Review of The Lost Jedi

*SPOILER*SPOILER*SPOILER*SPOILER*SPOILER*SPOILER*SPOILER*SPOILER*

This review contains spoilers for The Last Jedi. You are warned.

-Nate

Review of The Lost Jedi

This movie had lots of positive elements. Even so, there are other aspects of it that were unsettling or even disappointing. Presented below are some of what I see as the pros and cons.

Pros

Here's what I liked.

• There was plenty of action. Even though the film ran longer than any previous Star Wars movie, it didn't seem to lag at all.
• The script provided plenty of humor, too. Some of it seemed a little goofy, but for the most part it made a nice contrast to the drama.
• As others have mentioned, the story also provides a number of genuine surprises that helped keep it entertaining.
• I am intrigued by the scene that takes place on Canto Bight at the end of the film. That provides some potential for interesting development.
• It was cool to see Luke and Leia interacting again.

Cons

Here's what I didn't like.

• Poe stages a mutiny that ultimately fails, but it doesn't matter, because someone else's actions render his efforts unimportant.
• Finn and Rose go on a mission to Canto Bight that ultimately fails, but it doesn't matter. Once again, some else takes care of it. Combined with the previous comment, this doesn't make the heroes of the Resistance seem very competent.
• The greatest act of heroism is committed by a character introduce in this film, and who dies in this film. That worked in Rogue One because I grew to like those characters in spite of their flaws. It doesn't work here, because for most of the movie I wasn't sure if she was really a hero.
• Two of the intriguing questions left by The Force Awakens—that of Rey's parentage and the origin of Supreme Leader Snoke—are ultimately dismissed. Snoke is dead now, and, if Kylo Ren was telling the truth, Rey's parents were scavengers who traded her for drinking money.
• Luke spends the first half of the film arguing why the Jedi Order has to end. He hesitates when it comes to burning down the tree that contains the first Jedi teachings, but Yoda's Force spirit seems to go ahead and make that happen. Even so, by the end Luke has changed his mind.
• Instead of developing one or both of the potential relationships for Finn (Rey or Poe), we add another character and have even less resolution.
• In the end, we're left in the same place we were at the end of Episode VII, so it feels like this movie didn't really add a whole lot to the story. Many people disliked George Lucas's work in the prequel trilogy, but it's hard to deny that they added meanigful developments to the story.

Report #3: Climate Disruption Array

Early reports from Naboo indicate that the Imperial forces there unleashed some new kind of weapon, a network of satellites that disrupted existing weather patterns on the planet, giving rise to powerful storms. This seems like a purely punitive attack, planned by the late Emperor Palpatine—who once was its Senator—on his former homeworld, especially given that planet's largely peaceful history.

-Vor Sendalin, New Republic Intelligence Operative

Climate Disruption Array Craft: Satellite array Type: Satellites Scale: Walker Skill: NA Crew: None Passengers: None Cover: NA Cargo Capacity: None Move: 70; 200 KMH Maneuverability: 0D Body Strength: 1D+2 Weapons: None Cost: Unknown This weapon consists of a network of satellites that emit energy which, when concentrated on the atmosphere of a particular world, notably increases incidents of violent weather. This can lead to heavy precipitation, strong winds, and even worse.

Climate Disruption Array This weapon consists of a network of satellites that emit energy which, when concentrated on the atmosphere of a particular world, notably increases incidents of violent weather. This can lead to heavy precipitation, strong winds, and even worse. Silhouette 3 Speed 3 Handling +0 Defense Fore 0 / Port -- / Starboard -- / Aft 0 Armor 1 HT Threshold 4 SS Threshold 6 Hull Type/Class: Network of satellites Manufacturer: Unknown Hyperdrive: Primary: None, Backup: None Sensor Range: Special Ship's Complement: None (Controlled remotely) Encumbrance Capacity: 0 Passenger Capacity: 0 Consumables: None Price/Rarity: Unknown Customization Hard Points: 0 Weapons: None

Using this Report in a Star Wars RPG Campaign

There are many ways in which the details from this report can be used in adventures and campaigns, including the following.

• Unlike with a lot of other options for equipment and/or vehicles, this one gives the GM a largely narrative opportunity during an RPG session. Because these satellites affect the weather on a targeted planet, they add to the challenge of operating vehicles there. Refer to Table 7-8 on page 254 of the Age of Rebellion core rulebook, or to the correspond D6 System rules, for details.
• While characters onplanet suffer the effects of said weather, those who can reach orbit must destroy the satellites in order to stop the manipulation.
• In this way, the satellites also provide an interesting opportunity for a GM to incorporate elements of the X-Wing or Star Warriors starfighter combat games into a roleplaying scenario. That is because some characters must fly up into space to destroy the satellites, while others struggle to achieve their ground-based objectives.
• Of course, while the satellites themselves present little danger in a space battle, the capital ships that deployed them, along with any TIE fighters dispatched to defend them, provide the main difficulty for those who are sent to disable them.

