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How do PC's get into the Jedi Academy?
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Trusty
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 10:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In our game, set 150 years ABY, the process into our Jedi Academy is recruitment only. Any attempts to "enroll" by force sensitive persons leads to that person being flatly rejected. This has its ups and downs, but since my players have influence on the council, this was the decision they made.

Though, our Jedi are their own entity and are not tied to any galactic affiliation other than their own. They try to be honest power brokers at the GPD (Galactic Planet of Diplomacy...a Star Wars Galaxy UN, if you will), despite other galactic governments having their own force users, including the Galactic Alliance. So they have a plethora of problems, but they are officially recognized as the Jedi, which by our time, is a mixed bag of honor and shame anyway, so the label doesn't buy much currency with other force users, and many of the larger galactic superpower governments as well (like the Empire, the Chiss, Mandalorians, etc...there are about a dozen or so).
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cheshire
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 11:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

garhkal wrote:

For your daughter, being it is right after Bakura, and during the Xwing saga time frame, luke is out and about mostly hunting donw artifacts, and what few other relics he can locate. I cannot really see him taking the time to train a kid.


Heh... I say screw cannon and make your own, when it comes to this kind of campaign. Smile
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Jedi AlanRocks
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 2:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

cheshire wrote:
garhkal wrote:

For your daughter, being it is right after Bakura, and during the Xwing saga time frame, luke is out and about mostly hunting donw artifacts, and what few other relics he can locate. I cannot really see him taking the time to train a kid.


Heh... I say screw cannon and make your own, when it comes to this kind of campaign. Smile


Of course I could care less about cannon! Laughing But I want to make it a great adventure and would love to hear what the Pit thinks about this idea. The character is 17, which is older than my kid but still a kid to people like us in the SW universe. I have "given" her a slightly modified YT1300 and we're about to embark on this journey. She just finished a job and now she wants to start this quest. As far as I can tell she's going to get a cargo going to Courscant- she'll be smuggling something and have to dodge in system patrols and a variety of atmospheric defenses.

All I know is that when she FINALLY finds Skywalker he's gonna send her to some remote planet to find some rare jem, which is an adventure all it's own, right? THEN she builds her lightsaber. That will take up the entire return trip and may not work if she rolls poorly. I just want to make this a well earned lightsaber and not some store bought Monty Hall type object.

I think she will finally be able to find out where he is, but it will take some doing and going through military channels. She goes to Yavin, crashes her ship and then has to make her way on foot to a mountain peak. Along the way there will be tests of character and physical ability like leaping a river and climbing a sheer cliff. She will finally find him and thus we begin the adventure for a lightsaber.

Finally, I have this question. She's a girl. She want, I kid you not, a pink lightsaber. Rolling Eyes Would you allow a pink lightsaber in your game? I think, for the sake of harmony between the wife and I, that I am going to have to allow it, and it hurts it really does.
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 4:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jedi AlanRocks wrote:

Finally, I have this question. She's a girl. She want, I kid you not, a pink lightsaber. Rolling Eyes Would you allow a pink lightsaber in your game? I think, for the sake of harmony between the wife and I, that I am going to have to allow it, and it hurts it really does.


I would, and not just for the reasons you mention. The game is supposed to be fantasy fun, so if someone wants a pink lightsaber, just let it go. There were pink lightsabers in the prequels weren't there? Seems like they had all the colors.
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cheshire
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 7:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Finally, I have this question. She's a girl. She want, I kid you not, a pink lightsaber. Rolling Eyes Would you allow a pink lightsaber in your game? I think, for the sake of harmony between the wife and I, that I am going to have to allow it, and it hurts it really does.


