Galaxy Guides
Galaxy Guide 05: Return of the Jedi
Galaxy Guide 05: Return of the Jedi
Development: Michael Stem • Editing: Bill Slavicsek • Additional Material, Second Edition Development and Editing: George Strayton • Additional Editing: Bill Smith • Additional Material: David Avallone, Eric S. Trautmann • Graphics: Tom ONeill • Cover Art: Lucasfilm Ltd. Interior Art: Lucasfilm Ltd.
Publisher: Daniel Scott Palter • Associate Publisher/Treasurer: Denise Palter
Associate Publisher: Richard Hawran • Senior Editor: Greg Farshtey
Editors: Peter Schweighofer, Bill Smith, George Strayton, Paul Sudlow, Eric Trautmann
Art Director: Stephen Crane • Graphic Artists: Tim Bobko, Steven Brown, Tom ONeill, Brian Schomburg • Sales Manager: Jeff Kent • Licensing Manager: Ron Seiden • Warehouse
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Published by WEG RR 3 Box 2345 Honesdale PA 18431 40124 ®· TM and© 1995 Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL). All Rights Reserved. Trademarks of LFL used by West End Games under authorization.
Introduction
Voren Na'al
When he first joined the Rebel Alliance, Voren Na'al was an unimposing young man. His years of work on behalf of the Alliance have seen him grow wise with experience. Placed in the Historian Corps, an arm of the Rebel Alliance, Na'al was charged with documenting the people, places, and events of the Galactic Civil War.
Na'al came from an ordinary background. Working as a stringer for the Galactic News Service, Na'al was covering the prestigious swoop races on Corsin, in the Greater Plooriod Cluster. His life changed when a platoon of Imperial stormtroopers entered the press area, and without explanation, placed everyone under arrest.
In the intervening weeks, Na'al learned that the Empire had forcibly deposed the planetary government in favor of one far more sympathetic to the "ideals" of the New Order. For the people of Corsin, civil rights were eliminated, and a once-beautiful world known for its love of life became a world forced into submitting to a military police presence. This event drove him to join the Rebel Alliance, where his skills have helped preserve a record of the war.
While Voren Na'al has never played a pivotal role in any of the battles of the Galactic Civil War, his contributions are memorable and valued. After many years as a reporter for the Galactic News Service, Lieutenant Na'al now serves the Alliance as an assistant to the Master Historian, Arhul Hextrophon.
He has been assigned to follow and report upon the members of the Alliance commonly referred to as "the heroes of Yavin," a group which now includes Lando Calrissian, though Calrissian was not at Yavin. (As Calrissian readily admits, "In those days, you wouldn't have caught me within a thousand light-years of Yavin once the Death Star showed up." He smiles. "You see, that was before I decided to give up a good job to become a savior of the galaxy. Now I eat Death Stars for breakfast.")
Na'al joined the Alliance several years ago after a chance meeting with Arhul Hextrophon, his old journalism teacher. Hextrophon, who had been in the Alliance since its inception, convinced the young reporter that he could indeed make a difference in the Galactic Civil War.
Na'al took part in the assault on Hoth and the Battle of Endor, as well as in many smaller confrontations. He has been wounded in action twice. His straight-forward reporting has earned him the respect and recognition of his peers in the Alliance.
Voren Na'al
Type: Armchair Historian
DEXTERITY 3D
Dodge 4D+1
KNOWLEDGE 5D
Alien species 5D, Bureaucracy 4D+2, Cultures 4D+2, Scholar: history 7D+1
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Repulsorlift operation 3D+1
PERCEPTION 4D
Investigation 6D+2
STRENGTH 2D+2
TECHNICAL 2D
Computer programming/repair 4D, First aid 2D+2, Repulsorlift repair 3D
Force Points I
Character Points 12
Move 10
Equipment: Datapad, blaster pistol (4D), falsified ID, 700 credits
Na'al's Journey
From the notes of Voren Na 'al, Assistant Historian to the Alliance
I started out for Tatooine immediately following the victory celebrations on Endor, and as usual, the desert world was isolated from outside news. In many ways, the death of the crimelord Jabba the Hutt had a more profound impact on the desert planet than the death of Palpatine. But other than a mercifully brief encounter with a bullying Imperial Customs officer, planetfall was uneventful.
Avoiding the heavily armed squads of stormtroopers (on alert after the violent gang war that erupted following Jabba's death), I set out to examine the sites the Heroes of Yavin had visited during their rescue mission to the desert planet.
I made my way to the former palace of Jabba the Hutt. The exterior of the palace was a shambles; scorch-marks and bloodstains marred the walls, broken bodies lay everywhere, and the stench of decay nearly made me retch. Fortunately, the fighting was at a lull, and my alternate cover as a dealer of illicit spices gained me access to the palace.
I spent my allotted three days in the palace, ostensibly participating in the intrigue and struggle for ascendency that was all-too predictable in the wake of Jabba's death. In between talking with the denizens of the palace, mostly with Bib Fortuna, Ephant Mon and Ree-Yees, and avoiding being murdered, I gathered information on many of Jabba's most important courtiers and reconstructed the immediate events surrounding the fall of Jabba the Hutt and the rescue of Han Solo.
After finishing my work on Tatooine I rejoined the Alliance Fleet at Sullust, just in time to witness the return of Han Solo. The Heroes of Yavin were the heart and soul of the Rebellion, and Solo's presence had come to mean a great deal to us all. His return was celebrated widely.
In the wake of Solo's return, however, Admiral Ackbar worked his crews hard to prepare for the attack on the new Death Star. If we were to survive, we had to be smarter, quicker, and more dedicated than our enemies. Commander Skywalker's return from a brief and cryptic visit to the bog planet Dagobah helped cement the will of the Alliance; defeat no longer seemed an option.
After the Battle of Endor had concluded (and my nerves had settled somewhat), I was briefly stationed on the forest moon, interviewing the commandos and Ewoks who had participated in the fight. My respect for the furry inhabitants of Endor has grown considerably during my short time there.
Unfortunately, my furlough on Endor was cut short by orders from Mon Mothma: I was to take the first transport to the Imperial data storage facilities on Halowan, Fakir sector, and attempt to report on the Imperial command structure present at Endor. Posing as a special agent of Fakir sector's Moff, I managed to trick the security forces on Halowan to give me access to restricted Imperial files.
(My success was probably not due to my cover information; my security code and authorization orders were out of date. However, Moff Lorin of Fakir had a great deal of respect on Coruscant, and his underlings believed he was a natural to fill the power vacuum left in Palpatine's wake. No one wanted to challenge the "emissary" of a possible successor to the Emperor.)
Mon Mothma cautioned me not to take more than three days to accomplish my mission; the fleet could not stay in the Endor region for long as Imperial reinforcements were undoubtedly on their way. Fortunately, the Imperial record keeping system was more organized than their security. After a mere day of research, I was able to rejoin the fleet and present my full report to Alliance Command.
Chapter One: Tatooine
Jabba's Palace
"If I told you half the things I've heard about this Jabba the Hutt, you'd probably short-circuit."
See-Threepio
The daring rescue of General Han Solo and the death of Jabba the Hutt had quite a dramatic impact upon Tatooine and the galactic underworld. With Jabba dead, almost immediately the underworld slipped into disarray, as smugglers, slavers, and gangsters vied to take control of newly opened territory. Tatooine became a prime battleground for this turf war.
Mos Eisley, somehow, had become even more dangerous in the intervening chaos. There were few civilians on the streets; those about moved quickly and furtively. Stormtroopers were visible in force, patrolling in heavily armed squads. A full-scale gang war was in progress. Rival factions were battling to take control of Jabba's empire, jackals squabbling over a fat, juicy corpse, and things were getting messy.
More than 50 people had been killed in Mos Eisley, and several buildings, including the famous cantina, had been firebombed. The Imperial prefect was attempting to keep order, but lacked sufficient troops to oppose the gangsters. He was getting precious little in the way of assistance from the sector's Moff, who had more immediate problems on his mind.
Out in the wilderness of the barren world, things were much the same. A few hours travel from Mos Eisley, through the Jundland Wastes, Obi-Wan Kenobi's hut lies abandoned. A violent sandstorm had broken windows and filled the main room with drifting sand, but the place had a certain majesty, as though great things had happened there. Here, nearly four years prior, Luke Skywalker had begun learning of the Force from Obi-Wan.
A worrt outside Jabba's Palace.
Just before his confrontation with Jabba, Luke accomplished one of the major tasks of any Jedi Knight, the construction of his own lightsaber. The entire house was filled with unseen energy vibrating at a wavelength that could be sensed at the back of one's being but never truly detected.
It was an unsettling experience, to say the least. Within the hut, one feels like an intruder, albeit a safe one, provided one's intentions are honorable. It was like being a beloved child who had wandered by accident into a king's audience chamber. One felt welcome, but the grownups had important things on their minds and couldn't stop to play. It was quite humbling.
Within the Palace Walls
Out beyond the Dune Sea, past even the wild Jundland Wastes and the pit of Carkoon, there was an evil place. A place of corruption, of vile, contemptible goings-on the likes of which existed nowhere else on the planet Tatooine-or perhaps anywhere else in the galaxy, for that matter. This was the palace of Jabba the Hutt. To reach it (if you are foolish enough to want to), you must first travel a perilous, ever-shifting road that leads through the scorching sands and parched canyons of Tatooine's most rugged terrain. If you survive the tender mercies of the Sand People and the krayt dragons, you will eventually get to your destination. You had better have an invitation, however, for all approaches to the palace are watched. An extensive scanner network monitors the surrounding area to a distance of ten full kilometers in all directions. Hostile-looking visitors are greeted by a contingent of Gamorrean guards ( or other appropriate "representatives") before they even catch sight of the fortress. Those not appearing dangerous are allowed to approach, but monitored closely all the way. If you approach the palace during the night, you may have the misfortune to meet the worrt, a repulsive, toad-like creature with a lightningfast tongue. The worrt cannot harm Humansized visitors (though Jawas have been known to disappear mysteriously when wandering around the palace) but the worrt is too stupid to
realize this, and it attacks anything it meets. If it attacks you, you had better simply endure its disgusting, sticky, drooling caress: woe betide the fool who dares strike Jabba's little friend!
The palace is built of sandrock, the outer walls reinforced by Ditanium plating and reflective shielding. The architect was Derren Flet, a respected young star in his field who met an untimely demise when he failed to include a satisfactory dungeon in the original plans of the palace. He did, however, provide Jabba with just about everything else the Bloated One wanted, and the palace served Jabba admirably as both stately manor and fortress.
The hub of the palace, around which everything else revolved, was the throne room. From his throne, Jabba could control everything from the trap door leading to the rancor pit below, to the lighting and climate control for the entire palace. Virtually all defense, communication and security systems could be monitored by Jabba personally. The throne room also served as living quarters for most of Jabba's "employees and associates." To keep an eye on them, he forced them to sleep right there on the cold floor of the throne room, as he was forced to do by his deteriorated physical condition.
Beneath the palace were the infamous dungeons, which through the years housed an unending stream of beings unfortunate enough to have earned the Mighty Jabba's displeasure. Most died there: Jabba rarely forgave anyone and there was little chance of escape. There was only a single entrance, guarded day and night, and the reinforced walls, ceilings and floors rendered any thoughts of tunneling out futile.
In addition to these features, the palace housed a massive garage, stable and repulsorpool area wherein a variety of vehicles and beasts of burden were kept. A huge, domed docking area for Jabba's personal sail barge was situated directly behind the throne room, so that the ponderous Hutt might easily move to and from his favorite recreational vehicle. There were no facilities for starships within the grounds, as Jabba refused to let them within 50 kilometers of his palace for security reasons. All who approached the palace were forced to brave the treacherous Tatooine wastes.
In all, Jabba's Palace was an ideal base of operations for a criminal empire. Soon after his death, the palace fell on hard times. The exterior of the palace was a shambles: scorch-marks and bloodstains marred the walls, broken bodies lay everywhere, and the stench of decay was overwhelming. Bib Fortuna's forces had control of the palace, but that control would be fleeting and the resistance determined. Whoever was strong enough to claim this valuable property would have an indispensable tool with which to start his climb to the top.
Worrt
Type: Voracious predator
DEXTERITY 1D
PERCEPTION 2D
STRENGTH 1D
Brawling: tongue attack 4D, Special Abilities:, Tongue Attack: The worrt will attack anything that moves that is its size or smaller. The tongue does 1D damage.
Move 3
Size: 0.5-1.5 meters tall.
Capsule:
The worrt is a blindingly stupid, and harmless (to Humans) predator that inhabits the furthest wilderness areas of Tatooine. It will attack anything that even remotely appears edible, including metal, plants, large rocks that appear similar to other creatures and just about anything else that passes in front of it or that it can approach without being attacked first.
The worrt typically feeds on insects, small rodents and other tiny creatures native to Tatooine. However, it will often harass larger creatures, especially if they don't fight back. Jabba the Hutt has several worrts as rather obnoxious pets around the palace, and they are found throughout the stretches surrounding the palace.
Bib Fortuna
The Twi'lek Bib Fortuna was Jabba the Hutt's major-domo, and with the Bloated One's death, the leader of the most prominent faction vying for control of Jabba's organization. Fortuna's association with Jabba goes back many years.
On his homeworld of Ryloth, Fortuna was an ambitious entrepreneur, one of the foremost "clandestine exporters" of the mineral known as ryll. In other words, he was a spice smuggler.
After several years of successful, if unspectacular, freelancing, one of Jabba the Hutt's agents approached Fortuna with a proposition: Mighty Jabba wanted Bib to come work for him as his production and transport agent. Fortuna would make a healthy "commission" on each load of spice he brought in, more than he was making independently, and Jabba's organization would handle distribution of the product.
While there were dangers involved, not the least of which was incurring Jabba's anger and being fed to the Sarlacc, the money was very, very good. Fortuna agreed.
Years passed. Fortuna became an important fixture around Jabba's palace and he made a lot of money. When the Imperials intercepted several shipments, Fortuna thought it was time to actively pursue a promotion rather than be blamed for these incidents. After the gift of Oola, the Twi'lek dancing girl, Jabba made him one of his many lieutenants.
So what if Fortuna had to wave his head tails and bow constantly? So what if he had to agree with every belch Jabba uttered? It was only business, after all, and Bib Fortuna wanted to make the most of it.
With his organizational skills, management experience, and head for business, Fortuna quickly became one of Jabba's chosen few. His main competition was the Corellian pirate, Bidlo Kwerve, and both were looking to unseat that bumbling fool Naroon Cuthus as major-domo.
Fortuna was always able to keep the edge by fawning over Jabba, but Kwerve nearly got the prestigious position through sheer luck. One day, a group of excited Jawas told Kwerve of a ship that crashed out in the desert. It turned out that the ship contained the fearsome rancor. Kwerve nearly got full credit for retrieving the beast, but Fortuna knew enough to watch the Corellian closely. Fortuna arrived on the scene just as Kwerve subdued the beast with a case of grenades, and was able to extort Kwerve into sharing the credit with him.
Three days later, Kwerve and Fortuna gave Jabba the creature for his birthday. Jabba showed both men the full measure of his gratitude. Bib Fortuna finally received the promotion he desired, as Jabba announced that the Twi'lek would now serve as his chief lieutenant and major-domo. He was given responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the palace and Jabba's townhouse in Mos Eisley.
Bidlo Kwerve, however, made history. He was given the honor of becoming the rancor's first meal in Jabba's presence. Fortuna was glad that the "greater" reward went to his honored opponent.
Fortuna was aboard Jabba's sail barge when the Mighty Hutt was killed by Leia Organa. Somehow, these upstart Rebels were making a mockery of Jabba's henchmen. The wily Twi'lek reasoned that it was time to head for safer ground, and made his way down to the small patrol craft compartment, barely escaping before the sail barge exploded.
Bib Fortuna
Type: Twi'lek
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster: hold-out blaster 3D+2, Dodge 4D+1
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Bureaucracy 5D, Business 7D, Languages 4D, Streetwise 5D, Streetwise: Jabba's organization 8D+2, Value: ryll 6D+2, Value: spice 7D
MECHANICAL 2D+2
PERCEPTION 4D+1
Bargain 5D, Command: Jabba's minions 6D+2, Con 5D+1, Forgery 5D, Hide 5D, Investigation 6D+2, Persuasion 5D+1, Sneak 5D
STRENGTH 3D
TECHNICAL 2D
Security 3D, Special Abilities:, Tentacles: Twi'leks can use their head tails to communicate in secret with each other, even in a room full of individuals. The complex movement of the tentacles is, in a sense, a "secret" language that all Twi'leks are fluent in.
Force Points 1
Character Points 9
Move 10
Equipment: Hold-out blaster (3D), datapad, ryll spice snifter (ryll spice gives +1D to Perception and related actions for one hour, but reduces Dexterity and related actions by -2D for three hours; requires an Easy willpower roll; if failed, the user is addicted).
Gamorrean Guards
Jabba employed nine Gamorreans as palace guards, in addition to several others who worked at his townhouse or were out "on assignment." Gamorreans are fierce and determined, if somewhat slow, warriors, completely loyal to their employer (as long as they are paid on time and they get to hurt things on a regular basis). Occasionally Jabba would send them out into Tatooine to handle very simple assignments, such as strongarming moisture farmers who were reluctant to pay protection, but mostly they remained within the walls of Jabba's Palace, at their bloated master's side. The leader of this band of thugs was Ortugg, who Jabba put in charge after seeing him put up an impressive fight during the "employment test." The toughest and most intelligent of the lot, he and his right-hand man, Rogua, were assigned the very important position of front entrance sentry. Ortugg was also given the private task of keeping an eye on Tessek, who Jab ba suspected didn't always have the crimelord's best interests at heart. Ortugg had clashed with Tessek several times, though the clever Quarren always backed down before risking the ire of the fierce Gamorrean or, worse yet, Jabba himself. The other Gamorreans served as sentries throughout the palace. Jabba particularly liked to put them in charge of guarding uppity prisoners who, knowing to expect little mercy from the Hutt, would invariably try to escape. The resulting butchery gave His Eminence almost as much pleasure as watching his beloved rancor swallow someone whole. Jabba had often toyed with the idea of dropping a Gamorrean or two into the rancor pit-just to see what would happen.
Typical Gamorrean Guard
DEXTERITY 3D
Melee combat: vibro-axe 4D+2
KNOWLEDGE 1D
Survival 2D
MECHANICAL 1D
PERCEPTION 2D
STRENGTH 4D
Brawling 5D, Stamina 5D+1
TECHNICAL 1D
Move 9
Equipment: Vibro-axe (STR+3D+1, Moderate difficulty), force pike (STR+3D, can reach up to two meters, Moderate difficulty).
The Employment Test
The following story was related by Ephant Mon, who participated in the event.
Jabba's organization is always in need of cheap muscle for protection: goons who would break heads without thinking twice about it, and who would not betray their employer. Jabbaneeded creatures who were strong, vicious, loyal, and stupid. In short, he needed Gamorreans. But needing Gamorreans and getting them to work for you are two entirely different things. These brutish mercenaries live by a strict code of "honor" that states that a Gamorrean will only serve someone who is a better warrior than he. Anyone who wishes to hire a Gamorrean must first defeat him in battle. Now, Mighty Jabba knew that he would have no problem defeating a Gamorrean in single combat, but, considering the amount of Gamorreans that he wanted to hire, the fighting could soon become tedious. And besides, it is so very easy to trick them. Jabba had a group of 12 likely candidates brought to his palace throne room to receive their "employment test." The Hutt's thugs ringed the room, the Gamorreans were herded into the center, and Mighty .labba heaved himself off of his throne and faced his guests. His massive tail rose high in the air, casting a shadow over the Gamorreans. With great fanfare, Jabba's interpreter an-
nounced that the Mighty Hutt would take them on all at once! But as the first of the brutes advanced Jabba signalled him to stop. He clapped his pudgy hands, and a henchman brought out a handful of blindfolds. The Gamorreans bristled and made threatening noises at the henchmen. The crimelord's interpreter then explained that this was the traditional Huttese way of doing personal combat, fighting by smell and touch and blind instinct. Among the Hutts, the interpreter explained, fighting with eyes uncovered was dishonorable and cowardly. Seeing Jabba allow himself to be blindfolded first, the Gamorreans accepted at face value Jabba's proposition to fight them all at once. The none-too-bright Gamorreans accepted the condition.
After all the Gamorreans were blindfolded the gong signalling the commencement of combat was chimed, and the Gamorreans advanced clumsily, swinging wildly with their vibro-axes and force pikes. Of course, by then Jabba had slipped back onto his throne and twenty of his henchmen, brandishing gaffi sticks and clubs, moved in to replace him. Jabba's henchmen, who were of course not blindfolded, had little trouble pummelling the brutes into submission.
A cacophony of strange alien laughter surrounded the bewildered Gamorreans as they flailed wildly in every direction. Jabba's henchmen darted between the blind thrusts and slashes to deliver savage blows to the helpless Gamorreans. Most of the Gamorreans were easily dispatched, but a few of them, particularly the axeman, Ortugg, displayed remarkable endurance and determination and by luck managed to down one of their tormentors. This was unfortunate, but Jabba reasoned that "that is the price you pay for good help these days."
When the combat was over, Jabba moved back into place, with a few cosmetic cuts and bruises added for effect. The blindfolds were removed, and the stunned and beaten Gamorreans gaped in awe at the giant slug-like creature who had single-handedly defeated 12 Gamorrean warrior clansmen blindfolded. All nine of the surviving Gamorreans swore fealty to the greatest warrior they had ever known.
Ortugg
Type: Gamorrean Guard
DEXTERITY 3D
Melee combat: vibro-axe 5D+1, Thrown weapons 4D+2
KNOWLEDGE 1D
Intimidation 5D, Survival 1D, Survival: desert 4D
MECHANICAL 1D
PERCEPTION 2D
STRENGTH 4D
Brawling 6D, Stamina 6D+2
TECHNICAL 1D
Special Abilities: Voice Box: Gamorreans cannot speak Basic., Stamina: Gamorreans can make a second stamina check if they fail an initial one., Story Factors:, Droid Hate: Most Gamorreans hate droids and delight in needlessly destroying them.
Character Points 4
Move 8
Equipment: Vibro-axe (STR+3D+1), force pike (STR+3D).
Oola
Twi'lek women are known the galaxy over for their exotic dancing. It seemed to Bib Fortuna that this would be the perfect gift with which to appease his employer, Jabba the Hutt. It might also convince the Hutt to overlook the recent difficulties Fortuna had been having with intercepted spice shipments.
However, it was difficult to find just the right girl for Jabba. Most of the popular dancers were too common and ordinary to captivate Jabba the way that Fortuna wanted his "gift" to. He traveled out to the "place of twilight" on his half-light, half-dark homeworld of Ryloth, where there still existed many quaint, primitive clans, living in ignorance and peace.
It took him two weeks to find the perfect woman. He knew from the moment he saw Oola that she was the one. The daughter of the clan chief, Oola moved like a serpent and possessed the finest, most delicate head tails Fortuna had ever seen. During the night, Bib kidnapped the innocent girl and brought her to his smuggling complex. There, he hired several famous Twi'lek dancers to tutor the young Oola in the ways of seduction and dance.
Four months later, he presented Oola to Jabba. Jabba was instantly smitten with the young Twi'lek. To show his appreciation, he chained her to his throne, an honor he reserved for only his most prized possessions. Fortuna had done well.
It became evident before long, however, that Oola did not share the sentiment of her new master. Dancing for the court was bad enough, but when the grotesque Hutt began to make his obscene advances toward her, she fiercely resisted. She was punished, and punished again, but still she held firm. Eventually Jabba tired of the game, and the young Twi'lek became food for his other "most prized possession," the rancor.
Oola
Type: Twi'lek Dancing Girl
DEXTERITY 2D
Dancing 6D, Dodge 4D
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Survival 3D+2
MECHANICAL 1D+2
PERCEPTION 3D+1
Hide 4D+1, Sneak 5D+1
STRENGTH 2D
TECHNICAL 1D
Special Abilities: Tentacles: Twi'leks can use their head tails to communicate in secret.
