The Story - Official GM

War rages across the Galaxy. Both the brutal Galactic Empire and the desperate Rebel Alliance reel in the face of terrible losses. A tabletop RPG campaign set after the Battle of Yavin. Star Wars: Edge of the Empire (Fantasy Flight Games)

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The Story - Official GM

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For events prior to game start, see Dark Tide Timeline.
A word version of this story so far with pictures can be found at Dark Tide - Player Resources


Prologue
  • Act I - A New Beginning. A party of force-sensitives embark on a rescue mission to Spintir,to rescue their mentor the scholar Hethan Romund.
  • Act II - Beginner’s Luck
Story I - Beyond the Rim
  • Act I - The Tale of the Sa Nalaor. The group start their first mission and Reeva's past comes back to haunt her.
  • Act II - Welcome to the Jungle (Part 1). The group braves the dangers of the Cholgana jungle and find survivors of the Sa Nalaor.
  • Act III - Intermission - Pilgrim's View. A younger Dane works for the Empire under a similarly younger version of Zak's brother Merioon Myrto.
  • Act IV - Welcome to the Jungle (Part 2). The group persuades the survivors of the Sa Nalaor to honor their business arrangement with Reom, the Empire arrives and Dane is badly injuried while the the crew of the Nighflyer try to escape.
  • Act V - Escape from Cholganna. The crew make their escape with Cratala and head towards the junkyard planet of Raxus Prime. Along the way Reeva finds more about her mother's disappearance, but at a great cost...
  • Act VI - Raxus Prime End Game. The crew are embroiled in an epic battle with the Yi Yar clan, conclude their deal with Reom and run from the Empire when they turn up late to the party.
Story II - The Long Arm of Vemmla
  • Act I - Rugged Road to Ryloth
  • Act II - Saving New Meen
  • Act III - Phase Blade Dance
  • Act IV - The Great Tatooine Land Race. The crew explore options on how to get into Vemmla's Palace. They decide in the end on entering the Great Land Race and against all the odds win!
  • Act V - Party at Vemmla's House
  • Act VI - Ghosts of Geonosis (Part 1)
  • Act VII - Ghosts of Geonosis (Part 2)
Story III - Tragedy of the Hellions
  • Act I - Intermission - The Only Way Out
  • Act II - Rescuing Lorisa
  • Act III - Battle of D’Qar, Part 1
  • Act IV - Battle of D’Qar, Part 2
  • Act V - Sojourn on Socorro
  • Act VI - Bar Room Blitz
Story IV - Dark Tides Rise
  • Act I - The Flight of the Blue Nexu
  • Intermission - Zak’s Memories
  • Act II - Perlemian Haul
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Post by Bigby »


Bigby
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Post by Bigby »


Bigby
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Prologue

Post by Bigby »

  • Act I - A New Beginning
  • Act II - Beginner’s Luck
Bigby
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Act I - A New Beginning

Post by Bigby »

[18 Aug 2018]

Dramatis Personae
• [GMed by Neil]
• Dao Jodh, a rebellious Zabrak mystic seeking excitement and adventure in the world. [played by Finley]
• Kaveri Ra, a blaster-rifle toting Togruta seeker, living a wilderness life-style. [played by Ross]
• Sarenda, a human guardian craving a life of her own. [played by Jill]
• Tarast Voon, a Kel Dor sentinel too old to be formally trained he now wields a lightsabre like the Jedi of old. [played by Bruce]
• Belandi Feearr, a Mirialan consular, deeply religious and has healing powers. [played by Ruth]
• Pon Edestus, a Nautolan warrior, born a slave and now a mighty warrior. [played by Callum]

Scene 1 - Mountaintop Rescue
A party of force-sensitives and X-35 a reprogrammed Imperial Probe Droid, embark on a rescue mission to Spintir, a mountainous ice world with hidden-away cloud forest valleys. They have received a distress call from their humble mentor, the scholar Hethan Romund. She has gotten herself captured by Malefax, a servant of the dark side of the Force, and is being compelled to lead him to a lost temple rich in ancient knowledge.
A huge permanent anticyclone filled with hypermatter hangs over the mountain and prevents the party from flying directly to the temple. Instead they settle as close as they as can and proceed on foot. They struggle through snow and ice covered slopes. With a few slips and falls they finally make it to the valley where the ancient Jedi temple lies. The valley is covered in near-tropical jungle, sheltered from the storm and made bountiful by a vergence of the Force. Alas, with Malefax's powerful dark side influence in the temple, the vergence had become twisted, driving denizens of the valley toward anger and feral madness.

Scene 2 - The Gatekeeper
The party descends into the valley. Ancient circuitry, seemingly grown through the whole valley, lights up to project a hologram of the temple's Gatekeeper. The Gatekeeper assesses the party’s intentions and is supportive. He warns the party that the inhabitants of the valley have become hostile since the temple fell to the dark side. The party moves deeper into the valley.

Scene 3 - Hunters & Hunted
Local hunters, driven mad by the vergence, ambush the party while they are picking their way through some ruins. However the party’s fighting skills and lightsabres make short work of the unfortunate hunters.

Scene 4 - In Deep Trouble
Triggered by the explosive retorts of the hunters' slug -throwers, an avalanche from the slopes of the mountain above sweep down and bury the party alive. The party uses the force to escape serious injury, freeing their trapped companions and they move on.

Scene 5 - The Bridge
Some of Malefax's mercenaries guard a pass ahead, but wishing no further violence, Dao manages to bamboozle them with fast talking into letting the group pass for a trivial fee. Master Romund would be proud.

Scene 6 - Wolfpack
Close now, the party climbs into the temple grounds and are beset by a pack of hungry Spintiri icewolves.
A combined fusillade of lightsabers and blaster fire drives them off.

