USH'S STAR WARS GAME 2008- 'New Blood' (prequel for new players)

JEDI

Life in the Republic is mostly tolerable. The values of each planet vary, as does each planet’s capacity to enforce law and civilised values (assuming that planet desires them), and the perennial problems of crime and greed are all over. But for the most part, the Republic is as good a place to live as it has ever been- there is no slavery, no vast criminal control (unless you count Senators as criminals) and, by and large, the mechanism of Democracy can be seen.

That is so for the inner worlds. But once you go outside this privileged area, things start to fray. Coruscant and its laws seem a very long way away to some people. The further it goes, the worse it gets, until eventually the Republic ceases to function altogether- and there you have slavery, or worlds run by the like of the Hutts or the Golden Serpent.

This leaves a vast periphery of worlds, forming a ‘ring’ around the Republic, that are the borderlands between the civilisation of the Republic, and the virtually lawless reaches beyond. The status of these worlds vary wildly, but all face troubles. Some such worlds are quiet places, but easily threatened, so far out from the law- like Naboo. Some areas of space, like the Damagran Confederacy, have become a hotbed for independent sentiment; the Confederacy’s brief cessation from the Republic four years ago was only ended by military intervention (involving Jedi and a coalition of worlds willing to supply an armed blockade) because it became clear that the tyrant Faylar who led the independence movement had done so illicitly, with the aid of pirates (and other agents whose nature remains mysterious). Had Faylar’s movement been legitimate, Damagran could have been the first Republican world to truly become independent in a very long time indeed- and even now, people still worry it might leave. It’s not the only world that has talked about independence lately. Many many people are starting to ask- just what has the Republic done for them?

Hence the current situation at Altamira, a constellation out in these borderlands containing a dozen or so worlds. Altamira has been in exceptionally hard times. Its main strength is potential mineral wealth, but internal strife for control of these minerals have prevented Altamira ever reaching true civilisation for centuries. It is the equivalent of part of the Third World on Earth- shoddy settlements, oppressed people and bad rule. To make things worse, interstellar diseases are rife in this area of space and, recently, a vast potential famine lies over this area of space as a number of unluckily-connected events have annihilated agricultural production over a huge swathe of the Galaxy (this problem being so acute that the Senate is expected to take action on it soon). Altamira has felt this issue keenly. If there is anywhere in the Galaxy that is desperately in need of central aid from the Republic, where the Republic can prove that it has value and virtue, it is Altamira.

And this is indeed what is happening, as the Senate decides to make a demonstration out of this area. A vast relief effort is being planned, led by the Sentator Aldran Gern of Palmyra. The aid package will bring food, medicines and money- and equipment to rebuild the shattered mining industry from scratch, so that Altamira can become self-sufficient. But the process cannot begin until agreements are made- many worry that such supplies will merely end up in the hands of local warlords who will use them for their own gain. Gern requires certain guarantees and oversights that this aid will be used correctly. Bringing sample mining equipment to the fifth moon of Tosk, negotiations begin on Altamira’s future.

Negotiations do not go well- an agreement cannot be reached. In particular, representatives from the Mining Guild (a powerful Galactic organisation not directly connected with the Senate) support local efforts to call a strike. Although the local leaders and law enforcement have agreed to Gern’s deal, none of it mean ta thing unless the local miners can be persuaded. Citing issues such as wages and the distribution of the money, the miners have been resolute that there is not yet a deal.

The Senate is twitchy; time is passing and there are many other calls on the money. A speed resolution is needed- so the Senate ask the Jedi to help arbitrate.

