the Maadin and Kuzu Subsectors, rating worlds and starports for easy reference by interstellar traders.

MiliFab: “Military Fabrication”, a Maadinite state-run arms megacorporation. In addition to supplying the Confederation armed forces, it aggressively markets “Export Variants” of Confederate military tech to various interstellar factions and mercenary units favored by the Maadin government. Known for its reliable products and internal military discipline, the lines between this corporation and the Confederate government are quite blurred.

Military Praesidium: the seven-member "head of state" of the Maadin Confederation. Despite its authoritarian rule for the past 30 years, and despite the change in its composition along the years, the Praesidium still enjoys significant popularity among the Confederation citizenry. The Praesidium includes two representatives each of the Army, Navy, and Marines, and one of the Military Intelligence. It has a Chairman, coordinating its sessions and making immediate decisions when needed; the Praesidium members rotate in this position, each serving for one standard year.

Mizah (Maadin 0304; A762853-B): a major human colony in the Maadin Subsector, a political power of its own. Mizah is a pleasant, if dry, world, considered to be the richest world in the Maadin and Kuzu Subsectors. In 2785, the Governor of Mizah, Maxim Marcus, declared himself King of Mizah, and after a short war with the Maadin Imperium, gained full sovereignty. His descendants still rule Mizah to this very day. Outside observers classify Mizah’s regime as a “Techno-Feudal Regime”, where the Emperor and the Great Houses control giant megacorporations and thus most of the world’s economy and technology. Mizah is a pleasant world to live in, with a high standard of living and very lenient laws, though it lacks the industrial might and boundless technical job opportunities of Maadin.

Mizahni Independence War: see Mizahni War, 1st.

Mizahni Nobility: the aristocratic classes of Mizah, descending from the Rule of Man noble families. Mizahni nobles either belong to one of the five Great Houses, or to one of the numerous Minor Houses. Great House heads, the Archdukes, are part of the Mizahni government. The five Archdukes form the Council of State, which advises directly to the Queen of Mizah. Lesser nobles within the Great Houses also hold positions of tangible political or economic power, from megacorp CEOs - as each Great House owns a megacorporation - to hereditary positions of power in the government. Minor Houses usually lack direct political power but may vote and be elected to the Mizah Senate. Such nobles are numerous, comprising approximately 8% of the population. Their families often enjoy great wealth and enjoy official privileges, though these are much lesser than those of the Great Houses.

Mizahni War, 1st (2787-2788): Emperor Armando I’s attempt to subordinate Mizah to his rule immediately after taking power on Maadin. Mizah’s governor, Maxim Marcus, declared himself King of Mizah and organized a hasty, though effective, defense against the Maadinite invasion. The war was short and bloody, culminating at the Battle of Omoro (Maadin 0402), in which the Mizahni counterattack destroyed the only Maadinite battlecruiser, forcing Maadin to sue for peace.

Mizahni War, 2nd (2820-2823): attempted invasion of Mizah by Emperor Alfonso of the Maadinite Imperium. This war was significantly longer than the 1st Mizahni War, involving major ground action on Mizah iself (Maadin 0304), as well as Omoro (Maadin 0402), Icat (Maadin 0503), and Gazzain (Maadin 0505), as well as naval action in their orbits. the Maadin Imperium’s defeat in this war further weakened its regime and hastened its decline. Mizah, on the other hand, enjoyed a wave of patriotism, and its victory strengthened the Marcus Dynasty’s hold on the throne.

Dark Nebula 2900 - Two Subsectors It Is!

After receiving some input from my readers and the Traveller community at large, I decided to keep the two Subsectors format of my Dark Nebula quasi-OTU setting. I was recommended a four-Subsector (Quadrant) format, but the original Dark Nebula boardgame maps lend themselves better to two Subsectors side by side. There are 8 maps, each 8x10 hexes, but each hex being half a parsec; so each boardgame map is 4x5 parsecs - a quarter Subsector! Changing it to four would change the map considerably.