Well... if Stacy can have one, I think that your daughter can have one too. Check out Pink 5 Strikes back:
http://www.atom.com/funny_videos/pink5_strikes/

Seriously, though... if the girl wants a pink saber, I say let her have one. The games are about fun, there's not a really good reason not to except that guys dislike the idea of pink cutesy things. If she wants it, then I'd give it to her. (That is unless she wants to set rhinestones all over the handle, then no... no no no. Smile
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hisham
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 8:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The first ever Minor Jedi character that I ran back in '89 was quite fun. He had pink lightsaber which he named Matilda for no particular reason.
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Barrataria
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 11:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

cheshire wrote:
Seriously, though... if the girl wants a pink saber, I say let her have one. The games are about fun, there's not a really good reason not to except that guys dislike the idea of pink cutesy things. If she wants it, then I'd give it to her. (That is unless she wants to set rhinestones all over the handle, then no... no no no. Smile


+1... if you can get her to play, this is definitely the kind of thing to not worry about. During the game, will you even remember? She will, and visualize the hello kitty vengeance over the dark side! Maybe Katy Perry is a jedi too.

If she's still playing when she's 20 and doesn't want the thing anymore maybe a Rancor can eat it or something, forcing a new adventure to build a new one Smile
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Barrataria
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 12:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rasta wrote:
Quote:
I totally see your point and I have come around to it, even. He sets up an academy on Yavin. But he can't advertise it too loud, right?


I agree. He doesn't want to paint a target on his back. In my game, other higher ups in New Republic command would be aware of his desires and may even share the desire to have a New Jedi Order established. If one is looking for Luke, they would contact the New Republic, who would then in turn contact Luke. Luke may choose to travel to meet them, rather then give out coordinates to anyone who is looking for Jedi.

Quote:
I think that they find him. Luke spends his days meditating in the Force looking for Jedi and calling them to him.


That's a possibility. Though even Yoda was not powerfull enough for this. The Jedi of the Old Jedi order used transmitters to communicate long distance, and in game terms, this would be Heroic+ to accomplish. It also could be dangerous, by attracting people he doesn't necessarily want to attract. Though, on the other hand it could provide some interesting plot scenarios.

So, if it works for your game, do it.

Quote:
Is it like Degobah? You crash and have to hike to find the temple, having encounters along the way? Tests of strength and character?


Sure. That would work. According to EU Luke does not establish the New Jedi Order until 11 ABY. In my game it will be more like 5-6 ABY, as the Characters in my game are helping to establish the order and it will be partially determined by their choices and actions.


To me there is a very basic conundrum that Luke faces here. He's got to train Jedi to have any Jedi. However, he doesn't have any to train unless he goes out to find them. (Again, unless you want to populate your SW universe with the Hand and Eye of Vecna and all the other "artifacts" they have resorted to in the EU).

Also, it seems like the Force in the hands of an untrained user can be a very dangerous thing. And the last thing the NR wants is a bunch of loose cannon force wielders running around... the Empire may have been evil, but they certainly kept the problem of rogue force-wielders locked down. So, IMC there's a strong secular(?) push to get the Jedi Academy up and running. Both to restore the Jedi as a power in the galaxy but more importantly to lock down these potential menaces. So, I think in some fashion or other the NR is going to be very receptive to making some kind of arrangement to collect data to pass on to Luke. But I agree that they're not going to post notices across the galaxy: "Jedi Tryouts on Yavin Y'all Come Now!". The Academy is a highly strategic resource and surely will be a priority target for your Empire remnants.

And I think the question is tied to what happens to the Sith/Dark Side. I'm going round and round with this in thinking about my campaign, and you should too. Is there one or more nasties floating around the galaxy picking up force users to train as dark jedi? Dathomir witches open a coven? Etc. Those are the things that will stand between your padawan and Luke.

Anyway, Luke has a conundrum. To travel and search, or train? I think sending non-force users to do that with a magic wand (a la Lando) is dangerous, and don't know that Luke would do that. I think a logical response would be to train Leia up and let her galavant around searching while Luke is the schoolmarm on Yavin or wherever you like.

But I also thought about making the Academy mobile. Some kind of large starship that functions as the Academy while Luke is training padawan. Then Luke can farm out some of the tasks to padawan as he naturally grows the school as he travels.

You can drag out the "search for Luke" in a few stages then, as you need for the campaign. First, rumors about the ship, and a couple of dry runs to find it. Then, once on the trail, a couple of "near misses"; maybe a mistaken identity (oops, that's a pirate cruiser!). Then after finding Luke, a couple of "initiation" errands by Luke. Then, once taken into the Academy, the padawan get sent on errands from the flagship either to follow leads planetside to find a prospect, or to resolve some other issue while Luke does that.