Move 10
Jabba the Hutt
There are many, many stories about Jabba the Hutt: who he really was, where he came from, and how he became one of the most powerful underworld figures in the galaxy. Jabba is said to have been behind every single unsolved crime committed in the past 20 standard years. Countless cheap hoods give themselves airs by claiming to have done a job with the Bloated One. Politicians across space have gotten themselves elected promising to "bring down the Hutt and all like him." The Hutt has even achieved the status of galactic boogeyman: mothers everywhere use him to keep ornery children in line, "You'd better go right to sleep or Jabba will get you."
It was not that Jabba was the most vile or evil or hideous gangster in the galaxy (although he was certainly in the running). It was simply that Jabba, as perhaps the most visible member of the notorious Hutt crime families, was an exceptionally well-known criminal.
Most other crimelords sought to keep their identities secret so that they could conduct their business in private. Jabba flaunted his influence and wealth, virtually daring the authorities to bring him down, if they could. Jabba was more than a successful gangster; he was proud of what he'd done and how he'd done it. Perhaps it was inevitable that he would gain so much notoriety, and that his death would be so widely celebrated.
To dig through this muddled information to find "the truth" is impossible. One can only pick out the choicest bits and string them together to form some sort of reasonable narrative.
Jabba was a Hutt, a race of slug-like creatures said to originate on a planet called Varl, though that name does not appear on any Imperial star charts. Space lore has it that the Hutts all but destroyed themselves in civil war, but then managed to relocate to the world of Nal Hutta, from which they built their criminal empire. Nal Hutta sits at the center of "Hutt Space," and is a safe haven for the galaxy's most ruthless criminals, provided they haven't offended any of the powerful Hutt families of that world.
Jabba, in particular, was known for his crude wit and dominating force of personality. His massive, physically intimidating presence no doubt had an important bearing on his meteoric rise to power, but ultimately it was his ruthless, scheming mind which brought him to the top of his chosen profession.
Later on, when the excesses of his appetites for food, females and spice had taken their toll, leaving him a hairless, bloated slug, all but unable to move, the mind of the illustrious Jabba remained as nimble, sharp and evil as ever. Over the years, his underworld empire had grown to an almost unfathomable size. He had his pudgy hands in everything from spice running, to extortion, to a protection racket which alone could have supported the governments of an entire sector of space.
Jabba amassed a virtual army of beings from across the galaxy to do his bidding. His agents were everywhere. Why then did Jabba choose the remote planet of Tatooine as a base of operations? No one is truly sure. Speculation ranges from the idea that Jabba thought he would draw less Imperial attention in such a remote location, to a supposed deal Jabba had with the sector governor, to the story that Jabba actually owned the entire planet. For whatever reason, Jabba made his palace in the remote deserts of Tatooine the hub of his criminal empire.
Unfortunately for the Hutt, he picked the homeworld of a young man who would become the last of the Jedi, and who would spell his eventual doom.
Type: Hutt
DEXTERITY 2D
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Alien species 5D, Bureaucracy 7D, Bureaucracy: Tatooine government 9D+1, Business 6D+1, Cultures 4D+2, Intimidation 7D, Languages 4D, Law enforcement 4D+1, Law enforcement: Tatooine 9D, Streetwise 9D, Streetwise: Jabba's organization 11D
MECHANICAL 3D
PERCEPTION 3D
Bargain 8D, Command 8D, Con 7D+1, Gambling 7D+2, Persuasion 7D+2
STRENGTH 4D
Brawling 6D, Lifting 6D, Stamina 7D
TECHNICAL 3D
Special Abilities: Force Resistance: Hutts have an innate defense against Force-based mind manipulation techniques: they roll double their Perception dice to resist such attacks. Hutts cannot learn Force skills.
Force Points 5
Dark Side Points 6
Character Points 26
Move 2
The Rancor
Much has been said and written about the rancor owned by Jabba the Hutt. It was the only known creature of its kind, and, since its arrival on Tatooine, had spawned some controversy concerning its origin. The rancor was given to Jabba as a gift by Bib Fortuna and the late Bidlo Kwerve, both then lieutenants of the crimelord.
Being little interested in historical or xenobiological research, neither had bothered to examine the crashed vessel that originally housed the rancor for clues as to the beast's planet of origin. Fortunately, others were more curious. Certain biologists who had seen the infamous rancor footage (since banned in most reputable areas of the galaxy), came to Tatooine to probe into the background of this unique specimen. They were of necessity quite circumspect when questioning Jabba's men, but, after several months, they were able to learn the location of the downed ship.
Though Jawas and Tatooine's vicious sandstorms had not been kind to the battered ship, the xenobiologists were able to read the ship's registration number and begin a back-trace of the vessel. It seems that the ship, registered to a Captain Grizzid, had last docked in the Tarsunt system, where a man by the name of Grendu, a dealer in "rare antiquities," had commissioned passage for himself and a special cargo. To carry the cargo, Grendu had ordered a special heavily reinforced cage to be installed in the hold.
Just where this Grendu found the creature remains unclear. While Grendu is believed to have spent many years in the Anoat system, it is highly unlikely the creatures originated there. Unfortunately, Grendu did not live long enough to answer questions. He and the ship's crew were all killed shortly after the craft crash-landed on Tatooine.
The rancor quickly became the crimelord's favorite pet. One of his favorite recreational activities involved feeding his favorite pet. It was most satisfying to Jabba and his collected throng when the rancor swallowed its meal whole, and a good deal of betting took place on whether the meal would be a "one-biter," "two-biter," or, very rarely, a "three-biter."
To keep the rancor happy and healthy at all times, Jabba hired Malakili, an expert beast keeper. He and his partner Lorindan (a reputed relative of Mos Eisley's Garindan, or "Long Snoot") supplied the beast with food whenever Jabba didn't send it a meal through the trap door. They were also responsible for maintaining the pit, not the most enviable of tasks.
After many standard months of taking care of the beast, Malakili and his partner became quite attached to it. They, along with the mighty Jabba himself, were devastated when their beloved rancor fell victim to the "Jedi tricks" of Luke Skywalker.
The Rancor
Type: Gigantic predator
DEXTERITY 4D
PERCEPTION 1D
Search: tracking 3D
STRENGTH 7D
Special Abilities: Armor: Adds +3D, Claws Do STR+3D damage, Teeth Do STR+5D damage
Move 20 (restricted to Move 10 in pit because of cramped conditions)
Size: 5 meters tall
Salacious Crumb
If there was a jester in the court of Jabba the Hutt, it was the Kowakian Lizard-Monkey Salacious Crumb. Crumb sat at the base of Jabba's throne, mimicking and cackling at all who addressed the illustrious Hutt. It seems clear that these creatures are sentient, although they build nothing and have no art, no science, and no literature. In their natural habitat, they are mere gatherers and foragers, but in the presence of larger sentients, they will allow others to care for them. Crumb was one of the only beings to ever cross Jabba and live to tell about it. While on one of his journeys off Tatooine, Jabba stopped at
Kwenn Space Station to settle an important debt. Salacious Crumb, an unwanted parasite on the station, scampered aboard Jabba's vessel while evading the Mandalorian ratcatchers who were hot on its trail. With an unerring instinct for getting into the most trouble possible in any situation, Crumb decided to hide in Jabba's chambers.
When Jabba returned to the ship, he found Crumb hiding in, of all places, his feeding bowl. The enraged Hutt almost swallowed the Lizard-Monkey on the spot. But Crumb was too fast for him and darted up into the rafters, the bowl sitting on his head like a huge blast-helmet.
Just then, Bib Fortuna and his rival Bidlo Kwerve bumbled into the room, in the midst of a heated argument. Crumb dropped the bowl on their heads, spreading green ooze all over the surprised creatures. Bidlo was angered and pulled his blaster, but the green ooze had gotten into his equipment, and all he accomplished was to squirt a blop of green liquid directly into Fortuna's face.
By this time, Jabba was nearly delirious with laughter, and barely had enough of his wits about him to stop his lieutenants from killing each other. Since that day, Salacious Crumb was constantly at his side, annoying court regulars and guests alike.
Salacious Crumb
Type: Kowakian Monkey-Lizard
DEXTERITY 4D
Dodge 6D, Pick pocket 7D, Running 6D+1
KNOWLEDGE 1D
Languages 2D+2, Streetwise 1D+2
MECHANICAL 1D
PERCEPTION 1D
Con 1D+2, Hide 6D+2, Sneak 6D+2
STRENGTH 1D
Climb/jump 4D+2
TECHNICAL 1D
Character Points 4
Move 11
EV-9D9
In general, a droid's basic programming requires it to be friendly and subservient to most sentient beings. EV-9D9 is a noted exception; in fact, EV-9D9 actively dislikes most beings, and seems to have a pathological hatred of other droids. In the normal course of events, Ninedenine would be judged deranged and subject to memory-wipe and reprogramming.
Unfortunately for dozens of worker droids, Ninedenine found employment where its derangement was appreciated and encouraged. Jabba's agents discovered Ninedenine supervising at the now-defunct GoCorp repulsor plant, while the Hutt was commissioning several sand skiffs.
The droid laborers at GoCorp were unbelievably overworked. The attrition rate was high, but production was well beyond what droids are normally able to accomplish. Impressed by this, Jabba's agents bought the supervisor-droid and put it to work in the palace.
Ninedenine was a meticulous taskmaster who believed that it was its job to work the other droids until they dropped. Those who disobeyed orders or failed to perform up to expectations were severely "disciplined" with a twisted array of mechanical tortures. Some say that Ninedenine actually enjoyed torturing its mechanical brothers (as much as a droid can "enjoy" anything).
Whichever was true, the droid made existence for the other droids at the palace a mechanical analog of hell. During his tenure, only two droids ever escaped from EV-9D9, a certain golden protocol droid and his feisty astromech companion.
EV-9D9
Type: Merendata EV Supervisor Droid
DEXTERITY 4D
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Intimidation: droids 6D, Value 5D
MECHANICAL 3D
PERCEPTION 3D
Command 4D+2
STRENGTH 2D
TECHNICAL 4D
Droid programming 7D, Droid repair 7D, Equipped with: Humanoid body (two arms, two legs, head); two visual and audial sensors (Human range); vocabulator speech/sound system.
Move IO
Size: 1.6 meters
Cost: 4,500
Equipment: Arc welder (6D), datapad
Ephant Mon
When asked, Ephant Mon described his profession as "freelance," though he never said what he freelanced in. Despite his constant presence at the court of the crimelord, Mon was not a member of Jabba's staff, but was one of the only non-employees the Hutt would tolerate. Exactly why Ephant was so privileged is open to speculation.
Though it's hard to imagine, the Hutt may have considered Mon a friend. The two shared certain unsavory appetites. It is possible that the Hutt simply enjoyed having one person around who was not a yes-man or toady, who might dare offer a dissenting opinion now and then. Or perhaps not.
It is also possible that the Hutt tolerated the Chevin because of the many successful business ventures the two had combined upon. Ephant Mon was expert at the acquisition of certain special commodities, and Jabba had the necessary distribution network to sell them.
Ephant Mon was a gunrunner. Mon supplied arms to all manner of military organizations, from petty planetary guerrilla groups to the Rebel Alliance itself. No one is sure exactly where the Chevin acquired his merchandise, but the weapons were usually of Imperial manufacture, outdated, but still quite serviceable. Apparently, certain high-ranking Imperial military officers were willing to supply their own enemies to make a fast credit.
Ephant Mon had come far from his rather humble origins. The Chevin are hunter-gatherers, following the wild backshin across the huge plains of their planet Yinsoth. They are most noted for their enslavement of a humanoid race also apparently native to their world (who also bear the name Chevins). Mon had been recruited by mercenaries as an adolescent; after serving with the mercs for several years, he concluded that it would be much more profitable (and a good deal safer) to sell arms than to use them.
Even though he had been out of the mercenary business for several years when he met Jabba, he was still a formidable warrior. But although he rather enjoyed a good fight, he enjoyed making money more. His basic credo was, "I will sell anything to anyone at any time, if there's a profit in it."
Ephant Mon
Type: Chevin Gunrunner
DEXTERITY 2D+1
Melee combat: vibroblade 4D, Melee parry 3D+1
KNOWLEDGE 1D+2
Alien species 2D+2, Languages 3D, Value: weapons 7D+2
MECHANICAL 1D
PERCEPTION 3D
Bargain 4D+2, Bargain: weapons 6D+1, Con 4D, Investigation: weapons dealers 7D
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 3D+1
TECHNICAL 1D
Character Points 5
Move 9
Equipment: Vibroblade (STR+3D), large number of used weapons (for sale).
Ree-Yees
The three-eyed alien known as Ree-Yees was without a doubt one of the more repulsive of Jabba's courtiers, both in visage and in temperament. This sleazy crook spent more time under the influence of Sullustan gin than he did sober, and he was an ugly, mean, nasty, slobbering drunk. He did not appear to serve any useful purpose in Jabba's organization; perhaps Jabba kept him around for his entertainment value.
Ree-Yees was a money-ante thief who spent his time scamming money off relatively easy marks such as Barada and Ortugg the Gamorrean. His primary competition in this pursuit was the Chevin, Ephant Mon. The two were constantly bickering about one thing or another, and they had come to blows on more than one occasion. Though Ree-Yees invariably came out the worse, Mon was growing tired of the feud, and Ree-Yees might have shortly found himself in the rancor pit.
Even if he had avoided that unpleasant fate, Ree-Yees did not have long to live under any circumstances. Gran are highly social creatures; most never leave their home planet of Kinyen. Having committed the crime of murder, almost unknown on Kinyen, Ree-Yees had been outcast from his people. To Gran, this is a fate worse than death: most go mad or die of loneliness after a remarkably short period of time.
Through a combination of insensitivity, self-centeredness, and excessive alcohol consumption, Ree-Yees had managed to keep himself alive and relatively sane, but the strain was beginning to tell. He had even attacked other members of Jabba's court in recent weeks. Why Jabba kept him around is unclear, but it was a practice of the crimelord to retain those people and items which amused him.
The troubled Ree-Yees finally chewed off more than he could handle when he tried to stop Luke Skywalker and his companions from escaping Jabba's sail barge. He, and a host of other underworld figures, lost his life because Jabba would not relent and let the Rebels go in peace.
Ree-Yees
Type: Gran Petty Swindler
DEXTERITY 2D
Blaster 3D, Brawling parry 3D+1, Dodge 2D+1
KNOWLEDGE 1D+2
Alien species 2D, Cultures 2D, Intimidation 3D, Languages 2D+1, Streetwise 4D+2
MECHANICAL 1D+1
Repulsorlift operation 2D+2
PERCEPTION 2D
Bargain 3D+1, Con 3D, Forgery 3D+1, Gambling 3D
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 3D+2, Lifting 4D
TECHNICAL 2D
Security 3D+2, Special Abilities:, Vision: Grans' unique combination of eyestalks gives them a larger spectrum of vision than other species. They can see well into the infrared range (no penalties in darkness), and gain a bonus of +1D to notice sudden movements., Story Factors:, Madness: Ree-Yees's crime of murder and subsequent expulsion from his world has driven him mad. His behavior is self-destructive, and he engages in excessive drinking and is far too eager to fight even those who could clearly kill him.
Character Points 4
Move 10
Equipment: Portable Sullustan gin tankard, lockpick
Tessek
This Quarren is one of the few members of Jabba's court to survive the sail barge disaster. This is not particularly surprising; Tessek was one of the most clever of Jabba's employees, and one of the few who didn't scramble his wits through overindulgence in spice, liquor, and the other vices enjoyed at the palace.
Tessek has only one vice: an all-consuming lust for power. He was too busy plotting the overthrow of Jabba to waste his time on lesser diversions. He might have done it, too, if certain Rebel heroes hadn't beaten him to it.
Several weeks before the Hutt's untimely demise, Tessek, along with a few carefully chosen allies (who all happen to be conveniently dead at this moment), planned the murder of the illustrious Jabba and the overthrow of his criminal empire.
The plan involved a raid by the Empire on the Hutt organization's main warehouses, hideouts, and legitimate business establishments, carefully timed to coincide with Jabba's assassination by Tessek and his associates. It was a complex deal that would rid the galaxy of Jabba and leave Tessek in control of the remainder of his operation. In return for the help of the Empire, Tessek would provide intelligence on Alliance activities and limit his illegal operations to worlds unfriendly to the Empire.
Tessek was one of the few who took the young Human claiming to be a Jedi Knight seriously. He knew from the start that there was something special about this mysterious young rogue. While others laughed at the man's boasts that he would destroy Jabba, Tessek wondered how he might use him to his advantage.
It seemed odd to Tessek that the Jedi and his companions, who appeared to be of reasonably sound mind and body (though you never can be too sure about Humans), would be so foolhardy as to allow themselves to be captured the way they had. Either they were completely crazy, or they were extremely well prepared. The Jedi didn't appear to be crazy; there had to be more to this than was readily apparent.
With a bit of discreet research, he discovered the identities of the prisoners: they were Rebels, and high-ranking ones, at that. Tessek began to get nervous. This was something more than a bungled rescue attempt. The same people who destroyed the infamous Death Star do not bumble into the palace of Jabba the Hutt and allow themselves to be captured without a fight. And those two droids, how did they fit into the plan?
Tessek didn't know what was going on, but it was obvious that something big was going to happen. Perhaps an Alliance strike force was lurking just outside the palace's scanning range, awaiting a signal to sweep in, rescue the prisoners and wipe them all out. Or perhaps something even more devious was in the works. In any case, there were too many variables in the game; Tessek postponed his move against Jabba until the picture cleared.
Though clever enough to foresee the upcoming unpleasantness, the actual course of events took Tessek quite by surprise. When Jabba announced that the prisoners were to be executed at the Sarlacc's pit, Tessek expected the "Rebel strike force" to make their move, hitting Jabba when he was vulnerable, outside the walls of his palace. Tessek didn't want to be around when the firing started; he arranged for an escape swoop to be hidden upon the sail barge. Once the Rebels hit, he would slip onto the swoop and let the strike force do his work for him.
Tessek was completely bewildered when the prisoners attacked on their own. The prisoners were doomed, that was obvious. Should he help finish them off to enhance his reputation with Jabba, or should he use the diversion to kill Jabba, claiming that the prisoners had done it?
By the time he made up his mind, kill Jabba, kill the prisoners and blame Jabba's death on them, events had preceded him. To his shock, the prisoners destroyed Jabba before he could. In fact, they seemed to be destroying everybody in sight.
Tessek quickly decided upon a different course of action: escape. He slipped aboard his swoop and fled to the palace, where he locked all doors, activated all defensive measures, and hoped the prisoners wouldn't come back. If they did, he somehow didn't think the castle's walls would even slow them down.
After several very tense hours, Tessek began to relax. Apparently, the Rebels were going to postpone vengeance, for the moment, anyway. While the palace was in an uproar, with prisoners escaping and the few remaining staff members panicking at the thought of their boss dead, Tessek was safely locked in one of the guest suites. He managed to safely and comfortably sit out the initial carnage.
Still, he began to make rapid preparations to leave the palace permanently, for parts unknown. Things were getting just a little too hot. The Empire was probably annoyed at him for canceling their deal and the Rebels were probably annoyed with anyone from Jabba's organization. At the moment, he didn't have a lot of friends.
Tessek has not yet reappeared, although it is quite possible that he has taken on a false identity. One expects that the galaxy will hear more from this character in the future.
Tessek
Type: Quarren Conspirator
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 3D+1, Dodge 4D, Grenade 4D
KNOWLEDGE 2D+2
Bureaucracy 4D+2, Cultures 4D, Intimidation 5D, Languages 4D+2, Streetwise 5D+2, Willpower 4D+1
MECHANICAL 3D
PERCEPTION 3D+1
Bargain 5D+2, Command 4D+2, Command: conspirators 6D+1, Con 5D, Investigation 5D, Persuasion 4D+2
STRENGTH 3D+1
Swimming 5D
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Security 3D+2, Special Abilities:, Aquatic: Quarren can breathe both air and water and can withstand extreme pressures found in ocean depths.
Character Points 5
Move IO
Equipment: Hold-out blaster ( 40), vibroblade (STR+30), sonic grenade (5D), datapad, comlink
Barada
Although they believed they were extremely important, Jabba rarely entrusted his officers at the court with any real power. Mostly, they sat around and "advised" His Eminence; basically, they kept him amused.
One of the few members of Jabba's entourage with actual responsibility was Barada, the Klatooinian in charge of the gang lord's repulsorpool. Jabba's fleet of vehicles was primarily made up of skiffs, specially adapted to the arid climate and modified with superior hull plating and weapons emplacements. Barada was responsible for the procurement, modification, crew and care of these vehicles. He also captained the craft when they engaged in battle or when Jabba was aboard.
Barada "joined on" with Jabba after the crimelord won his contract in a crooked game of sabacc. Barada was an indentured worker, having been sold into servitude by his family, as is Klatooinian custom with disrespectful youth. When Jabba won his contract from Barada's previous employer, a foolish garage owner who also lost his business to the Hutt, Barada became indentured to the Hutt.
According to the terms of his contract, Barada was bound to work for the owner of the contract for a set, very low wage, until he repaid the owner the amount the owner paid his family for him. Before Jabba, Barada had lived frugally and spent most of his wages paying off a good deal of the contract, and he was only two thousand galactic credits short when Jabba picked it up. By rights, Barada should have been able to pay the rest off in a year or less.
However, while scrupulously keeping to the letter of the contract, Jabba cheated Barada mercilessly. He paid Barada the amount specified in the contract, but then charged Barada exactly that amount for room and board. With no way to earn extra money, Barada continued in servitude until freed, in death, by the Heroes of Yavin.
Barada
Template: Klatooinian Manservant
DEXTERITY 3D+2
Blaster: heavy blaster pistol 4D, Brawling parry 4D
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Survival 3D
MECHANICAL 3D+1
Repulsorlift operation 5D
PERCEPTION 2D
Hide 3D, Sneak 3D
STRENGTH 3D+2
Brawling 5D, Lifting 4D+2, Stamina 5D
TECHNICAL 3D+1
Armor repair 6D, Blaster repair 6D+1, Droid repair 5D+1, Ground vehicle repair 5D+1, Hover vehicle repair 4D+1, Repulsorlift repair 6D
Character Points 5
Move IO
Equipment: Heavy blaster pistol (5D), thermal detonator (10D/8D/5D/2D), mechanic tool kit
Weequays
It is believed that the beings who called themselves Weequays were close relatives; it is thought that their species is also called Weequay. The only thing that anyone knew for sure is that they protected each other like brothers and you didn't want to mess with them.
Employed by Jabba as enforcers, the Weequays were among the most feared of the great Hutt's servants. In battle, they worked together with an uncanny efficiency, as if they could read each other's thoughts (which, given the infinite variety of life in the galaxy, is not impossible). The Weequays never spoke to anyone, not even each other. These killers preferred to let their force pikes do their talking for them, and over the years, their weapons spoke volumes.
Their ceremonial topknots were a source of great pride to the Weequays. To most, this was the only way of telling them apart. Not that anyone ever needed to tell them apart; there was no other visible difference between them and they were always referred to as "Weequay."
During their tenure with Jabba, the Weequays were responsible for countless atrocities, including a bizarre spree of bantha killings. Apparently, they killed the banthas as part of some grotesque religious ritual. Jabba was forced to put an end to the rituals when the Sand People began to get suspicious about the bantha deaths. The Tusken Raiders were by nature divided and solitary hunters, and usually no threat to Jabba. But Jabba feared that the deaths of their beloved mounts might unite the Raiders in a holy war against him, and even Jabba didn't care to face an army of infuriated Raiders. Just to be on the safe side, Jabba's men killed a moisture farmer and planted his body by the corpses of several mutilated banthas, to turn the Raiders' anger against those innocents.
In as fine a bit of poetic justice as one is ever likely to see in this galaxy, Luke Skywalker, hero of the Rebellion, nascent Jedi, and ex-moisture farmer from Tatooine, fought and killed the Weequays at Carkoon. It is doubtful that the Weequays would have appreciated the irony.
Weequays
Type: Weequay Mercenaries
DEXTERITY 3D+2
Blaster 5D, Dodge 4D+2, Melee combat: force pike 6D, Melee parry 5D
KNOWLEDGE 2D+2
MECHANICAL 2D+2
PERCEPTION 2D+1
Search: 4D
STRENGTH 3D+2
Brawling 5D, Stamina 4D+2
TECHNICAL 3D
Weapons: repair 4D, Special Abilities:, Short Range Communication: Weequays of the same clan can communicate through complex pheromones. Aside from Jedi sensing abilities, no species are reputed to be able to notice this communication form. This form seems to be as complex and clear (to them) as speech is to other species.
