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SITHMAS 2011

Presents from Starguard

These events take place sometime in the year before Episode IV. The Dark Siders have been performing investigations into the Syphar N Kalar and maintaining their domain on Epireus. One day, they intercept a message that prompts Rand to send some of the group to figure out what it is...

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The premise of this Sithmas gift is simple- there will be a competitive element in the game that allows for a single winner! All who participate in the competition will receive 2xp. The winner, however, will receive 5xp!

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Epireus

The Dark Siders of Epireus have been terribly preoccupied with the Syphar N Kalar during the year prior to their adventure to Datura, following the open broadcast from Emperor Rivas in which he declares that he has captured Kuylen.

But Rivas' broadcast is not the only message that is intercepted by the comms room in the Epireus base. Having fixed it up after the raid on Newhaven, the comms room is more or less the Dark Siders only connection with the Galaxy around them, apart from any information they collect from their connections. Being unable to venture into the Republic and being generally disliked anywhere else, they glean what they can from whatever media reaches their sensors. Most of the time, this mostly includes daily news from within the Republic, as the Republic hosts the most successful and widely-used media provider in galactic history- the HoloNet. Otherwise, the occasional message is snatched from the airwaves from other planetary groups and the like.

Aside from the speech that Rivas gives, almost none of this information is of any importance to the Dark Jedi other than being aware of what is going on in the Galaxy. None of it directly involves them or affects them.

Except for this one-

"ATTENTION USER: TANIC STARGUARD. CONFIRMATION CODE 1211381410490. YOUR SHIPMENT HAS BEEN PROCESSED AND IS READY FOR RETRIEVAL AT THE CENTRAL SHIPPING PORT OF YARYS. ALL EXPENSES PAID, NO ALTERNATIVE FORM OF PAYMENT REQUIRED. PLEASE RETRIEVE SHIPMENT AT EARLIEST CONVENIENCE. WE EAGERLY AWAIT YOUR ARRIVAL AND HOPE YOU WILL CONTINUE TO USE OUR SHIPPING SERVICE IN THE FUTURE. VISIT THE YARYS MAIN PORT OFFICE TO LOCATE YOUR SHIPMENT. WE ARE WAITING. . . GOORIN BROTHER SHIPPING."

Tanic Starguard, for those that do not remember, was an associate of yours that rolled with you during the initial confrontation with the Bureau of Immigration and Undesirables. A roguish fellow who was scruffy and preferred comfortable but worn traveling gear, he was a talented former Jedi that worked for a criminal organization known as the Empire of Pity. He stayed long enough to see the conclusion of the Citadel debacle, but began to disassociate himself with the Dark Jedi of Epireus shortly after.

You haven't actually seen him recently, and now whomever is manning the comms office has found this being broadcast out into space publicly- anyone can pick up this message.

Nume Rand, who wants to think he is still your leader, is highly intrigued by this...

Rand is not leader, no matter what he wants to think

Rianna is also intrigued because she actually kinda got along with Tanic pretty well, having known and worked with him for a bit before both of them fell to the Dark Side.

"Why would Tanic order...something, and then apparently be unreachable so that they have to try and contact him like this?" she says.

"Free stuff?" Dak is intrigued by free stuff. "We could use some supplies, or whatever's in it... and, uh, maybe Tanic will come back someday and we can give him what's left."

So where is Yarys, anyway?

"Ah, yes, just steal all the things..."

"It's not stealing," Dak counters, grinning. "It's already been paid for. We're just picking it up for our missing associate."

Knowing Yarys' location would be helpful, yes.

"Because just picking it up is all that you'd do with it?" Rianna replies.

Though she's also wondering what the heck the stuff is...

According to your Savoir-Faire rolls, you have no idea where Yarys is, nor do you know what it is.

can Rah use any of old smuggling contacts to put some feelers out to find out about Yarys?

"We're more concerned with that fact Tanic knows our location," Xavier says

"He also knows that if he ratted us out to anyone, he'd have all of us hunting him down..."

Azarl may know more about Yarys than any of these people. Knowing things is his primary schtick, and what he doesn't know he can check with his contacts about.

