Advenutre 1

Episode I

Part I

GM Notes

Pauli is only interested in the small game – breaking the stranglehold on illegal spice trade in Imperial territories.

The Sith were interested in stopping this and encouraging Pauli to work with them by surrendering his interests in the Empire.

Lord Thule however is interested in the race Lord Boron is meeting with and will do anything to get there first.

Tredor the Hutt is interested in stopping anything Pauli is doing and thus sends Bounty Hunters to observe, learn and eliminate the players.

The failed Jedi, Ronsoon-Mal, is interested in replacing Lord Boron’s role of bringing the Federation into the Empire and earning a place in the Imperial Guard.

The players are in it for the money but this will soon change as the possibility of glory increases.

Chapter I
Pauli the Hutt, terrifying mob boss from Tatooine and one of the more powerful members of the Luicid Hutt Clan has sought out the group for their individual talents. He has a mission for them and will pay handsomely for its completion. He pays each of them a down payment in advance as well as a secret amount for the job (though the characters can of course discuss their payment between them.)

They are drawn together in the ancient Palace in the Dune Sea. Arriving there they are met by the guards and witness what appears to be a massive carnival/festival being set up. Pauli greets them with his usual mix of malign friendliness and invites them to stay so they can discuss the details of the plan in the morning and introduce the NPC character. He gives his offers for payment and allows them to peruse his personal stocks if they want to buy anything from him. The job, in brief, is to tail a certain Imperial noble as he heads to a rendezvous in the Unknown regions. Once they track him to his destination they are to observe and record his every movement and then murder him as he heads home. If anyone has any objections, the Hutt will make up a particular reason for them to want to kill him. Then the festivities kick off and the exterior of the palace is lit up spectacularly. As fireworks etc. start to go off an organised fight to the death between a wookie slave and a loyal Gamorean is started. The wookie wins, easily and as he goes to collect his reward an alarm goes off. Three Hutt defence craft rocket overhead and then a Sith fighter careens through, loosing off some shots into the centre of the festivities. People panic and flee everywhere and the wookie draws a massive double bladed lightstaber from a cyber compartment and leaps at Pauli, only to be blocked by a haggard looking Jedi.

The players can act as they wish, as a few Darktroopers led by a Sith attack the entrance of the palace, forcing the Hutt guards back inside. Pauli stays in the centre, soaking fire into his massive shield.

As the smoke settles from the assault, the alarms slowly wind down and the group are brought back inside to discuss what just happened.

Wookie Sith: DEX:	3D	       STR: 5D(6D)	Cnt: 6D   Sense: 5D	   Alter: 8D+2 Lightsaber: 8D        Jump: 7D      Dodge:6D+2 Sith Commander: DEX:	3D	       STR: 3D(4D)	Cnt: 5D   Sense: 4D	   Alter: 5D+2 Lightsaber: 6D        Jump: 4D    Dodge: 5D+2 Sith Darktrooper: DEX:	3D+2	   STR: 3D+2(4D+1)  Damage: 5D Blaster: 6D       Jump: 7D         Dodge:5D+2

Chapter II
They are introduced to the former Brigadier General Lance Henrikson, who left the order after its defeat on Coruscant many years earlier. Pauli has used him as an ally since and now he was turning to the Hutt for help. It soon appears that the mission is his bidding which he was calling in as an old favour from Pauli. He does not know why the Sith are so interested in stopping him, as his goal is to follow the Imperial dignitary into the Unknown Regions to an area of great darkness. He does not care about the assassination so much – this is for Pauli as he is preventing vital spice routes from reaching Imperial customers. They are to hyperspace to the edge of the Yaga system and await a com from the shipyards there, telling them that Lord Boron has left. They are to then locate his ship, track it and follow it to its first destination. They will be provided with a Corellian Corvette as transport an a few NPC Hutt crew to fill in the gaps. The Jedi takes command.

Pay: 10,000Cr each with another 50,000Cr from Pauli (split between them) and 10,000 each from the Jedi, upon completion.

They head to the hangar where their new command ship is berthed to find a large group of Darktroopers guarding the entrance. Long range coms are knocked out and it appears that the entire planet has been blockaded. They can either go back and request backup in person from the Hutt or bust out their crew, clear the hangar and launch through the Sith blockade above. The latter will have to be done either way.