Scene 7 - The Power of the Dark Side
Inside the temple, Malefax is trying to beat the secrets of the temple from Romund, throwing her around with the Force, but to little avail. The party bursts in, shooting his guards. Pon engages him in a lightsabre duel and fells him with a mighty blow. Romund is saved and the blight is cleansed from the temple vergence.

Scene 8 - Epilogue
It emerges in the aftermath that this was no simple place of contemplation, however, but a prison of sorts. Held in stasis beneath the temple was a Dark Jedi, Darth Revan.
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Act II - Beginner’s Luck

Post by Bigby »

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Bigby
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Story I - Beyond the Rim

Post by Bigby »

  • Act I - The Tale of the Sa Nalaor
  • Act II - Welcome to the Jungle (Part 1)
  • Act III - Intermission - Pilgrim's View
  • Act IV - Welcome to the Jungle (Part 2)
  • Act V - Escape from Cholganna
  • Act VI - Raxus Prime End Game
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Act I - The Tale of the Sa Nalaor

Post by Bigby »

[24 Nov 2018]

Prologue
The characters are free from their debt to Garik Mohebbi. They own The YT-2400 “The Brazen Fox” and can now go looking for their first independent job. Although the last job to pay off their debts resulted in some minor hull and engine damage the ship is brand new and the crew are eager.
The crew find themselves on The Wheel. The Wheel is an enormous, circular hub-and-spoke style space station located on the Perlemian Trade Route near the outer edge of the Mid Rim. It is the centre of an “immunity sphere," making its status under the Empire unique. Nominally, Imperial ships are not allowed at the station, and there is no formal Imperial presence. This makes the Wheel a popular destination for anyone avoiding the gaze of the Empire. It is a hub of economic activity, above-board and below. It is also a major tourist destination, with popular casinos and entertainment zones.

Scene 1 - Celebration
Lisana hosts a champagne party to celebrate the independence of the Brazen Fox crew.

Scene 2 - Liberating Repairs
Hong decides that he needs to steal some supplies to fix The Brazen Fox's damage. Lisana joins him in case (when) things go wrong. Hong spots a Rodian attempting to steal supplies from another ship and intervenes. He repeatedly beats the Rhodian. Lisana smooth talks the captain of the ship and he rewards them with 900Cr worth of repair material. Hong's repairs take longer than expected. Maybe he was reliving the beating he gave the Rhodian.

Scene 3 - Drinks
Everyone else heads to the local Blasted Asteroid Cantina, a well-known drinking establishment on The Wheel. Along the way Cho and Zak have a discussion. At the bar Dane, who somehow always buys the first round, buys the first round. Zak notices the totally gorgeous Eranas Charrel sneaking up on Reeva. She succeeds, and Reeva spills a patrons drink in suprise. They join Eranas and discuss several things. Eranas mentioned to Reeva she might have a clue to her mother but needs to follow up first. She also gives them a lead to their first job. A shady tech company owner by the name of Reom. Lisana and Hong arrive late, but not too late for Dane to buy them drinks as well.

Scene 4 - Infochant
Lisana, Dane, Zak and Hong engage the infochant Waroon Dak. He points them in the direction of Dreks Verza a fixer with a good reputation.

Scene 5 - Meeting Reom
Reom gets straight to the point. An old homing pod was discovered close to The Wheel. The location of the Sa Nalaor has been found. A ship with treasures and unique cybernetics. Reom offers the group a contract to gather intelligence. Lisana met her match, Reom is a fierce negotiator. 10K credits with 10% upfront. Two or three times as much if they bring back technology as well. Anything else the party finds needs to be split 50:50. IT-3PO is a droid kept from those times and knows the captain on the ship and the original deal. If they get tech, they should bring it to a research station on Raxus Prime.

Scene 6 - Gathering Information
The party gathers information for the job. They focus on the Nexu. Natural born killing machines. And the party will likely meet some where they are going.

Scene 7 - Repair Droid
Zak captures a repair droid that snuck on board. Hong investigates and finds both a homing beacon and imperial tampering with the droid. The homing beacon is kept and the droid is returned to its routine duties.

Scene 8 - Reeva Comes Out
Cho and Reeva reveal that they are force sensitive to Zak. Much discussion ensues about how, when, if to reveal this to the rest of the party. For now they decide to keep things quiet. The crew is new and this might be more than they can handle at the moment.

Scene 9 - Forgotten
Cho, Reeva and Zak meet with Eranas again, before they leave, to discuss the lead to Reeva's mother. She has no recollection of the lead. She thinks it is all a joke. That they are winding her up. They warn her to tread carefully and look through her notes to see if that jogs any memories.

Scene 10 - Ambush!
Everyone prepares for the arrival of IT-3PO and leaving The Wheel. Unknown brigands spring an ambush just as IT-3PO approaches The Brazen Fox. Blaster pistol shots are fired. Two Rodians take out the two guards with IT-3PO, while another two bundle the droid into a V5 Medium Cargo Floater and race off into The Wheel. Hong fires up the engines of The Brazen Fox to disrupt the Rodian attack, sweeping the Brazen Fox round and blasting them back with the draft. Zak and Cho engage the Rodians ambushing the guards. Cho stuns one. Dane finds a cargo hauler and jumps on with Lisana to pursue IT-3PO. Zak leaps onto Dane's floater and then leaps off to attack the last Rodian engaigne the party, knocking him out. All despite the turbulence from the engines which has hindered friend and foe alike. Along the way Zak takes a light wound, the first blood spilt as an independent crew (it is ulikely to be the last). Dane and Lisana pursue the Rodians, but lose them in the crowd.