Report #2: Imperial Sentinels

Recent reports have indicated that someone is using these droids to communicate with the splintered remnants of the Galactic Empire. Just who is sending them, however, and what activities or objectives they might be plotting, remains unknown. Needless to say, New Republic Intelligence has made capturing any of them a top priority.

-Vor Sendalin, New Republic Intelligence Operative

Imperial Sentinel Type: Droid DEXTERITY 2D KNOWLEDGE 4D Bureaucracy 8D Cultures 6D Languages 5D Planetary Systems 7D MECHANICAL 2D PERCEPTION 2D STRENGTH 2D TECHNICAL 2D Equipped With: Humanoid body (two arms, two legs, head) One visual and two audial sensors—human range Vocabulator speech/sound system AA-2 Verbo-Brain Built-in holographic projector that displays the face of Emperor Palpatine Force Points: 0 Character Points: 5 Move: 7 Equipment: Red robes Each of these units wears red robes and has a transparisteel dome where the head would normally be; the holographic image of former Emperor Palpatine is projected inside the dome. They are used for transmitting information between remnants of the Imperial Forces, but just who controls them and what objectives they have is unknown.

Imperial Sentinel Each of these units wears red robes and has a transparisteel dome where the head would normally be; the holographic image of former Emperor Palpatine is projected inside the dome. They are used for transmitting information between remnants of the Imperial Forces, but just who controls them and what objectives they have is unknown. Brawn 1 Agility 1 Intellect 3 Cunning 1 Willpower 1 Presence 2 Soak: 3 Wound Threshold: 10 M/R Defense: 0 / 0 Skills: Core Worlds 2, Education 2, Negotiation 2, Outer Rim 2, Perception 1 Talents: None Abilities: Droid (does not need to breathe, eat or drink and can survive in vacuum and underwater, immune to poisons and toxins) Equipment: Red robes

Using this Report in a Star Wars RPG Campaign

There are many ways in which the details from this report can be used in adventures and campaigns, including the following.

• Exactly what information these droids might have in the memories is left up to the GM. Some possibilities include plans for Imperial military operations, details about supply chains and funding for them, locations for unaccounted high-ranking personnel, and the like.
• The droids could very well be equipped with self-destruct mechanisms similar to those built into Viper probe droids, in order to protect their secrets.
• Needless to say, the Imperial remnants seek to recover any units that fell into New Republic hands by any means necessary.

Report #1: The State of the Galaxy

In the aftermath of the Battle of Endor, it's imperative that we establish just what is fact and what is rumor. With that in mind, here is what agents of the New Republic need to know in order to pursue their business.

-Vor Sendalin, New Republic Intelligence Operative

The Battle of Endor

First and foremost, the second Death Star has been destroyed. That much is indisputable; wreckage from that battle station currently hangs in space above, and rains down upon, the Sanctuary Moon. Moreover, many vessels from the Imperial fleet have also been disabled or destroyed, most notably including the Super Star Destroyer Executor.

More important than all of that, however, is the fact that Emperor Palpatine and his enforcer, Darth Vader, are dead. They were, per the testimony of Commander Luke Skywalker, aboard the Death Star, and were killed—or failed to escape—before it was destroyed. While those claims have not been independently verified, I'm inclined to take Commander Skywalker at his word.

Operation Cinder

It seems that Emperor Palpatine might have anticipated the defeat of the New Order by the Alliance to Restore the Republic at the Battle of Endor, since he apparently set up this plan as a contingency to just that situation. This included the following actions.

• Note: This information was discovered by a team of Special Forces Pathfinders on computers in a secret Imperial facility on the moon of Endor, opposite to the base that projected the energy shield for the second Death Star, as well as an ISB black site facilty on a world known as the Wretch of Tayron.
• Cawa City on Sterdic IV was the location of fierce fighting, including starfighters used against AT-AT walkers.
• The deployment of a climate disruption array in orbit around Naboo can only be an act of specific act of revenge against that world, since it is thence that Palpatine hailed. The tide of that battle was turned by General Lando Calrission, leading a strikeforce aboard the Mon Calamari vessel Mellcrawler II.
• Other targeted worlds include Abednedo, Burnin Konn, Cadovant and Commenor. Whether Palpatine targeted them due to some kind of prior grudge or because of a particular strategic value is not known.
• Following those actions, Commander Skywalker and Lieutenant Shara Bey infiltrated an Imperial facility on the planet Vetine in the Merrick Sector. While the objective of that mission is not officially known, scuttlebutt has it that they were seeking to recover remnants of one or two trees kept there that had grown in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.

