BARD PAPER: OPAL3048 | Home | Traveller | BARD | OPAL |
BARD PAPER: OPAL3048 | Home | Traveller | BARD | OPAL |
Lannor was a minor backwater during the imperial era, its thin atmosphere and modest water resources (mostly at the poles) hindered on planet development. The planet was primarily a stop over point on the jump -1 main that runs throught the heart of the Vendtup subsector. It was also a useful jump off point for Jump 3 ships travelling to the cluster of world in the coreward corner of the subsector, especially the high population TL15 industrial world of Usinea.
The planet survived the rebellion with little damage, it was just not worth bombing, and the withdrawal of the sector fleet crippled resistance. Most imperial resources in the subsector were assigned to hold Usinea. The collapse of trade accompanying hard times crippled Lannor, and coupled with its rather harsh planetary conditions and position in the wilds resulted in a plunge in local technology levels. TL was down to TL5 and still dropping when the virus hit. The virus destroyed whatever technology was left, mostly by failure of the remaining power grid. TL dropped to 2.
During this harsh period, with severe food shortages, a disturbing factor arose - canabalism. Armed gangs that were roaming the countryside raiding farms resorted to canabalism partially in response to the food shortages, and partially as an initiation right.
The planet is now dominated by numerous armed canabalistic bands armed with TL 9 ACRs (depoisted by an imperial army transport that dumped its cargo and left as part of the fleet withdrawal). These bands have prevented any significant rebuild of civilisation, as the bands descend upon any area that attempts rebuilding (and infrastructure can not just be picked up and moved). The gangs usually number a few hundred, survivors of a raid are offered the chance to join, those that refuse are usually killed and some eaten. Initiation is by killing another (usually another potential recruit), part of the initiation ceremony involves eating the fallen.
This planet is one of the most severe cases of regression in the Old Expanses. The guild know of the system but have no contact with it, after a launch full of guild crew members hoping to sell weapons were eaten. The bands still have plenty of ACRs and ammo left from the army cargo. Fortunately the cargo did not contain any other items of military technology.