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StarPadre Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Posts: 108
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Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2020 4:33 pm Post subject: An Adventure: The Rebels of Chayloon |
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This is Part 1 of my adventure ‘Rebels of Chayloon’. This part is the mission instructions and information given to the PC operative team by New Republic Forces officers.
The other parts will follow. Only Part 1 should be read by players!
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MISSION BRIEFING
Destination - Chayloon 2 [Sector F24]
Operatives - New Republic Forces Mission Team [ _________ ]
Outline
The objective of this mission is to give support to an independent rebel group. Along with several other secret insurgency activities in neighbouring systems, this will contribute to a critical disturbance in Imperial authority within the sector F24 (Arguvant) of the mid rim region.
We have recently received intelligence reports concerning what appears to be a local rebellion against Imperial forces & Imperial allied corporate interests (believed to be a subsidiary of Minarac Enterprises) on the jungle world Chayloon 2. Decrypted Imperial communications indicate sabotage activity on a growing scale, including sporadic guerrilla warfare.
The identity of the rebels is unknown. They may be a breakaway faction of local corporate personnel, or possibly members of the native population. Local Imperial personnel may know the identity of the rebels.
According to the existing survey records, the native sentients of Chayloon 2 are at a primitive level of technology. If they are responsible, then it is feared that without military advice or possibly direct leadership, their rebellion will be brutally quelled.
The Operative Team
This consists of members possessing varied yet complementary skills and capacities, including military expertise, as well as diplomatic and technical abilities.
Specific Orders
Travel to Chayloon 2.
Identify and locate the budding rebel forces.
Assess the situation.
Assist in their rebellion against Imperial forces.
Resources
Your ship will be the Lynx (a Bryntac class 12 light freighter). This model is thought to be used by several traders dealing with the local Minarac facility and so should not raise suspicions. We are unable to provide up-to-date clearance codes so you will have to bluff it out as best you can. You should be out of scanner reach once you get down into the planetary surface ‘scar valleys’.
The Lynx is a ‘bottom of the line’ junk freighter, not known for comfort. The galley is also the sleeping area - the beds being recessed into the floor when not in use. The same, cramped space is utilized by everyone for everything, except for actually flying the ship.
For stats and deckplan see https://rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=196919#196919
The freighter is pilot-assisted by an Astromech R2 droid (R2 9R), and stocked with 4 infantry support weapons (modified E Web Repeating Blasters), as well as 10 cases of NR standard issue Blaster Carbines (6 per case, with 4 ammo clips each). These are rugged and reliable, even in the hands of amateurs.
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Survey Information on Chayloon 2 (Limited)
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Temperate
Atmosphere: Type 1 (Breathable)
Hydrosphere: Moderate (32% surface water)
Gravity: Standard -3%
Terrain: Forest, bush, freshwater, swamp, mountainous (no full map schematic available)
Length of Day: 27.53 standard hours
Length of Year: 459 local days
Sapient Native Species: Mah-ta
Population: 12, 230 off-world personnel & families; Native population unknown
Planet Function: Mineral Extraction
Tech Level: Stellar; (Native – primitive; stone tools)
Major Exports: Gemstones & Belt Minerals
Major Imports: None
Starport: Cohlanga Down Facility
Star system: Galactic Survey data
System name: Chayloon
Star Name: Haphlux
Orbital Bodies
Name.................Type.................Moons
Chayloon 1..........Vacuum...............2
Inner Belt............Asteroid belt
Chayloon 2..........Type 1................none
Outer Belt............Asteroid belt
Chayloon 3..........Gas Giant............4
Chayloon 4..........Gas Giant............7
Planetary Surface Geography
Chayloon 2 is a forest/jungle world, with a population clustered in the equatorial regions due to climactic variations. Huge, volcanic mountain chains rise out of flatland surroundings to form criss crossing belts of rock (known to space goers, having looked down from orbit, as ‘whip scars’). The flatland valley areas consist of lakes, swamps, ‘velth’ and jungles, surrounded by long stretches of mountainous terrain. The massive velth expanses consist of closely-packed, broad leaved, stubby trees of several varieties, all similar in size. These have short (2 3m) trunks and flat splays of leaves forming what looks like a raised ground level, beneath which is the dark and damp ‘under velth’.
Native life
Chayloon 2’s sentient inhabitants are called the Mah-ta, an amphibian-like race believed to have a stone age technology. Their primitive society of herding clans was not always so, however, as archaeological remains have been discovered which point to an ancient civilisation, which although apparently limited to stone age technology, was potentially great in scale and grandeur. There are some very old records of several sub species of Mah ta, having different anatomical forms and social structures, but the information is vague. These were probably just races of Mah ta living in varied climactic conditions perhaps in the swamps or upon the mountain slopes.
Resources
Mineral Asteroids
The Chayloon system is rich in mineral asteroids, to which the corporation MINARAC ENTERPRISES holds the legal mining rights. Local Minarac interests, although not directly managed by the Minarac HQ on Coruscant, apparently maintain a small mining fleet serviced by several planetary surface processing installations.
Crystalline Gemstones
As well as mineral asteroid mining there is one other major business activity the harvesting of crystalline gemstones from the slopes of the great mountain gorges. It is for the export of these gemstones that Chayloon is best known. Their multi coloured, multi faceted nature cannot be artificially copied, except at great cost which makes the process unprofitable. Indeed, in some Arguvant sector and neighbouring sector business deals, when local currency is looking unstable or the political conditions are volatile, Chayloon gems are used in lieu of currency! This practice was declared illegal by the Imperium, but recently local ex-Imperial elements have resorted to such methods of payment
Imperial Presence in the Chayloon System
[Data extracted from captured vessels of High Admiral Yarrit’s Fleet.]
A brief breakdown of the Imperial force’s strength and command structure
Lt. Col. Relthus commands the remaining elements of an Imperial Army Regiment, plus a reduced strength Stormtrooper Battalion (Major Karbin).
The IA regiment has been reduced to less than half strength two depleted battalions commanded by Major Moltor and Major Chad.
The First (Armour) Battalion (Maj. Moltor) consists of one company equipped with repulsorlift armoured combat vehicles (ALCUs (Armoured Light Combat Unit), MRTs (Medium Repulsorlift Tanks) and RaSCaVs (Repulsorlift Scout/Comm Vehicles), one with armoured walkers (AT ATs, AT GTs, AT STs and AT Pts) and one company (Scout) is equipped with Speeder Discs. There is no fourth company. The battalion has several support elements: IGAACs and a Floating Fortress.
The Second Battalion (Maj. Chad) is also depleted in strength, a Line Battalion of Imperial Army Infantry units (with some Light Personnel Skiffs).
Major Karbin commands the Stormtrooper Battalion, at half strength, who guard the Imperial military facility at the planetary surface starport, Cohlanga Down.
Other military presence
Minarac Enterprises local security forces’ strength and composition is unknown.
Details of any mercenary or paramilitary elements are unavailable.
Last edited by StarPadre on Thu Jul 09, 2020 3:07 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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StarPadre Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Posts: 108
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Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2020 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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Part 2
Potential Players should not read this or the subsequent parts.
Gamesmaster’s Background
Chayloon 2 Geography
(See the information in the PCs’ mission briefing.)
Wandering through the under velth feels like being in a limitless, low roofed hut with never ending struts and pillars.
Native Life
(See the information in the PCs’ mission briefing.)
The Mah ta are the best known of Chayloon 2’s sentient inhabitants, but their winged, mountain dwelling cousins, the Groh-ta, are almost totally unknown to off-worlders, including those inhabiting the planet! The claims to have seen flying Mah-ta have become a common joke, but few people (except for those few who have seen them) believe the claims to be true. The situation is not helped by the fact some people who have not seen them claim to have done so!
Minarac Enterprises
(See the information in the PCs’ mission briefing.)
Minarac employees and contractors work both the system’s asteroid belts but focus mainly on the outer belt. On Chayloon 2’s planetary surface, Minarac personnel mine the precious gemstones mostly from the relatively inaccessible mountain sides, not only because the seams are richer there but also because the mines can be much more easily drained. Down in the flatlands the mines silt up constantly, not just in the jungle or swamp regions, but in the velth too. Another reason is the fact that the Mah ta slave miners are hidden from the sight of their flat land dwelling brothers by the great mountain chain walls, which has helped prevent unrest in the past.
The Mah ta, Groh-ta, and Their Secrets
Minarac personnel have several misconceptions concerning the world's natives. Mah ta do not only dwell in the flat land jungles and velth, but their priestly sects inhabit what remains of several ancient, mountain cities. These Holy Places have sprawling catacombs and caverns, with elaborately carved temples and shrines. Here Mah ta priests mix with their cousins, the winged Groh ta, working and praying side by side. No others are allowed to enter to look upon their secrets - except for the ‘lone warriors’ (described below).
It is only here in these ancient cities, in the presence of the ‘world spirit’, that for centuries the cousins of Chayloon have cooperated. Here the priests understand that the world, through them, has a spiritual life, and that this spirit rules the mountain tops and lava wells, the steaming springs and wide rivers of the flatlands, and even the sky above.
The ancient cities tend to be situated within the slopes of the longest dormant volcanos, which us why Minarac Enterprises has so far remained ignorant of their existence. The corporation prefers to mine more recently active or excitable volcanos for it is there that new-ish cracks and splits best reveal the rich clusters within the gem strata. This might be thought a dangerous practise, but all they lose if an eruption occurs is some mining equipment and some slaves. Their own monitoring personnel can evacuate quickly. The occasional eruption is considered an acceptable financial loss compared to the profits being made.
Recently, however, these choice gem-streams have begun to dry up, and very few worthwhile semi active volcanos remain. Therefore, Minarac has begun moving its operations down the scar sides towards the long inactive volcanos, getting closer and closer to the Cousins’ secret Holy Places.
The True Role of the Holy Places
The prayers and rituals of the Cousins’ priestly sects serve a very particular purpose and have been carried out for many thousands of years. The priests themselves are force sensitive, and in their collected numbers can wield a considerable concentration of force power. This is brought to bear upon approaching meteors, which spring constantly from the great asteroid belts in the Chayloon system, re-directing &/or breaking the largest up into tiny meteorites so that little environmental damage results from their descent. The priests’ constant meditation forewarns them of a large meteorite shower’s approach, which allows them to call upon all the other priests and begin the great incantation and ritual.