Here is the existing map, which I will keep using:

And I have commissioned professional subsector maps, made by Gavin Dady:

Should be a fun setting to play in!

Dark Nebula 2900 - One or Two Subsectors?

The original idea for my Dark Nebula quasi-OTU (Original Traveller Universe) setting for Classic Traveller was that of two subsectors, side by side, providing a large and comprehensive sandbox to play in. This is how the starmap looks so far:

However, I was thinking as of late of converting it to a single subsector, for ease of writing and tightness of design. A bit like using only four map tiles in the Dark Nebula boardgame rather than all the eight (which was one gameplay option). This is how a single subsector map will look like:

The downside being that such a single subsector setting will be more simplistic in nature.

What do you think? Should I keep the old two-subsector design or condense it to a single subsector?

Swords against the Machine!

Art by deanz; purchased through Adobe Stock

I was thinking of an OSR-fantasy setting. I have toyed with such ideas in the past, but this came to me with much greater clarity lately.

The ingredients are:

Aliens. Most likely of the classic "Gray" type. With saucers and abductions and everything. But gone for centuries.

Jungles. Potentially the tropical region of an extrasolar planet. I want this setting to be lush. And warm. And humid. And teeming with life - some of it quite hostile.

Empire. Decadent. Inspired by Rome at its worst excesses.

Barbarians. Most likely in the jungles. Mostly/partially human. Default PCs will be barbarians raiding Imperial lands. Opulent palaces instead of dungeons!

Technology. Deteriorating, as it was left behind when the aliens left/were driven away centuries ago and humans cannot fully repair it. Current common tech is Dark Ages and more advanced medieval tech, with remnants of ultratech, mostly as treasure.

Dinosaurs/other giant reptiles ands/or giant insects.

Tokay (Lizardkin). Arboreal gecko-like humanoids. Can climb; maybe shed their tail.

Otherwise - relatively anthropocentric. The Empire is human, and so are most Barbarians. Some Barbarians are Tokay, though - about 10%? Anyhow, no elves, halflings, gnomes, or dwarves

Sorcery - potentially, D&D-style "Vancian" magic, potentially, The Sword of Cepheus magic. Not necessarily D&D magic items all the way, though.

Core Setting Concept

Reverse D&D!

In one common campaign archetype of D&D, the PCs are Civilized Men raiding dungeons in the Wilderness, bringing treasures back to Civilization, and bringing Civilization to the Wilderness.

In this setting, the PCs are (by default) Barbarians from the Wilderness raiding the decadent palaces of rotting Civilization, bring treasure back to their tribe in the Wilderness, and, eventually, getting a chance to sack the cities of Civilized opulence - and lord over their ruins!

Setting History in 6 Eras

Eons ago, the Aboleths lorded over this world as gods. They ruled over the Tokay natives and built giant cyclopean cities in the deeper equatorial jungles and under the lakes and seas.

Then came the Grays. They deposed the Aboleths, causing many Tokay to flee into the jungles, away from anyone's control. The Grays established their main colony, now known as the City of Eternity, and several smaller sub-colonies. They brought with them human and Mantid abductees, as well as stranger beasts, as experimental subjects and slaves.

The Grays' interstellar empire declined with time. As it crumbled, humans on this world rebelled and overthrew their Gray masters; the few surviving Grays fled to distant stars, leaving the world alone. The rebellion's leaders became aristocrats ruling over a Republic, stretching from the City of Eternity to distant sub-colonies. Young and with an insatiable appetite for war, the Republic conquered many of the scattered human "Barbarian" tribes (originating from escapees from the old Gray colonies) and Tokay tribes.

With size came corruption. The once robust Republic eventually became a den of societal and moral rot, with its aristocratic Senators constantly plotting against each other. Its economy faltered; the toiling masses grew restless. Then, Aressarus Komeus, a Republic general, seized power and declared himself Emperor, and brought order and renewed prosperity under the Imperial iron grip. He ruled with grandeur and cruelty for centuries, dreaming of an eternity for his regime.