Rah- unfortunately, you don't have the Merits for that. Those connections were cut some time ago.

Azarl certainly knows about Yarys, but not a great deal. It is not an important place and it is the galactic equivalent of a trucker stop. Yarys serves as a refueling station and shipping depot for bulk freighters and deep-space shuttles, before they jump off to whatever their destination may be.

It is rather notably controlled by the Golden Serpent...

...oh god.

"The Serpent? Really? Well, they won't be too pleased to see some of us show up..." Rianna says.

"I never dealt with them, but I've heard your stories..."

"I would be inclined to think it's a trap, but I think the Empire of Pity is aligned with the Serpent. Still, we completely wiped out their entire leadership chain, they're not necessarily going to know us..."

The Empire of Pity actually broke ties with the Serpent when they backed your assassination of Doon. You may recall they sent their bounty hunter, Slate.

"The Golden Serpent will still know of us," Rand says. "It is difficult to forget those who obliterated their leadership..."

Rand wants this investigated, but wants to find out everything he can about the message before hand. He will forward it to the Mecrossans and ask for any anaylsis they can provide. He wants to know what they know about Yarys.

"We should be cautious, it may well be a trap by the Serpent, they are not likely to forget soon how we slaughtered their entire leadership".

"Trap or not...we should check this out. I doubt this could go anywhere near as poorly as the last time we dealt with the Serpent," Rianna says.

"Agreed we should check it out," Xavier says

The Mecrossans will look into it, Rand. They are wary about messing with the Golden Serpent currently and warn you to be cautious... and not to drag them into it.

How is everyone getting to Yarys?

Well, a few of us have ships...so my guess is that those that do are flying and those that don't are hitching rides with them

Azarl could fly a ship if someone will let him. He has Pilot at 1.

So then who is taking their ships?

Rand wants to take Xavier's ship or Dak's ship.

Dak will allow the future calamari on his ship.

Is Dak permitting Azarl to fly it, then? If so, you can depart for Yarys immediately. The Black Dawn is large enough to carry all.

Rianna will hitch a ride with Dak.

Fine, Azarl can fly Dak's highly advanced Arnian ship.

Great!

Yarys is in the same direction of space as the rather unfortunate adventure that took you to the Ghost Citadel, but not nearly as deep into the territory of the Golden Serpent. Rather, it is on the edge, since it serves as its shipping point to the rest of the Galaxy.

The Black Dawn drops out of space just over the planet. You notice something amiss immediately. Starships are hovering in Yarys' orbit. None are heading down to the surface.

"Check the comms," Rand says. "Something is amiss."

Does Rand sense anything wrong?

In a scene almost uncomfortably familiar, is a public service announcement playing on all official broadcast channels. It is a warning that the capital and its main starport have been subjected to a chemical gas attack. It asks all incoming craft to stay clear regardless of destination or status.

Are there any planetary defenses preventing landing? Like fighter patrols or guns?

Azarl will set the ship to scanning for those things, if he may.

"I have a feeling we are not to heed the warning," Azarl says to Rand, "if we want to find out what our shipment is..."

There are a handful of patrol ships keeping order in the space lanes. If there are any other defenses, you cannot see them from space and they are not showing on the scanners.

"I've a feeling that this is a trap," Rianna replies.

And not a very good one either. This is fairly blatant.

But those with high Force scores can sense themselves being drawn to Yarys. Even Rianna can feel a slight tug from the planet below. Something important is here.

"Does anyone else feel that?" Rianna asks.

"I do," Azarl says curtly. "We should descend."

"I do as well," Xavier answers Rianna before nodding his agreement with Azarl.

You will have to find a way past the patrols in order to reach the surface.

Can they be contacted? We could claim to be experts on the chemical crisis.

Yes, they can be contacted.

If action is not taken, events will overtake you all.

Azarl will call the patrol ships and ask for clearance to land.

Rand will be ready to chime in.

"Clearance denied," says the port authority. "We are experiencing a crisis event on the surface. No ships are allowed to land at this time."

I'll join this.