Imperial Military Remnants

In spite of that victory, many soldiers and officers of the New Order continue to fight against the New Republic—to which they still refer as the Rebellion. Some of the more notable figures, suspected or known to be active still, are the following.

• Commander Iden Versio of Inferno Squad.
• Captain Lerr Duvat of the Star Destroyer Torment.
• Admiral Rae Sloane, aboard the Star Destroyer Vigilance.
• Grand Moff Ardus Kaine of the Super Star Destroyer Reaper.
• Admiral Zsinj, aboard the Star Destroyer Iron Fist.

Imperial Governmental Remnants

It should also be noted that the locations and situations for a number of the Emperor's close advisers remain unaccounted; these include Mas Amedda, Sly Moore, Ars Dangor and Sate Pestage. More information about them is forthcoming. The prior two are likely somewhere on Coruscant, and the latter may have been killed in the destruction of the second Death Star, but that has not yet been confirmed.

The Galactic Underworld

While this may seem tangential to the conflict between the New Order and the Alliance to Restore the Rebellion, it is important to note that at least two organizations that are prominent in the galactic underworld have recently suffered setbacks. These may or may not be of use to the establishment of the New Republic, but are included here on the offhand chance that that should be the case.

• On the planet Tatooine, rumor has it that crime lord Jabba the Hutt has died. Some say that this is because of an explosion aboard his sail barge while attending an execution at the Pit of Carkoon, but rumor has it that a visit from certain agents of the Rebel Alliance may have been instrumental in the slug's death.
• Given that, events on the planet Coruscant are perhaps even more notable. Following an explosion in the tower belonging to Prince Xizor of the Black Sun syndicate, rumor has it that the Falleen head of that organization has also been killed. Here again, scuttlebutt has it that agents of the Alliance—possibly the same ones—may have been involved.

Using this Report in a Star Wars RPG Campaign

There are many ways in which the details from this report can be used in adventures and campaigns, including the following.

• The end of the Galactic Civil War puts agents of the Rebel Alliance into an unusual position, having to start acting as the new government in the absence of the Empire.
• This situation could be exacerbated when criminal elements—possibly ones that were once controlled by Black Sun or Jabba the Hutt—ramp up their own activities, believing that there's no law enforcement able to stop them.
• Even worse, places like Mos Eisley on Tatooine and the Underworld on Coruscant could erupt with all-out gang wars as criminals vie for control of their now leaderless organizations.
• The PCs could be part of a Republic strikeforce sent to detail with Operation Cinder on one of the aforementioned planets; the Imperial attack there might use another climate disruption array, or it could take another form.
• There's also the matter of cleaning up after the Galactic Civil War; the injured and ill need medical treatment, captured Imperials must be disarmed, etc.
• All the while, remnants of the scattered Imperial forces keep fighting, refusing to accept defeat. Given that their supply lines are disrupted, they might even turn to criminal elements to acquire the materiel that they need.
• It's possible that more secrets are buried in computer systems like the ones on Endor and the Wretch of Tayron. These could include weapons development projects, locations where prisoners are being held, and the like. (The Firestorm plot is one possible example: http://talesfromtheedgeoftheempire.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-firestorm-plot.html.)
• As the New Republic government becomes more established, its judicial system might focus on capturing certain ex-Imperials who committed especially grievous war crimes and bringing them to trial.

New Republic Intelligence Reports

For a while now I've been trying to decide on a direction for this blog. I'm excited about the new movie coming out this year, but it's hard to do too much speculating until the new trilogy is complete. There's interesting potential, however, in the time period between Episodes VI and VII, the start of the New Republic. With that in mind, this post is the first in a series that'll look at that period, starting with the Shattered Empire comics and the Aftermath novels. 

Oh, one other thing: With Fantasy Flight Games republishing the D6-System Star Wars RPG, I've decided to start dual-statting relevant articles. 

-Nate 

New Republic Intelligence Reports

There's an old saying that “knowledge is power.” Here, in the aftermath of the Battle of Endor, New Republic Intelligence is acting on that belief; it is the hope of High Command that better communication will give us an advantage over the increasingly scattered remnants of the New Order. With that in mind, I have been tasked with transmitting a regular series of reports as updates to officers, soldiers and other agents in the field about this conflict.

