Secure Storage Facility

For many beings in the galaxy, life is a transient thing. Job opportunities can take them from planet to planet, often with little or no notice. When those individuals need a place to keep their belongings, they can look to a facility like Tonis Luruk's.

The Facility

A meter-thick, four-meter-high duracrete wall surrounds the facility. The only entrance is a broad gate in the front of the facility (1); it boasts an alphanumeric keypad for customers to access, along with security cameras. The main office (2) is a low building in the front of the compound. In addition to Luruk's desk (A), it has a break area for the workers (B), a room for storing records (C), a storage closet (D) and a refresher (E). Workers who are not on patrol can monitor the security cameras in the break area.

The storage units are divided into buildings based on size. Small ones (3) are four meters square and of a matching height, while medium (4) and large ones (5) have dimensions of six and eight meters, respectively. All of the buildings require a common code for their entrance doors, along with individual codes for individual units. Bypassing a lock requires a hard Skulduggery check, and there's always the chance of being seen on the aforementioned security cameras.

Personnel

Detailed below are some of the characters who can generally be found in the facility.

Tonis Luruk, Ugnaught Entrepreneur (Rival)

Brawn 2 Cunning 3 Presence 2

Agility 1 Intellect 3 Willpower 2

Soak: 3

Wound Threshold: 12

Strain Threshold: 13

M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills: Computers 1, Leadership 2, Mechanics 2, Melee 1, Negotiation 3, Perception 2, Ranged—Light 1, Resilience 2, Vigilance 1

Talents: Grit, Rapid Recovery, Sound Investments, Throwing Credits, Wheel and Deal

Abilities: One free rank in Mechanics or Negotiation; add Advantage to Resilience checks; Silhouette of 0

Equipment: Heavy clothing, blaster pistol, comlink, datapad, truncheon

Tonis Luruk is a respected business-being in the Ugnaught community. While that might not seem like a lot, he sees it as his duty to look out for his fellows, and to keep the trust of his clientele. To those ends he is a no-nonsense individual. He suspects that employees of the Hutts move illegal goods through his facility, but as long as they don't cause trouble for him, he doesn't pry into their business.

Ugnaught Workers (Minions)

Brawn 2 Cunning 2 Presence 1

Agility 1 Intellect 1 Willpower 1

Soak: 3

Wound Threshold: 5 each

Strain Threshold: NA

M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills (group only): Brawl, Perception, Ranged—Light

Talents: None

Abilities: None

Equipment: Heavy clothing, blaster pistol, comlink, truncheon

These Ugnaughts are loyal to their boss, Tonis. They have comfortable, if not too exciting, jobs, and they take seriously their responsibility of keeping the facility secure. In their downtime they enjoy a hand of sabacc in the lounge, or watching a swoop race if one's being broadcast.

Using the Storage Facility in an Edge of the Empire Campaign

This location can be incorporated in a campaign in many different ways; a few of the possibilities are detailed here.

• The PCs could be hired to retrieve an item from the facility, perhaps requiring them to scope it out before attempting the retrieval.
• If the item is especially valuable, there could always be rivals who hope to acquire the item before the PCs manage to do so.
• If the facility suffered an infestation of vermin, Luruk could hire the PCs to help eliminate it.
• In the aftermath of a break-in, Luruk could hire them to recover an item before its owner realizes that it's been lost.
• During a visit to the facility, a combat droid being stored in one of the units becomes activated and chaos ensues.

M'dweshuu Blood Cult Hideout

Among the Nikto there is a curious, dangerous institution known as the Blood Cult of M'dweshuu. The beings who adhere to it practice the sacrifice of sentient beings, all in the hope of appeasing the spirit that inhabits the M'dweshuu Nova. While some of these groups are not particular in selecting their victims, one uses the practice as a means of making war against the Hutts and their minions.

The Hideout

The Blood Cult's hideout is located underneath a landing pad on Nal Hutta. It is one reserved for use by Jer Tosek, a curator from the Museum of Intergalactic Cultures. Unbeknownst to most, it is actually operated by Golun Tosek, Jer's brother. In addition to handling deliveries for the museum, it conceals a meeting place and base of operations for the cult. Refer to the previous post,

1. Turbolift

At a glance, the turbolift just seems to run from ground level up to the landing platform. Those who possess the keycard, however, can make it go to the underground level. Failing that, one must make a hard Skulduggery check to bypass the mechanism.

2. Power Station

The turbolift's main door, when it reaches the underground level, opens onto this small chamber. The facility's fusion generator is located here, along with a workstation for monitoring its operation.

3. Main Room

Those who possess the correct code can open the doors on the other side of the car, providing access to the hideout. The main chamber is a broad, open area, occupied only by a table and eight chairs in its center. It is here that important meetings take place, especially those in which victims are chosen. (The actually killings happen outside the facility, of course, where their public nature brings more attendtion and thus honor to M'dweshuu.) There are also eight doors leading to the other parts of the facility.

