Sourcebooks
The Last Command Sourcebook
The Last Command Sourcebook
Credits
Design: Eric S. Trautmann
Additional Material: Timothy Zahn, Bill Slavicsek, Paul Murphy, Peter Schweighofer, Bill Smith, George R. Strayton
Development and Editing: Bill Smith, Peter Schweighofer
Art Direction: Stephen Crane
Graphics: Cathleen Hunter, Stephen Crane
Cover Art: Tom Jung (painting)
Interior Illustrations: Tim Eldred, Allen Nunis, David Plunkett, Terry Pavlet, Dan Schaeffer, Mike Vilardi
Publisher: Daniel Scott Palter
Associate Publisher: Richard Hawran
Treasurer: Denise D. Palter
Associate Publisher/Treasurer: Denise D. Palter
Published by West End Games
TM and (C) 1994 Lucasfilm, Ltd. (LFL). All Rights Reserved. Trademarks of LFL used by West End Games under authorization.
It is a time of crisis for the New Republic. Five years after the destruction of the second Death Star, a new threat has arisen to challenge the fledgling government.
Grand Admiral Thrawn, the last of the Emperor's Grand Admirals, has gathered the shattered remnants of the Imperial fleet and launched a massive campaign against the Republic. Utilizing the evil Joruus C'baoth, a deranged Dark Jedi clone, and the incredible cloning technology hidden beneath Mount Tantiss on the remote world of Wayland, the Grand Admiral has brought the New Republic to the brink of destruction.
Now, in a final desperate gamble, the heroes of the Republic risk everything as they race to stop Thrawn before his forces destroy all they have fought so hard to achieve...
Chapter One: The Heroes of Yavin
From the datapad journal of Voren Na'al, Director of New Republic Council Research.
As I sit down to record the events of the past few months, I find it difficult to contain my excitement. The war against Grand Admiral Thrawn has been the defining conflict of our time, and the heroes who fought so valiantly to save the Republic deserve to be recognized.
As in my previous reports, I have focused primarily on those key individuals in the New Republic who played the most active role in the events surrounding the Thrawn crisis. I am immensely proud that I have been given this opportunity to record their contributions for posterity.
Luke Skywalker
From the personal journal of Voren Na'al.
Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker is the single most important figure in the New Republic, and quite possibly the most important individual in the galaxy. As the last of the Jedi Knights, Luke bears an awesome responsibility: the rebirth of the Jedi tradition.
Luke has undergone startling personal growth in the past year. No longer the naive, idealistic young man from Tatooine, Skywalker has become a seasoned warrior and capable leader. His powers in the Force have grown tremendously, and he has demonstrated an uncanny ability to confront seemingly insurmountable challenges.
Luke's most recent confrontation pitted him against the insane clone Joruus C'baoth, who attempted to "recruit" Luke as his student. Luke resisted the Dark Jedi's influence, even when confronted with a clone of himself — the mad Luuke Skywalker. Luke overcame these obstacles and destroyed both C'baoth and his clone at the Battle of Mount Tantiss.
In a surprising move, Luke has begun to train Mara Jade in the ways of the Force. While some in the Republic question his judgment, Luke believes that Mara has the potential to become a great Jedi. Luke gave Mara his father's lightsaber after the Battle of Mount Tantiss.
Luke is a young man of average height, with sandy blond hair and blue eyes. While he tends to dress in simple, dark garments, there is nothing simple about Skywalker. He radiates a calm, controlled power that inspires confidence in all who meet him.
Luke Skywalker
Type: Jedi Knight
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 6D+1, brawling parry 6D, dodge 8D, lightsaber 10D+2, melee combat 6D+2, melee parry 7D, vehicle blasters 4D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D+2
Alien species 6D, bureaucracy 5D+1, cultures 5D, intimidation 4D, languages 5D, planetary systems 7D, streetwise 5D+2, survival 7D+2, value 4D, willpower 9D
MECHANICAL 3D+1
Astrogation 7D+2, beast riding 4D, communications 5D, repulsorlift operation 7D+1, sensors 5D, space transports 7D, starfighter piloting 9D+2, starfighter piloting: X-wing 12D+1, starship gunnery 9D, starship shields 6D, swoop operation 6D
PERCEPTION 3D
Bargain 5D, command 7D+2, con 4D, hide 5D, investigation 5D, persuasion 7D, search 6D+2, sneak 6D
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 7D+2, climbing/jumping 7D, lifting 6D, stamina 7D+2, swimming 5D+1
TECHNICAL 2D+1
Computer programming/repair 5D, demolition 4D, droid programming 4D, droid repair 4D+2, first aid 6D, lightsaber repair 7D, repulsorlift repair 5D+1, security 5D, starfighter repair 6D+1
Special Abilities:
Force Skills: Control 12D, Sense 11D+2, Alter 10D+2
Control: Absorb/dissipate energy, accelerate healing, concentrate, control pain, detoxify poison, emptiness, enhance attribute, hibernation trance, reduce injury, remain conscious, resist stun, short-term memory enhancement
Sense: Combat sense, danger sense, instinctive astrogation, 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: Accelerate another's healing, control another's pain, return another to consciousness
Control, Sense, and Alter: Affect mind, battle meditation, telekinetic kill
Force Points: 6
Dark Side Points: 0
Character Points: 25
Move: 10
Equipment: Lightsaber (5D), blaster pistol (4D), comlink, X-wing starfighter
This character is Force-sensitive
Princess Leia Organa Solo
From the personal journal of Voren Na'al.
