Noscius (world)

Noscius/Antra (Deneb 1902) Milieu 1116 C422201-8 Starport C Routine: No Construction, Major Repair, Unrefined fuel Size 4 Small (6,400 km, 0.32g - 0.46g) Atmosphere 2 Vacuum (very thin - tainted) Hydrographics 2 Dry World 20% Population 2 Low (500) Government 0 No Government structure Law 1 Low Law (no explosives, poison gas) Tech Level 8 Pre-Stellar (superconductors)
See also	UWP
style="width: 220px; height: 250px;" Jump map from Travellermap.com
System Details
Primary	G3 V M8 V
Worlds	12
Gas Giants	1
Planetoid Belts	1
Cultural Details
Government	No government
Law Level	Low
Cultural Extension	1114
Army Size (BEs)	0
Economic Details
Technology Level	8
Economic Extension	611-5 Resources 6 Few Labor 1 Low (50) Infrastructure 1 Extremely limited Efficiency -5 Extremely poor
Importance Extension	-2
Resource Units	3
GWP (BCr)	0
World Trade Number	2
Trade Volume (MCr/year)	0
Starport Details
Classification	Class-C
Port Size	0
Building Capacity (Tons)	0
Port employees	0
Port passengers (annual)	0

Noscius has a tainted or unbreathably thin atmosphere and very little surface water. The system supports a population of fewer than 10,000 sophonts. This world is designated an Amber Zone with an environment, laws, customs, life forms, or other conditions make it dangerous to visitors. It is a client state of Third Imperium in the Antra Subsector of Deneb Sector.

Noscius (world)/Antra (Deneb 1902) New Era X422000-0 Starport X No Starport Size 4 Small (6,400 km, 0.32g - 0.46g) Atmosphere 2 Vacuum (very thin - tainted) Hydrographics 2 Dry World 20% Population 0 Barren (0) Government 0 No Government structure Law 0 No Law Tech Level 0 Pre-Industrial (primitive)
See also	UWP
Cultural Details
Government	No government
Law Level	No law
Cultural Extension	0000
Army Size (BEs)	0
Economic Details
Technology Level	0
Economic Extension	400-5 Resources 4 Scarce Labor 0 Barren (0) Infrastructure 0 Non-existent Efficiency -5 Extremely poor
Importance Extension	-3
Resource Units	0
GWP (BCr)	0
World Trade Number	0
Trade Volume (MCr/year)	0
Starport Details
Classification	Class-X
Port Size	0
Building Capacity (Tons)	0
Port employees	0
Port passengers (annual)	0

Era: New Era

Noscius is a poor, barren hellworld, with a thin tainted atmosphere and little or no surface water. As a barren world, it has no overt population, government, or law level. This world was once settled and developed, but the inhabitants have either died off or left leaving behind the remnants of their civilization. It is a unclaimed Non-Aligned world in the Antra Subsector of Deneb Sector.

Description (Astrography & Planetology)

No information yet available.

Binary Solar System

Noscius Binary Star System

Star Name	Hierarchy	Category		Mass (Sol)	Temp (K)	Luminosity (Sol)
Noscius G3 V	Primary	Main Sequence		0.99	5680 - 5720	0.96544
	Unit	Diameter	Min Distance	Hab Zone	Jump Shadow	M-Drive Limit
	AU	0.0047	0.0815	0.94 - 1.66	0.47	4.7
	Orbit #	*	*	3	1	6
	Remarks
	Herrenvolk
Star Name	Hierarchy	Category		Mass (Sol)	Temp (K)	Luminosity (Sol)
Noscius M8 V	Secondary	Main Sequence		0.085	2420 - 2570	0.00018
	Unit	Diameter	Min Distance	Hab Zone	Jump Shadow	M-Drive Limit
	AU	0.0005	0.0011	0.01 - 0.03	0.05	0.5
	Orbit #	*	*	*	*	1
	Remarks
	None

System Data

No information yet available.

System Importance (Ix)

No information yet available.

Mainworld Data

No information yet available.

Mainworld Size (S)

This world is a Meso World between 5,600km and 7,200km in diameter. The world has low gravity between 0.32G and 0.46G. The horizon will appear about 3.6km away.