-Vor Sendalin, New Republic Intelligence Operative

Vor Sendalin Type: New Republic Bureaucrat DEXTERITY 2D KNOWLEDGE 4D MECHANICAL 3D Communications 4D PERCEPTION 3D+2 Con 5D+2 Investigation 5D+2 Search 4D+2 STRENGTH 2D+1 TECHNICAL 3D Computer Prog/Rpr 4D Force Points: 1 Character Points: 5 Move: 10 Equipment: Average clothes, comlink, 175 credits, sporting blaster Vor Sendalin is a rather nondescript Human male, of medium height and build, with dark hair and eyes—just the sort who can blend in with the crowd in most spaceports. While he has minimal combat training, his vigilant awareness and keen mind allow him to notice details in situations that might escape other beings—abilities that make him a capable intelligence analyst.

Vor Sendalin This rather nondescript Human male, of medium height and build, has dark hair and eyes—just the sort of being who can blend in with the crowd in most spaceports. While he has minimal combat training, his vigilant awareness and keen mind allow him to notice details in situations that might escape others—abilities that make him a capable intelligence analyst. Brawn 2 Agility 2 Intellect 3 Cunning 3 Willpower 2 Presence 3 Soak: 2 Wound Threshold: 12 Strain Threshold: 12 M/R Defense: 0 / 0 Skills: Computers 2, Core 1, Deception 1, Education 1, Negotiation 1, Outer Rim 1, Perception 2, Vigilance 1, Warfare 1 Talents: Codebreaker, Defensive Slicing, Grit Abilities: One free rank in two non-career skills Equipment: Clothing, handheld comlink, light blaster pistol, 175 credits, (Ranged—Light; Damage 5; Critical 4; Range [Medium]; Stun setting).

Using Vor Sendalin in a Star Wars RPG Campaign

There are many ways in which this intelligence operative can be used in adventures and campaigns, including the following.

• Vor Sendalin makes a good regular contact for the PCs, presenting them with information about, and objectives for, various missions.
• In this way, he serves as an intermediary between the PCs and the NPCs who are in charge.
• If he was ever given reason for doing so, this operative might decide to spy on the PCs to make sure that they are truly loyal to the New Republic.
• Should the operative himself ever be turned by the enemy, he would become a real danger to the fledgling New Republic.

The Last Jedi Trailer 2

I'm just going to put this here.

-Nate

The Lost Shuttle

This post takes elements from previous articles and combines them for use in adventures during the era of The Force Awakens.

-Nate

The Lost Shuttle

Previous articles have introduced an Imperial Inquisitor named Neza Yerg, a Quarren who traveled the galaxy seeking Force-users who could be recruited for the New Order or eliminated. This article prevents a way that his discoveries can be worked into a campaign during the era of The Force Awakens, via a Lambda-class shuttle lost in the wastes of Jakku.

http://talesfromtheedgeoftheempire.blogspot.com/2014/04/imperial-inquisitor-neza-yerg.html

Shuttle

To find deck plans for the shuttle, the Absolution, refer to the following article on Wookieepedia.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Lambda-class_T-4a_shuttle/Legends

Guardians

Characters who want to explore the secrets of this vessel must deal with at least two different dangers. 

One is the nightwatcher worm that lives in the surrounding sand, feeding on the scraps of metal that fall off of it. It has become territorial of this food source, and thus protects it from interlopers.

The second danger is an IG-100 Magnaguard droid, a holdover from the Clone Wars and one of two that served Neza Yerg as bodyguards. While the Quarren eventually perished, trapped as he was aboard the shuttle buried in the sands, the droid simply entered a state of minimal power usage. What is more, it could connect to the shuttle's own power core, thereby maintaining its functionality. Refer to the Force & Destiny core rulebook to find stats for it.

Secrets

Most interesting, however, is the log that Neza Yerg created. Trapped as he was, the Quarren recorded details from his investigation in case they might later be of service to the Empire.

Obah the Neti This potential Jedi, in spite of her potential ability, objected to the violence of the Clone Wars, and therefore opted to join the AgriCorps, in which she used her affinity for plant life to help worlds increase the yields of their crops. That was how she avoided Order 66, taking refuge on Corellia. Even so, it seems that she ran afoul of a local criminal named Pel Ontago, and is believed to have been murdered by him. Even so, her remains—and any items related to the Jedi that she might have had in her possession—have still not been found. http://talesfromtheedgeoftheempire.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-neti-tree.html

“Old Lady” Taya In Coronet City on Corellia lives this ancient Human woman, one who some say can use a deck of sabacc card-chips to read beings' futures. While I never had time to investigate those claims personally—they seemed, after all, to be of little importance to the Galactic Civil War—I include them here for the sake of completeness. http://talesfromtheedgeoftheempire.blogspot.com/2014/07/using-sabacc-deck-for-fortune-telling.html