The result has had the Imperials and Minarac upon Chayloon 2 foxed for some time. Their studies have shown that large meteor strikes should be much more frequent than they are, what with the planet’s proximity to the asteroid belts. Minarac has performed a preliminary study of the upper atmosphere and although results were inconclusive the investigating team speculatively suggested that there must be some special property possessed by Chayloon 2’s skies which burns up asteroids more effectively than similar planets. They proposed something along the lines of exaggerated temperature gradients and differentials, causing a rapid superheating and disintegration of the mineral rich meteors.
This is also thought to be the cause of the occasional ‘unexplained’ loss of descending or ascending space going vessels - the unusual mesospheric forces must be affecting the ships. Few have noticed that the rare ship losses tend to occur during large meteor shower strikes, and those that have noticed think that is explanation enough - meteor showers being an obvious reason for missing ships. No-one has noticed that the losses have been clustered in certain regions of the sky (which correspond to spots above the holy cities and the largest concentrations of free Mah ta population). The admittedly rare effect has become a minor mystery, told of in spooky tales by free traders and transport pilots who have visited Chayloon 2 or who know ships that have been lost. (Think ‘Bermuda Triangle’!)
Note: At an appropriate moment, when the PCs are either discussing the Chayloon system or travelling through it, the gamesmaster might want to give PCs with Astrogation a Moderate chance, with Planetary Systems’ a Difficult chance or those with higher Knowledge Stats a Very Difficult chance of suddenly realising that a planet sandwiched between two asteroid belts like Chayloon 2 should be subject to a LOT of meteor strikes.
The Mah ta Rebellion
The Mah ta and the Groh ta, who understand very well the cruelty of the (Minarac and Imperial) off worlders, and have become aware of the new danger to their secret, holy places, have now begun to resist and rebel. The slave Mah ta are mostly far too well conditioned - by cruelty, shock and privation - to resist, but the free Mah ta have started to form ‘consecrated’ war-bands (an ancient practice long since neglected) to attack and ambush Minarac bases and mining operations.
Consecration involves a ritual, dance-like fighting match, in which the Mah ta ‘warriors-to-be’ fight against Groh ta ‘guests’ to the first blood. The Groh-ta are lured/invited by horn blowing the previous night and arrive at dawn to fly screeching over the village. The warriors to be run out to fight them with flint knives and an apparently furious melee begins. The warriors to be tend not to harm the Groh ta, but instead defend themselves vigorously until their own blood is drawn. In truth, the opposing Groh ta only draw the blood of those Mah-ta they consider worthy of becoming warriors. After this the bloodied warriors retreat, one by one, to the village, where they are apparently shunned by the other villagers, but this is actually a sign of respect for the newly initiated warriors, who have become a class apart from the normal villagers. As their race is almost extinct, the flying Groh ta limit themselves to performing these initiations, and do not tend to join in the warriors’ subsequent attacks.
When there are enough warriors to form a war band, they move off in search of war - pretty much in a random direction. Soon afterwards, they are invariably met by a veteran, ‘lone warrior’ who teaches them the ways of fighting and instructs them upon how and where best to strike their blow. These lone warriors are sent out from the Holy Places once the Groh ta priests are told by Groh ta warriors that a new war band has been formed in a particular area. Such lone warriors are usually the survivors of several battles, invited by established lone warriors to make the quest for the Holy Places, where they learn their new role. They are the only non-priestly Mah-ta to be found in the Holy Places.
The warbands gather in old disused mines near the target mines, not only to prepare themselves ritually and receive crucial military instruction from the lone warrior, but also to learn the typical layout of the mines. Once ready, they move along the scar side slopes and launch their attack on a working mine. Their missions are usually suicide missions, due to the lack of support from the docile, enslaved Mah ta and their lack of effective military equipment. Their usual tactics are to send some warriors to infiltrate the slave parties, who then wait for a diversionary attack by other warriors. Once that has begun, the infiltrators overpower the Minarac guards and operators, utilising their mining tools and side arms to wreak destruction on vehicles, personnel and equipment until no fighting Mah ta are left alive. Explosions sometimes collapse the tunnels and entrances and the mines are usually abandoned after the more successful attacks.
This picture is heavily inspired by an old 1980’s book illustrating aliens from various sci fi stories. It got cut up for roleplaying purposes (!) but I needed a primitive carrying a blaster, so I drew my own version! I cannot name the book because it was effectively destroyed when I chopped pictures for Traveller and Star Wars adventures out of it! (These were the days before the internet.)
The Off-worlders response to the new threat
The Imperials and Minarac are stepping up their operations against the Mah ta, performing coordinated, sweeping searches of the velth and jungles to locate Mah-ta settlements. Slaving has been reduced in scope as extermination has become the preferred policy. Minarac personnel have become unwilling to trust any new Mah-ta slaves, and so off-world personnel are being recruited to replace the Mah-ta workers, despite the much greater cost. To house the new influx of workers, Minarac Enterprises has begun clearing its Main Operation base's inoperative factory domes of much machinery.
Meanwhile, to actively counter the sabotage activity, Imperial soldiers & Minarac operatives are …
1. Destroying more and more villages
2. Laying traps in old mines
3. Placing secret sensors in the whip-scar valleys so that their forces can preemptively attack gathering war bands.
Recently, Imperial stormtroopers have begun playing a greater role and massacres abound.
Minarac Enterprises has also begun bringing in mercenaries and irregular troops to bolster their own forces – thuggish, dogs of war who relish the idea of easy killing.
Last edited by StarPadre on Sun Jul 05, 2020 2:52 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Raven Redstar Rear Admiral
Joined: 10 Mar 2009 Posts: 2648 Location: Salem, OR
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Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2020 2:16 pm Post subject: |
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Very cool! Thanks for sharing! _________________ RR
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StarPadre Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Posts: 108
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Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2020 2:51 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for saying, Mr Redstar. Now I am moving on to the actual game-play guide ...
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Part 3
Adventure Outline
Preliminary cut away description...
Grey, hairless, humanoid aliens of an amphibian appearance are working in a cave illuminated by a handful self-powered light rods. Men in work-force uniforms (some civilian organisation) operate machinery which cuts into the rock, after which the grey aliens crawl into the tapering crevices created to place small devices and also to scrabble for loose rocks and stones.
Suddenly there is a tremor and a siren starts to wail, its sound coming from outside. Both the men and aliens flee the cavern, joined by others from other caves as they run. Outside a repulsor lift enclosed mining skiff with a large grappling arm awaits and the men rush aboard. It is this vehicle which emits the siren sound. The aliens run every which way, those straying near the vehicle being shot down by blaster-pistol armed men crouching in the access hatch. Once all the men are aboard the vehicle soars into the air and away. Lava streams begin to pour down the mountain side, along with great boulders shaken loose by the growing tremors, and the aliens, in twos and threes, begin dying. None of the grey aliens make it off the mountain side.
Briefing
See Mission Briefing (Part 1) GM’s Note: I gave my players the mission briefing days before the gaming session so that they could familiarise themselves with it. I then began the session with the preliminary cut way above.
Arrival
Ask the players where they want the ship to exit hyperspace into the system and describe accordingly. GM's Note: Standard safety protocol would be to arrive outside one of the belts, rather than try to arrive in between belt and planet.
Asteroid belt nearest PCs’ arrival
A wide and flattish expanse of mostly dark, charcoal coloured galactic debris, not easy to pick out visually (only 4% albedo [i.e. reflectivity]). EMS sensor arrays can ID them well enough, so that the cabin sensor screens will be crowded with what looks like way more asteroids than can be seen out of the view port. The belt is a flattened (though still thick) ring shape, one could fly over/under it.
Other asteroid belt
A dissipated belt of mostly ice asteroids, some very large. Lots of little fragments cause an apparent ‘mistiness’ within the belt.
Local comm traffic
The ‘Metosp’ (Message to Spacers) channel is dead. This is no surprise in such a back-water. There is, however, something being transmitted system wide - an automated Asteroid Warning beacon is active, indicating ‘Rogue asteroids’.
Escort!
As the PCs approach close planetary orbit, somehow, perhaps from the ‘other’ side of the asteroid belt, they pick up a tail - a Minarac Enterprises operation defence fighter.
GM’s Note: As I was using models, I put the model of the PC’s ship on the table, then held the fighter model to show relative position a good distance away from the table, which meant the players had to squint a bit to make out what the pursuing ship looked like. If there was to be combat, I would have a player hold the PC’s ship while I held the Minarac fighter to show relative positions and reveal manoeuvres etc.
The pilot questions them using the standard Metosp frequency...
Quote: | “This is Minarac Enterprises Defence Vessel Seven-C. You are entering a controlled zone. Identify yourself and state your business.” |
He wants a verbal ID of the PC’s ship, the captain’s name and the last port of call, as well as an acceptable purpose. If they do not give him those details, he will repeat the question, being more specific.
When/if the PC’s answer, after a few moment’s time the fighter pilot will say ...
Quote: | “Your details are being processed. Adjust present vector to geostationary orbit and await further instructions from Cohlanga Tower.” |
For the fighter’s description and stats see https://rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=196826#196826
There are three possibilities …
* The PCs fail to convince the fighter pilot with their first answers
* The pilot is told by the tower that they are not expected in system
* The PC’s initiate combat (If so, see the section “Meteor Shower” below.)
Either of the first two possibilities results in the fighter pilot ordering them to head towards the starport, with him escorting. His words …
Quote: | “Follow the course in this data burst. I will escort you to Cohlanga Tower.” |
Perceptive PCs might realise from his tone that he is suspicious and they are being probably being escorted to Cohlanga Down for arrest and questioning.
There are now three possible actions for the PCs …
* Obey the request
* Initiate combat
* Flee
Whichever action they choose (or other action) they choose, due to their starting position and that of the fighter, they will be in the uppermost reaches of Chayloon 2’s atmosphere.
Meteor shower
(And tremor in the force
If the PC’s are being escorted, then the shower will begin as they reach skirt the planetary atmosphere. If they are fleeing or fighting, it will begin just as they destroy the fighter or just before they themselves are destroyed …
Suddenly something shoots across the view port - a tiny particle followed by visible shock-trail of heat disturbance. Then another, and another, closer. Then a sharp p’tang! As something hits the ship. A meteor shower!
