There's
an old saying that “Meat's meat and a being's gotta eat.” Perhaps
no one in the galaxy understands that better than those individuals
who raise livestock in order to feed the populations of their own and
other worlds. Of course, although their lifestyle might seem rustic
and even quaint to the inhabitants of planets such as Coruscant,
there's no denying that ranching can be big business.
The Ranch
By
the standards of the rest of Corellia, this location might seem
primitive. Even so, it provides suitable lodging to the ranchers, and
is a place of comfort and pride for them.
1.
Ranch House
This
one-story building is weather-beaten but solid; it tends to blend in
with the surrounding terrain. The walls are made of greyish
pourstone, while the roof is shaped durasteel. Inside the front door
is the main room (A), with benches for ranch hands to don or doff
their gear and a broad storage cabinet. There are also a table and
chairs for meals and downtime. One door leads to the laundry room
(B), beyond which is the building's refresher (C). Meals are prepared
in the kitchen area (D), while foodstuffs and beverages are stored in
the pantry (E). The ranch house has two bedrooms, the master one (F)
for the owners, along with a second one for the hands (G). The master
bedroom has a large double bed and writing desk, while the ranch
hands' bedroom features two double bunks and footlockers for storing
personal items.
2.
Barn
A
broad, fenced-in area almost twenty-five meters on a side serves as a
pen for holding the nerfs when they are present here. Additionally, a
long, low building contains stalls for sheltering the animals during
inclement weather or at times—such as during a birth or when
predators are in the vicinity—when necessary.
3.
Repulsorgarage
A
pair of speeder bikes are kept here when they are not needed in the
field. There is a workbench along the back wall of the building, and
shelves containing tools, spare parts and other items line the two
walls.
The Ranchers
Detailed
here are the inhabitants of this ranch.
Ramis Olu, Male Rancher (Rival)
Brawn 3 Cunning
2 Presence 2
Agility
3 Intellect 2 Willpower 3
Soak:
4
Wound Threshold:
13
Strain Threshold:
13
M/R Defense:
0 / 0
Skills:
Athletics 1, Brawl 2, Cool 1, Coordination 1, Core Worlds 1,
Discipline 1, Leadership 1, Mechanics 1, Medicine 1, Melee 2,
Negotiation 1, Perception 1, Piloting—Planetary 2, Ranged—Light
2, Resilience 2, Stealth 1, Survival 2, Vigilance 2
Talents:
Forager, Let's Ride, Quick Strike, Rapid Recovery, Stalker
Abilities:
One free rank in each of two non-career skills
Equipment:
Heavy clothing, blaster pistol, force pike, comlink
Ramis
Olu is a nerf herder born and bred. He hails from a family that's
been involved in this business for generations, and thus he has been
trained from before he could walk to do this job. Indeed, one could
assert that he is Ramis Olu IV, but his family has never stood upon
such formality. Nerf herding is all that he has ever known, and he is
content to make this living. He considers himself blessed that Dorlah
wanted to join him in it, and is even a little afraid that she might
one day grow tired of it and leave him behind.
Dorlah Olu, Female Rancher (Rival)
Brawn 2 Cunning
2 Presence 3
Agility
3 Intellect 2 Willpower 3
Soak:
3
Wound Threshold:
12
Strain Threshold:
13
M/R Defense:
0 / 0
Skills:
Athletics 1, Brawl 1, Charm 2, Computers 1, Cool 1, Coordination 1,
Core Worlds 1, Discipline 1, Lore 1, Mechanics 1, Medicine 1, Melee
1, Negotiation 2, Perception 2, Piloting—Planetary 1, Ranged—Light
1, Resilience 1, Survival 1, Vigilance 1
Talents:
Know Somebody, Smooth Talker, Wheel and Deal
Abilities:
One free rank in each of two non-career skills
Equipment:
Heavy clothing, blaster pistol, comlink, datapad
Dorlah
is something of an enigma, a woman who grew up in a wealthy Corellian
family but who left behind a pampered life for the simple one of a
nerf herder. She had always been enamored with what she'd read about
the people who lived on the rugged edge of society and, when a chance
encounter in a mag-lev station led to dinner and drinks with Ramis
Olu, she pursued the burgeoning romance and followed him back away
from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Although many thought
that it was a passing fascination for her, Dorlah has shown that she
is committed to him and his way of life.
Ranch Hands (Minion)
Brawn 2 Cunning
2 Presence 2
Agility
2 Intellect 2 Willpower 2
Soak:
3
Wound Threshold:
4
Strain Threshold:
NA
M/R Defense:
0 / 0
Skills:
(Group only) Brawl, Melee, Ranged—Light, Survival
Talents:
None
Abilities:
None
Equipment:
Heavy clothing, blaster pistol, force pike, comlink
These
rough-and-tumble fellows share a connection to the land, their cattle
and each other that make them good at what they do.
Using the Nerf Ranch in an Edge
of the Empire Campaign
The
nerf ranch and the beings who inhabit it can become involved in a
campaign in many different ways; a few of the possibilities are
detailed here.
One
of the PCs could hail from this ranch and return to it from time to
time.
It
could happen that an NPC whom the PCs are sent to apprehend has
taken to living on this ranch, and they must deal with the locals in
order to complete their job.
The
PCs could be hired to help fight against a band of nerf rustlers
that has been preying upon small ranches in the area.
When
one of the ranchers discovers a hidden cache—perhaps one used by
smugglers, a local crime boss, agents of the Rebel Alliance,
etc.—conflict ensues.
Hoping
to eliminate the competition, an unscrupulous rancher infects his
rivals' stock with a wasting disease; the unfortunate afflicted turn
to the PCs for help in identifying and curing the malady, along with
bringing the responsible party to justice.