Scene 11 - Lisana's Encounter
Lisanna leaves Dane to question The Wheel’s flight deck master in person to determine which ships are leaving the station. Dane returns to the ship. Lisana gets the list, which includes a Yi Yar ship called the Nightflyer. As she returns to the ship a dark figure accosts her. He takes her into a secluded alley, and pins her against a wall, holding her up by his neck.
Despite the terrifying circumstances, Lisana refuses to be cowed. "Who is Reeva?" gets a spitting return of "Who are you?". Disgusted the man knocks her unconscious. Reeva hears a call via a commlink or the force, she is not sure which. Reeva runs to the rescue. She finds Lisana in the alley, waking up. She is fine but shaken by the experience.

Scene 12 - Interrogation
Cho interrogates the two surviving Rodians. She learns that they are part of the Yi Yar clan. She learns more about the clan, its enmity to IsoTech and that their ship is called The Nightflyer. This verifies Dane’s information. And shows Cho’s darker side.

Scene 13 - Free Loot
Meanwhile, Hong is oblvious to all and decides to loot a crate in the hangar in the confusion of the ambush and while no one is looking.

Scene 14 - Take Off
Everyone returns to The Brazen Fox which departs in hot pursuit of the Nightflyer. The party decides to take the quick more dangerous path to Cholgana. The Brazen Fox enters hyperspace as a free company for the first time.

Scene 15 - Hyperspace
An opportunity for conversation and recovery. Zak heals his wounds. Cho, Reeva, Zak and Lisana discuss many things. Hong completes initial repairs to The Brazen Fox.
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Act II - Welcome to the Jungle (Part 1)

Post by Bigby »

[19 Jan 2019]

Scene 1 - Hyperspace to Cholgana
Everyone gathers in the lounge for dinner. The loot from the previous encounter is laid out on the table. The meagre equipment is gratefully taken by those that need it the most.

Scene 2 - Falleen Homeworld Day
Lisana cooks a delicious meal for everyone to celebrate Falleen “Homeworld Day”. Reeva "comes out" about being force sensitive. Hong makes light of it, believing that she does not have real powers, it is all trickery. He does not believe in the force. Everyone else is accepting and agree it is better to keep quiet about it. The more people that know the more chance the Empire will come to notice...

Scene 3 - Arriving at Cholgana
[Day 4]
The Brazen Fox exits hyperspace after 86 hours of travel in hyperspace. The ship is deep in the dust of a nebula. Sensors are down and boulders pummel the hull. Dane desperately tries to pilot around the boulders but without sensors he is effectively blind. Hong manages to recalibrate the sensors but not before the Brazen Fox takes a couple of hits from larger boulders, thankfully not quite hard enough to penetrate the ship's thick armour. Dane steers the ship clear and the crew head towards Cholgana.

Scene 4 - Searching for the Sa Nalaor
The crew search Cholgana for signs of the Sa Nalaor. Using data from the buoy, they locate a large debris field after 8 hours of searching. Soon after a more detailed search they discover an escape pod and the main crash site.

Scene 5 - Encounter with Octipuls
The crew decide to explore the escape pod first to see if there is any useful information there before pushing on the main wreck. The escape pod is buried deep in a crevasse which is inaccessible from the ship. They land half a kilometre away in a clearing and proceed on foot. As Cho is being lowered into the crevasse, Reeva, Dane and Zak are attacked by octipuls - arboreal octipus. A vicious fight ensues. Dane lets go of the rope to defend himself and Zak. Cho falls, crashing against the wall of the crevasse. Zak holds on to the rope with one hand, supressing flashbacks to a previous battle in a jungle, while he attempts to fight off the octipul with his gun then vibroknife. Hong and Lisana hear the screams for help over the comms and fire up the Brazen Fox. Hong pilots the ship to try and sweep the octipuls with the hull of the ship. The fight is short and bloody with several of the crew sustaining wounds. The octipuls are badly wounded and retreat into the dense jungle. Zak and Dane are badly shaken by the affair.

Scene 6 - Exploring the Escape Pod
[Day 5]
The crew spend the night recovering from their fatigue and head out again in the morning. This time things are uneventful and Cho explores the escape pod BESH 34. There are signs of a blaster fight with a nexu. Remains of a a human skeleton lie outside. Inside there are some annoying bugs that have nested inside. However environmental suits take care of that. Inside is another body that never made it out. Cho recovers the memory recording from the escape pod. It shows a paniced Captain Harsol and other bridge crew as the Sa Nalaor seemingly crashes and is destroyed. Yet the crew knows the wreckage survived mostly intact...

Scene 7 - Find the Sa Nalaor
The crew moves on to the Sa Nalaor and discover that the engine section broke off and dammed one end of a river creating an artificial lake. The hull and bridge section came to rest further down next to the river. The crew lands the Brazen Fox in a clearing close by the hull, choosing to leave the Engine section as it is unlikely to have anything of interest. As they travel through the jungle towards the wreck they notice an old encampment mostly washed away by flooding. Probably 20 years old. There are several graves, some marked with names of the crew.

Scene 8 - Exploring the Sa Nalaor
The crew pushes on to the hull and explore. It is clear there have been recent attempts to repair camouflage to the Sa Nalaor. Someone does not want the wreck to be found. They explore the wreck, investigating several rooms. They climb a non-functioning turbo lift shaft to the bridge. But there is nothing much to see. The crew head back to see how the storage hull to see if there are any valuables inside. As they head back the Hong’s new general-purpose scanner shows 2 new signals heading their way.