4. Kitchen

This room has counters with cooking surfaces along one side, and sinks along the other. The outside wall is filled with various implements for food preparation. A door in one wall leads into the pantry, which is filled with all manner of dried, pressure-contained and otherwise preserved foodstuffs.

5. Refreshers

All of the usual amenities can be found here.

6. Quarters

Each of these small chambers boasts a double bunk, underneath which individual storage lockers lie, along with a table and chairs. Members of the cult take their ease in these rooms.

Personnel

Detailed below are some of the beings who can usually be found here.

Golun Tosek, Blood Cult Leader (Nemesis)

Brawn 4 Cunning 2 Presence 2

Agility 3 Intellect 1 Willpower 2

Soak: 5

Wound Threshold: 16

Strain Threshold: 10

M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills: Astrogation 1, Athletics 2, Brawl 3, Cool 2, Coordination 2, Discipline 2, Lore 2, Medicine 1, Melee 3, Perception 2, Piloting—Planetary 1, Piloting—Space 1, Ranged—Light 2, Resilience 2, Skulduggery 2, Stealth 2, Streetwise 1, Survival 2, Underworld 1, Vigilance 2

Talents: Dodge, Grit, Lethal Blows, Outdoorsman, Precise Aim, Quick Draw, Quick Strike, Stalker, Targeted Blow

Abilities: One free rank in Resilience; one free rank in Outdoorsman talent

Equipment: Heavy clothing, heavy blaster pistol, vibrosword, comlink

Golun Tosek is a cold-blooded killer, nothing more or less. He believes without a hint of doubt that sacrifices earn him the favor of M'dweshuu, and that he will attain through it some kind of glorious standing in a sublime supernatural hierarchy. He is insane.

Thus far his brother Jer has assisted him by providing employment as a means of support, along with a cover story and a base of operations. Jer also keeps his eyes and ears open for potential recruits. For the brother, the cult is a potential means of striking out against the Hutts who enslave his people. Jer is worried about Golun's bloodthirsty nature, however, and isn't sure how long the cult can continue to operate in secret. For his part, Golun only seeks to find new victims and kill them for the greater glory of his sovereign spirit.

Cultists—Use stats for Slarr's servants, as detailed in a previous post.

Using the Blood Cult in an Edge of the Empire Campaign

This organization can be incorporated in a campaign in many different ways; a few of the possibilities are detailed here.

• Should the PCs find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time, they could witness an attack on one of the cult's targets and have a chance to intervene.
• On the other hand, if they are loyal servants of the Hutts, they might be targeted as victims themselves.
• If the cult murdered a being favored by the Hutts, the PCs could be hired to investigate the matter and bring the culprits to justice.
• The Hutts could employ the PCs to eradicate the cult.
• On the other hand, if the PCs are planning a move against the Hutts, they might find erstwhile allies in the members of the Blood Cult.

Museum Employees

Detailed below are the beings who work at the Museum of Intergalactic Cultures on Nal Hutta, along with suggested exhibits and plot hooks for it.

-Nate

Personnel

Pterak Ness, Arcona Curator (Rival)

Brawn 1 Cunning 2 Presence 3

Agility 2 Intellect 2 Willpower 3

Soak: 1

Wound Threshold: 11

Strain Threshold: 13

M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills: Charm 3, Computers 1, Core Worlds 1, Deception 2, Discipline 2, Education 2, Leadership 1, Lore 2, Negotiation 3, Outer Rim 1, Perception 2, Streetwise 1, Underworld 1, Xenology 1

Talents: Grit, Researcher, Resolve, Respected Scholar

Abilities: One free rank in Vigilance; remove setback die caused by hot or arid environment; add advantage to Charm or Negotiation checks

Equipment: Robe, comlink, datapad

Pterak Ness was chosen as the curator for the Museum of Intergalactic Cultures for three reasons. One is that he is knowledgeable in his subject; another is that he is skilled in wheeling and dealing when it comes to handling guests, sponsors and staff members. Most important, however, is that he seems to possess the willpower required to oversee the business with fidelity to the desires of his Hutt masters. The first two points are certainly true for the Arcona scholar and, for the most part, so is the third.

What the Hutts don't know, however, is that Pterak is secretly addicted to glitterstim spice. He started experimenting with the substance as a means of more closely sharing his appreciation of art objects with other beings; the limited form of telepathy granted by the drug made for a communal aesthetic experience. Even so, it has now become a habit for him, and one that enemies could exploit if they ever learned of it.

