TRILLIARDS

Trilliards is an adaptation of traditional Pool Billiards designed for three participants, originating in the Alpha Age aboard the Last Frontier.

The game retains the familiar break shot and table layout of classic pool but introduces a numbered sequencing mechanic: players must pot balls in strict ascending order, beginning with the lowest‐numbered ball on the table. A successful pot grants the shooter the right to attempt the next number; a miss passes play to the next participant. The match concludes when a competitor “closes” the highest‐numbered ball, thereby winning the frame.

Passengers aboard the Last Frontier—the colony ship bound for VOI 700 D—sought to include more than two players in their leisure games during the long transits of the Alpha Age. Traditional billiards, designed for head-to-head play, proved limiting. Resourceful engineers at the ship’s Recreation Deck modified a standard table to accommodate a three-player format, inventing Trilliards. As colonists settled on VOI 700 D, the game migrated from communal lounges to the Firetown Billiards Saloon, where it persists as a unique cultural artifact.

With the establishment of the newly funded Federal Confederation in the Gamma Age, authorities prohibited the gambling variant of Trilliards alongside other forms of wagering, citing concerns over social stability. Because the game requires specialized multi‑player tables and cannot be played clandestinely in small hideaways, the gambling variant has become a distinctly illicit activity,

Objective:

• Be the first to legally pot the highest‐numbered ball, having progressed through each numbered ball in sequence.

Rules

• Break Shot: A standard opening break. Any balls pocketed are removed from play as “Bycatch” and do not count toward players’ sequences.
• Turn Structure: Player 1 begins; turns rotate clockwise among the three players.
• Sequence Requirement: On each turn, the shooter must aim at the next unpotted lowest‐numbered ball on the table.
• Successful Pot: If the shooter pockets the correct ball, they continue at the next number.
• Miss or Foul: Failure to pot the required ball, or committing a foul (e.g., cue ball scratch), ends the turn and passes the cue to the next player, who must restart at whichever lowest number remains.
• Winning the Game: The first player to pot ball 15 in proper sequence closes the game and wins the frame.

• Four- and Five-Player Trilliards: Tables seating additional players rotate turns in order; gameplay mechanics remain identical.
• Team Trilliards: Four players split into two teams, alternating shots but maintaining individual sequence tracking.

In Firetown’s Entertainment District, Trilliards doubles as a wagering game. Prior to play, each contestant declares a “call”— the minimum number of balls they pledge to pot out of the 15. Stakes are placed into a communal pot. At match end, players who met or exceeded their call split the rewards; those who fall short incur penalties or must double their stake in the next round. This adds a strategic layer, as conservative calls may secure small wins while bold calls offer high‐risk, high‐reward opportunities.

Trilliards survives only at the Firetown Billiards Saloon on VOI 700 D — the sole establishment equipped with billiard tables. Its exclusivity has made it a cornerstone of local recreation and gambling lore, where tourists and thrill-seekers gather to test their skill against seasoned “point-count” players.

Trilliards can enrich your campaign on VOI 700 D or similar sci-fi settings:

• Social Encounters: Stage Trilliards matches in taverns or gambling dens to foster roleplay and information gathering.
• High-Stakes Drama: Integrate the gambling variant to embroil players in debts, rivalries, or gang politics—perhaps with enforcement by the Firetown Saloon’s house enforcers.
• Skill Challenges: Use Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) or Charisma (Bluff/Intimidation) checks to influence shots or table positioning.

• Alpha Age
• Beta Age
• Gamma Age
• Last Frontier
• Free State of Settlers
• Firetown Billiards Saloon
• Federal Confederation

Exohuman Games on VOI 700 D:

• Frostpunkt
• Twenty One
• Trilliards
• Zugzwang