This is a high-pressure deal, as the Jedi arrive at the last day of negotiations that the miners are willing to stand for before they halt co-operation with diplomacy entirely. On the moon, you meet in the area set aside for negotiation, near a recently re-opened mine, there to show off what van be achieve with the sophisticated Republican mining technology that is on offer. The final meeting is about to begin; you are conversing with a bad-tempered Gern just beforehand. As well as Gern, you must bear in mind Fisk- the local administrator who will handle the political side of the deal, the local leader; Tarjan, head of the local law enforcement, Eckersley, spokesperson for the Miners, and Trema, who is a representative from the Galactic Miner’s Guild. Your job is to find a settlement agreeable to both sides, bearing in mind that the outcome here could set the whole agenda for the political future of this area of space, and perhaps the Republican attitude to such worlds over the entire Galaxy.

Four hours before negotiations started, an anonymous message arrived saying that the ‘traitors’ to Altamira would pay, and that anyone involved in the negotiations would soon ‘learn why’. The negotiations are going ahead, but this has not helped the already high tensions…

RENEGADES

Not every planet in the Republic goes down the hi-tech route. Take the Wookies, for example. A certain amount of technology is used by them- after all, they need to be able to fly to Coruscant for Senatorial representation. But their tech is rough and ready, and used only for absolute necessity. In general, their approach to life is to live it just as their ancestors lived it, for many many millennia, hunting amongst the vast forests.

There are many other species that live such lives in the Republic. One such world is Calhoun, home to a spiritual race of insectoids (known just as the ‘Houn’) who have an extremely symbiotic relationship with the land and the planetary ecosystem. They live in small hive settlements with a faintly empathic link towards each other and the settlement leader. There is no central Government; each settlement leader in turn has an empathic link to each other and decisions are made between these hundreds of leaders. Every ten years, one of them is selected to become Senator. They live a simple, mostly tech-free life, close to nature, working in harmony with it.

Whether you feel this existence is banal, fascinating or brilliant, the Houn suffer the same problem as many such races. The Wookies, being eight foot tall brutal killers if need be, can take care of themselves, but many of these tech-shunning ‘natural’ races are extremely vulnerable to abuse from teched-up people. And unfortunately, the Houn have become one such people. Their planet has been ignored for millennia because it is not minerally wealthy, but the issue is their wildlife. Out in the plains are magnificent marvels of nature; mammoth like creatures whose bones are stronger than the material used to build most armed spaceships, whose internal structure produces crystalline deposits akin to diamonds, and whose tusks, designed to pierce foes in mating challenges, can punch through remarkable amounts of armour. For the luxury market, their pelts are also warm, beautiful and ridiculously hard-wearing, being acid and fireproof. These ‘Cal’ mammoths live in perfect harmony with the Houn, never aggressive unless pushed. This is fortunate, because a Cal is, of course, an extremely dangerous creature if roused. Because precious few hunters going after a Cal ever survived, this was never an issue either. In any case, the Houn didn’t want them hunted, and the Cal mammoths had legal protection from the Republic.

In fact, Calhoun only came to Galactic attention a few centuries ago when a new breed of Hunters came to the world, willing to ignore both the legal and physical protection of the Cal. These ‘Osokans’ proved the only lifeform that was ever up to this task, and soon a black market of these remarkable ‘extracts’ from the Cal started to hit the Galactic Market. The Osokans made a good deal of money from these activities, although it was really the challenge that interested them. The Houn were defenceless and, for the Republic, the Osokan issue was bigger than their activities on one world. The hunting only ended when the Osokan problem as a whole was solved, with a vast and difficult Jedi operation on the Osokan homeworld Lanzar ended their illicit hunting practices.

But the Osokans had opened the ‘box’ as it were. The materials had spent a brief amount of time on the market, and became incredibly sought after by collectors. On the black market, a single Cal bone from the Osokan time on Calhoun can fetch millions.

Centuries later and more ‘modern’ approaches to the issue have finally decided it is time to make money out of Calhoun again. Local corporate interests have decided to make themselves very rich indeed. Their plan is a little different- mass hunting of the Cal is near impossible (and the problem of using extremely heavy hardware is that it ‘spoils’ the merchandise). But don’t hunt them… breed them! A bit of danger in getting the babies in the first place, but do it right and BAM! Cal farms, bred for passivity, to be slaughtered at the appropriate time.