Character Points 1
Move 10
Equipment: Force pike (STR+3D), battle vests (+1D+1 physical, +2 energy).
The Pit of Carkoon
From the data-journal of Voren Na'al.
After my brief but enlightening stay at the castle of Jabba the Hutt, I moved on to the next important locale in the heroes' story. The Pit of Carkoon lay far into the heart of the Dune Sea, in the middle of one of the most remote stretches of terrain on the planet. I was surprised and a little alarmed to note that there was a large vehicle of some kind, possibly military, surrounded by many beings.
Proceeding with some caution, I moved closer to get a better look. The vehicle was a sandcrawler and the beings were Jawas, busily stripping the twisted wreckage of Jabba's sail barge of anything of value. Several months after Jabba's death, the site was hardly recognizable. Jawas are harmless, unless you happen to be a droid or are carrying valuable metal equipment.
I hid my repulsorcraft, and walked up openly. When they saw me approach, work temporarily stopped, and stubby blasters were drawn from beneath dusty Jawa robes. When they saw I was unarmed, the Jawas returned to their salvage work (except for the two who insistently kept trying to sell me a beat-up-looking blaster). Several sets of older tracks indicated that the Jawas had been at the site for some time.
Portions of the sail barge had clearly been blown apart, while others remained relatively unscathed, indicating that someone had attempted to destroy the barge far beyond the explosion reported by Luke and the others. Slightly higher than normal radiation readings were also detected.
Despite the carnage, there was a good deal of salvageable stuff among the wreckage, including the remains of Jabba's Kiliad marble throne, and the Jawas bickered constantly over who saw the choice bits first. This very quickly became tiresome to listen to, and my attention soon diverted to the dread Pit of Carkoon itself. There the horrible Sarlacc stretched its pinkish tentacles out in the hope of snaring a tasty Jawa tidbit. It was a fascinating but horrid sight, and I could only bear to look at it for a moment. Just as I turned away, a bit of metal lying near the edge of the pit caught my eye. My curiosity aroused, I paid the Jawas to use their electromagnet to pull it from the pit. (The Jawas overcharged me hideously, of course, but I was not about to go anywhere near that slavering maw to get it myself.) The piece of metal was flat and black, about 20 centimeters by 35 centimeters in size. One side of it was smooth, the other pitted as if from blaster-fire. I couldn't identify it, but later, when I showed it to General Solo, he recognized the object as a piece of the Mandalorian battle armor worn by the notorious Boba Fett. l'he Jawas related to me that they had noticed several smaller pieces of the metal near a large hole in the ground about twenty to thirty meters from the Sarlacc's mouth. The hole had since been blown over with sand, although they warned me not to go near the area since several of their kind had been swallowed up by the sinkhole.
The Pit
The following story is a tale of Luke Skywalker's youth, told to Voren Na'al by the Jedi himself.
Sandsurfing was one of the more exciting, but foolhardy recreational activities enjoyed by the wild youths of Anchorhead. It was created by a young man nicknamed Fixer. Bested once too often at skyhopper racing and womp rat hunting by young Luke Skywalker and his daredevil friend Biggs Darklighter, Fixer came up with a sport of his own -something at which he could be better than anyone - even if he killed himself in the process. The "sport" involved being dragged behind a sand skiff that was traveling at tremendous speeds. The surfer was connected to the skiff by a slim cord attached to a set of handles, and was supported by a pair of repulsor disks attached to his feet. When the skiff moved, the surfer would skim over the surface of the desert behind it, skipping on the sand and performing wild flips, twists and other fancy maneuvers on the sloping dunes. Naturally, the best place for sandsurfing was the Dune Sea. Its great expanses of unobstructed sand and countless dunes provided the most challenging venue for the serious sandsurfer. Fixer, being as serious as they come, would only surf in the Dune Sea. Never ones to back down from a challenge, Biggs and Luke took up surfing those slopes as well. The Dune Sea had the added virtue of being remote and virtually uninhabitable, seriously lessening the chances of being spotted by nosy adults. Much to Fixer's dismay, Luke and Biggs were good at sandsurfing. It seemed that Fixer's plan to create something he could embarrass "those two lucksters" with had backfired severely. After Biggs performed three consecutive double-flips even Camie was impressed, and she hung on Biggs's arm at the victory celebration back at the station. This was more than Fixer could take. Camie was his girl, and no showoff was going to steal her. The next morning, Fixer made everyone pile into their skyhoppers and follow him out to the Dune Sea. He told them he was about to attempt the "greatest stunt of all time." By the
time they realized what he was up to, it was too late. Fixer didn't use a driver; instead he preprogrammed the skiff's autopilot to drive itself. This was unusual, but not particularly so: if the programmer was good, he could get the skiff to perform maneuvers with accuracy and timing that few Humans could match. Of course, the programmer could also program the skiff to perform maneuvers that few Humans would be crazy enough to match ... Fixer's great run started out well. He hit the half-moon just right, and performed as neat a twisting half-gainer as you would ever like to see. He followed with several loops, and finally did a double backwards loop - something no one had ever done before. His friends, watching from repulsorcraft high above, thought that this was the big finish to his run, and moved down to congratulate him. "That guy's crazy, but boy can he surf," Biggs said admiringly, and Camie's eyes were shining. Everybody was quite taken aback when the skiff suddenly sped up, took a sharp 45 degree turn, and headed straight for the Pit of Carkoon! There was no time for anyone to stop him. As the skiff brought Fixer parallel to the infamous pit, the group could only watch in horror as the young fool angled himself for the jump. It was obvious that Fixer had planned this from the beginning. A makeshift ramp of sand was hastily formed at the edge of the pit, providing Fixer with the lift he would need to clear the perilous expanse, and a similar ramp at the other end gave him a safe place to land. Fixer hit the takeoff ramp perfectly, sailed through the air ... everybody held their breath ... and he fell half a meter short, slamming into the side of the Pit, disappearing in a giant explosion of sand. The crash itself didn't particularly worry his friends - they had all survived worse with little more than cuts and bruises, and the sand in the pit was notoriously soft. It was what lay at the bottom of that infamous hole that had everyone swooping down on the crash site in a millisecond. Camie was there first, tears streaked across her worried face, and Luke had to stop her from diving headfirst into the pit after Fixer. Biggs approached the pit more cautiously, flying directly above it, a good four meters in the air.
After seeing to Camie, Luke joined him in his skiff. Biggs pointed down grimly. It was bad. Fixer was unconscious. He lay face-down in the sloping sand, and he was steadily slipping into the mouth of the Sarlacc. He was sliding very slowly; perhaps there was still time to save him. Suddenly, a disgusting pink tentacle emerged from the Sarlacc's mouth and began probing blindly at the sand! It was only a matter of seconds before it found Fixer's body. Biggs acted without hesitation. Tying a cord around his waist, he tossed the other end to Luke, and began to rappel down the pit. The footing was just about non-existent as the shifting sand gave way beneath his feet, and he had to move with care to avoid pushing his unconscious friend in deeper. Just as he reached Fixer, the tentacle reached the boy's body and wrapped tightly around his chest! Holding desperately onto the rope with one hand, Biggs drew his vibroblade and began slashing at the tentacle with all his might. As Biggs worked, another one of those evil appendages began snaking its way up toward Biggs. Another one followed it. And another. And another. Sweating with fear for his friends, Luke tied the rope to his skiff and drew his punch gun. The angle was lousy, the range was too long, but they were just about out of options. He shut one eye, held his breath, and fired off one shot, neatly severing the tentacle around Fixer. Shouting "Grab Fixer, Biggs!" Luke shot his skiff straight up into the air, dragging the two young men from the pit, milliseconds before the tentacles got there. All things considered, Fixer got off easily. He suffered a mild concussion and a broken nose - the mild concussion from the crash, the broken nose from Camie after he healed up from the concussion. He spent two weeks at home recuperating and another month home grounded for his recklessness. Luke and Biggs readily admitted that they could not duplicate his stunt - he was the king of the sandsurfers, and welcome to it. Somehow, that didn't make him feel as good as he thought it would.
The Sarlacc
In addition to its burning temperatures, biting sandstorms and bantha-swallowing dunes, there are several indigenous creatures which make the dread Dune Sea the most perilous place on the face of Tatooine. Most feared among these creatures is the great Sarlacc. Resting at the bottom of the infamous Pit of Carkoon, the Sarlacc is a massive, omnivorous creature. It appears on the surface to be a gaping, pink hole, three meters in diameter, lined with three rows of inward-pointing, razor-sharp
teeth. This is only the mouth of the creature. The body of Sarlacc, which scientists suspect may be as large as I 00 meters in length, is buried deep beneath the sand. A natural predator, the Sarlacc uses tonguelike tentacles to grab prey from the surface and drag them down into its gaping maw. These tentacles have been known to reach a full four meters beyond the Pit, snagging those who thought they were completely safe. However, the Pit of Carkoon supplies most of the Sarlacc's prey. Highly unstable and shifting constantly, a creature that slips into the pit is rarely able to escape without help from the outside. Its frenzied struggles serve only to send it deeper, dislodging sand and alerting the Sarla cc to its presence. Once one of the Sarlacc's tentacles wraps around the creature, it is almost surely doomed. Immobile, living in the center of the parched and barren Dune Sea, the Sarlacc's prey comes few and far between. To compensate, the creature is equipped with a highly efficient digestive system. This system preserves the food for incredibly long periods of time, digesting it slowly, and storing it until needed for sustenance. The victim remains alive for much of this time. Local legend states that the Sarlacc takes "a thousand years" to digest its prey, but reputable scientists find this quite difficult to-erswallow.
The Sarlacc
Type: Solitary, stationary carnivore
DEXTERITY 2D
PERCEPTION 1D
STRENGTH 6D
Move 2
Special Abilities: Tentacles: Have a Strength of 6D damage, reach up to four meters outside pit. Do not cause damage, but victims grasped by tentacles must make a successlul opposed Strength roll to escape.
Bite: Does SD damage.
Acid Digestion: Any creature dragged into the Sarlacc's maw suffers SD damage lrom digestive acids until the being is knocked unconscious, at which point it is dragged into the creature's digestive tract. At that point, the creature normally wakes up, but by then it is normally incapacitated by the Sarlacc's paralyzing digestive enzymes (7D stun damage).
Size: 3 meters across (mouth), 100 meters long (underground)
Boba Fett
Boba Fett had long been among the most legendary bounty hunters of the galaxy. The capture of Han Solo was yet another outstanding achievement in his career. In addition to the glory, which meant less
than nothing to him anyway, Fett was amply rewarded in more concrete terms for Solo's capture. Jabba paid him very well, indeed. When he returned with Solo, Jabba offered Fett a huge amount of money to stay at the palace and work for Jabba full-time. After a good deal of bargaining, Fett accepted the offer on a month-by-month basis, employment to be terminated by either party at any time, without notice. After negotiations were concluded, Fett went right to work. Jabba put him on a few "local" assassinations, trivial, really, for a hunter of Fett's talents, but Jabba wanted to keep Fett nearby until he was sure of his loyalty. Fett knew what Jabba was up to, but as that fit in with his plans, he didn't object. He knew that Solo's impetuous friends would eventually attempt a rescue, and he wanted a shot at them. He didn't need the money, true, but he had seen them in operation, and wanted to test his skills against them, particularly that dangerous young man who had tangled with Lord Vader and survived. He got his chance at the Pit of Carkoon. Until the moment Skywalker attacked, Fett had been disappointed with his quarry's performance. Though he had been taken in by the Princess's disguise as the bounty hunter Boushh, the ease with which she subsequently allowed herself to be captured had not improved his impression of the Rebels. And then the fool Skywalker marched right into Jabba's flabby arms.
He was a bit more impressed at the pit, once Luke gained his lightsaber and began making chopped meat out of Jabba's guards. Now this was more like it. That boy fought like a master; perhaps there was a challenge here after all. He activated his jet pack and moved to a better position. Skywalker, engaged with other guards, would be unable to parry Fett's shots. Boba landed on the deck of the skiff, barely a few meters away from the young Jedi. Before he could open fire with his blaster, a quick stroke of Skywalker's lightsaber cut the weapon in half. Without hesitation, Fett fired his grappling hook and the fibercord immediately entangled Luke. Before Fett could finish his work, Skywalker somehow managed to deflect an incoming blaster bolt into the deck of the sand skiff. Unexpectedly, the skiff tumbled to one side and the infamous bounty hunter found himself face down on the deck. By the time he'd shaken off the stun, Luke had moved to the other skiff. The crew had no hope of survival. Fett decided that it was time to end the charade. Raising his arm, he fired off a snap burst of his wrist laser. Still shaken, the shot missed. As he aimed a second shot, he felt something hit the back of his armor. Fett's armor had stood up to direct hits from heavy blasters before, and this shot had felt nowhere near that powerful. It was then that his jet pack kicked on by itself. Fett only had time to panic as he flew uncontrolled across the Pit of Carkoon. Smashing into the sail barge, Fett tumbled into the sand, and
Dark Voyage to Tatooine
The following report was culled from Boba Fett's personal log and supplemented by information from several secondary sources. The log was found aboard Fett's ship Slave I, which was captured by the Alliance following the destruction of Jabba the Hutt's sail barge. Voren Na'al deciphered the log and turned Fett's dry, factual entries into the following narrative story.
The Cloud City landing platform was bathed in the golden light of a Bespin sunset as Boba Fett strapped himself into the control seat of his starship, the Slave f However, the feared bounty hunter took no interest in the beauty around him as he prepared for launch: his attention was absorbed by several other things, all far more important to him. Foremost on his mind was his cargo. The carbonfrozen Han Solo would soon bring him great wealth from the coffers of Jabba the Hutt. This, in addition to the considerable fee already paid him by Darth Vader and the Empire, would give Fett more money than he had ever made on a single job. This was truly a catch worth celebrating. But in his hard life of cold violence, Fett had long since lost the capacity to feel triumph or elation or any other emotion for that matter. All he felt was grim satisfaction for a job well done. He quickly suppressed that satisfaction; this job wasn't over yet. For a professional hunter, no job is over until the client has his body and the hunter his fee. Fett went methodically through his liftoff checklist, keeping one eye on the Imperial stormtroopers guarding the platform at all times. It was unlikely that Vader would double-cross him so late in the game - the Dark Lord had much better opportunities earlier - but trust was a concept alien to Boba Fett. Therefore, he was quite ready when the launch platform doors opened. Fett immediately ignited his lift thrusters and activated his weapon systems. He didn't like to be rushed, but he was even less fond of being caught unprepared. His farsightedness was proven out, as blaster bolts lashed from the door and Imperial troops fell dead. "Calrissian's double-crossed Vader," he thought calmly. "Interesting." He carefully thumbed a control. Within seconds he was airborne. As he fled into space, he saw the diminutive figure of a woman firing at his departing craft. Princess Leia Organa had somehow escaped Vader and a squad of stormtroopers to rescue Solo. This earned her Boba Fett's respect-few have ever escaped from Vader, and the woman had done it twice. Fett had declined to hunt the Princess when the Empire had first posted a reward for her capture. At the time, Fett assumed that tracking and subduing one former ambassador in her early twenties would not be a challenge worthy of his skill. Now he would have to reevaluate that opinion.
Once in space, the Slave I glided effortlessly through t~e Imperial Fleet. One of the great advantages of working with Vader had been guaranteed protection from Imperial prosecution, though, even now, Fett did not trust Vader to carry out his part of the bargain. As he approached the Star Destroyer Avenger, one hand fingered the hyperdrive control while another focused the blasters on the tractor beam generators of the Destroyer. He couldn't really harm a Star Destroyer, but his weapons were strong- far stronger than the Imperials imagined - and, if they tried anything, they would pay. Fett did not enjoy passing under Imperial guns, no matter what the occasion. However, he had to clear the fleet before he could make the hyperspace jump to Tatooine. As four TIE fighters fell into formation around him, he increased speed to maximum. He was well aware that they were probably just a formal escort, a typical Imperial "courtesy," but he didn't allow ships to fly this close to him under any circumstances. As the T!Es accelerated to match his speed, he thumbed a comlink tuned to the "secret" Imperial fighter emergency frequency. "Back off. Now," Fett intoned, his dead machinelike voice striking the same chilling chord the Imperial pilots were used to hearing from the Lord Vader. The fighter escort slowed down and let Slave I streak on ahead. They still followed him, but from maximum range. Fett forgot them and went into hyperspace. As the bounty hunter's ship disappeared, four very relieved TIE fighter pilots turned back to their normal patrol routes. Their relief was short-lived, however, as they received new orders. They were ordered to head off the Millennium Falcon, coming up fast from planetside. "Isn't that the ship that wiped out Arnod's flight back in the asteroid field? The one from the Battle of Yavin?" asked Flight Lieutenant Rignik nervously as they formed for pursuit. "Shaddup!" roared Flight Commander Mallop on the general comm line. "I mean, maintain comm silence!" In private transmission to Rignik, he hissed, "You're on report the moment we land!" In hyperspace, Boba Fett slept. Since he was incapable of relaxing his guard, Boba Fett only slept soundly while aboard Slave I, and in hyperspace. How soundly may a man with the blood of hundreds, perhaps thousands, on his hands sleep? We can only guess. While Fett was as free of conscience as any man who ever lived, it must be remembered that, in the end, even Darth Vader felt regret. Perhaps the ghosts couldn't find him in hyperspace. As his ship emerged from hyperspace near Tatooine, a warning klaxon roared through the ship's cabin. Snapping awake instantly, he discovered that a homing beacon had been inserted into his navigation system - whenever the ship reached Tatooine system, the beacon would go off. Slave I, so carefully designed to be invisible to all elec-
tronic detection, was now sending a signal to some unknown enemy. As he silenced the alarm and jammed the homing device, he wondered who could have done it. Vader? Jabba? Solo? Had Solo known all along that Fett would capture him and bring him here, setting Fett up for an ambush by his friends? Highly improbable. Must be someone new. Speculation was futile. In any event, Fett expected he would learn soon enough. He activated the deflector shields and brought all weapons up to full, scanning space visually and electronically for approaching enemies. He did not wait long. He saw the starship rising out of planetary orbit at the same time his ship's systems did. The slim needle shape was instantly recognizable. It was a custom job, probably, Fett reflected, the only vessel in the galaxy whose only life-support system was in the small cargo hold. It was the IG-2000, the starfighter of IG-88, the assassin droid. Its droid pilot was perhaps as famous and feared as Fett. A military experiment gone wrong, IG-88 was programmed to kill. That was just what it had done, starting with its inventors. After they were destroyed, it killed for whoever could pay. There was certainly an extremely healthy rivalry between the man and the machine. And here, the stakes were immense. Hired, along with Fett, by Darth Vader to capture Solo, IG-88 had taken the precaution of installing a homing device on Fett's craft. Fett wondered how the droid had gotten the chance to place the beacon. The clever droid had reasoned that the odds of catching the Corellian were in Fett's favor. If the droid didn't find Solo first, perhaps it could steal him from Fett. Unfortunately for IG-88, Vader had arrived before it could strike. Therefore, the next step was to go to Tatooine and await Fett's arrival there. If the bounty could not be collected from Vader, IG-88 would surely get the one offered by Jabba the Hutt. "Interesting," thought Boba Fett as he watched the IG-2000 streak toward him. "IG-88 must have some secret weapon or he wouldn't dare engage me out in the open like this." Experimentally, Fett fired his blasters and performed an evasive maneuver that brought him out of IG-2000's path. His shots destroyed the oncoming craft. A decoy of some kind. He scanned for another craft but found nothing. Suddenly, another IG-2000, obviously the real one, appeared out of hyperspace, roaring at full speed, its blasters peppering Fett's craft. His ship rocking with the blasts, Fett admired the daring and skill of the attack. Not many ships or pilots could plan a jump with that much precision so close to a planetary body. He wondered if it would work. Fett turned Slave I into a steep dive for Tatooine, IG-
2000 close on his tail. The droid's blasts began to take their toll on Slave I 's deflector shields. "Surrender your prisoner and you have a 30 percent probability of surviving this encounter," IG-88declared calmly over the comm. Fett did not deign to answer. He was busy diving his ship into the powerful gravity well of the planet below. IG-2000followed. "I am more capable of withstanding the gravometric pressures than you," IG-88continued. 'This tactic has a zero probability curve for success." At that moment, Fett activated Stave I's unique inertial dampening system, abruptly halting the craft's speedy descent, though at the cost of destroying the ship's hyperdrive engines through a power surge. The sublight engines were nearly destroyed, and wouldn't work properly again without a complete overhaul. Fett would only be able to limp in for a landing on Tatooine. But he would probably survive. IG-2000swept past in an instant and directly into the path of Slave I's weaponry. If IG-88was ever surprised in its long bounty hunter career, that was the moment. IG-2000'sforward shields were disabled by Fett's ion cannon; by the way the ship was listing, part of the blast had gotten through to partially neutralize the drive controls as well. Attempting an evasive maneuver, JG-88found his craft immobilized by the combined forces of a powerful tractor beam from Slave I and the strong gravitational pull of Tatooine. His victim completely helpless, Fett dragged IG-2000 closer to him. He wondered if IG-88could see the concussion missile tube pointed at his craft. He wondered if IG-88 could feel fear. He fired his missile, and the ruthless assassin droid became a shower of microscopic fragments burning up as they entered Tatooine's atmosphere. Fett regarded the spectacle a moment, and then took his ship up to a more stable orbit, programming Mos Eisley spaceport as his final destination. He wondered if anyone would be willing to pay him for destroying IG-88. It was worth looking into once he landed. Before ·he could land, however, an Imperial Patrol Frigate hailed him. As the larger ship came into view, Fett once again activated his defenses and weapon systems. This time, however, he was sure they would not be needed. "This is Imperial Patrol Frigate Guardstar.Please step down from defensive posture and transmit identification and authorization beams." Fett did not bother with a personal reply. He merely activated a hologram transmitter that had been a gift from a recent business associate. On the bridge of the Guardstar,the hologram of Lord Darth Vader suddenly appeared and spoke. "This craft travels under my personal protection. No Imperial agency or agent shall detain it or its pilot under any condition." Slave I continued unchallenged, on its way.
Boba Fett
Type: Bounty Hunter
DEXTERITY 4D
Armor weapons 6D, Blaster 9D, Brawling parry 5D+1, Dodge 6D+1, Grenade 7D, Melee combat 6D, Melee parry 6D, Missile weapons 6D+2, Thrown weapons 5D+2, Vehicle blasters 7D
KNOWLEDGE 2D+2
Alien species 5D, Bureaucracy 5D+2, Cultures 5D, Intimidation 7D+1, Languages 5D+1, Planetary systems 6D, Streetwise 8D, Survival 6D, Value 6D+1, Willpower 6D
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Astrogation 6D+1, Jet pack operation 5D+2, Repulsorlift operation 5D, Repulsorlift operation: speeder bike 6D, Space transports 7D, Starship gunnery 8D, Starship shields 6D
PERCEPTION 3D
Bargain 7D, Command 4D+2, Con 6D, Gambling 6D, Hide 4D+2, Investigation 9D, Persuasion 7D, Search 8D+2, Sneak 6D+2
STRENGTH 3D+2
Brawling 6D, Climbing/jumping 4D, Lifting 5D, Stamina 7D, Swimming 5D
TECHNICAL 2D
Armor repair 6D, Computer programming/repair 4D, Demolition 6D, Droid programming 4D, Security 8D, Space transports repair 6D
Force Points 5
Dark Side Points 6
Character Points 22
Move 10
Equipment: Blaster rifle (6D), Mandalorian battle armor, comlink, Wookiee scalps dangling from belt, Slave I.
Boba Fett's Battle Armor
Model: Modified Mandalorian battle armor
Type: Modified personal battle armor
Cost: Not for sale
Availability: Unique Game Effect:
Basic Suit: Provides +4D to Strength for physical attacks, +3D for energy attacks. Covers head, torso and arms. No Dexterity penalties.
WristLasers: SDdamage, uses annor weapons skill, ranges 3-5/25/50.