Zer Noloss It is no secret that the Gand bounty hunters known as Findsmen possess a mystical ability for finding their quarry, one that some claim is a manifestation of the Force. Whether or not that is true, two facts should be noted about this individual: first, he is among the more highly reputed of his kind; and second, some have claimed that his experience in the criminal underworld of the galaxy has caused him to be sympathetic to the Jedi and thus, possibly, to the Rebellion. What is more, it is believed that he has conducted his own investigations into the history and traditions of various Force-users, and thus might possess information of use to the Inqisitorius. http://talesfromtheedgeoftheempire.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-findsmen.html

The Loag While this organization is a long-time enemy of the Jedi Order, it is believed that they might possess information and items taken from felled foes. For that reason, I recommend that the Inquisitorius keep track of its activities, and perhaps even train agents to infiltrate this organization and thus gain access to those secrets. http://talesfromtheedgeoftheempire.blogspot.com/2015/11/loag-stronghold.html

Ji-Ad Sarain In the lead-up to the Clone Wars, this Human was a Jedi Knight sent to investigate the criminal organization run by Riboga the Hutt. It seems that he was eventually betrayed and exposed, and as a result was left frozen in carbonite for years. Eventually a group of beings from the Cularin System managed his release, at which point the details of his story become obscured. Some claim that he was taken back to Coruscant for treatment, but records are unreliable following the Separatist invasion of that world. http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Ji-Ad_Sarain

The Church of the Force Among all the possible remnants of the old Jedi Order, this one is perhaps the hardest to isolate. That is because its adherents are ordinary beings who revere the ways of the Jedi, but who go about their mundane daily lives. Even so, I believe that I've found evidence of at least two locations connected to them. One is among the scavengers on this very planet, Jakku, while another is protected by the fierce natives of Barab I. Those who follow up on this report should keep in mind that the scavengers are crafty in their chosen environment, and that the Barabel species holds a peculiar and enduring respect for beings associated with the Jedi. http://talesfromtheedgeoftheempire.blogspot.com/2016/06/church-of-force-shrine.html http://talesfromtheedgeoftheempire.blogspot.com/2016/07/sim-neleg-scavenger-village-on-jakku.html

RPGaDAY 2017 Posts

I apologize for the cross-posting, but I'll share my answers to these questions on all three of my current blogs.

Q1: What published RPG do you wish you were playing right now?

A1: Right now I wish that I was playing more of the Star Wars RPGs from Fantasy Flight Games, especially Age of Rebellion. Right now I really only have time for one weekly campaign, however, and so something more familiar to my players has taken priority. We'll see how the 2016-17 school year develops, though.

Q2: What is an RPG you would like to see published?

A2: I would love to see a space fantasy setting for Pathfinder that's in the vein of the old Spelljammer setting for D&D. The new Starfinder setting is interesting, but I'd rather not add so much technology to a fantasy RPG.

Q3: How do you find out about new RPGs?

A3: I regularly visit sites such as ENWorld and RPG.net for my general RPG news, as well as the message boards for Paizo Publishing and Fantasy Flight Games when I'm looking for info about their lines.

Q4: Which RPG have you played the most since August 2016?

A4: The clear winner here is Pathfinder, since I'm playing in a monthly campaign (the Skull & Shackles adventure path) with some college buddies an I just finished up a weekly campaign (a more traditional fantasy campaign loosely set on the Freeport setting's Continent).

Q5: Which RPG cover best captures the spirit of the game?

A5: For me, this is an easy one; the cover for The Concordance of Arcane Space has always been a favorite, capturing the essence of the Spelljammer space fantasy setting for 2^nd Edition AD&D. 

 Q6: You can game every day for a week. Describe what you'd do!

A6: My gut reaction here is to say that I'd gather a group of players, create some OD&D characters, and finish Keep on the Borderlands once and for all. That's something we tried to do a number of times when I was younger—including an epic effort on a snow day in college—but for which we never succeeded.

A more serious answer is to say that I'd run a series using one of the rulebooks that currently sits idle on my shelf. This could include Wonderland No More using the Save Worlds rules, or perhaps Pirates of the Spanish Main using the same. 

 Q7: What was your most impactful RPG session?

A7: When it comes to sessions in which I've played, the most impactful is probably a weekend-long, epic campaign finale to a Spelljammer campaign that my brother ran. He and I, along with two buddies, had been playing in that campaign for more than a year. For the finale, my aunt took us all out to the family cabin, where Nick ran the module Under the Dark Fist. We played for much of Friday night before going to bed, and then for as much of Saturday as we could, before finishing things on Sunday. In addition to being the action-packed conclusion to that campaign, it was the first taste that I had of really epic adventuring—our characters save the Known Galaxy from the Vodyanoi threat, and then were granted demi-god status because of what we'd done. That extended session, to me, set the bar for what RPG campaign finales could, and should, be.