Now, some may disapprove but in a universe of meat eaters it’s hardly possible to object to the plan on moral grounds. And by breeding rather than hunting they can sidestep the legal protection on the species. The problem, though, is the Houn. Not only are they objecting on cultural grounds, their symbiotic relationship with the ecosystem means they will be very badly affected by this exploitation of the wildlife. The other problem is that Cal won’t breed on other planets so it will have to happen on Calhoun. The planned breeding grounds are right on top of most of the Houn settlements; the corporate interests plan to buy up the land with their superior knowledge of the law and move the Houn onto ‘reservations’. Needless to say this will completely destroy their way of life and quite possibly doom them but hey, there’s money to be made!

The Houn’s lack of knowledge in Galactic affairs and law is their weakness, and has led to the situation where the corporate interests have been able to compulsorily purchase the land, leaving a bewildered people. An attempt by their Senator to raise the issue in the Senate failed to get through a wall of political procedure- but that did, at least, bring some sort of attention to the issue. A group of Coruscant lawyers that have been taking sentient right’s causes came to the aid of the Houn, and were able to advise them about how to exercise their rights. They got the sale stopped on the ground of the native rights of those at the planned locations.

This was an irritating barrier for the corporate, but it did have one weakness. It only applied if the Houn were actually THERE to claim the rights. If they could be ‘encouraged’ to move off, then legally the land would come under corporate control. All they needed was an efficient way to get the Houn to ‘move on’. For this purpose, they made a deal with the devil, by bring ing in the Golden Serpent.

The Serpent is the most powerful criminal organisation on that side of the Galaxy (it is the Hutts on the other). Although currently recovering from a recent leadership crisis, their various schemes of fraud, blackmail and extortion are still making them a vast amount of money. In return for a ‘generous’ slice of the potential profits of the operation, the Serpent have moved in. Their solution is simple- the deployment of ‘Kill Teams’ to force the Houn out of their settlements and onto the reservations. Meanwhile, with the Serpent deploying their trademark activities of blackmail and political pressure, local law enforcement and politicians are taking no action, quashing any rumours of the violence. With no evidence and the local authorities denying anything that is going on, no intervention can be made, even by the Jedi.

The lawyers just need some solid evidence of the Kill Teams to present to Coruscant. But they cannot get it themselves- the Kill Teams are clearing up after themselves rather well, killing all witnesses. In desperation, the Lawyers have turned to a very special group of private investigators from the Uridian system- a group of independent ex-Jedi led by the Renegade Xeth Tam.

Your team has landed on Calhoun and is in place at the next Houn settlement due to be forcibly evicted. Your literal job is just to get some filmed evidence of it all in action and get that back to the lawyers at the starport. The lawyers didn’t feel they could reasonably ask for more- but maybe they didn’t have to, because you are not entirely comfortable with standing by and watching this village get torched…

THE DARK SIDE

When the Hunters came, only those of you smart enough to run survived.

Life was never easy in the Republic. Too close to the core and sooner or later the Jedi would get wind of you. Outside it was easier, but life out on the fringe was not always to your tastes. But you survived. The ultimate objective of the Dark Sider is to survive. You twist everything to serve you, and none of that can happen if you are dead; the base impulse of selfishness is self-preservation. If the authorities ever did come for you, you fought through them and moved onto somewhere else.

Four years ago, this all changed. Something very odd has happened in the galaxy, but this far out you cannot be sure what it is. All you see are the results. A organisation named the ‘Bureau of Immigration and Undesirables’ has taken up office; a bunch of grey suited stiffs tracking the progress of criminal elements between worlds in the vast Galaxy. They are well funded with ships and hi-tech equipment; they have major offices on all major worlds, and many smaller outposts.

They started to bring unusual amounts of order to worlds that never normally cared. Suddenly, everywhere was asking for papers and id. They wanted to know who you were, where you had been, what you intended to do, where you were going. The net was closing in around you- but you didn’t conclude that this was all a trap specially designed to catch people like YOU until the Hunters came.