Scene 9 - Ambush by Cyber-Nexu
The crew take cover in a corridor and wait for the presumed attack. One nexu, modified with cybernetic claws leaps down the turbo lift and runs towards them. Another nexu with steel jaws has circled around to the rear and rushes to attack from behind. The crew fire everything they have but the nexu keeps coming. Cho jumps in front of one of the nexu to protect the crew, and although she damages it badly, she passes out from electro-shocks delivered through the claws that sink into her body. Lisana sees Cho go down and charges the nexu. The nexu at the rear attacks Dane badly wounding him its razor-sharp teeth. Hong fires his goo gun at the nexu pinning it in place and then sets it on fire with flammable gel. Both nexu are defeated but at a terrible cost. The crew retreats to their ship to recover and consider their next move.

Scene 10 - Recovery
Hong researches the nexu cybernetics and Cho regains consciousness. The Nightflyer arrives in orbit and starts searching for the Sa Nalaor.

Scene 11 - Captain Harsol Arrives
The scanners show life signs heading up the river from downstream. It is Captain Harsol, 2 Aqualish guards and 6 B1 battle droids riding large reptilian water creatures who swim effortlessly through the water. The crew decide to meet him and communicate with him over the comlink. They parlay. Captain Harsol seems somewhat paranoid and needs to control the situation. He demands that the entire crew returns with him to "The Retreat" to meet the other survivors. They must discuss what their arrival means.

Scene 12 - The Retreat
The crew arrive at "The Retreat". A fortified camp built into a natural rock overhang. Well protected against Cholgana fauna and almost invisible from above. Captain Harsol addresses a crowd of the remaining 30 survivors. Some seem angry. Some worry the Captain Harsol will dispose of the crew before they have a chance to talk to them. Cratala, cybernetics expert, helps heal some wounds. Hong and Cratala hit it off. She seems oblivious to the pain her cyber-nexu caused. She is much more interested however in how they performed.

Scene 13 - Quarters and Planning
Harsol shows the crew to some makeshift guest quarters in the main building. Cratala, cybernetics expert, helps heal some wounds. Hong and Cratala hit it off. She seems oblivious to the pain her cyber-exu caused. She is much more interested however in how they performed. Harsol leaves the crew to settle in, but posts some guards to make sure the crew are safe.

Scene 14 - The Rhodians Gatecrash the Party
The Rhodians complete their search and land near the wreck of the Sa Nalor. They are taken in by Harsol in a similar manner to the crew and arrive a few hours later. They are settled into quarters nearby.
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Act III - Intermission - Pilgrim's View

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Act IV - Welcome to the Jungle (Part 2)

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Act V - Escape from Cholganna

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Act VI - Raxus Prime End Game

Post by Bigby »

[18 May 2019]

Prologue
Thoughts of his family are weighing heavily on Dane. Lorisa will make another appearance, most likely she has the family's skills in Astrogation. She will not have been fooled by Dane's navigation deceptions. She will be following hard. Dane's goal of freeing his family is becoming ever more distant while the danger to them is ever growing. Something must change...

Scene 1 - A Fitful Night's Sleep
The party waits for Reom's arrival to Scrapheap Point. A busy day comes to a close and everyone heads to bed. Cho slips into a force trance, thinking about how best to help Reeva. She sees a vision of Gak’Fedaw being tortured in her old Jedi school on Dantooine. It is not clear how old he is or when this happened, is happening or will happen. Dane has nightmares about Reeva's and the grey cowled man's invasion of his brain. The feeling of helplessness. The feeling of being violated. Hong is kept up all night by the growing and increasingly demanding Nexu. In a fit of desperation, he goo guns them to the wall. Although this works, the animals become even more ill-tempered. Lisana is withdrawn, her sleep is wracked by nightmares of her father's abuse and fears that he will return to plague her life once again. Reeva barely sleeps at all, her mind buzzing with the guilt she feels and her desperate attempts to suppress her powers. Every time she falls asleep, she powers start to reach out. Zak has a strange dream where he is encased in carbonite and standing on display in Vemmla the Hutt's palace. She speaks to him while he is frozen. Adoringly. It is disturbing. He was never there. Is this a dream/nightmare, is this a force sensitive vision or some weird memory from when he was frozen? Why was everyone disturbed at the same time? Was this a coincidence or some deeper disturbance in the force?

Scene 2 - Yi Yar Clan Attacks
In the morning Norta lets the group know that Reom arrived in the middle of the night, some 4 hours ago. After some sleep he has invited everyone to breakfast. Technician's wander around tidying up the base for the CEO's arrival. Hong has his dum-dum droid check over the netting hiding the ship. The droid reports back that the netting is not designed to prevent the ship escaping, but that it is stuck in said netting and really could do with rescuing at Hong's earliest convenience. Everyone departs to meet Reom. Cho changes shape into a technician, worried that Reom might try something. Reeva volunteers to stay behind, maybe to provide a quick escape if needs be and maybe because she still feels uncomfortable around some of the party.

Scene 3 - Yi Yar Clan's Last Charge
As the group approaches the entrance to the base, three seemingly innocent Jawa skiffs, suddenly appear to be filled with Rhodians and Sullustans. They throw off their disguises and start shooting at the group. In the distance twelve Trandoshan mercenaries crest a ridge of debris and start heading towards the base from the flank. Worse, as the party begins to take cover and action, the middle skiff reveals a heavy repeating blaster being set up.

Scene 4 - They Brought a Machine Gun to a Pistol Fight
Zak immediately moves back to the ship, firing at the skiffs while he takes cover behind the feet of the ship. Hong dives into the debris, and seeing an opportunity takes a shot with his goo gun. A mountain of debris calves from the main pile and buries a skiff in junk. Reeva jumps into the bottom turret and fires at the skiff with the heavy repeating blaster. She misses. The gunners take a shot at Zak and the heavy blaster bolts rip through the cover and wound Zak. Lisana rushes over to apply a stimpak. Dane breaks the other way, taking a moment to aim he shoots one of the Yi Yar clan. He takes a shot in return. Cho, in the base, raises the alarm when she hears the calls of alarm and gunfire over the groups comms.

