Sunday, August 31, 2014

Expanding the Operation

Despite the fact that Slarr the Hutt's operation is a relatively small one, this crime lord works tirelessly to expand his activities in all manner of illicit markets. To that end, his workers are laboring to build a lower level for his palace, providing living space for new minions, more storage for illegal goods, and the like.

Refer to the appropriate map for the following location descriptions.



11. Towers
Spiral staircases lead down to this level from the towers at ground level. The bases of the towers are laid out in a similar manner to those above, except that they do not have firing ports for weapons.

12. Torture Chamber
All Hutts tend toward grandiosity when it comes to showing off their power. For the notorious Jabba the Hutt, that means having a dungeon with a rancor in it, one into which he can drop irritating visitors or disloyal servants. While Slarr is not so well off as Jabba, he still exhibits the habit. In this case, Slarr has built a torture chamber beneath his throne room. There is a hidden, barred trapdoor in the ceiling, which he can open via a control panel on his dais; in this way he can sit in leisure and listen while his enemies are tortured—like opera to the ears of a Coruscanti noble. In the middle of the torture chamber is a broad table with restraints at its four corners; shelves on the walls hold all manner of unpleasant implements.

13. Prisoner Cells
Each of these small chambers boasts doors that open only from the outside, a safety precaution to prevent their inhabitants from escaping. The doors themselves are solid durasteel, and have a small, barred slit at roughly eye level. Beyond that, their only furnishing is a narrow bench along each wall, providing a place to sit or lie down, albeit not comfortably.

14. New Rooms
These large chambers are unfinished. They represent Slarr's grand schemes for expanding his operation, places for new employees and activities. Traborn Yerg is already looking at turning one into a workshop for making new combat automata, and Slarr imagines maintaining a stable of loyal smugglers to send on daring transport jobs.


Utho Keram, Thakwaash Torturer (Rival)
Brawn 3 Cunning 2 Presence 1
Agility 2 Intellect 2 Willpower 2

Soak: 3
Wound Threshold: 15
Strain Threshold: 13
M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills: Athletics 1, Brawl 2, Coercion 3, Cool 1, Deception 1, Discipline 2, Lore 1, Mechanics 2, Medicine 2, Melee 2, Negotiation 1, Perception 2, Resilience 2, Survival 1, Underworld 1, Vigilance 1, Xenology 2

Talents: Grit, Pressure Point, Resolve, Surgeon

Abilities: Multiple Personalities: At the start of their turn, a Thakwaash can choose to suffer 2 Strain to upgrade the dice pool once for a specific skill until the start of their next turn.

Equipment: Clothing, stimpack, medkit, vibroknife

Utho Keram was once an up-and-coming doctor in the Core Worlds. Although he was highly knowledgeable regarding his subject matter, the problem was that he found he liked to test beings' resistance to pain. To that end he would sometimes make his patients push their boundaries, and this eventually led to an unfortunate death. Fleeing from persecution, Utho made his way out to Hutt Space, where he made the acquaintance of Slarr.

It turned out that theirs was a serendipitous meeting. After all, Slarr was looking for a being who could helps his enemies see the errors of their ways, while Utho was in need of a job. The Hutt generously hired the Thakwaash, providing him with a facility for testing his theories and a steady stream of subjects on which to do so.

When he is not busy working with a subject, Utho spends his time resting in one of the prisoner cells that surround the torture chamber. He finds that basking in the smell of the condemned is highly stimulating, but also very relaxing.

(This character uses stats from the Unofficial Species Menagerie, from the Gaming Security Alliance.)


Sunday, August 17, 2014

Vrab's Garden

When beings consider the drug trade in the galaxy, they usually think about commodities such as ryll and glitterstim. While not as well known, lesai is a stimulant that has its adherents. For one thing, it allows users to go without sleep. For another, some claim that it deadens the emotions. It is the prior property that makes it valuable, and Slarr the Hutt employs an Ithorian gardener to produce it for sale. The gardener, Eryado Vrab, produces it in a facility that fronts as a producer of foodstuffs for the Hutt's enjoyment, but a few beings know the truth about it.



