Players:
Caleb: Byln Kair, Kel Dor (Age 200). Consular (Sage)
Chris: Pranac "Prawn" Anakhis, Quarren (Age 11). Guardian (Soresu Defender)
David: Altair Badar, Mirialan (Age 18). Mystic (Seer)
James: B2-F3 "Beefy," Super Battle Droid (Age 3). Hired Gun (Bodyguard)
Lucas with a C: Astalos "Dragonbane," Clawdite (Age 17). Consular (Arbiter)
Lukas with a K: Seyo Nemis, Human (Age 30). Warrior (Aggressor)
Shane: Literally Everyone Else In The World (Ages 0-100,000), and The Will of The Force (Ageless). GM (Lord of Time, Space, and Reality)
[Note: Whenever players are talking, their words will be in Bold to distinguish it from the story proper.]
Bonus Mini-Session
Yielding to a strong urge coming from Val Isa's Talisman, Master Byln reaches out to take the Holocron. The moment he makes contact, he feels power surging from both relics. In his mind's eye, he experiences another vivid vision. Not of the past, but of a dark potential future…
He sees the two padawans, Astalos and Pranac, marching slowly down a shadowy, indistinct corridor. The hazy walls and ceiling are distant and very hard to see in the low light, though it seems the passage could accommodate very large vehicles. The lads are alone, but at least they both carry lightsabers.
Three white-clad figures appear as if from nowhere, lining up and leveling blaster rifles. Little Prawn springs in front of Astalos, igniting his guard shoto, the dark green blade deflecting two shots. But the third blast grazes the boy's side, and he staggers, badly wounded. Byln's heart surges with fear for the boys, but there is nothing he can do to help them.
Clenching his jaw, Prawn advances, closing on the stormtroopers, with Astalos close behind. Though his unique lightsaber is optimized for defense, Prawn manages to cut down one soldier, and Astalos strikes out with his own weapon. An exotic lightwhip, the glowing red line of twisting energy has greater reach than any other variety of lightsaber. Though less deadly than a fixed blade, the twisting light is still enough to drop the clawdite's target.
The final stormtrooper rapidly gives ground, firing, but Prawn blocks the shots as both boys pursue. Trusting Prawn's defenses, Astolos focuses purely on aggression, landing a hit with his lightwhip, and Byln feels tremendous relief as the last foe falls. Prawn injects himself with bacta, imperfectly hiding the pain of his blackened wound.
With a malicious laugh, a far more threatening figure emerges from the shadows. Massive, bloated, and vile, a hutt heaves its vast bulk toward the boys. It bellows threats and insults, daunting Astalos by sheer force of will, and even Prawn visibly recoils. But despite its tremendous size and strength, this vindictive assailant carries no weapon. Prawn's short lightsaber blade struggles to cause sufficient harm, as the hutt's blubber and muscle layers are extremely thick. But he effectively defends himself, occasionally strikes out, and Astolos handles his lightwhip with surprising skill. Numerous times, he restricts the hutt's arms with that whip, making it easier for Prawn to land hits with his deadlier blade.
Finally, the accumulating wounds overcome the hutt, and it collapses to the stone floor. The protracted fight has left both boys weary and demoralized, but at least they're alive.
Then, the corridor rumbles. Flecks of stone fall from the high ceiling. The dark green glow of Prawn's shoto, and the blood red of Astalos' lightwhip, fail to penetrate the misty gloom.
Then, the horror is upon them.
Tremendously larger than the defeated hutt, an enraged rancor charges out of the darkness at a full run. Terror visibly grips both boys, but they ready their weapons yet again. Outrunning this beast would be impossible. Their one faint hope is to fight.
A huge fist backhands little Prawn, hurling the boy into a distant wall. Dazed, bones cracked, the young quarren is barely conscious. For just a moment, Byln hopes his own Padawan will flee, as this fight is hopeless. But instead, Astalos dashes over to the fallen Guardian. He injects Prawn with another stimpack, then he whirls to lash the huge beast with his lightwhip.
To the boy's horror, and Byln's dread, the strike merely scorches the monster's thick hide. The rancor doesn't even react…
Still dizzy, Prawn leaps back to his feet and sprints toward the rancor. He puts himself between Astalos and the enormous predator, he assumes a defensive stance. The monster strikes, but the boy sheers off a claw while sidestepping. Both boys counterattack, but the lightwhip just can't get through the hide, and the blackened gash dealt by Prawn's shoto proves that they would need many strikes to bring it down.
Roaring, the mighty beast strikes out again, its huge claws catching Prawn with terrible force. Despite trying to block, the little quarren is torn in half and hurled away, his lightsaber clattering to the ground near Astalos. Both halves of the lifeless boy skid across the dark stone, and Astalos cries out in horror and anger.
For half a heartbeat, Byln surges with loss at the child's death… but then a new certainty flows through him from his Talisman and Holocron: Pranac chose the path of the Guardian. He declared all other lives higher priority than his own.
Why should Byln mourn for a shield… that served its purpose?
Rather than trying to run, Astalos takes up Prawn's lightsaber and charges. He strikes out with both weapons, shouting in rage, loss, and fear. The whip scorches thick hide, and Prawn's shoto earns a roar of anger from the beast… but then both huge hands descend in fists. Astalos is driven to the ground, crushed and still.
Loss rips at Byln, bringing back the trauma and betrayal of the Jedi purge. The beast roars with triumph. The rest of the Party arrives at last, but far too late. B2-F3 levels Altair's particle accelerator, blasting the enormous monster… but it's nowhere near enough to kill it. The bulky device shorts out and fails, and the sneering beast stomps on Astalos out of sheer spite.
Caleb: Brutal.
Chris: Yep, that was a little practice session I did with Lucas. I wanted him to have a better idea of how combat works.
Lucas with a C: The stormtroopers went down easy to our lightsabers, but just one hit messed up Prawn pretty bad.
Chris: Prawn's Parry is already pretty good, but his Reflect is far weaker. If Prawn lives long enough, I might have him learn the Shien style to complement his Soresu.
James: I love that you know what that means.
Chris: And while the stormtroopers hit hard, the hutt took a lot of hits to bring down.
Lucas with a C: I wondered if we'd ever finish that fight.
Chris: Imagine if the hutt had a vibroaxe instead of just punching us…
Lucas with a C: No.
James: Sounds like the rancor was way too much.
Chris: No joke! The hit that obliterated Prawn had a base damage of twenty-five!
David: Not gonna lie… that's hilarious.
Lukas with a K: How is that even possible?
Shane: Seriously. Rancors do a base damage of 15.