As the Grays' old machines sustaining the Empire slowly broke down with time and with insufficient technical knowledge among the local humans, general technology declined as well. Eventually, to feed the Empire and maintain its opulence, vast armies of slaves had to toil in its fields and manufactories. While millions suffered under the Imperial yoke, the Emperor and his nobles lived in utter decadence. The Empire began to crumble as well.

The Empire is dying. Its slaves are restless; its aristocrats are selfish, haughty, and more concerned about backstabbing each other than protecting the Empire as a whole. Its legionnaires are now little more than thugs led by power-hungry generals eyeing the Imperial Throne. It is now time for Barbarians to throw off the Imperial yoke once and for all. Endless treasures await in the palaces of rotten nobles and in other edifices of decadent opulence.

Maps coming next!

[Variant OTU] Broken Cradle - Draft Virus-less 1140 Solomani Rim Map

Following my overall setting concept for Broken Cradle, my Virus-less 1140 Imperial OTU setting for Classic/Mega Traveller, I have firmly decided to use the Solomani Rim, with all its complex politics and ample useable canonical inspiration, to run my game(s) in this setting. Therefore, I have started reading GURPS Traveller: Rim of Fire, an excellent canonical source for this setting despite being set in a Rebellion-less milieu. I have also started converting a map of the Solomani Rim rendered by The Traveller Map to this setting.

The first task is deciding on the various Hard Times zones, which affect how each world regressed - in most cases - due to over two decades of warfare and political-economic collapse.

The following map is a rough draft. It still has the 1105 Golden Era starport and base data, but shows where the various zones are present. Later maps - probably on the subsector or two-subsector level - will show post-Hard Times data.

The gray area represents the Outland: areas abandoned by the shrinking polities, with worlds left to their own devices, without significant warfare. The red area is the Wilds - areas affected by warfare, which spread like disease across Known Space, often with worse damage. The blue area shows the Frontier areas, where damage was more limited, and some semblance of government remains. Finally, green areas are Safe zones, where order prevails and war destruction is minimal.

Subsectors marked with an asterisks were notable warzones in the Rebellion and/or the subsequent Solomani Civil War. Areas marked with a large "X" were major battlefields, typically in the Solomani Civil War.

Note that the main polity in this sector is the Solar Commonwealth, a successor-state of the Solomani Reformists. Off the map, and slightly on it, is the much larger True Solomani Confederation - led by the Hardliner Solomani. While appearing small on this map, they control a large Frontier, as well as a Safe zone, around Home/Aldebaran. The enjoy great industrial might compared to the Solar Commonwealth, but suffer from greater political instability.

Tentative starting setting are the Dingir and Albadawi subsectors, including both Frontier and Wilds areas, as well as the totalitarian True Solomani Confederation being merely a few jumps away... A perfect area for adventuring!

Legal Disclaimer: The Traveller game in all forms is owned by Far Future Enterprises. Copyright 1977 - 2023 Far Future Enterprises. Traveller is a registered trademark of Far Future Enterprises. Far Future permits web sites and fanzines for this game, provided it contains this notice, that Far Future is notified, and subject to a withdrawal of permission on 90 days notice. The contents of this site are for personal, non-commercial use only. Any use of Far Future Enterprises' copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, any program/articles/file on this site cannot be republished or distributed without the consent of the author who contributed it.

[Variant OTU] Broken Cradle - Virus-less Traveller Universe Variant

For some time - for almost two decades, in fact - ever since I first read the Official Traveller Universe background in full in Traveller: New Era: 1248 - I have been wondering about various routes the Official Traveller Universe might have taken. In short, I have a love/hate relationship with the Virus, the Empress Wave, and the New Era. On one hand, many Traveller: New Era books are of superb writing, though the T:NE rules are less to my liking. On the other hand, the uniform almost-gray-goo destruction of Imperial space and neighboring polities was less appealing to me than the more "textured" and nuanced MegaTraveller: Hard Times setting (a book I adore).

