STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE

[Mojomoe]

A NEW HOPE




GEORGE: Hey guys, wanna play a new game?
MARK: Sure, what kind of game?
GEORGE: Its a role-playing game.
MARK: A 'role-playing game?' Like D&D? That's that game you and Alex play, right?
HARRY: Haha, right. The one where [mocking voice] 'you're a Sorcerer,' right Alex?
ALEX: Dude, I'm a wizard. And shut up, it's cool. I can shoot FIRE.
GEORGE: There are no 'Wizards' or 'Sorcerers' in this game really, it's kinda different. But it says there sorta is magic, I guess. It's called "Star Wars." I've read the book, it looks like Buck Rogers-style science fiction, but with laser swords.
MARK: Dude, I'm totally in! I want a laser sword! [makes laser sword sounds]. I could be a knight! Do they have those?
GEORGE: Yeah, but they're called ... [flips through book] ... Jedi.
HARRY: Pff. Swords are dumb. Do they have guns? I want to be a cowboy. [aims finger at invisible target].
GEORGE: Absolutely. It's kinda Wild West-y too. It's weird, I think you'll love it.
HARRY: Cool, I'm in. I'll call Peter, he might want to play too.
GEORGE: Awesome! I already ran a little intro game with Carrie, Tony, and Kenny. We can pick up right where they left off, like one big story!
KENNY: Oh cool, my Andro is still there?
MARK: What's an Andro?
TONY: It means Android, right George?
GEORGE: Actually they're called "Droids," it's the other way.
TONY: Really? I thought it was Andro. Whatever. Mine's name is R2-D2. He doesn't talk, he's just a whistling trash can on wheels. Tony's a "Droid" too, a gold human-shaped one.
ALEX: Does he whistle too? Is that what Droids do?
TONY: No, he can talk. He has a British accent; he's like a golden butler. He's scared of everything.
ALEX: Cool. I want to be a Wizard! I'm good at playing Wizards.
GEORGE: Dude, I said there's no Wizards in Star Wars.
ALEX: Fine, call me a "crazy old man" if you want, I just want to use whatever the magic here is. I want a really weird name, like "Qui-Gon" or "Obi-Wan."
MARK: "Qui-Gon" sounds like you already left.
ALEX: Fine, "Obi-Wan.... Kenobi." Like those old samurai movies.
GEORGE: Cool. Mark, you?
MARK: I want to be a knight! But, like, not a knight yet. Like, a knight-in-training, or a guy who will BE a knight. Maybe a simple trader or farmer. With a big swashbuckling name, like "Luke Skywalker!"
HARRY: [snicker]. Oh, we're doing stupid names? Fine, I'm "Han Solo," as in, "I don't need you jerks." I'll be a ship captain, some kind of outlaw. A smuggler.
GEORGE: What about Peter?
HARRY: He loves bears. Make him a bear.
GEORGE: Fine. And Carrie's a princess named Leia.
MARK: Should we read the rules? Or just jump in?
GEORGE: Let's just jump in, you'll learn really fast.
TONY: Yeah, we picked it up in no time. There's no weird dice like D&D, it just uses Yahtzee dice.
MARK: Sounds easy. Let's go!
GEORGE: Ok.

We open on a black star field. It's STAR WARS! Chapter One, A New Hope.
It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire.

MARK: Was that the game you played?
TONY: No, we just did a little shootout. I think this was all before.

GEORGE: [continuing] ...During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire's ultimate weapon, the DEATH STAR

HARRY: [snicker]
MARK: Shut up!

GEORGE: ...an armored space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet!

MARK: [whispering] cool...

GEORGE: Pursued by the Empire's sinister agents, Princess Leia races home aboard her starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save her people and restore freedom to the galaxy.... So that's the setup. Me and Tony, Carrie, and Kenny played the opening. The Droids ended up on a planet that's just this huge desert, called Tatooine.
ALEX: What about Carrie?
GEORGE: She's busy with model U.N. and writing class. Her part's over for a while anyway.
MARK: ...she's cute.
HARRY: Dude, she's annoying. Anyway, we're on tattoo parlor.
GEORGE: TatooINE. And for that I'm gonna make you wait to come in.
HARRY: Whatever. When I show up it'll be awesome.
GEORGE: Ok. Tony and Kenny got captured by traders, called Jawas.
Now those Jawas have brought their giant, rusty sand-crawling fortress to your farm, Mark. They sell Droids to farmers, but they have really crappy ones usually.
MARK: Farm? I thought it was a desert.
GEORGE: It's a moisture-farm. They collect water.
ALEX: Oh, that's pretty cool. Like a sci-fi thing.
GEORGE: Yeah, there's a lot of that kinda stuff. Anyway, Mark, you're a young moisture farmer living with your aunt and uncle. You really want to leave town but you're stuck here because your uncle Owen is a stickler.
MARK: Bummer.
GEORGE: Your aunt's nice though. You hear her from across the farm, which is really just a pit in the desert where you live. 'Luke? Luuuuuke!"
MARK: What's her name?
GEORGE: Beru.
MARK: [getting into character]. What is it, Aunt Beru?
GEORGE: Tell Uncle if he gets a translator to make sure it speaks Bocce.
HARRY: Like the balls?
MARK: Dude, shut up, I'm trying to get into this. [ahem] Doesn't look like we have much of a choice, but I'll remind him!