Princess Leia Organa Solo continues to be the heart and soul of the New Republic. While Mon Mothma may be the Republic's leader, Leia is the one who inspires the people, both through her tireless political efforts and her willingness to risk her life for others.
Leia has settled comfortably into her roles as mother, diplomat and warrior. Her twins, Jaina and Jacen, were born shortly before the Thrawn crisis and have required a great deal of attention. Leia has managed to balance her duties as a mother with her considerable political responsibilities remarkably well, though she admits that it has been "the hardest juggling act of my life."
One of Leia's most notable accomplishments during the Thrawn crisis was her success in winning the allegiance of the Noghri people. Through a combination of courage, compassion and determination, Leia proved to the Noghri that the Empire had been systematically poisoning their planet. The Noghri promptly switched their allegiance to the New Republic and have provided considerable assistance.
Leia has also continued to develop her Force abilities under Luke's tutelage, though the demands of her political and diplomatic career (not to mention a pair of Force-sensitive twins) have slowed her training considerably.
Princess Leia Organa Solo
Type: Senator/Diplomat
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Blaster 6D, brawling parry 4D+2, dodge 8D, melee combat 4D+1, melee parry 4D+1, running 4D+1
KNOWLEDGE 3D+2
Alien species 8D+1, bureaucracy 10D, cultures 7D, intimidation 5D, languages 8D, law enforcement 5D, planetary systems 6D+1, streetwise 5D, survival 4D, value 6D+1, willpower 8D
MECHANICAL 2D
Astrogation 4D, beast riding 3D+1, communications 4D, repulsorlift operation 3D+2, sensors 3D+2, space transports 3D+2, starship gunnery 3D
PERCEPTION 3D+1
Bargain 8D, command 8D+1, con 5D+2, forgery 5D, hide 5D, investigation 4D, persuasion 10D, search 5D, sneak 4D+1
STRENGTH 2D
Brawling 3D+1, climbing/jumping 3D+2, stamina 4D+1, swimming 3D
TECHNICAL 2D+1
Computer programming/repair 4D, droid programming 3D+2, first aid 5D, security 5D+2
Special Abilities:
Force Skills: Control 4D+2, Sense 5D, Alter 3D+1
Control: Accelerate healing, control pain, enhance attribute, remain conscious
Sense: Danger sense, life detection, life sense, receptive telepathy, sense Force
Alter: Telekinesis
Control and Sense: Lightsaber combat, projective telepathy
Force Points: 4
Dark Side Points: 0
Character Points: 24
Move: 10
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), comlink, hold-out blaster (3D+2), lightsaber (5D), datapad
This character is Force-sensitive
Han Solo
From the personal journal of Voren Na'al.
Han Solo, the former smuggler turned hero, continues to serve the New Republic. While Han would be the last person to admit it, he has become a critical member of the Republic's leadership, serving in a number of unofficial capacities. His skill as a pilot, his knowledge of the fringe, and his stubborn determination have proven invaluable.
Han is a new father, and the experience has changed him in subtle but unmistakable ways. He is still cocky, arrogant and reckless, but there is a new seriousness about him. While he would never admit it, Han worries about his children constantly, and he has become fiercely protective of his family.
During the Thrawn crisis, Han played a pivotal role in a number of key events. He helped organize and maintain the smuggler coalition that proved critical in breaking the siege of Coruscant. He participated in the assault on Mount Tantiss that destroyed Thrawn's cloning facility. And he continued to be one of the New Republic's most effective trouble-shooters, dealing with a wide range of problems with his customary style and flair.
Han Solo
Type: Smuggler
DEXTERITY 3D+1
Blaster 10D+1, brawling parry 6D, dodge 8D+1, grenade 5D, melee combat 5D+2, melee parry 5D+1, running 5D, vehicle blasters 4D+2
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Alien species 5D+2, bureaucracy 5D+1, cultures 4D, intimidation 6D, languages 4D+2, law enforcement 4D+2, planetary systems 6D+2, streetwise 8D+2, survival 5D+2, value 6D+1, willpower 5D
MECHANICAL 3D+2
Astrogation 8D+1, beast riding 4D+1, communications 5D, ground vehicle operation 4D, hover vehicle operation 4D+1, repulsorlift operation 6D+2, sensors 5D+2, space transports 10D+1, starship gunnery 9D, starship shields 7D+1, swoop operation 5D+1
PERCEPTION 3D
Bargain 7D+1, command 6D, con 7D+2, forgery 5D, gambling 7D+1, hide 6D+1, investigation 4D, persuasion 5D+2, search 5D+2, sneak 6D
STRENGTH 3D+1
Brawling 7D+1, climbing/jumping 6D, lifting 5D, stamina 7D+2, swimming 4D+1
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Computer programming/repair 4D+2, droid programming 3D, droid repair 4D+1, first aid 4D+1, ground vehicle repair 3D+2, repulsorlift repair 5D+1, security 6D+2, space transports repair 8D+2, starship weapon repair 5D
Force Points: 5
Dark Side Points: 0
Character Points: 23
Move: 10
Equipment: Heavy blaster pistol (5D), comlink, Millennium Falcon
Chewbacca
Chewbacca, Han Solo's Wookiee co-pilot and companion, has continued to serve loyally at Han's side throughout the Thrawn crisis. Chewie has proven invaluable in a number of situations, lending his considerable strength, mechanical skill and fighting ability to the Republic's cause.