Chris: But it rolls six dice. That attack generated ten Success.
James: I kinda love it…
Lucas with a C: Even with Parry, Prawn took 17 wounds. His Threshold is 12! And he was already wounded from the earlier fights.
Chris: Absolute carnage. If the Party fights a rancor at our current level, expect multiple characters to get knocked out, with death as a possibility.
Shane: No comment.
David: Careful. You're gonna make Caleb hope we fight a rancor so it can eat Byln.
Caleb: Actually… I think I want Byln to live for a while. He might seem kinda lame now, but he can get some incredible Force Powers pretty soon.
Chris: The Sage Talent tree will allow Byln to get his Force Rating all the way to 3. That will let him make very good use out of a highly-upgraded Force power.
Caleb: Yeah. Byln may be terrible at normal attacks, but once he has some high-end Force Powers like Battle Meditation, he should actually be epic.
Shane: Has everyone spent any XP that they aren't saving for later? Excellent. Let's begin…
Session 3
The brutal vision ends, and Byln's heart pounds. He still stands in the Sanctuary's meditation chamber. The others have swiftly extracted the kyber crystals from the destroyed droids, and are making ready to leave. Astalos and Prawn look overjoyed and hopeful.
But Byln's mind dwells on the darkness of that vision. He has lived two centuries as a pacifist, a Jedi Consular who acted as a diplomat and teacher. He has never taken a life… but he suddenly isn't quite certain why… There are beings in the galaxy that surely deserve death… and there are those that would kill the innocent if they aren't stopped.
But even more importantly… Byln must survive. He is already far older than most of his species, but that isn't enough. Unless Master Yoda somehow survived the purge, Byln may well be the most experienced Jedi alive. The future of the order depends on him. If a fearless little guardian must fall to protect Byln… it will be for the greater good. If his own padawan dies… the loss will be tolerable. Not even the Knight Seyo Nemis comes close to the potential power Byln might unleash. The ancient sage must survive at any cost. The longer his companions live, the better, as they can support and defend him. But if it is necessary for them all to die for him… Byln will allow it.
For the greater good, of course…
A sense of certainty and conviction flow from the two ancient artifacts, filling Byln with resolve. He will regain his former power, surpass his old self, and do whatever it takes to survive.
Focusing again on his surroundings, he sees that most of the others have finished adding the salvaged kyber crystals to their lightsaber hilts. These come in several varieties. Astalos is struggling though. He correctly identified a collection of tiny red crystals as suitable for a lightwhip, but the installation process will take time. If not for his vision, Byln would have been astonished to find a lightwhip in Val Isa's collection at all.
Lucas with a C: Thanks for letting us pick any kind of lightsaber we want.
Chris: I agree. Guard Shoto are weird and rare but perfect for Prawn.
Shane: Remember your gratitude next time you feel like you're not getting enough credits or XP.
As the only party member without a lightsaber to arm, Beefy seeks out the location of the ship that brought Agent Garai and the droids here. He quickly discovers that the door to the crew quarters now stands open. Astalos failed to get it open earlier, but the Imperials had no such difficulty. Beefy sees that the Imperial ship didn't bother using an airlock, but formed a seal and cut through the hull of the Sanctuary. The door to the enemy transport is currently closed, and Beefy won't risk boarding alone. He quickly scavenges credit chips that are strewn about the floor.
Shane: That's 1000 credits for ya.
Lucas with a C: So unfair. I saw'em first!
James: But you couldn't actually get to them. But don't worry, Beefy is the sort to share funds if someone else has a good use for it. He seeks new experiences, not a giant bank account.
Air continues to seep from the ancient Sanctuary, and the Party also hopes to seize the ship Agent Garai came in. Leaving the unconscious officer here would be a guaranteed death sentence. Byln feels an urge to suggest that very thing, as this man did try to capture them all in the name of the Empire…
Chris: Whoa! Of all the people to suggest we let him die, you make the least sense. Byln's a pacifist!
Caleb: I'm just saying it would make sense tactically. He tried to kill us. He happened to survive the fight. Leaving him to die isn't all that different than if we killed him in battle.
James: Several of our characters would not be ok with that.
But Byln remains silent on the issue. His new resolve and determination to survive could easily be… misunderstood by some of his allies. For now, he'll allow them to take the irksome but admittedly small risk of taking Garai with them.
Seyo Nemis easily hefts Garai, and together they head toward the sound of Beefy's voice. If they take the Imperial ship, they'll have a tiny fleet. They have enough people to crew two vessels. Between the Lumpy Grub-toad and whatever ship Garai arrived in, they might be able to put up a decent fight if pirates or a few TIE Fighters ever challenge them.
David: This is a Star Wars RPG. I think it's a safe bet that we'll have to deal with TIE Fighters at some point.
Chris: And just like Stormtroopers, TIE's are dangerous glass cannons in this game. They go down easily if you can hit them, but they actually hit pretty hard against anything that isn't a capital ship.
Soon, all are gathered at the door to Garai's ship. Seyo is one of their best fighters, but at the moment he's holding the unconscious Imperial. So Prawn and Beefy prepare to go in first.
Caleb: Ya know, I could simplify things by just shooting Garai right now. No one else would have to feel guilty, since no one else would need to agree with me.
James: No. That's totally out of character.
Caleb: But I want to have fun with my character!
Chris: But there's genuinely no way to explain why you'd suddenly start murdering people after 200 years as a pacifist!
Caleb: What's the point of playing this game if we can't do what we want?
David: There are tons of things we can choose to do, but they usually have to make at least some sense, right?
Lucas with a C: Astalos would be very confused if his master suddenly went murder hobo.
Lukas with a K: And Seyo knew this guy for a long time before Order 66. He'd definitely notice crazy personality swings.
Caleb: [visibly irritated from getting vetoed]
Prawn ignites his guard shoto. Held like a primitive tonfa, the unusual grip leaves the dark green blade aimed backward, parallel to his forearm. Though less deadly than other lightsabers, it allows very tight defensive movements similar to unarmed combat. His left hand holds his ancient sword in a guard position. The towering Beefy stands right behind him, ready to fire over the head of the boy who will shield him from attacks.
Altair stretches out his senses, and detects only one droid inside. Hopefully, their precautions won't be necessary.
Lukas with a K: When did you get that power?
David: With my XP from the last session. This was my first chance to use it.
Chris: Cool. So we have Move, Influence, and Sense in the Party already, and Caleb plans on multiple high-level Force Powers for Byln.
Lukas with a K: What is Prawn gonna get?