Scene 5 - Reeva Strikes Back!
A group of Rhodians charge towards the ship, under cover fire from their compatriots. Lisana stands in front of the gravely wounded Zak from the charge. Reeva shifts her aim from the Yi Yar clan to the skiff and blows away the one holding the Heavy Repeating Blaster. Rhodians, Sullustans and the gun are sent flying. Zak, Hong, Dane and Lisana all fire on the Yi Yar clan, who are take casualties. Cho finds Reom, who has two guards as the Trondashians find them and open fire.

Scene 6 - Satchel Charge Hot Potato
The remaining Rhodian in the group attaches a satchel charge to the turret where Reeva is stationed. The clan thrown out of the blown-up skiff dust themselves off and try to set up the heavy repeating blaster again. Dane moves up to the ship but is badly wounded and Lisana rushes over to help. Hong turns around and starts to run back towards the base. Maybe worried about Cho? That does not sound right, but who knows with Hong! Zak and Dane continue to return fire. Reeva again shoots the gun but misses the skiff.

Scene 7 - Chaos Ensues
Zak, seeing Reeva in danger, rushes over to the satchel charge, rips it off the turrent and throws it back towards the skiff. Dane, seeing Zak in the open and the Rhodian taking aim, takes a shot. But Zak is hit instead and again badly wounded. Dane himself is badly hit again by blaster fire. Things are lookng grim. Lisana tends to Zak. Reeva takes another shot at the heavy repeating blaster and knocks it out for good. Cho frantically tries to get the doors to close while the guards exchange fire with the Trandoshans. One of the guards goes down.

Scene 8 - Dane Falls
Zak takes cover in the ship. Too wounded to take any further part. Dane finishes Rhodian. The satchel charge does not go off. The dum-dum droid watches everything from a bird's eye view from the netting. Cho escorts Reom outside. Reom accesses a terminal and he initiates an emergency counter measure. Knock out gas floods the base knocking everyone inside out. Lisana tends to Zak. Hong attempts to access the bases systems to help. The last skiff fires on Dane and he goes down, hit several times and succumbing to his many wounds. Reeva opens fire on the skiff and blows it up. Zak dives into the last turret ready to open fire.

Scene 9 - Medic!
Both Zak and Dane are gravely wounded. Lisana takes them to Cratala who immediately starts to help mend their wounds with immediately medical attention. Cho says to Zak, "You've been hit by worse!". Everyone takes a moment to gather themselves. The Trandoshan's are rounded up by the base guards.

Scene 10 - Pay Day
After the dust settles, Reom negotiates payment with the group. Lisana manages to negotiate a 10% bonus on top of a full payment. For the first time in a long time the party money, and a lot of money ~30kCr. The party takes stock of the spoils of war and their money. Additional dum-dum droids are bought (and the first rescued from the netting). Hong makes good progress on repairing the Brazen Fox. Lisana immeditely sends her share of the money to her orphanage [Obligation Reduced by 2pts].

Scene 11 - Reeva Needs Guidance
Cho and Zak discuss what to do for Reeva. She cannot control her powers without the proper training. They need to find a teacher. They need to convince Reeva. Although Cho does not realise it yet, maybe the force has chosen her.

Scene 12 - Where is my Hydro Spanner?
Hong stops by Reeva's quarters as he searches for his hydro-spanner. The nexu have made off with it in revenge for their gooing. Reeva and Hong talk. His irreverent attitude belies a deeper philosophical view on the world. Against all expectation his words help Reeva regain her balance.

Scene 13 - Cho and Zak Confront Reeva
Zak tries to convince Reeva that a teacher is required. She denies this and believes that her way, ignoring her force powers is the only risk-free solution. She hates herself. What she did is entirely unforgivable. She knows what it is like. To inflict that on someone else and cannot live with. The conversation turns to Reina, how good she was and she must have had a good reason to leave. She trusted Reeva to survive on her own. Do not throw it all away.

Scene 14 - Two Bounty Hunters Circle Each Other
Cho and Lisana are in the gallery. A tense stilted conversation. Cho, "have you spoken to Reeva?" Lisana, "not for a couple of days.". Lisana, "Did Cho know of Reeva's powers?". Cho, "A bit.". Lisana, "Does Reeva’s actions not worry Cho?". Cho, "No.". Lisana, "No? Wow, why?". Cho, "People can read other people. Thoughts are not private. Not entirely private.". Tension between Cho and Lisana. Don’t see eye to eye. Cho not scared. Lisana, “Fine! You keep her safe”.

Scene 15 - Lisana Sounds Out Dane
Lisana wants to speak to Hong and Dane. She is not happy. She is thinking of leaving and wonders if Hong and Dane want to leave as well. Hong says he is coming then does not. Instead, he chases after a Nexu running off with his hydro-spanner. Lisana, "How are you doing?". Dane, "Ok.". Lisana, "Are you?". Dane, "Hong thinks so but he has a completely different view on life.". Dane, "It was a horrible thing.". Something he will never forget (unless his mind is wiped).". He doesn’t think it was deliberate. Maybe if she was not so inexperienced, she would never know. This mistake should not define her life, even if it will. Lisana, "So you are happy to stay?". Dane, "Yes.". Lisana, "Ok.". A lot of drinks follow.