Chewie has taken a particular interest in protecting the Solo children, and has proven to be a remarkably effective and devoted protector. He has also continued to be one of the New Republic's best starship mechanics, performing miracles of repair on the Millennium Falcon and other vessels.
Chewbacca
Type: Wookiee First Mate
DEXTERITY 3D+1
Blaster 6D+2, bowcaster 9D, brawling parry 8D+1, dodge 6D+1, grenade 4D, melee combat 8D+1, melee parry 6D, vehicle blasters 3D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D+1
Alien species 4D+2, cultures 3D+2, intimidation 6D, languages 4D+1, planetary systems 5D+1, streetwise 4D+1, survival 5D+2, value 4D+1
MECHANICAL 3D+2
Astrogation 6D+1, beast riding 3D+2, communications 4D, ground vehicle operation 3D+2, repulsorlift operation 4D+1, sensors 4D, space transports 7D+2, starship gunnery 6D+1, starship shields 5D+2
PERCEPTION 1D+1
Bargain 3D+2, command 3D, con 3D+1, gambling 3D+2, hide 3D+2, investigation 2D+2, search 4D+1, sneak 4D
STRENGTH 5D+2
Brawling 9D, climbing/jumping 7D+2, lifting 8D, stamina 8D, swimming 5D
TECHNICAL 3D+1
Computer programming/repair 5D, demolition 5D+1, droid programming 3D+2, droid repair 5D+1, first aid 4D+1, ground vehicle repair 3D+2, repulsorlift repair 6D, security 5D+1, space transports repair 8D, starship weapon repair 4D+2
Special Abilities:
Berserker Rage: +2D to Strength for brawling damage when enraged, -2D to all non-Strength attribute and skill checks.
Climbing Claws: +2D to climbing.
Force Points: 3
Dark Side Points: 0
Character Points: 18
Move: 11
Equipment: Bowcaster (4D), bandolier, comlink, mesh tool kit
Lando Calrissian
Lando Calrissian, former administrator of Cloud City and now one of the New Republic's most colorful military leaders, has continued to play a significant role in the war against Thrawn. Lando's background as a gambler, con artist and businessman has served the Republic well, providing a unique perspective and an uncanny ability to think on his feet.
During the Thrawn crisis, Lando played a crucial role in the assault on Mount Tantiss. Along with Han Solo, Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade, Lando was part of the strike team that infiltrated the mountain and destroyed Thrawn's cloning facility. Lando's demolitions expertise was instrumental in the destruction of the facility.
Lando Calrissian
Type: General/Gambler
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 6D+2, brawling parry 5D+1, dodge 7D, grenade 4D+1, melee combat 4D+2, melee parry 5D
KNOWLEDGE 2D+2
Alien species 6D, bureaucracy 8D+2, business 8D, cultures 7D, intimidation 5D, languages 5D, law enforcement 4D, planetary systems 6D+1, streetwise 7D, survival 3D+2, value 8D, willpower 5D+1
MECHANICAL 3D+1
Astrogation 6D, beast riding 3D+1, communications 5D, ground vehicle operation 3D+1, hover vehicle operation 4D, repulsorlift operation 5D+1, sensors 5D, space transports 6D+1, starfighter piloting 6D+2, starship gunnery 6D+2, starship shields 5D+2
PERCEPTION 3D+2
Bargain 7D+1, command 6D+2, con 8D, forgery 5D, gambling 9D, hide 5D, investigation 5D, persuasion 7D+2, search 4D+1, sneak 5D+1
STRENGTH 2D+2
Brawling 5D+2, climbing/jumping 4D+1, lifting 3D+2, stamina 5D+1, swimming 3D+2
TECHNICAL 2D+1
Computer programming/repair 4D+2, demolition 6D, droid programming 3D, droid repair 3D, first aid 3D+2, ground vehicle repair 3D, repulsorlift repair 4D+1, security 5D+1, space transports repair 5D+2
Force Points: 3
Dark Side Points: 0
Character Points: 17
Move: 10
Equipment: Hold-out blaster (3D+2), comlink, datapad, cape (his favorite)
Winter
Winter, the personal aide and close friend of Princess Leia Organa Solo, has been instrumental in the protection and care of the Solo children. Her holographic memory — the ability to recall anything she has ever seen or heard in perfect detail — makes her an invaluable intelligence asset.