Chris: Barely anything. I plan on putting most of his XP into Soresu Talents, then Shien Talents, and finally the guardian Signature ability. If Prawn gets a Force power, it'll be at a very basic level, since his Force Rating will never be higher than 1.
Shane: Maybe it isn't so urgent that I kill that kid after all…
Altair activates the door control, and the Party enters. Prawn keeps his guard up as they cautiously move through the ship, with Beefy ever ready to fire on any hostiles. But they quickly determine that an Astromech on the small bridge is indeed the only occupant. Beefy speaks with D2-R2–
Lucas with a C: Seriously?
Shane: Why not?
Lukas with a K: Is he just R2-D2 but, I dunno… left-handed?
Shane: R2-D2 is white with blue detailing. This droid is blue with white detailing.
Lucas with a C: [dry sarcasm] Genius.
–and learns that the droid always "hated" serving Garai. Meanwhile, Prawn discovers some very bad news.
Looking out the front viewport at the Sanctuary's forward airlock, the quarren sees… nothing. The Lumpy Grub-toad is nowhere in sight.
David: So Karrul abandoned us. Not surprised at all.
Chris: I am! He's got a bounty on his head! Staying with us was his best chance, since we can protect him.
James: Assuming he actually trusted us to do so.
Lukas with a K: So did he leave when the Imperials arrived?
Shane: D2-R2 says he never even saw another ship.
Lucas with a C: So he left us the second we got off his ship?
David: Why didn't he just abandon us on Eriadu?
Shane: That was a civilized planet. You all might have survived, gotten your own ship, and hunted him down someday.
Lukas with a K: So instead, he waited for a chance to abandon us somewhere we'd probably die. Yay.
Chris: While the others are searching the ship or learning the controls from D2-R2, Prawn wants to check Garai's condition to see if there's any danger of him waking up.
Shane: I'll upgrade the difficulty of that check. I want us to remember to use Destiny tokens more often.
Chris: Ok, so I rolled… DESPAIR?
Feeling stressed and betrayed by Karrul's departure, Prawn's hand shakes as he examines Garai. A minor slip suddenly opens a wound that had barely held closed, and he starts to bleed out.
"Help!" Prawn squawks. "I didn't mean to!"
"Don't blame yourself, young one," Byln says. "If he dies, it is the will of the Force."
James: That's better roleplay, but I think the rest of us would still try to intervene.
David: But Prawn is already the best at Medicine.
Shane: Don't forget what you guys just acquired…
As much for his Padawan's peace of mind as for the well-being of this Imperial, Seyo kneels down, ignites his lightsaber, and carefully applies it to the wound. Garai groans in his sleep, but the bleeding stops, the wound cauterized.
Lukas with a K: Awesome. First Lightsaber check of the game and I got a Triumph and loads of Advantage.
In the process, Seyo discovers a small, intact data pad. While Beefy and their new astromech droid prepare the ship for departure, the others go through Garai's files. His personal bank account info might be quite useful…
Caleb: Well that's something. If you don't let me kill the guy, at least we can clean out his account. He's evil remember?
Chris: Only kinda. I cheated and read some details from the adventure so I could do a better job writing all this out. Garai is someone who genuinely believes everything the Empire says and is convinced they're good guys. Remember all that propaganda that Jedi are just nutty cultists on drugs? He thinks that's all true.
Caleb: Don't stormtroopers and TIE pilots also believe the Empire's good?
Chris: Yeah. That's why Prawn will fight when necessary, but he'll try to avoid killing when possible. Palpatine is the problem, not all the poor indoctrinated trillions who just believe what they're told.
Beefy has a record of the astrogation required to get this far into the Deep Core, so they should be abe to return to civilization. While the others go through Garai's files, seeking any intel that might inform their next move, their new ship detaches from the Sanctuary. The ancient home of Jedi Master Val Isa will soon be fully depressurized, left to drift.
With their new lightsabers, Altair, Seyo, Pranac, and Astalos are hopeful that they can face whatever comes next. Byln though, is more interested in the Holocron they recovered. He senses that both it and the Talisman contain facsimiles of Val Isa's personality. They haven't held up well over the centuries of isolation, but they still offer him promise of great power. He may not fully understand how yet, but he knows this day marks the beginning of his new life…
Chris: I found the details on Garai's ship. The Starhound is a Simiyar-class Mon Calamari transport, and it's WAY better than the Lumpy Grub-toad. It actually has bunks for everyone, and it's pretty solid in a fight. It can tank several hits from a TIE Fighter, its forward ion cannon will be awesome with Beefy piloting, and if Altair mans the twin laser turret, our firepower will be quite solid. I think it would've been cool if Karrul had stuck with us and we had two ships, but at least this one represents a major upgrade.
Backtracking through the Deep Core takes time. Everyone appreciates having enough bunks, and many spend their days in training. Seyo, Altair, and Byln meditate, striving to deepen their connection to the Force. Prawn drills his lightsaber form, learning to make the best use of his guard shoto's unique design. As always, he listens to technical lectures and documentaries while training, filling his mind with useful knowledge even as he pushes his body. When not at the helm, Beefy trains in both technical areas and in basic footwork. Of lighter construction than other B2 models, he has the potential to make a tricky target, and basic computer skill feels appropriate for a droid. Astalos trains with his unusual lightwhip, discovering that a calm, serene mental state is key to his personal competence with it. He thinks back to what he knew of Count Dooku, the master duelist who betrayed the order. He was a diplomat, negotiator, and expert in Form II of lightsaber combat. Perhaps Astalos might one day match that man's greatness, and without betraying the light…
The Starhound drops out of hyperspace at Bespin. As the world where they all first met, and the only place they've ever been together and not gotten attacked, it feels like a safe option. Garai's datapad hinted that there is a suspected Jedi on Toydaria, but the agent hadn't been confident enough to share that info yet. That makes Toydaria the Party's destination, but they need to prepare first.
On landing at Cloud City, the Party quickly splits up. Beefy heads to a market to acquire comlinks for everyone and see what other basic equipment might be worth buying. Seyo and Astalos seek out the blackmarket to find someone who can alter the Starhound's transponder. Prawn puts Garai on a small hoversled from the Starhound's cargo bay and heads toward the nearest hospital. Altair seeks a credit dispensing terminal in hopes of withdrawing most of Garai's balance. He agrees to leave 1000 credits to help pay for his medical expenses. No one notices Byln's hand twitch, as if reaching for his blaster…
Caleb: Seriously guys, Byln could still just shoot the guy. Then he'd be no future risk, and we wouldn't have to waste time or money getting him treated.
James: Just as seriously, Byln would not do that. And most of the other characters wouldn't allow it.