Scene 16 - Better Late than Never
The Empire arrives. Lorisa sends Dane a "Hellion Priority 1" encrypted message. Dane is pissed as a fart. He is in the cockpit, about to take a leak into what he thinks is the refresher toilet. He thinks, "A message receiver in the toilet? That's odd. Oh it's the cockpit.". Lorisa's message says, "Run! I will cover your tracks. But I will have to follow eventually. I can give you a head start. Open the attached after you have got away.". Dane sobers up fast, wakes up the crew with a broadcast and starts the Brazen Fox's newly repaired engines. Everyone runs to their posts. Dane gets clearance from the base and then takes the ship through some ravens to mask their point of origin before firing up into the atmosphere. As soon as he clears, he engages the hyperdrive. For some reason the destination has been pre-set for Dantooine. Reseting the navicomputer would take too long, so Dane rolls with it. It is as good a destination as any.



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Story II - The Long Arm of Vemmla

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Act I - Rugged Road to Ryloth

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Act II - Saving New Meen

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Act III - Intermission - Pilgrim's View

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Act IV - The Great Tatooine Land Race

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[19 Oct 2019]

Scene 1 - Nyn Briefs the Party
Nyn briefs the party on everything she knows. She has set up an area in the hold with maps, details on key people and places. Vemmla's party is being held in her palace as it has recently been refurbished (when Cho and Reeva broke Zak out there was a lot of damage).

Scene 2 - Looking for Info on Race
Hong and Dane go looking for information on the race. Hong suggests they start with the bookies. They get some basic information about the race. Jabba’s team is favourite – The Sand Vipers. The race pays a lucrative prize, an incentive to take part. 1st 40kCr, 2nd 20kCr, 3rd 15kCr, 4th 10kCr. Should be able to break even or even make a profit, just on 4th. All top 3 places will get invite. Hong wants to look for a down on their luck and need some help at a low cost. Dane does the scouting out. RedCliff is just such a team. They also find out that Vemmla is working hard under the covers to even odds. They also find out about the details of the race (yes there are deaths and crashes and spills). They also find out the rules. They also find out that Vemmla is above all keen to make sure that Jabba does not win (for a 6th time in a row).

Scene 3 - Looking for Info on Palace and Party
Lisana and Cho head to the cantina. Full on Lisana dressed as an entertainer. Cho in disguised as as distinguished gentleman. She charms Tans the local fixer. He gives her the name of the person that runs Vemmla’s office, Twi’lick Kelarin for 100Cr.

Scene 4 - Street Ambush
As Cho and Lisana leave the cantina, 3 thugs slip out the back. There is also a shadowy figure following them more subtly (but not subtly enough) a kubaz. Cho turns the tables on the thugs and confronts them in a side street by the junkyard. She easily takes out two of them, scaring off the 3rd. Cho then turns tables on the kubaz. They disappear around a corner and Cho then grabs it by the throat. The kubaz calmly says he works for Vemmla and Cho should reconsider her actions and put him down. After a moment she does. There is a tense exchange. The kubaz is annoyed and embarrassed. Cho gives him a false name - Thaddius.

Scene 5 - Charming a Bureaucrat
Cho and Lisana head to Vemmla's office in town to look for entertainer work at the party. With a pass from Tans, they go to the head of a very long queue. Kelarin is a hardened bureaucract, used to every trick in the book. Lisana fails to get a job, she is simply too high class for Vemmla's party, but she does in the process charm Kelarin. She agrees to drinks later.

Scene 6 - Looking for Info on Trex
Reeva and Zak go to the local cantina to talk to the local fixer Tans. Reeva plays it cool, pretending that she is looking for work as a skip-tracer. For 500Cr Tans gives up the name of Trex and an introduction for a meeting later. He also reveals that Vemma has been expanding on Geonosia and Ryloth. Mostly muscling in on the spice trade.

Scene 7 - A Father-Daughter Chat
Reeva reveals her fears. Zak talks in terms of practical analogies and help. She should learn to use her skills. Until she does that she is not safe. Cannot stop yourself using your arm when someone throws something at you. It is instinct. Only effective if you learn to use it. Same with this (force) skill. Reeva opens up that she is struggling to sleep, having visions and although she thought that she could cope but she cannot. She agrees that she needs someone like Cho to help her. Maybe using techniques that she learnt when she was a Jedi youngling. Cho comes into the conversation to start that process and tell Reeva what is involved.

Scene 8 - Lisana Sleeps with Kelarin
Lisana meets with Kelarin for drinks and dinner. Lisana is a practical person not afraid to use her body. She sleeps with him. Kelarin decides to take her to Vemmla's party as his +1. During the evening, Kelarin divulges information about Losa - that she has some strange sexual preferences that would anger even Vemmla.

Scene 9 - Private Bounty Hunter Party
Reeva meets Trex at a private bounty hunter den. A sort of private cantina. She gets some more info about real nature of Vemmla’s party. Arms and spice deals. However she doesn't get an invite or any work. She is just too green for Trex.

Scene 10 - Building a Team
Hong and Dane sweep into the headquarters of the Red Cliff team and take over. Hong uses an alias Muerta and introduced Dane as Swede. Hong claims to be related to Sulbubba. The team is relieved and follow eagerly. They have a small eight-wheeled / legged hybrid. It has potential but fundamentally flawed in design and build.

Scene 11 - Preparing for Race Day
Reeva scouts out the route. Zak looks for ambush points and clears them. Lisana sweet talks other teams for knowledge. Dane does practice runs. Cho conducts some espionage on teams. Hong builds an awesome machine. A hybrid of legs and wheels to minimise the impact of terrain. All in all the crew build up a heady reserve of preparation for the coming race. And they learn that Vemmla has a challenger tank style build with turret weapon for self-defence. Jabba's team has a wheeled rhino style armoured vehicle.

