On 6 January 2017 at 03:02, Douglas Berry <dberry49xxxxxx@gmail.com> wrote:
On Thu, Jan 5, 2017 at 1:34 AM, Timothy Collinson <xxxxxx@port.ac.uk> wrote:

What about history? (of worlds and the subsector)  This is really hard
to do on a world by world basis as you need the bigger picture stuff
to slot into.

Very true. So I think the first thing I should work on is a sketch history of the area and the really big metaplot information. Agreed? 

On quick review ...

Unlike many subsectors, Lunion does not seem to have any native non-human civilisations.   Native sapients might be found on Penkwhar ("interdicted while the IISS studies the local alien culture."  [GT: BtC]) or on Gorram ("interdicted to allow study of its primitive inhabitants."  [GT: BtC]).

Spirelle, formerly Sepireld, was settled by the crew misjumped scout ship in about -7000 [GT: JTAS, 23 July 2002].  At this point, only the Vilani (and their cultural contacts) and the Geonee had access to jump drive.  Perhaps a lost Geonee colony???

The first semi-regular interstellar travel in the subsector might have been the pre-Maghiz Darrians (-1100 to -924); we know they settled as far as Dand Daryene (Dawnworld), so exploration into Lunion subsector seems likely [GT: Sword Worlds].  Certainly the Sword Worlders explored the area, probably established outposts, and might have established colonies in their first flush of expansion (-400 to -100), before contracting back to the Sword Worlds subsector after the Sacnoth Dominate broke up, and the Fimbulwinter descended.  

By 40-56, both tentative Sword Worlder colonial efforts, and IISS long-range scouting excursions entered the area.

Sharurshid established the first trade route with the Sword Worlds, ending at Biter and thus traversing Lunion subsector, in 73.  Over the next few years, this stimulated the growth of Mora.  Mora was already considered a "treasure world", but now became a major supply base on the route between Deneb and Daryen.  One could assume that support bases were also established in Lunion subsector, with supporting colonies on the more Earth-like worlds shortly thereafter.

Regular IISS services to the Marches started with the establishment of a base on Mora in 81 [GT: JTAS 22 Feb 2000], "theoretically responsible for exploring the entire sector."  Now the worlds of Lunion get their first official surveys.

The official population of Mora passed 10,000 in about 100, but once illegal residents are included, this figure was likely closer to 100,000.

Contact between the Imperium and the Florians developed in 150-185.  Any trade between Floria and Mora would have come either through Trin's Veil or Lunion subsector.  Given the astrography of the Spinward Main, and the pre-existing infrastructure between Mora and Daryen, presumably most of this trade would have come via Lunion, further encouraging growth.  However, Florian contact with the Imperium probably declined from 200, after a period of biowarfare, rebellion against the centralised regime, and contact with the Zhodani appear to have triggered a period of isolationism.  Perhaps a local recession in Lunion?  (Though trouble in the Sword Worlds would likely have triggered greater trade in military hardware ...)

By the late 200's, Steel had (temporarily) placed outposts on the Metal Worlds, including Wardn, Olympia, and Smoug (formerly Silver, Gold, and Electrum).  The Imperium had colonised Dawnworld - the third time is the charm!  Or not, as it turned out.

And that brings us to the maps in LBB Supplement 11, with Sting having claimed the vacant-possession Metal Worlds, and the Imperium having already established control of all other worlds in the subsector, bar Arba.  Lunion is the clear #2 subsector for the Imperium, with all travel to the Regina exclave settling off via the Quiru branch of the Spinward Main, and all travel to the unincorporated worlds of the Gliss (now Glisten) branch of the Spinward Main travelling from Zaibon/Adabicci via Sword World space.  Of note, the Gliss system is about to undergo a massive mining boom.

In comparison, Trin's Veil is a bit of a dead end, but by 400, it appears as though the growth of Gliss spurred the development of the rimward half of the Trin's Veil subsector.  I guess direct travel is more secure that needing to remain in the good graces of the Sword Worlds (or less hassle than forcing a war with them and demanding all of the Metal Worlds).  Anyway, Glisten and Trin's Veils' expansion may have come at the expense of Lunion subsector.  If local governments came under stress and collapsed, the period 400-550 would have been the eye of the needle.  Afterwards, reinvention as an industrial powerhouse during the 15-year First Frontier War would have set the tone for the subsector as a whole through to the present.

Anyway, hopefully some morsels to pique the interest of potential Lunion-ers.












>
> The end goal is to have a complete setting by January 1st, 2018. I'd like to
> have a PDF with maps, art, logos and insignia. . . a complete cluster of
> worlds to support adventures for years.
>
> Ideally this would be non-edition specific. Any Traveller fan should be able
> to use it.

So ignoring the T5 extensions?  Or trying to fit in with them?  (And
then, if fitting in with them, mentioning them directly or not?)

Use them if you like, but for the actual "product", let's stick to the classic extended UWP. 


>
> This would be a group effort. Not only will we all be critiquing and
> suggesting changes to various write-ups, but different authors should create
> connections between what they've written to further enhance the group story
> line.

Is there an aim to have a story arc rather than 'merely' a set of
descriptions, then?  If so, will that be a framework to hang things on
or are you expecting it to emerge from the individual parts?

Not so much a story arc as multiple departure points. I'm a huge fan of Harn. Everything ever released for the world was set in 720TR. So if we decide to use 1105 as the set date, for example, we can have the shadows of war as a common theme for multiple departure points and setting complications. 


> Also, there are people with better grasps of certain aspects who could
> help when other struggle. For example, if you need a military written, I'm
> your man.

Phew!  As I'm most definitely not...  :-)

I'm here for you, man!

>
> I'm more than willing to coordinate. If this goes well I'll need help with
> editing and putting together a finished product.
>
> Two good places for research:
>
> https://travellermap.com
>
> http://wiki.travellerrpg.com/Lunion_Subsector

Which should we consider as 'reference'?  Of those two sources, even
just the Jump routes are different.

I think of the two I prefer Traveller Map.

>
> I claim Strouden (2327) and Sharrip (2325).
>
> Anyone with me?


Probably not this side of TravCon in March as I keep thinking of
things I ought or could do to prepare for that, but that leaves a fair
chunk of time till this time next year...

No big. I'm having surgery tomorrow, so I'll start writing some metadata stuff next week.



--
Douglas Berry
dberry49xxxxxx@gmail.com
http://gridlore.dreamwidth.org
http://www.facebook.com/douglas.berry
Twitter: @gridlore
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