"A chemical attack, correct?" Relle asks.

Rand awaits the response.

"Yes," says port authority. "Further information is classified. I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait."

"We're here to assist with the crisis," Rand says. "You called for assistance in handling the situation here from the emergency unit, did you not?"

Rand will try to pass that lie off.

Four successes should do it.

"About time you arrived," the port authority says, gruffly. "Things are a mess down here. Let me transmit the clearance codes or you'll be shot down if you try to land."

"We appreciate that," says Azarl before flipping off the comm. He waits for the clearance codes and then starts the landing procedures to get Dak's ship to the surface.

You receive them and are on your way down!

Upon arriving at the surface, the port authority directs you to a secure landing pad near its central tower. The port authority's control tower is a massive structure jutting out of a city dedicated almost entirely to shipping- docking bays and landing pads as far as the eye can see. Some of you notice crackling blue lines criss-crossing the city. These are shifting hover tracks for freight trains, transporting goods around the surface.

The landing pad you land at is empty but for your ship. No-one comes to meet you.

Rand is suspicious about the lack of a welcoming party. He would have at least expected some security personnel to verify who they are, if not a representative to escort them. He will grab his lightsaber and make to leave the ship, keeping his senses open.

Can we see any sort of automated guns at the landing bay?

Relle makes sure she has her weapons ready before stepping out after Rand. She lets Rand go first.

Azarl gathers his lightsaber and his wits. Senses open and reaching out to the area around them. This is after he shuts off the ship.

Rianna will keep her lightsaber in her hand, and use her Senses before leaving the ship.

You all sense something elusive here. Not even Rand is totally certain.

No automated guns in plain sight, Rand.

The landing platform is very wide and nondescript, made of metal and not particularly in mint condition. There are other landing pads nearby, but they are empty, as expected. Your landing pad leads into the side of a large, blockish grey building with no openings in its rust-stained walls but for the doors in from the landing pads.

Yours is closed.

Hmmm. Well something is going on.

Rianna votes we check out the building and see if anyone's in there that can explain wtf is going on.

It appears that the door leading off the pad and into the building is locked.

"Shall we just carve ourselves an entrance?" Rianna asks the others, idly playing with her lightsaber hilt.

Azarl thinks better than to stay Rianna's hand with his own. He decides to do so with words. Much more difficult to cut out Azarl's tongue.

"That would be unwise," Azarl says. "We don't know why we have been lured here. We don't want to give ourselves away so quickly, nor do we want to cross anyone we don't need to."

Azarl will examine the door controls.

More difficult, but not impossible!

"There doesn't appear to be anyone here," Rianna replies.

Azarl reaches out with the Force to try sensing beyond the door, since he does not have the appropriate skills to open it without destroying it.

Looking at the door controls shows you that the door is indeed locked. It will be Fix-It to change that.

You do not sense anyone on the other side of the door, Azarl.

Rand will motion for Dak to mess with the lock so they can open the door without their lightsabers.

He will also try to see if the other landing pad doors are sealed.

Dak will go to work on the control panels, then.

"Patience, Rianna. You always seem to have trouble with tact..."

"Like you're one to talk about patience and tact..." Rianna snaps back.

You can't tell from where you are, Rand.

It only takes Dak a minute of picking at the lock with his claws to figure out the lock. The door hisses open slowly into a large cargo room. It is full of crates of varying shapes, sizes, and materials.

Rand will move into the cargo room, keeping his senses open and ready to draw his lightsaber at the slightest sign of danger. He is confused as to why nobody has been sent to meet them.

"We should have had a meeting party," Rand says. "Especially if they thought we were here to help with the chemical attack."

Speaking of which, can Rand see any signs of the attack anywhere? Perhaps a cloud of gas hovering about, or smoke from an explosion?

Aside from the crates, there does not appear to be anyone in here.

Rand's concerns are legitimate. One would have expected someone to come from port authority to meet you. Maybe they're running late?

Or maybe this is a trap.

Could be!

Relle will try checking one of the crates to see what's in it. And she'll see if any of them are labeled.

Any exit from the cargo room that leads further in?