Rocket Dart Launcher: 6D damage, uses missile weapons skill, ranges 3-5/10/25, poison tipped ( causes SD damage for five rounds). Can use alternative poisons and stun serums.
Turbo-Projected Grappling Hook: 20 meter lanyard, uses missile weapons skill (ranges 0-3/10/20), magnetic grappling "hook."
Flame Projector: SD damage, uses annor weapons skill, creates cone I meter wide, variable one to five meters long.
Concussion Grenade Launcher: Grenades cause 6D damage over a five meter blast radius. Uses missile weapons skill, ranges are 1-250/350/500, magazine carries 20 grenades.
Jet Pack: Has a Move of 100 meters horizontally, 70 meters vertically. Uses jet pack operation skill, base difficulty is Easy, modified by obstacles. Has 20 charges, can expend up to two per round.
Sensor Pod: +2D to search.
Infrared/Motion Sensor: Integrated infrared and motion sensor adds +ID to Perception in darkness or with moving objects ahead and to both sides.
Macrobinocu/ars: Add +3D to Perception or search for objects 100-500meters away. Scamp-linked into blaster rifle; reduces range two levels (for example, long range become.s short range).
Sound Sensors: Adds +1D to Perception or search. This bonus only applies in quiet situations.
Internal Com/ink: Can be linked into Slave l's control system (with beckon call), adjusted to other standard frequencies. Also has external speaker.
Broad-band Antenna: Can intercept and decode most communications made on standard frequencies. As a result, Boba Fett can patch into shipboard communications.
Winch: Capable of lifting 100 kilograms (Fett and his equipment only).
Sealed Enviro Filter: Filter system can block out harmful molecules, or in case of insufficient or deadly atmosphere, the suit can completely seal, drawing upon a two hour internal supply of oxygen.
Chapter Two: The Rebel Fleet
"May the Force be with us."
Admiral Ackbar
It was a time that few in the Rebellion would ever forget. The Rebel fleet was massed off Sullust, in preparation for what only Alliance High Command knew. Nonetheless, it was a time of eagerness, mixed with dread. After the devastating defeat at Hoth, many of the Alliance's soldiers were beginning to have serious doubts.
Then, the Millennium Falcon appeared on the sensors of the fleet's perimeter patrols. When Han Solo's voice first came over the comm on the headquarters frigate, there was an overwhelming sense of joy and hope. A few dedicated Rebels, Leia, Chewbacca, R2 and 3PO, and their newfound ally Lando, had braved Jabba's palace and rescued Han Solo against incredible odds.
Solo quickly reassured High Command that Luke would join the fleet shortly, but he had other business to attend to. It was one of the most inspiring moments of my life. As news spread throughout the fleet of the rescue of Han Solo, a wave of cheers swept from corridor to corridor, ship to ship, seeming to echo even across the vacuum of space. The men, women, and aliens of the Rebel Fleet had been given hope.
The Heroes of Yavin were the heart and soul of the Rebellion, and Captain Solo's tenacity, daring, skill and devil-may-care grin had come to mean much to us all. His tragic capture at Bespin had demoralized us far more than any liked to admit. But he was back now and we needed him, for we were about to embark on the most important and dangerous mission of our lives.
Admiral Ackbar worked his fleet crews hard in complex drills. From the type of maneuvers being conducted, everyone suspected the fleet was going to be involved in a major engagement against a massive target, yet no one knew what. When Mon Mothma called for a general meeting of all Alliance commanders, everyone knew the time to act had come.
She was calm, steady, and deadly serious. She represented all that was right in the galaxy, and within her you could see the dedication, the years of hard work, the legacy of tireless, selfless sacrifice. A smile and a quiet word from the Supreme Commander of the Alliance would rouse an exhausted crewman back to peak efficiency.
When she announced what the Alliance was up against, her resolve and dedication were all that saved morale. The Empire was building a second Death Star. It was bigger and stronger than the first one, and the Imperials had nearly completed construction. It was the worst possible nightmare for the Alliance and the galaxy. If the space station were to be completed, the Empire would be invincible.
Technical analysis showed that the Empire had fixed that single weakness that had been detected on the first Death Star. For the Alliance to survive, its people had to be smarter and quicker than ever before. The Alliance had to strike immediately.
The mood throughout the fleet was of very guarded optimism. The Alliance had the best warriors in the galaxy at its disposal. As Han, Luke and so many other people showed, the Alliance has a penchant for accomplishing the impossible. Nonetheless, defeat seemed quite likely: defeat and death for the Alliance, and tyranny for the galaxy.
Then Commander Skywalker returned. He was changed. He was bigger, somehow, than when we had last seen him, and he had an aura of confidence and strength. He had the aura of a man who knew, accepted, and embraced his destiny. Everywhere that Luke went, people stopped what they were doing and stared at him. The whisper spread throughout the fleet: "He has returned to us. The last of the Jedi has come home." Suddenly the impossible seemed quite possible.
Mon Mothma
This extraordinary woman was one of the original architects of the Rebellion, and, to this day, remains its leader and guide. As a respected member of the Imperial Senate, Mon Mothma fought to retain whatever basic freedoms the beings of the galaxy had left, as the corrupt and evil Palpatine stripped them away, one by one.
His methods were subtle, at first, hiding the true meanings of his mandates behind the facade of law and order. Mon Mothma and a few others saw through him, but they were unable to convince the other senators of the quiet, mild Palpatine's evil intentions. The Senate was torn, divided, and corrupt, easy prey to Palpatine's manipulations, and unwilling to listen to prophets of doom like Mothma.
And so it was that this visionary leader was forced to take her fight underground. Under Mon Mothma's leadership, the Rebellion grew from a ragtag group of part-time activists into a viable and efficient fighting force. She designed the extensive communications network that kept the Alliance one step ahead of the sluggish Empire.
At the same time she used her talents as a diplomat and negotiator to recruit individuals, corporations and outlying worlds into the Rebellion. Above all, however, Mon Mothma's most important duty was to keep the Alliance focused. She was fully aware that, while more powerful every day, it was still extremely vulnerable. At this point, even a single decisive loss could have destroyed the Rebellion. Thanks to Mothma's guidance, the Rebellion fought only when the chances of victory far outweighed the great dangers of defeat.
Mon Mothma
Type: Senator
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 3D+2, Dodge 5D, Melee parry 3D+1
KNOWLEDGE 4D
Alien species 8D+2, Bureaucracy 10D+1, Cultures 10D+1, Intimidation 5D, Languages 8D, Planetary systems 5D, Survival 7D, Value 5D+2, Willpower 6D+1
MECHANICAL 3D
Astrogation 5D, Beast riding 3D+2, Communications 3D+1, Repulsorlift operation 4D+1, Space transports 4D, Starfighter piloting 4D
PERCEPTION 4D
Bargain 10D, Command 10D, Con 5D+1, Gambling 6D, Hide 6D+2, Persuasion 6D+1, Persuasion: debate 8D+2, Persuasion: oration 9D, Search 7D, Sneak 4D+2
STRENGTH 2D
Stamina 6D, Swimming 4D+1
TECHNICAL 2D
Computer programming/repair 5D, Droid programming 4D, Droid repair 4D, First aid 6D, Security 5D, Starfighter repair 2D+1
Force Points 2
Character Points 20
Move 10
Crix Madine
Some call him cocky, even arrogant. Others call him aggressive and confident. But regardless of how they perceive this controversial Corellian general, all admit that his record speaks for itself.
Crix Madine was an Imperial officer in charge of the dreaded Storm Commandos, an elite army unit. With a bright future within the Imperial Army and at the height of his career, he decided to defect and join the Rebellion. The exact circumstances behind his defection are unclear and his motivations remain unspoken. But that is the nature of the man, and those who know him respect his privacy.
Though it is often difficult for a high-ranking officer to defect, there is always the fear that he is acting as a double agent. Madine was readily accepted by the Alliance. Many of his friends and fellow officers from the Imperial Army were members of the Alliance, and they, without exception, vouched for his character as well as his brilliance.
Among Madine's friends was General Rieekan, commander of the ill-fated Hoth base. The two had served together for some time, and it was Rieekan's backing, primarily, which convinced Mon Mothma that Madine was not a security risk.
Immediately upon joining the Alliance, Madine was assigned to the High Command Advisory Council of the Alliance as Mon Mothma's Chief Military Advisor. This was an unorthodox move as there were several candidates for the job with a far greater knowledge of the inner workings of the Rebellion than the brand-new recruit. But this was exactly why Mon Mothma chose him for the post. She wanted a fresh perspective, and Madine had no preconceived notions concerning the Rebel forces, how they worked, or what they were capable of.
In addition, his experience as a military commander who had himself faced Alliance troops several times in the past proved invaluable when the Alliance was devising new and innovative battle strategies. Among his better known plans was, of course, the commando raid that knocked out the massive deflector shield generator of the new Death Star, the cornerstone of the fleet's attack. The assault was daring, almost reckless, but planned with the meticulous attention to detail that is General Madine's signature. It was also successful, another of Madine's signatures.
Crix Madine
Type: Alliance General
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Blaster 5D, Blaster artillery 4D, Blaster artillery: anti-infantry 6D+2, Blaster artillery: anti-vehicle 6D, Dodge 4D+2, Grenade 4D, Melee combat 3D, Melee combat: force pike 4D+1, Melee parry 3D
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Bureaucracy 4D, Military history 7D+2, Planetary systems 5D+2, Streetwise 4D, Survival 4D, Tactics: ground assault 6D+2, Tactics: squads 9D+2, Willpower 5D
MECHANICAL 3D+2
Beast riding 4D, Beast riding: cracian thumper 5D, Capital ship gunnery 4D, Ground vehicle operation 4D+2, Powersuit operation 5D, Repulsorlift operation 4D, Starship gunnery 4D
PERCEPTION 3D+1
Bargain 4D, Command 7D, Search 4D, Sneak 4D, Sneak: forest 5D
STRENGTH 2D+1
Brawling 3D+2, Stamina 4D
TECHNICAL 3D
Demolitions 4D, First aid 4D+2, Security 5D
Force Points 2
Character Points 9
Move 10
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), comlink.
Admiral Ackbar
As commander of the Rebel Fleet, Ackbar had one of the most important and demanding jobs in the Alliance. The fleet was the Rebellion's most valuable asset, and its most important tool to challenge the overwhelming might of the Empire. Admiral Ackbar was the natural choice for fleet commander.
His skills and character are above question. But even beyond that, Ackbar was a symbol to the rest of the galaxy: a symbol that the Alliance was fighting for everyone, no matter what their sex, color, creed, or planet of origin. All are welcome; all have a chance to help.
The Empire has made discrimination against aliens a long-standing policy. This was but one of the deplorable policies that the Rebellion fought against. Admiral Ackbar and the Mon Calamari proved that assertion.
Ackbar proved his competence while commanding the Shantipole project, which added the valuable B-wing fighter to the Alliance's arsenal. He was also extremely influential on his home planet and was largely responsible for that planet's decision to supply their precious Mon Calamari Cruisers, the cornerstones of the Rebel Fleet.
Although widely recognized as a fine tactician, it was more his organizational and administrative abilities that make Ackbar an outstanding leader. He is known for being rather conservative in battle strategy. But this aspect of his personality was nicely counterbalanced within the fleet's command structure by the innovative impetuosity of his young officers and the aggressive nature of General Madine.
Gambler's Run
"We've got a problem here," Lando stated, as calmly as his thumping heart would allow, "We've got a big problem." The Falcon was chasing a pair of TIE Interceptors up toward the underside of an inconceivably massive Super Star Destroyer. His co-pilot, the Sullustan, Nien Nunb, had just polished off the last of the two when Lando realized what he had gotten himself, and everyone else aboard the Millennium Falcon, into. In his eagerness to chase down the two retreating T!Es, Lando had brought the Falcon in close to the massive Imperial vessel. Too close. The laser fire was so heavy now that Lando could barely make out the cavernous hangar bay of the cruiser that loomed above him. If he didn't do something fast, they were going to be cut to pieces. It was too late to swing the ship around and gun it out of danger - all that would accomplish would be to bring them into the fire arcs of more weapons they'd be scragged before they made two kilometers. And they couldn't stay where they were for much longer: eventually somebody would get lucky with a laser cannon or tractor beam, and that would be the end of his career as an Alliance soldier, or as anything else for that matter. They couldn't stay where they were, and they couldn't leave. What other choices did they have? 0:1Iy one, really. Acting quickly, before he would have a chance to realize just how crazy he was, Lando pulled back on the controls and sent the Falcon straight up - into the Super Star Destroyer's hangar bay. There was no time for discussion, and Lando ignored the cockpit crew's gasps of shock and terror as he nosed the Falcon up into the mammoth hole that was the Star Destroyer's main hangar bay. There was a stunned silence as Lando's expertly timed firing of the braking thrusters brought the ship to a halt. The Falcon hung suspended inside the hangar opening, with countless small docking bays ahead and behind. As he had hoped, the laser fire ended and they were safe for the moment, but what now? It wouldn't be long before the command crew of the giant Imperial vessel figured out what happened and ... he didn't want to think about it. Keep moving, Lando thought. Just keep moving and you 'II think of something. While the rest of the cockpit crew threw switches, turned dials and adjusted scopes to compensate for the tight quarters Lando had just gotten them into, he concentrated on the task at hand. Gunning the throttle, Lando shot the Falcon down a tight access corridor running through the ship's countless hangar bays. This is insane, he thought. Of course, Han has done worse to the Falcon. Why did I ever put her up in that Sabaac game? The ship flew through the opening into what looked
like a staging area of some sort. Lando could barely make out the blurred images of a ground crew leaping for cover as he rocketed overhead. Another opening lay ahead, but a repair gantry was partially obscuring the entrance. There was virtually no time to react, but Lando managed to dip the Falcon slightly, avoiding the worst of the collision. A stunned Nien Nunb mumbled something in his peculiar language as the wrenching sound of the gantry scraping on the ship's upper hull reverberated through the cockpit. But the Falcon was only superficially damaged by the accident, which is more than could be said of the poor techs who were working on the gantry. This was certainly enjoyable, Lando thought. Now, how do we get out? They needed some kind of cover, some kind of diversion. The clock was running, and soon the TIEs would be here to smoke them out ... Hmmm. Smoke. Again, Lando no sooner thought of a solution than he proceeded to act upon it. Until now, he had avoided blasting away at the innards of the giant Imperial ship for fear of bringing something crashing down upon them. But the only way he saw to provide the Falcon with enough cover to escape out from beneath the Star Destroyer's guns was to create a fireball. A big fireball. "Open up with everything we've got," Lando ordered, "blast anything that looks important. Blast anything that doesn't, too." Nien Nunb shot a quick glance at his partner. He had silently run the idea of blasting away inside the hangar through his mind when they first entered the Star Destroyer, but he too had realized that it was entirely too risky. What was Lando up to? The alien finally decided that Lando, figuring them for dead, wanted to make as much damage as possible before they went. Not having any better ideas, and with silent apologies to his ancestors, he complied. The alien immediately began raking the hangar ahead with the Falcon's concussion missiles, and Lando could feel the distinctive vibrations in the Falcon's hull that meant that the two quad gunners were doing the same. The space around them became a chaotic inferno, as the ship's blaster cannons tore into the unarmored innards of the mighty Star Destroyer. The gambler's grin on Lando's face revealed nothing of his own inner panic as he banked the Falcon over, back through the access corridor, and out of the giant hangar complex and into space, closely followed by the fireball the ship's guns had created. As he hoped, the fireball obscured the fleeing target from the Imperial gunners' sights for the crucial seconds it took to get the Falcon out of range. The gamble had paid off, this time. But there would be a few more hands to play before this day was through, and Lando knew what a fickle mistress Lady Luck could be.
Rebel Crewers
The Rebel fleet was a motley assemblage of vessels of all types, sizes and configurations. Its crew was similarly varied in race, creed and experience, and some would say equally motley. They would be quite wrong indeed.
The cornerstones of the Rebel fleet were the intrepid Mon Cal crewmen manning the Mon Calamari Cruisers. These highly skilled aliens were hand-picked and extensively trained by Admiral Ackbar. This consistency of crew was necessary because the controls aboard these cruisers were designed specifically for the Mon Calamari.
Vital information, displayed in wavelengths beyond Human vision, would be missed by any non-Calamari crewmen, and there wasn't time to redesign the controls. This was especially true of the holographic displays, which are designed to match the Cals' unusual eye configuration. To a Human, the images would seem warped and distorted, somewhat out of phase, but to a Mon Calamari they are crystal clear.
Further, many of the ships' controls were keyed to respond to subtle body motions of the bridge crews. To run a Calamari vessel, the crewmen make certain body movements with the legs, feet, and waist, which are picked up by sensors in the special swivel chairs upon which they sit. This leaves the hands free to operate other controls. Naturally, these chairs are designed for Mon Calamari crewmen, and other species find the necessary movements difficult, if not impossible, to recreate.
Beyond the technical reasons, the Mon Cals were given these high-pressure, maximum concentration jobs because of their discipline and notoriously even tempers. Mon Cals are able to focus completely upon the task at hand, rarely becoming affected by pressure or distracted by emotion. The most sterling example of the Mon Cals' ability was displayed in the battle over Endor.
Nien Nunb
Lando Calrissian had many fine pilots to choose from when picking a co-pilot for the Millennium Falcon before the Battle of Endor. The choice was made for him when he learned that Nien Nunb was eligible.
Nunb was an old friend of a former associate of Lando's, and the Sullustan came highly recommended. Nien Nunb was quite a pilot, and he and his old light freighter, the Sublight Queen, had become quite well known in and around Sullust.
At one time, Nien Nunb was a top trade runner for the SoroSuub Corporation, carrying minerals and other raw materials to the outlying systems. His ship was fast, and he was good at his job, which earned him a great deal of money and praise from SoroSuub.
But when the company decided to devote itself to fully supplying the Empire, and subsequently took control of the Sullust system from its people, Nunb left. "Quit" doesn't quite sum it up considering that Nunb had to leave amidst blaster fire and company starfighters gunning for his hide. After a bit of soul-searching, he decided to turn his talents toward undermining his former employers.
Using skills learned through years of smuggling, Nien began snatching SoroSuub consignments out from under the company's nose and shipping them to the Rebellion. He did it publicly, and with a certain bravado, in the hope of inspiring his people, and rousing them into action. Soon others began to join him in this venture, and SoroSuub was unable to stop them.
Because SoroSuub couldn't handle the situation, the beleaguered company called on the Empire to solve the problem. And solve it they did, by sending a fleet of Star Destroyers to seek out and destroy the outlaws. This was a disaster for SoroSuub, and many people who had blindly supported SoroSuub's decisions began to seriously consider Nunb and Tevv's beliefs.
When SoroSuub did finally ally with the Alliance, offering the Sullust system as a clandestine staging area for the Rebel fleet, Nunb was hailed as a hero of his people. His reputation has grown even more since his actions during the Battle of Endor.
Nien Nunb
Type: Sullustan Pilot
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 3D+2, Dodge 3D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D+2
MECHANICAL 4D
Astrogation 6D, Communications 7D, Sensors 7D+1, Space transports 5D+1, Starfighter piloting 5D, Starship gunnery 5D
PERCEPTION 3D
STRENGTH 3D
TECHNICAL 2D+1
Space: transports repair 3D+2, Special Abilities:, Enhanced Senses: +2D to search and Perception in low-light conditions., Location Sense: +1D to astrogation when jumping to a location the Sullustan has visited before. A Sullustan can always remember how to get back to someplace he has visited.
Character Points 8
Move 10
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), comlink
The Briefing of Red Group
The following is a firsthand account of the Red Group mission briefing just before the attack on the second Death Star. It was told to Voren Na'al by Commander Wedge Antilles.
The room was an odd mixture of excited buzzing and calm discussion, as was usually the case when Red Group's unusual combination of rookie and veteran pilots were receiving a briefing. The noise quickly died down as I entered, carrying a holo-disc and an electro-lite pointer.
I popped the disc into the projector, and a bright holographic image of the new Death Star appeared in the center of the room. It was obviously still under construction, framed by structural girders and supports and with many large gaps in its superstructure.
"Most of you have studied the Battle of Yavin in your training programs. Forget it. This is an entirely different story. In that battle, we ran down the trench to reach a small thermal exhaust port. This time, we are not entering the trench, but rather the superstructure itself."
Alliance Starfighters at Endor
The Rebel Alliance employed four main types of starfighters at the Battle of Endor: the X-wing, Y-wing, A-wing, and B-wing. Though the X- and Y-wings had proven their effectiveness during the Battle of Yavin, the A- and B-wings had yet to confront such a strong Imperial force.
The Rebel fleet arrived at Endor to find the second Death Star completely operational and still protected by the shield generator on the surface of Endor's moon. Hoping that General Solo's team would soon destroy the generator, the Rebels engaged the Imperial fleet, keeping close to the Empire's vessels so that the Death Star's weapons would not have a clear shot. Casualties ran high during this first stage of the battle.
The A-wing
During the first stage of the battle, A-wing squadrons used their enemy targeting jammers to significantly decrease the accuracy of the Empire's TIE starfighters, giving the rest of the Rebel ships a respite from the barrage of laser fire. Coupled with the A-wing's powerful Twin Novaldex J-77 "Event Horizon" engines, these starfighters, though limited in number, played a major role in the conflict.
Alliance A-wing Starfighter
Craft: Alliance A-wing Starfighter
Type: Interceptor and multi-purpose starfighter
Scale: Starlighter
Length: 9.6 meters
Skill: Starfighter piloting: A-wing
Crew: l
Crew Skill: Starlighter piloting 5D, starship gunnery 4D+2, starship shields 3D+ I
Cargo Capacity: 40 kilograms
Consumables: 1 week
Cost: 175,000 (new)
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x1
Nav Computer: Limited to two jumps
Maneuverability: 4D
Space: 12
Atmosphere: 450; 1,300 kmh
Hull: 2D+2
Shields: 1D
Sensors:
Passive: 30/0D
Scan: 50/ID
Search: 75/2D
Focus: 4/4D+ 1
Weapons: 2 Laser Cannons (fire-linked)
Fire Arc: Front
Skill: Starship gunnery
Fire Control: 3D
Space Range: 1-3/12/25
Atmosphere Range: 100-300/1.2/1.5 km
Damage: 5D
Enemy Targeting Jammer
Fire Arc: All
Skill: Sensors; works against all starfighters within range
Fire Control: 0D
Space Range: 1-3/7/15
Atmosphere Range: 100-300/700/1.5 km
Damage: -2D from lire control
The B-wing
Though less maneuverable than its A-wing and X-wing counterparts, the B-wing packs an arsenal of heavy weapons as yet unseen on any fighter of its size.
Normally, attacking B-wings barrage their targets with simultaneous ion cannon and proton torpedo fire, a combination that quickly inflicts heavy damage. At the Battle of Endor, however, B-wing squadrons sacrificed this capability in exchange for greater accuracy. Firing the laser cannons at low power enables the B-wing's targeting computer to establish a target lock, greatly increasing the accuracy of the ion cannons and torpedoes.
If it were not for this tactic, the Rebels would have suffered even heavier losses, since B-wings were essential in thinning the ranks of Imperial fighters and capital ships. Unfortunately, B-wings generate a substantial amount of heat during combat operations, leading to a high percentage of failures over long battles. Though intermittent "rest periods" and large cooling intakes usually prevent overheating, the pilots at Endor had to push their fighters to prevent annihilation of the Rebel fleet.