Moderate test (Starship shields //Mechanical) to get shields up ASAP for the relevant two fire arcs. If failed, the ship suffers some GM determined damage.
The Force
Force sensitive PCs may sense ‘something’ - a disturbance in the force, like being invisibly tugged for a moment, as if a far-off will was momentarily exerted upon them. They cannot tell if it is a dark or light disturbance, though it is recognisable as a manifestation of the force.
If the PCs look behind them, they will see the defence fighter breaking up (either due to being hit by a meteorite, or the damage the PCs inflicted, or both!). The GM might enjoy vividly describing the fighter’s explosive break up.
If the PC’s search for it, or notice the comm panel’s indication of a message on another frequency, they will hear the following comm signal from Cohlanga Tower ...
Quote: | “Solar 7c, do you read? This is Cohlanga Tower. Repeat last transmission. Solar 7c - respond. Do you require assistance? |
Planetfall
If the PCs choose (any might realise on passing an easy Survival/Tactics - Knowledge roll) they could fly low through the scar valleys to reduce chance of being scanned by orbital or planetary-surface sensors. They were also told of this fact in their mission briefing.
Describe the terrain as the PCs’ ship passes over (see the map scan in Part 1) depending on where they are:
Quote: | Chains of mountains, rocky and icy on their peaks; occasional clouds of smoke from the semi-active volcanoes here and there; vast swathes of swamp, forest, velth; and the rivers, some very wide, flowing through the mountains into great lakes and small seas. |
The players must now decide what to do. This is, of course, up to them. For example …
* Will they land? Where? (Forest, swamp or velth?) And will they attempt to conceal their ship?
* Will they search for the Mah-ta? For native settlements? On foot or flying?
* Will they scan comm channels for signs of rebel activity or Imperial/Corporate response to sabotage? Or for other clues, such as Imperial Military communications (most likely encrypted)?
Whatever they do, and with whatever fudging/nudging the GM needs to do, eventually they should make contact with the Mah-Ta. Even if it happens by accident as they are flying about. Even if they are over swamp or forest terrain, a sudden stretch of velth appears, which contains the village.
...
Contact
At some point, even if it is by accident, have the PCs spot a Mah-Tavillage. Hopefully, considering their mission briefing, they will choose to approach it.
Overview
Most of the Mah-ta react by hiding in the Velth, fearing the PCs are slavers, plus being xenophobic anyway. This is except for a group of males who will stay to watch & listen with interest to the PCs’ words. The PCs will deal mainly with a village elder called Ta-Ytref who can speak Basic.
The Encounter
Describe how the Mah-ta flee and hide, but at first only give vague descriptions, as they are but glimpsed by the PCs. Describe the layout of the village (show the village picture to the PCs ).
The elder Ta-Ytref will freely talk with the PCs. The following gives an idea of his answers. If the GM keeps in mind the background information re: how warriors are made then Ta-Ytref’s responses can be formulated. There are no warriors/fighters as none have recently been made.
Ta-Ytref’s possible words …
Quote: | * He may ask: ‘Are you here to take the strong away?’
* If the PCs offer the weapons: ‘We have no interest in weapons. There are no warriors here. None have been chosen.’
* If asked about fighters or warriors: ‘I cannot say where there are any warriors. None have been made among us for two seasons. And warriors never return.’
* If the PCs ask about the Imperials or Minarac, first they would have to explain in terms he understands that they mean the others like them, i.e. not Mah-Ta, having machines and blasters etc. Ta-Ytref might admit he assumed the PCs were such! He could use the terms ‘Grey Shells’ or ‘White Shells’ (for Imperials) and ‘Shouting Ones’ (for Minarac personnel). However the conversation goes, it will become obvious he knows little but rumours about the off-worlders, other than that there has been a story of a village burning and captives being taken.
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An Invitation to Stay?
Ta-Ytref will offer hospitality (a hut and food) if he thinks he can trust the PCs. If he really trusts them may promise to send a runner to find out from neighbouring Mah ta if any warriors have been made.
If he has no reason to trust them, and/or if the PCs decide to leave, have the following incident happen immediately. If not, the PCs can use the evening to mull over things and discuss between themselves. This is also a good time to have the Mah-ta (who initially ran away to hide) return and begin curiously poking at the PCs, etc.
A Messenger Arrives
A Mah-Ta messenger called Ta-Aoba arrives from a nearby village. He speaks frantically to the elder males (the ones who stayed when the others ran away from the PCs). This agitated conversation is entirely incomprehensible to the PCs (unless they have a protocol/interpreter droid who can make out the drift of the conversation on a very difficult languages roll).
Alternatively, and if asked to do so by the PCs, Ta-Ytref will explain that Ta-Aoba is a messenger, then share much of the following information with the PC. He can also act as a translator so that the PCs can communicate further with the messenger and learn more.
(Note: If Ta-Ytref sent a runner to a neighbouring village while the PCs waited, then Ta-Aoba is that runner, now returned.)
Ta-Aoba’s news
He announces that ‘Grey Shells and their mighty stone servants’ (i.e. Imperial Army troopers and vehicles) are in the area, approaching the neighbouring village in their machines.
The neighbouring village elders have decided to stand in hope that the grey shells want only to take ‘servants’ away (the village has no warriors). Ta-Aoba, however, thinks this is not a good idea, as he has heard rumours of several villages razed to the ground, but he has never once heard of the grey shells taking prisoners. Only the ‘Shouting Ones’(i.e. Minarac employees) take prisoner.
Will the PCs help?
The PCs may just volunteer to help. If they previously said they are there to help the Mah-ta, or that they are warriors themselves, then their elder friend Ta-Ytref will now expect them to honour their words, even plead with them to help.
Ta Ytref can offer no warriors right now, but he says that now he knows war is coming, warriors ‘can be made’ in the next few days. He will also tell the messenger that survivors from the neighbouring tribe will be welcome to live in this village as long as they need.
It might take the PCs a while to realise, but none of the Mah-Ta intend to help, because of their deeply held belief that they would have to be initiated warriors to do so!
Combat
Play this out however you do combats. I use figures, scenery and model vehicles, but tend to represent on the tabletop only that part of the conflict that the PC’s are immediately involved in, simply describing what is going on further afield (if and when the PC’s can see that far).
Imperial Force
A small Imperial Army group is approaching the neighboring village. This consists of …
6 AT PT’s (All Terrain Personal Transport)
See https://rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=198102#198102
4 AT STs
See 2nd ed SW RP; revised and expanded, p. 241
An un-armed Ubbrikian Floating Fortress carrying 10 Imperial Army Assault Troopers
See Imperial Source Book, p. 77
The above are supported by a single Minarac Solar Fighter (see link above) to deliver the initial aerial bombardment run
AT-PT
Imperial Tactics
* They Imperials will form up in a widely dispersed ring around village, advancing to close in.
* There will be a short, one run, aerial bombardment from single Minarac fighter, to shake up the Mah-Ta villagers and get the running. (This is why the Imperials will start way out, so as not to get hit by that bombardment.)
* As they then move forwards, the soldiers have orders to blast any surviving Mah ta they spot fleeing. The AT-ST’s will blast at any moving heat signatures that are not Imperials, even if they can’t see them through the vegetation.
* The assault troopers and the AT PTs can be ordered to close in and mop up any concentrations of Mah-Ta spotted by the AT-ST crews.
The Imperial commanders are aware that several Mah-ta will probably escape, but as this is a terror raid intended to punish the Mah-ta for their rebellious activities and to make them think twice before doing so again, they do not think this is a bad thing.
Combat Play Guide
Keep in mind that the concealment possible in the velth terrain gives the PCs a great opportunity to cause confusion and damage to at least some of the Imperial elements. Hopefully, they will quickly realise the potential use they can make of it.
Possible descriptive images and events ...
The AT-STs tearing through the velth (slowing them down somewhat), scattering leaf shards around them and leaving long trails of bent or flattened velth behind them (could be seen from the undervelth as simply legs!
The floating fortress’s repulsor field compressing the flat velth-top leaves from above into a bowl like depression. It could pass over the PCs while they are concealed under the velth-top leaves, presenting the weird image of bowed trunks, creaking branches, leaves pushed so low almost touch the ground, and branches snapping sporadically with a violent cracking sound)
The ‘other’ world beneath the velth roof, the troopers in pairs moving through the world of darkened pillars, the flash of bright, white blaster bolts suddenly illuminating the vicinity, then the explosion of red sparks and debris as Mah-ta and velth trunks are torn apart
The smell of burning vegetation mixed with acrid odour of blaster energy.
The End Result
With cunning and surprise, the PCs could perhaps rout, confuse &/or destroy some Imperials (if they use their advantage well). If they do manage to save a few Mah ta, then they might want to escort them away.
The Imperials may subsequently initiate a search mission to locate the obviously off-worlder soldiers who attacked their punishment force.
Part 4 to follow. |
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StarPadre Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Posts: 108
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Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2020 8:53 am Post subject: |
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Part 4
The Initiation
After fighting the Imperials, the PCs will probably return to the friendly village, either to re-establish contact with Ta-Ytref &/or to escort the escaped Mah-Ta. Once the PCs are back, the elder Ta-Ytref will invite PCs to stay (again), this time promising that there will be warriors tomorrow.
That evening, horns are blown and a feast is had (a long-necked grazing beast is slain and roasted) but there is still no sign of warriors. As this is a waiting game, and the Mah-Ta do not really have much information to offer, or relevant conversation, then you could skip to the morning, unless your PC party have issues or other things to talk about.
First thing next morning, in the rich-red sky of dawn, the Groh-Ta warriors arrive, four of them. At first, they cry out and swoop over the village, this being the start of the war dance performance.
See the section The Mah-Ta Rebellion in Part 2 (Gamesmaster’s Background) for information regarding the warrior-initiation ritual .
Play Guide
This is a chance for the GM to use vivid descriptions - the fear and screams, the frantic activity and blood!
Starting with the shrill cries of the approaching Groh-Ta, then the flapping of their wings, this is followed by the screams of the terrified Mah-Ta younglings as most of tribe rush around looking for somewhere to hide. Then a handful of young males, armed with flint knives, run out acting much more ‘aggressively’ towards the attackers.