During the Thrawn crisis, Winter served primarily as a protector for the Solo twins, keeping them safe while Leia attended to her diplomatic duties. Winter has also continued to serve as an intelligence liaison, providing the Republic with critical information.
Winter
Type: Aide/Intelligence Agent
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 5D+1, dodge 6D+1, melee combat 4D, running 4D+2
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Alien species 6D, bureaucracy 7D+2, cultures 6D+2, languages 6D+1, law enforcement 5D, planetary systems 5D+2, streetwise 5D+1, survival 4D, willpower 6D
MECHANICAL 2D+1
Astrogation 3D+2, communications 4D+2, repulsorlift operation 3D+2, space transports 3D+1
PERCEPTION 3D+2
Bargain 5D, command 5D, con 6D+1, hide 6D, investigation 7D, persuasion 6D+1, search 6D+2, sneak 6D+2
STRENGTH 2D
Brawling 3D+2, climbing/jumping 3D, stamina 4D+1
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Computer programming/repair 5D, first aid 4D+2, security 6D
Special Abilities:
Holographic Memory: Winter can recall any event she has witnessed in perfect detail. She need not make any skill rolls to recall information.
Force Points: 1
Character Points: 12
Move: 10
Equipment: Hold-out blaster (3D+2), comlink, datapad
Wedge Antilles
Wedge Antilles, the famed leader of Rogue Squadron, is one of the New Republic's greatest military heroes. He is the only pilot other than Luke Skywalker to have survived both Death Star battles, and his Rogue Squadron is widely regarded as the best starfighter unit in the galaxy.
During the Thrawn crisis, Wedge and Rogue Squadron were in the thick of the fighting, providing critical support during the siege of Coruscant and the assault on the Bilbringi shipyards. Wedge also developed a number of innovative combat maneuvers, including the "screen formation," which have been widely adopted by New Republic forces.
Wedge Antilles
Type: Starfighter Pilot
DEXTERITY 3D+1
Blaster 5D+2, brawling parry 4D+2, dodge 6D+2, melee combat 4D, vehicle blasters 5D
KNOWLEDGE 2D+1
Alien species 3D+2, bureaucracy 3D+1, planetary systems 5D, streetwise 4D, survival 3D+2, tactics 6D+2, tactics: starfighter tactics 8D+2, willpower 5D+1
MECHANICAL 4D
Astrogation 6D+1, communications 5D+2, repulsorlift operation 5D, sensors 5D, space transports 5D+2, starfighter piloting 10D, starfighter piloting: X-wing 12D, starship gunnery 9D+1, starship shields 6D+2
PERCEPTION 3D
Bargain 4D, command 7D+1, con 3D+2, hide 4D+2, investigation 3D+2, persuasion 5D, search 5D+1, sneak 4D
STRENGTH 2D+2
Brawling 5D+2, climbing/jumping 4D, lifting 3D+2, stamina 5D+1, swimming 3D+2
TECHNICAL 3D
Computer programming/repair 5D, droid programming 3D+2, first aid 3D+2, repulsorlift repair 4D, security 4D, starfighter repair 6D+2
Force Points: 3
Character Points: 15
Move: 10
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), comlink, flight suit, X-wing starfighter
C-3PO
C-3PO
Type: Protocol Droid
DEXTERITY 1D
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Alien species 9D, bureaucracy 7D, cultures 7D+1, languages 10D+2
MECHANICAL 1D+1
PERCEPTION 2D
STRENGTH 1D
TECHNICAL 1D+2
Equipped With:
- Humanoid body (two arms, two legs, head)
- Two visual and two audial sensors (Human range)
- Vocabulator/sound system (capable of reproducing virtually any sound)
- AA-1 VerboBrain
- TransLang III Communications module (over six million forms of communication)
Move: 8
Size: 1.7 meters tall
Cost: Not for sale
R2-D2
R2-D2
Type: Astromech Droid
DEXTERITY 1D
KNOWLEDGE 1D
MECHANICAL 2D
Astrogation 8D, space transports 3D, starfighter piloting 5D+2
PERCEPTION 1D
Search 3D+1
STRENGTH 1D
TECHNICAL 2D
Computer programming/repair 7D, starfighter repair 7D+1
Equipped With:
- Three wheeled legs (one retractable)
- Retractable heavy grasper arm (lifting skill at 2D)
- Retractable fine work grasper arm
- Small electric arc welder (1D to 5D damage, 0.3 meter range)
- Small circular saw (4D damage, 0.3 meter range)
- Video display screen
- Holographic projector/recorder
- Fire extinguisher
- Acoustic signaller
- Small (20 cm by 8 cm) internal cargo area
- Some additional tools and equipment
Move: 5; 30 (flying, for short bursts with rocket jets)
Size: 0.96 meters tall
Cost: Not for sale
Garm Bel Iblis
From the personal journal of Voren Na'al.