Slayn & Korpil B-wing Starfighter
Craft: Slayn & Korpil B-wing Starfighter
Type: Heavy assault starfighter
Scale: Starfighter
Length: 16.9 meters
Skill: Starfighter piloting: B-wing
Crew: 1
Crew Skill: Starfighter piloting 5D, starship gunnery 4D+2, starship shields 3D+1
Cargo Capacity: 45 kilograms
Consumables: 1 week
Cost: 220,000 (new)
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x2
Nav Computer: Limited to two jumps
Maneuverability: 1D+1
Space: 6
Atmosphere: 330; 950 kmh
Hull: 3D
Shields: 2D
Sensors: Passive: 30/0D
Scan: 50/1D
Search: 75/2D
Focus: 4/4D+1
Weapons: 2 Proton Torpedo Launchers
Fire Arc: Front
Skill: Starship gunnery
Fire Control: 3D
Space Range: 1/3/7
Atmosphere Range: 50-100/300/700
Damage: 9D
Weapons: 3 Medium Ion Cannons (fire-linked)
Fire Arc: Front
Skill: Starship gunnery
Fire Control: 4D
Space Range: 1-3/7/36
Atmosphere Range: 100-300/700/3.6 km
Combined Damage: 4D
Weapons: 2 Auto Blasters
Fire Arc: Front
Skill: Starship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 1-8/25/40
Atmosphere Range: 100-800/2.5/4 km
Damage: 3D
Weapons: Laser Cannon
Fire Arc: Front
Skill: Starship gunnery
Fire Control: 1D
Space Range: 1-3/12/25
Atmosphere Range: 100-300/1.2/2.5 km
Damage: 7D
Wedge Antilles
After the evacuation from Hoth, Wedge Antilles took command of Rogue Squadron at the request of Luke Skywalker. Since that time, he has formed them into the Rebel Fleet's elite starfighter squadron. As leader of the new squadron, Wedge was promoted to the rank of commander. As a testament to their skill, his squadron was directly attached to the Headquarters Frigate.
Although given an opportunity to equip his flight with the Alliance's top new fighters, the B-wings and A-wings, Wedge chose to stick with the X-wing. He felt that the X-wing was still a match for the new Imperial TIE Interceptor, even though the Interceptor had been designed specifically to defeat the X-wing. He also reasoned that it made more sense to let newer pilots fly the more sophisticated Rebel fighters, giving them a better chance against the new TIEs.
In remembrance of his old squadron that had fought so bravely over the surface of the original Death Star, Wedge temporarily christened the squadron "Red Group" for this second Death Star assault. He and Luke were the only survivors of the original Red Group, and though Luke would not be with them this time, Wedge felt that this squadron had the same fire and determination as the original. There were some new faces, as well as old Rogue Group veterans like Hobbie and Janson, making an effective combination of enthusiasm and experience.
During the Battle of Endor, Red Group lived up to their billing as the Alliance's elite squadron. Many of the B-wing and A-wing squadrons were devastated by the tremendous onslaught of Imperial fighters, but Red Group, under Wedge's nimble command, piled up an impressive number of Imperial kills while keeping themselves largely intact. The survival of Red Group was crucial to the Rebel attack strategy. They, along with Gold Group, were scheduled to make the attack run at the partially constructed battle station's power generator. Wedge Antilles personally dealt the final, crucial blow that destroyed the massive station and ushered in a new era for the galaxy.
Wedge Antilles
Type: Brash pilot
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 5D, Brawling Parry 3D+1, Dodge 5D+2, Melee Combat 3D+1, Vehicle Blasters 3D+2
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Alien Species 4D+1, Bureaucracy 5D+2, Cultures 2D+2, Languages 3D, Planetary Systems 4D+2, Survival 2D+1
MECHANICAL 4D
Astrogation 6D+2, Space Transports 5D+2, Starfighter Piloting: X-wing 6D, Starship Gunnery 5D+2, Starship Shields 5D
PERCEPTION 3D
Bargain 4D, Command 4D+2, Gambling 4D+1, Hide 3D+1
STRENGTH 3D
Stamina 4D+2
TECHNICAL 3D
Computer Programming/Repair 5D+1, Repulsorlift Repair 3D+2, Space Transports Repair 5D, Starfighter Repair 4D+1, Starfighter Repair: X-wing 5D
Force Points 1
Character Points 8
Move 10
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), sealed flight suit, comlink, tool kit
Chapter Three: The Second Death Star
"From here you will witness the final destruction of the Alliance, and the end of your insignificant Rebellion."
The Emperor Typically, researching Imperial officials is not the easiest or safest of tasks. To be done properly, it often requires a good deal of dangerous undercover work: gaining access to restricted data files, impersonating Imperial personnel, and the like.
Fortunately, the chaos following the death of Emperor Palpatine, combined with the Alliance's magnificent intelligence network, made the process of gathering such information much easier. With the death of Palpatine, the Empire began to unravel almost immediately. The chain of command disintegrated, as commanders, generals, grand admirals, and advisors scrambled for power, and lower-level officers had to choose which Imperial faction to support. Standard security procedures were almost completely ignored.
Open warfare was an inevitability, and this continuing conflict allowed the undermanned and under-equipped Rebel Alliance, newly christened as the New Republic, to make impressive gains in a short time. In the uproar, it was possible to gain access to information that would normally be nearly impossible to get.
To illustrate the kind of confusion created by Palpatine's death, consider my infiltration of the Imperial data storage net on Halowan. I took the cover of a special agent for the Moff of Fakir Sector. The Halowan security officers were suspicious; my security code, pirated away from the Empire by Alliance operatives, was outdated and I had no authority to the data I requested. But they were afraid to challenge me: Moff Lorin of Fakir had a lot of clout, and looked like a good bet to retain his prestige and influence. The security officers hated to do it, but they gave me the red-carpet treatment. I got everything I was looking for.
The information I uncovered concerning the Emperor's advisors, including a series of equally amusing and frightening holo-memos passed between them, helped paint a clear portrait of the utter paranoia of those surrounding the late Emperor. Though I turned up very little hard data about the Emperor himself, I did get slight glimpses of the way he operated. We should be thankful that that malign creature is erased from the face of the galaxy.
The Second Death Star
There were many differences between the original Death Star battle station and its newer, more sophisticated cousin. The new Death Star was bigger, more powerful, better shielded, and more mobile. Perhaps the most important difference, however, was redesign of the minuscule thermal exhaust port leading directly to the reactor core. It was this nearly imperceptible flaw that allowed the Rebel Alliance a one-in-a-million chance to destroy the original Death Star, a chance they exploited brilliantly. They would not have that opportunity with the new Death Star.
The designer of both projects was Bevel Lemelisk, a well-respected architect and designer of many of the Empire's most sophisticated space stations. The original concept for the Death Star came from Grand Moff Tarkin, a man of brilliant vision but with almost no grasp of engineering. Lemelisk, along with a virtual army of subordinate architects and engineers, transformed Tarkin's vision into reality.
The Death Star project was one of the best-kept secrets in the Empire. Even the Imperial Senate did not know it was being built. To finance the project, the Emperor secretly and illegally diverted money from other sources, mainly space exploration and public works. The first Death Star was built almost entirely by prison labor. No one knows exactly how many died during the Death Star's construction.
After the first Death Star was destroyed, Lemelisk went into hiding, fearing for his life. When Imperial Intelligence agents tracked him down at his remote retreat on Hefi, he thought he was doomed. He was quite surprised to discover that the Emperor did not want his head. Instead, the Emperor wanted him to design a new, more powerful Death Star battle station, this time without even the most minute design flaw. Amazed at his good fortune, Lemelisk went to work. He would not disappoint the Emperor a second time.
The solution to the thermal exhaust port problem was rather simple. In place of one large port, Lemelisk included millions of millimeter-wide heat dispersion ducts. These ducts would serve the same function as the exhaust port: carrying excess heat from the reactor core to the station's surface. But these ducts were entirely too small to be hit by even the most accurate blaster shot. Even if they were hit, the ducts were equipped with emergency baffles designed to muffle any high pulse of energy before it reached the core.
With that problem solved, Lemelisk set out to improve the main weapon of the Death Star, or "superlaser" as Lemelisk called it. The laser was powerful enough, but there was room for improvement in targeting systems and rate of fire. At this, Lemelisk was highly successful. The powerful beam could now be focused much more finely and quickly, allowing it to fire at a moving target, such as a capital ship. Lemelisk also increased the overall size of the station to accommodate larger power generators necessary for the improved superlaser and drive systems.
To handle attack by small, fast starfighters, Lemelisk added many anti-starfighter batteries, creating a nearly impenetrable blanket of anti-starship fire. Added to the already incredible complement of TIE fighters, this new Death Star would be invulnerable from snubfighter attack.
Lemelisk did not believe anything could defeat the new Death Star. When presenting the new design to the Emperor, Lemelisk boldly claimed that the only way the new Death Star could be destroyed would be if it were attacked while still under construction; once completed, it would be invulnerable.
Apparently, the Emperor believed him. So did Mon Mothma and Alliance Command. This set the stage for the great battle of Endor and the destruction of the Death Star, the Emperor, and the New Order.
The Second Death Star
Craft: Custom Deep Space Battle Station
Type: Deep-space mobile battle station
Scale: Death Star
Length: 160 kilometers (diameter)
Skill: Battle station piloting: Death Star
Crew: 485,560, gunners: 152,276, skeleton 127,850/+15
Crew Skill: Astrogation 5D+1, battle station piloting 6D, capital ship gunnery 5D, starship gunnery 4D+2
Passengers: 1,295,950 troops, 127,570 stormtroopers, 75,860 starship support staff, 334,432 support ship pilots and crew
Cargo Capacity: Over one million kilotons
Consumables: 3 years
Cost: Not available for sale
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x3
Hyperdrive Backup: x20
Nav Computer: Yes
Space: 2
Hull: 18D
Shields: 3D
Sensors: Passive: 350/1D
Scan: 1,500/2D
Search: 7,500/3D
Focus: 60/4D+2
Superlaser:
Fire Arc: Forward
Crew: 168, skeleton 48/+10
Scale: Death Star
Skill: Capital ship gunnery: superlaser
Body: 12D (capital scale)
Fire Control: 1D
Space Range: 1-20/40/100
Damage: 2D-16D*
Weapons: 15,000 Turbolaser Batteries
Fire Arc: Turret**
Crew: 3
Scale: Starfighter
Skill: Starship gunnery
Body: 3D (capital scale)
Fire Control: 1D
Space Range: 1-5/10/15
Damage: 5D
Weapons: 15,000 Heavy Turbolasers
Fire Arc: Turret**
Crew: 4
Scale: Starfighter
Skill: Starship gunnery
Body: 4D (capital scale)
Fire Control: 1D
Space Range: 1-7/15/30
Damage: 7D
Weapons: 7,500 Laser Cannons
Fire Arc: Turret**
Crew: 3
Scale: Capital
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Body: 4D (capital scale)
Fire Control: 1D
Space Range: 1-5/10/15
Damage: 7D
Weapons: 5,000 Ion Cannons
Fire Arc: Turret**
Crew: 4
Scale: Capital
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Body: 4D (capital scale)
Fire Control: 1D
Space Range: 1-3/7/10
Damage: 4D
Weapons: 768 Tractor Beam Emplacements
Fire Arc: Turret**
Crew: 6
Scale: Capital
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Body: 5D (capital scale)
Fire Control: 3D
Space Range: 1-5/10/25
Damage: 5D
The second Death Star's power systems can generate 2D of damage per minute, up to a maximum of 16D damage. However, the energy cells in the design can produce 48D per day without severely straining the energy reactors.
Due to the immense size of the Death Star, it is divided into 24 distinct zones, each equally equipped with weapons. Only weapons within the specific zone adjacent to an attacking ship can be brought to bear at any given time; often, the actual number of weapons that can be brought to bear is significantly lower.
Moff Jerjerrod
When choosing a commander for his new Death Star, the Emperor vowed he would not make the same mistakes he did with the first one. There would be no power-wielding Grand Moff and no command triumvirate of governor, general, and admiral.
With the first Death Star, the Emperor had entrusted his most important weapon to three men who each had their own private agendas for the battle station. They were entirely too willful, entirely too independent to blindly carry out their monarch's will. They constantly bickered amongst themselves and did not follow orders properly, with the result that the Death Star was destroyed and the hated Rebellion given a vital respite.
This time, there would be no mistake. The Death Star would have a single commander. He would be a weak man, made to think he was rather important, but in truth only a puppet. Jerjerrod was the perfect choice.
A competent administrator, yet possessing little creativity or drive, Jerjerrod was no threat to act against the Emperor's plans. He had ambition, like all good Imperial officers, but he lacked the vision and courage to act on it. Before this assignment, Jerjerrod was a desk general who had risen through the ranks in Logistics and Supply. He was well-versed in administrative details, yet had little actual military experience.
This was exactly the kind of man the Emperor wanted. He needed someone who could build the new battle station quickly and efficiently, but who would have no idea how to use the station when it became operational. Jerjerrod would follow the Emperor's wishes to the letter, leaving the Emperor in true command of the Death Star.
With the help of a little added incentive from Lord Vader, Jerjerrod got the battle station operational a good deal ahead of schedule. Although Jerjerrod never understood the Emperor's reasons for stepping up the deadline, they were integral to the Emperor's plan. Jerjerrod served his Emperor well and paid for it with his life.
Moff Jerjerrod
Type: Imperial Moff
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 3D+2, Dodge 4D
KNOWLEDGE 4D
Bureaucracy 8D, Law Enforcement 5D+1
MECHANICAL 3D+2
PERCEPTION 3D+1
Command 6D, Command: Death Star Crew 9D+1
STRENGTH 2D
TECHNICAL 2D
Security 4D
Character Points 2
Move 10
Equipment: Hold-out blaster (3D)
Admiral Piett
Many wonder how Admiral Piett survived the Bespin debacle. He had clearly failed to capture the Millennium Falcon before she entered hyperspace, and few have failed Lord Vader and lived. During his tenure as commander of the fleet assembled to find the new Rebel base, Vader had left a series of dead officers in his wake. Each had "failed" the Dark Lord one way or another. Why then did Admiral Piett survive his failure?
Perhaps the confrontation with Skywalker had changed the Dark Lord somehow. Vader had returned to the Star Destroyer unusually silent, his normal aura of menace somewhat lessened.
After the Bespin incident, Vader pursued his own interests and Piett was in true command of the fleet. Piett was able to relax and hope that perhaps he would survive his promotion, unlike so many of his predecessors.
His fleet's orders were to keep moving from system to system, using an unpredictable route, in the hope of finding the Rebel fleet. The odds of this tactic succeeding were unimaginably low and Piett suspected that the Emperor had something else in mind.
Months passed. Eventually, the fleet was called to Endor and ordered to hide on the far side of the forest moon. The Rebels attacked. When Piett's fleet moved out from behind the moon, the Rebels' surprise was complete. And when the Death Star went operational, the Rebel fleet was clearly doomed.
Or so Piett thought, anyway.
Admiral Piett did not shine in this command. The Rebels fought with skill and determination. Even with the added strength of the Death Star's superlaser behind it, the Imperial fleet was driven back. When the Rebel capital ships actually closed with the Imperial fleet, to limit the usefulness of the Death Star, Piett was already a beaten man.
At the climax of the battle, Piett's flagship, the mighty Super Star Destroyer Executor, was destroyed by a ferocious Rebel fighter attack. Piett was lost along with his ship.
Admiral Piett
Type: Imperial Admiral
DEXTERITY 3D+2
Blaster 4D+2, Dodge 4D
KNOWLEDGE 3D+1
Bureaucracy: Imperial Fleet 5D+2, Intimidation 5D, Planetary Systems 4D+2, Tactics: Capital Ships 6D+1, Tactics: Fleets 4D+1
MECHANICAL 3D
Astrogation 6D, Capital Ship Piloting 4D+1, Starfighter Piloting 4D
PERCEPTION 2D+2
Command 8D+2, Con 4D
STRENGTH 2D+1
Stamina 3D+1
TECHNICAL 3D
Computer Programming/Repair 4D, Security 5D
Character Points 6
Move 10
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), datapad, comlink
The Imperial Royal Guard
These dynamically outfitted troopers were the hand-picked personal guard of the Emperor. Chosen from the best stormtrooper units in the Empire, the Royal Guard accompanied the Emperor wherever he went, and at least two of them were within earshot of His Majesty at all times.
Troopers selected as potential Guards were screened for intelligence, strength, dexterity, and, in particular, loyalty. Once accepted into the Guard, a trooper was exhaustively trained in many forms of combat.
The striking red armor of a Royal Guardsman was both ceremonial and fully functional in battle. The armor's design was derived from both the uniforms of the Mandalorian Death Watch and the Thyrsus Sun Guards, both units famous for their ferocity in battle.
Few knew exactly how many of these special troops existed because they never fought together as a unit. Individual Guardsmen, as a matter of practice, were rotated among various stormtrooper units to stay in proper battle readiness. However, their truest tests were as guardians of the Emperor. From stopping assassins, to performing covert assaults and assassinations themselves, the Royal Guardsmen were always on guard and ready to die for the glory of Palpatine.
While Royal Guardsmen were fully trained with blasters, their primary weapon is the force pike. Although a modest weapon by most standards, in the hands of a Guardsman it is quite deadly.
Type: Royal Guard
DEXTERITY 5D
Blaster 7D, Blaster Artillery 6D, Brawling Parry 6D, Dodge 7D, Melee Combat 6D, Melee Combat: Force Pike 8D+2, Melee Parry 5D
KNOWLEDGE 2D+1
Streetwise 3D+1, Survival 6D
MECHANICAL 2D+2
PERCEPTION 2D+2
Bargain 3D+2, Command 5D+2, Hide 6D+2, Search 6D+2, Sneak 6D+2
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 6D, Climbing/Jumping 6D, Lifting 5D, Stamina 6D
TECHNICAL 2D+1
Demolition 5D+1, First Aid 3D, Security 4D+1, Character Points: Varies, typically 1-5
Move 10
Equipment: Heavy blaster pistol (5D), armor (+2D physical, +1D energy, -1D Dexterity), force pike (STR+3D)
Imperial Advisors
Dressed in lavish costumes derived from the histories of their homeworlds, the Emperor's advisors were a vain and politically divided lot. They were ever at each other's throats, but always ready to do His Majesty's bidding. It is no coincidence that each of these men was politically insecure. In fact, the Emperor insisted upon it.
Each advisor was assigned to keep tabs on the administration of a rival advisor's home system. This naturally cut down on alliances between advisors and served to fuel competition and deceit among these high officials.
When not busy with administrative duties, advisors were purposely kept isolated from one another. The Emperor sent them off on supposedly "important" missions to the ends of the galaxy. As there were hundreds of these top bureaucrats to help him govern his vast Empire, he created a great deal of "information-gathering," "fact-finding," and "overseeing" missions for them.
Another way the Emperor kept his advisors at odds was by never seeing more than a dozen of them at a time. He doted over a select few while the others waited and watched nervously, bringing new advisors into his circle and casting old ones out, or killing them, at whim.
The Emperor felt that keeping these men insecure was a far stronger bond than simple loyalty. There is a lot that a man will do to survive. His policy of absolute rule through absolute terror worked to perfection where his advisors were concerned. Because of this, he never needed to fear those with the greatest amount of power beneath him.
Kren Blista-Vanee
Type: Imperial Advisor
DEXTERITY 2D
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Alien Species 3D+2, Bureaucracy 4D+2, Intimidation 5D, Languages 4D
MECHANICAL 1D+1
PERCEPTION 2D
Bargain 3D+2, Command 4D, Con 3D+1
STRENGTH 2D
TECHNICAL 1D+2
Character Points 4
Move 10
Equipment: Hold-out blaster (3D), traditional planetary garb
Darth Vader
Until his confrontation with young Luke Skywalker on Bespin's Cloud City, Darth Vader had never failed. Getting shot out of the sky at Yavin had been unfortunate, but in war anything can happen; that was simple bad luck, not failure. But he had distinctly failed to convert Luke at Bespin.
Defeat was an entirely new concept to the Dark Lord, and although the Emperor was somehow not surprised by events, it left Vader perplexed and shaken. That Luke was powerful was apparent, but why he could not see the obvious benefits of power was a mystery to Vader.
Vader continued the Emperor's plan and eventually detected Luke's presence at Endor. He allowed the shuttle to reach the forest moon, recalling the Emperor's words: "In time, he will seek you out." On the moon, Luke surrendered to Vader willingly, believing there was still good in him. Aboard the half-finished Death Star, Luke again faced Vader in combat and won, but refused to strike the killing blow.
When the Emperor tried to kill Luke, Vader turned against his master, saving his son and hurling Palpatine to his death.
Darth Vader
Type: Dark Lord of the Sith
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 5D, Blaster Artillery 4D+1, Brawling Parry 7D+1, Dodge 7D, Lightsaber 11D+2, Melee Combat 7D, Melee Parry 9D, Vehicle Blasters 6D
KNOWLEDGE 3D+2
Alien Species 7D+1, Bureaucracy 9D+1, Cultures 7D, Intimidation 11D, Languages 6D+1, Planetary Systems 8D, Streetwise 7D, Survival 6D, Value 6D, Willpower 8D+1
MECHANICAL 4D
Astrogation 7D+1, Capital Ship Gunnery 8D, Capital Ship Piloting 8D, Capital Ship Shields 5D, Repulsorlift Operation 5D+2, Starfighter Piloting 10D, Starship Gunnery 8D, Starship Shields 5D
PERCEPTION 3D+1
Bargain 4D, Command 11D+2, Con 4D, Gambling 4D+1, Hide 5D+2, Persuasion 8D+1, Search 8D, Sneak 5D+2
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 9D, Climbing/Jumping 7D+1, Lifting 5D+1, Stamina 8D+1
TECHNICAL 3D
Armor Repair 6D+1, Capital Ship Repair 5D+1, Lightsaber Repair 7D+2, Security 6D+2, Starfighter Repair 5D, Special Abilities:, Force Skills: Control 10D+1, Sense 12D+1, Alter 11D, Force Powers: Absorb/dissipate energy, accelerate healing, concentrate, control pain, detoxify poison, enhance attribute, hibernation trance, reduce injury, remain conscious, resist stun, combat sense, danger sense, instinctive astrogation, life detection, life sense, magnify senses, receptive telepathy, sense Force, injure/kill, telekinesis, farseeing, lightsaber combat, projective telepathy, feed on dark side, inflict pain, affect mind, telekinetic kill
This character is Force-sensitive.
Force Points 22
Dark Side Points 30
Character Points 43
Move 10
Equipment: Lightsaber (5D), body armor (+1D all attacks, respirator required to keep Vader alive)
The Emperor
Out of the corpse of the Old Republic, Palpatine carved himself an empire. The Jedi were destroyed, the Senate disbanded, and in almost no time he became undisputed ruler of the most powerful empire in galactic history.
He believed nothing could seriously threaten his rule. Then he sensed a new current in the Force, a power surge that became Luke Skywalker. As soon as this became known to him, he began plotting to corrupt it.
At Endor, everything initially proceeded according to plan: the Rebels were trapped, the Death Star was operational, and Luke was where the Emperor wanted him. But the battle turned, the shield fell, and Luke refused to turn. In fury, Palpatine tried to kill him and was destroyed by Vader.
The Emperor
Type: Jedi Master
DEXTERITY 2D+1
Dodge 7D
KNOWLEDGE 4D+1
Alien Species 10D, Bureaucracy: Empire 12D, Cultures 9D, Intimidation 13D, Languages 8D, Law Enforcement: Empire 6D, Military History 10D+2, Planetary Systems 7D, Scholar: Archaic Library Systems 8D, Scholar: Arcane Technologies 7D, Scholar: Clone Vat Systems 7D+2, Scholar: Dark Side Lore 11D, Scholar: Jedi Lore 12D+1, Scholar: Lightsaber Histories 12D, Tactics: Fleets 10D, Tactics: Ground Assault 5D, Willpower 12D+1
MECHANICAL 2D
PERCEPTION 4D+1
Bargain 10D, Command 10D, Command: Imperial Forces 12D+1, Con 8D, Hide 5D+2, Investigation 7D, Persuasion 11D, Persuasion: Oration 13D+2, Search 7D
STRENGTH 3D
Stamina 6D
MECHANICAL 2D
TECHNICAL 2D
Lightsaber Repair 5D, Special Abilities:, Force Skills: Control 13D, Sense 15D, Alter 14D, Force Powers: Absorb/dissipate energy, accelerate healing, concentrate, control pain, detoxify poison, enhance attribute, hibernation trance, rage, reduce injury, remain conscious, resist stun, short-term memory enhancement, combat sense, danger sense, instinctive astrogation, life detection, life sense, magnify senses, receptive telepathy, sense Force, injure/kill, telekinesis, farseeing, lightsaber combat, projective telepathy, accelerate another's healing, control another's pain, feed on dark side, Force lightning, inflict pain, return another to consciousness, transfer Force, affect mind, control mind, doppelganger, drain life essence, enhanced coordination, telekinetic kill, transfer life, dim other's senses
This character is Force-sensitive.