I think the ship would have to be good-sized to accomodate training exercises, but I think something too large might involve too many crewmembers that might sell them out to the Empire(s). An ISD, or SSD? I think those would be good for sneaking into Imperial systems but not so good in NR space and certainly not in neutral space (unless your NR fleet uses a lot of captured Imperial stuff). A Mon Cal cruiser poses the other problem.

I'd suggest an Ithorian herdship. That would provide a whole ton of locations that Luke could use for training (both high tech and "natural), and a ton of coming and going traffic that would let the Jedi blend in as they went planetside to explore. It could be a NR emissary type vessel, if the Ithorians are big in the NR in your campaign. But it might add a bit of cloak and dagger if the Jedi are semi-secretly present aboard the herdship. Only the Ithorian administrating one or two levels knows about it... maybe Luke bailed him out once or something. The overall commander of the ship doesn't know... or maybe he does and doesn't like having them aboard. The jedi have to sneak around the ship somewhat particularly in-system when traders come back and forth.

Finally, to populate your academy you might look at the various Jedi templates, particularly Failed Jedi and Quixotic Jedi. I like the Failed Jedi a lot; he could be an interesting go between, your player's primary mentor (which would keep a little mystery in the Luke character).
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garhkal
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 7:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jedi AlanRocks wrote:
I have "given" her a slightly modified YT1300 and we're about to embark on this journey. She just finished a job and now she wants to start this quest. As far as I can tell she's going to get a cargo going to Courscant- she'll be smuggling something and have to dodge in system patrols and a variety of atmospheric defenses.

All I know is that when she FINALLY finds Skywalker he's gonna send her to some remote planet to find some rare jem, which is an adventure all it's own, right? THEN she builds her lightsaber. That will take up the entire return trip and may not work if she rolls poorly. I just want to make this a well earned lightsaber and not some store bought Monty Hall type object.

I think she will finally be able to find out where he is, but it will take some doing and going through military channels. She goes to Yavin, crashes her ship and then has to make her way on foot to a mountain peak. Along the way there will be tests of character and physical ability like leaping a river and climbing a sheer cliff. She will finally find him and thus we begin the adventure for a lightsaber.

Finally, I have this question. She's a girl. She want, I kid you not, a pink lightsaber. Rolling Eyes Would you allow a pink lightsaber in your game? I think, for the sake of harmony between the wife and I, that I am going to have to allow it, and it hurts it really does.


Some notes.

1) who did she get said freighter from? OR did you gloss over that? How did she get the proper paperwork or is that another thing glossed over? At 17 she won't be able to get a proper pilots licence...

2) Smuggling stuff to Courscucant. WOW, i hope she has some great bluffing and hiding skills, or lots of cash to bribe with. Otherwise that will be over quickly. Imperial center is a BIG security zone, which will be on the look out for smugglers.

3) So luke sends her to get a gem for a lightsaber. Does she even know how to make one? Does she even know what components she needs? Let alone have the advanced skill lightsaber construction?

4) as to a pink gem.... don't even know any pink gems to give a pink lightsaber..
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Jedi AlanRocks
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 10:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

garhkal wrote:

1) who did she get said freighter from? OR did you gloss over that? How did she get the proper paperwork or is that another thing glossed over? At 17 she won't be able to get a proper pilots licence...


It's been slightly glossed over. We assume her dad bought it for her, which fits into her crazy world view that I am going to buy her a car when she turns 16. I don't know where she gets these ideas from. As far as the licence and BoSS datawork, again, glossed over but she's on the level. For now.

garhkal wrote:

2) Smuggling stuff to Courscucant... Imperial center is a BIG security zone, which will be on the look out for smugglers.


It's right after the fall of the Empire and the NR isn't quite established so there should be adequate 'holes' in the planet's defenses for smugglers to get through. I wasn't planning on sending her to the main starport but somewhere in the city's bowels. It understand what you mean about it's hard to smuggle onto Courscant, but that ony means demand goes up!