Mainworld Atmosphere (A)

This world has a pressure of 0.10 to 0.42 atmospheres. The very thin pressures require a respirator or Oxygen Mask this atmosphere also contains an unusual taint such as such as disease, a hazardous gas mix, pollutants, or sulfur compounds which requires the use of a Filter Respirator Combination Mask. Some taints may require more protective equipment. TL–5 or more advanced survival gear is required to settle this world.

Mainworld Hydrosphere (H)

This world has 15-25% of its surface covered by liquid water or ice. There may be a few small seas. Wilderness refueling is possible. Water for the inhabitants needs to be imported and extensively recycled. These worlds are Hell Worlds or Poor Worlds depending on their atmosphere.

Mainworld Geography & Topography

No information yet available.

Mainworld Map

No information yet available.

Native Lifeforms

No information yet available.

History & Background (Dossier)

Noscius is the only free world in an otherwise sparse red dwarf binary system. The companion star orbits Herrenvolk, the primary, at a distance of 3.0 AUs, leaving few orbits for worlds to otherwise develop. A single massive gas giant and a pair of carbon chondrite asteroid belts are found orbiting beyond the companion star, leaving Noscius alone in the inner system. The world has a small 500 km moon known only as Vagrant's Home, and is thought to be a piece of Noscius blasted into space about a billion years ago by a massive interplanetary collision.

The world was first discovered by Vargr explorers around -1230, though these and their successors saw little reason to settle or exploit the world. Few minerals are present, the local biosphere consists primarily of hardy lichens and single cell algae analogs trapped in the rock faces, and the system contains very little in the way of heavy metals or bulk organics required by industry.

At first glance, it might seem that Noscius would be a useless world. A tidelocked world with a very thin atmosphere chock full of sulfur isn't high on anyone's list of habitable worlds. Even during the Vargr Campaigns the system was no more than a refueling point for both sides. Neither side stayed long enough to leave any sort of mark on the mainworld. The gas giant Colubridae received more attention than Noscius.

Noscius was a Haven of Fursuelgigz world between the end of the Vargr Campaigns and the integration of District 234 into the Imperium as the Antra Subsector.

The planet gets its name from its most notorious inhabitant, Heterodon Noscius, a snake-like creature living in the warmth of the dayside. It feeds on moderately sized beetles and sulfur worms. Although its venom isn't typically fatal to humans, or Vargr, it is exceptionally painful due to the presence of sulfuric acid.

Eventually the results of the First Survey were released and the planet's extensive sulfur deposits became known. Being a common enough element, the megacorps didn't rush right out to claim the world. Finally in 502, the mining rights were acquired by Zuber Industries, a small mining and ore processing company. The company declined to purchase the entire planet, insisting that there was plenty of room for others. The real factor was the cost. With such high, but not ridiculous, temperatures already present on the world, the cost of sulfur liquefaction was going to be low (sulfur melts at 115°C). Zuber wanted to take advantage of these cost savings, as the margins on sulfur were low. There was no sense getting bogged down with the cost of administering a planetary bureaucracy. Noscius was granted Imperial client state status and left at that.

Zuber Industries built the dormitories and offices for their facility a relatively substantial ways into the dayside of Noscius, at the 24.5° mark away from the twilight meridian. The temperature at this point is a comfortable 15.9°C (60.6°F). The actual sulfur liquefaction occurred much further sunward at a remote facility that relied heavily upon automation and telepresence for its workers to operate the equipment. An abundance of sunlight enabled solar power to be utilized. The technology used was more sophisticated than the UWP would let on. The Zuber plant relied upon the importation of TL:10-11 equipment, though local goods and the installation itself were TL–7.

For decades, the Zuber Industries facility was the sole evidence of civilization anywhere on the world. It was an efficient enterprise and its stability prompted adventurous souls to start their own small businesses here. Most of these were focused on dining, entertainment, and recreation for the workers at the plant. And, in time, as traffic increased between Antra and Allazkhor (Tuglikki 2335) increased, the needs of merchants passing through the Noscius system were met as well. The downport was upgraded to C-class and it seemed that Noscius' fate was looking up.