Force Points 35
Dark Side Points 43
Character Points 60
Move 10
Imperial Vessels at Endor
TIE Interceptor
To counter the Alliance's fast, maneuverable starfighters, the Empire commissioned Sienar Fleet Systems with construction of the TIE Interceptor, a variant based on Darth Vader's Yavin prototype. The improved handling and power enabled it to play a pivotal role at Endor.
Sienar Fleet Systems TIE Interceptor
Craft: Sienar Fleet Systems TIE Interceptor
Type: Space superiority starfighter
Scale: Starfighter
Length: 6.6 meters
Skill: Starfighter piloting: TIE
Crew: 1
Crew Skill: Starfighter piloting 5D, starship gunnery 4D+2
Cargo Capacity: 75 kilograms
Consumables: 2 days
Cost: 120,000 (new), 75,000 (used)
Maneuverability: 3D+2
Space: 11
Atmosphere: 435; 1,250 kmh
Hull: 3D
Sensors: Passive: 25/1D
Scan: 40/2D
Search: 60/3D
Focus: 4/3D+2
Weapons: 4 Laser Cannons (fire-linked)
Fire Arc: Front
Skill: Starship gunnery
Fire Control: 3D
Space Range: 1-3/12/25
Atmosphere Range: 100-300/1.2/2.5 km
Damage: 6D
Super Star Destroyer
Darth Vader's flagship, the Executor, first of the Super-class Star Destroyers, stretched eight kilometers from stem to stern, dwarfing the more familiar Imperial-class Star Destroyers.
At the Battle of Endor, the Executor served as the Imperial fleet's "head," second in command only to the Death Star itself. Its shield generators were disabled by concentrated Rebel fire. With shields down, an Alliance A-wing plowed into its bridge, destroying flight control. The ship was pulled down by the Death Star's gravity well and smashed into the battle station shortly before the station exploded.
Kuat Drive Yards Super Star Destroyer
Craft: Kuat Drive Yards Super Star Destroyer
Type: Super-class Star Destroyer
Scale: Capital
Length: 8,000 meters
Skill: Capital ship piloting: Super Star Destroyer
Crew: 279,144, gunners: 1,590, skeleton 50,000/+10
Crew Skill: Astrogation 4D, capital ship gunnery 6D, capital ship piloting 6D+2, capital ship shields 5D+2, sensors 5D
Passengers: 38,000 troops
Cargo Capacity: 250,000 metric tons
Consumables: 6 years
Cost: Not available for sale
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x2
Hyperdrive Backup: x10
Nav Computer: Yes
Space: 4
Hull: 10D
Shields: 8D
Sensors: Passive: 75/1D+2
Scan: 150/3D+2
Search: 300/5D
Focus: 8/6D+2
Weapons: 250 Turbolaser Batteries
Fire Arc: 100 front, 75 left, 75 right
Crew: 1 (100), 2 (150)
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 1D
Space Range: 3-15/35/75
Atmosphere Range: 6-30/70/150 km
Damage: 7D
Weapons: 250 Heavy Turbolaser Batteries
Fire Arc: 100 front, 50 left, 50 right, 50 back
Crew: 2
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Space Range: 5-20/40/60
Atmosphere Range: 10-20/80/120 km
Damage: 10D
Weapons: 250 Concussion Missile Tubes
Fire Arc: 50 front, 75 left, 75 right, 50 back
Crew: 1
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 2-12/30/60
Atmosphere Range: 4-24/60/120 km
Damage: 9D
Weapons: 250 Ion Cannons
Fire Arc: 100 front, 50 left, 50 right, 50 back
Crew: 1 (100), 2 (150)
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 4D
Space Range: 1-10/25/50
Atmosphere Range: 2-20/50/100 km
Damage: 4D
Weapons: 40 Tractor Beam Projectors
Fire Arc: 20 front, IO left, IO right
Crew: I
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 4D
Space Range: 1-5/15/30
Atmosphere Range: 2-10/30/60 km
Damage: 9D
Chapter Four: Endor
"There goes our surprise attack..."
Han Solo Following the trail of General Solo's strike team through the forests of Endor was perhaps the most enjoyable part of the research for this project. The lush greenery of the forest moon is a feast for the senses. The celebrations following the destruction of the Death Star and the death of the Emperor were, to say the least, overwhelming. With a startling realization, we began to hope and dream that the war was over. No longer was the Rebellion the underdog. Instead, the Rebellion had won. Freedom, for so long a distant dream, was within the grasp of the galaxy. While the battles continue even five years later, it is the New Republic that holds the advantage.
The native Ewoks immediately set about making their world whole again. The ruins of the Imperial base housing the Death Star's shield generator was transformed by Wicket into a living area. Vehicles, armor and equipment were put to uses far removed from their intended function, while the ruins were covered with vines and logs. Within a short time, Endor had returned to its natural splendor, the remains of the Imperial presence hidden and seemingly forgotten.
Wicket W. Warrick
It was Wicket who first found Princess Leia and brought her to safety in the Ewok village.
Voren Na'al interviewed Wicket following the Battle of Endor. This report is compiled from those stories, as translated by See-Threepio.
During the Imperial occupation of Endor, Wicket observed scout walkers and discovered that, with terrain and traps, even "walking beasts" could be defeated. His recommendations helped shape Ewok tactics.
When Leia's friends arrived, Wicket argued they should be released. During the battle, his knowledge of local terrain proved invaluable, and after victory he was promoted to lead warrior.
Wicket W. Warrick
Type: Ewok
DEXTERITY 3D+2
Dodge 4D+2, Melee Combat 5D, Thrown Weapons 7D
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Survival 3D, Survival: Forest 5D
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Glider 4D
PERCEPTION 4D
Bargain 5D, Con 4D+2, Hide 5D+1, Search: Tracking 6D, Sneak 5D+1
STRENGTH 3D
Climbing/Jumping 4D+2
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Primitive Construction 4D+2, Special Abilities:, Smell: Ewoks get +1D to Search when tracking by scent.
Force Points 2
Character Points 11
Move 9
Equipment: Spear (STR+1D), medicinal herbs
Chief Chirpa
Chief Chirpa, though elderly, was a respected and decisive leader. Once convinced of the Rebels' cause and faced with Imperial devastation of Endor's forests, he committed the tribe to open conflict.
Chief Chirpa
Type: Ewok Chieftain
DEXTERITY 3D+2
Dodge 4D+2, Thrown Weapons 4D+2
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Bureaucracy 3D, Scholar: Ewok Lore 3D
MECHANICAL 2D+2
PERCEPTION 4D
Bargain 4D+2, Command 5D
STRENGTH 3D
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Special Abilities: Smell: Ewoks get +1D to Search when tracking by scent.
Character Points 7
Move 7
Equipment: Pipe, ceremonial headdress
Logray
Logray, the Ewok shaman, was both feared and admired. He preserved ancient rites, including several harsh rituals that many younger Ewoks opposed. After Endor, his influence diminished and many of those rites were abandoned.
Logray
Type: Ewok Shaman
DEXTERITY 3D+2
Dodge 4D, Melee Combat 4D+2
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Scholar: Ewok Lore 6D, Scholar: Healing Potions 5D+2, Scholar: Traditional Ewok Rituals 7D+1
MECHANICAL 2D+2
PERCEPTION 4D
Con 4D+2
STRENGTH 3D
Climbing/Jumping 3D+1
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Special Abilities: Smell: Ewoks get +1D to Search when tracking by scent.
Character Points 6
Move 8
Equipment: Bone club (STR+1D), secret potions, "telling beads"
Night Attack
The following tale was told to Voren Na'al by Major Derlin.
'Take the squad ahead. We'll rendezvous at the shield generator at 0-30." They were simple orders. Because they were given by General Solo, I was confident that he, at least, would be able to handle his end. My end was a different story. Between our current position and the shield generator there would likely be a series of Imperial perimeter posts, not to mention patrolling biker scouts and who knew what else. But it was my job to see that we made it there alive, intact, and without tipping off the Imperials. No mean task, but one I knew that these men could handle. The first afternoon passed without incident. we ran into several Imperial scouts, but were able to duck out of sight before compromising our position. Delevar, the only rookie in the squad, almost blew it by taking a pot shot at a passing speeder bike, but I managed to stop him in time. Chewed him out pretty good, too. I'd have to do something to boost his confidence later. We made camp in a shallow ravine, which was well covered by underbrush, and would make us difficult to spot from a speeder bike. I posted two sentries, one at either end of the ravine, and set up a blanket grid using our scanning equipment. It was a good thing I did. Before we had barely started our first sleeping shift, the scanners picked up something. It was about three clicks southwest of our position, and moving on an angle that might bring us within ranae of its sensors, depending on what it was. For all ~e could tell from the readings, it might have been a large animal of some sort, but I was afraid it was something else: something I had met on Hoth. My suspicions were correct. It was an AT-ST.As soon as we saw the probing search lights in the distance, I knew for sure. It didn't seem to make much sense, though. What kind of an operation was this? All of the indigenous woodland creatures on this forest world combined couldn't pose a threat to a single biker squad. What were they afraid of? J knew we hadn't given our position away, and there was very little chance that General Solo and the command crew had been captured. So what was an AT-STdoing patrolling at night this far from its home base? Answers would have to wait. There was a more immediate problem to deal with, and it was moving rapidly in our direction. Without breaking camp, J had the squad fan out and take cover, in the hope that the giant machine would pass right by us without noticing anything. No such luck.
The AT-STmoved directly into the ravine, entering from the south end. It would be mere moments before it trampled our camp, so I decided that the time for action was now. The first thing I did was have Beezer jam its transmissions, so that it couldn't summon· help. I considered using one of the artillery pieces, but there wasn't enough time to set them up. I was also afraid that the resulting pyrotechnics might bring some more Imperials down on us. • With two quick blaster shots, Greeve, the squad sharpshooter, took the walker's searchlights out. With its visuals gone, the walker pilot began rotating the cockpit, trying to use his sensors to find the source of the attack. To counter this, I kept us moving circling around the walker like buzz-bugs. What I wa~ afraid of was that he might just open up whether he saw anything or not. My fears were realized as the walker's blaster cannons began blazing away at random. If it wasn't stopped soon, someone was going to hear this racket. Something had to be done, and quickly. As I pondered the solution, I caught a glimpse of a figuremovingintothetrench,justaheadoftheAT-ST. It was Delevar, the rookie, and he was aiming the projectile launcher. My heart jumped, and I screamed at the kid to stop, but he didn't seem to care. Didn't he realize what a light show that thing would set off? Before he could be stopped, Delevar fired the Caspel directly at the face of the walker. It was an amazing shot, directly into one of the walker's viewports. I braced for an explosion, but none came. Instead, billowing gray smoke began to pour from the walker's viewports. I could hear the sound of the two Imperial pilots coughing and wheezing. The next thing I knew they were climbing out of the top hatch with their hands raised, tears streaming from their eyes. He had used a smoke canister to gas them out. It was a brilliant plan, and fearlessly executed. The rookie had done it. When the smoke had cleared, and a gunpoint check-in call was made by the walker pilot, I approached Delevar. He smiled as he saw me walk toward him. Iwas wearing my best top-sergeant growl, staring the youngster straight in the eye. His smile faded. "If you ever do anything like that again ... " I barked, as he swallowed hard, "make sure you tell me first." I winked at him and slapped his shoulder. "Nice going, kid." With a few more forced call-ins by the walker pilot, we were able to explain its absence to the Imperials back at home base. The next morning's movements passed without incident, and we rendezvoused with General Solo at the shield generator as planned. The rest, as they say, is history.
Rebel Commandos
When General Solo volunteered to assemble a strike team for the highly dangerous Endor mission, he went with a known quantity: the men of Hoth Base. Solo had worked beside these exceptional men on the frozen world and had seen their loyalty and dedication in action.
with any mission. The strike team was equipped with basic commando gear, including standard comlinks, low-feedback scanners, sensor scramblers, heavily muffled blasters, and full forest camouflage fatigues. There were two pieces of artillery, carried disassembled in the packs of four men. These were an E-Web heavy repeating blaster and a Caspel projectile launcher with dye, smoke and Cryo-Ban canisters. An added element of danger to the mission was the large amount of explosives needed to blow up the shield generator. These were mostly thermal detonators, highly volatile stuff, carried by the two demolition experts, Junkin and Squalls. They were sealed in ray-shielded cases and stored in thermal-resist packs to prevent unpleasant surprises during a firefight. Despite capture by the Imperial forces, the assault of the Ewoks was all the commandos needed. They were able to turn a sure defeat into a stunning victory.
Typical Rebel Commando
DEXTERITY 3D+2
Blaster 4D, blaster artillery 3D+2, dodge 4D+1
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Survival: forest 4D
MECHANICAL 3D+1
PERCEPTION 4D
Search 4D, sneak 4D+2
STRENGTH 3D+2
Brawling 4D
TECHNICAL 2D+1
Move 10
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), comlink, macrobinoculars (+1D to search over 50 meters), low-feedback scanner (uses sensors, detects movement at ranges of 0-1/3/5 km), sensor scramblers (+2D to difficulty to detect with sensors), camouflage fatigues (+2D to sneak in forest at ranges of 35+ meters)
Major Bren Derlin
Type: Alliance Major
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 5D, blaster artillery 5D. dodge 4D+2, vehicle blasters 5D
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Survival 5D+2, tactics: squads 6D, value 4D
MECHANICAL 4D
Beast riding 4D+1, repulsorlift operation 5D
PERCEPTION 3D
Command 5D+2, search 4D
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 4D, stamina 5D+2
TECHNICAL 2D
Repulsorlift repair 3D, security 4D
Character Points 9
Move 11
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), macrobinoculars (+1D to search over 50 meters), comlink, low-feedback scanner (uses sensors, detects movement at ranges of 0-1/3/5 km), sensor scramblers (+2D to difficulty to detect with sensors), camouflage fatigues (+2D to sneak in forest at ranges of 35+ meters)
Biker Scouts
Scout troopers were undoubtedly the best-suited type of unit for scouting and reconnaissance in Endor's dense forest terrain. The thick underbrush made most vehicles impractical, although AT-STs and even AT-ATs were used in cleared areas surrounding the shield generator.
The bulk of vehicular patrol duty was handled by biker scouts. Although Endor's tall trees presented a definite hazard, the forest was crisscrossed by numerous trails that speeder bikes could traverse safely. For additional protection, speeder bikes on Endor were equipped with modified guidance systems. An extra sensor plate was added to the front control vanes of each bike, giving the driver a clearer picture of what lay beyond nearby trees so a better course could be plotted.
Endor lances (four soldiers and their sergeant) were split into groups of two bikes each, with the sergeant for back patrol and coordination. Each lance covered an assigned area that fanned out from the shield generator in all directions. A standard weaving patrol pattern was used so more ground could be covered. In addition, bikes stayed as high off the ground as possible for better long-range visibility. Each scout was ordered to make continuous sensor scans and report in every 30 minutes.
In the event of contact with an intruder, each scout was ordered to avoid conflict at all costs and clear the area to make a complete report, even if that meant abandoning a partner. The speeder bikes themselves were far more practical as scouting and recon vehicles than attack craft. They were armed with minimal weaponry, better suited for use on ground troops than on other vehicles. Instead, the bikes relied on speed and maneuverability for escape. Even the primitive Ewoks exploited these weaknesses during the Battle of Endor: simple tripwires and slings felled countless bikes.
Typical Biker Scout
DEXTERITY 2D
Blaster 4D, brawling parry 4D, dodge 4D
KNOWLEDGE 2D
MECHANICAL 3D
Repulsorlift operation: speeder bike 3D+2
PERCEPTION 2D
STRENGTH 2D
Brawling 3D
TECHNICAL 2D
Move 10
Character Points 0-3
Equipment: Hold-out blaster (3D+2), scout armor (+2 physical, +2 energy)
The Battle of Endor
The Battle of Endor was the most decisive battle of the Galactic Civil War. Fought near Endor's moon, where the Empire had located its construction site for the new Death Star battle station, the conflict began as a trap for the Rebel Alliance. By supplying incomplete and false information to Rebel spies, the Emperor lured the Alliance fleet to the system to destroy it.
Unaware of the trap, the Alliance planned an all-out assault against the second Death Star. The Rebel plan depended on a strike force making its way to the forest moon to destroy the shield generator protecting the unfinished battle station in orbit. The strike team, led by Han Solo, was to disable the generator in time for the arrival of the Alliance fleet from hyperspace.
When the fleet arrived from its staging area around Sullust, it was to attack the unfinished Death Star. Unknown to the Alliance, an Imperial legion awaited the strike team on the moon, and an Imperial fleet awaited the Rebel ships. Hiding on the far side of the moon, the Imperial fleet remained in position to hold the Rebels close to the Death Star.
Imperial strategists had counted on stealth and intelligence to win the battle. Too conspicuous a presence would frighten off the Rebels, and the Emperor made it clear that he would accept no less than total Alliance destruction.
Imperial Assault Vehicles
Though usually the forward rank of ground-based battles, the AT-AT was deprived of its usual role by the massive trees of Endor's moon. The forest limited the mobility of the Empire's AT-ATs, confining the walkers to a limited area around the Imperial garrison. As a result, the walkers could not fully participate in the battle at the bunker, leaving their smaller counterparts, the AT-STs (scout walkers), to provide covering fire for the stormtroopers protecting the shield generator.
AT-AT Walker
Craft: All-Terrain Armored Transport
Type: Assault walker
Scale: Walker
Length: 20.6 meters long, 15.5 meters tall
Skill: Walker operation: AT-AT
Crew: 5, skeleton 3/+10
Crew Skill: Vehicle blasters 5D, walker operation 5D
Passengers: 40 troops (or 2 AT-STs)
Cargo Capacity: 1 metric ton
Cover: Full
Cost: Not available for sale
Move 21; 60 kmh
Body Strength: 6D
Weapons: 2 heavy laser cannons (fire-linked)
Fire Arc: Front
Crew: 1 (co-pilot or commander)
Skill: Vehicle blasters
Fire Control: 2D
Range: 50-500/1.5/3 km
Damage: 6D
Weapons: 2 medium blasters (fire-linked)
Fire Arc: Front
Crew: 1 (co-pilot or commander)
Skill: Vehicle blasters
Fire Control: 2D
Range: 50-200/500/1 km
Damage: 3D
Note: The AT-AT walker's head is mounted on a pivoting neck, which can turn to face the left, front, and right fire arcs. An AT-AT may move its head one fire arc per turn (left to front, right to front, front to right, or front to left).
Imperial AT-STs (All Terrain Scout Transports) were designed primarily for reconnaissance missions, but they also earned a reputation as quick and maneuverable escorts for ground attack forces. Their thick durasteel armor provides solid protection from small-scale blasters, but the vehicle's major flaw, its easily upset balance, was exploited by the combined Ewok and Rebel force at the Battle of Endor.
AT-ST Walker
Craft: All-Terrain Scout Transport
Type: Medium walker
Scale: Walker
Length: 6.4 meters long, 8.6 meters tall
Skill: Walker operation: AT-ST
Crew: 2, skeleton 1/+15
Crew Skill: Missile weapons 4D, vehicle blasters 4D+2, walker operation 5D
Cargo Capacity: 200 kilograms
Cover: Full
Cost: Not available for sale
Maneuverability: 1D
Move 30; 90 kmh
Body Strength: 3D
Weapons: Twin blaster cannon
Fire Arc: Front
Crew: 1 (pilot)
Skill: Vehicle blasters
Fire Control: 1D
Range: 50-200/1/2 km
Damage: 4D
Weapons: Twin light blaster cannon
Fire Arc: Front
Crew: 1 (co-pilot)
Skill: Vehicle blasters
Fire Control: 1D
Range: 50-300/500/1 km
Damage: 2D
Weapons: Concussion grenade launcher
Fire Arc: Front
Crew: 1 (co-pilot)
Skill: Missile weapons: grenade launcher
Fire Control: 1D
Range: 10-50/100/200 meters
Damage: 3D
The Imperial defense centered on protecting the shield bunker. Strategists knew they would face a small Rebel force since there was no way the Alliance could land large numbers of troops. Accordingly, the military presence was centered on a large number of ground troops for one-on-one combat with Rebel soldiers. Heavy combat vehicles, such as walkers, were kept to a minimum. The speeder bikes were an integral part of the battle plan, as the scouts were expected to detect any incoming assaults in advance so the ground soldiers could redeploy in time. The Empire did not count on the alliance between Rebels and Ewoks. This considerably evened the odds in terms of sheer manpower. However, the Ewoks were fighting on their home ground, giving them a decisive advantage. The Ewoks knew that attacking and then standing to fight for the shield bunker would be suicide. But if they attacked and then retreated, drawing Imperial forces away from the bunker, there was a chance for victory. The stormtrooper armor was ill-suited for forest combat, with limited visibility and mobility. The Ewoks, with their combination of chants, screams, trumpets, and drum rhythms, and knowledge of how sound carries in the forests, could match the Imperials
for communication and coordination. More importantly, by separating the Imperials, they would be more likely to become disoriented and confused. The Ewoks could set countless ambushes, which the Imperials were ill-equipped to deal with (after all, Imperial soldiers are used to facing panicked retreat or straightforward combat; this kind of guerrilla assault was uncommon to them). The Ewok battle plan worked. The Empire's soldiers fell for the elaborate trap and were soon defeated by diminutive soldiers equipped with no more than slingshots and spears. Above the forest moon, the Rebel fleet engaged the Death Star. With the defense shield still operational, the Rebel fighters couldn't make the final assault on the Death Star's reactor core. Suddenly, the Rebels learned how deadly a trap the Emperor had set. The Death Star's superlaser opened fire on the Rebel fleet. Engaging the Imperial Star Destroyers in ship-to-ship combat was the only way for the Rebels to escape the deadly Death Star blasts. With the aid of the Ewoks, the strike team knocked out the shield generator. Then, through the heroism of Lando Calrissian and Wedge Antilles, the Rebels destroyed the Death Star. The Imperial fleet scattered and the Galactic Civil War, while not finished, was won ...
Chapter Five: The Heroes of Endor
"They did it!"
See-Threepio
The story of the heroes of Yavin has been a long and difficult one. Unbelievably, as this story is coming to an ending, the events of these past few weeks have lived up to the kind of climax that their story deserved. And luckily, it's a happy ending. The interweaving of the lives of these people has somehow brought them full-circle. None of them has failed to show profound visible changes in attitude and personality. The roguish Han Solo, once a self-possessed smuggler, is now a general of the Rebel Alliance, as is former gambling scoundrel Lando Calrissian. Princess Leia Organa, once cold and aloof, has discovered a deeper, softer side to her personality. But most profound of all, a former naive and wide-eyed Tatooine farm boy named Luke Skywalker is now a Jedi Knight. But it wasn't without their share of hardship that these heroes endured to face the challenges confronting them. Through it all they learned to rely on each other, as well as themselves, in moments of crisis. The rest of the Alliance watched this and learned from them. They are who the men, women and aliens of the Alliance look to for inspiration now. They are the Rebellion's new, dynamic, youthful leadership. The heroes of Yavin bring with them an incredible combination of experience and enthusiasm, knowledge and fearlessness, skill and luck. But more than that, they have a fresh new perspective on the galaxy. A way of looking at the tumultuous civil conflict in which they are currently embroiled and seeing it in simple terms. Yes, it is a war to restore the freedoms of the Old Republic, and remove the Emperor's terrible stain from the galaxy. But it is also a basic fight for survival. A fight they know they are winning.
