Travellers' Aid Society
The Travellers' Aid Society (TAS) is a private organization which maintains hostels and facilities at nearly all class A and B starports in Charted Space.
- Such facilities are available (at reasonable cost) to members and their guests.
- The Travellers' Aid Society is a transnational and interstellar society established to provide for the greater comfort of its members while travelling the starways.
Please see the following AAB articles for more information:
Description (Specifications)
The Travellers' Aid Society: Individuals who have decided that they wish to pursue a life of travel and adventure may elect to join the Travellers' Aid Society, in order to take advantage of its facilities and passage dividends. [1]
Travellers' Aid Society Membership
Travellers' Aid Society membership may be received as a reward for heroism or extraordinary service to the Society. Or it can be purchased with a application, which may be turned down if the Society leadership does not approve.
Membership Stipulations
Membership in the Society may also be purchased.
- If accepted, the membership requires a payment of an initiation fee of Cr1,000,000.
- Such purchase involves avoidance of a "blackball."
- Only one application per person is allowed.
- Membership is for the life, and is not transferable.
- TAS associate memberships exist, they expire 4 years after the grant.
Membership Benefits
The Travellers' Aid Society invests its membership fees and other income; it uses its capital and return to provide benefits to its members.
- Every two months, it pays dividends in the form of one High Passage to each member.
- This passage may be used, retained, or sold.
History & Background (Dossier)
The Travellers' Aid Society was formed by Ve Nu Lant. During the expansion of the Sylean Federation, individuals informally entered their experiences, tips, places to go and eat and avoid, and advice into a local networks. Ve Nu Lant collected these into guides called Crowded Space. After their success, he and a few others set up the Society. At first consisting of 'net lectures along with the planet safety coding system. By -16, the first planetary office was established. It helped people get oriented, provided a place to meet and exchange information along with some sleeping accommodations. [2]
- The TAS has risen to prominence as the premier aid society for interstellar travelers.
- It succeeded the now mostly defunct Octagon Society.
TAS History
A few words from Ve Nu Lant, TAS Chief Executive Officer, 145-0008.
“In those early years of expansion, many people just packed a bag and headed off into space, hitching rides on scouts, traders, and even warships. It didn’t take long for an informal self-help network on the ‘net to start up, passing Traveller’s tips, places to go to, places to avoid, what to eat, and what not to. So one summer, I collected the stories coming back, and put together the first Crowded Space guides. They were instant hits, but many people needed more practical help. So with a few friends, I set up the Travellers’ Aid Society. We started off with ‘net lectures, devised a simple color code for planet safety, and in Year -16 we opened up our first planetary office. It was a great hit, helping people to get oriented, providing a meeting place and information exchange, and even a few beds for the night. The rest, as they say, is history.”
References & Contributors / Sources
- Classic Traveller Book 1 Characters and Combat
- Marc Miller. Starships (Game Designers Workshop, 1977), 5.
- Periodical: MegaTraveller Journal 3 in Article: 'Jeramii Boden'
- Marc Miller's Traveller T4 Milieu 0 Campaign
- EXTERNAL LINK: The Traveller’s Aid Society: Character Generation for Classic Traveller [1]
- Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science
- ↑ Don Perrin. Starships (Imperium Games, 1996), 5.Marc Miller. Starships (Game Designers Workshop, 1977), 5.Marc Miller, Robert Eaglestone, Don McKinney. Starships (Far Future Enterprises, 2019), 5.Thomas L. Bont, Robert Prior, Christopher Thrash. Starships (Steve Jackson Games, 2003), 5.
- ↑ Lester Smith. Milieu 0 (Imperium Games, 1996), TBD.