Caleb: Am I running Byln, or is the GROUP in charge of him? I thought I'm supposed to be playing this character.
Chris: It's not that we want to boss you around and tell you what to do. Just remember: This is a narrative game. We're not just fighting bad guys and getting loot. We're telling a story. Good, consistent characters are a major part of what separates RPG's from a lot of video games. So if you want to take Byln in a different direction, you need to come up with a narrative reason.
Caleb: And it's pronounced "Bye Lyn" not "Biln."
Chris: Oh! I honestly thought you were kidding around last time you mentioned that. Maybe I'll call him "Biden." That's pretty close.
Caleb: [Laughs]
Shane: As for going Chaotic Evil, I'm willing to work with you. As long as you accept that some of the other characters might intervene if you're not subtle, I won't stop you from going Dark. The key is that you make it work within the story. An ancient sage pacifist isn't just gonna start murdering people for no reason. But if you come up with something to explain it, and if you're clever about how you hide it from the others or justify his actions, it could really spice up the story.
Caleb: Ok. I'll think about it. There's gotta be a way.
David: As for the current situation, we might need serious cash for some of what we're trying to do. Let's resolve Altair's visit to the space ATM.
Altair finds a relatively quiet corner with a terminal capable of dispensing credits. He notes security cameras slowly panning across the room, and waits until neither is pointed his way. Then he quickly accesses the machine using Garai's info. It displays a balance of 60,000 credits, a very good haul indeed. Remembering his promise to Prawn, Altair requests a withdrawal of 59,000…
Shane: Roll your Computer skill.
David: Uh oh… I got Advantage… but not Success…
One of the security cameras gets stuck, extending the time that Altair will be unobserved, but the withdrawal doesn't go according to plan. After 10,000 credits are dispensed, a notice reports that he has reached the daily limit.
David: Can I roll something else, like one of the Knowledge skills, to see if there's a way around this limit?
The machine offers to bypass the daily limit if he signs up for a "Special Access Credit Account." Shrugging, Altair goes for it.
Shane: Roll Computer skill again.
David: Not again! Failure with Advantage!
Infuriatingly, the machine says that he already has a card, so the offer is unavailable. Determined to get more of that cash, Altair will try to convince the Party to wait till tomorrow and try again.
Prawn gently lays Garai on the floor outside of the hospital, hits the button to alert the staff, and zips off with the hoversled.
Lukas with a K: Classy.
Chris: Hey! He tried to hand us over to the Empire. We spared his life, and even brought him to a hospital!
Lukas with a K: And we're robbing him.
Chris: We're gonna leave him enough for the hospital stay! Probably… Actually I have no idea what a surgery might cost.
Scrounging through the less savory parts of the city, Seyo and Astalos struggle to find the right person to reprogram the Starhound's transponder.
Lucas with a C: Wow we're rolling terrible today. I'd expect our Underworld checks to be lame, but Streetwise too?
Lukas with a K: Every roll ends up Failing with Advantage.
Shane: At least the Advantage means you keep getting to try other options.
At last, they find a shopkeeper who "knows a guy" that might be up for it. He initially hopes for 500 credits, But Astalos steps in. Charming, suave, and drawing on the Force, the young clawdite easily gets the price dropped to 300, and even walks out with some personal advice on how to get a discount at their destination.
Caleb: Wow. With the bonuses from your Force Influence power, your Negotiation is just insane.
Lucas with a C: And I plan on pushing my Presence to 6 someday.
Shane: Huh… maybe I need to kill that kid instead of Prawn…
The intel proves true. Not only is this guy able to do what they want, but the first shopkeeper's advice holds up too. Soon, the Starhound's transponder has been recoded. It still shows as an active Imperial signature, but with an anonymous identification. In most circumstances, other Imperials are sure to conclude that their ship is on official ISB business way too important and classified to interfere with.
James: Excellent! Finally a great roll. This is the best possible outcome. Worth every penny.
David: Especially with the cash we're getting from Garai's account.
Lukas with a K: Prawn's the only one with decent Intelect. Since the stupid ATM keeps requiring Computer checks, I think we need to send in the kid.
The party agrees to stay on Bespin one more night in hopes of getting more from Garai's account. The following day, Prawn heads to the terminal. Skipping straight to the Withdrawal screen, he attempts to withdraw 49,000 credits. He fears the machine will stop after 10,000 again, but it keeps going. He notices a tiny message saying that the withdrawal limit has raised to 25,000… but it only gives him 21,000. A cold chill runs through the boy. The most likely explanation is that 4000 was already withdrawn today… meaning Garai is awake.
Everyone: Time to go.
Glad to have more than tripled the total cash they got from this account, Prawn rushes back to the Starhound and they depart.
Shane: Prawn suffers 8 Conflict, Altair 4, and the rest of you 2.
Everyone: Wait, what?
Caleb: Garai SHOT me.
Shane: Yeah, but taking his awesome ship wasn't enough for you. You had to steal half of his personal savings while he was unconscious in the hospital.
Lukas with a K: Well when you put it THAT way…
James: Imagine what it would have been if we'd killed the guy first.
Caleb: Fine, I get it. I'll come up with a good explanation for Byln suddenly doing evil stuff AND I'll find a way for the rest of you not to share the blame.
Chris: I appreciate it. We all want this story to be something worth caring about. And realistically, Byln will naturally be forced to be sneaky or persuasive, because Prawn, Seyo, Altair, and maybe even Astalos would start asking a LOT of questions if you get killy in front of them.
Lucas with a C: So we're heading to… where again?
James: Toydaria.
David: I wanna do a Knowledge check to see what I know about that planet. Is it in the Inner Rim or Outer Rim?
Lukas with a K: Is it an innie or an outie?
James: I think you mean "Core Worlds," not "Inner Rim."
David: I guess so?
Shane: Either way, no worries, you'll have plenty of time to learn more… [pulls out a new book] This next adventure comes from the "Ghosts of Dathomir" book. It's a high level adventure, with very dangerous opponents and a need for serious cash. That's part of why I let you get away with taking so much money from Garai's account.
Chris: Ah ok I get it. I was super stoked about what we might buy with 36,000 credits. That's two thirds the value of a TIE Fighter, and could buy some awesome personal weaponry.
Lucas with a C: Do we split the money equally?
Chris: Prawn doesn't need much. Now that he's got a lightsaber, money isn't such a big deal for him. A couple credits for a pillow would be nice though…
Lukas with a K: Wait… a pillow?