Jer Tosek, Nikto Assistant Curator (Rival)

Brawn 3 Cunning 2 Presence 3

Agility 2 Intellect 2 Willpower 2

Soak: 4

Wound Threshold: 16

Strain Threshold: 11

M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills: Brawl 2, Coercion 2, Cool 2, Deception 2, Discipline 3, Education 1, Leadership 3, Lore 2, Melee 3, Negotiation 1, Perception 1, Ranged—Light 2, Resilience 2, Skulduggery 2, Stealth 2, Streetwise 2, Survival 3, Underworld 2, Vigilance 2

Talents: Durable, Enduring, Grit, Hard Headed, Knockdown, Stunning Blow, Toughened

Abilities: One free rank in Resilience; one free rank in the Outdoorsman talent

Equipment: Heavy clothing, blaster pistol, vibroblade, comlink, datapad

Working at the Museum of Intergalactic Cultures is a dream posting for Jer Tosek. After all, it puts him in a position to fulfill his real purpose in life—a leader in the Blood Cult of M'dweshuu. While working at the museum, the Gluss'sa'Nikto can meet with potential recruits and even begin them along the path of indoctrination, all in plain sight. To that end, Tosek is just biding his time until he and his fellows are strong to make a move against the Hutt overlords.

Docents (Minions)

Brawn 1 Cunning 1 Presence 2

Agility 1 Intellect 2 Willpower 1

Soak: 1

Wound Threshold: 5 per character

Strain Threshold: NA

M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills (group only): Core Worlds, Education, Lore, Outer Rim, Perception, Xenology

Talents: None

Abilities: None

Equipment: Clothing, datapads, comlinks

These beings—of various genders and species—share an interest in intergalactic cultures and a desire to help guests to the museum.

Security Guards (Minions)

Brawn 2 Cunning 2 Presence 1

Agility 2 Intellect 1 Willpower 1

Soak: 3

Wound Threshold: 5 each

Strain Threshold: NA

M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills (group only): Melee, Perception, Ranged—Light

Talents: None

Abilities: None

Equipment: Heavy clothing, blaster pistol, truncheon, comlink

In stark contrast with the knowledgeable and helpful docents, these beings are gruff and uncompromising. It is their job to see that beings don't take advantage of the gracious gift that the Hutts are sharing with society at large.

Sample Exhibits

Listed below are the titles of some of the displays that have graced different sections of the museum.

• The Glories of the Hutts
• Xim: The Defeated Despot
• Gamorrean Primitive
• Remnants of Alderaan
• Kashyyyk: One World, Two Ways
• Treasures of Empress Teta's Reign
• Dac: A Clash of Cultures
• Timeless Tatooine
• Fantastic Fallucia
• Techniques of the Techno Union
• Ch'hala Topiaries of Cularin

Using the Museum in an Edge of the Empire Campaign

This Museum of Intergalactic Cultures can be incorporated in a campaign in many different ways; a few of the possibilities are detailed here.

• If the PCs are doing business with the Hutts, the museum could serve as a meeting place for negotiations.
• They could be hired to acquire an important artifact, or to help deliver items for a display; in either case, local pirates might also be interested.
• On the other hand, they could also be hired to steal a valuable item from the museum.
• Alternately, they could be present when someone else attempts to burglarize the institution.
• The PCs could also learn of Ness's addiction or Tosek's cult status, and thus gain leverage over those characters.

Intergalactic Museum

This post draws its inspiration from my previous line of exploration that focused on Corellia. It is fortuitous, however, that it is located on Nal Hutta, continuing my exploration of Hutt Space. I say fortuitous because Fantasy Flight Games has just announced that their next sourcebook for Edge of the Empire will be Lords of Nal Hutta, dedicated to that very part of the galaxy.

Lords of Nal Hutta

-Nate

Intergalactic Museum

Few beings would think of the planet Nal Hutta as a tourist destination. After all, the planet is known for little more than Hutt palaces and swampland. Even so, there's a little-known gem of academic and aesthetic value to be found there—the Museum of Intergalactic Cultures. To its credit, the place does boast a large number of artworks from all around the galaxy. That doesn't change the fact, however, that it also serves as a front for numerous Hutt crime boss investors, who use it as an elaborate credit laundering scheme.

The Grand Tour

The building's exterior is made from dark, imported Durosian marble. There is a small portico out front, from which broad, double bronzium doors provide entry to the lobby. The outside walls are pierced by tall, narrow windows, ones that are too small for most beings to slip through them. There is also a series of nine skylights in the top of the roof, windows that are reinforced by durasteel crosspieces to protect against intrusion. There are floodlights situated out front, too, as a deterrent to thieves.

Bypassing the alphanumeric keypad out front requires a daunting Skulduggery or Computers check—provided one can find the time to work on it without attracting the unwanted attention of the guards, of course.

1. Lobby

This room is furnished with little more than two information desks and a large glass box for collecting donations. The prior are staffed by appealing Twi'lek docents who can direct guests to whatever it is that they seek. The latter, on the other hand, is a secret source of delight for the Hutt benefactors, since it means that other beings unwittingly donate to their illicit enterprises.

