Every Edge of the
Empire campaign needs a source of obligation for some of the PCs,
and there's no better being to be the source of a debt than a Hutt
crime boss. Sooner or later, too, any given group of characters will
need to pay that crime boss a visit. To that end, this article
presents the palace of one such kingpin, the rising Hutt crime lord
named Slarr Uwanesh Diann.
Slarr's
Palace
This edifice is
small but impressive nonetheless, as befits an up-and-coming Hutt
crime boss. It is a round building topped by a dome-like structure,
two stories in height, with towers in its four corners. The building
is crafted from pourstone, with durasteel plating on the outside.
Refer to the
appropriate map for the following area descriptions.
1. Entry
Broad warship-grade
blast doors provide entrance to the palace. A small control panel
next to it allows visitors to announce themselves and state their
business, at which point the beings in the control center determine
whether or not they should be granted entry. Failing that, it takes a
hard Skulduggery check to hotwire one's way past the doors. Given
that there are well-armed guards posted in the towers (see below),
with line of sight on the entry, trying to force entry is a very
dangerous proposition.
2. Front Hall
Inside the front
doors is a long passage, the walls of which are adorned with
bas-relief carvings depicting glorious moments from the history of
the Hutt species. Four guards are posted here at all times.
3. Guard Post
Another shift of
four guards wait here at all times in case of trouble, and swap out
with the ones posted in the front hall during shift changes.
4. Comm Center
This area is the
heart of Slarr's business dealings. It contains five workstations,
one reserved for the Gran majordomo and four used by various
technicians. From here they monitor the Hutt's investments, making
contact with associates, tracking shipments, spying on rivals and the
like. The computer terminals all require passcodes to access; those
who lack the codes must make a daunting Computers check to gain
access. Should that occur, all kinds of valuable information becomes
available.
5. Throne Room
Dim light filters
into this room from window slits in the dome-like roof overhead. In
the middle of it sits Slarr's dais, from which he holds court. The
armrest is equipped with a hookah pipe and snackquarium that many of
his species favor. Four more guards are present at all times, and the
majordomo can be found here when not in the comm center. What is
more, those beings who have business to discuss—smugglers who are
picking up cargoes, bounty hunters checking on postings, and
desperate souls looking to borrow money—can be found here, waiting
for Slarr's attention.
6. Guard Barracks
Nine double bunks
line the walls of this room, providing a place for Slarr's dozen and
a half guards to sleep. There are tables and chairs for guards who
have some downtime, along with a pair of refreshers. Guards who don't
have business elsewhere can usually be found here, and a handful are
sleeping at any given time.
7. Servant Quarters
This room is laid
out in the same manner as the guard barracks, but is occupied by
palace servants who are not on duty.
8. Kitchen
Counters with
stovetops, ovens and sinks line two walls of this room, while tables
provide more space for food preparation. Pots, pans and serving
dishes hang by hooks from the ceiling. Additionally, a door on the
inside wall provides access to the pantry, which is filled with all
manner of delicious (by Hutt standards, at least) foodstuffs.
9. Slarr's Chamber
This room contains a
computer workstation, two large storage chests, a mud spa and a
Hutt-sized refresher unit. In the chests one can find Slarr's
personal valuables, which are left to the discretion of the GM. There
is also a hidden storage compartment in the outside wall, concealed
behind another bas relief of a conquering Hutt. Noticing it requires
a daunting Perception effort, and opening it—by pressing both of
the depicted Hutt's eyes simultaneously—takes a hard Skulduggery
effort. This is where the really valuable items are kept.
10. Guest Quarters
Each of these suites
of rooms has sleeping areas containing two beds apiece. The common
area is furnished with a table and chairs, along with a storage
cabinet that holds fresh bedding and similar items. They are
intended, of course, for those beings whose business with Slarr
requires them to remain in the palace for an extended period.
11. Towers
Rising three stories
in height, these towers have line of sight over the rest of the
palace. Each is topped by a turret armed with a vehicle-scale
auto-blaster. They also have window slits in the sides, designed as
emplacements for character-scale light repeating blasters. Two guards
are posted in each tower at all times.
Personnel
The following
characters can usually be found in Slarr's palace.