Chris: Yeah. The Church of the Force monks wanted to toughen him up. It wasn't enough to thwack him with sticks and make him train every waking second. He spent the last year sleeping on stone floors with no pillow or blanket. That's part of why he didn't complain about sleeping on the floor of the last ship.
Lukas with a K: That's… tragic.
James: I'm pretty sure we can get you a pillow.
Lucas with a C: Wouldn't the Starhound already have pillows?
David: Miserable military ones maybe. We're gonna get this kid a big squashy thing. His entire life goal is to take punches for us so good grief he deserves comfy sleep.
Chris: Excellent. Then he doesn't need much pocket change.
Lukas with a K: Let him hold on to 1000 just in case. If he needs something important, I can pitch in for my Padawan.
Lucas with a C: Nice. More money for the rest of us.
Chris: Dude… Remember that I'm your ride home.
During the flight to Toydaria, the Party continues to train in their own unique ways. Astalos begins to suspect that he might be a natural with the Makashi style of lightsaber combat, though his bizarre lightwhip is hardly a perfect fit. He still likes the weapon far too much to consider abandoning its use. But he also trains with his lightsaber pike, despite its lack of a kyber crystal. It will take some work, but the fluid, fencing style of Form II might be compatible with this weapon. He can't have little Prawn continuously showing him up in combat.
Byln watches the training with mixed feelings. He wants the others to grow strong and competent… so they can be better allies and protectors. But he doesn't want to risk growing too attached, respecting them too much for all their efforts. His personal goals transcend all of theirs combined, and it is all too likely that he'll be forced to sacrifice one or all of them for his own sake. A wave of certainty flows from his Talisman, and he holds it close.
The Starhound drops out of hyperspace, and Beefy pilots them toward Toydaria. All they know is that Garai suspected there might be a Jedi on this world, but that's enough for Seyo, Prawn, and Altair. Byln makes an outward show of caring as well, careful not to arouse suspicion in his secretly shifting motives. Beefy is simply pleased to visit a new world, and Astalos hopes for opportunity and stimulation.
The Party gets on every comm station and computer, seeing what they can learn of the local situation. Toydaria will be a tricky place for them to search and explore. The local population is mostly toydarians and hutts, and both species are highly resistant to mental manipulation through the Force. And it's critical that the Party not give away their nature. The Empire may have limited power in hutt space, but that wouldn't stop them from responding to credible claims of Jedi sightings. Further, though the planet has an astonishingly low population of only 11 million, it has numerous restrictions on atmospheric flight. Toydarians can fly, so they view speeders and other vehicles as needless hazards.
Lukas with a K: Ah man, imagine those little guys splatting on windshields…
Further, the swampy terrain will make land-based travel and exploration a chore. Prawn is the only one that doesn't mind that sort of geography.
Soon, a broadcast catches their interest.
Shane: [Reading] "Attention, Republic-era artifact collectors! Walisi's Elegant and Exotic Artifacts is proud to announce to its most exclusive clients the imminent auction of a one-of-a-kind work of art never before seen outside of a private collection. The item is an elegant stone statuette of a stylized humanoid upper body with arms stretched overhead, holding a sizable green-tinted angular stone over its head. It's called Tragic Hope, verbalizing the strange emotional connection some feel when viewing the statue in person. Such is the power of this fantastic piece of art! Interested? This sale is coming soon, exclusively at Walisi's. Bring your credits! We expect high demand for such a unique and emotionally-powerful piece!"
"This feels promising," Seyo says. "If this statue's crystal is kyber, there might well be a Jedi survivor on Toydaria hoping to obtain it."
Caleb: Don't care. If we get a big kyber crystal, let's chop it up and power all our other lightsaber hilts.
Shane: I better make the thing super useful then, so maybe you WON'T destroy it.
Byln hides the covetous hunger flowing from his Talisman and Holocron. "And it may have value to us, even if Garai was wrong."
"It's something, at least." Altair shrugs.
Astalos raises an eyebrow. "Wait… Isn't it weird that an 'exclusive' auction is being broadcast so widely?"
Lucas with a C: How exclusive can it be if it's a planetary broadcast?
James: Can we do a knowledge check for this… uh… artifact shop? What was it called again?
David: Something about Walimi?
Caleb: Or was it Waligi?
Everyone: WALUIGI!
Shane: [Laughing] Yes! Waluigi is WAY more fun than Walisi.
Chris: I hate the real Waluigi character (especially his name), but I won't metagame. Prawn isn't gonna let out-of-universe jokes affect his approach to the campaign.
Prawn does a quick Holonet search. "Actually… Walisi's Elegant and Exotic Artifacts isn't listed. Anywhere. They may be hidden in some way. So this broadcast won't actually matter to anyone who doesn't already know where it is."
Seyo approaches the helm. "Beefy, where did that broadcast originate?"
"Riar. A city of some 100,000."
Byln nods. "A reasonable starting place."
Chris: Can I do an Outer Rim Knowledge check to see what we know about Riar?
Shane: Go for it.
Chris: Seriously? My "nerd powers" weren't good enough. Fail, with Threat.
Shane: None of you know local protocol in this city. As you approach, tower control asks if you want the High Port or Low Port… but you don't know the difference.
James: What does the city look like?
Shane: It's built on multiple large hills surrounded by bogs. The neighborhoods resemble multi-level terraces.
James: Maybe the High Port will be easier to escape from if things go south?
David: And maybe our ship will be less likely to get broken into if the High Port is nicer.
Shane: Ok, as you land, everything looks legit and well-maintained, but there's a 250 credit fee per day.
James: I'll foot the bill. It's worth it if our ship is safe.
The Starhound lands without any trouble, and nothing about the spaceport sends up any red flags. There is relatively low traffic, and no one appears unduly interested in the Party. Byln heads straight for the Admin building, accompanied by his padawan. They quickly learn the basics of the city of Riar. Baron Reeol, a gregarious toydarian noble, rules the town. He has a reputation for being both shrewd and fair, but he controls just about everything. Any change in property ownership will get his attention. He has no open alliances with the hutts, but he wisely avoids antagonizing them or even ignoring them. He occasionally sends out his royal guards if an influential hutt personally requests their services.
Caleb: Nothing about Waluigi?
Inquiries about Walisi's Elegant and Exotic Artifacts get only vague and evasive answers.
Lucas with a C: We are so bad at rolling.
Exploring the immediate vicinity, Beefy splurges on a pillow "fit for royalty" which he stealthily puts in Prawn's quarters. As a droid, he doesn't actually understand the concept of such comforts. But unlike Beefy, the child isn't actually made of durasteel. The pillow promises "paradisaic sleep," and organics that push themselves hard need their rest. Prawn makes amusing squiggly noises when snoring, so this feels like compensation for some quality entertainment.