Thus, I have set forth to write a setting for future Traveller gaming - be that solo or with a proper group - based on my speculations on how the Traveller setting would have evolved in absence of wholesale Viral cyber-destruction. I have named the setting, focusing on the Solomani Rim Sector - for which I can find ample pre-Rebellion canon inspiration - Broken Cradle, in honor of the interstellar Cradle of Humanity now beset by interstellar war and later civil warfare.

Disclaimer: Broken Cradle is not canon. I repeat: it is not canon in any way. It is set in the Official Traveller Universe (OTU), though in a variant thereof. Specifically, I use Classic Traveller rules and a MegaTraveller (or, more accurately, post-MegaTraveller) setting. However, this should not be seen as a challenge to Traveller canon, but rather it is my humble attempt at taking a road not taken by canon.

So, on to the setting's recent history - this time, the Virus-less Midnight 1130 map. The timeline has advanced 5 years from the latest (1125 Imperial) map in Hard Times, so Wilds have expanded and Frontiers and Safe areas have contracted. This is prior to the Solomani Civil War and the Aslan invasion of Solomani space, both of which will alter the map further.

The question begging itself, of course, is why am I beating a horse which is dead for the past 30 years? After all, Official Traveller has taken its course from the Rebellion to the New Era to the (now semi-canonical) 1248 to the Galaxiad from the early 1990's on. But the joy of alternate fictional history and twisting the lore-laden OTU to my tastes was too tempting, let alone the beauty of the late-1980's Hard Times sourcebook. So, onward on my Quixotic quest to chart a variant OTU!

And now, to the "present" (1140 Imperial):

While the Vilani, Margaret's Imperium, Dulinor's "official" Imperium (Core), and Ilelish/Verge show recovery, the frontier areas in Ley, Gushmege,  and Glimmerdrift Reaches collapsed. The Solomani are locked in a civil war between the Reformists, centered on Terra/Sol, now calling themselves the Solar Commonwealth, and the Hardliners, centered on Home/Aldebaran, who now call themselves the True Solomani Confederation. The Aslan have then seized upon this weakness of their Solomani neighbors to invade former Confederation space en-masse.

I had to make the tough choice, in the absence of an all-destroying Virus, between Dulinor dying trying to retake the Iridium Throne, thus allowing for Lucan to become a Cyber-Emperor as was done in canon (both in the original plan and in actual canon), and Dulinor taking the Iridium Throne and reigning over the smoking ruins of the Imperium he so desired to reform. Dulinor's karma won the argument in the end: his destiny was one of a Pyrrhic victory and of a tragic fate as the emperor of ruins.

I am drawing some inspirations from Charles Gannon's excellent proposals for a MegaTraveller sequel, which were at least partially rejected in favor of Traveller: New Era in the early 1990's, but am not adhering to them.

More to come.

Legal Disclaimer: The Traveller game in all forms is owned by Far Future Enterprises. Copyright 1977 - 2014 Far Future Enterprises. Traveller is a registered trademark of Far Future Enterprises. Far Future permits web sites and fanzines for this game, provided it contains this notice, that Far Future is notified, and subject to a withdrawal of permission on 90 days notice. The contents of this site are for personal, non-commercial use only. Any use of Far Future Enterprises' copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this web site and its files should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, any program/articles/file on this site cannot be republished or distributed without the consent of the author who contributed it.

Your OSR Setting is a Deathworld

 

Art by Cristian Ibarra Santillan; used under CC license

Your OSR setting is a deathworld. This may not seem obvious - indeed, many settings appear to have an expansive and relatively safe countryside - but an examination of the encounter tables and monster descriptions of popular Old School Revolution (OSR) games speaks otherwise.