(Note: Don’t feel obliged to show players this somewhat corny picture of the 15mm figures I used in the adventure. The huts shown were for a different hobby project and so don’t match the shape of those on the village map. I made this picture just for fun and to break up the text!)
PCs with Alien Species OR Cultures skills who pass Difficult Knowledge rolls will realise what is happening. Alternatively, if the Gamesmaters prefers, Ta-Ytref will attempt to stop the PCs, and to explain what is happening. But if the players do not understand to what is really happening, perhaps believing the Groh-Ta are enemies attacking the village with bad intent, then their PCs could cause some trouble!
If any PCs do attack the Groh-Ta then the young Mah-Ta initiates will become confused. If at any point a PC wounds a Mah-Ta (or worse), everything will stop very suddenly. The Groh-Ta will land, and both Mah-Ta and Groh-Ta will stare at the offending PC, dumbfounded and disappointed. The offending PC will then be given a flint knife and urged to fight a Mah-Ta until they prove to the Groh-Ta’s satisfaction that they are truly warriors (having been bloodied or drawn blood) and not just a fool. If any other PCs join in this fight, then they too will have to do the same.
Note: Force sensitive characters may sense the workings of the force during these initiatory combats - it is there to reduce the chance of fatal injury. This effect is brought about by the cooperation of Mah-Ta and Groh-Ta, just like it is by the cooperation of the priests in the Holy Places. PCs cannot tell if it is a dark or light disturbance, as it is alien and strange to them, but if they sense it then it recognisable as the force at work.
Groh-Ta Warrior
DEXTERITY: 3D+2
Melee Parry 4D+1
Thrown Spear 4D+2
Jungle Survival 3D
KNOWLEDGE: 1D+1
MECHANICAL: 1D
PERCEPTION: 1D+1
STRENGTH: 4D+1
Brawling 5D
Stamina 4D+2
TECHNICAL: 1D
Move: 10 (ground) 15 (flight)
Mah-Ta Warriors-to-be
DEXTERITY: 2D+2
Melee Parry 3D
Melee Combat 3D
KNOWLEDGE: 1D+1
MECHANICAL: 1D
PERCEPTION: 1D+1
STRENGTH: 4D
Brawling 4D
TECHNICAL: 1D
Move: 13
Commonly used Mah-Ta & Groh-Ta Weapons...
Knife - Damage: STR+1D(max.6D) // Difficulty: 5 [Very Easy]
Spear - Damage: STR+1D+1 (max.6D+1) // Difficulty: 7 [Easy]
Hatchet - Damage: STR+2 // Difficulty: 8 [Easy]
A New War-Band
The war band created by the melee-ritual includes Ta-Ytref’s son, Ta-Ytrab (who speaks some very basic Basic) and 8 other Mah-Ta. Some of these can be refugees from the other village if you wish, although the PCs might need to pass Moderate perception rolls to notice and recognise which is which.
The new warriors are given food (in the form of large nuts and some kind of pulpy loaves, wrapped in the cut strips of young velth leaves) and they arm themselves with flint knives. They are keen to move off immediately to their destiny.
If the PCs don’t join them, then Ta-Ytref will suggest they do
Quote: | “They are the warriors you were looking for” (or) “They are going to fight.” |
Off they go!
The newly formed warband now sets off to wander the velth. They do not know where they are going, but this does not trouble them as they believe they will be guided.
Regarding weapons
The PCs have several crates of blasters in their hold, which they might now think to arm the young warriors with. But the Mah-Ta, with their tradition of ritualised warfare, have some unusual ways, especially without a lone warrior yet to guide them.
This means Mah-Ta from Ta-Ytref’s village, the surviving village, will refuse to take any weapons. Ta-Ytref’s son, Ta-Ytrab, may explain:
Quote: | “How can we know what weapons to use until we know our enemy?” |
If, however, there are some survivors from the destroyed village among the war-band, they will accept the weapons, for they know that this kind of weapons were used against them. The PCs might need moderate Perception rolls to realise that the Mah-Ta who take the weapons are the survivors - unless they already passed the roll earlier and so already know.
Note: Your PCs will have to make decisions regarding their ship. Will they travel in it, following the young warriors? Will they have an R2 droid pilot it so that it stays close, or just sit tight and await orders? Will some of the PCs travel in it, hopping from place to place, while the others remain with the Mah-Ta? Will they conceal it and travel on foot? (My PCs opted for hiding it, with the R2 droid ready to bring it to them if necessary. This way they could ‘immerse’ themselves in the Mah-Ta’s world.)
Lone Warrior
As already mentioned, the Mah-Ta warriors do not know where they are going. They will move in an arching path, somewhat aimlessly. Astute PCs may start to suspect no one knows where they are going, at which moment the lone warrior suddenly appears!
Appearance
The lone warrior is armed flint spear and a blaster pistol. Apart from these weapons and a few blackened and raised scars grazed upon on his grey flesh, to the PCs he looks little different from the other Mah-Ta.
The Lone Warrior, Ta-Kiazee, is there to teach and guide the young warriors (see the Gamesmaster’s Background notes). He speaks Basic, having once been a slave, but is initially reluctant to communicate with the PCs. Not only has he never known any good off-worlders, but he is not sure he should have anything to do with them if they are not initiated warriors. He will presume he cannot teach them.
If the PCs fail to convince him to communicate with them, the other Mah-Ta warriors, especially Ta-Ytrab, may intervene on their behalf (especially if they are asked) and so convince Ta-Kiazee to interact with the PCs.
Ta-Kiazee knows what weapons the enemy has and will thus accept any weapons which the PCs give to him. If this happens, then all the other initiated warriors will now also accept the weapons, although they will have no idea how to carry them, let alone use them, until the Lone Warrior or the PCs teach them how.
...................................................................................................
The Minarac Mine
Ta-Kiazee already has a target planned for the young warriors – a Minarac ‘barb-mine’ on the mountain side of the nearest river valley. As an experienced lone warrior, it is his job to prepare the new warriors and explain everything.
Unless they PCs have convinced Ta-Kiazee they can be trusted, he may still be reluctant to talk to them. If so, he will attempt to reveal his secrets to the warriors alone, but the friendly Ta-Ytrab could then share the information with the PCs.
The Plan
This is pretty much exactly as stated in the Gamesmaster’s Background. Here is a summary:
* Gather in a disused mine (near the target mine) to prepare ritually, receive fighting instructions & to learn a typical mine’s layout.
* Move secretly along the scar valley slopes towards the target mine.
* Once he has pointed out the target, the lone veteran leaves before the fight commences. The warriors will not seem at all surprised or disappointed by this.
* Infiltrate some warriors into the slave parties, then begin a diversionary attack by the rest of the warriors. Once this has begun, the infiltrators overpower the Shouting Ones and use their tools & side arms to wreak destruction on vehicles, personnel and equipment. This continues until there are no fighting Mah-Ta are left alive.
These are usually suicide missions, due to the lack of support from the terrified enslaved Mah-Ta and lack of effective military equipment or proper experience and training. The PCs may have tipped the scales a bit if they armed the warriors.
Game-Play
The GM can use the above outline sequence of events and the PCs can become involved as, when and how they wish. This is not intended to be a difficult fight for the PCs (that comes later) but a chance for excitement and action nevertheless, and a chance to move the adventure on.
Whip-Scar River Valley
Abandoned Barb Mine
Working Barb Mine
Minarac Presence at the Working Mine
There are six or so Mah-Ta mine workers, three Minarac workers, a couple of slave overseers and three or four guards, plus repulsor lift Ubrikkian Mining Carrier for transportation of workers and gems, as well as for evacuation.
(See https://rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197243#197243)
Minarac Personnel Stats
Slave Overseers & Workers
DEXTERITY: 3D
KNOWLEDGE: 1D+2
Volcano survival 3D
MECHANICAL: 2D
Communications 3D+1
Repulsorlift op. 3D+2
PERCEPTION: 2D
STRENGTH: 3D
Brawling 3D+1
TECHNICAL: 3D+1
Move: 10
Blaster Pistol 4D
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Security Guard
DEXTERITY: 3D
Blaster 4D+1
Vehicle Blasters 4D
KNOWLEDGE: 2D
MECHANICAL: 2D
PERCEPTION: 2D
STRENGTH: 3D
Brawling 3D+1
TECHNICAL: 2D
Move: 10
Blaster Pistol 4D
Heavy Blaster pistol 5D
Blast Helmet } +1 vs. E
Blast Vest } +1D vs. phys.
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Some personnel names …
Fadrig Mooltur
Nyeth Barr
Valladig I-Jad
Butruda Phes
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Ubrikkian Mining Carrier
For Stats see https://rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197243#197243
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Mah-Ta Warriors
DEXTERITY: 2D+2
Melee Parry 3D+1
Melee Combat 3D+2
KNOWLEDGE: 1D+1
MECHANICAL: 1D
PERCEPTION: 1D+1
STRENGTH: 4D
Brawling 4D+2
TECHNICAL: 1D
Move: 13
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Mah-Ta Workers
DEXTERITY: 2D+1
Melee Parry 3D
KNOWLEDGE: 1D
MECHANICAL: 1D
PERCEPTION: 1D+2
STRENGTH: 3D+1
TECHNICAL: 1D
Move: 13
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Mah-Ta Lone Warrior, Ta-Kiazee
DEXTERITY: 3D
Melee Parry 4D
Thrown Spear 4D+1
Jungle Survival 3D+1
KNOWLEDGE: 1D+2
MECHANICAL: 1D
PERCEPTION: 1D+2
STRENGTH: 4D
Brawling 4D+2
Stamina 5D
TECHNICAL: 1D
Move: 13
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Commonly used Mah-Ta Weapons...
Knife - Damage: STR+1D(max.6D) // Difficulty: 5 [Very Easy]
Spear - Damage: STR+1D+1 (max.6D+1) // Difficulty: 7 [Easy]
Hatchet - Damage: STR+2 // Difficulty: 8 [Easy]
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Some Mah-Ta names...