The others poke around, picking up rumors that Walisi's auction is thought to change locations frequently. Further investigation, (and a bit of bribery) suggests that the auction house is actually underground, and that six different tunnels lead to it. Only one is open at any given time, leading to the inaccurate theory that it frequently moves.
The city is spread among six large mounds. Byln takes charge. "So long as everyone avoids needless risk, we can split up and do basic reconnaissance of each area." Because Altair excels at searching, he and Beefy decide to stick together and search both "Tower Hills" and "Factory Hill." Byln will search the "Merchant Mounds," where his venerable dignity may have value, and his glamorous padawan will reconnoiter the "Royal Highland." His suave charm will hopefully help him fit in. Jedi Seyo will stick to "Transit Hill," where the spaceports are located. Prawn insists on searching "Low Park," secretly fearing that it might be a more dangerous part of town.
Lukas with a K: So remember, we all want clues on where to find Waluigi's auction, but we might need to be a bit sneaky.
Lucas with a C: What's to be scared of? This city seems safe.
Lukas with a K: That makes sense from where you're sitting, but I know better.
Lucas with a C: Huh?
Chris: He's being literal. With the angle Shane's holding the book at, Lukas can see the cover and you can't.
Lukas with a K: And the cover has an Inquisitor on it.
David: Is that bad?
James: Yes! We're probably dead.
Caleb: We better not be. I finally have a plan for Byln that I like!
Chris: Also, remember how that rancor tore Prawn in half in my little training game with Lucas?
Lukas with a K: Please… don't tell me…
Chris: Shane said this adventure is called "Ghosts of Dathomir." Well, Dathomir is the rancor homeworld.
Lucas with a C: NO!
Beefy and Altair reach Factory Hill swiftly, and aren't surprised to find it heavily industrialized. It doesn't take long to determine that Walisi's auction hasn't used this entrance in some time. Assorted grungy refuse and even a landslide have mostly buried the door.
Arriving at Merchant Mound, Byln starts out by pretending to browse the shops. He soon hears a small group whispering behind a stall. He senses no danger, but has a vague feeling that they may know what he needs. His initial inquiries get polite but empty responses.
Caleb: Failure with Threat… that's happening a lot tonight…
Chris: Yeah, we're not rolling great.
After some more polite conversation, Byln feels frustration flowing from his Holocron. Finally he gives up, hands over 1000 credits, and demands answers. Smiling, the merchants direct him to a location that, by Byln's estimate, certainly was a tunnel entrance… but hasn't been accessible in decades. The frustration returns… and builds. He toys with the thought of returning to those merchants and making them regret trifling with him… but he manages to resist the urge.
When Prawn arrives at Low Park, he is immediately relieved. He expected a dangerous, high-crime urban area, and had volunteered to go so no one else would have to.
Lukas with a K: What if there'd been an Inquisitor?
Chris: If Prawn were with anyone else, he'd take the rear to cover their retreat. But if he's alone, Prawn would feel free to run for his life. Hopefully his Parry skill could keep him alive long enough to escape. But in any case, I am TOTALLY fine with Low Park not being dangerous.
It's just a nice suburb, likely named for its lower average elevation than the other, higher mounds. He accesses a local computer terminal, but has a vague sense of paranoia. He'd prefer that passersby don't notice what he's searching. He exerts his little face tentacles, stretching them out to the sides. Together, they act sorta like tent poles, spreading the hood of his robe wide enough that leaning forward completely blocks the computer screen from anyone else's view. He's proud of that… but not for long. Sure, no one else can see what he's searching–
David: They might suspect a very different sort of internet search, coming from a suspicious secretive child stranger who's hiding his screen…
Chris: Oh no… I didn't think of that…
Shane: But it doesn't matter much if you rolled Failure with Advantage.
James: Just like everyone else tonight.
–but he finds no useful intel on Walisi's Emporium. He actually runs into multiple deadends. So many, that he is actually a useful resource to everyone else. He gets on the comm and warns the others of certain keywords and search terms they should avoid using, which should help the others dodge the mistakes he made.
Astalos struts through the Royal Highland like he owns the place. Covered in government buildings and dominated by the royal palace, this is just his kind of place. He wishes he had time to scrounge for high-value items he might secretly pocket, but he grudgingly accepts that his current assignment takes precedence. He accesses a nice shiny government computer terminal, and carefully avoids searching the flagged terms Prawn warned him about. He finds numerous references to a prominent dealer in illegal artifacts who might be a supplier to Walisi… or perhaps a competitor.
Caleb: No one can compete with Waluigi!
James: Unless this dealer is secretly Wario.
David: Or Luigi.
Lukas with a K: Luigi can't compete with Waluigi. It's gotta be Wario.
Chris: It bears repeating: the very name "Waluigi" was always more than enough to make me hate the character. "Wario" is meant to be a scary sounding variant of Mario, achieved by flipping the M upside down. But "Waluigi" sounds like pathetic desperation scribbled out on the back of a meeting agenda seconds before it was time to start a presentation.
Caleb: Does that mean you're gonna murder Walisi when we find him?
Chris: Nah… but only because "Waluigi" isn't his real name…
It seems like this underground artifact dealer has a reputation of never peddling counterfeit merchandise, but his list of possible allies and enemies is dizzying. Astalos tries to remember what he can, but he secretly hopes this guy is not connected to Walisi. It would be a very messy and complicated lead to pursue. Hoping the others find something more tangible, he begins his long, leisurely walk back to the ship.
David: Is EVERYONE gonna roll Failure with Advantage on their Computer and Underworld checks?
Caleb: Not me. I rolled Failure with Threat.
David: [facepalms]
Back at Transit Hill, Seyo Nemis has attempted to access three separate computer terminals.
The machines might as well have laughed at him.
Lukas with a K: I can confirm that Failure with Threat is much more annoying than Failure with Advantage…
James: If we don't learn anything today… will I have to pay another 250 credits in docking fees?
Shane: Yup.
Having completed their search of Factory Hill swiftly and efficiently, Altair and Beefy arrive at Tower Hill with plenty of time before dark. Altair decides that the Party's preference for computer searches is not the best course. So instead, he finds a shop he suspects might be a front for less reputable dealings. Trying out his most winning smile, and attempting to mimic the easy charm of young Astalos, Altair strikes up a friendly conversation with the surprisingly pretty female hovering behind the counter.
David: Whoa! Finally we got a good roll.
Shane: 3 Success, 3 Advantage, and a Triumph? Yeah, she tells you everything she knows.