Senator Garm Bel Iblis, the former Corellian Senator, has fully returned to the fold of the New Republic. His reappearance was one of the most dramatic developments in recent months.
Bel Iblis left the Rebellion years ago due to his growing disagreements with Mon Mothma. He believed that Mon Mothma was becoming too authoritarian, and that she was slowly but surely transforming the Alliance into her own personal power base. Whether his fears were justified is still a matter of considerable debate.
After leaving the Alliance, Bel Iblis formed his own private army and waged an independent war against the Empire. His forces, while never large, were well-trained, well-equipped and extremely effective. Now that Bel Iblis has returned, his considerable military experience and expertise have proven invaluable.
During the Thrawn crisis, Bel Iblis assumed command of the defense of Coruscant when Admiral Ackbar was away on other duties. His tactical brilliance was instrumental in preventing Thrawn from capitalizing on his siege of the capital. Bel Iblis also developed the "A-wing slash," a combat maneuver that has proven extremely effective against Imperial formations.
Garm Bel Iblis
Type: Senator/General
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Blaster 5D+2, brawling parry 5D, dodge 6D+2, melee combat 5D, running 4D
KNOWLEDGE 3D+1
Alien species 6D+1, bureaucracy 9D+1, cultures 6D, intimidation 7D, languages 6D, law enforcement 5D+2, planetary systems 7D+2, streetwise 5D, survival 4D+2, tactics 9D, tactics: capital ship tactics 10D, tactics: fleet tactics 11D, willpower 7D+2
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Astrogation 4D, capital ship piloting 5D+2, capital ship shields 4D, communications 5D+1, sensors 5D, space transports 4D+1, starfighter piloting 4D
PERCEPTION 3D+2
Bargain 7D, command 10D+2, con 5D, hide 4D+2, investigation 5D+1, persuasion 8D+1, search 5D, sneak 4D+1
STRENGTH 2D+1
Brawling 4D+2, climbing/jumping 3D+2, stamina 5D
TECHNICAL 2D+1
Computer programming/repair 3D+2, first aid 3D+2, security 4D
Force Points: 3
Character Points: 15
Move: 10
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), comlink, datapad
Admiral Ackbar
Admiral Ackbar continues to serve as the Supreme Commander of the New Republic fleet. The Mon Calamari military genius has guided the Republic through some of its darkest hours, and his recent vindication after false charges of treason has only strengthened his position.
Admiral Ackbar
Type: Mon Calamari Military Commander
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Blaster 4D+2, brawling parry 4D+1, dodge 6D, melee combat 4D, melee parry 4D+1
KNOWLEDGE 3D+1
Alien species 7D, bureaucracy 9D+2, cultures 6D+1, intimidation 5D, languages 6D, law enforcement 6D+2, planetary systems 7D+1, survival 4D+2, tactics 10D+1, tactics: capital ship tactics 12D+2, tactics: fleet tactics 12D+1, willpower 6D+1
MECHANICAL 3D
Astrogation 5D+2, capital ship piloting 9D+2, capital ship shields 7D, communications 6D, sensors 6D+2, space transports 4D+2, starfighter piloting 4D, starship gunnery 5D
PERCEPTION 2D+2
Bargain 5D, command 10D, con 3D+2, hide 4D, investigation 5D, persuasion 6D, search 5D, sneak 4D+1
STRENGTH 2D+2
Brawling 4D, climbing/jumping 3D+1, stamina 5D, swimming 6D+2
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Capital ship repair 5D+1, computer programming/repair 5D+2, first aid 4D, security 4D+1
Special Abilities:
Moist Environment: In moist environments, Mon Calamari receive +1D to all Perception, Knowledge and Mechanical skill checks.
Dry Environment: In very dry environments, Mon Calamari seem depressed and lose -1D to all Perception, Knowledge and Mechanical skill checks.
Aquatic: Mon Calamari can breathe both air and water and can withstand extreme ocean pressures.
Force Points: 2
Character Points: 16
Move: 9 (walking), 12 (swimming)
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), comlink, datapad
Mon Mothma
Mon Mothma, the leader of the New Republic, has guided the fledgling government through the most difficult period in its short history. The former Senator from Chandrila has spent the past several years attempting to forge a unified government out of the chaotic remnants of the Rebellion, and while progress has been slow, it has been steady.
During the Thrawn crisis, Mon Mothma was forced to deal with a number of political challenges, including the attempted power grab by Councilor Borsk Fey'lya. While Fey'lya's scheme ultimately failed, the political infighting weakened the Republic at a critical time.