A shantytown emerged, though it was never named anything other than "town", and a small population began to thrive, in a way. No official census was ever taken. Population numbers listed in the UWP referenced the number of workers at the Zuber Industries plant only. At its peak, the actual population was probably three to four times what was listed.

Noscius failed to develop any sort of centralized authority. Zuber Industries didn't care what happened outside of its gates so long as it didn't interfere with its operation. Its own security force was small, though equipped well enough to keep would be ne'er-do-wells at a respectable distance. The downport relied upon Imperial Starport Security forces to keep things under control on their property. Businesses, legitimate or otherwise, operating in the shantytown hired two bit down-on-their-luck mercenaries when they didn't feel comfortable handling the job themselves. In general, the populace was openly armed and the threat of lethal retaliation from everyone kept the peace most of the time. It wasn't a trigger-happy place. If one minded their own business and didn't ask questions, one could be assured to remain unmolested.

The world's proximity to Vargr space made it ripe for the obligatory corsair raid. Though there were probably about one or two merchant ships raided each year, the corsairs did little to Noscius itself. They enjoyed the "open" atmosphere of Noscius' shantytown and relished it as a safe place to relax. Word soon spread throughout Vargr space that Noscius should be regarded as neutral territory, or else.

The one action that showed any sort of community was the "Noscius Dome Project." Contributions came in from all over to build a dome over the shantytown, which had relied on pressure tubes and air locks to get from one building to the next. As Noscius' traffic picked up, congestion in these tunnels followed suit. The dome was equally financed by Zuber Industries, the shantytown businesses, and anonymous donors. An electric taxi service also ran between the Zuber facility and the town, a wonderful convenience for the worker who left off a bit too much steam. The shantytown became "a shantytown inside a dome." And it still didn't have a name. It was just referred to as "the dome."

The Imperium took advantage of the "no questions" unwritten rule to send undercover agents to Noscius to gather information on corsair smuggling activities and hostile activities conducted by anti-imperial vargr states. And it seemed to work well for many years as evidenced by the Imperium's stable border between it and vargr space. But when the Imperium went to war with itself, its eyes and ears were turned away from its neighbors. If it hadn't, it certainly would have been alerted to its coreward neighbor pacing and growling behind the fence.

The colony that did develop here grew up around the local starport, which did brisk business servicing traders travelling between the Third Imperium and nearby Vargr states. The Imperium officially claimed the world, mostly to protect its more valuable colony on nearby Filangger (Deneb 2001).

This colony was populated mostly by transients from the Extents, and these included the worst criminals and border trash. It was a well known fact that various Corsair groups used the system as a waystation for reconnaissance teams casing potential targets on the Imperial side of the border. The IISS and Imperial Navy tried at various times to have this illegal inflow stamped out, only to be stymied by several major Imperial Megacorporations, principally Tukera and Hortalez et Cie.

The lawlessness that they encouraged finally prompted the Travellers' Aid Society to declare the world an Amber Zone in 1071.

The Assemblage of 1116 had been sending out agents to ascertain the attitudes and strengths of its immediate neighboring worlds to rimward. Recruits were easy to have among the corsairs passing through Noscius and the smugglers were already running a successful business. Word got back to Assemblage command that Noscius could be taken without firing a shot, so long as they didn't fire a shot. And in a rare moment of wisdom, the Assemblage listened to this advice. When the invading fleet arrived on 331-1116 a message was broadcast that Noscius was now Assemblage property. It then moved on to its next target, Dzoungdzi. On the planet below, everyone went about their business just as before.

The Assemblage of 1116 captured the world during the same campaign that netted Filangger, though they considered garrisoning almost as an afterthought. With so much plundering and raiding occurring elsewhere the local scum pulled out, and the loss of Imperial trade nearly bankrupted the port. The few hundred souls that remained were mostly mercenaries between contracts, or pillage teams resting between raids. Most of the plunder taken from the Domain of Deneb passed through other ports, and the world catered mainly to either rookies or has-beens.

