Spire Outpost

*Huh. Well, it seems that there might be a problem with the material in this post. According to the map in the new Beginner Game for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the origin point for Starkiller Base is exactly where the planet Ilum used to be. That's not good... 

After the destruction of Hosnian Prime by the First Order's Starkiller superweapon, the Resistance finds itself scrambling to respond to the elevated threat that that organization presents to the galaxy. With the New Republic in chaos, however, and only muddled support coming from beings who should be strong allies, the Resistance still needs to act discreetly. The creation of Spire Outpost represents one effort at doing so. This facility provides a place from which to monitor activities in the Unknown regions without attracting unwanted attention.

Spire Outpost

Refer to the appropriate maps and the following area descriptions in order to create this scene vividly for the players. Remember that Ilum is a frigid world, similar to Hoth in climate, but its caverns are also home to beautifully clear crystals.

1. Entrance

The mouth of the caverns provides protection from sensor scans that is a natural property of the surrounding rock and crystals.

2. Lower Cavern

This broad cavern is slowly being expanded for use as a hangar for starfighters and space transports. While the prior can now be maneuvered inside it, the latter must still be parked outside.

3. Maintenance Shed

A small prefabricated structure (like the rest of the ones in the base), this building is used for storing tools and spare parts used in maintaining the base's vehicles and droids.

4. Turbolifts

Each of these units can, in the event of power loss, be used as an emergency ladderwell.

5. Generator

This portable device provides electricity for the base.

6. Tauntaun Pens

The first “vehicles” brought to Spire Outpost consist of these six repto-mammalian creatures.

7. Mess Hall

The heart of the facility is this building, where base personnel can take their meals and spend their limited recreational time.

8. Barracks

Each of these structures boasts a dozen bunked beds, tables and chairs, and two refresher units. Personnel can store their possessions in footlockers under the bunks.

9. Comm Center

This building boasts its own integral power generator, along with communications consoles linked to the experimental crystal transmitter (see below).

10. Medical Center

While small and none-too-well stocked, this building can handle most of the injuries and illnesses suffered by Spire Outpost's staff.

11. Transmitter (not pictured)

The Resistance technicians have connected the base's comm center to a natural outrcropping of crystal, rather than installing any kind of sensor dish; in this way they hope to be able to enable communication and local scanning without attracting unwanted attention.

Spire Outpost Assets and Resources Summary Type: Reconnaissance Base. Location: Crystal Caverns of Ilum. Command: Resistance High Command. Approximate Personnel: Two to three dozen Resistance members including scouts, pilots, technicians medical staff. Commanders/Leaders: Captain Cormen Taoshi. Notable Personalities: Pomm and Kalla Teku; the PCs. Defenses: None. Mission Support: Reconnaissance against the First Order; staging area for “Special Operations” types of missions. Facilities: Prefabricated barracks, mess hall, comm center and med center; vehicle hangar in the process of being built. Starships: BTL-S3 Y-Wing; the PCs' ship. Vehicles: Tauntauns. Special Notes: The natural properties of the surrounding crystals, along with the concealed nature of the base's communications and sensor system, makes this base especially difficult to detect.

Denizens of Savannah Landing

Detailed here are some of the beings who can be found in Savannah Landing. 

-Nate

Cantina Servers (Minions)

Brawn 2 Agility 2 Intellect 1

Cunning 2 Willpower 1 Presence 2

Soak: 2

Wound Threshold: 5 each

Strain Threshold: NA

M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills (group only): Charm, Perception

Equipment: Clothing, comlinks

The servers who work in Teng's Cantina are a variety of species, but all are relatively appealing. In addition to delivering food and drink to customers, they keep eyes and ears open for information that could be of use to their boss.

Warehouse Guards (Minions)

Brawn 2 Agility 2 Intellect 1

Cunning 2 Willpower 2 Presence 1

Soak: 3

Wound Threshold: 5 each

Strain Threshold: NA

M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills (group only): Athletics, Brawl, Discipline, Melee, Ranged—Light

Equipment: Heavy clothing, blaster pistols, truncheons, comlinks

These Chevs have been put into an unusual position by their boss—granted their freedom, with the promise that they or their offspring will inherit control of Savannah Landing after his death. This liberation has left them with deep loyalty for Teng Woru, and so they do what they can to ensure that his (their) business prospers.

Teng Woru

Brawn 3 Agility 1 Intellect 2

Cunning 3 Willpower 2 Presence 2

Soak: 4

Wound Threshold: 16

Strain Threshold: 14

M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills: Brawl 1, Cool 1, Deception 2, Leadership 1, Negotiation 3, Perception 2, Ranged—Light 2, Resilience 2, Streetwise 2, Underworld 1, Vigilance 1

Talents: Durable, Greased Palms, Grit, Plausible Deniability, Rapid Recovery, Sound Investments, Throwing Credits, Toughened, Wheel and Deal

Abilities: One free rank in Negotiation; Advanced Olfaction; Thick Hide

Equipment: Heavy clothing, heavy blaster pistol, walking stick (truncheon), comlink, datapad

Teng Woru is an anomaly among Chevins, one who has emancipated his Chev slaves in order that they might choose to work for him as near equals. Dissatisfied with a life that consisted of power struggles and the fear of backstabbing, he instead decided to set up shop on the agrarian planet Ansion in the hope of find a more peaceful life. Ironically, the location that he chose for Savannah Landing has put him in the middle of the conflict between the New Republic, the Resistance and the First Order. Even so, he is still satisfied with his decision.