Ta-Hagwo
Ta-Qweel
Ta-Perabee
Ta-Onagee
Ta-Adrooah
Ta-Illicri |
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StarPadre Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Posts: 108
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2020 3:45 pm Post subject: |
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Part 5
The attack on the Minarac barb-mine is not meant to be a great challenge for the PCs – and if the Minarac personnel concentrate mainly on escaping alive, it should not be! If it does prove a difficult fight, then I suggest the GM skips over the following episode, to allow the PCs to recover before getting caught up in more action. That said, played cleverly, this next episode doesn’t have to be all about combat, can be a lot of fun and is a chance for the PCs to show some courage.
If the GM wants to include the next episode, then just as the attack on the mine ends - at the very moment when the PCs might be thinking, “That was easy!” - things get heavy.
Imperial Patrol (Optional Episode)
A nearby Imperial Stormtrooper patrol has been diverted to the site of the mine attack, ordered to sweep the valley for any surviving rebels, kill most of them and capture one or two, if possible, for interrogation. The lone warrior, Ta-Kiazee, who moved off to a distance before the attack on the mine began, spots this patrol first, while the PCs are still busy at the mine. The Imperials’ presence will greatly worry him, as he thinks they might discover the ancient city (one of the ‘Holy Places’) further up the valley!
The Imperial patrol consists of speeder discs, stormtrooper infantry squads & an AT-AT walker. The walker strides down the valley, its feet crashing through vegetation and splashing water from the shallow, rocky riverbed.
For information on the Speeder disc, see: https://rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197098#197098
Play Guide
As there is a danger of the Imperial AT-AT patrol discovering the Holy Place, Ta-Kiazee will return to ask them PCs to lead the enemy away.
Quote: | “The white shells must not go further up this valley. They must be led away. Can you do this?” |
The GM should modify the number of stormtrooper and speeder discs to suit the PCs’ combat ability. Keep in mind that the AT-AT, being walker scale, should struggle to target the PCs, whilst also proving a difficult challenge for them (not least because of the accompanying screen of stormtroopers and speeder discs). If the PCs ‘simply’ distract the Imperials, luring them away, that should suffice to stop them finding the holy city. The PCs do not need to destroy or even defeat the Imperials, just make sure they go no further down the valley.
The PCs may want to organise a distraction or some other plan to lure the AT-AT patrol from the valley.
* Perhaps the Ubrikkian Skiff is still serviceable and could be employed as a lure?
* Perhaps the PCs’ ship is nearby or can get to the valley quickly? If so, the PCs might want to use it as it has starfighter scale weaponry and, especially with surprise, could sting even the AT-AT.
* Perhaps they can organise the surviving warriors and Ta-Kiazee to help with a distraction to lure off the Imperials?
* Perhaps it will be as simple as getting behind the Imperials, causing some noise (blaster shots, etc) and so drawing them off in entirely the other direction to the Holy Place? The hard part for the PCs will then be ensuring they escape the very enemy they have lured towards themselves!
It is up to the PCs to come up with a plan. If they are stuck, you could have Ta-Kiazee make some suggestions, although it is up to you how tactically sound those suggestions are!
…
Either immediately after the attack on the mine, or, if you included it in the adventure, after the optional AT-AT patrol episode, Ta-Kiazee will decide that he now trusts the PCs, and that they truly are warriors. He will thank them for what they have done, and might say something along the following lines …
Quote: | “You are Mah-Ta at heart. You are not like the Shouting Ones or the Shelled Ones. You have my trust. There are others you must meet.” |
Off to the ancient city
And so, Ta-Kiazee leads the PCs to the city, the ‘Holy Place’. It is not too far away (presuming the PCs are at the mine or that they shake off the Imperials not too far from it). Ta-Kiazee travels to & from the city often and so knows the way well.
You can if you choose describe the journey – the PCs must go on foot, through steep and narrow crevices in the mountain sides. During the journey the GM might want to use the following cut away description to add an ‘edge’ to the mission ...
Cut-Away
A band of Mah-Ta, led by a lone warrior, are picking their way through the gloom along a precipice edge towards a cave mouth. Watching, from the other side of the valley, using infra-red macro-binoculars, is a uniformed Minarac guard, holding a comm pad of some kind. Just as the Mah-Ta reach the cave mouth, the Minarac guard grins, and presses his thumb on the pad. Instantly, explosions tear all along the entire ridge and from the cave mouth, killing all the Mah-Ta (if not in the blast, then in the fall of debris which screes down the side of the mountain). The guard, momentarily stunned by the very bright flash on his macro-binoculars, says, “Good riddance, scum.”
The Holy- Place
Here the PCs will witness a prayer ritual involving Mah-Ta and Groh-Ta priests (the ‘Cousins’). Perceptive, force sensitive characters should thus learn of the priests' powers - that the priests can break up the meteor showers, or (now that they need to) can even re-direct them.
The Ritual
It is nightfall as you reach a cave mouth, and Ta-Kiazee leads you in. Not long after entering the tunnel-like cave, you arrive in a huge cavern. There are ancient carvings in the walls, and although stalagmites and stalactites obscure nearly all of them, it is obvious they are images of Mah-Ta, Groh-Ta and various native animals.
The cavern floor is flat, of hard clay, with several concentric circles of brightly coloured stones upon it. Stars can be seen in the sky above through crevice openings in the high ceiling. Standing within one of the circular rings, neither the inner nor outermost, is a group of Mah-Ta and Groh-Ta, most being visibly old, who are gesticulating in a complicated but coordinated manner, whilst emitting a song-like cross between whistling and chanting. Several stones, here and there, in the circles seem to hop up and down, agitated as if some tiny creatures were struggling beneath them!
Flashes of light catch your eyes, and when you look up you can see a shower of shooting stars!
Force sensitive PCs will quickly recognise that the ‘force tremor’ created by ritual is exactly similar, although much stronger, to that they experienced on their arrival in atmosphere of Chayloon 2, during the meteor incident. They should realise that it is being directed at the heavens to manipulate the shower of meteors.
Note: If as a GM you would enjoy describing the architectural features of a stone-age ancient city amongst the caverns and fissures of an extinct volcano, then this episode is your chance to wax lyrical!
How to learn what needs to be learned
The PCs must gain the priests’ trust and respect. PCs with Force sensitivity or powers will have the most relevant role to play for the priests issue only orders to ‘warriors’ and do not engage in conversation, other than answering questions concerning the orders. The priests will, however, soon sense if any PCs have force powers, and maybe even those who are just force sensitive. If so, they will assume they too are some sort of priest and so be willing to confide in them. If there are no Jedi, not even failed ones, nor force-using or sensitive PCs amongst the party, then the PCs will have to make it clear, somehow, that they are more than mere warriors! Perhaps they could convince the priest that they are leaders (elders), or advisers? Or that they are so alien that they should obviously not be treated like Mah-Ta warriors?
If the PCs are attempting to follow their orders to the best of their abilities, then they will remember the instructions …
Quote: | Identify and locate the budding rebel forces.
Assess the situation.
Assist in their rebellion against Imperial forces. |
Here the PCs can identify the leaders of the rebel forces - these priests are obviously in charge, as they command both the Groh-Ta who initiate the warriors as well as the Lone-Warriors who then instruct them and lead the warriors to their target.
Now the PCs need to establish what is going on, and how they can assist the fight against the Imperials and Minarac Enterprises.
Mah-Ta Priest
DEXTERITY: 2D
KNOWLEDGE: 2D+1
MECHANICAL: 1D
PERCEPTION: 4D
STRENGTH: 2D+2
TECHNICAL: 1D
Move: 12
Some Mah-Ta Priests Names
Ta-Amapoor
Ta-Gurhlac
Ta-Kallprath
Some Groh-Ta Priests’ Names
Ta-Inithicral
Ta-Abadrarrig
Ta-Ebtagrannac
What the PCs can learn
Either with Ta-Kiazee’s intervention, or if the PCs make a suitable efforts to elicit information, the priests will explain how they have already attempted, with great force of will, to direct a ‘star-stone’ shower against the Whiteshells and Shouting Ones’ great city called Cohlanga (the starport and Imperial facility), but to no effect. Something stopped the star-stones brought down by the world spirit - a dome of flashing light evaporated every star-stones.
Now the priests do not know what to do. They could call again on the sky spirits to aid them, and send more star-stones, but to what avail? If it were not for the light-dome they could bring ruin on Cohlanga. But now they are beaten, and their world is beaten. The Whiteshells and Shouting Ones have harnessed the power of greater gods than the World-Spirit!
Hopefully, the PCs will quickly realise that the ‘dome of flashing light’ was a generated defence shield, burning up the meteorites. If so, then they have successfully, ‘Assessed the situation.’
Now it should be quite easy for them to see how they could, ‘Assist in [the] rebellion against Imperial forces’.
Basically, if the PCs can deactivate Cohlanga’s shield generator then the priests could destroy both the Minarac Starport and the Imperial facility!
Now that the PCs have a good idea of what is going on, and what would help the priests destroy Cohlanga, they need to use their initiative to come up with a plan.
…
Here is some information that might help the PCs’ planning from here on in…
How to Learn Useful Stuff and More
There are various ways the PCs can obtain the schematics in the handouts, and other information the GM wants to give them. An astromech droid on their ship, or a PC, could monitor comm traffic (either actively or passively) to pick up information regarding incoming vessels, and obtain extra information from those communications.
Examples of interesting comm traffic …
Quote: | a: This is the Tyrathenon, ID code - blast of coded sound – Captain Ollpattall commanding, requesting clearance for down-port landing.
b. Tyrathenon, this is Cohlanga Tower, state your cargo and number of passengers.
a. Our cargo is passengers - two full combat companies of Zembatian mercenaries and their gear. Please advise landing procedure and traffic pattern.
b. You are cleared for immediate landing - Main Landing Field, Zone 9. Transmitting Topographical schematic now – blast of data. |
A suitably skilled PC, or an astromech droid, could ‘catch’ this data & get the following Starport schematic. In fact, a smart (and informed) astromech droid might already have done this anyway using its own initiative.
Cohlanga Starport Down Schematic
Quote: |
a. This is Minarac Patrol 16. We’ve picked up activity on ground sensors in the Denzof region, co-ordinates 12- 74. Probable rebel group. Request support for attack.
- Some delay –
b. Patrol 16, this is control, await arrival of Stormtrooper Company ‘Tyfer’ plus merc’ support elements. ETA 26/03. Tyfer will command.
a. Received and understood. Advise support take a southerly approach. 16 out. |
This might allow the PCs later to use comms to masquerade, even if only for a moment or two to cause confusion, as Minarac Guard Unit 16. Perhaps even to misdirect some Imperial patrol(s)?