Relle picks a crate at random and opens it. It contains boxes of shoes. Another one is a shipment of women's skin product. Rather mundane stuff.

Yes, there is an exit. Above you and directly ahead is an access walkway with stairs that you can ascend. It has doors that go right and left, and one large one that goes into the building.

Xavier goes out into the cargo hold with everyone else.

"Perhaps it is a trap, if it is perhaps it is best to spring it."

Then he will walk over with Relle using Sense to see if he can up anything

"There, Dak, maybe that'll help you with your scale problem..." Rianna comments when Relle opens the box of skin stuff, while she looks around for the exit.

"Let's see what else is in this building."

Not sensing anything out of the ordinary, Xavier.

Which door do you want to try, Rianna? All of them are locked, of course.

Big door that goes into the main building, unless anyone else has any other suggestions?

Dak can deal with the locks again

Clawtime!

You hope not every door in this place is locked, Dak, or this will get old REAL fast.

The heavy blast door grinds open slowly and allows you into the deeper interior of this building. It appears to be the central hub of a shipping company's main warehouse. Crates are stacked high about the area, with numerous coordinators' kiosks suspended from the ceiling to give a full view of the area.

Does Gallador sense any life forms nearby?

You do not. This place is totally empty.

Also- Con has been with you this whole time.

Was he hiding in a crate or something?

He's just been very quiet.

Rand sighs.

"This is rather uninteresting," Rand says to the others. "Perhaps we should go to the port authority from here, and see if we can get in touch with anyone concerning our 'package.' They seem preoccupied currently."

"Then let's go," Rianna says, adding sarcastically, "Lead on, oh fearless 'leader'."

There's definitely a tone of contempt and irritation on "leader" there.

If everyone is in favor, I'll move things along to the port authority. The rest of the building is as you found it; loaded with crates and devoid of people.

Let's move!

Sure, why not. There doesn't seem to be much here to bother with...

Let us go to the authorities.

You press on toward the port authority then, located in the central star traffic control tower that you saw on your way down to the landing pad. You make your way there through these interconnected warehouses, each one exactly the same as the last- filled with crates, observation posts above, isles formed between the crates.

Not a single solitary soul is seen the entire time.

However, you notice that you do not sense any danger, which you fully expected to when coming to the surface due to the chemical attack. You have not encountered anything to indicate what took place or where it happened.

In any case, you reach the control tower. You promptly find that it is locked up tight.

...clawtime?

Xavier will try to communicate, "Hello is anyone in there?"

"Of course it's locked..." Rianna mutters, mildly annoyed.

This lock is a little more complex, Dak. You could give it a go.

No response from you just shouting up at the tower, Xavier. There is a communicator box just above the door controls.

Rianna will look over the communicator box, then, hopefully finding the right button to be able to speak into it and send a message up...if not, she's gonna hit buttons until she finds the right one.

"Is there anyone here or are we wasting our time?" she says into it, irritated.

Dak will try actually working the lock this time!

"We have have for a delivery." - Adds Gallador calmly.

No need, Dak. When the others try using the communicator, there is no verbal response, but the door hisses open.

Dak will lead the way in, in that case.

Con will follow, cause he's useful.

Xavier goes next and follows them in.

Of course Rianna's heading in.

In you all go! I assume Rand and Azarl and Relle are stalking you all very closely.

Ahead of you, a lift slowly opens, while the door behind you slams shut, and then a blast door slams shut over that one.

"Hmm...I don't like that," Rianna says as the blast door lowers over the door behind them.

Does she sense anything? She'll enter the lift...

Of course it does. Is there anything in the lift?

"Well, this is certainly a trap. What now?" Dak says, looking back at the others.

"May as well spring the trap..." Rianna replies.

The lift is empty.

"How many times are we gonna spring a trap that isn't trapped before getting to the real trap," Xavier says

"Who said the lift is a trap? But I'm sure there's something around here..." Rianna replies, entering the lift first.

"Let's see where it takes us." Dak will step into the lift.

Xavier steps in as well

All in, then. It is your only option, for now.