Scene 12 - Race Part 1, The Sand Dunes
The race starts and there is carnage as half the field is taken out in the opening minutes. One of the "pack" takes an early and unexpected lead. Vemmla's team takes 2nd. The off-world team 3rd. Hong is driving on the opening stretch, Dane in reserve and Reeva present as defense with her rifle. The PCs take a steady 4th. Jabba coming in 5th followed by 8 remaining pack chasers.

Scene 13 - Race Part 2, An Electrical Dust-Storm
As the teams enter the canyons, a huge electrical dust storm sweeps over the racers. Although expected it has arrived early and sparks a furious round of new betting. Vemmla's machine cannot take the dust an an engine explodes. They falter into 5th place. Hong drives the PCs into an amazing 1st place. The unexpected pack leader in 2nd. Off-world team 3rd. Jabba 4th.

Scene 14 - Race Part 3, The Canyons
Dane takes over driving. The PCs remain in 1st place, the legs of their machine giving them a straight course through the canyons. The unexpected pack leader remains in 2nd. Jabba's team take an unexpected place to 3rd. Follwed by Vemmla in 4th and then the Off-world team in 5th. Even though they have a legged vehicle they make a critical mistake, maybe helped by some sabotage and a cliff face they are scaling comes loose. Only 4 pack chasers remain.

Scene 15 - Race Part 4, Sand People Attack
As the PCs exit the canyon, sand people start opening fire. As the smallest vehicle and the leaders the PCs take most of the fire. Reeva returns fire, furiously trying to suppress the ambush and just keep the vehicle or occupants from being hit. Vemmla and Jabba's teams open up with their heavy weapons. The sand people retreat. As the race exits the canyon, Vemmla moved up a place overtaking Jabba's team.

Scene 16 - Race Part 5, The Flats
The race enters the final stretch. Zak triggers an IED, hitting Jabba's team's vehicle. However it seems protected and trundles on, hoping their wheeled vehicle will overtake everyone on the flats. The PCs vehicle moves into a streamlined racing mode and pulls ahead of the field. Everyone inside feels exposed as the guns behind train on them. Cho's earlier sabotage takes effect and Jabba's guns fail to fire. Lisana's earlier charming efforts result in one of the pack throwing themselves in front of Jabba's vehicle. They are crushed, throwing themselves clear just in time, but succeed in slowing down the vehicle. As the race line approaches the PCs pull off an unexpected win, the unexpected pack leader a surprising and close 2nd. Vemmla's team comes in 3rd. The off-world team 4th. And embarrassingly Jabba's team come in 5th.

Scene 17 - Post Race Media
The "Red Cliff" team is mobbed by thronging crowds and media. They are carried through the streets on a whirlwind of alcohol, adulation and excitement. Zak, Cho and Lisana melt into the background shying away from the media attention that could bring unwanted attention. After expenses and letting the Red Cliff team take a share, the party ends up with 30kCr profit. Suddenly they are flush.

Scene 18 - Worries About Father
Lisana is concerned that if she killed her father then there will be serious consequences that would blow back from the Black Suns on Dane and Hong. She does not want to put them into danger. Although Carid mentioned that he had committed crimes and that the Black Suns had given the all clear, they cannot necessarily trust this information. Dane and Hong supported her choice. One for all and all for one!
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Act V - Party at Vemmla's House

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Act VI - Ghosts of Geonosis (Part 1)

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Act VII - Ghosts of Geonosis (Part 2)

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Story III - Tragedy of the Hellions

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Intermission - The Only Way Out

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[14 Mar 2020]

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Act I - Rescuing Lorisa

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[4 Apr 2020]
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Act II - Journey to D’Qar

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[18 Apr 2020]

Scene 1 - Dane and Cho Discuss the Force
Late in the evening, Dane challenges Cho about her being a force user. Cho is surly in reply. Dane has sympathy for Cho. Wants her to find peace. Cho does not want to give this as she does not believe that she deserves it and it is a weakness when the enemy strikes.
Cho would derive a (twisted) sense of satisfaction seeing Dane get off his morale high horse and see im do nasty things for his family!

Scene 2 - Droid Trouble
It is mid-morning the next day. The Brazen Fox falls out of hyperspace hard. It judders and throws everyone around. A few of the crew take knocks.
Dane is in the cockpit as normal. He tries to make sense of the sensors, but they are all scrambled.
Hong is asleep in his hammock in engineering. He gets caught up in his hammock in engineering and seems remarkably unconcerned.
Lisana is taking stock of supplies and her first instinct is to make sure that Lorisa is secured (maybe thinking she was repeating her stunt on The Wanderer).
Zak is striping down weapons in the hold. He heads towards cockpit, responding to Dane’s call for help with the sensors. Reeva heads to her turret.
Cho is in her quarters assembling her master’s lightsabre using the force. Her first instinct is to reach out with the force and see what danger threatens the Brazen Fox. The force does not present her with what she is expecting. She sees a pastoral festival scene being shattered by Imperial Stormtroopers, blaster fire everywhere. She manages to focus past this stark vision and senses that someone aboard is trying to escape. She heads to the escape pod and finds R5-L8 cornered in escape pod by Hong’s dum-dum droids. They are bullying it. R5-L8 is terrified of droids (trauma from the 19 years it spent hiding from killer separatist droids in the secret Geonosian Droid Research facility). Exasperated she force bangs two dum-dum droids together to turn them off, tells R5 to never do that again and returns dum-dum droids bagged up to engineering.