Slarr the Hutt (Nemesis)
Brawn 5 Cunning
4 Presence 3
Agility
1 Intellect 3 Willpower 4
Soak:
5
Wound Threshold:
17
Strain Threshold:
15
M/R Defense:
0 / 0
Skills:
Brawl 1, Coercion 3, Computers 1, Cool 2, Core Worlds 1, Deception 3,
Discipline 2, Education 1, Leadership 2, Lore 1, Melee 1, Negotiation
3, Outer Rim 1, Perception 3, Ranged—Light 2, Resilience 2,
Streetwise 3, Survival 1, Underworld 3, Vigilance 2
Talents:
Greased Palms, Grit, Know Somebody, Plausible Deniability, Rapid
Recovery, Sound Investments x4, Toughened, Wheel and Deal x2
Abilities:
Awkward, Ponderous (refer to page 407 of the core rulebook for
details); Adversary 1
Equipment:
None
Slarr Uwanesh
Diann—although few know is kajidic name, and even fewer know
his third name—is a relatively young Hutt, and an up-and-comer in
the world of organized crime. Even so, he is a force with which to
reckon in the galaxy. Slarr runs his organization out of his
stronghold on Nal Hutta, and commands a growing ensemble of criminal
beings. His activities include the production and distribution of
illicit drugs, gunrunning (especially in the Corporate Sector) and
slavery. Like others of his species, Slarr is ruthless in his pursuit
of profit and power. While he is happy to share his ill-gotten gains
with inferiors who prove useful to him, in the end he looks out only
for himself.
Tenrep “Dianoga” Cray, Aqualish
Captain (Rival)
Brawn 3 Cunning
2 Presence 2
Agility
2 Intellect 1 Willpower 2
Soak:
3
Wound Threshold:
14
Strain Threshold:
10
M/R Defense:
1 / 1
Skills:
Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Cool 2, Coordination 1, Discipline 3, Gunnery
2, Leadership 3, Mechanics 1, Medicine 1, Melee 2, Perception 2,
Piloting—Planetary 1, Piloting—Space 1, Ranged—Heavy 2,
Ranged—Light 2, Resilience 2, Stealth 1, Survival 2, Vigilance 2
Talents:
Command x2, Confidence, Field Commander, Improved Field Commander,
Point Blank, Second Wind x2, Side Step
Abilities:
Can breathe underwater; one free rank in Brawl; one free rank in
Resilience; remove a setback die due to cold or wet conditions
Equipment:
Armored clothing, blaster pistol, blaster carbine, comlink
Tenrep Cray earned
his nickname, “the Dianoga,” as a guerilla fighter during
sectarian violence, and then the Clone Wars, on Ando. Captain Cray
was one of the soldiers who remained loyal to the Republic, and was
deeply disturbed by the apparent betrayal of the Jedi Order. In the
aftermath of that experience he began working as a mercenary, selling
his services to the highest bidder. Before long that led him into
contact with Slarr the Hutt, and the Aqualish eventually became the
crime lord's chief of security. Cray harbors no illusions about the
morality of this business; he has grown cynical regarding noble
causes, and now seeks little more than a comfortable life. Even so,
if he were to meet someone who could reignite that noble spark, he
might be convinced to take up a cause again.
Aqualish Enforcers (Minions)
Brawn 3 Cunning
1 Presence 1
Agility
2 Intellect 1 Willpower 2
Soak:
5
Wound Threshold:
5 each
Strain Threshold:
NA
M/R Defense:
0 / 0
Skills (group only):
Brawl, Gunnery, Melee, Ranged—Heavy, Ranged—Light
Talents:
None
Abilities:
Can breathe underwater; remove a setback die due to cold or wet
conditions
Equipment:
Heavy clothing, blaster pistol, comlink
These thugs are
oafish and none too bright, but effective in combat. They are quite
loyal to Captain Cray, so it would take a good deal of persuasion for
them to betray him.
Eom Nivlem, Gran Majordomo (Rival)
Brawn 2 Cunning
2 Presence 3
Agility
2 Intellect 2 Willpower 2
Soak:
2
Wound Threshold:
14
Strain Threshold:
12
M/R Defense:
0 / 0
Skills:
Charm 2, Coercion 1, Computers 2, Cool 1, Core Worlds 2, Deception 3,
Negotiation 2, Outer Rim 1, Perception 3, Ranged—Light 2,
Skulduggery 1, Stealth 1, Streetwise 3, Underworld 2, Vigilance 2
Talents:
Grit, Kill With Kindness x2, Plausible Deniability x2, Toughened
Abilities:
One free rank in Charm or Negotiation; Enhanced Vision: Remove up to
two setback dice from ranged attacks or Perception checks caused by
environmental effects or concealment
Equipment:
Comlink, datapad, blaster pistol
Eom Nivlem was once
an important aide to the Imperial Senator from Malastare. With
Palpatine's disbanding of the Senate, however, he found himself
without a job. Never one to rest on his heels, the Gran sought out a
young Hutt crime lord and offered his services. Perhaps to his own
surprise, Slarr accepted. Now Eom serves as an emissary for the crime
boss, providing access to circles in which the Hutt would not
normally be welcome. To that end he travels through the galaxy,
conducting negotiations and handing out assignments. Eom is ever the
opportunist, and it won't be long before he starts using his
influence in Slarr's organization to line his own pockets.