The Garden

Refer to the appropriate map for the following area descriptions. The garden is built using a prefabricated pressure dome, the kind of used on airless worlds. This allows for easy maintenance of temperature and humidity, allowing Vrab to create just the right environment.

1. Entrance
Each entrance consists of an airlock with pressurized double doors on each side. Only one is actually functional, since power has been cut off from the other three. Vrab can reconnect power in the event of an emergency, however. Unless one has the passcode, it takes a pair of hard Skulduggery checks to bypass the doors.

2. Interior
The interior of this building is hot and humid. The floor is filled with dirt, and there is a pool of water in the center. More than a dozen trees surround the pool, along with shrubberies and other plants. All in all it forms a habitat for various creatures and plants, including the amphibians that are one of Slarr's favorite snacks. A number of the lizards that are a source for lesai can be found throughout the habitat. At any given time, Eryado Vrab, along with two Aqualish guards and a pair of Nikto servants can be found here. All but the Ithorian find it to be rather boring duty, but a change of pace from working inside Slarr's palace.


Eryado Vrab (Rival)
Brawn 2 Cunning 2 Presence 2
Agility 1 Intellect 2 Willpower 3

Soak: 2
Wound Threshold: 11
Strain Threshold: 15
M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills: Athletics 2, Brawl 1, Cool 1, Core Worlds 2, Discipline 1, Education 2, Lore 2, Medicine 2, Melee 1, Negotiation 1, Outer Rim 2, Perception 3, Resilience 2, Stealth 1, Survival 3, Vigilance 2, Xenology 2

Talents: Confidence, Expert Tracker, Forager, Heightened Awareness, Outdoorsman, Toughened

Abilities: One free rank in Survival; Ithorian Bellow

Equipment: Heavy clothing, breath mask, medpac, vibroknife, walking staff (treat as a truncheon)

Eryado Vrab is an expert when it comes to flora and fauna from around the galaxy. He grew up on Ithor, with a reverence for the Mother Jungle as is common among his species. Even so, the wildlife of one planet was not enough to satisfy his curiosity; he wanted to see other worlds, too. That drive is what eventually led him to Nal Hutta, where Slarr the Hutt offered to bankroll a garden facility if the Ithorian would just add certain specific animals—lizards with fungus growing on their backs—to his menagerie. Although he knows that the fungus is used for nefarious purposes, Vrab could not help but agree. Now he has the freedom to cultivate all manner of plants, as long as he delivers the required quantities of lesai in a timely manner.


Using the Gardner in an Edge of the Empire Campaign
The Ithorian and his illicit pharmaceuticals can be incorporated in a campaign in many different ways; a few of the possibilities are detailed here.
  • Vrab handles the production and distribution of lesai for Slarr the Hutt; his facility relies on secrecy, rather than impressive security messages, for remaining undisturbed. If somebody learned the truth of the matter, they might be so bold as to try robbing the place.
  • One Imperial officer wants to experiment with using lesai to increase the stamina of soldiers in the field. To that end, he visits Slarr's palace and makes arrangements for doing so. While he is there, observant characters might recognize his true identity. Moreover, he might be able to identify wanted criminals who are present. Although it wouldn't do for him to try apprehending those beings in the palace, he could always try to do so once outside it.
  • Should he learn that the PCs are traveling to a world that he hasn't visited, Vrab might ask to accompany them, or offer to pay them for delivering a particular plant or creature.

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Slarr the Hutt


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.

Friday, August 15, 2014

Far Horizons Review


Continuing the series of books that focus on a particular career, this book is all about colonists. All in all, it is consistent with the others, Dangerous Covenants for hired guns and Enter the Unknown for explorers.