Scene 3 - Zak Lovingly Confronts Cho
It is late last night. Zak looks for Cho to retire to bed for the evening. He finds her in the hold taking her frustration out on some nuts and bolts. Zak asks Cho what is wrong. She replies by igniting master Nayim’s lightsabre. It is sunset red with flecks of orange. Zak is perplexed and does not understand the symbology. She explains that for all her teachings and preaching, the colour of the lightsabre implies that master Nayim fell to the dark side. That she did not die when Cho thought she did, protecting the Jedi younglings. That she gave up everything she believed in and gave into hate. Cho feels completely and utterly let down.
Zak is disappointed that Cho did not talk to him. He is there for her. They hug.
They briefly discuss whether now is the time to have Reeva try and find out about Zak’s involvement in the massacre of the Hellion family 20 odd years ago. If the Hellion’s know then turning up to D’Qar might be a very bad idea indeed.

Scene 4 - Osnan is Questioned
It is lunchtime. The ship is back in hyperspace.
Osnan being stored in the old Nexu cage in the hold. He has been stripped of his uniform and command cylinders. He has been fed and clothes but otherwise left to stew.
Lisana brings Osnan lunch and strikes up a conversation for the first time. He is the perfect Imperial Officer. Cool. Complacent. Slightly arrogant. Confident that the Empire will be along shortly to rescue him.
Lisana is devastatingly charming. She opens with a small deception, saying that they have equipment from Wanderer. He Is not fooled. Having softened him up with food, charm and deception, Reeva and Zak enter.
Reeva “meditates” nearby (and reaches out with her force Sense) while Zak asks him questions. It is an effective tactic. Zak is obviously military. And he looks like Director Myrto’s evil cyborg twin.
Osnan relaxes.
He reveals that his mission, after Cholgana, was to follow Zak and deliver a message that Director Myrto wants to meet Zak in person. He needs help. Osanan does not know why.
He opens-up further about some information about Director Myrto. He talks about the director’s view that more external collaboration would help the empire avoid embarrassments like the destruction of the armoured battle station at Yavin. Diversity and breaking the narrow-minded thinking of the Empire. Such as the profitable relationship with the Hellion family.

Scene 5 - Zak and Cho Speaks to R5-L8
For a start they discover that its name is R5-L8. It is scared. Thinks that Cho is a broken jedi. That violence is not the solution o anything. R5-L8 is probably broken. Suffering from the stress of hiding from killer droids for 19 years.
Zak hooks up R5-L8 to the comms, introduces it to the crew and takes a tour of the ship.
Please don’t shut off the hyperdrive again.

Scene 6 - The Elephant in the Room
Zak is concerned that about who knows that Zak allegedly was involved in a massacre of the Hellions. And for that matter why Dane is so certain it was Zak.
Dane has only told his cousins (Teirnan, Reece and Rellis) and his parents. He kept it quiet.
Dane was given a report by an anonymous source with access to the Imperial archives. The report was heavily redacted. Although Zak was not mentioned by name, the unit he was commanding at the time was mentioned. The report mentions an assault on a separatist supply cache. The supply facility was supposed to be empty. An excellent operation resulting in the complete destruction of the cache. The unit commander was promoted based on textbook entry and demolition. The report mentions separatist sympathiser civilian casualties, but they were unavoidable as they were not known to be on site at the time.

Zak suspects that his family would have the report reworded to spin it in the best light. So much so that he was promoted.
The Hellions were on the separatist side and were housed in the facility as they were contracted to take the supplies out next day and wanted an early start on the loading. 50 Hellions were killed that day.

Scene 7 - What May Have Happened
It is entirely possible that finding out that he was responsible for the deaths of 50 civilians would have caused Zak to go into a pit of despair and reckless. This may have even carried over to his time in the Imperial Military.
At the same time Nayim was hunting the Jedi killers. Righteous anger became anger became hatred.
Zak had been involved in Order 66. Maybe she attacked Zak when he was off duty, drinking himself into oblivion to forget what he had done. That is when he lost his arm and got his head injury. That is when he got what he wanted, after a fashion. He forgot it all. Nayim left him for dead, but he was rushed to an Imperial hospital. He survived.
This is why Zak knows nothing of the Hellion massacre. Or maybe there is a another story that will come out over time.

Scene 8 - Enarc
After 72 hours in hyperspace the Brazen Fox arrives at Enarc. A trade hub and gateway from the core worlds to the outer rim.
Zak’s new cyber arm is done and fully operational. It looks shiny and apart from added strength, has a built in ascender tool and Cryoban Rifle. It has an ice-bat symbol embossed into it. A bit of Hong magic.
The crew decide to do some quick shopping and get a hyperdrive upgrade added to the ship. This is successful and increases the hyperdrive to 0.5 (0.4 for a brief period although stressing the engines).

Scene 9 - D’Qar
Although Dane is under a lot of pressure (with his whole family watching) he delivers a perfect jump.
With the new engines installed there is barely time to get ready for the upcoming festivities. The Brazen Fox arrives 3 hours later, late in the evening and the Life Day festivities are in full swing.
The ship is hailed as soon as it arrives in system. They are directed to land. They see the misty beauty of the highland landscape as they approach. The Hellion estate covers many acres. Based on three hills with a small lake at the centre. On the southern hill are 7 landing pads with covers and facilities and an impressive sensor array. On the north-eastern hill lies a complex of several stone buildings, obviously the main dwellings. On the western hill are ranch buildings and a huge Holonet communications tower. Brand new, gleaming metal structure piercing into the low clouds. At odds and not in keeping with the rest of the estate.
As the Brazen Fox settles into its landing bay the Skywatcher arrives. Markys is taken directly to medical bay. His wound is quite bad. Lucasia goes with him. Dane, seeing this, heads to medical with them.
Rellis starts to talk to Lisana who is striking in party finery.
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