Blasted Heath: Traveller Campaign Premise and Character Generation

Campaign Premise: PC's are the low-tech inhabitants of a world they know only as Auseklis. You are all members of Clan Seydlitz. The founders of your grandfather's generation were miners and technicians at the Seydlitz mines in the mountains outside the city of Harezmino. This was one of several great cities in the Human world of Auseklis. In turn, Auseklis was one of several Human-ruled worlds, but Humans were not the only species out there. Apparently, a hundred years ago, there was a war. 

When the plagues came, and people died by the hundreds of thousands, society started to collapse; everyone knew the Shedoma brought the plagues. Some were driven mad, spreading death through their bites. Other plagues killed with a cough. Your wise ancestors hid supplies and weapons in the mines and protected themselves from the outside world. But then, one day, a Shedoma fleet came to Auseklis. When the bombs fell upon the cities and military bases of Auseklis, the great fires and explosions destroyed the fragile ecosystem of Auseklis. Your ancestors sealed themselves below ground, with plans to ride out the worst and then fight the Shedoma when they inevitably landed. But the invasion fleets never came, it seems.

When your ancestors came out for the first time years later, Auseklis was unrecognizable. The air was filled with dust storms, the grassy plains were deserts, and the great cities were ruins. Few animals survived, only the toughest and strangest, and many regard survivors as an easy source of fresh meat. No Shedoma were found, though signs of landings were not far from the city's outskirts. Over time, contact was made with other survivor groups. But these encounters soon turned ugly, as groups competed over scarce resources, and the leaders accused one another of surviving by making traitorous deals with the Shedoma. Eventually, this evolved into constant warfare between communities. 

Auseklinites know there are other worlds out there or were; perhaps they have forgotten Auseklis, or maybe they are all destroyed. The aliens were a hideous race of multi-limbed insectoids called the "Shedoma". The survivors also know that for many years any use of large electronics or radio broadcasts brought fire from the skies. There are lights in the night sky that move faster than the other stars; the elders say they are alien spacecraft and thus a bad omen. 

The night is dark and full of terrors.

Pre-Career - "Colonial Upbringing"

Character Generation: You will need a PDF or hardcopy of the core rules, but nothing else. PC's are Humans, and they start with the "Colonial Upbringing" pre-career, reflecting the tough life and the limited presence of -some- technology on Auseklis. This means they start off with a lot of skills... on Auseklis, learning starts while the PC's are very young. Check for "graduation," which in this case will simply mean that you stood out among your peers. 

Next, the PC's will take one term of Drifter (Barbarian or Wanderer). That's mandatory for everyone and reflects a professional life defending the community. If you mishap out, that just means you have a sad story... you still get another term if you want. 

After that, the PC can take another term of Citizen (Colonist), Drifter (Barbarian or Wanderer), or Rogue (Thief or Enforcer), depending on which way your personal inclinations lie. Take a look at each to see what they offer in terms of skills and attribute bumps.

The "Seafaring" skill is irrelevant and can be swapped for Art, Electronics, Heavy Weapons, Mechanic, Medic, or Science to reflect the slim chance of some high-tech skill. There will be no cash or ship-share benefits; cash will be substituted with better starting gear. Characters may check for PSI, but may start with up to two talents and only at Skill-0. 

Equipment: Every character has the following kit

• Postapoc Armor, TL6, +4 Armor, 8kg
• Filter Mask and Goggles, TL3
• General Survival Gear, inc. backpack, canteen, flashlight, field kit, TL6, 2kg
• Melee Weapon, dagger, and choice of a hatchet, cutlass, or war pick
• Ranged Weapon - compound bow, crossbow, or roll on the table below for firearms

2D Weapon

• 2: submachinegun (4D+4 rds of ammunition)
• 3-4: revolver (3D+4 rounds of ammunition)
• 5-7: antique pistol (easy resupply, 100rds at start)  
• 8-9: antique rifle (easy resupply, 50rds at start)
• 10-11: rifle (2D+4 rounds of ammunition)
• 12: anti-materiel rifle (1D+4 rds of ammunition)