The Osokans, a race of vicious warriors from a world with one of the most deadly known ecosystems. Evolution mandated that they had to be fearsome specimens to live on Lanzar. A pig-like species, they are squat but exceptionally strong, with a biosystem that regenerates itself with horrifying speed. Their Guilds provided the best of them- elite Hunters that would actively face down and kill the ridiculously dangerous Lanzar wildlife. To this end, the Osokans produced an interesting weapon, an energy-based melee weapon known as the Neurowhip. A lash from the neurowhip deadens the senses, destroys the nerves, even severs the connection to the brain; they could subdue even the monsters of Lanzar. And the Hunters became exceptionally good at it.

When their taste for hunting started to run to other worlds- regardless of what the habitants of those worlds thought of it, indeed, sometimes the inhabitants WERE the targets- the Jedi were forced to pacify Lanzar. But even for the Jedi, this was hard, because the Osokans were not afraid of them. Osokans were used to close combat, they had no fear of death, and even a slash from a lightsabre was not fatal to them.

The Jedi won, of course, for tough challenges are their forte. It took two hundred Jedi several years, but they did it. The Hunting Guilds were abolished and production of the neurowhips was banned. But now, centuries later, it seems that has changed also. Because when the Bureau found you, the ones they sent to kill you… were Osokan Hunters.

Out on the edges of the Galaxy where Dark Siders dwell, the Bureau’s mission is simply to kill you all. The Osokan death squads are the sharp end of this policy- illegal, of course, but what are you going to do, complain to Coruscant? No, for you people, the only law left is survival of the fittest.

The Osokans are unlike the enemies you faced before. As the Jedi found out before you, they are not afraid to fight you. With their Neurowhips, they can take you on at close range, able to block your sabres. And they are very skilled. Oh, it is not that you cannot kill them. In fact, you can easily kill an Osokan; skilled as they are, they are no match for your Force-enhanced skills and powers.

But they don’t come at you slowly. They are professional Hunters used to dangerous prey. They come at you in teams- eight Osokans to one Dark Sider, and each team of eight led by a Captain of greater skill. They excel in ambushes, in tracking you by scent; they love their work and they never give up. And if you kill one team and their Captain, there’s always another team and their one, and another, and another, organised by a grey-uniformed Bureau Agent. The only thing the Osokans cannot do well is run fast. Your only real option is to flee.

And then the other side of the operation gets you. The Bureau’s use of technology is what makes them unescapable. They track your radio signals, or follow you from orbit. And if you escape a world, they have a network of satellites throughout the Galaxy scanning ship; they look for your transponder signal and follow you whatever you go. And wherever you go, the local authorities have been alerted by the Bureau to look for you, to call the Bureau; their apparent powers to compel authorities to help them seem to be immense.

And so they keep on coming, wherever you run,. And each time, they bring the Osokans. Sometimes you escape them for months at a time, but once they have your face, once you are a target, they will never give up, and you can never win. They won’t run out of Osokans either- indeed, unless you take the time to stand around and behead one, the Osokans you drop in a fight tend to regenerate their wounds, and just treat it as a learning experience.

So what is left? Die where you stand? Perhaps flee the Republic the satellites stop at its borders. But that is to give up as well, to never be important, to abandon all chances of being someone. It didn’t suit you. You have one edge left- the Force. And perhaps it was the Force that led you to a place of safety, however you met them.

Because, as you found out, there is a group of Dark Siders that managed to escape an enormous manhunt for them- you understand that one of them as once associated with a very big name that the Bureau was after, and they were pulled in to that effort. This group of Dark Siders have not only learned a little of the Bureau’s ways, they also have access to that most vital of things- a place of safety.

And so you have come to the planet Epireus, a world just outside the borders of the Republic, hidden by a stellar anomaly so that few know a life-bearing world is there, and no searching signals from the Bureau come prying. There, atop a high mountain, the Dark Siders have their base. You understand they ‘inherited’ it from the previous owner. They don’t like to talk about it- apparently it wasn’t as simple as it sounds- but it is theirs now. And so it has become your home.