Princess Leia Organa
Much has happened to the Princess since she watched the bounty hunter Boba Fett fly off into the Bespin sunset with her love, Han Solo, carbon-frozen in his cargo hold. Although the experience could have destroyed a lesser woman, she survived. Though she owes a good deal to her own inner strength, she also owes much to the support of Luke Skywalker, her close friend and newfound brother. He himself had seemed to despair after his confrontation with Darth Vader in Cloud City; although Luke would never tell her exactly what had happened, the Princess could see his anguish and feel his pain. Somehow the two healed each other, making a vow to put aside their anguish to concentrate on the task at hand. From that moment on Luke was a changed man. Leia took courage in the confidence with which he approached the rescue of Han Solo. It never entered her mind that the mission might fail, even when she was captured and chained to Jabba's throne. It was only a matter of how long the rescue would take, and when they would make their move. She could see it in Luke's eyes, and feel it in herself. This rescue would succeed - and succeed it did. Her reunion with Han was an emotional release for Leia. She had openly admitted her love for him, and no longer needed to hide her feelings. She began to let go of the grim seriousness with which she had carried herself, allowing her youthful excitement and enthusiasm free rein. It was the same enthusiasm she had felt in the early days of the Rebellion, before the destruction of Alderaan. Han showed that he was ready to commit to the Alliance-and her-full-time, when he agreed to become a general and lead a dangerous mission. It was something he never even would have considered a few years ago, and seeing the change in him made Leia's love for him grow to immeasurable heights. But it was what Luke told her, beneath the swaying trees of the Ewok village on Endor, which changed her life forever. She was his sister. Even as Luke spoke the words to her, she knew it to be true. His confused and tragic ancestry, his personal power-those were hers now as well. Very suddenly, she began to feel all of Luke's pain and worry, and she could see why he had kept this from her until then. Especially the tragedy of their father. But Leia was strong, and wise far beyond her years. She could handle this now, and Luke knew it. All the time he was away on the Death Star, Leia reached out with her feelings, and she could sense his fear. In a rapid shuffling of emotion, she felt his fear turn to pain and then to release, and then to sorrow. When Luke returned from his journey and explained everything to Leia, she understood those feelings. She was a Skywalker, an heir to the traditions of the Jedi Knights. And she was the last surviving member of the Royal House of Alderaan, shaped and molded by the grand traditions and beliefs of Bail Organa. Finally, she loved Han Solo, and that brought out a side of her that she thought was not present. For all of these reasons and more, the Princess is a fine leader for the Alliance, and should prove to be an even better leader for the New Republic.
Princess Leia Organa
Type: Young Senatorial
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 7D+2, blaster artillery 3D+2, brawling parry 4D, dodge 7D, grenade 4D, melee combat 5D, melee parry 4D, vehicle blasters 4D
KNOWLEDGE 4D
Alien species 7D, bureaucracy 9D+1, cultures 9D+1, languages 7D, planetary systems 9D, streetwise 6D, survival 8D, value 6D+1, willpower 6D+1
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Astrogation 4D, beast riding 3D+2, repulsorlift operation 4D+2, starfighter piloting 5D, starship gunnery 4D, starship shields 5D
PERCEPTION 3D+1
Bargain 6D, command 10D+1, con 5D+1, gambling 4D, hide 6D, persuasion 7D, persuasion: debate 8D+2, search 6D, sneak 6D
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 4D+1, climbing/jumping 4D+1, stamina 6D, swimming 5D
TECHNICAL 2D
Computer programming/repair 4D+2, droid programming 4D, droid repair 4D, first aid 6D, security 4D+1, starfighter repair 3D+2
This character is Force-sensitive.
Force Points 7
Character Points 25
Move 10
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), comlink
Han Solo
Han Solo described carbon-freeze as "a big wide-awake nothing." Until his release from that state of suspension by Princess Leia, Solo had lived that wide-awake nightmare as a hanging wall decoration in the palace of Jabba the Hutt. He was there to be laughed at and spat upon by the evil and disgusting creatures of his court. He felt nothing, he saw nothing, he heard nothing. But he dreamed, all the same. During his hibernation in carbon-freeze, Solo played out his revenge in his mind countless times. He must have imagined his blaster ripping large, smoking holes in the armor of Boba Fett, and his own hands choking the life out of Lando Calrissian, a hundred-thousand times. But upon his revival, the Corellian was in no shape to exact his revenge, at least not yet. Of course, his feelings toward Lando changed dramatically when Chewie explained to him what Lando had done for him and the Princess, and that Lando was a part of this very rescue attempt. Actually, Solo was not very surprised to hear of Lando's change of heart. Deep down, he sensed that Lando would come through for him in the end - his friends usually did. But it was Luke who really came through for him. That same snotty-nosed kid, whose frigid carcass he had pulled out of the frozen Hoth tundra, almost singlehandedly wiped out the entire entourage of the galaxy's most powerful crime lord. The kid sure had changed. But then again, so had Solo. For the first time in his life he felt he had some sort of direction. And he liked the way it felt. He had come through for the Rebellion before, but he always believed that he was simply returning the favors they had done for him - he was "paying his debts," not doing it out of any foolish altruism. But he could no longer pretend
that that was the case. He wanted to do this. He wanted to fight against evil, to do something worthwhile with his life. And it wasn't just the Princess who had brought about Solo's change of heart, although she certainly played a major part in it. In fact, it wasn't really a "change of heart" at all. Solo had always felt this strongly about the Empire, ever since he was drummed out of the service, but he had always been too wrapped up in himself to do anything about it. The love shared between himself and his friends simply made him see himself as he really was. After deciding to join the Alliance full-time, Solo accepted a generalship from Mon Mothma and her Advisory Council. He asked that they "keep a lid on it for a while," however, because he really wanted to surprise Leia. And surprise her, he did. Suffice it to say, the mission he volunteered to lead was successful. The second Death Star was destroyed, and the Empire was on the ropes. And Han had a family now, and a home.
Han Solo
Type: Smuggler
DEXTERITY 3D+1
Blaster 7D+2, blaster: heavy blaster pistol 10D, blaster: blaster rifle 5D+1, blaster artillery 6D+1, brawling parry 7D+1, dodge 5D, grenade 5D+1, melee combat 6D+1, melee parry 5D, missile weapons 4D+2, pick pocket 4D+1, running 3D+2, vehicle blasters 6D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Alien species 6D+2, bureaucracy 5D, business 6D, business: smugglers 7D, cultures 5D+1, intimidation 6D+2, languages 5D+2, law enforcement 5D, planetary systems 7D+2, streetwise 7D+2, streetwise: Jabba the Hutt's organization 9D+2, survival 7D+2, value 5D, willpower 4D+1
MECHANICAL 3D+2
Astrogation 8D, beast riding 5D+2, beast riding: tauntaun 6D, capital ship gunnery 5D+1, capital ship piloting 7D, capital ship shields 4D+1, communications 5D, ground vehicle operation 4D+2, repulsorlift operation 7D+1, sensors 4D+2, space transports 7D, space transports: YT-1300 transports 11D+1, starfighter piloting 6D, starship gunnery 9D, starship shields 6D+2, swoop operation 6D+2
PERCEPTION 3D
Bargain 8D, command 6D, con 8D, forgery 5D, forgery: ship IDs 7D, gambling 8D, hide 5D, persuasion 5D, search 5D+2, sneak 4D+2
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 7D+2, climbing/jumping 6D, lifting 5D+1, stamina 7D, swimming 4D+2
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Blaster repair 4D+2, computer programming/repair 7D, demolitions 6D+2, droid programming 5D+1, droid repair 5D+1, ground vehicle repair 3D, repulsorlift repair 7D, security 7D, space transports repair 6D, space transports repair: YT-1300 transports 9D, starship weapons repair 4D
Force Points 2
Character Points 22
Move 10
Equipment: Modified heavy blaster pistol (5D+1), comlink
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a Jedi Knight. Since the death of his mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and of his father, Anakin Skywalker, he is the last of the Jedi. He bears that burden well. A mature confidence seems to pour forth from him; yet he retains much of his youthful enthusiasm. It is this combination which causes Luke to be so beloved by the members, and aliens of the Rebel Alliance. It was an extremely arduous path which led Luke to where he is today. There were many obstacles standing in the way of his destiny, but through it all, the true nature of Luke's character shone through. He stands today as a sterling symbol of all that is right in the galaxy. After his confrontation with Darth Vader on Cloud City, Luke was overcome by doubt and fear. But there was work to be done-important work - he put his troubles aside for a while. There was a friend in need, one who had come through for Luke countless times, and to whom he owed a great debt. And more than that, the galaxy itself was in need. And for both of these reasons, Luke Skywalker set about becoming a true Jedi Knight. He had been taught well, first by Ben Kenobi, and then by Yoda, the Jedi master. Luke believed he knew what it took to become a Jedi, and he felt he was very close. There was one, final detail to take care of. Upon his return to his home planet of Tatooine, Luke took what he thought was the last step toward becoming a Jedi.
Traveling out into the Jundland Wastes, to the abandoned home of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke constructed a lightsaber. lt was light and easy in his hands, and the beam, his own personal signature, a stunning, vivid green. Now he was a Jedi -or so he thought. He handed his weapon into the tender care of his faithful astromech droid, Artoo-Detoo, and sent Artoo and SeeThreepio into Jabba's palace. Luke expected the rescue of Han Solo to be a relatively simple matter. All he needed to do was get inside - everything else was already in place. Artoo and Threepio had been given to Jabba as "gifts," and Lando and Leia, both in disguise, were inside as well. All he had to do was wait for the right moment, make sure that his friends were free of danger, and get his Jedi weapon from Artoo. The rest would be simple. Well, the actual event didn't turn out to be quite as simple as Luke expected. Luke didn't particularly enjoy taking on the Rancor; Han and Lando came within centimeters of becoming lunch for the Sarlaac; and Luke took a blaster hit to his artificial hand which came perilously close to incapacitating it at a dangerously inconvenient moment. Still, with the help of the Force, he and his friends succeeded. Han was rescued, and Jabba's organization was destroyed. After the rescue, Luke didn't rendezvous with the Alliance fleet with his friends. Instead, he journeyed back to a certain bog planet, to "keep a promise to an old friend" and to ask him a few questions. At heart, Luke was still unsure whether or not he was truly a Jedi. At times he felt that he was - when confronting Jabba, for instance. And at times he felt like he wasn't - whenever he thought about his father. He needed Master Yoda's guidance. When he arrived on Dagobah, Yoda, who was clearly dying, told him that his training was complete; to become a Jedi, all he need do was confront Darth Vader, his father.
Luke Skywalker
Type: Jedi Knight
DEXTERITY 3D Blaster 6D+2, brawling parry 5D+2, dodge 7D+1, lightsaber 8D+1, melee combat 4D, melee parry 9D
KNOWLEDGE 2D Alien species 4D, bureaucracy 5D+1, streetwise 6D, survival 6D, value 4D
MECHANICAL 4D Astrogation 6D, beast riding 4D+2, beast riding: tauntaun 6D+1, repulsorlift operation 8D, repulsorlift operation: airspeeder 8D, sensors 4D+1, starfighter piloting 7D, starfighter piloting: X-wing 9D+2, starship gunnery 7D+1, starship shields 1D
PERCEPTION 2D+1
Bargain 3D, command 6D, hide 5D, search 5D, sneak 5D
STRENGTH 3D Brawling 5D+2, climbing/jumping 6D+1, lifting 4D, stamina 6D
TECHNICAL 3D
Computer programming/repair 5D, droid programming 6D, droid repair 6D, first aid 4D+2, lightsaber repair 7D+1, repulsorlift repair 7D, security 4D+1, starfighter repair 5D+2
Special Abilities
Force Skills: Control 10D, sense 8D, alter 7D
Control: Absorb/dissipate energy, accelerate healing, concentration*, control pain, detoxify poison**, emptiness, enhance attribute**, hibernation trance, reduce injury, remain conscious, resist stun
Sense: Combat sense**, danger sense**, instinctive astrogationt, life detection, life sense, magnify senses, receptive telepathy, sense Force
Alter: Injure/kill, telekinesis
Control and Sense: Farseeing**, lightsaber combat, projective telepathy
Control and Alter: Inflict pain*
Control, Sense and Alter: Affect mind
This character is Force-sensitive.
Force Points 25
Dark Side Points 2
Character Points 40
Move 10
Equipment: Lightsaber (5D), blaster pistol (4D), comlink
Chewbacca
The mighty Wookiee Chewbacca has been a faithful addition to the Rebel Alliance since the days of the Battle of Yavin. Strong, fearless, an able pilot and mechanic-these are but a few of his best traits. It was during the events on Bespin that perhaps the greatest changes took place for Chewbacca. Roaring in rage as the Imperials began to lower Han Solo into the carbon-freeze chamber, the Wookiee lashed out at the stormtroopers. Crazed with anger, it was Han himself that calmed his friend. "Save your strength," Solo called out, "there'll be another time. The Princess - you have to take care of her." It was with this statement that Chewbacca realized there was more to his honor family than just Han Solo. But he didn't forget his Corellian friend. With Lando Calrissian in tow, Chewbacca and the Millennium Falcon returned to Tatooine to await Luke Skywalker. He firmly believed that together they could save Han from Jabba the Hutt. He believed nothing could stop them. His faith and belief in his friends continued through those war-torn days. Whether he was crushed inside a ship designed for beings much smaller than Wookiees, tied to a stake and at the mercy of fierce Ewoks. or battling a legion of the Empire's best troops, Chewbacca knew that he and his friends would triumph.
Chewbacca
Type: Wookiee
DEXTERITY 2D+2 Blaster 6D+2, bowcaster 9D, brawling parry 7D+2, dodge 6D+1, grenade 5D+1, melee combat 5D, melee parry 5D, vehicle blasters 6D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D Alien species 7D, bureaucracy 4D, business 10D+2, cultures 3D+1, intimidation 8D+2, languages 6D, planetary systems 7D+2, streetwise 7D, survival 7D, value 7D+2
MECHANICAL 3D Astrogation 8D+1, beast riding 4D, communications 4D+2, repulsorlift operation 7D+1, sensors 6D, space transports 6D+2, space transports: YT-1300 transports 5D, starship gunnery 8D, starship shields 6D+1
PERCEPTION 2D Bargain 5D, command 5D, gambling 5D, hide 3D+2, search 3D, sneak 3D+2
STRENGTH 5D
Brawling 10D, climbing/jumping 7D+2, lifting 10D, stamina 10D, swimming 7D
TECHNICAL 3D+1
Blaster repair 5D+1, bowcaster repair 5D+2, computer programming/repair 5D, demolitions 6D, droid programming 5D, droid repair 7D+2, first aid 5D+1, repulsorlift repair 6D+1, security 7D, space transports repair 5D, space transports repair: YT-1300 transports 10D+2
Special Abilities: Berserker Rage: Chewbacca gains +2D to Strength when brawling in berserker rage.
Climbing Claws: +2D to climbing.
Force Points 4
Character Points 21
Move 13
Equipment: Bowcaster (4D), ammo bandolier, droid tool kit, starship tool kit, waist pouch
Lando Calrissian
Lando Calrissian's life has changed drastically since Cloud City was taken over by the Empire. He had never cared for the Empire and its oppressions; he had always done his best to cause them as much trouble as he could without causing himself any. But after being pushed by Darth Vader into a deal he never should have made, a deal which the Dark Lord subsequently reneged on, Lando didn't care about his own troubles any more. They had overrun his city, his people, his life, and he declared war. As the first shot in Lando's newly-declared war on the Empire, there was a bit of unfinished business to attend to. He had gotten his old friend Han Solo into a mess, and now it was up to Lando to get him out of it. The first trick was to find Han. Though Jabba's palace was easy to find if you had the kind of contacts Lando did, there was no reason to believe that Han was still there: Jabba might have stashed his body anywhere - or, horrible as it was to consider, killed Solo already. Someone had to get inside and scout out the terrain. Lando knew he was the man for the job. However, you don't just walk up to Jabba's front door and ask to take a look around - not if you want to ever walk out again, anyway. Lando knew he would have to work his way into the organization. It would take time, and no small effort, but it was the best and perhaps only shot they had. The plan, as it stood then, was rather sketchy. Lando was to drop Chewbacca off in Mos Eisley, where he would attract the attention of Jabba's hired guns. But before any of them could get to the Wookiee, Leia, disguised as the bounty hunter Boushh, would pretend to capture him. Meanwhile Lando, taking on one of his more effective criminal personas, would hit up an old
contact in Anchorhead, who could get him a job in Jabba's palace. Luke had some errand to run in the desert; when he was finished, he would get into the palace on his own. When all of the players were in position, they'd wing it. Actually, Lando didn't think a lot of this particular plan, which was conceived by Luke. But somehow, when talking it over with Skywalker, it all seemed to make sense, and he never could remember his objections until afterwards. (f o tell the truth, that young man made Lando a little nervous ... and more than a little awestruck.) Aside from being nearly dropped into the mouth of the all-powerful Sarlacc, in whose belly he'd have been slowly digested over a thousand years, the rescue went well. Jabba's operation was destroyed, and Han was safe and sound back at the fleet. Lando was surprised at how well Han took the whole thing. He harbored no ill will toward Lando for what he had done, and in fact thanked him sincerely. The old pirate had changed some - but then again so had Lando. For Lando, joining the Alliance was the final piece to a picture that had been building since he became Baron Administrator of Cloud City. He had learned how to deal with responsibility. Now he was learning to fight for what he believed in, and, believe it or not, to value friendship more than money. It was a more subtle change than Han's, although the fundamentals were the same. Both had become generals of the Rebel Alliance, and both volunteered to lead dangerous missions against overwhelming odds. But the odds didn't matter anymore to Lando: he was tired of playing them. It's not really gambling if you have nothing to lose.
Lando Calrissian
Type: Gambler
DEXTERITY 3D+2 Blaster 6D+2, blaster: hold-out blaster 7D, brawling parry 5D+1, dodge 6D, grenade 4D+2, melee combat 4D+2, melee parry 5D+1
KNOWLEDGE 3D Alien species 5D, bureaucracy 7D, business 7D, business: mining 10D+1, business: administration 7D+1, cultures 6D+2, languages 5D, planetary systems 5D, streetwise 8D, survival 5D, value 5D+1
MECHANICAL 2D+1
Archaic starship piloting 3D+1, astrogation 6D+2, communications 4D, ground vehicle operation 3D+1, repulsorlift operation 4D, repulsorlift operation: cloud car 5D+1, sensors 4D+2, space transports 8D, starfighter piloting 5D, starship gunnery 7D, starship shields 7D, swoop operation 4D+2
PERCEPTION 4D Bargain 8D, bargain: Tibanna gas 10D+1, command 7D, con 9D, forgery 6D+1, gambling 9D+2, hide 6D, persuasion 6D+1, sneak 6D
STRENGTH 2D+2 Brawling 5D+1, climbing/jumping 5D, lifting 4D+2, stamina 5D, swimming 4D
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Computer programming/repair 4D, droid programming 3D, repulsorlift repair 4D, security 6D+1, space transports repair 7D, starship weapon repair 4D
Force Points 2
Character Points 18
Move 10
Equipment: Hold-out blaster (4D), comlink, sabacc card deck
Yoda
The death of Yoda was a stunning blow to Luke Skywalker, and it seemed to the young Jedi at the time that he was totally alone. Yoda had lived for over 800 years, and it was inconceivable that he could die, but die he did, and Luke felt that all hope was now lost. But soon Luke realized that Yoda would always be with him. He could almost sense the Jedi master urging him on in times of need, as did his first master, Obi-Wan Kenobi. This reassured the young man greatly. Somehow Luke felt that he was a focus of all of the power of his two great masters. It seemed to Luke that the Jedi master chose the moment of his passing. It was as if Yoda had completed the last of his great tasks for the galaxy, and now he was allowing nature to take its course. It was entirely possible, Luke thought, that Yoda had kept himself alive for all these years through his own personal power, refusing to perish until he finished training the last Jedi. This meant that Luke's training was complete, and now he faced the ultimate test of confronting his father: Lord Vader. With his final breath, Yoda warned Luke not to underestimate the power of the Emperor, and to mind what he had learned. And then Yoda became one with the Force.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Although he is "with the Force" now, Obi-Wan Kenobi is still a major part of Luke Skywalker's life. Since his encounter with Darth Vader on Cloud City, a single, tremendously important, unanswered question plagued Luke. This question centered around Obi-Wan Kenobi. Darth Vader had claimed that he was Luke's father, and Luke intuitively felt that this was true. But Obi-Wan had told him that Vader betrayed and murdered his father. Could Obi-Wan have lied to him? It seemed inconceivable, but Luke couldn't deny the truth of his feelings. This question burned in Luke's brain until his return visit to the swamp planet, Dagobah. There he was assured by Yoda that Vader was indeed his father. So Ben had lied to him, then. When he first saw the image of Obi-Wan shimmer into view, sitting in the Dagobah bog, Luke sprang on his former mentor with an anger he had never before displayed toward Kenobi. Obi-Wan understood and forgave Luke's anger with him. He calmed the youth by finally telling him the whole truth. Vader did indeed "betray and murder" Luke's father, because when he turned to the dark side of the Force, the good man who was Anakin Skywalker ceased to exist. In a sense he was "murdered" by Vader. But this was not the most important news that Luke received from Obi-Wan. Luke had a twin sister from whom he was separated at birth, in order to protect them from the Emperor. Luke was taken to his Uncle Ben on Tatooine; his sister was adopted by the Royal House of Alderaan. Leia was that sister, Luke suddenly realized. Obi-Wan had cleared things up for Luke, but at the same time presented him with yet more problems. He had to protect Leia from the Emperor, and he had to confront his father and turn him back to the light. Luke's destiny was also that of the galaxy: however Luke fared in his titanic struggle, so would the galaxy.
In the end, the boy did his first teacher proud.
Anakin Skywalker
For most of his life, Luke's images of his father came from what his Uncle Owen had told him back on the moisture farm on Tatooine. Owen said that Luke's father was a navigator on an ore freighter, and a simple working man. Despite Luke's attempts to learn more of him, his uncle never told him any more about Anakin Skywalker. In fact, this was the sole reason that Owen decided to keep Luke away from the school in Anchorhead and have him tutored at home. Owen was afraid that Luke might grow up to be just like his father, an "idealistic dreamer." Knowing where that had gotten Anakin, he did his best to see that it didn't happen to Luke. It wasn't until meeting Ben Kenobi out beyond the Dune Sea that young Luke learned anything more of his father. Ben told him that his father was "the greatest star pilot in the galaxy," and "a cunning warrior." Apparently, the two fought together in the Clone Wars. But of most interest to Luke was that Ben claimed his father was a Jedi Knight, and he presented the youth with his father's lightsaber to prove it. The truth, as Luke soon learned, was a far more bitter pill to swallow. Anakin was a Jedi, but he had been corrupted by the Emperor, and he went over to the dark side of the Force. He had helped the Emperor to hunt down and exterminate the Jedi from the galaxy. He became Darth Vader, the very epitome of evil. But Luke believed that there was still some good in his father. And when he gave himself up on Endor, he staked his very soul on it. As is well known, Luke was correct. When the Emperor failed to corrupt Luke and determined to kill him, his father gave his life to save his son. It was a noble end, worthy of a true Jedi Knight. Afterward, as the Death Star collapsed around them and Vader lay dying, he asked Luke to take off the black breath mask that hid Vader's mangled features. He wanted to look upon young Luke with his own eyes, not through the mechanical lenses and filters. He wanted to look upon his son. His final words to Luke were a confirmation of the young man's faith. "You were right about me," Vader managed as his life slipped away. "Tell your sister ... you were right." He had lived for many years as Darth Vader, epitome of the New Order's evil. But his last actions were that of the Jedi Knight he once was. He died as Anakin Skywalker. He died in the light.
The Droids
See-Threepio
Type: Cybot Galactica 3PO Human-Cyborg Relations Droid
DEXTERITY 2D
Dodge 5D
KNOWLEDGE 5D+2
Alien species 7D+1, bureaucracy 8D+2, cultures 8D, languages 12D+1, planetary systems 6D, survival 5D+2, value 5D+2
MECHANICAL 3D
Repulsorlift operation 4D+2
PERCEPTION 3D+1
Bargain 6D, con 5D, hide 4D+1, sneak 4D+1
STRENGTH 2D
TECHNICAL 3D
First aid 4D
Equipped With: Humanoid body (two arms, two legs, head), two visual and two auditory sensors (Human range), broad-band antenna receiver, AA-1 Verbo-brain, TranLang III communication module with over six million languages, vocabulator speech/sound system capable of an extraordinarily wide range of sound effects and exact voice impersonations
Force Points 1
Character Points 15
Move 8
Size: 1.67 meters tall
Cost: Not available for sale
Artoo-Detoo
Type: Industrial Automaton R2 Astromech Droid
DEXTERITY 2D
Dodge 4D, electroshock prod 4D+2
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Planetary systems 9D, survival 6D+2, value 6D+2
MECHANICAL 4D
Astrogation 11D, communications 6D+1, sensors 7D+1, starfighter piloting 6D, starfighter piloting: X-wing 8D+1, starship gunnery 4D+1, starship shields 4D+1
PERCEPTION 3D
Command 3D+1, con 3D+2, gambling 6D, search 3D+1, sneak 4D+2
STRENGTH 3D
Lifting 4D, swimming 3D+1
TECHNICAL 4D
Computer programming/repair 8D+2, droid programming 5D+1, droid repair 7D, machinery repair 5D+2, repulsorlift repair 4D, security 6D, starfighter repair 6D+1, starfighter repair: X-wing 7D+2, space transports repair 5D+2, space transports repair: YT-1300 transports 7D+1
Equipped With: Three-wheeled legs (one retractable), retractable heavy grasper arm (+1D to lifting), retractable fine work grasper arm, extendable 0.3-meter video sensor (360-degree rotation), small electric arc welder (3D damage, 0.3-meter range), small circular saw (4D damage, 0.3-meter range), video display screen, holographic projector/recorder (one-meter range), fire extinguisher, small internal cargo area (20cm by 8cm)
Chapter Six: Remnants of the Empire
"The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am."