Other ways to get information:
PCs have various means at their disposal to obtain information (specifically the handouts)...
* A skilled PC or an astromech droid could wait to ‘catch’ data bursts being sent to incoming vessels (like the starport plans above)
* Minarac vehicle computers contain data, although there might be some password protection to get around. This could net the Minarac Ops Outpost and Minarac Main Ops Base schematics, either the maps and/or the floorplans.
* Minarac facilities (including barb-mines) have computers with data, again which might yield the above schematics.
Minarac Operations Outpost & Main Ops Base/Processing Facility
Minarac Main Ops Base Ground Level
Minarac Main Ops Base Upper Level
Note: Astute GMs who have read the whole adventure, may notice that the map of the Main Ops Base and its two floorplan schematics are not needed at any point in the episodes as described. I have wracked my brains as to why I drew them all those years ago. Either I made them and then later cut whichever part of the adventure they were for. Or perhaps I thought I might need them in case the PCs were captured by Minarac personnel. Or, and I suspect this to be the case, I made them so that I could ‘generously’ hand out information the PCs had made efforts to obtain, even though it was of not use!
A Problem: The Captured Priests (Another Optional Episode)
You can use this optional episode if you like, if your players will enjoy it or if you just want to flesh out the adventure with more action episodes (running it over several play-sessions).
While the priests currently here in the Holy Place are sufficient in number to break up an approaching meteor shower, there are not enough of them to change the meteors’ direction. The Holy Place ritual to call on and guide a meteor storm big enough to destroy Cohlanga requires all the priests - but half of them were recently captured during a journey to another (now abandoned) Holy Place!
Those priests now need rescuing.
Either a befriended priest or Ta-Kiazee will reveal the following …
Quote: |
Many of our priests have been captured by the Shouting Ones and taken to one of their villages. There are now too few of us left to sing with enough strength to bring down the star stones against Cohlanga again. We need the captured priests back, so that the world spirit will hear us. If you bring them back to the city, then we will call for the star-stones again. The priests must be rescued soon, for we are afraid they will not remain at the village for much longer. They will be taken to far-away places like all the others. |
If the PCs are intending to disable the shield generator so that the priests can bring down a deadly hail of meteorites to knock out the Imperial Base and starport, then they now need to rescue the captured priests first!
Note: The Minarac guards who captured the priests probably assumed they were just another bunch of Mah-Ta, a wandering tribe who had apparently they had lost their livestock!
The raid upon the Shouting Ones’ Village
What the priests call the Shouting One’s village is actually one of their Operational Outposts which to the Mah-Ta and Groh-Ta must indeed look like some sort of village. (See the relevant schematic above.) It is a clearing in the Velth, with several prefabricated plastisteel silos, units and towers, three quarters walled, with two landing pads.
If the PCs want the Mah-Ta to help, the priests or Ta-Kiazee will offer it – in the form of a lone warrior (probably Ta-Kiazee himself) and a newly formed (local) band of warriors. In fact, even the Groh-Ta might be willing to reveal themselves for this one, and so some of them might help. The sight of such ‘mythical’ creatures could possibly create a powerful distraction!
Once again, this episode should be played out according to PCs’ plan, actions and responses. If the PCs think to use a captured Minarac Vehicle or even their own ship, the outpost personnel will be unlikely to expect trouble and will let them drive right in! It would certainly never occur to the personnel that the native Mah-Ta rebels could pilot a vehicle (they are mere primitives), and so they have very little reason to suspect that an approaching vehicle might have been hijacked.
Once in the Ops base, all the PCs really have to do is cause enough confusion to distract the personnel while they free the Mah-Ta slaves. Remember, Minarac personnel are not as keen to risk their lives as soldiers! If the PC team are combat veterans, then you could have an Imperial army presence, even some stormtroopers, or perhaps just some more heavily armed hired mercenaries.
Play guide to the PCs’ approach (if in a stolen Minarac vehicle, or even their own ship)
The Minarac personnel are going about their daily labour (mundane, repetitive tasks) and will not be expecting trouble from a vehicle.
As the PCs approach the Ops Outpost, they will receive a hail message from the Comm Silo:
Quote: | ‘Incoming Craft, specify cargo?’
[If the PC’s answer is muddled] ‘Transmission unclear, say again - slaves or gems?’ |
The PCs will be directed to Main Landing Pad if they say they are bringing Gems in, and Secondary Landing Pad if they have slaves on board.
See the schematic and stats summary. Not everything in the actual Ops Outpost is as shown on the map, as some additions have been made. For example, the repairs silo has been cleared out to hold slaves and extended with an area of wooden palisades to allow the slaves some fresh air.
Hopefully, the PCs will use stealth, subterfuge and/or trickery to pull this one off, or in lieu of that, some confusion, ‘derring do’ and good luck. Even if they simply charge in guns-a-blazing, then they should cause sufficient distraction to allow the priests to escape. Perhaps the fleeing priests will be aided by allied Groh-Ta and Mah-Ta emerging from the velth, or perhaps they will have the wit to escape while they can. Obviously, a PC is going to have to ensure the priests can get out of the Silo and enclosed yard but blowing a wooden gate off should not prove too difficult.
If the PC’s are unlucky, or mess up, they might end up becoming prisoners themselves! You should, however, ‘wangle’ things so that the priests do successfully escape into the velth (as they are needed for the grand finale).
If the PCs are captured, then they will be transported to the Imperial Facility to be questioned by Lieutenant Colonel Relthus. If so, great! Because during their stay at the Facility the meteor storm could begin, and so it will just be a matter of getting free and disabling the shield generator! They will have been helpfully transported to exactly where they need to be for the grand finale!
Minarac Personnel Stats
Slave Overseers & Workers
DEXTERITY: 3D
KNOWLEDGE: 1D+2
Volcano survival 3D
MECHANICAL: 2D
Communications 3D+1
Repulsorlift op. 3D+2
PERCEPTION: 2D
STRENGTH: 3D
Brawling 3D+1
TECHNICAL: 3D+1
Move: 10
Blaster Pistol 4D
................................................................
Security Guard
DEXTERITY: 3D
Blaster 4D+1
Vehicle Blasters 4D
KNOWLEDGE: 2D
MECHANICAL: 2D
PERCEPTION: 2D
STRENGTH: 3D
Brawling 3D+1
TECHNICAL: 2D
Move: 10
Blaster Pistol 4D
Heavy Blaster pistol 5D
Blast Helmet } +1 vs. E
Blast Vest } +1D vs. phys.
Weapons at the base
Heavy Repeating Blaster (E Web)
Set up near the repairs silo to keep an eye out for attacks from Mah-Ta out of the Velth
(IR + Starvision]
Range 3-75/200/500
Damage 8D
Medium Anti-Vehicle Laser Tower
(Marked on Schematic as ‘Air Defence Cannon’)
Range 25 800/3km/12km
Damage 5D (short) / 4D (medium) / 2D+2 (long)
Fire Control 1D
Fire rate 1/2
Body 3D+1
…
Next, the final part. |
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StarPadre Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Posts: 108
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Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 7:13 pm Post subject: |
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Part 6:
The Grand Finale - Attack on the Imperial Military Facility
If you included the optional episode to rescue the captured priests, then there are now enough priests at the Holy Place to draw and direct a meteor storm onto Cohlanga. If you did not use that optional episode, then there were always enough priests to do so!
The priests have already explained the situation regarding their failed attempt to destroy Cohlanga. The PCs might already have decided that they ought to attempt to de-activate the defence shield, but whether they have already decided or not, the priests can make a very clear request for aid (perhaps through Ta-Kiazee)...
Quote: | The Whiteshells and Shouting Ones have harnessed the power of greater gods than ours. We have tried to bring the sky spirits’ vengeance on them, to hurl a rain of burning star stones down, but their city has an invisible shell which burns brighter, and which shatters the stones before they reach the ground. Is the nature of the Whiteshells’ gods known to you? Could you make their gods lift that shell? |
By now it should have become very clear to the PCs that they need to infiltrate Imperial Facility to knock out the shield generator.
Play Guide
Events will unfold based upon your PCs’ particular plans, actions and responses. The ball is truly in their court.
If the PCs were taken prisoner during the attempt to rescue the priests, then they might begin this episode already inside the Imperial Facility. In which case, they might make a heroic break out as the meteor storm begins – which they will hopefully realise has been brought about by the priests in the Holy Place.
If they are not prisoners, the PCs have an opportunity to plan and prepare. Will they ask for Mah-Ta or Groh-Ta help? Will they masquerade as Minarac employees, or even Imperials? (Perhaps they have already obtained the means or knowledge to do so.) Will they ask the priests to ensure the meteorite shower starts as they approach, to create a distraction.
Cover?
If they think of it and request it, the PCs could operate under cover of a growing, Mah-Ta/Groh-Ta priest induced meteorite storm great flashes of light and claps of thunderous sound as shield breaks up torrent of meteorites. Such noise and light could easily be utilised as cover for infiltration, as so many of the Imperials will be distracted by it. It could even mean the Imperials are quick to allow the PCs in under the shield, ushering them in before they are hurt by the storm.
The Storm
First there is the whooshing of the meteorites, then earth-shaking crumps as they plunge explosively into the ground. Very quickly the velth starts to burn, sending thick, black smoke curling and churning up and out as more explosive impacts occur. Then, the meteorites begin thudding against the energy shield protecting both the Starport Down Facility and the Imperial Facility. Huge flashes radiate out from the impact spots, coalescing into ripples of light energy to course across the whole surface, making a rumbling thunder-like sound, occasionally sending a lightning-like bolt down to strike a building, vehicle or ship below.
Beneath the shield, in both the Starport and Imperial Facility, sirens wail and emergency lights flash, as personnel run around looking for cover, or trying to bring in equipment and vehicles that might be affected by the occasional flash of energy which does burst under the shield.
The Goal:
The PCs must somehow sabotage the particle shield generator - either by means of shutting down the shield’s power source, damaging its transmission array or commandeering its control station. If this is achieved, then the meteorite storm will immediately begin causing much more damage, with explosions big and small as multiple strikes occur.
