Launch: Ashes Between the Stars

Mongoose Traveller 2nd Edition

ASHES BETWEEN THE STARS

Campaign Summary

On the edge of charted space lies the Ashen Reach, a hard frontier of worn-out ports, corporate claims, dead relays, belter settlements, and forgotten Scout routes.

You are the crew of the Cinderwake, an unusual Scout/Free Trader with too much debt, too many quirks, and experimental jump hardware nobody fully understands. Jobs are scarce, fuel is expensive, and every contract might be the one that finally gets the ship paid off — or gets it seized.

But the Cinderwake hears things other ships cannot.

Old beacons wake when she arrives. Abandoned stations recognize names from vanished crews. Some routes appear where no route should exist.

As your crew hauls cargo, takes passengers, dodges corporate pressure, and tries to stay solvent, you’ll uncover a buried mystery from an old Scout project — one that powerful people want hidden, and one that may reveal why some paths between the stars were erased for a reason.

PLAYERS WANTED!

Terra Anvil is looking for 3–4 additional players to join the crew of the Cinderwake for Ashes Between the Stars, a homebrew Traveller campaign consisting of approximately 12 interconnected adventures.

The campaign is expected to run for approximately 13–18 weeks, depending on scheduling and the pace of play.

Start Date: To Be Determined

Campaign at a Glance

System: Mongoose Traveller 2nd Edition
Campaign: Ashes Between the Stars
Players Wanted: 3–4
Schedule: Every Saturday
Game Time: 6:00 PM–9:00 PM Mountain Time
Online Play: Foundry VTT
Voice/Video: Zoom
Between-Session Communication: Discord
Webcam: Required
Age Requirement: 18+
Expected Length: Approximately 13–18 weeks

This is a continuing campaign rather than a collection of unrelated one-shots. Exploration, investigation, trade, survival, character interaction, shipboard decisions, and the consequences of the crew’s choices will all play a part in the story.

SCHEDULE & COMMITMENT

Games will be played every Saturday from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM Mountain Time (MT).

Players should plan to join Zoom by approximately 5:45 PM so we can take care of microphone, speaker, camera, or other technical issues before the game begins.

The game starts at 6:00 PM.

Because this is a continuing campaign with a small crew, reliable weekly attendance is important. We understand that real life happens, but we’re looking for players who can reasonably commit to the Saturday schedule for the duration of the campaign.

START DATE: TBD

AGE REQUIREMENT

Players must be 18 years of age or older.

Ashes Between the Stars may include mature themes, strong language, violence, danger, and other content intended for an adult gaming group.

Being 18+ does not mean anything goes at the table. Player comfort, boundaries, and expectations will be discussed during Session Zero.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Traveller Core Rulebook

Players must have access to the Traveller Core Rulebook Update 2022 from Mongoose Publishing.

A physical book or PDF copy is fine.

The rulebook can be purchased directly from Mongoose Publishing, through your local game store, or from other authorized retailers.

Terra Anvil is not sponsored, affiliated with, or endorsed by Mongoose Publishing or its affiliates.

FOUNDRY VTT

We will be using Foundry Virtual Tabletop as our online game space.

Foundry will handle the virtual tabletop, character sheets, maps, tokens, handouts, dice rolls, and other elements of the game.

Foundry Requirements

Foundry VTT has certain client-side hardware and browser requirements. Before applying, please make sure your computer is capable of meeting Foundry’s recommended client requirements.

Foundry VTT Client Requirements:
https://foundryvtt.com/article/requirements/

Never used Foundry before?

Don’t worry — we’ll show you the ropes.

You do not need to purchase Foundry VTT. Players connect to the GM’s Foundry server through a supported web browser. Connection info will be sent out prior to Session Zero.

DISCORD

We will use a private Terra Anvil Discord server for text communication between sessions.

Discord will be used for things such as:

Campaign announcements
Scheduling information
Game updates
Player questions
Technical issues
Campaign-related discussion
Sharing game content and resources

Discord participation is required for this campaign.

Voice chat during the actual game will take place through Zoom rather than Discord.

Download the Discord Client.

ZOOM

We will use Zoom for voice and video communication during game sessions.

Cameras Are Required

Webcams are required during play.

Being able to see one another’s reactions, expressions, and body language helps keep everyone engaged and makes online roleplaying feel much closer to sitting together around the same table.

Roleplaying isn’t communicated through words alone. Sometimes a facial expression or reaction says as much as anything a player or character could say.

You’ll need:

A working webcam
A reliable microphone
Speakers or headphones
A reasonably stable internet connection
The Zoom client

Players should join approximately 15 minutes before game time so we can resolve any audio or video issues before the session begins.

Download the Zoom Client.

HOW TO JOIN

A good TTRPG group is about more than knowing the rules.

Everyone brings different personalities, expectations, play styles, senses of humor, levels of experience, and ideas about what makes an RPG enjoyable.

For a campaign that may last several months, we want to make sure everyone around the table is looking for a compatible gaming experience.

That includes you getting a chance to decide whether we’re the right group for you.

The application process isn’t a test. It’s simply a way for us to get acquainted before committing several months to a campaign together.

STEP 1 — COMPLETE THE PLAYER QUESTIONNAIRE

Start by completing our short Ashes Between the Stars Player Questionnaire.

It will ask about things such as your availability, TTRPG experience, preferred style of play, and what you’re looking for in a campaign.

STEP 2 — CHECK YOUR EMAIL

After submitting the questionnaire, you should receive an update from Terra Anvil within approximately 72 hours.

We’ll let you know whether we’d like to move forward with a short Zoom conversation.

STEP 3 — PLAYER MEET & GREET

If it looks like we might be a good match, we’ll arrange a short Zoom Meet & Greet.

Plan for approximately 30 minutes.

This gives us a chance to talk about the campaign, your gaming experience and expectations, answer any questions you have, and get a feel for whether the group is a good fit in both directions.

This isn’t a job interview.

We’re going to be spending a lot of Saturday nights rolling dice together. We’d simply like to know a little about the people joining us first.

STEP 4 — SESSION ZERO INVITATION

After the Meet & Greet process is complete, selected players will receive an invitation to Session Zero.

Not every applicant will necessarily be invited to Session Zero. That doesn’t mean anyone did something wrong — we’re assembling a small crew and trying to create a group whose schedules, expectations, personalities, and play styles work well together.

The goal is simple:

Build a group of people who genuinely enjoy playing Traveller together.

SESSION ZERO

Session Zero is where the crew starts becoming a crew.

We’ll use it to:

Meet the other players
Discuss campaign expectations
Review table rules and boundaries
Discuss character ideas
Create or finalize characters
Establish relationships between the Travellers
Introduce the Cinderwake
Make sure Foundry, Discord, and Zoom are working correctly
Answer questions before the campaign begins

And then…

We’ll see what waits beyond the old Scout routes of the Ashen Reach.

THE ASHEN REACH IS WAITING.

The Cinderwake needs a crew.

There are cargo holds to fill, debts to pay, worlds to explore, and credits to earn.

And somewhere beyond the routes everyone else knows…

something is still transmitting.

A Note About AI: This campaign uses AI-assisted tools for some artwork, proofreading, brainstorming, and campaign development. Players who enjoy creating artwork or other campaign materials are absolutely welcome to contribute as well.