Mon Mothma
Type: Chief of State
DEXTERITY 2D
Blaster 3D, dodge 5D+1
KNOWLEDGE 3D+2
Alien species 8D, bureaucracy 12D, cultures 8D+2, intimidation 6D, languages 8D+1, law enforcement 7D, planetary systems 7D+1, survival 4D, tactics 5D+1, willpower 8D+2
MECHANICAL 2D
Communications 3D+1, repulsorlift operation 3D
PERCEPTION 3D+2
Bargain 8D, command 9D+1, con 5D+1, hide 4D+2, investigation 5D+1, persuasion 10D+2, search 5D+1, sneak 4D+1
STRENGTH 1D+2
Stamina 3D+1
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Computer programming/repair 4D+1, first aid 3D, security 4D
Force Points: 3
Character Points: 18
Move: 10
Equipment: Comlink, datapad
Chapter Two: The Forces of the Empire
From the datapad journal of Voren Na'al, Director of New Republic Council Research.
The recent death of Grand Admiral Thrawn and the destruction of his cloning facility at Mount Tantiss have dealt a devastating blow to the remnants of the Galactic Empire. However, the Empire is far from destroyed, and the threat it poses to the New Republic remains considerable.
The following profiles are based on the latest intelligence reports from New Republic Intelligence and the information provided by a number of reliable sources.
Grand Admiral Thrawn
From the personal journal of Voren Na'al.
Grand Admiral Thrawn was the last of the Emperor's Grand Admirals and, in the opinion of many, the most brilliant military mind the galaxy has ever seen. His campaign against the New Republic came within a hairsbreadth of destroying the fledgling government, and it is only through the heroic actions of the Republic's finest that his plans were thwarted.
Thrawn was a Chiss, a near-Human species from the Unknown Regions of the galaxy. He had pale blue skin, jet-black hair, and glowing red eyes. His appearance was striking and unsettling; many who served under him found his presence intimidating.
Thrawn's genius lay in his uncanny ability to analyze and understand alien cultures. He studied the artwork of his opponents, and from it he was able to derive tactical insights that gave him an enormous advantage in combat. This unusual approach to warfare was remarkably effective, and Thrawn achieved a string of victories that shook the Republic to its core.
Thrawn was killed by his Noghri bodyguard Rukh aboard the Chimaera during the Battle of Bilbringi. His death sent shock waves through the Imperial fleet, which rapidly began to splinter and fragment.
Grand Admiral Thrawn
Type: Grand Admiral
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Blaster 5D+2, brawling parry 4D+1, dodge 6D+2, melee combat 5D, melee parry 5D+2
KNOWLEDGE 4D
Alien species 11D+2, bureaucracy 8D+1, cultures 12D+1, intimidation 8D+2, languages 7D, law enforcement 5D, planetary systems 8D+2, streetwise 5D, survival 5D+2, tactics 12D, tactics: capital ship tactics 14D, tactics: fleet tactics 14D+2, tactics: siege tactics 12D+2, willpower 8D
MECHANICAL 3D+1
Astrogation 7D+1, capital ship piloting 8D+2, capital ship shields 6D, communications 6D+1, sensors 7D+1, space transports 5D+2, starfighter piloting 5D+1, starship gunnery 6D
PERCEPTION 3D+2
Bargain 5D+2, command 12D+1, con 6D, forgery 5D, gambling 5D+2, hide 5D, investigation 8D+1, persuasion 6D+2, search 7D, sneak 5D
STRENGTH 2D+1
Brawling 4D+2, climbing/jumping 3D+2, stamina 5D
TECHNICAL 3D
Capital starship repair 5D+2, computer programming/repair 6D+2, first aid 4D, security 6D
Force Points: 2
Dark Side Points: 6
Character Points: 23
Move: 10
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), comlink, Imperial-class Star Destroyer Chimaera, Imperial Grand Admiral's uniform
Captain Gilad Pellaeon
Captain Pellaeon served as Thrawn's second-in-command aboard the Chimaera. A competent if uninspired officer, Pellaeon was the last captain to command the Imperial fleet at the Battle of Endor, issuing the retreat order when it became clear that the battle was lost.
Pellaeon was initially skeptical of Thrawn's unorthodox methods, but he quickly came to appreciate the Grand Admiral's genius. Thrawn, in turn, found Pellaeon to be a reliable and efficient officer, though he rarely consulted the captain on matters of strategy.
After Thrawn's death, Pellaeon has assumed command of the Chimaera and the remnants of Thrawn's fleet. He has set course for the Unknown Regions, apparently intending to make a final stand at the edge of civilized space.