Q8: What is a good RPG to play for session of 2 hours or less?

A8: For me, the first answer that comes to mind is the d6-based Star Wars RPG from West End Games. Although it's been out of print for almost twenty years now, it still strikes me as an excellent rules-light system that really captures the feel of the setting that it's supposed to emulate. While other games can be run in such a way that the rules seem to be “invisible,” that one, to me, still seems like the best.

Q9: What is a good RPG to play for about 10 sessions?

A9: This, to me, seems like a good chance to try out something unusual, or something that's not so well suited to extended campaign play. (Pathfinder or D&D and Star Wars strike me as really well suited to long campaigns, by the way.) I've been wanting to use Savage Worlds for a short series inspired by Ash vs. Evil Dead, for example, or even something based on RoboCop. Those, in my mind, would make for good ten-game series: ones that have a higher possibility of PC fatality. For that reason any incarnation of Call of Cthulhu also comes to mind, even though I don't have much experience with it.

 Q10: Where do you go for RPG reviews?

A10: As mentioned above, I spend a good deal of time on ENWorld and RPG.net. If those don't provide what I want, then I just Google “Title of RPG Review.”

Q11: Which “dead game” would you like to see reborn?

A11: This is an easy one: the D6 version of the Star Wars Roleplaying Game.

 Q12: Which RPG has the most inspiring interior art?

A12: I'll give a shoutout here to the old Al-Qadim campaign setting. The art wasn't fancy, but TSR did a nice job of keeping one artist—Karl Waller—for the whole run of the product line. This established a really consistent feel, and I liked it.

Q13: Describe a game experience that changed how you play.

A13: Running sessions at conventions and for the RPGA had a big impact on how I plan for and run sessions. Much of that comes from the fact that I needed to tell a complete and satisfying story in a four-hour time period, and one in which all of the characters (and thus players) play an active part. That also pushed me to work on my organization and pacing.

Q14: Which RPG do you prefer for open-ended campaign play?

A14: This is a hard one. On the one hand, I think games like Pathfinder and D&D work really well because the level-based system of character advancement makes for really satisfying development. Eventually, however, characters become so powerful that it's hard to challenge them without having character death become all too common.

 Q15: Which RPG do you enjoy adapting the most?

A15: Savage Worlds stands out for this one because of the ease of adaptability for it, and because its “Fast, Furious and Fun” nature makes it a good fit for lots of cinematic genres. I've written some supplements for using it in the Aliens universe, and have been kicking around ideas for Ash vs. Evil Dead and RoboCop, too.

Q16: What RPG do you enjoy using as is?

A16: For me, Pathfinder is the one that just works well in the setting for which it is intended. While the rules become a little cumbersome and slow at really high levels, most campaigns don't run that long.

Q17: Which RPG have you owned the longest but not played?

A17: That award probably goes to the Masterbook system version of The Adventures of Indiana Jones.

Q18: Which RPG have you played the most in your life?

A18: This one is a toss-up between the various incarnations of D&D and Pathfinder, or to the range of Star Wars RPGs. When it comes to Star Wars, I can recall half a dozen D6-System SW campaigns, along with a few using the d20 System (including lots of activity for the Living Force campaign), one for Saga Edition (the Dawn of Defiance series) and a couple for the new system from Fantasy Flight Games. On the other hand, it feels like I've run or played in a D&D/Pathfinder campaign just about every year for the past quarter century: four in the Freeport setting; a massive Spelljammer epic; various hodgepodges of Dungeon Magazine scenarios in junior high and high school; one based on Against the Giants using 3^rd edition; two set in ancient Greece; one in Lankhmar; one that ran to 20^th level and ended with the Coliseum Morpheuon super-module; and my current one, playing in the Skull & Shackles adventure path. Additionally, I've run most of those systems and editions at conventions, game days and the like. Let's call it a draw at a dozen of each.

Q19: Which RPG features the best writing?

A19: I really enjoyed reading the 1^st Edition of the Star Wars RPG from West End Games because the authors included a good deal of humor in their explanations of how the rules worked.

 Q20: What is the best source for out-of-print RPGs?

A20: For pure efficacy, Amazon is probably the best way to find and order them. Even so, I still like to hit the used book stores to peruse the shelves; there's more of a sense of adventure to it.

Q21: What RPG does the most with the least words?

A21: For this one I'll go with the Mini-Six version of the old D6 System, updated by AntiPaladin Games using material from West End Games. The whole booklet is only some twenty pages long, but provides a complete RPG.