A "deathworld" is a term popularized (or maybe coined) by the Warhammer 40K universe. It refers to a world which is inimical to Humanity, be that due to climate, atmosphere, or biosphere. Such worlds require a major effort to survive on, and, in Warhammer 40K, typically breed elite warriors forged by the world's overall hostility.

Encounter tables in various OSR games, if you examine their implications, depict a world not unlike these deathworlds. Even in the perfect fantasy environment, with a temperate climate and pleasant terrain, monsters abound. Not just wolves and goblins, but rather dragons, powerful undead, owlbears, and worse. A sea journey may even be interrupted by a dragon turtle or a kraken - monsters sometimes above the ability of even "Name Level" (level 9) characters to fight without specialized tactics, or even with them.

The encounter tables are laden with powerful monsters. In OSE, for example, on pp.218-222 of the Roles Tome, the encounter tables depict a frightening world. There is a 1-in-8 (!) chance, for example, to encounter a dragon in most biomes, always a tough encounter for characters of any level. While some dragons may be reasoned with, many of these regal beasts would demand tribute, or simply try to eat whomever they encounter. Lycanthropes are common, as are undead, including powerful mummies and vampires. In ACKS, tables are similar to those in OSE, with a 1-in-8 risk of a dragon and a major piracy risk (yarr!) in the high seas. In the Basic Fantasy RPG, 4th Edition, pp.180-181, dragons are a somewhat less common (only encountered on the results of 2 and 16 on 2d8), but still an extant threat in almost all biomes. Giants and rocs in the mountains and giant octopi in the sea are more common.

Note that neither ruleset has a "safe countryside" column. Even ACKS's "Inhabited" column has a dragon in it! It's either cities, with their own criminal and undead problems, or the deadly Wilderness!

Anything PCs can encounter, villagers and even sedentary villages will encounter often. Even if you reduce the encounter rate in "Civilized" areas to once a month, on the long run, dragons, giants, and other monsters will come to your village to raze it or demand tribute. Goblinoid tribes will raid villages on a frequent basis. It's a dangerous world out there! Not your idyllic fantasy countryside. Not the Lord of the Rings Shire, where danger is a rare occasion worthy of an epic saga. It's closer to Catachan of Warhammer 40K fame!

And add to that monsters outside the encounter tables, but present in your typical OSR ruleset's Monsters chapter, such as Cloud Giants in their flying castles.

The implications are numerous:

• The default setting, given the encounter tables and monster chapters, would be Points of Light. That is, most of the world is deadly, and Humanity huddles around the few safer spots - typically city-states as noted below. Outside these safer points - the world is out to get you.
• It is likely that the setting is post-apocalyptic, with a strong Gamma World vibe to it. Maybe the past was safer, with a mighty empire keeping the monsters at bay. Maybe even most monsters did not exist before the apocalyptic event.
• A dispersed population would be at much greater risk than a concentrated settlement pattern. Defending disparate villages is much harden than defending a walled city-state and its adjacent farmland. Thus, settlement pattern will be closer to that depicted in sword & sorcery literature, namely city-states rather than vast expanses of countryside.
• There is a reason Name Level - when characters can become "proper" lords - is at Level 9. Below that, the local lord would be hard pressed to defend his protection ra---- sorry, feudal domain - from roving monsters and humanoid hordes. But even then, remote villages ruled by high-level characters would still be at greater risk than the city-states, with their high concentration of name-level characters, strong walls, and the ability to raise large armies.
• Personal power would equal political power - the ability to defend one's turf against monsters and usurpers.
• Outside Civilized territory, monsters will form their own domains. A dragon may be worshiped as a protective deity, sometimes enjoying human sacrifices from its subjects. A powerful undead monster may be able to carve a domain of death or even construct a necropolis around it. Humanoid tribes are also affected by this - they will often be at the bottom of the monstrous food chain, giving tribute to more powerful monsters, and sometimes serving them as cannon fodder.

So, expect a Points of Light setting with a concentrated settlement pattern, mighty city-states, and a vast, deadly wilderness challenging adventurers seeking danger, glory, and wealth.