Captain Gilad Pellaeon
Type: Imperial Navy Captain
DEXTERITY 2D+1
Blaster 4D+2, brawling parry 4D, dodge 5D+2, melee combat 3D+2, melee parry 3D+2
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Alien species 4D+2, bureaucracy 7D+2, cultures 4D, intimidation 5D+2, languages 4D+1, law enforcement 4D+1, planetary systems 5D+2, survival 4D, tactics 7D, tactics: capital ship tactics 8D+2, tactics: fleet tactics 8D+1, willpower 6D
MECHANICAL 3D+1
Astrogation 5D+2, capital ship piloting 7D+2, capital ship shields 5D+1, communications 5D+2, sensors 6D, space transports 4D+1, starship gunnery 5D
PERCEPTION 3D
Bargain 4D+2, command 8D+1, con 4D, hide 3D+2, investigation 4D, persuasion 5D+2, search 4D+2, sneak 3D+2
STRENGTH 2D
Brawling 3D+2, climbing/jumping 3D, stamina 4D+1
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Capital ship repair 4D+2, computer programming/repair 4D, first aid 3D+1, security 4D
Force Points: 1
Character Points: 15
Move: 10
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), comlink, datapad, code cylinders
Joruus C'baoth
Joruus C'baoth was a clone of the Jedi Master Jorus C'baoth (note the spelling difference — the clone had an extra "u" in his first name), created by the Emperor as part of his cloning experiments on Mount Tantiss. The clone was deeply insane, a raving megalomaniac who believed that it was his destiny to rule the galaxy.
Thrawn located C'baoth on Wayland and recruited him as a key element of his campaign against the New Republic. C'baoth's ability to use the Force to coordinate entire fleets in battle was an enormous tactical advantage, and Thrawn exploited this ability to devastating effect.
C'baoth was obsessed with gaining control of Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa Solo, believing that he could mold them into his personal servants. When this plan failed, C'baoth created a clone of Luke Skywalker — the monstrous Luuke — to serve as his enforcer.
C'baoth was finally destroyed at the Battle of Mount Tantiss when Mara Jade killed him with Luke Skywalker's father's lightsaber. His death ended one of the most significant threats the New Republic had ever faced.
Joruus C'baoth
Type: Insane Dark Jedi Clone
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Brawling parry 5D, dodge 7D, lightsaber 9D+2, melee combat 5D
KNOWLEDGE 3D+1
Alien species 7D, bureaucracy 6D, cultures 7D+2, intimidation 10D+1, languages 6D+1, planetary systems 5D, scholar: Jedi lore 9D+2, survival 5D+2, willpower 10D
MECHANICAL 2D
Astrogation 3D, beast riding 3D+2, space transports 3D+1
PERCEPTION 3D+2
Bargain 5D, command 9D+2, con 5D, hide 4D+2, investigation 5D, persuasion 6D+1, search 6D, sneak 5D
STRENGTH 2D+1
Brawling 4D, climbing/jumping 3D+2, stamina 5D+1
TECHNICAL 1D+2
Computer programming/repair 3D, first aid 5D+1, lightsaber repair 7D
Special Abilities:
Force Skills: Control 12D+2, Sense 13D, Alter 12D+1
Control: Absorb/dissipate energy, accelerate healing, concentrate, control pain, emptiness, enhance attribute, hibernation trance, reduce injury, remain conscious, resist stun
Sense: Combat sense, danger sense, 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: Accelerate another's healing, control another's pain, inflict pain, return another to consciousness
Control, Sense, and Alter: Affect mind, battle meditation, enhanced coordination, telekinetic kill
Force Points: 5
Dark Side Points: 16
Character Points: 20
Move: 10
Equipment: Lightsaber (5D)
This character is Force-sensitive
Imperial Forces
Imperial Cloned Soldiers
Grand Admiral Thrawn's most significant accomplishment was the resurrection of the Emperor's cloning technology. Using the Spaarti cylinders hidden in the depths of Mount Tantiss on Wayland, Thrawn was able to produce thousands of fully trained soldiers in a matter of weeks.
The key to Thrawn's success was the use of ysalamiri — creatures that "push back" the Force, creating bubbles of Force-empty space. By placing ysalamiri near the cloning cylinders, Thrawn eliminated the "clone madness" that had plagued earlier cloning attempts, allowing him to accelerate the cloning process dramatically.
The cloned soldiers were competent if somewhat unimaginative fighters. They were well-trained through a "flash-pumping" process that fed tactical and combat information directly into their minds during the cloning process. However, they lacked the initiative and creativity of naturally trained soldiers.
Typical Cloned Soldier
Type: Cloned Imperial Soldier
DEXTERITY 2D+1
Blaster 4D+1, brawling parry 4D, dodge 4D, melee combat 3D+2
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Survival 3D
MECHANICAL 2D
Repulsorlift operation 3D, walker operation 3D
PERCEPTION 2D
Search 3D
STRENGTH 2D+2
Brawling 4D, stamina 3D+2
TECHNICAL 2D
First aid 3D
Move: 10
Equipment: Blaster rifle (5D), stormtrooper armor (+2D physical, +1D energy, -1D Dexterity and related skills), comlink
Imperial Stormtroopers
Imperial Stormtrooper
Type: Imperial Stormtrooper
DEXTERITY 2D
Blaster 4D, brawling parry 4D, dodge 4D
KNOWLEDGE 2D
MECHANICAL 2D
Repulsorlift operation 3D
PERCEPTION 2D
Search 3D
STRENGTH 2D
Brawling 3D
TECHNICAL 2D
Move: 10
Equipment: Stormtrooper armor (+2D physical, +1D energy, -1D Dexterity and related skills), blaster rifle (5D), blaster pistol (4D), comlink
Imperial Navy Troopers
Imperial Navy Trooper
Type: Imperial Navy Trooper
DEXTERITY 2D
Blaster 4D, dodge 4D
KNOWLEDGE 2D
MECHANICAL 2D
Capital ship gunnery 3D+2, capital ship shields 3D
PERCEPTION 2D
STRENGTH 2D
TECHNICAL 2D
Capital ship repair 3D
Move: 10
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), comlink
Imperial Radtroopers
Imperial Radiation Zone Troopers, commonly known as "radtroopers," are elite stormtroopers equipped to operate in some of the galaxy's most hostile environments. Their specialized armor protects them from extreme heat, cold, radiation, and a variety of other environmental hazards. Radtroopers are currently deployed on Qat Chrystac, where they are searching for a hidden New Republic base.