  

Savannah Landing

This post is the first that focuses on material related to Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. 

-Nate

Savannah Landing

The planet Ansion, at first glance, might seem like a backwater agrarian world. The fact that it is situated on the edge of the New Republic, close to its border with First Order territory, however, makes it an important stopover for beings traveling between the two. For more information about that world, refer to the article(s) on Wookieepedia. 

Ansion

 Savannah Landing consists of little more that a dozen docking bays forming the outside walls of the settlement, rising up to a height of fifteen meters out of the surrounding grassland. Entrance for ground-based traffic is via the broad sets of blast doors in the north and south walls. Each docking bay features broad, secure double doors out front (1). They are little more than open pits with fifteen-meter-high walls (2). Each one does boast a small set of quarters (3) with bunks, a table and chairs and a refresher, along with a small workshop (4) and a storage area (5). In the center of the facility are the two main buildings, the warehouse and the cantina.

 The cantina is dominated by a large, open room filled with tables and chairs (1). There is a long bar on the wall opposite the entrance. Beyond the bar, a door leads back into the kitchen (2), off of which is a pantry (3). A door in back of the kitchen leads to the alleyway behind the cantina. There are also two private rooms (4) to facilitate more intimate gatherings, and a pair of refreshers along each of the other walls (5).

The warehouse has double doors (1) at ground level and on the loading dock (2), along with a personnel entrance along the side. Most of the building is filled with rows of shelving units (3), and there is an employee break area in the back corner (4).

  

Looking Back on 2015 and the Dark Times

This has, all in all, been a good year for Star Wars. After all, Episode VII was finally released and it was highly enjoyable. It's also been a year of significant changes, though. For example, back in June or so, I decided to focus on Dark Times-era material for this blog. While I liked the idea at the time, I didn't feel as much inspiration as I'd hoped, and the current direction of the franchise has turned my interest and energy back toward the Original Trilogy and the new one. To that end, I've decided to wrap up the Dark Times writing. As such, here's a link to a PDF compiling that material.

-Nate


Dark Times PDF

Loag Assassins

Detailed below are the assassins who make up the Loag organization.

-Nate 

Personnel

Presented below are some of the characters who can usually be found in the Loag stronghold.

Recruits (Minion)

Brawn 2 Agility 2 Intellect 2

Cunning 2 Willpower 2 Presence 2

Soak: 3

Wound Threshold: 5

Strain Threshold: NA

M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills (group only): Brawl, Melee, Ranged—Light, Skulduggery

Talents: None

Abilities: None

Equipment: Armored clothing, blaster pistol, vibroknife

These recruits, while enthusiastic, are still pretty raw as far as their abilities are concerned. Even so, they make formidable foes in numbers, and handle much of the day-to-day maintenance of the organization. Those who demonstrate the most aptitude are selected for further training and, therefore, promotion.

Junior Assassin (Rival)

Brawn 2 Agility 2 Intellect 2

Cunning 2 Willpower 2 Presence 2

Soak: 3

Wound Threshold: 12

Strain Threshold: 12

M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills: Athletics 2, Brawl 3, Cool 2, Coordination 2, Deception 2, Melee 3, Perception 2, Ranged—Light 3, Skulduggery 2, Stealth 2, Vigilance 2

Talents: Dodge, Grit, Lethal Blows, Stalker

Abilities: None

Equipment: Heavy clothing, blaster pistol, vibroknife

Those recruits who show particular promise are given extra training and, eventually, sent on missions for the order. They are trusted to act on their own for low-level assignments—those that do not require the attention of a senior assassin.

Senior Assassin (Nemesis)

Brawn 2 Agility 2 Intellect 2

Cunning 2 Willpower 2 Presence 2

Soak: 3

Wound Threshold: 12

Strain Threshold: 12

M/R Defense: 1 / 1

Skills: Athletics 2, Brawl 3, Cool 2, Coordination 2, Deception 2, Melee 3, Perception 2, Ranged—Light 3, Skulduggery 2, Stealth 2, Vigilance 2

Talents: Dedication, Dodge, Grit, Jump Up, Lethal Blows, Quick Draw, Quick Strike, Sniper Shot, Stalker, Targeted Blow

Abilities: None

Equipment: Armored clothing, heavy blaster pistol, vibrosword

The highest-ranking members of the Loag are those who handle only the most difficult assignments, and who of course are most dedicated to the cause of the organization.

Loag Stronghold

On the planet Merisee there lurks a cult of assassins known as the Loag. For many years they carried out paid acts of murder with virtual impunity, until the Jedi Order decided to put an end to its activities. Six Jedi were sent to do so; it took a year, and three who were sent did not return. Even so, the Loag were broken...