Chris: She wants Altair's number.
David: Too bad I'm gonna break her heart. And NO, I am not taking Conflict for that. I'm just being friendly, not flirting. It's not my fault if she thinks I'm the greatest thing she ever set eyes on.
Shane: You learn the locations of all six entrances to Waluigi's auction, including one at a speederbike shop nearby that feels especially promising.
Altair knows there's a chance that they'll encounter unpredictable challenges or opposition at Walisi's Emporium, considering their hope to find clues about a Jedi. He deems it wise to check out the speederbike shop in the morning… with the entire Party.
Shane: Definitely smart. A tiny bit of metagaming, but a nice explanation. Everyone recovers Strain and heals one Wound overnight.
James: Nice.
Shane: And yeah, another 250 credits goes on Beefy's tab.
James: Sigh.
Prawn, and even Astalos, train long into the night, stopping only when their masters order them to quiet down and rest up for the following day. When Prawn discovers his new pillow, he bursts into tears, collapses into it, and passes out.
At dawn, everyone gathers outside the ship and the Party sets out.
Upon arrival at Trig's Speeder Shop, they initially worry they've wasted their time. The small dealership has been out of business for years. But by poking around, they soon discover that a garage lift still has power. Seyo and Prawn are willing to scout ahead, but they all decide to stick together. Gathering on the large elevator, they descend underground.
At the bottom, they find themselves in a poorly lit tunnel of perhaps thirty meters, terminating at a set of armored double doors. Two security droids lie still, covered in blaster damage. Rushing forward, Prawn checks them and discovers the carbon scoring is still slightly warm to the touch.
Prepared for the possibility of combat, the Party forms up. Prawn takes a defensive stance out front, with Beefy ready to fire over his head. Byln is safe in the back, and the others have formed up to rush into battle if needed. The door controls were sliced by whoever destroyed the droid guards, and they open without issue.
Lukas with a K: If there's an Inquisitor in there…
James: No metagaming! Yes, we all know about the book's cover art now, but so far our characters have no reason to expect an Inquisitor.
Chris: Especially since we've kinda bent the lore a bit to accommodate Prawn being so young. This soon after Order 66, the Inquisitors shouldn't even be a thing yet. So our characters have probably never even heard of them.
Beyond, a large chamber shows signs of recent battle. A sprawling wearhouse, tall shelves are packed with an eclectic mix of technology and works of art. Some of these have been destroyed by random blaster fire, with more carbon scoring on the floors, walls, and ceiling. Many of the light fixtures are now dark, and numerous old security droids lie strewn about, blasted to bits.
"Whoever did this, they are either highly competent, or highly professional," Seyo observes. "So many defeated droids, but no sign that the attackers suffered losses. They either won a clean victory, or they took their fallen with them."
"Assuming they're even gone," Altair warns. "There's still smoke rising from some of those droids…"
Another set of massive armored doors wait at the far end of the warehouse. A damaged protocol droid with only one glowing eye stands vigilant near those doors, surrounded by the bits and ruins of guards and cleaning droids. A few surviving cleaning droids hover about, waging a doomed war against the chaos and refuse left behind by the firefight.
While most of the Party cautiously advance toward the protocol droid, Byln feels a greedy desire flowing from his Holocron and Talisman. He begins to rummage through the devices and artwork on the shelves. This triggers the protocol droid to speak. "Please halt. I am RT-3PO, and I regret to convey that Walisi's Elegant and Exotic Artifacts is temporarily closed. If you are customers, I assure you that you will receive invitations to Master Walisi's triumphant return celebration, assuming he is rescued from those awful brutes. If you are not customers, I regret to inform you that if you do not leave immediately, I will be forced to implement Protocol 1039n. The security droids told me it is quite intimidating and deadly, but I must admit that their attempts to carry it out recently were regrettably ineffective." The droid's lighted eye suddenly winks out. "Oh no! There go the lights again."
Shane: I like that last touch. The poor thing doesn't realize how battered it is.
Chris: Yeah, Fantasy Flight does a good job. I should look into various adventures to see if any can be slotted into my campaign. But I don't want to use one that YOU might use, cuz spoilers.
Byln is torn between wanting to loot this warehouse… and wanting to loot whatever's on the other side of that door. His thoughts are growing more muddled all the time, as the unstable copies of Val Isa's personality bleed through from both his Talisman and Holocron. Val Isa was an artist, and Byln feels both intense desire and a dark envy when looking upon this beautiful treasure trove. He settles on the potential for even greater loot on the far side of those doors. If this is just Walisi's storage room, the best artifacts are likely on display elsewhere.
Like the last doors, this set is easy to open. The attackers sliced the system, and a single key gets Byln through. But a long tunnel ahead funnels down to a height clearly meant for Toydarians on foot.
Shane: [reading] "For the final stretch, the passageway becomes significantly shorter in height and more ornate. Intricate abstract carvings line the walls; while very old, they have obviously been cleaned regularly. You see an expensive-looking arched door painted in a similar style."
Everyone but Pranac will need to crawl.
So be it.
Byln hopes for a chance to pilfer items of great beauty and value without being observed by his self-righteous companions. So he orders Pranac to remain in the warehouse while he awkwardly crawls toward the door.
Prawn is instantly torn. While most of the others fan out through the room, investigating the aftermath of the attack, Prawn is terrified for the old sage. It's entirely possible that some seriously capable hostiles wait in the chamber beyond that cramped tunnel. "Master Seyo… should I obey? I'm scared for Byln…"
"I trust the old Master's instincts. He should be safe." Seyo turns his attention to a security droid that was blown completely in half.
Chris: Prawn will suffer 1 Conflict… because he's going to disobey direct orders. Even if the Knight and the Master think things are safe, this kid couldn't live with himself if he let a 200-year-old sage go alone.
Caleb: Byln is deeply annoyed that he can't shake this kid…
Byln crouches painfully and reaches the door at the end of the low tunnel, with Prawn irksomely following not far behind. Unlike the previous sets of doors, it doesn't open. The attackers might have left by the way they came, since the door controls have been blasted to bits. Although this improves Byln's chances of finding the room beyond empty of hostiles, he quickly changes his priorities. With Prawn breathing down his neck, he wouldn't be able to pilfer art without being observed, and cutting through these doors with a lightsaber would take time. Crouching like this is brutal on his knees, so he returns to the warehouse. The many cramped shelves might give him opportunities to fill his pockets without being seen.
Not wanting to cut into the next room until more of the Party is ready, Prawn follows Byln back to the warehouse. He hopes to repair one of RT-3PO's eyes, hating that the droid is blind. Byln tries to get information from the droid, but the moment Prawn touches it, RT-3PO panics. "Security! Initiate Protocol 1039n!"