************

[Mojomoe]

GEORGE: You walk up to the sand-crawler, and see the Jawa traders, all set up with their droids like a flea market. The desert heat is beating down, but it's ok, since you're wearing simple loose desert clothing. The Jawas are aliens.
MARK: Cool, my first alien! And I bet being a simple farmer I don't see many!
HARRY: They probably smell. What do they look like?
GEORGE: They're tiny. Like, three feet tall. And they all have brown cloaks that cover their faces, and glowing gold eyes.
TONY: Like Orko?
GEORGE: Yeah kinda. And they speak in a weird squirrely-like language.
MARK: Can I understand them? Do I speak Jawa-ian?
GEORGE: You have to roll dice to find out, that's how the game works. What is your Languages skill?
MARK: [looks at character sheet] ...Languages... What's that under?
ALEX: [points at sheet]. Knowledge.
MARK: I don't have it. My Knowledge says 2 D's.
GEORGE: Then you roll 2 dice. The D means dice.
MARK: [rolls]. Six.
GEORGE: [checks difficulty]. You understand most of what they say.
HARRY: So we roll dice, and you see if it's possible?
GEORGE: Yeah, I have a difficulty chart that says how hard a thing is, and you try to meet or beat it. If you do, you succeed.
MARK: Ok, cool. That's easy. What are they saying in Jawa-ian?
GEORGE: They're talking to your uncle, Owen, about you, Tony. He wants to buy your droid. Owen looks at you: You! I suppose you're programmed for etiquette and protocol. ...He sizes you up like property.
TONY: Protocol! Why, it's my primary function sir!
KENNY: Dude, your droid is such a dweeb.
TONY: He's an uptight butler! ...
GEORGE: I have no need for a protocol droid.
MARK: ...What's protocol?
ALEX: It's like etiquette. Being proper.
TONY: [in character] Of course not, sir! Not in an environment such as this. That is why I have been programmed--
GEORGE: [interrupting] What I really need is a droid who understands the binary language of moisture vaporators.
MARK: Oh, I get it, it's like the opposite of 'evaporators.'
TONY: Vaporators! Why, my first job was programming binary LOAD LIFTERS, very similar to your vaporators in most respects!
GEORGE: Can you speak Bocce?
TONY: ...Can I?
GEORGE: Yeah, you speak like 6 million languages.
TONY: [in character] ...Of course I can sir, it's like a second language to me! You could say--
GEORGE: Alright, shut up, I'll take this one.
HARRY: God, Tony, you're a chatterbox.
TONY: [chastised] Shutting up, sir.

[Mojomoe]

GEORGE: Uncle Owen also points to another droid, a small wheeled one with white and red paint.
KENNY: What about me?!
GEORGE: You can't talk, remember?
KENNY: Nuts.
GEORGE: [as Owen] Luke, take these two over to the garage, will you? I want you to have both of them cleaned up before dinner.
MARK: But I was going into Tosche Station to pick up some power converters!
HARRY: God, does Luke have to be so whiny? I thought you were going to be a Jadi.
Mark: Jedi. Whatever, I'm a young farmer, I'm bored.
GEORGE: You can waste time with your friends when your chores are done.
MARK: ...all right, come on. And the red one too, come on.
GEORGE: He doesn't move.
MARK: Well come on, Red, let's go!
KENNY: Tony, you're not leaving me behind! I whistle and jump and make a racket.
GEORGE: The lead Jawa pulls out his droid-nullifyer and freezes you.
KENNY: NO FAIR! You can't stop humans like that!
GEORGE: Sorry, the book says you can do that with droids.
KENNY: Pff. Whatever, that's dumb.
GEORGE: ...Ok, tell you what. As the red droid is being led away, his internal parts start smoking, and his core blows and spits out components. He's so old, his system has given out.
MARK: I examine him. Do I need to roll?
GEORGE: No, it's pretty obvious what happened. His motivator blew.
MARK: Uncle Owen! This R2 unit has a bad motivator!
KENNY: Yeah! Take that, Red. I bet he was a jerk.
GEORGE: Actually he's an R5.
MARK: I thought all little droids were R2s.
GEORGE: No, there are different kinds. This one's an R5, and there are even non-R robots.
MARK: This game is complicated.
GEORGE: Owen is immediately mad at the Jawa and asks what he's trying to pull, selling bad merchandise. Now's your chance!
TONY: [as C-3PO] Excuse me, sir... But, that R2 unit is in prime condition. A real bargain! ...I point to Kenny.
KENNY: Aren't I all banged up?
TONY: SHH. At least your motivator works.
MARK: Uncle Owen! What about that one?
GEORGE: Uncle Owen turns to the Jawa and bargains for R2-D2. Since he's already bought faulty merchandise, the Jawa gives it to him at a discount.
MARK: I tell the Jawa to take away the smoking one, the R5.
TONY: [to Mark] Uh, I'm quite sure you'll be very pleased with that one, sir. He really is in first-class condition. I've worked with him before.
KENNY: [to Tony] Dude, don't oversell it!
MARK: [pretends he can't hear] Ok, let's go. ...I head inside. Or, underground. Wherever the garage is.
GEORGE: The day is starting to creep on as the two droids follow you down into the homestead, where the shade brings a welcome relief from the beating sun.
TONY: Now, don't you forget this! Why I should stick my neck out for YOU is quite beyond my capacity!
ALEX: Nice.