The lift ascends slowly, taking you up toward the top of the control tower. You all feel uneasy. Nothing like impending doom or immediate pain, mind you. Just uneasy.

Rianna feeling uneasy has only ever lead to things becoming extremely bad very quickly, so she definitely doesn't like this...

Observation. Stay wary.

Rianna will keep sensing around for anything that could be dangerous.

(guys? This place is controlled by the Serpent, remember...what do you want to be at least one of us has been recognized...since several of us helped completely wipe out the Lantarnans...)

Relle wasn't there for that and does not care. She is tempted to have her guns drawn but does not do that just yet.

The lift comes to a halt and the doors openly slowly, dispensing you out into what appears to be the main control center for the port authority. You are at the very top of the tower. Banks and banks of humming machinery and computers are beeping and blinking at all points in the circular room, with a main control console in the center and dozens of secondary units lining the sides.

It appears to be empty.

Xavier begins walking towards the main console.

It is active and glowing. Sensors indicate all the starships that are currently in orbit around the planet.

"Where is everyone?" Rianna asks as she leaves the lift. Can she sense anyone at all?

Xavier walks over to the panel and sees if he can access it to find anything.

Not even a little bit, Rianna!

What are you looking for exactly, Xavier? The main console can do a lot of things.

Xavier mostly wants to get into the security cameras and see if he can find where everyone is at?

Going to be a Fix-It roll. Going for it?

Xavier is good with that, he's pretty good at it.

Does Gallador sense any living beings around or any danger?

Hmm. Well, that bugs Rianna. She's going to look around and see if there's anything else to be found here. Someone or something had to have let them up, after all...

You do not sense anyone alive. You would have thought the port authority... which also just answered you... would have been occupied by a few personnel, at the very least!

Xavier starts examining the main console. It doesn't appear that you have access to the tower's security system from here, but you do get a better understanding of what it DOES do. It coordinates the flight and landing information with the starport's computers and incoming ship's computers. It also controls the comms between the control tower and said ships.

That's odd... the comms appear to have been re-routed.

Dak will try to look up the network map and see where the comms have been re-routed to.

Rand will look out of the tower, to see if they can spot anything from this terrific vantage point. He is really curious about what is going on.

"What have you found?" Rand asks, when Dak and Xavier start messing with the console.

The network map shows that the channel re-routes to a warehouse nearby, Dak. That must have taken a lot of work to do! Normally these things are quite secure, especially when it comes to the Golden Serpent.

While Dak and Xavier fiddle with the computers, Rianna will explore the comm room itself, just to see if there's anything interesting here that stands out.

"The comms have been rerouted to a warehouse close by," Dak tells Rand, "Seems like we've broken into the wrong building."

Rianna- there sure are a lot of starships in orbit right now! The computers are tracking every single one of them and contain the transponder information to each.

Dak- you have an incoming message as the warehouse broadcasts a signal. You've been noticed.

"If they're tracking the transponders for every ship in orbit, then surely they have our codes as well...someone should take care of that," Rianna comments.

Dak will accept the message.

A voice bellows over all of the comms in the control tower. It is being obviously filtered through a vocoder or something of that sort.

"Welcome, friends," says the voice. "I see you have managed to make it to the control tower. Not difficult, I trust?"

"A bit annoying," Rianna replies to the voice.

"I knew this was some sort of trap..." she comments to the others.

"Not difficult at all," Dak responds smugly. "Now what is all this, 'friend'?"

"I would like to play a game," says the voice, with a hint of a snicker. "I am sure you are all familiar with Tanic Starguard, are you not?"

"Yes, we know him," Rianna replies. "A game? Seriously?"

"Okay, this is simply ridiculous. You evacuated a planet just to play some 'game' with us?"

"Not just any game," says the voice. "Tanic has something that I want, and he won't give it to me. I believe what Tanic needs is an incentive. What is mine will be handed over if I give him the proper motivation..."

"We haven't even seen Tanic in ages - we have no idea where he is," Rianna snaps in response. "Stop wasting our time already."

"Yeah, we've lost track of him. You picked the wrong hostages for this sort of thing."