It is only survival. Epireus affords you a chance to live, not so far from the Republic to be counted as giving up. But you have no power, no money. The fuel supplies at the base are good, but all other technical parts are in desperately short supply; everything is in decay. But it is better than any alternative.

But even that survival can be threatened. Epireus is homeworld to a native lifeform, large, ugly humanoids with brown leathery skin, of great brute strength but no great intelligence, in the equivalent of the Bronze Age. You use them as a slave labour force and for muscle if needed- after all, every Empire needs its minions, even if at present your realm is only one forgotten planet. Generally speaking the Epireans are compliant slaves; they respect force; your sabre skills impress them and your Force powers scare the hell out of them.

But over the last six months the situation has changed. A revolt by an Epirean warlord known as ‘Ogros’ threatens to undermine your control; he preaches notions off freedom and some primitive form of ‘Epireus for the Epireans’ sentiment. He is gaining the support of many of the tribal leaders; if he can get the majority of them behind him, his small rebellion could become a massive revolt. You may have fantasies of mass Epirean slaughter, but secretly you wonder what might happen if ten thousand of them attack your base at once.

Besides, you would rather not slaughter them. They are useful, and nor can you ever become powerful if your only response to challenges is to kill everyone in sight. Several of you- perhaps as a challenge laid down by the others, who have had little chance to see if you are competent or not- have been sent to deal with the rebellion.

There are 13 tribal leaders. One of them is Ogros. One of them is Firak, the tribal leader closest to your base and who has become relatively agreeable to you, as with your support his leadership is solid. A vote will be taken on the matter- you need a majority share of that vote from the leaders! Technically speaking you can do this any way you like; force them all to do it, lie to them, convince them, or whatever mix you like. You just need that vote on your side- but you may wish to think long as well as short term.

Of course, Ogros may have a few ideas about forcing the result as well…

You are out in a sacred meeting place in the Southern plains where the Tribal Leaders traditionally meet every ten years, though this is an extra one called by Ogros. Many Epireans from all the tribes will be in attendance, and only Firak’s will necessarily protect you if it comes to a fight. It’s a challenge, but then, that’s life on the Dark Side…

Ok, we'll play it all in here-don't worry, I am sure we will make sense of it- and we are starting quite adjacent to the action; the Jedi are waiting with the Senator shortly beforer the final negotiations begin, the Renegades are in the Village awaitning the Kill Team; the Dark Siders have parked their ship(s) (or you came on large Epirean horses along with Firak, if you wish) a little way away from the sacred site and are about ten minutes away from the meeting.

Before you all spring into action though... take some starting advice from your elders, or ask me any questions you like about the situation.

EDIT

One question first and foremost, you said we are close to the meeting place, so we have to deal with what we are given for now, right? Meaning, we can't get hostages for example and for now will have to rely on threats and negotiation rather than more direct action (unless slaughtering all of them is an action we want to take, which I personally wouldn't)? Is it a sort of first negotiation or do we intend to solve the situation right now?

On a side, I read back about Epirea, and you said the atmosphere is very dense, is that going to be a problem?

Well, I think that's enough questions for now. When I know that I have another few that I was wondering about which I think might be useful.

It would be preferable to solve the problem now, in a way that keeps it solved in the long run.

Crazy as it sounds coming from me (and really others, as I know Lana will agree with me here), killing is a last resort. Use those powers of lying, persuasion, intimidation. Maybe a careful Mind Trick here and there if that's your thing. The important part is having the leaders fear what we will do to them if they don't support us, and obviously they can't fear if they're dead.

Originally posted by General Kaliero
It would be preferable to solve the problem now, in a way that keeps it solved in the long run.

Crazy as it sounds coming from me (and really others, as I know Lana will agree with me here), killing is a last resort. Use those powers of lying, persuasion, intimidation. Maybe a careful Mind Trick here and there if that's your thing. The important part is having the leaders fear what we will do to them if they don't support us, and obviously they can't fear if they're dead.