[Mojomoe]

*******

MARK: [to Alex] You fought in the Clone Wars?
KENNY: [whispering] What were the Clone Wars?
GEORGE: I don't know, I just made it up. It was a big battle years ago where Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker first met. Don't worry about it, it won't be important. It's just set dressing.
ALEX: [in character] I was once a Jedi Knight, the same as your father.
MARK: I wish I'd known him. ...I mope a little.
ALEX: [to George] do I know anything specific about his father?
GEORGE: Just make some stuff up. Improvise. Maybe he's tied in with the villain from last game, Darth Vader.
HARRY: His name is Darth Vader? What kind of villain name is 'Darth?' That's like 'Darryl.'
GEORGE: Whatever, he's cool and big and has scary black armor. You better hope you don't meet him. Anyway, go ahead Alex.
ALEX: [in character] He was the best star pilot in the galaxy, and a cunning warrior.
MARK: Oh that's cool. I took pilot skills too.
ALEX: ...I understand you've become quite a pilot yourself!
MARK: [beaming]
ALEX: ...And he was a good friend.
MARK: Hey George, when do I get my laser sword??
GEORGE: I can't just give it to you, you have to find it or make it or something. Your character wouldn't have one, you wanted to be a farmer remember?
MARK: What if it was my dad's?
HARRY: George said your uncle didn't like your dad, he would have taken it.
ALEX: Maybe I had it and kept it for him?
GEORGE: That's good.
ALEX: [in character] ...Which reminds me, your father wanted you to have this when you were old enough. ...I hand Luke a laser sword I pulled out of an old chest.
GEORGE: Ok. It's silver and black, with lots of knobs and levers. There's no blade, but it pops out with a FWOOSH when you press a button.
ALEX: Your father's... 'Light saber.'
MARK: That's cool!
ALEX: This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or random as a... What are guns called here?
GEORGE: Blaster.
ALEX: ...Blaster. An elegant weapon, for a more civilized age. [continuing] For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace in the Old Republic. Before the dark times. Before the Empire.
MARK: That's pretty cool. [in character] ...How did my father die?
ALEX: [looks to George]
GEORGE: [shrugs]
ALEX: A young Jedi named Darth Vader - who was a pupil of mine until he turned to evil - helped the Empire hunt down and destroy the Jedi. He betrayed and murdered your father.
MARK: ...Aww, yeah! I'm so gonna get revenge!

[DougRed4]

That was awesome, Mojomoe! Reminds me of The Lord of the Rings as an RPG.
_________________
Currently Running: Villains & Vigilantes (a 32-year-old campaign with multiple groups) and D6 Star Wars; mostly on hiatus are Adventures in Middle-earth and Delta Green

[Mojomoe]

Thanks! I was hoping someone would appreciate it. I'd love to do some more sessions. I'm feeling Harry ... I mean, Han Solo... needs his intro. And hopefully Carrie gets done with homework soon and joins in

I had to look that LOTR one up, that was amazing!

[DougRed4]

You probably found the same one, but just in case, here's a link to the Lord of the Rings as an RPG.
_________________
Currently Running: Villains & Vigilantes (a 32-year-old campaign with multiple groups) and D6 Star Wars; mostly on hiatus are Adventures in Middle-earth and Delta Green

[CRMcNeill]

My favorite quote from DM of the Rings? "There is no greater power in the universe than the combined greed of a group of player characters."
_________________
"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index