They might intend to bring about the shield’s demise explosively. If they can get the schematic plans of the Facility from a droid or computer terminal, that will help them identify and locate the shield generator, transmission array or control station (depending on what form sabotage they intend.) If their disguise’s or cover story are sound, this will improve their chances of success.
Note: GMs should keep in mind, however, that at any point they wish a bolt of uncontained energy could burst from the shield’s underside to provide a suitable, if momentary, distraction!
Optional Second Goal:
If the above mission proves too easy for the PCs - either due to their cunning, good luck &/or combat effectiveness - then the GM can throw a spanner in the works. Obviously, the huge ion cannons on the Facility walls cannot stop meteorites, but the Facility has a mobile air-ground laser cannon which can target and break up the largest meteorites before they strike. This means that to ensure maximum damage to the Facility, the PCs would have to knock out that vehicle too.
If captured or just cornered
The PCs might escape when a lucky meteorite strike occurs close by, or even a crashing ship or repulsor vehicle. If well inside the shield dome, then (as already mentioned) a bolt of uncontained energy could burst from the shield’s underside to provide a suitable distraction and opportunity for the PCs to turn the tables!
Alternatively, if they mess up badly or get really unlucky, the PCs might be captured and taken to Lt. Col. Relthus for questioning.
Possible incidents the GM can include along the way …
* A temporary power out of the shield, even momentary, might allow a couple of meteorites in, gifting the PCs a chance if caught in a tricky situation
* The Facility might switch to emergency power only, so that all the rest of the available power goes into shield generation. This could leave Imperial soldiers struggling to operate as normal due to reduced lighting, door-power, etc.
* A band of Mah-Ta warriors could emerge from the burning velth and swarm into the Facility, causing a distraction.
* A descending ship, fatally struck during the shower, could plummet and crash, maybe bouncing and careering across the shield as it breaks up!
Lieutenant Colonel Relthus
(For character description and stats see below)
If the PCs are successful, then the Imperial commander, Lt. Col. Relthus will attempt to escape in an Imperial Lambda Class shuttle. This might provide very heroic PCs with an opportunity to take control of the shuttle, and thus both escape and gain a high-ranking Imperial officer as a prisoner. Or it might simply be a chance to watch the shuttle break up and explode as it too is hit by meteorite before the necessary shielding can be activated.
Some resources
Imperial Base
Mobile Ground Air/Atmosphere Laser Cannon
Stats
Craft: Mobile Ground Air/Atmosphere Laser Cannon
Type: Wheeled Laser Artillery & Sensor Array Mount
Scale: Speeder
Skill: Vehicle Ops: GAAIC
Crew: 2;3
Passengers: 0
Cargo Capacity: 800 Kg
Cover: Full
Maneuverability: 0D
Move: 17/50Kmh (Road)
Body Strength: 3D
Sensors
Passive 30/0D
Scanners 55/1D
Search 100/2D
Focus 8/3D
Weapon
Ground to Air/Atmosphere Laser Cannon (Starfighter Scale)
Fire Arc: Turret
Crew: 2 (Includes Sensors Operator)
Skill: Starship Gunnery
Fire Control: 3D
Range: 100-500/20Km/100Km
Damage: 5D+1
..........................
The End
If the PCs bring about the destruction of Cohlanga then they have very effectively assisted the local rebels to get the upper hand in the war on Chayloon 2.
Cue celebrations? Or just get off world as quickly as they can?
..........................
Appendix 1
IMPERIALS ON CHAYLOON
Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Relthus
Species: Human
Sex: Male
Age: 54
Height: 5'8"We
Weight: 15 stone
Physical Description: Although dressed meticulously in his uniform, and perfectly groomed (like so many other Imperial Officers) Relthus is not a predisposing character. He is far from fit, and consequently tends to huff and puff whenever he gets excited. His neat appearance is maintained by regular changes of shirts/jackets, & by mopping his brow during stressful times!
Background: He rose in the ranks as a young man, though this was more due to luck than skill or aptitude. His successes in war happened without his really knowing how he brought them about. What he could do though, what he was actually good at, was ensuring that he benefited from these unexpected successes as much as possible. He never wasted the slightest chance to gain advancement. In battle, he tended to get results without too many losses.
Personality: Relthus is a patient man, though can become stressed and overheated whenever the situation threatens to ruin his plans and preparations. He has a tendency to hoard, to cling to what he has, a trait which was sorely tested when much of his assets were recently stripped by High Admiral Yarrit. (The Admiral gained Relthus' compliance by threatening planetary bombardment.) Relthus is a very bigoted man and has absolutely no respect for non human sapients at all. He secretly wishes he could simply compel Minarac’s human workers into his forces, leaving just enough few overseers to ensure the Mah-Ta slaves got on with working the barb-mines.
Objectives: Relthus is keen to improve his resources and position, but without risking what he already has. His resources are currently limited, but he will rebuild as best he can, hoping that High Admiral Yarrit will consider him a useful and important commander, and not simply brush him aside after stripping his assets. If he can gain a sure foothold in the Chayloon System, grow in power, deliver plenty of profits, then he can surely expect rewards from grateful Naval Officers.
A Quote (from his past career): "Once you're sure the bombardment has destroyed their main defensive weapons, then, Captain, and only then, will you advance your troops. I expect victory at little cost to us."
DEXTERITY: 4D
Blaster: 5D+1
KNOWLEDGE: 4D
Bureaucracy: 5D+2
MECHANICAL: 2D
Repulsorlift Operation: 3D
PERCEPTION: 4D
Command: 4D+2
STRENGTH: 2D
TECHNICAL: 2D+1
Move: 8
Blaster Pistol
Chayloon System IMPERIAL Forces Command Structure:
Lieutenant Colonel Relthus
Commanding a reduced strength Imperial Army Regiment & reduced strength Stormtrooper Battalion as follows …
Major Moltor
Imperial Army Armour Battalion
Captain Hulin
Repulsorlift Co.
Equipped with ALCUs (Armoured Light Combat Unit) https://rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197957#197957 MRTs (Medium Repulsorlift Tanks) https://rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197890#197890 and RaSCaVs (Repulsor Scout/Comm Vehicle) https://rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197662#197662
Captain Rahl
Combat Walker Co. equipped with AT ATs, AT GTs (All Terrain Gun Transports) https://rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197503#197503 AT STs & AT PTs (see earlier)
Captain Delinnaa
Scout Troop equipped with Speeder Discs https://rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=197098#197098
Major Chad
Imperial Army Line Battalion
(Personally commanding 1 Line Guard Co.)
Captain Hollic
Line Co.
Captain Morpos
Line Co.
Captain Hador
Line Co.
Equipped with Light Utility Skiffs https://rancorpit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=198013#198013
Major Karbin
Stormtrooper Battalion, consisting of two companies …
Captain Tyfer
Attack Company
Captain Ugranor
Attack Company
Recent history concerning Imperial forces on Chayloon 2
The Imperial headquarters and Stormtrooper barracks neighbour the Chayloon 2 Starport Down "Cohlanga", which is heavily patrolled. Lt.Col.Relthus has been much irked and troubled by the recent galactic wars. He has always remained a loyal officer of the Girduan Sector Imperial forces, though had managed to keep himself and his forces out of trouble by maintaining the importance of occupying Chayloon 2. Minarac pays heavy taxes and remains an important source of revenue for the Imperial military machine.
Relthus has never had to fight New Republic forces himself, but he has recently suffered a blow because of the wars. High Admiral Yarrit, who has recently (and firmly) established himself as commander of the Girduan forces, much irked Relthus by stripping him of more than two entire battalions and the best of the rest of his war equipment. Relthus' heavy support and armor units were selectively stolen, to be used in planetary assaults in the neighbouring Villic sector. Relthus still has a relatively respectable number of troops, but the mechanised components of his forces have had to be bolstered with a mish mash of heavily repaired vehicles. Some previously abandoned or obsolete equipment has had to be salvaged, and vehicles converted for support use have had to be re equipped for combat duties. For example, his Combat Walker Company have only two functioning AT ATs, which were converted back from engineering roles, though neither has been re armed to standard specifications.
Relthus is a man of initiative, however, and has recently ensured a new level of cooperation between Minarac Enterprises and the Chayloon Imperial forces. He can offer them military manpower and the stamp of authority on their suppression and enslavement of the Mah-Ta, in return for reciprocal assistance and increased payments. He has allowed the corporation to arm its guards to a previously unpermitted level but has also installed his own officers (some of which were left with very little to command in his own forces) as advisers and commanders. He intends eventually, given the necessities and obligations which arise during this time of war as an excuse, to take full control of Minarac's Chayloon operation and employees (probably through a calculated military coup in which he takes the highest level managers hostage). In the meantime, however, he requires that their profitable enterprises should be in no way hindered, rather they should be allowed to flourish under the protection of his Imperial military.
The Mah-Ta problem
Lt. Col. Relthus intends to enslave some of the Mah-Ta (enough to satisfy Minarac's ongoing requirements), while exterminating the majority in a piecemeal fashion. He believes this will bring an end to the sabotage of Minarac operations and crush the pathetic Mah-Ta rebellion once and for all.
And so, Lt. Col. Relthus has taken the initiative against the Mah-Ta, seeing this as a damn good way of winning Minarac’s confidence and to begin infiltrating their organisation. He considers the operation as little more than useful practise and a bonding exercise for his soldiers, because the Mah-Ta of the Velth are primitives and can be mown down easily. Minarac (bolstered by his advising officers and elements of Maj. Moltor’s Armour Battalion and the Stormtrooper battalion) face the armed rebels of the mountain valleys, and thus take the brunt of the threat, while the main weight of Relthus' forces saunter across the Velth blasting the little villages one by one using simple, repeated tactics of surrounding them, closing in to blast at the village with heavier elements, while the lighter elements cut potential escapees down. Relthus believes that the Mah-Ta mountain rebels have little more than primitive explosives available to them, thus he expects little resistance as his armoured units (especially the light combat walkers, AT GT & AT PT) scour the abandoned barb mines and sweep through the scar valleys. Meanwhile, his AT AT's, infantry companies and repulsorlift company exterminate all Mah-Ta found within gradually widening perimeters around the several major Minarac facilities.