2. Turbolifts

On three sides of the building, these provide access between levels. In addition to the normal controls, they have slots for inserting passkeys, in order to reach the building's lower level. Bypassing that safeguard requires a hard Skulduggery or Computers effort.

3. Refreshers

Each of these small rooms provides all of the usual amenities.

4. Stairway

For beings who aren't Hutts, these provide a secondary means of passing between levels. Like the turbolifts, they require passkeys and codes to reach the basement.

5-11. Exhibits

These broad, open rooms have plenty of space for arranging displays, with shelving units and display cases that can be added as necessary. The odd-numbered areas, which are larger, also have narrow windows for illumination.

12. Central Plaza

This area is kept open for traffic. There are L-shaped seating areas for guests who need to rest.

13-20. More Exhibits

These rooms are the same as their counterparts on the lower level, except that is the even-numbered ones that are larger and better lit.

21. Lightwell

A railing surrounds the open area above the central plaza, below, allowing illumination from the skylights overhead to reach the lower level.

A Day That Shall Be Long Remembered

Today I had the privilege of attending the Rebellion Day event at the Fantasy Flight Games Event Center. It started off with a question-and-answer session between five or six members of the design team and the guests. They weren't allowed to say much about future projects, of course, but they did mention that the license seems secure in the light of Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm.

The highlight of the day, of course, was the gaming session. My table had Fischer for our GM, and he did an excellent job. The scenario was “Rescue at Glare Peak,” and we enjoyed it. I have the highlights below.

*WARNING: SPOILERS FOR “RESCUE AT GLARE PEAK” FOLLOW*

The scenario began with the heroes atop a building in the town of Glare Peak, hooking up an illicit device. We witnessed the crash of a Y-wing fighter. On the way to check for survivors, we ran into a squad of stormtroopers. Our Bothan spy tried to lead them astray with a story about seeing someone fleeing in a different direction, and this was the first time that Despair reared its ugly head. They didn't buy the claim, and a lightfight ensued.

After dispatching the stormies, we reached the scene of the crash, in the front of a local cantina. The Imperials had cordoned off the area, but we slipped inside via a secret tunnel. Our Bothan tried another ruse to deceive the technicians and stormtroopers there, but once again Despair reared its ugly head and a lightfight ensued.

Via a captured technician we learned that the Y-wing's pilot had been taken to the local detention center. Armed with fake identification and a speeder borrowed from a local tech contractor, we headed in to stage a rescue. This time my Human lieutenant received the visit from Despair while attempting a bluff, but the Bothan sprang into action and coerced the officer out front to keep his mouth shut. Thus we were able to slip into the cell bay. Our Ithorian engineer took control of the computer terminal, allowing us to free the prisoner we sought. As this was transpiring, we learned that the base was about to receive an important visitor, and he arrived then—none other than Darth Vader.

Knowing we were outmatched, we used the Duro sharpshooter's explosive to make a new exit. The Ithorian bought us some time with a Triumph-ant use of his bellow, the Bothan led our prisoner out to freedom, and the Duro saved my Human by tackling him down the mountainside before Vader could strike. We slipped back into town, arranged transportation offplanet and escaped.

*END OF SPOILERS*

Reflection

All in all, the session highlighted some of the great elements of the game. For one thing, the dice did affect the story, and unexpected complications made for memorable scenes. It's also notable that the first time anybody cracked a rulebook was nearly two hours into the session, when we needed to see what kind of benefits donning stormtrooper armor gave us. Most importantly, though, it really felt like Star Wars.

Rebellion Day and the Name Game, Part 2

I have two quick things for today's post. One is a note that Fantasy Flight Games has released the list of retailers who are participating in Rebellion Day this weekend. Have a look.

Rebellion Day Participants

The second thing is an addition to my previous article about coming up with names for characters.

-Nate

The Name Game, Part 2

One of this blog's earliest articles presented some different ways to find names for Star Wars characters. Here are some more.

One is to take real-world names and cut out parts of them. Take, for example, the name Jeremiah. Looking at it, one could cut off the end, providing the name Jerem. Alternately, take the name Nathanael. Take a bit off the beginning and the end and you have Thana.

You could even take the letters that are left, n-a-e-l, to create another name, Nela. Perhaps she and Thana are sisters, or a mother and daughter.

Another option is to take real-world names and change a letter or two. Take the name Michael, for example. Change one letter and it becomes Mithael. John, in the same way, can become Jorn.

To add a level of complication, one can use IMDb.com to find random names. Just pick a movie, clic on the “See full cast” link, and pick something not so famous. Take, for example, Paul Blake, the actor credited for Greedo. With a few changes, that becomes Gaul Olak.

Not every attempt at producing a name will be successful, of course, but with a little practice these options can yield satisfying results.