Nikto Servants (Minions)
Brawn 3 Cunning
2 Presence 2
Agility
2 Intellect 1 Willpower 2
Soak:
2
Wound Threshold:
5 each
Strain Threshold:
NA
M/R Defense:
0 / 0
Skills (group only):
Athletics, Brawl, Perception
Talents:
None
Abilities:
NA
Equipment:
Clothing
These Humans are
rough individuals who work for Slarr because they don't have many
other options. Even so, the fact that they have a relatively
comfortable life working for Slarr buys a certain amount of loyalty.
They know who feeds them and puts a roof over their heads, as it
were.
Traborn Yerg, Human Technician
(Rival)
Brawn 2 Cunning
2 Presence 2
Agility
2 Intellect 3 Willpower 2
Soak:
2
Wound Threshold:
12
Strain Threshold:
12
M/R Defense:
0 / 0
Skills:
Astrogation 1, Computers 3, Education 2, Gunnery 1, Mechanics 3,
Piloting—Planetary 1, Piloting—Space 1, Ranged—Light 1,
Skulduggery 2, Streetwise 1
Talents:
Grit, Side Step, Solid Repairs, Speaks Binary, Tinkerer x2,
Toughened, Utinni!
Abilities:
One free rank in each of two non-career skills
Equipment:
Blaster pistol, comlink, datapad, toolkit
At one time Traborn
Yerg was a promising young tech working in the Corporate Sector. He
was—and still is—gifted when it comes to building, repairing and
modifying droids. In particular, he had a knack for gladiator droids,
something that brought him to the attention of certain CorpSec
higher-ups who enjoyed watching robots fight each other. While that
made for quick promotions, it also ultimately led to his downfall.
One of his droids went berserk, killing the Viceprex who'd bought it.
In the aftermath, Yerg fled to Hutt Space. There he took a job as a
technician, managing Slarr's comm center. At the same time, he
continues to work on combat automata, and has recently finished a
prototype droid bounty hunter. Although he is awkward in the presence
of females, Yerg believes that his technical prowess makes him
appealing to them.
Nikto Technicians (Minions)
Brawn 3 Cunning
2 Presence 2
Agility
2 Intellect 1 Willpower 2
Soak:
2
Wound Threshold:
5 each
Strain Threshold:
NA
M/R Defense:
0 / 0
Skills (group only):
Athletics, Brawl, Computers, Perception
Talents:
None
Abilities:
NA
Equipment:
Clothing
These technicians
are recruited from the ranks of the servants and trained by Traborn
Yerg to work in the palace's comm center. Because they know they've
been spared from more difficult tasks by him, that gives Yerg some
influence over them. He hasn't been willing to exploit that
arrangement, however, because of the security that working for Slarr
gives him.
KLR-1 (Rival)
Brawn 2 Cunning
1 Presence 1
Agility
2 Intellect 1 Willpower 1
Soak:
3
Wound Threshold:
14
Strain Threshold:
12
M/R Defense:
1 / 1
Skills:
Athletics 1, Brawl 2, Cool 2, Gunnery 2, Melee 2, Perception 1,
Ranged—Heavy 2, Ranged—Light 2, Stealth 1, Streetwise 1,
Vigilance 2
Talents:
Dodge, Grit, Lethal Blows, Precise Aim, Quick Draw, Quick Strike,
Targeted Blow
Abilities:
Droid Qualities, Inorganic, Mechanical Being
Equipment:
Armor equivalent to armored clothing, blaster pistol, blaster
carbine, vibrosword
This scratch-built
prototype, known as “Killer,” is Traborn Yerg's pride and joy. It
is so far untested, but the Human hopes that it will become an
effective bounty hunter and thus allow him to profit from it
collecting bounties. Needless to say, Yerg has not mentioned the
bounty on his own head. Fort its part, Killer is mechanical and
remorseless in pursuing the tasks assigned to it.
Using Slarr the Hutt and His
Entourage in an Edge of the Empire
Campaign
This Hutt crime boss can be incorporated in a campaign in many
different ways; a few of the possibilities are detailed here.
First and foremost,
Slarr can be a source of obligation for the PCs, a being to whom
they owe debts or one who has placed a bounty on them.
Slarr can also be a
source of jobs, calling on them to smuggle cargo into a controlled
system, to pursue a bounty or the like.
One of Slarr's
rivals, such as Tebora the Muun, could hire the PCs to access his
stronghold and steal his secrets.
Captain Cray can
provide some interesting roleplaying opportunities, given that he
once fought alongside the Jedi and came to respect them, but
believes the lies told about them by the powers that be.
Traborn Yerg could
also become a source of intrigue. There's a bounty on his head,
placed by agents of the Corporate Sector, nd the PCs might be so
bold as to pursue it into Slarr's palace.
