Traveller: Cargo Runs in the Solomani Rim

When I first asked there was interest in more detail (and thus interest to run games) in the Solomani Rim sector, a question quickly arose: how do you handle cargo runs in the region? A little background, the Solomani Rim is the home of Earth (Terra) and some of the most civilized and densely populated systems in space. Here megacorps are everywhere and in every aspect of life. Major shipping companies have bought the rights to all serious shipping runs. Where is there room for a crew of Travellers out to make a quick credit. We have three suggestions for you right here:

1) Be a Subcontractor

Here in the United States, Amazon originated more packages than anyone else and they’ve greatly expanded their own fleet if delivery vehicles. However, they still contract out to UPS when they have more than they can deliver. So when that package has to go farther away from a major city than UPS was to go, they subcontract out to the postal service.

In the Solomani Rim, use the same idea. A megacorp retailer contracts out to a megacorp shipping service, but doesn’t want to deliver a measly 100-tons of cargo to some out if the way solar system. No, instead, they’d subcontract that out to some small outfit as long as they had a good reputation or a good connection (ahem Ally/Contact). Of course, those runs are ALWAYS to places that involve trouble. But it wouldn’t be a Traveller game if that didn’t happen.

2) Do More One-And-Done Runs

If you’re moving across the country, you might hire a moving service to pick up all your stuff and deliver it for you so you don’t have to worry about it. Well, what if your buddy calls up and says that they know a guy that drives U-Hauls to wherever they’re needed can move you for half the cost? You might consider that offer. Sure that particular job is never coming back, but you can find another job just like it if you have enough friends scattered around the country.

In game, you could be moving families looking to start a new life, communities wanting to find a home free from persecution, an entrepreneur looking to expand their business to a new system, and much more. Pirates and other troublemakers will want a piece of this action.

3) Get a Patron

A patron solves a whole lot of problems. They need you to pick up MacGuffin X and take to Person Y. Question is, does X currently belong to Person Z and they didn’t agree to its sale? If that is the case, then you have some high stakes crime on your hands.

Check out our first in the Solomani Worlds line, Vehicles from the Rim, exclusively at DriveThruRPG.