...until the rise of the Galactic Empire, that is. Now that Emperor Palpatine's New Order has seized control of the galaxy, the Loag are reestablishing themselves. While some of their number wish to remain secretive, others want to make a more blatant statement to the rest of the galaxy. For more information about the history of the Loag, refer to Wookieepedia.

The Loag

The Stronghold

Refer to the appropriate map for the following area descriptions.

1. Stairwell

Trapdoors concealed in the floors of two meditation rooms from the thinking garden provide access to the stairwells; finding them accidentally requires a daunting Perception check.

2. Refresher

These rooms are simple but contain the expected amenities.

3. Storage

Each of these rooms is stocked with extra linens, replacement light fixtures, spare furniture and the like.

4. Hallway

These L-shaped passages are lined with old-fashioned wooden doors sealed by mechanical locks; the residents possess the keys for them.

5. Junior Assassins' Quarters

Young members of the organization who've begun pursuing missions for the cult are given private quarters as a sign of rank and privilege; their rooms are furnished with a plain but comfortable bed, a storage locker (usually kept beneath the bed) and a desk and chair.

6. Senior Assassins' Quarters

In addition to the amenities found in the quarters of their underlings, these rooms also boast wardrobes and more space.

7. Mess Hall

The broad tables and benches in this room provide seating for at least two dozen beings.

8. Neophytes' Barracks

Before they have proven their commitment to the organization, new recruits are housed in these rooms that are lined with bunks.

9. Armory

This room is sealed with a durasteel door secured by an alpha-numeric keypad. Its walls are lined with shelves containing blaster pistols and rifles, body armor, vibrodaggers, grenades and other tools of the trade used by the assassins.

10. Kitchen

Sinks, stovetops and ovens, cabinets of cooking supplies and food preparation tables line the walls of this room, and the odor of meat and spices is constant.

11. Pantry

The shelves that line this room's walls are filled with boxes, cartons and jars containing all manner of foodstuffs.

12. Cook's Quarters

Although not technically of equal rank with the senior assassins, the cook—a Besalisk named Juk Laryn—enjoys private quarters similar to theirs, located just off of the kitchen.

13. Prisoners' Cells

Old-fashioned durasteel manacles hang from the walls of these chambers, while drains in the floor allow them to be cleaned of their inhabitants' accumulated filth.

14. Torture Chamber

A broad table occupies the center of this chamber, one to which unwilling guests can be secured with manacles. There is a strange smell in the area, one caused by the assassins' favorite method of torture—the burning.

15. Library

Walls lined with shelves that hold datacards and readers, holocubes and even some old-fashioned printed lexicons are the most notable feature of this room, along with tables and chairs in the middle of it. There is also a secret entrance to the stronghold's vault, which requires a daunting Perception check to notice and a secret code, or a daunting Skulduggery check, to access.

16. Grand Master's Quarters

Although little different from the quarters for the senior assassins or the cook, this room houses the Grand Master for this sect of the Loag.

17. Secret Vault

The Loag cult stores its most valuable treasures here.

The Shrine of Kooroo

Following the end of the Clone Wars, Emperor Palpatine's New Order began a systematic purge not only of any remaining adherents to the Jedi Order, but also of other sects that studied the ways of the Force. Even so, beings throughout the galaxy struggled to prevent the eradication of all teachings, and even sought out like-minded individuals with whom to share their knowledge. In doing so, one of the groups they studied was the Followers of Kooroo. While some dismissed these mystics as dupes or frauds, others recognized the power contained in their mysterious shrines.

The Shrines of Kooroo are located throughout the galaxy's Outer Rim, usually found on worlds with little major development. Examples include those on Gelgelar and Vaynai, along with Hafrinn, Branteez, Suffez and Boztrok. Each shrine consists of three levels, with the first two enclosed and the top one open. Internal features vary, with some boasting inscriptions and artwork. Some also have obelisks or standing stones surrounding them. 

The shrine depicted here is built from neatly fitted stone blocks. It is accessible via broad wooden double doors on the ground floor. Eight columns support the upper levels, and stairs lead upward. When the doors are closed, this level is shrouded in darkness. The middle level features four large windows, with shutters that can be closed against inclement weather. The top level is surrounded by a railing and covered by a narrow roof, but otherwise open.

Using the Shrine of Kooroo in an Edge of the Empire Campaign

Detailed here are some of the ways in which this shrine and its secrets can be used in adventures on the galactic fringe.

• Most notably, the shrine serves to amplify the effects of Force powers such as Foresee or Seek. Rather than defining this in terms of game mechanics, however, interpretation of what happens is left up to the GM. This might include magnitude, range, strength and duration upgrades.
• A mystic who hopes to use the shrine to find like-minded individuals could hire the PCs to make the journey here.
• The PCs could be led to this location as part of a treasure hunt, with a series of clues leading them to it.
• In the event that they found a previously undiscovered shrine of Kooroo, the PCs could be in for some lucrative business—but they could also draw the unwanted attention from greedy beings such as the Hutts, or even the wrath of the Empire.