How far is too far?

[The Bissler]

*Spoiler alert* I don't expect any of my players to be on this forum, but if you are stop reading NOW!!!

In my latest campaign I'm slowly working towards a really shocking climax where the Empire "wins" (though there will be more campaigns so this is not the end of the story).

There will be an emotionally charged event where the rug is literally pulled from under the feet of my players.

On top of that my team of players, which includes a Failed Jedi and a Young Jedi will face Vader for the first time. Clearly they have no chance as their feeble skills cannot match the power of the Dark Side. That doesn't mean I don't expect them to put up a fight. On the contrary, as a player I would relish the challenge of fighting Vader even if I knew it would end badly.

I have no intentions of killing the characters as Vader has plans to torment them further but in all likelihood I would expect Vader to do some serious harm when they attack, such as lopping off a limb.

But just because I could do it and I think I would be a really cool (though bruising) encounter, should I?

[cheshire]

Is this going to be the end of the campaign, or is this just going to close a narrative arc? If this is the story's end, then it is likely to be a highly unsatisfactory conclusion.
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Before we take any of this too seriously, just remember that in the middle episode a little rubber puppet moves a spaceship with his mind.

[The Bissler]

Hi Cheshire,

It will be at the end of Campaign 2 of what is a 5 campaign overall story arc. Just as in Empire, the good guys will take a hell of a beating but that is far from the end of the story I have to tell.

I would agree that if I killed all PCs or the Empire triumphed and that was the end it would be terrible and really not the Star Wars way. Frankly, I don't think it would be satisfactory in any roleplaying world to have heroes lose everything without getting a chance to come back from the punishment.

[cheshire]

Then if this is a darker middle act, then I see no problem with it. Allow them a possibility of some small victory in the midst of it all. A bit of a "We lost, but we gained this glimmer of the future." Also, in the midst of this loss, allow the character's actions to matter. Is there something they can do to make the difference between a final definitive defeat and a strategic loss? That is to say can you give them the chance to say, "Well... that went really badly, but if we hadn't done X, then the Empire would have crushed the Rebellion forever."
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Before we take any of this too seriously, just remember that in the middle episode a little rubber puppet moves a spaceship with his mind.

[The Bissler]

It's mostly all grim defeat because one of the PCs will reveal that he is actually an Imperial Agent (this has been planned since the start) so that will cause considerable upset as well!

The Jedi will get some good news right before all the badness happens so the next campaign storyline will already be clear to them. It's something good that they've been wanting to happen for ages that they will be able to aim for!

Mon Mothma and Bail Organa will be involved and whether they escape or are captured will be down to the team's actions, specifically their willingness or otherwise to fight to delay Vader long enough to allow the dignitaries to escape. So I suppose they would have that small victory...

I suppose my biggest concern is how my Jedi players will react to me having Vader brutalise them a bit. Personally, I wouldn't mind the price to be paid, the idea of having my character duel with Vader would be very, very cool!

[garhkal]

Perhaps you can have it where one (or both) gets to make a choice.. heroically sacrifice his pc to ensure the others get away, BUT if he does, he has to choose (or both do), do they fight to the death, or do they yield and turn to the dark side and serve Vader.. That way, their characters turn NPC, and later on can be encountered BY the party at a later date, and potentially rescued from the clutches of the dark side..
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[The Bissler]

Neither will be forced to die as Vader will simply overpower them and put them out of the game (much as Dooku did to Obi Wan & Anakin). Vader wants to crush their spirit and will show them their planet being battered by orbital bombardment after they are captured. It will be at that stage that they'll be rescued so he won't have the time to turn them.
It is an interesting idea though!

[garhkal]

Are you so certain they WILL get rescued?
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[The Bissler]

I'm the GM of this universe. I can do anything!