APAGear - Volume 5, Number 4 - June/July 2003

Beyond Good and Evil

Janne Kemppi

Terra Novan polar nations are usually depicted as fiercely independent and nationalistic. In practice issue is not so clear cut. Population gets sparcer further one goes towards Badlands and nation state's checks and balances get weaker until the jagged line of the Badlands is finally reached. Savannas separating Badlands and Polar nations are home to many small Homesteads that belong to this twilight zone between law and wilderness.

These poorly populated areas are typically guarded by small detachments of border guards units of Polar nations. Huge distances of empty border lines simply force these units to roam areas constantly giving only passing interest towards individual inhabitants they are supposedly protecting. Consequently most homesteads are isolated. These people are truly on their own, accompanied by their conscience, morality and above of all, family.

The ravenous behavior of the dreaded Rover gangs is well known but they are by no means only predators that threaten lone travellers and small caravans...

All in a Family...

A small caravan or a group of characters are ambushed by a group of Rovers and subsequently caught as prisoners. The situation is truly grim. However, these Rovers are somewhat different to normal cut throats as they are all in a family. As a matter of fact, they all live in a small homestead and they prey on travellers to support their meager existence. They have other plans too for each and everyone will have a place in the family...

1) Characters are left robbed blind to the savannah with nothing but their wits and skills to survive hostile trip (that could take hundreds if not thousands of kilometers) to safety...

2) Characters who do not seem to be too co-operative might be opted to join gang for the duration of the trip back home. After all, strong backs are always necessary in hard trips back home. After that, these characters will be quite useless and their fate grim...

3) Rovers want one of the characters to work as their front to deal with officals. This allows character with specific nationality or station to carry out their bidding, such as buying or selling difficult to get supplies. Good behavior is assured with the rest of captives being hostages...

4) Homesteads rely extensively machinery to sunction correctly. However, machinery still needs operator and character(s) are offered a chance to join into this small Homestead as workers/slaves. The position is somewhat fuzzy as usefulness and showing skill and talent could mean "promotions" too, as long as they really do what is expected...

5) Isolated homesteads are often in need for specilized skills. For example education is very spotty in Badlands and in isolated areas. Similarly there is need for doctors, computer programmers, mechanics and electricians. Those captives with such rare and useful skills could easily find themselves in comforable, perhaps even privileged position within Homestead, that is, if they choose to go along...

6) Those characters who seem most usefull and perhaps even enthusiastic may seem themselves promoted to join into the family proper. This means such privileges as being boss of lesser specialists and worker/slaves. Family needs to to expand too and outsiders bring welcomed genetic difference to possibly inbred stock as well...