Contents
Far Horizons contains the following material.
  1. Four pages with the opening crawl, title page, table of contents and a short fiction piece
  2. Three pages discussing roles for colonists in the galaxy
  3. Ten pages presenting different archetypal colonists and new obligation options for them
  4. Six pages detailing three new species: Arcona, Chevin and Gran
  5. Eight pages detailing three new specializations: entrepreneur, marshal and performer
  6. Six pages presenting new talents, motivations and signature abilities
  7. Twenty-two pages of new weapons, armor, equipment and vehicles
  8. Thirty-six pages with suggestions for how to involved colonist characters in adventures, including rules for managing homesteads and a pay scale for these characters

Impressions
For me, the homestead rules are the most intriguing part of this book. It's always nice to have more options for species, careers and specializations and equipment, but the homestead option—in which the PCs are tied to a location instead of to a starship—could make for a distinctively different campaign. I mentioned this a little back when I wrote about using the novel Kenobi for inspiration. In that book, much of the action centers around a compound known as Dannar's Claim and the efforts of the locals to make a living despite the machinations of others around them. The rules in this book would serve well for running that kind of campaign, a real change of pace and one that I think could be fun.



Thursday, August 14, 2014

Landing Pad


In my last post I provided a link to a compilation of articles from the last eight months or so, all written with Corellia as a common theme. Now that it's finished, I've been looking for a new theme. That will be Hutt Space. Right now I'm working on a crime boss's stronghold. While I'm doing so, I thought I would provide a landing pad. This, by the way, is the kind of platform that I envisioned for use around the Oonta hunting compound in my scenario Hunter and Hunted

-Nate


Landing Platform
Often in an Edge of the Empire campaign it is important to know where a starship is parked. To that end, presented here is an elevated landing platform suitable for use in remote areas, especially jungle or swamp locations where it's difficult to build the more typical docking bay.



Features
The landing platform is circular, twenty meters in diameter. It is supported by seven stout columns that are ten meters tall. Of course, that height can be much larger, such as when a platform like this is built to protrude from the water. A one-meter high guard railing runs around the circumference. The ground is accessible via a four-meter-wide lift platform on one side, big enough to be used for cargo as well as passengers and crew. In some locations guards are posted at the base of the lift.



Thursday, August 7, 2014

Corellia

My last post completed the Corellia-based material on which I've been working, so here's a link to the compiled PDF.

Corellia

-Nate


Wednesday, August 6, 2014

The Mag-Lev Job

A previous article presented the layout for a Corellian mag-lev train, along with stats for the characters who are frequently found aboard it.


Detailed here is a short scenario in which one or more groups of characters decides to steal a valuable item that is being transported aboard the train. Before this situation begins, however, the GM needs to answer a few important questions.

What is the item?
It works best if the cargo is something small—and therefore relatively portable—but valuable. Some possibilities include:
  • A Jedi holocron
  • A collection of valuable loot (see above for some options)
  • An archaeological artifact such as the Cirra Mace, the Loag Dagger or the Sharka'k Noor
  • A rare and valuable piece of technology such as a personal stealth field or a component for modifying a starship
  • A cargo pod of drugs
  • A cargo pod of medical supplies
  • A living being who's being transported while incapacitated

To whom does it belong?
The answer to this question should be an influential being. Perhaps it belongs to a crime boss such as Tebora the Muun or Slarr the Hutt. This works best if it is an NPC with whom the PCs have previously dealt. If it is in the possession of the Empire, why is it being transported in secrecy? Whatever the case, the act of stealing the item in question is one that should increase the PCs' Obligation to one party or another. (If the PCs are part of an Age of Rebellion campaign, on the other hand, this raid could be a means of increasing their Duty.)

Who wants it, and why?
Are the PCs after this item because they want it for themselves? Might they be hired by a crime boss, or even perhaps by the Rebel Alliance? To balance out the increased obligation mentioned above, the PCs should gain a reward in the form of cash payment, the favor of a crime boss or the Alliance, or the use of the item or goods in question. As a twist, of course, the PCs could be hired to protect the shipment, facing off against mag-lev robbers such as Sen Wral and the nerf-rustlers mentioned in a previous article.
As long as the PCs can succeed, delivering the goods to the party that wants them could make for another adventure in and of itself.