There are already a number of local gangs, smugglers and other Hutt stooges that are stuck on the planet with them. Pauli meanwhile negotiates with the Sith to pull off and find out why he has invoked their wrath. If they look into this then they discover that the Sith want to take advantage of Lord Boron’s demise and have their own secret candidate who they want to take his place. Pauli would surrender his contacts in Imperial space to this candidate and secure his ascension whilst Pauli would gain an opening into the Sith Empire. (This is all of course a ruse by the Sith so to ensure they get their own people into Pauli’s ranks, ready to plunder the information the players are about to get on Boron).

As they blast off the surface of Tatooine they will notice infighting between a small group of Sith and the rest of their blockade, allowing them an easier escape. This will not be explained until much later, as Lord Thule attempts to usurp his master and take control of the fleet.

Chapter III
As they arrive at the Yaga system they discover that their contact has been arrested and put in custody. They are instructed to use a fake ID to land on the surface and go to his quarters to try and find any information they can concerning Lord Boron’s launch. Landing on Yaga Minor, they are struck by the dark city and the foreboding armed presence on every street corner. Lightening flashes and the sight of the Emperor Fel is everywhere, on holo-boards, posters and sky projections. They are stopped more than once by Imperial stormtroopers and as they descend into the lower depths these stop and search moments become more violent and unforgiving. If they start a fight then they will have to flee the scene pretty quickly to evade capture.

Once they reach his apartment they find it has been left open and vagrants have taken to it. These have to be cleared before a proper search can begin.

In a hidden file on the computer is a list of ships, manifestos and crew with one name from each of them highlighted. They are as follows:

Lord Ranzil – Sulliban Pride – crystals and rare metals headed for Bolod Orrn – The Rancalis - Scientific expedition for Boron Fel – The Indominator – Imperial warship, tour of duty on Rim

A short investigation will show Lord Ranzil in the imperial royal family and that Boron Fel is actually an Imperial agent and not a Lord, leaving only one option. The fact that any information on Bolod Orrn is extremely restricted should make the characters suspicious. They then locate the Rancalis docked on one of the space stations above them and awaiting clearance to leave. They have an unknown length of time before it leaves, which they can spend any way that they feel is appropriate. Bare in mind, however, that there is a Bounty Hunter from Tredor the Hutt (cybernetics) and a Sith assassin following them and Lord Boron for various reasons.

Sith Assassin DEX:	3D+2	       STR: 3D(4D)	Cnt: 6D   Sense: 6D	   Alter: 6D+2 Lightsaber: 6D+2        Jump: 5D    Dodge: 6D+2

Bounty Hunters: DEX:	3D+2	   STR: 3D+2(4D+1)  Damage: 5D   \ 6D rockets and grenades Blaster: 6D       Jump: 7D         Dodge:5D+2     Jet pack:3D Speed

Bounty Hunter Ship: Hull: 5D+2  Shields: 2D    Speed: 4D     Weapons: Blasters: 6D       Rockets: 7D Gunners: 7D  Pilot: 7D+2

Chapter IV
The call comes in that their target is leaving and they scramble to follow it. Depending on how they spent their time waiting, they may or may not have Imperials following them. Either way, they will have bounty hunters and Sith on their tail who may or may not jump them at this point just to make the presence known and use the Imperial forces to their advantage. By now they should be realising how deeply embroiled they are becoming in all this. They make the jump to hyperspace and emerge once more at the first rendezvous point. Assuming that they have calculated a point a fair way from their targets exit point they will not have any trouble here. Otherwise they jump right up on an Imperial warship and have to get away sharp before it captures them.

Observing from a distance they will have to hack the computers to find out what is going on. Even then, they will only be able to receive limited information. It appears that they are transferring crew and cargo. Closer inspection reveals soldiers and military equipment. Further inspection shows that the Imperial warship is transferring to the frigate all of its best troops and finally it will show a contingent of Imperial Guard (Jedi…). This is very worrying.

Whilst the transfer is taking place Lord Thule will come from hyperspace aboard the same warship that blockaded them on Tatooine, demanding Lord Boron’s surrender. They fight, the bounty hunters jump the players and a four way battle ensues - Sith vs Empire and players vs bounty hunters and all against each other.

