On Sat, Apr 13, 2019 at 9:02 PM Nicole Susans <xxxxxx@gmail.com> wrote:

Ummmm "some hints?" Adventure 1 an orbital prison full of political prisoners.

Regarding the prison hulk in question, the Traveller wiki states "modern reform and rehabilitation methods are used on a variety of Imperial offenders in a setting removed from normal pressure and routine; the Ministry of Justice reports excellent results in its programs, with a recidivism rate approaching zero."

I read that as one (1) *possibly* political prisoner held at a conveniently-placed secure location. Who can say whether the "senator's" daughter was telling the truth regarding the motivations behind his imprisonment? If she has no money to offer would-be rescuers, wouldn't she plead such a virtuous case, whether or not it was true?

Adventure 2 Imperium level sanction for illegal psionic experimentation on sophont beings.

Where does it say that the scientist's bureaucratic superiors are aware of his current endeavor? If they are, then why is the station essentially deserted? Where are all the scientist's security-cleared assistants?

Double Adventure 2 (plus multiple other references) blatant corporate and by extension noble intervention to control and overthrow local governments plus clear evidence of widespread corruption.

[shrug] A dozen or even two dozen Adventures - if spread across 10,000+ systems - doesn't really count as "widespread." The fact that the corruption is carefully hidden tells me that it's not generally considered acceptable. The Imperium reminds me more of America in the era of Watergate - there is corruption (there has ALWAYS been corruption) but the general population doesn't credit it as being all that widespread or serious.

I'm quite sure I could go on. GDW always presented the 3I as fundamentally rotten to the core despite the facade it presented.

I'm reminded of the published Shadowrun adventures, almost every adventure ends with the patron trying to stiff the player characters of their pay. There was no way this sort of behavior could be as widespread as said outcomes implied, since if that were so then the entire shadow economy would have collapsed long since. Such bad dealings are just a mechanic for increasing dramatic tension, not a portrait of society at large.

Richard Aiken

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"I studied the Koran a great deal. I came away from that study with the conviction there have been few religions in the world as deadly to men as Muhammed." Alexis de Tocqueville

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"It has been my experience that a gun doesn't care who pulls its trigger." Newton Knight (as portrayed by Matthew McConaughey), to a scoffing Confederate tax collector facing the weapons held by Knight's young children and wife.