Q22: Which RPGs are the easiest for you to run?

A22: My answer for this is the same as for previous ones: either Pathfinder or the D6-System Star Wars.

Q23: Which RPG has the most jaw-dropping layout?

A23: Right now, any full-color RPG is in contention. My collection is not the most diverse, so there are probably a lot of them with really pretty aesthetics of which I'm not aware. Even so, I do recall that the One Ring RPG looked really nice.

Q24: Share a PWYW publisher who should be charging more.

A24: While I don't buy as many PDF products as I used to, one publisher stands out here: Rite Publishing. I know that they have lots of material with normal prices, but their Pathways e-zine has consistently provided quality content for more than sixty issues.

Q25: What is the best way to thank your GM?

A25: For me, having players tell stories from sessions is the highest form of praise. While not every session is memorable—indeed, I think I have forgotten the majority of them—it's the ones that players tell again and again that make me feel like I've done good work.

Q26: Which RPG provides the most useful resources?

A26: I'll go with the various Star Wars RPGs on this one, since they've helped explore and expand that Galaxy Far, Far Away.

 Q27: What are your essential tools for good gaming?

A27: In addition to books, minis, maps and dice, I always have note cards for keeping the initiative order and paper for taking notes. Throw in some poker chips, too, if I'm running Savage Worlds.

Q28: What film/series is the biggest source of quotes in your group?

A28: I'm not sure about this one, since people will quote from many different sources. When we're playing a Star Wars RPG it's usually the clear winner, but beyond that I don't know.

Q29: What has been the best-run Kickstarter you have backed?

A29: Far and away, the Kickstarter for the Sixth Gun RPG went the most smoothly; the book was released on time and is beautiful. Beyond that, one was late, I'm still waiting on one, and one just disappeared. I'll give a shoutout, though, for Buccaneer: Come Hell and High Water and Harlem Unbound, both of which are currently in progress.

Q30: What is an RPG genre-mashup you would most like to see?

A30: I would love to see a mashup of games with various setting and rules, all linked together using a time-traveling and world-spanning plot via Army of Darkness.

Q31: What do you anticipate most for gaming in 2018?

A31: At the risk of being self-serving, I'm excited to run a couple of scenarios at Con of the North in February, 2018, using the Aetherial Adventures material that I've been writing for this blog. I think it's going to be a lot of fun.

Spoils of War

I've been slow in creating new content recently, but I'm starting to feel some excitement with the approach of Episode VIII. As such, here's a short scenario that's a follow-up (or more of an add-on, really) to "Rescue at Hosnian Prime."

The Spoils of War

-Nate

Forces of Destiny

I'd heard about this series some months back, and wasn't sure what to think, but now, having seen some of the footage, I'm definitely intrigued. We'll see how it is next week.

-Nate

Hints and Allegations, Part 2

In a previous post (linked below), I speculated about some of the possible connections between kyber crystals, the planet Ilum and the group of beings known as the Whills. Now that the trailer for The Last Jedi has been released, I have a few more ideas.

Hints and Allegations

1. I finished reading Ahsoka. While it provides a little more information about Ilum, there's not a whole lot of detail with which to work. It seems that the Empire stripmined that planet, but we still don't know with any certainty if it was converted into Starkiller Base. My gut tells me yes, but my brain can't corroborate that.

2. Do we finally see the Journal of the Whills in the trailer for The Last Jedi? A couple of different articles online tipped me off to that possibility. Given the reference to it in the novelization of The Force Awakens, and the fact that Chirrut Imwe and Baze Malbus are described as former Guardians of the Wills in Rogue One, my money here again is on yes.

3. The end of the novel Aftermath: Empire's End introduces a big, fancy computer in a hidden facility on Jakku that the Emperor was using to plot expeditions into the Unknown Regions. What is more, the beings who seemed destined to found the First Order were headed into that area at the end of the novel. It seems clear that this is where we'll see the base of operations to which Supreme Leader Snoke orders General Hux and Kylo Ren to return. It's curious that we don't see any of them in the new trailer, though.

4. What's not so clear is the possible connection between the Chiss species in general, and Grand Admiral Thrawn in particular, to activity in the Unknown Regions. Timothy Zahn explored that in his novel Outbound Flight, so I wonder if the creative team from Lucasfilm is bring back some of those elements along with the blue-skinned, red-eyed, art-loving officer.

5. In Aftermath: Empire's End there's also a reference to a ship called the Eclipse. This seems like a throwback to the old Dark Empire comics, in which the Eclipse was a Star Destroyer that put even Super Star Destroyers to shame.