Quote:
3) So luke sends her to get a gem for a lightsaber. Does she even know how to make one? Does she even know what components she needs? Let alone have the advanced skill lightsaber construction?


I assume (once she meets Luke) he will give her some training and then she will go on the jem quest. I guess she will build the saber on the return trip to the Jedi Academy. As far as knowing 'how' to build a saber, I always assumed that Jedi were guided by the Force in making their saber.

garhkal wrote:
4) as to a pink gem.... don't even know any pink gems to give a pink lightsaber..

Wookiepedia lists lots and lots of different Jems for lightsabers, and according to that source Bane's Heart was pink. Wether or not Bane's Heart is cannon is up to you. As mentioned earlier, a Pink Lightsaber has been seen in at least one fan film. And when the young Jedi in that film cuts herself with her lightsaber it's hilarious, but I digress.

IMHO lightsabers need very special crystals from the crystal caves of Ilum. Though destroyed, there should be some crystals left- you just have to find them.
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garhkal
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 6:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
As far as the licence and BoSS datawork, again, glossed over but she's on the level. For now.


Again, i ask how can she be legal since she is underage for a license?

Quote:
It's right after the fall of the Empire and the NR isn't quite established so there should be adequate 'holes' in the planet's defenses for smugglers to get through. I wasn't planning on sending her to the main starport but somewhere in the city's bowels. It understand what you mean about it's hard to smuggle onto Courscant, but that ony means demand goes up!


Ah.. I thought it was right after endor/bakura, before the republic took over imperial center.

As for LS construction, this is what i have seen..

Code:
Preparation: Anytime after the character has learned Lightsaber Technology (A) they can begin the process of creating their lightsaber.  The character must first spend time and effort to gather the requisite pieces of the lightsaber: a power cell, a handgrip, an activation plate, a safety, a belt ring (optional), a blade-length adjuster, an emitter matrix, a recharge socket, a lens assembly, a focusing crystal, and a power conduit.  The character must spend 1 dedicated Seminar (no other skill training or special missions may be accomplished) or sit out one module, which the character may never gain any character points for, to gather these components.  If done at a Seminar, the judge will run the character through a special mission to accomplish this.  The most difficult item to find is obviously the crystals for focusing the blade.  Even if characters have the crystals through a module or other means, they still must use a Seminar or module to gather and prepare the other pieces.  The character must also spend 2500 credits at this time to procure the other pieces required.  The crystals cannot be readily purchased.  They are found through the means presented by the judge at the Seminar special mission or as a month long excursion if done through sitting out a module.
Construction: In a following Seminar, Interactive or by sitting out another module the character can assemble these pieces into their lightsaber.  The base difficulty for this roll is Very Difficult (25), but there are a few available options, which the player can choose to lower this difficulty.  One option is to spend more time to insure that the construction goes smoothly.  To do this the character can dedicate an additional Seminar special mission time or sit out an additional module, both of which will lower the difficulty one level (reduce difficulty by 5).  Players can only lower the difficulty by a maximum of three levels to Easy (10) by using this method.  Another option is that the character may use an old lightsaber as a guide in the construction of their new lightsaber.  This will lower the difficulty of the Lightsaber Technology (A) roll by one level (reduce difficulty by 5) on top of any other options used.  If this method is chosen, the deconstructed lightsaber is destroyed and rendered useless in the process.  When the final difficulty level is assessed, the character makes the Lightsaber Technology roll.  The character can use a Force point or up to two character points on this roll, but they will be lost in the process.

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PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 12:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Again, i ask how can she be legal since she is underage for a license?


Probably the same way people accross the galaxy do things that are not legal?
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cheshire
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 12:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't think that they have a license age for ships and speeders, do they?
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 1:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cheshire wrote:
I don't think that they have a license age for ships and speeders, do they?


Yeah, I'm not sure. It disn't seem to be an issue on Tatooine for Anakin. Of course the Hutts proabably don't care. You'ld think regulations would be different depending on the system.
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 6:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In many sources i have seen, the ave starting age for pilots has been 19-21. Only ONE is listed that i have seen being younger than that, and he does NOT have a license listed.
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