Cost of transport services

[jhwisner]

Travel on flitters could conceivably be as cheap as half a firebird - but probably only on league planets. Outside of league worlds flitter transport is most likely something reserved for the wealthy or important so even regularly scheduled flights between major cities would likely cost a few firebirds (2-5) and could cost far more for true luxury. Transportation to the smaller city could be far more expensive since the party would probably have to charter some sort of transport if they wanted to arrive there in a timely manner. Depending on the quality of pilot and craft that could cost a few talons to ride in the back of a brute cart to 10s of firebirds each to charter a flitter.

[Danos]

Which answer drives your plot forward? If you want them to make a flitter trip, make it something they can afford. If you would rather they travelled by ground car, but don't really care, make it cost enough that they feel they earned the luxury. If you don't want them to travel by flitter, it costs more than they can afford AND terrorists recently sabatoged the flitter. And there is a magnetic storm that prevents flitter travel for the duration of your plotline.

If you decide that it is very expensive, then someday they will find a flitter, bring it to Cadavus, and go into business with the local charioteers. That is fine. It in fact creates a full adventure, maybe two, that you don't have to come up with a plot for. And if they succeed, their wealth might increase, but it is vulnerable to a terrorist with a missile launcher.

If it is cheap, just be sure to emphasize that it is for the upper crust only.

Good luck!

[Angelman]

With little commercial air traffic and the like (i.e. there isn't much infrastuctur to support it), a fares are likely expensive on most planets. Of course, aristocrats can probably afford it without much concern. It is probably in the range of a handful of firebirds per 10km or so of travel (this is the rate we have aimed at with FS3 Goods and Services). International flights are likely to be quite costly! Of course, regional differences are probably great, and as Danos points out, whatever works best for you is the most correct amount.

[jhwisner]

[Danos]

And while the guild may have Hopper flights, I don't think the noble would be willing to ride in a cargo hold with machine parts and guilders. I tend to organize air travel as a subset of the Charioteers - not their guild exclusive, but an area that they dominate due to training and expertise. Other guilds might muscle in, or even run the show, but your likely to have charioteers involved. Most likely teenagers working at the planetary guild hall level, check out the life paths to see what I mean. Charioteers who haven't graduated to space travel may be found piloting atmospheric craft.

Depends on the setting you want to convey and how you want your game to feel, really. I tend to struggle to make Fading Suns less like Shadowrun, I've run an awful lot of Shadowrun for my group, so they need the constant reminders that while there is cyberware and magic, it is not the same setting. So I am careful not to have anything that smacks of near future in my games. I also have to be careful not to give them mercenary missions. That's just a matter of style.

[Angelman]

[Calvin]

First of all, is air travel even available in that area? There is no standard, the alien worlds of the KW have different logistical problems to overcome. Are there other, cheaper methods of land transport available, like trains? That will cut back on hauling cargo by air. There could be military craft, but those are fewere and regularly not available for any PCs to joyride on a whim.

Organisationally, it is not a monopoly of the Charioteers (space navigation being their main interest) but planetside logistics is one branch of their interests. You could as well get a Muster pilot, or a number of local minor transportation guilds.