I agree. My question was more aiming at whether this one meeting should take care of it or whether there'll be a longer plot, possible with multiple meetings. Of course, I can't really know that at the moment, I suppose, I mean what does my character think of the situation in that regard.

I also agree about the killing part, though, the way Ush phrased it, I am not sure whether we can afford to keep "Ogros" around.

Not to sure about my first post... Advice... I dont want to go wrong?

Originally posted by Jedireaper
Not to sure about my first post... Advice... I dont want to go wrong?

Mr. Gordo- the meeting will not start immediately, so you will have a little prep time. But your intelligence about what is going on with the Epireans is not great (something you may wish to fix?) so you got very short nptice on this meeting and its importance. However, you understand that the vote will be taken at the end of the meeting, so it will be settled now.

As for the dense atmosphere- well, I like a man who knows his background! Indeed yes it will be, but I was going to mention that once live play started.

Originally posted by Ushgarak
Mr. Gordo- the meeting will not start immediately, so you will have a little prep time. But your intelligence about what is going on with the Epireans is not great (something you may wish to fix?) so you got very short nptice on this meeting and its importance. However, you understand that the vote will be taken at the end of the meeting, so it will be settled now.

As for the dense atmosphere- well, I like a man who knows his background! Indeed yes it will be, but I was going to mention that once live play started.

Would a Savoir Faire Roll fix that? Or if that's nonsense I'd ask Firak to fill me in.

I think intimidation is a good route to take, remind them that they are dealing with former-jedi. If that doesn't work then maybe we threaten to remove some limbs.

I meant your long-term Intelligence- before now you've never really paid much attention to Epirean 'politics'.

Firak has mostly filled you in about what is going on npow; he is youe source of info for all the ribal background I gave you.

-

Denzral- well, you can just ponder about what might be happening, about why there might be a strike and what you could do about it. It seems a little odd.

You might worry about the threat- is it real? Is it a distraction? Is it a total fake? hard to find out, but you are a Jedi, maybe you can get some insight on that one.

Meanwhile, when play starts, who do you think it might be worth talking to?

Originally posted by SpikeSpiegel
I think intimidation is a good route to take, remind them that they are dealing with former-jedi. If that doesn't work then maybe we threaten to remove some limbs.

You worry, though. The Serpent are uncompromising people- and your evidence could put them away for a long time.

Then the next stage is actually removing the limbs 😛

A desire which actually has some relevance!

For a question for the Renegades is, seeing as you have no Council to answer to, how violent are you willing to be, beyond self-defence?

Originally posted by SpikeSpiegel
I think intimidation is a good route to take, remind them that they are dealing with former-jedi. If that doesn't work then maybe we threaten to remove some limbs.

Well, I also thought itimidation might be a good way to go, it's cheap for one.

Another might be a sort of treaty between us and the leaders, though, who wants to give something if they could just as well have it for free.

Third idea I was thinking about was maybe playing dirty politics and make them fight each other, so they won't even care about us. That's obviously a bit more flawed and less straight forward, it just came to might because they are apparently on the verge of war with each other all the time.

Originally posted by Ushgarak
I meant your long-term Intelligence- before now you've never really paid much attention to Epirean 'politics'.

Firak has mostly filled you in about what is going on npow; he is youe source of info for all the ribal background I gave you.

Oh okay, could I still ask him specifics?

On a different note, what do you guys think about quoting, I think it makes it clearer who I am talking to, but it does kinda take away the feeling...so, do you ever quote in game?

Tends to be down to personal preference. In this particular thread it will be more common as we have three stories going at once; it will be less necessary in the main game.

And sure, ask away at Firak.

"Firak, I'd have a few questions before we meet with the other leaders" Con said, "for one, are there any of the leaders that are positive towars us? And what about this Orgros? Where did he come from and how powerful is he really?"