The ships separate and they have to track their next jump to a small system on the rim, escaping the main battle. The players have to follow and leave the two warships scrabbling out between them.

Chapter V
They drop out of lightspeed near a barren little world and a space station orbiting it. There are signs of a mining base on the surface and a few ships defending the system. It has an old call sign from the days of the Republic, registering it as an independent business venture. The frigate is docked at the station and shows no sign of moving. They are asked their business and then given permission to dock with the station. They are invited to meet with the station commander at a meal, along with Lord Boron as the station very rarely gets visitors. They are more impressed with the Lord, but he is eager to advertise his famous guest to his other guests. The Jedi will decline and hide aboard the craft, sensing force users on the station (the Imperial guard). If they agree then they will have a strange meeting/discussion over dinner about power, the state of the galaxy and the fate of the Jedi/Sith. Then they retire to sleep.

If they decline the invitation then they will be left to explore the station and then the Bounty Hunters and Sith can try and jump them – the latter largely to learn what they have learnt rather than actually kill them. The Bounty Hunters however are just after their Jedi ally and will do anything to locate and capture him.

Then, during the night, an attack will occur and Lord Boron will disappear. The Empire will lock down the station and capture the bounty hunters (stopping their plans) and kill the Sith infiltrators. With no leads, they will blame the players for Boron’s disappearance. They will either have to break free or convince them of their innocence by locating the stealth shuttle that snuck in and peacefully secreted the Lord away. The Jedi guard follow at a distance, knowing full well that Lord Boron is planning to usurp the Emperor with his new allies in the Federation. If this becomes clear to the players then they may be able to make an even more convincing forgery for their Jedi friend.

Following the hyperspace trail/ ship trajectory they are left with one possible destination, further into the unknown regions. They follow, with or without the Imperial warship following.

Chapter VI
En-route their Jedi ally will explain a little more and ask the slicer to cut the footage of Lord Boron that they had gathered so far to show him saying “they are weak fools and will soon become willing slaves to the Sith…”

He is trying to frame Lord Boron and stop him from securing an alliance between a technologically advanced race on the rim with the Empire. In framing him, he hoped that he might be able to secure the deal himself and join the Imperial Guard and reclaim his lost dignity and the protection of the Empire from the Sith. He suspects that Lord Thule is doing the same thing but with the intention of taking the alliance to the Sith.

They arrive at their destination and are immediately picked up by the masses of craft in the system. Scans indicate minimal life forms however as most of it appears to be automated droid craft. Their jedi ally will communicate with them, offering up their alliance as he explains that this was the first time he had seen them and their kind. Their ships are truly awesome and they are brought aboard one for questioning.

Handing over their doctored evidence they are given a room and treated like guests by their robot captors. The Jedi can sense evasive life forms, but can’t put their finger on where or how many.

If they do a little searching and investigation they will find a few rim traders and lifeforms on the planet as well as the cyborgs and droids that make up the incumberant population. They will soon learn that this place is just a colony, erected in the last year or so and terrraformed at an amazing speed.

The other rimworlders are a curious eclectic bunch. Most of the traders don’t ask questions but the permanent residents are fascinated by the hive mentality. One of them is even fearful for his life as he has seen cult -like conversions in his fellows. Their main reason for staying is the discarded technologies which are abound there.

Lord Boron demands their execution and claims he has been framed. The Federation (as they are known) declines and asks for time to look into the claims. In the meantime the information is passed to Emperor Fel, who excommunicates Lord Boron almost immediately – having never had any idea about the meeting. He also claims to know nothing about the Jedi and the players and condones their execution. The Jedi puts up a fight and killed and the players left on their own.

Boron kills himself for dishonouring his Emperor (though there is more to it than this) and suddenly the players are the only link the Federation have to make allies back in the Core. They propose their new alliance, in the interest of trade to begin with and as diplomats for them to gauge who they would best ally themselves with. They upgrade their corvette, provide one of their droids for diplomatic purposes and send them back to collect their reward from Pauli the Hutt and start their new job as diplomats.

Improvements: 1 Advanced Proton Launcher Damage: 8D Improved Engines: 4D+1 speed Advanced thrusters: +1D manoeuvre Advanced shielding: +2D Shields