6. Finally, the new trailer includes Luke's line about the Jedi needing to end. Could this be a reference to the Jedi Order's old rule of celibacy that caused so much trouble for Anakin Skywalker? That may be a stretch, but it could be his intention to create a new organization in which Force-users are more integral parts of their communities. Could that, then, be the notion of bringing balance to the Force?

I'll add: One of the biggest questions about Episode VII is that of Rey's heritage. Maybe the "New Jedi Order" will be one in which Force-users can raise their own children, instead of turning them over to a monastic order?

This is all, of course, speculation. If you have feedback or ideas of your own, then please share them as comments.

-Nate

The Last Jedi

Things have been a little slow on this blog for a while. Part of that is due to school, and part of it is from me focusing more attention on my nautical/space fantasy blog. Another factor, though, is the fact that I'd like to focus more on the Awakened Era of Star Wars, and that's been slow in developing.

We finally had the first trailer for Episode VIII, and it has me excited.

-Nate

Legends of the Galaxy

For those who are interested in organized play--that is, finding places to play where there are regular RPG events, steady groups of players and GMs, and an ongoing storyline--you should check out the group Legends of the Galaxy. The website has rules for playing in the campaign, an event calendar, resources for players and GMs, a messageboard, and more.

Legends of the Galaxy

I'll add a shoutout to Nicholas J. Montgomery for putting in a lot of work to start this organization.

-Nate

No Disintegrations (P)review

I know it's a bit late, but here's a preview of what people can expect from No Disintegrations. 

-Nate 

No Disintegrations (P)review

Page 1: Crawl

Page 2: Credits

Page 3: Table of Contents

Page 4: Fiction

Pages 5-6: Overview of what to expect from the book

Pages 7-11: Description of different types of bounties and some rules regarding them

Pages 12-41: New backgrounds and obligation information; three species—Clawdite, Devaronian and Kalleran; three new specializations—martial artist, operator and skip tracer; new motivations; two signature talent trees, Always Get My Mark and Unmatched Devastation

Pages 42-65: Five new ranged weapons, micro-rockets, two melee weapons, four suits of armor, new armor attachments, nine equipment items, some drugs and poisons, seven new starships, new ship attachments and rules for space mines

Page 66-95: Ideas for using bounty hunters in campaigns, conducting investigations, spending dice pool results, sample bounty hunts and campaigns, suggestions for bounty hunter rewards, a new mechanic called Exploits that reflect on a bounty hunter's reputation throughout the galaxy

Page 96: Ad

Hints and Allegations

It's been a little slow for the Awakened Era. After the initial burst of material that was released around the same time as Episode VII, there hasn't been much story development in this time period. (An exception is the aforementioned Poe Dameron comic, which remains a favorite of mine.) Even so, some of the elements from Rogue One seem to combine with others from The Force Awakens to hint at elements that might be important for Episode VIII. In particular, I'm thinking of kyber crystals and that mysterious group known as the Whills.

Here are a few observations.

1. The prologue to the novelization of A New Hope includes a brief history of the Old Republic and its downfall. It is attributed as “From the First Saga, Journal of the Whills.”

2. According to the Star Wars Annotated Screenplays, George Lucas originally thought of the Whills as “...somebody watching this whole story and recording it, somebody probably wiser than the mortal players in the actual events.” He goes on to add, however, that “I eventually dropped this idea, and the concept behind the Whills turned into the Force.”

3. At the start of the Episode VII novelization, Alan Dean Foster includes a bit of poetry: “First comes the day, then comes the night. After the darkness shines through the light. The difference, they say, is only made right by the resolving of gray through refined Jedi sight. --Journal of the Whills, 7: 477.”
4. In the movie and novelization of Rogue One, the characters Chirrut Imwe and Baze Malbus are referred to as “Guardians of the Whills.” They guard (or used to guard) a holy city with a temple in it, the place from which the Empire is taking kyber crystals for use in the Death Star project.
5. It's well established that, in addition to being used in the Death Star's superlaser, kyber crystals are also a necessary component in Jedi lightsabers.

6. In the Clone Wars episode “The Gathering,” a group of Jedi younglings goes to the planet Ilum in search of crystals for their lightsabers; there they are tested by the caves in order to prove their worthiness.

7. Apparently, in the novel Ahsoka it mentions that the Empire quickly despoiled Ilum after Palpatine established the New Order. I need to finish reading that novel. 
8. Here's an interesting development: On the map that comes with the Star Wars: The Force Awakens Beginner Box RPG, the planet Ilum is not listed; in its place is the origin point for Starkiller Base.

I don't know just what these details imply. Maybe it's an important plot point for Episode VIII; maybe it's not. Whatever the case, it struck me as curious.

-Nate