………
Appendix 2
MINARAC ENTERPRISES
A mineral mining and ore refinery company with interests in many systems of the Mid Rim and Expansion regions. The company is run by a board representing the major shareholders, the headquarters on Coruscant. These men very rarely (if ever) visit any of their company’s far flung possessions. The company is so spread out across the galaxy that entirely different uniforms, protocols and structures are adopted in different regions, and only the company logo remains the same, although even that has some variations which have evolved over time due to changes being adopted piecemeal across the company’s operations.
One might think it odd that Coruscant based corporations might have interests in both NR and Imperial regions of the galaxy, but that is how things are in the complicated aftermath of the Emperor’s demise. Of course, the company’s Coruscant representatives strongly deny any Imperial allegiance or contact, and simply ensure that their records show only legitimate NR and neutral trading. In fact, they formally claim that any concerns in Imperial controlled territories are break away companies with no existing connection with the Coruscant corporation. The truth is that the profits (somewhat weakened along the way) do eventually settle into their coffers, by a round-about route of buying, selling and dealing etc. In fact, the Sorosuub Corporation, for a suitable cut, are responsible for much of this profits/money laundering.
Minarac Chayloon Ops.
Managed by Drage Astis, a Corellian human of limited ability, who simply ensures the continuation of established procedures whilst accommodating the guidance, and often the direct commands, of the local Imperial commander Lt Col Relthus. |
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Raven Redstar Rear Admiral
Joined: 10 Mar 2009 Posts: 2648 Location: Salem, OR
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Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 11:42 pm Post subject: |
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I just want to say how impressive and thorough all of your notes are. These are great! _________________ RR
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The Bissler Commander
Joined: 08 Jun 2016 Posts: 262
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2020 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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Raven Redstar wrote: | I just want to say how impressive and thorough all of your notes are. These are great! |
Seconded! I take my hat off to you StarPadre, incredible work! Thank you for sharing! |
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StarPadre Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Posts: 108
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2020 8:06 pm Post subject: |
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Is the actual adventure any good though? Is it playable? Would it work in another GM's hands? Would your players like it? Is it a certain kind of adventure? Is the 'disable the shield generator' goal too derivative, or is there enough original stuff in the rest of it to make it its own story?
Which component parts do you like? Is the story interesting? The background? Is it cohesive?
Does the adventure feel like the Star Wars' universe?
I find the way it comes out on my pc screen on this forum very hard to read, for example. Should I format adventures on my own website, then post links here?
I'd love to know if converting the old adventures's files, with all the scanning and editing and correcting is really worth all the effort. |
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Xain Arke Line Captain
Joined: 19 Sep 2010 Posts: 989
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2020 12:01 am Post subject: |
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Finally read through the adventure and I have to agree with Raven Redstar and The Bissler that it's a pretty great piece of work with
interesting setting, detailed notes and welll done maps.
I especially like the pic of the Ma-Ta 'Lone Warrior' he's got an endearing mix of the muppets and Return of the Jedi commando going on
On the actual adventure itself, it is definietly playable and I think would make a good first adventure for a group of players, or as a starting
mission for more experienced players shifting from one game arc to another. It also reads like it could be easily expanded out for a campaign
in the surrounding region, using the planet as a foothold to operate off of.
The information is certainly clear enough for another GM to make use of it in their own games. I'd definitely use it for my group if I was
starting a new game. Also, just as an aside, you could easily shift it to other era's, for example, in a clone wars game you could swap the
Rebel/NR team for a Republic one and have Separatists instead of Imperial forces, play it a bit like the Onderon Arc of the Clone Wars
Cartoon. I guess you could do Resistance/First Order too (if you must )
Things I really like (not including the Lone Warrior), the details of the environment, the tree 'layer' you describe is not something I have
specifically come across before and the adventure part with just the walker legs visible below the canopy is a vivid image in my mind even
as I write this. I also find the way the Force is used by the aliens is extremely interesting to me and the description as being unknown if it
is Light or Dark and 'alien' to the players has that Star Wars fantasy/Sci-fi mix wonder to it. The way the alien culture works, with warriors
having to be ritually created is a great cultural weirdness that I enjoyed reading about.
I can't speak for anyone else, but I found the story and background very interesting, it got my GM brain thinking of visuals and where else
the adventure could go after each encounter. It was certainly also cohesive, I didn't find myself getting lost or wondering where it was going.
The little notes about the possible out comes etc. would be helpful for new or green GM's especially.
the adventure read Star Wars in my minds eye, if you get what I mean.
I didn't really have too much of a problem reading it here in the format it has, but by all means put website links up if you have a specific
idea of how it should look on the screen
I can't say if the work you put into this was worth it to you, I know what it's like to put non digital stuff into digital data, but your work was
definitely worth it to me StarPadre, so thanks for putting it up
(I'm still thinking about this world and it's alien culture) |
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StarPadre Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Posts: 108
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2020 9:51 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Xain Arke. I'm happy now that I made the effort.
I too like the environment - like the way I could lay out a large piece of paper covered in semi-regularly spaced circles for combat in the 'under-velth'. Each circle was a trunk, and folk could try to move from cover behind one to another, in an increasingly smoky environment, while blaster shots kept sending shards of bark out every time they hit a trunk (which was often).
At some point, when I have the time and the energy, I will put up another such old adventure. Maybe my favourite about a pirate admiral called Bac-Lor-Khan. |
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The Bissler Commander
Joined: 08 Jun 2016 Posts: 262
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2020 12:21 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Star Padre,
I'd be delighted to give you fuller feedback and answer your questions!
StarPadre wrote: | Is the actual adventure any good though? Is it playable? Would it work in another GM's hands? Would your players like it? Is it a certain kind of adventure? Is the 'disable the shield generator' goal too derivative, or is there enough original stuff in the rest of it to make it its own story? |
Yes, the adventure is great! It seems very playable and I intend to run it at some point! I would expect that my PCs would enjoy it (otherwise I wouldn't intend on running it) because they tend to gravitate towards being given a general objective and then interacting with the environment. Although there are a set of preordained encounters, it does not feel like the players would be railroaded at all, and I think because of the level of detail you have put into the setting, it has more of a sandbox feel which is what they really love.
I don't have a problem with the disable the shield generator aspect; all Rebel adventures really have to build to some kind of climax which usually involves sabotage or an open assault upon a particular target.
That aside, there is a huge amount of originality and imagination on display, from the information about the world, the fauna and flora and the societies of the Mah ta, all which makes it very distinctive and immersive. I particularly enjoyed the idea of the meteors being manipulated by the force and used as a weapon against Imperials; a great backdrop for the climax!
I'm really impressed by the level of detail across the adventure, particularly as I don't have the patience to do that myself. My games are usually written in brush strokes and don't have the same level of love and care that has went into this adventure.
StarPadre wrote: | Which component parts do you like? Is the story interesting? The background? Is it cohesive? |
I think it's all great! There's a nice amount of building of the PCs understanding of the Mah ta as the story builds and it is packed with interesting side encounters/quests (all of which I expect to use) and it has a fitting climax.
StarPadre wrote: | Does the adventure feel like the Star Wars' universe? |
Absolutely!
StarPadre wrote: | I find the way it comes out on my pc screen on this forum very hard to read, for example. Should I format adventures on my own website, then post links here? |
If you do have any links for this, I'd be very grateful as I sometimes struggle to read this amount of text on web forums (this is not a criticism of this forum, I find this with all forums I'm on). If you haven't already posted this to a website, could I perhaps make a suggestion that you split it into several posts, perhaps a separate post for each "Part"? Certainly it would be great to have a separate post for all of the information the PCs have to read before the beginning of the adventure so I could send them the link ahead of play (and means that they don't accidentally scroll down and see maps they shouldn't).
StarPadre wrote: | I'd love to know if converting the old adventures's files, with all the scanning and editing and correcting is really worth all the effort. |
It is for me! Thank you for doing so!
As a final note, I think I'd run this ahead of WEG Scavenger Hunt with a Mah Ta priest taking my party's force user aside and giving him some hint about finding Obi-Wan's lightsaber in that mission. Off the top of my head, he'd say something along the lines of:
The present is the key to unlocking the future - but forget not that the past has a role to play. When the past reaches out to you, know that all that glitters is not gold - it is often in the unlikeliest of places that the greatest treasures may be found. Past, present, future: they are all one. Remember these words and you will find the past will be your ally.
Anyway, thanks again for all your work Star Padre, it's terrific and I really appreciate your imagination and vision for this adventure! |
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StarPadre Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Posts: 108
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2020 7:07 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you The Bissler. Great feedback, and very encouraging. It is very hard, if not impossible, to judge one's own stuff, or to know if other GM's find it useful unless they say.
I am far more convinced I should work up another adventure at some point.
The star wars adventure is not on my website (www.bigsmallworlds.com), sorry. That website is almost exclusively about my current Warhammer Old World Tilea campaign. I was more asking whether it would have been better if I had put the Chayloon scenario there, to format more clearly, and then link.
Maybe I should do that next time? |
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The Bissler Commander
Joined: 08 Jun 2016 Posts: 262
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2020 7:15 pm Post subject: |
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StarPadre wrote: | Thank you The Bissler. Great feedback, and very encouraging. It is very hard, if not impossible, to judge one's own stuff, or to know if other GM's find it useful unless they say.
I am far more convinced I should work up another adventure at some point.
The star wars adventure is not on my website (www.bigsmallworlds.com), sorry. That website is almost exclusively about my current Warhammer Old World Tilea campaign. I was more asking whether it would have been better if I had put the Chayloon scenario there, to format more clearly, and then link.
Maybe I should do that next time? |
I wouldn't want to push you to do anything - whatever works best for you! I've been putting up my adventures on my own personal blog but I'm better used to using blogger than the forum. I daresay there might be some who would prefer I posted directly on to the forum, not sure!
A few quick questions if I may?
Would you mind if I did a write up of the game when I come to play it? I do this for all of the adventures I run so would want to check that was fine with you first. Clearly it would be full of spoilers as I explain the sessions from beginning to end.
Would you mind if I changed the planet name to Callonia as it is a planet in my setting of the Fakir Sector which has zero information other than a tiny stub on Wookieepedia,
Finally, I maybe missed it, but I didn't notice any specifics for how many Stormtroopers there would be defending the shield generator - did it say somewhere or did you leave that information out deliberately for GMs to calibrate the encounter for their own group? |
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