Darth Vader
Introduction
Lieutenant Dair Coladel keyed her sensor console again, but the computer spat back the same answer: unidentified energy spike in the low-band subspace range. It didn't make sense. First, residual interference from the destruction of the second Death Star jammed almost all communications. Second, the frequency didn't match any known subspace channels; no one would intentionally transmit that low in the spectrum.
She replayed the data several times and finally spotted the anomaly: it was a double spike, as though the signal had to build momentum to punch through the interference field. If the signal came from outside the field, her board would only catch the second peak. Since both were present, the origin had to be inside the disturbance envelope, either from one of the ships in orbit or from Endor's moon.
After checking with nearby Alliance vessels, she still had no explanation. She reported the probable origin point, and the characters received orders to report to a clearing west of the Ewok village for a briefing from Major Bren Derlin.
Imperial Intrigue
Emperor Palpatine built layers of contingency into the trap at Endor. One of those redundancies was a backup HoloNet facility on the forest moon. While the Alliance investigates the comm spike, the surviving Imperial outpost crew scrambles to modify its transceiver so it can punch through the post-battle interference and warn nearby Imperial forces.
Briefing
Derlin explains that a ship in low orbit detected an energy spike from the moon's surface. He suspects surviving scout troopers or an emergency transmitter and assigns the team to investigate a five-kilometer radius around the source coordinates.
He provides: low-feedback scanners, heavy muffled blasters, forest camouflage fatigues, thermal detonators, captured Imperial speeder bikes, and transport aboard the Star-Beast.
Adventure Script
Use the opening script as normal: the team descends in the Star-Beast, sensors give inconsistent lifeform contacts due to interference, and a fast-moving flock collides with the viewports just before touchdown, forcing a difficult landing.
He pulls a datapad from an inside pocket and offers it to the team's leader. "Here are the coordinates of the origination point, plus a requisition order for the equipment you need. Don't waste too much time out there; just scan a five-kilometer radius area and get back. We've got a lot more work to do before we can get back to the celebration. Good luck, and may the Force be with you."
The characters must head to the specified coordinates on Endor's moon and search for energy sources, no matter how small, in a five-kilometer radius from the touch-down point. Since communications have become intermittent at best, the characters should report back to the Ewok village as soon as they return so they can present their findings to Major Derlin. Derlin has provided the following equipment: low-feedback scanners, heavy muffled blasters, full forest camouflage fatigues, a dozen thermal detonators, captured Imperial speeder bikes (one for each character), and an old space yacht, the Star-Beast, to get them to the origination site. The low-feedback scanner will help locate energy sources, but it does not function properly from inside the transport; the characters must use the speeder bikes to explore the moon's surface. Assign each player a part in the adventure script and have them read it aloud. Episode One begins when all players are finished reading the script.
The silhouettes belong to najoons, native avians who sweep over the trees in huge flocks under cover of darkness. Their deep, black skin helps hide them from predators and prey alike, and they tend to remain inanimate throughout the daylight hours. The pilot of the Star-Beast must make a decision at this point: avoid crashing into the trees, avoid crashing into the ground, or avoid both. The first two options require a space transports rolls at a Moderate difficulty; the last option requires a Very Difficult roll.
The Star-Beast
Craft: Modified Lantillian Short Hauler
Type: Modified space yacht
Scale: Starfighter
Length: 27 meters
Skill: Space transports: Lantillian Short Hauler
Crew: 2, gunners: 1, skeleton 1/+10
Passengers: 6
Cargo Capacity: 85 metric tons
Consumables: 1 month
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x1
Hyperdrive Backup: x15
Nav Computer: Yes
Maneuverability: 1D
Space: 6
Atmosphere: 330; 950 kmh
Hull: 4D
Shields: 3D
Sensors: Passive: 15/0D
Scan: 35/1D
Search: 55/1D+2
Focus: 6/2D+2
Weapons: 2 turbolaser cannons
Fire Arc: Turret
Crew: 1
Skill: Starship gunnery
Fire Control: 3D (may be fired from co-pilot position at fire control 1D)
Space Range: 1-15/35/50
Atmosphere Range: 200-3/7/10 km
Damage: 5D
Note: Carries one escape pod which can carry six passengers.
Episode One: Welcoming Committee (Rough Landing)
Najoon
Type: Wild avian
DEXTERITY 3D+2
PERCEPTION 2D+1
STRENGTH 1D+2
Move 3 (walking), 15 (flying)
Size: 0.25-0.5 meters long, 0.45-0.7 meters wingspan
Night Things
Once the characters disembark from the Star-Beast, a Moderate sensors roll picks up energy readings less than a kilometer to the northwest. As they unload speeder bikes, they hear a strange screech-roar in the darkness.
With a deafening screech-roar, a massive creature bursts from the trees and charges straight at you. You can only make out a shadowy quadruped with a lashing, razor-sharp tail.
Preducor
Type: Nocturnal predator
DEXTERITY 4D
PERCEPTION 3D
Sneak: forest 4D
STRENGTH 6D
Stamina 5D
Special Abilities: Teeth: The preducor bites for 7D damage.
Claws: Forepaw claws do 6D damage.
Tail: A tailswipe does 5D+1 damage.
Move 8
Size: 4 meters tall, 5 meters long
The preducor has just begun its nightly hunting ritual, and its hunger has assumed complete control of its mind. The creature fights until it dies, lashing out with its claws, teeth, and tail every round as it continues to scream out its hunting cry. The first time it suffers a wound, the preducor leaps back into the forest, and everything goes quiet. It sneaks around the clearing, seeking a position from which it will have an advantage over its prey. The characters must succeed at an opposed Perception roll against the preducor's sneak: forest roll to locate the creature in the darkness. If they fail to find the creature before it attacks (10 seconds after it disappeared), the preducor gains a surprise attack on one character.
Ikas-Adno Nightfalcon Speeder Bike
Craft: Ikas-Adno Nightfalcon Speeder Bike
Type: Speeder bike
Scale: Speeder
Maneuverability: 3D+1
Move 160; 460 kmh
Body Strength: 1D+2
Weapons: Laser cannon
Fire Control: 2D
Damage: 4D
Episode Two: Chase
After the battle, an Easy sensors roll indicates that the source has moved west at a speed consistent with a cruising repulsor vehicle. The characters race to catch up to their prey. Combined with the darkness, the difficulty for maneuvering through the thick forest is Easy. The Imperials are moving cautiously (at half their move). The characters can catch up to them in nine rounds at their normal movement rate; they can catch up faster if they are willing to move at a faster speed. For each round it takes to catch up, add +1 to the Perception roll of the biker scouts for noticing the pursuit. The scouts begin to make one check per round once the characters get within three moves of them. Read aloud:
You set off on your speeders after the now-moving sensor blip. After a few moments the forest landscape begins to change. Massive slabs of reddish-orange stone jut up from the ground at varying angles and the faint light from the huge world of Endor casts a gray-blue glow over everything. The speeder bike chase begins when the scouts notice the characters and then speed up to maximum acceleration. If a biker scout gets more than two moves ahead of the characters, he disappears into the foliage, waits for the pursuers to pass him, and then comes in from behind (only two of the five speeders attempt this tactic; the others act as bait). If the scouts survive until the sixth round of combat, the commander of the Imperial outpost, Lieutenant Moridon, orders them to vector away from the outpost-they can't risk detection, not when they're so close to completing work on the HoloNet transceiver. On a Moderate Perception roll the characters notice the sudden change in course.
Episode Three: The Imperial Outpost
Built inside the crumbling husk of an ancient volcano, the outpost is trying to jury-rig a HoloNet transceiver to alert the rest of the Empire to the defeat at Endor.
Getting In
Typical Biker Scout (Patrol)
DEXTERITY 2D
Blaster 4D, brawling parry 4D, dodge 4D
KNOWLEDGE 2D
MECHANICAL 3D
Repulsorlift operation: speeder bike 3D+2
PERCEPTION 2D
STRENGTH 2D
Brawling 3D
TECHNICAL 2D
Character Points 1
Move 10
Equipment: Hold-out blaster (3D+2), scout armor (+2 physical, +2 energy)
Aratech 74-Z Military Speeder Bike
Craft: Aratech 74-Z Military Speeder Bike
Type: Speeder bike
Scale: Speeder
Maneuverability: 3D+2
Move 175; 500 kmh
Body Strength: 2D
Weapons: Laser cannon
Fire Control: 2D
Damage: 3D
Crashed Imperial speeder bikes can be repaired only on a Very Difficult repulsorlift repair roll. Characters sifting through the wreckage discover a functioning datapad and a broken comlink on a Moderate search roll. According to the datapad, the scout troopers were ordered by Lieutenant Moridon to check the outpost's perimeter for signs of the Rebels. The characters may repair the comlink on a Moderate Technical roll. Not much remains of the scouts or their equipment. Only on a Very Difficult armor repair roll may the characters fashion a complete set of scout trooper armor. On a Moderate sensors roll, the characters can pick up traces of energy radiating from a point about two kilometers to the west of their current position.
The characters may bypass the volcano in one of two ways: via a concealed door near its base that opens into a tunnel, or by climbing up and over the volcano's lip. To locate the hidden door on the east side of the volcano requires a Moderate search roll. A rough, circular opening half-covered in vines and climbing plants marks the beginning of a 10-meter long tunnel that runs through the volcano's side and ends at a dull-gray blast door, obviously a speeder bike entrance. The controls for the door have been built into the side of the rough-hewn tunnel and require a Moderate security roll to operate. Characters attempting to scale the volcano must make three consecutive Moderate climbing/jumping rolls. Failure means the character has fallen back to the base of the volcano. If the first roll is failed, the character suffers 2D falling damage; if the second roll is failed, the damage increases to 4D; and if the third is failed the damage increases to 7D. Each climbing roll represents 15 minutes of climbing. Read aloud:
With a hiss, the blast door slides up, revealing a well-lit, 10-meter-wide cylindrical corridor that curves to the right some 70 meters down. Hundreds of parallel grooves stretch along the corridor's metallic surface, broken only by oval glowpanels that shed bright, artificial illumination. The characters may proceed down the corridor on their speeder bikes. The tunnel is Very Easy terrain. After about one minute of travel through the tunnel, the characters round a curve to find a meter-thick slab of hardened lava that has punctured the corridor's metallic skin and blocked the middle of the tunnel. Characters must succeed at a Moderate repulsorlift operation roll to avoid the slab by stopping or by flying over or under it. Increase the difficulty to Difficult for characters going faster than one move per round. From here, the characters can travel the last 200 meters to the tunnel's exit without further incident.
Inside the Crater
You reach the volcano's central shaft to find the air warmer and thicker, but still breathable. Almost in the center of the crater an octagonal platform is suspended by pylons above jagged lava formations. A gray building that resembles a pyramid with its top sliced off takes up half the platform, and behind it rest several speeder bikes in a landing area designated by white and yellow luma-strips set in the floor. The sounds of the forest do not penetrate here, leaving you surrounded by a deep silence interrupted only by intermittent hissing steam. The characters do not see any Imperial personnel on the platform since those few remaining have been assigned to complete work on the transceiver. As a result, the post has minimal security, though the troopers are all on edge (+2 to all Perception-related rolls), especially with Rebels on the moon. The characters' next task involves crossing the field of jagged lava columns to reach the platform, which is suspended about 20 meters above the tallest formation. Characters on foot may cross by moving from one lava column to another via ropes and grappling hooks. An Easy Dexterity roll allows each character to proceed from one column to the next. Failure means that the character plunges toward the rocky floor some 2D+10 meters below. The characters must traverse four columns to reach the outpost's reinforced durasteel platform. Characters on speeder bikes may navigate through the columns at a Moderate difficulty. Unfortunately, even at maximum altitude, the bikes fall about 25 meters short of the platform. The platform's landing area can descend on repulsorlifts to pick up or let off limited-altitude repulsor vehicles. Unfortunately for the characters, the controls to operate the lift are inside the outpost. Attempts to contact the base fail unless the characters managed to salvage and repair one of the scouts' comlinks. If communication is established, the characters must make a Moderate con roll to convince the operator to lower the repulsorlift platform. Should this roll fail, the operator immediately alerts the rest of the outpost, leaving the characters just under two minutes before a squad of troopers rushes out to confront them. The platform's two-meter-thick durasteel deck was constructed less than two months ago. The supporting pylons measure approximately four meters in diameter, one meter wider than the plans had called for - the Emperor did not wish to take any chances with such an important outpost. Monofilament screen guards run along the platform's perimeter exactly one meter from the edge. Characters must make a Very Difficult search roll to detect the screen guards, which extend to a height of two meters above the platform's surface. Contact with the strips causes 6D damage (9D for subjects moving faster than their normal move). The Repulsorpad repulsorlift engines have been affixed to a section of the platform designated by white and yellow lines, which can be detached and lowered to pick up speeders or other limited-altitude vehicles, and then raised back to its original position with the newly acquired load. The repulsorpad moves at about one meter per second, making a one-way trip last just over 20 seconds. Only two speeder bikes are currently parked here, although darkened splotches of spilled lubricants indicate that there were a large number of vehicles here at some point within the last few days. Barracks: since most of the outpost's stormtroopers have been assigned to assist with work on the HoloNet transceiver, only two troopers are sleeping in each barracks area. Characters entering either room must make a Moderate sneak roll or else wake up the troopers, who then immediately roll onto the floor and yank blaster rifles from beneath their bunks.
Typical Imperial Stormtrooper (Outpost)
DEXTERITY 2D
Blaster 3D+2, blaster: blaster rifle 4D
KNOWLEDGE 2D
MECHANICAL 2D
PERCEPTION 2D
STRENGTH 2D
Brawling 3D
TECHNICAL 2D
Move 10
Equipment: Blaster rifle, stormtrooper armor (+2D physical, +1D energy, -1D Dexterity and related skills)
In the Rec Center, power is cut and all four doors seal. The only stealthy exit is through an air duct in the ceiling that leads to the next level. Unfortunately, the ductwork between levels has become the domain of three wild stohls. About halfway through the 15-meter duct, the stohls ambush the characters.
Stohl
Type: Wild carnivore
DEXTERITY 3D
PERCEPTION 2D
STRENGTH 2D
Special Abilities: Bite: Does STR+1 damage., Poison: Stohls do an additional 3D of damage with their poisonous bite. The damage is stun damage only, but the effects last for 12 standard hours.
Move 5
Size: 1-1.5 meters long
Because of the cramped quarters, the characters suffer a -1D to all Dexterity-based actions while within the duct. The duct ends at a floor panel at the top of the staircase on the second level. The character removing the panel must make a Difficult sneak roll or else alert the stormtroopers in Lab One, who arrive one round later.
Lab One: Two stormtroopers are currently gathering equipment requested by Lieutenant Moridon. Characters listening in on the troopers (on a Moderate Perception roll) overhear the conversation. Read aloud:
You hear the sound of metal scraping against metal, followed by a deep thump. "Great," a filtered voice begins. "Check out the primary display. Is it still intact?" After a short pause, a click precedes the reply. "No. Looks all right. Let's get it upstairs. Who knows how much time we have left before the Rebels find us out here. Grab that side." "I've got it," the first speaker says. "I can't wait to see the looks on the Rebels' faces when the rest of the fleet gets here." The clacking of boots tells you they've begun to head toward the doorway. If confronted, the stormtroopers decide to gently place the computer module they are carrying onto the floor before engaging in battle they have no interest in provoking their superior's anger. As a result, the characters get a free attack. Characters accessing the computer bank and making an Easy computer programming/repair roll discover that the most recently viewed file was a schematic of a Holonet transceiver, a device capable of long-range, immediate communications. Lab Two This laboratory contains a vat of greenish liquid. When the outpost was first constructed, the Imperials started testing the native flora for potential military uses; this last experiment was left untended when the fighting over Endor began. Next to the vat stands a column covered
with various sensors and displays. Any character who makes a Moderate sensors or computer programming/repair roll realizes that the liquid in the vat is highly unstable and extremely flammable (15D explosive, character scale damage if the entire vat is ignited). The computer bank contains information about hundreds of experiments, most of which ended with unsatisfactory results. Personal notes by the outpost's head researcher, Lieutenant Jeres Moridon, accompany each entry. Characters reading the notes and making a Moderate Perception roll notice that Moridon's state of mind seems to fluctuate wildly. One entry appears concise and scientific, while the next borders on the psychotic. Characters may access Moridon's personnel record on a Difficult computer programming/repair roll. The file indicates that after Moridon graduated from the Imperial Academy, he reported for duty as a security officer at a communications research facility on Vo Tunbren, a planet in the remote Tadra sector (near the KatholMinos region). When one of the facility's assistant researchers died in a botched experiment, Moridon took his place - but only because he had taken a communications course at the Academy. But over the ensuing years Moridon received several commendations for his research, providing him with the clout necessary to get himself off Vo Tunbren and onto the staff of a prestigious military design center hidden in the Mid-Rim. But before the end of the first week at his new position, Moridon was accidentally exposed to a chemical agent called Maladeria II - a toxic gas being researched for its possible military applications. By some stroke of luck, he survived the ordeal, but he came away with a slight limp and an erratic psychological profile. His recovery period lasted almost an entire year, and though he requested to return to the design center, his superiors discharged him from the military and offered him a position at a small outpost on the forest moon of Endor where he would oversee the construction of a back-up HoloNet system .. The last entry, made by Moridon himself, states that during the Battle of Endor, command of the outpost fell to him. The computer record ends here. Storage The sealed blast doors leading into this chamber require a Difficult security roll to bypass. Read aloud:
The blast door vanishes into the wall with a hiss, revealing a room filled with dozens of haphazardly stacked crates. Your eyes quickly adjust to the red illumination that highlights the
durasteel containers, but the crimson shadows stretching toward the back of the chamber remain impenetrable. As you step into the room, an electronic chime, like a disgruntled R2 unit, issues from a small square control pad on the interior wall.
The outpost's system requires a passcode to prevent the security klaxons from engaging. A character may bypass the passcode on a Very Difficult security roll or on a Difficult computer programming/repair roll. The team has only one chance to disengage the control pad before the alarm triggers.
The storage room contains 11 SoroSuub blaster rifles (5D), two suits of stormtrooper armor (+2D physical, +1D energy), seven Illiseni Aerodyne HobbyCraft Microweights (ultra-light repulsor vehicles), eight fragmentation grenades (4D), three vibroblades (STR+1D), a half dozen 10-centimeter transparisteel specimen cylinders, four canisters of trilerium preservative, and several crates of food and water.
The Command Center
The Command Center occupies all of the outpost's third level. The computers can access any outpost system, including the repulsorpad. A three-meter window overlooks the landing area. C-2V9, a cargo lifter droid, is on standby.
Two stormtroopers and Lieutenant Moridon are configuring the transceiver platform. Once engaged, the lift cycle takes about 30 seconds (six rounds). If not stopped, the transceiver sends its message on round five.
The transceiver can be disabled with a Heroic computer programming/repair roll, or by destroying the platform shaft (6D character-scale structural strength). The area is geologically unstable; severe tremors trigger a volcanic eruption shortly after the fight begins.
C-2V9
Type: Industrial Automaton 2V9 Cargo Lifter Droid
DEXTERITY 2D
KNOWLEDGE 1D
MECHANICAL 2D
PERCEPTION 1D
STRENGTH 4D
Lifting 8D
TECHNICAL 2D
Armor repair 3D+1, computer programming/repair 3D+2, repulsorlift repair 3D
Equipped With: Information storage/retrieval jack, high-pitch acoustic signaller, broad-band antenna receiver, repulsorlifts (+1D to lifting), durasteel lifting arm with magnetic grip
Move 4
Size: 1 meter tall
Cost: 2,500 credits (new), 1,750 credits (used)
Lieutenant Jeres Moridon
Type: Communications Expert
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Blaster 4D+2, blaster: blaster rifle 5D+1, dodge 3D+2, vehicle blasters 5D
KNOWLEDGE 3D+2
Bureaucracy 4D, planetary systems 4D+1, willpower 5D
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Communications 10D, ground vehicle operation 3D+1, sensors 3D+2
PERCEPTION 2D+2
Search: 3D+1
STRENGTH 2D+1
Stamina 3D+2
TECHNICAL 4D
Computer programming/repair 5D, demolitions 4D+2, droid programming 4D+1, security 5D
Force Points 1
Dark Side Points 1
Character Points 7
Move 8
Equipment: Hold-out blaster (3D), comlink
Capsule:
Moridon began his career as a security officer, then shifted to communications research after a staffing casualty at a remote facility. He advanced quickly, was later exposed to Maladeria II gas, and survived with a limp and unstable psychological profile. The Empire discharged him and reassigned him as civilian overseer for Endor's backup HoloNet outpost. With Imperial defeat and communications chaos, he sees one last chance to regain Imperial favor by getting a message out.
Typical Imperial Stormtrooper (Remaining Garrison)
DEXTERITY 2D
Blaster 3D+2, blaster: blaster rifle 4D
KNOWLEDGE 2D
MECHANICAL 2D
PERCEPTION 2D
STRENGTH 2D
Brawling 3D
TECHNICAL 2D
Equipment: Blaster rifle, stormtrooper armor (+2D physical, +1D energy, -1D Dexterity and related skills)
Episode Four: Escape
As the volcano destabilizes, the team has minutes to escape. If they arrived on speeder bikes, they must reach and hotwire the repulsorpad (Moderate computer programming/repair). If on foot, they may double-up on the two available Imperial bikes, but overloaded bikes require Difficult repulsorlift operation rolls.
Illiseni Aerodyne HobbyCraft Microweights
Craft: Illiseni Aerodyne HobbyCraft Microweights
Type: Speeder
Scale: Speeder
Maneuverability: 3D
Move 80; 230 kmh
Body Strength: 2D
A violent eruption tears free support pylons and collapses the outpost. Characters must make Moderate dodge rolls to avoid lava flows on the crater walls.
Fortunately, three TIE pilots sent by Moridon to retrieve hidden ships observed the destruction. As soon as the characters clear the forest canopy, the interceptors attack.
TIE Interceptors
Type: Starfighter
MECHANICAL 2D
Starfighter piloting 5D, starship gunnery 4D+2
Maneuverability: 3D+2
Space: 11
Atmosphere: 435; 1,250 kmh
Hull: 3D
Weapons: Four fire-linked laser cannons
Fire Control: 3D
Damage: 6D
Episode Five: Debriefing
The team returns to the Ewok village and reports to Major Derlin. He confirms that an Imperial Star Destroyer (possibly the Unrepentant) briefly dropped from hyperspace, launched probe droids, and withdrew before engagement. Derlin praises the team's performance but warns that Imperial retaliation remains possible.
Further Adventures
Hunters on Tatooine
A captured Rebel is being transferred by bounty hunters toward the Pit of Carkoon. The pursuit moves from Mos Eisley through the Jundland Wastes and culminates near wrecked sail barges and skiffs.
Escape to Sullust
The team escorts a critical datadisk and must recover detained Sullustan intelligence agents on Adras before leading attack vessels to fleet rendezvous coordinates.
Rescue at Rordak
The characters infiltrate an Imperial penal center to extract one of Ackbar's aides and must escape under pursuit from TIE fighters and ion cannon fire.
Character Points
Characters receive two Character Points for completing the adventure, plus two more for preventing Moridon from contacting the Imperial fleet.