Saturday, October 21, 2017

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.



Friday, October 20, 2017

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.