The Assemblage never established any kind of presence on Noscius. As such, information from its neighbors and worlds beyond them continued to come in. News of the crumbling Assemblage was met with indifference, though the corsairs that took shore leave here were becoming less frequent. In 1131 word made it to Noscius that the Regency was establishing a Quarantine zone to shield itself from a computer Virus, which had been released in the old Imperium and had been wreaking havoc there. This generated some concern but people still went about their business, though this too began to suffer from a major decline in interstellar commerce. In 1133 it was learned that the Regency was abandoning Corridor and some trailing subsectors in Deneb and relocating its populations behind its Quarantine. This got everyone's attention. The Zuber Industries plant was shutdown and its workers were transported safeside. With its clients gone, the shantydome's businesses soon followed. With their favorite hangout now a ghost town, the remaining few corsairs and smugglers relocated to other worlds. Surprisingly, the world suffered no casualties from the Collapse. The lack of traffic and the dilapidated state of the local infrastructure prevented Virus from reaching the system until after it had virtually destroyed most of the Extents. When word came that the Dzarrgh Federate had been annihilated, the transient population fled for safer worlds or the Regency Frontier. An RQS watchteam destroyed the starport and settlement with high explosives, and the world has no useful salvage.

World Starport (Sp)

This world has a Class C Starport, an average quality installation which includes amenities including unrefined fuel for starships, some brokerage services for passengers and cargo, and a variety of ship provisions. There is a shipyard capable of doing maintenance and other kinds of repair. Ports of this classification generally have only a downport, unless this is a trade port or system with an hostile environment mainworld.

World Population (P)

This world has population of 100 sophonts (hundreds).

• This is a Low Population World and the population would be too low to sustain itself without moderate outside assistance. This may represent a large transient population such as the crew of a fleet of starships, the dwindling remnants of a dying colony, a construction team building a new colony, or an outpost that could evolve into a colony.

World Demographics

Humaniti, population 95%

• Other, population 5%

World Government (G)

This world has no central government for the world, an Anarchy. The largest governmental structure would be a family, tribe, or single clan. The largest group will be between 50 and 100 individuals, and there may be dozens to hundreds of them. This governmental structure can be stable over long periods of time if the population remains small or geographically separated.

World Law Level (L)

This world has a low law level. There are few laws, covering only important areas. There may be few or no law enforcement officers, the expectation is citizens will bring law breakers to the attention of the Judicial system. Legal proceedings will be fast, with few people involved. For interactions outside of the framework of the laws, cultural norms dominate. Body pistols, explosives, and poison gas are typically regulated or prohibited.

World Technology Level (TL)

This world possesses a Technology Level of TL–8.

• Common Communication technologies for this TL include: Fiber optics, improved telephones, and satellite communication and data networks.
• Common Power Generation technologies for this TL include: Improved geothermal and improved batteries.
• Common Transportation technologies for this TL include:
  • Land: Advanced automobiles.
  • Water: Triphibians and early artificial gills.
  • Air: Improved helicopters and hypersonic jets.
  • Space: Space shuttles, early space stations, and improved interplanetary spacecraft (System Craft).

World Military

No information yet available.

World Economy (Ex)

No information yet available.

Trade Data

Trade Classifications for this world:

• No information yet available.

Trade Lines with other worlds:

• No information yet available.

Urbanization

No information yet available.

World Infrastructure

This world possesses TBD infrastructure.

World Culture (Cx)

No information yet available.

World Language/s

• Anglic
• Vilani (language)

Historical Data

World Timeline

No information yet available.

UWP Listing

No information yet available.

References & Contributors (Sources)

This article is missing content for one or more detailed sections. Additional details are required to complete the article. You can help the Traveller Wiki by expanding it.

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• Gary L. Thomas, Joe Fugate. "Data/Library: Deneb." The Travellers' Digest 19 (1990): 24-30.
• Rob Caswell. "Domain of Deneb: Sector Data." MegaTraveller Journal 3 (1992): 47-58.
• Dave Nilsen. The Regency Sourcebook (Game Designers Workshop, 1995), 54.
• David Drazul - Traveller TNE Mailing List Noscius (Deneb 1902) published 18 July 2003
• Peter Gray - TNE Mailing List Phoenix Road: The Worlds Less Travelled ( Antra Subsector) published 24 January 2006
• Mongoose Traveller: Deneb Sector (UWP only)
• External Link: Sunbane data
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science