Dead silence.
One little cleaning droid, hovering in a corner, holds a blaster rifle from a fallen security droid… but it clearly doesn't know what it even is. It holds the weapon upside down and backwards, and drops it when RT-3PO calls for an all-in attack on the intruders. Only one cleaning droid moves toward the Party. It drifts over to Beefy, squirts his shoulder with some cleaning fluid, and wipes dirt off the droid.
Astalos steps in, quickly reassuring RT-3PO that they mean no harm, but instead hope to help Walisi. "If he's been captured, we'll do what we can to get him back. We're cool that way."
"Are you… friends… of Master Walisi?"
"We don't need to be. We're just that nice. Let my friend try to repair you. And anything you can tell us will give your Master a better chance of rescue."
While Prawn tries and fails to repair the protocol droid's eye, Byln gives up on interrogating him, leaving that to Seyo's Padawan. The old sage instead succumbs to his growing desire to claim some of these beautiful artifacts as his own.
Byln quietly works his way down an aisle, unaware that Astalos and even Altair are doing the same elsewhere. All three searchers surreptitiously inspect artifacts, art pieces, and strange devices, trying to gauge their usefulness or value.
Lukas with a K: I love that half the Party are straight up robbing the place, but they're all trying to be sneaky about it.
Chris: Doesn't Altair's backstory specifically mention he doesn't like stealing?
Lucas with a C: That's hilarious. Wasn't he the first to rob Agent Garai's account?
David: It's a bit more nuanced than that. Altair hates feeling forced into stealing by circumstance, and he hates stealing from those in need. As for Garai, he was an enemy who shot Byln and we still saved his life, so robbing him was fine in Altair's opinion. As for this warehouse, Altair assumes Waluigi's never coming back. But… I won't sell off any loot if it looks like we might actually be able to rescue the owner.
Byln's old, shaky hands fumble several fragile pieces, damaging or totally destroying multiple items of unknown worth. He eventually finds a glass sculpture that is surely worth a great deal… but he realizes that selling this particular piece would attract a huge amount of the wrong kind of attention.
Caleb: Success with Threat can be even more annoying than Failing with Advantage.
Frustrated, Byln casually tosses the item aside, breaking it. If he can't sell it, why should Walisi?
Shane: Everyone who looted the freaking warehouse takes Conflict.
Chris: [laughing] Big surprise.
While half of their number brazenly rob the place, Prawn and Seyo make their way to the sealed door at the end of the inconveniently tiny hallway. Beefy crawls along behind them to act as fire support if things get ugly. Master and Apprentice ignite their lightsabers and start cutting.
Lukas with a K: Seriously? I somehow MISSED the door?
The tight confines and awkward position make it frustratingly difficult for the tall, large human to get a good angle for a deep enough cut.
Chris: What the… Failure… oh but I have Advantage AND Triumph.
It quickly becomes obvious that Prawn's short-bladed lightsaber would need a very long time to cut through such heavy doors. However, he stumbles upon a mechanism that overloads when his blade reaches it. Back in the warehouse, a dormant security terminal boots up.
At a commed request from Seyo, Altair turns his attention away from robbing the warehouse and focuses on the security station. With Astalos assisting, they soon access footage of the recent attack.
Lukas with a K: I bet an overpowered Inquisitor came through and just destroyed everything alone.
On the screen, a large team of well-equipped toydarians and humans swiftly storm the warehouse. Security droids fall to concentrated fire before they can even take aim. One group of the armored figures captures Walisi, others tear open a container to reveal the coveted Tragic Hope statue, and another group slices into the security terminal. The recording ends.
Lukas with a K: Huh. Ok. So we might have to fight tons of scary soldiers… and THEN fight an Inquisitor.
James: Yeah… We're dead.
Hiding his bitter expression from having failed to quickly find something valuable and safe to sell, Byln steps over. He triggers a command on the console, and the door at the end of the tunnel opens.
With Beefy close behind, Prawn and Seyo squint against the light of the chamber beyond.
Shane: There are thirty soldiers with autoblasters and SIX Inquisitors. Roll for Initiative and prepare to die.
Everyone: ACK!
Shane: [evil smile]
Everyone: [glares]
The vast space is silent and still.
Shane: [reading] "Beyond the door is an oval-shaped room at least a hundred meters long and seventy-five meters wide, featuring a towering oblong dome rising some fifty meters overhead. The enormous space is brightly and artfully lit and absolutely dripping in intricate decorations. Carvings surround all openings, and a stylized jungle canopy has been painted on the ceiling. On the floor are large sculptures and abstract installations, with smaller works on pedestals and cabinets. The entire room seems centuries old, steeped in the sensibilities of Toydarian royalty and nobility. Although it initially seems spectacular, after a few moments you begin to notice flaking paint and chipped carvings."
A large, ornate, but still armored door at the far end of the vast room looks like the primary entrance to this beautiful chamber… but it appears unused. A desk has even been set up directly blocking it…
Shane: It's late, so that'll do for tonight. You made a major breakthrough in the investigation, and you didn't get slaughtered. Not too bad.
Caleb: I didn't get to actually do anything evil.
David: I'm not gonna cry about THAT, but we spent most of the session failing every check.
James: And I didn't roll at all.
Shane: Wait, really?
James: It's true. I was always with Altair to support him, so he did all the rolls.
Lucas with a C: That's hilarious.
Shane: Don't worry, EVERYONE will be rolling next time.
Lukas with a K: That Inquisitor is gonna wreck us…
Chris: You have so little faith in Prawn's defenses.
James: And Beefy's offense.
Lukas with a K: Do you REALLY think an Inquisitor will be easy for us to fight?
Chris: Nope. I just figure at least SOME of us will survive.
Lucas with a C: You're not helping…
Caleb: Oh! I just thought of something!
David: Murder the Inquisitor in his sleep and gas all rancors to extinction?
Caleb: Everyone insisted that the sage Byln should be the one to hold the Talisman and the Holocron. What if THEY are the explanation for Byln suddenly going dark? It's a new development, and it doesn't apply to any other character.
Shane: That really might work.
Lukas with a K: Wasn't Val Isa a good guy though?
Chris: She was… centuries ago. But those two artifacts were abandoned in the Deep Core for a very long time…
Author's Note:
Sorry for taking so long to post this. We've actually had Session 4 already, and I'll try to be more prompt with it. But one advantage is that I got more info on Caleb's idea for why Byln's going evil, and could start weaving it into the narrative earlier.