How is the deed to be done?
There are a number of factors to consider when it comes to stealing the goods. Somebody needs to board the mag-lev so as to scope out the situation, locating the item(s) in question and determining how they're being guarded. This requires stealth and/or subterfuge.
In addition to the living beings who've been assigned to protect them, the storage compartment itself and the cargo container should be sealed with mechanisms that require Skulduggery checks to bypass; failure could trigger an alarm, deliver a stunning shock to the thief or have some other kind of negative consequence.
Once the PCs do manage to acquire the goods, they need to remove them from the mag-lev. Perhaps the means of doing so is to have one or more characters bring around a speeder or a starship onto which they can be transferred. This requires matching speeds and trajectory with the mag-lev via suitable Piloting efforts, and then Athletics checks to move goods and characters from the train to the other vehicle.
Finally, there is always the possibility that the PCs are pursued. This could certainly occur if a character failed to acquire the goods without setting off an alarm. Alternately, there could be a homing device located in the cargo container, one that the PCs need to find and disable if they're going to make an escape. Depending on the being to whom the goods belong, the pursuit could be criminal enforcers in Z-95 Headhunters, Imperial TIE fighters, or something else.

The Opposition
Detailed here are three criminal types who can serve as guardians of the cargo. They are all Klatooinans, and all three operate under the name M'Beg. They think it's a pretty funny joke.

M'Beg the Talker (Rival)
Brawn 2 Cunning 2 Presence 3
Agility 3 Intellect 2 Willpower 1

Soak: 3
Wound Threshold: 12
Strain Threshold: 13
M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills: Charm 1, Coercion 2, Cool 1, Deception 2, Discipline 1, Negotiation 2, Perception 2, Ranged—Light 2, Streetwise 1, Underworld 1, Vigilance 1

Talents: Black Market Contacts, Dodge, Grit, Indistinguishable, Rapid Reaction, Street Smarts

Abilities: One free rank in Brawl, Ranged (Heavy) or Ranged (Light), plus one free rank in any non-career skill

Equipment: Heavy clothing, blaster pistol, comlink

This M'Beg is the face of the group, the one who handles negotiations and thus acts as the leader.


M'Beg the Hitter (Rival)
Brawn 3 Cunning 2 Presence 2
Agility 3 Intellect 2 Willpower 1

Soak: 4
Wound Threshold: 15
Strain Threshold: 12
M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills: Athletics 2, Brawl 3, Cool 1, Coordination 1, Melee 2, Perception 1, Ranged—Light 1, Resilience 2, Streetwise 1, Survival 1, Vigilance 1

Talents: Frenzied Attack, Heroic Fortitude, Knockdown, Lethal Blows, Toughened

Abilities: One free rank in Brawl, Ranged (Heavy) or Ranged (Light), plus one free rank in any non-career skill

Equipment: Heavy clothing, blaster pistol, truncheon, comlink

This M'Beg is a being who prefers to communicate with his fists or a good stout piece of durasteel pipe.


M'Beg the Shooter (Rival)
Brawn 2 Cunning 2 Presence 2
Agility 3 Intellect 2 Willpower 1

Soak: 3
Wound Threshold: 14
Strain Threshold: 13
M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills: Cool 1, Coordination 2, Gunnery 1, Mechanics 2, Perception 1, Piloting—Planetary 2, Piloting—Space 2, Ranged—Heavy 2, Ranged—Light 3, Skulduggery 1, Stealth 1, Streetwise 1, Vigilance 1

Talents: Barrage, Brace, Durable, Grit, Spare Clip, Toughened

Abilities: One free rank in Brawl, Ranged (Heavy) or Ranged (Light), plus one free rank in any non-career skill

Equipment: Heavy clothing, blaster pistol, blaster carbine, comlink


This M'Beg can act as pilot and mechanic for the team, but likes it best when the shooting starts.