Imperial Radtrooper
Type: Imperial Radiation Zone Trooper
DEXTERITY 2D+1
Blaster 5D, brawling parry 4D+1, dodge 5D+1, melee combat 4D
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Survival 4D+2, survival: radiation environments 6D
MECHANICAL 2D+1
Repulsorlift operation 3D+2
PERCEPTION 2D+1
Search 4D
STRENGTH 2D+2
Brawling 4D+2, stamina 4D+2
TECHNICAL 2D+1
Demolition 3D+2, first aid 3D
Move: 10
Equipment: Radtrooper armor (+3D physical, +2D energy, -1D Dexterity and related skills, radiation shielding, environmental controls, sealed atmosphere), blaster rifle (5D), comlink, survival pack
Imperial Compforce Troops
Compforce Trooper
Type: COMPNOR Assault Trooper
DEXTERITY 2D+1
Blaster 3D+1, brawling parry 3D+1, dodge 3D+1, grenade 3D, melee combat 3D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Intimidation 3D, survival 3D
MECHANICAL 2D
Repulsorlift operation 3D
PERCEPTION 2D
Search 3D
STRENGTH 2D+2
Brawling 3D+2, stamina 3D+2
TECHNICAL 2D
First aid 3D
Move: 10
Equipment: Blaster rifle (5D), blast vest (+1D physical), comlink
Imperial Intelligence Agents
Intelligence Agent
Type: Imperial Intelligence Agent
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 5D, dodge 5D+2, melee combat 4D+1, running 4D
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Alien species 4D, bureaucracy 5D, cultures 4D+2, intimidation 5D, languages 5D, law enforcement 5D, planetary systems 4D+2, streetwise 6D, survival 4D, willpower 5D+1
MECHANICAL 2D+1
Communications 4D, repulsorlift operation 3D+2, sensors 4D, space transports 3D+2
PERCEPTION 3D+2
Bargain 5D, command 4D, con 6D+2, forgery 6D, gambling 4D+2, hide 6D, investigation 6D+1, persuasion 5D+2, search 5D+2, sneak 6D+2
STRENGTH 2D+1
Brawling 4D+1, climbing/jumping 4D, stamina 4D+2
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Computer programming/repair 5D+2, demolition 4D+1, first aid 3D+2, security 6D+1
Character Points: 8
Move: 10
Equipment: Hold-out blaster (3D+2), comlink, encrypted datapad, forged identifications, various espionage equipment
Major Himron
Major Himron was the Imperial Intelligence team leader responsible for the attempted kidnapping of the Solo children on Coruscant. His team was stopped by the combined efforts of Mara Jade and the Noghri protectors.
Major Himron
Type: Imperial Intelligence Officer
DEXTERITY 3D+1
Blaster 5D+2, dodge 6D, melee combat 5D+1, running 5D
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Alien species 4D+1, bureaucracy 5D+2, cultures 4D, intimidation 5D+2, languages 5D, law enforcement 5D+2, planetary systems 4D+1, streetwise 6D+1, survival 4D+2, willpower 6D
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Communications 4D+2, repulsorlift operation 4D, sensors 4D+1, space transports 4D
PERCEPTION 4D
Bargain 5D+1, command 6D, con 7D, forgery 6D+2, gambling 5D, hide 6D+2, investigation 7D, persuasion 6D, search 6D+2, sneak 7D
STRENGTH 2D+2
Brawling 5D+1, climbing/jumping 4D+2, stamina 5D
TECHNICAL 3D
Computer programming/repair 6D, demolition 5D+1, first aid 4D, security 7D
Force Points: 1
Dark Side Points: 3
Character Points: 10
Move: 10
Equipment: Hold-out blaster (3D+2), heavy blaster pistol (5D), comlink, encrypted datapad, forged identifications
Chapter Three: Tactics and Battles
From the datapad journal of Voren Na'al, Director of New Republic Council Research.
The events of the last few months have been punctuated by some of the fiercest and most grueling battles in the history of the war against the Empire. The tactics of beings like Admiral Ackbar, Grand Admiral Thrawn and Senator Garm Bel Iblis have led to strategy innovations at a rate unprecedented since the darkest days of the Clone Wars. To paint a more complete picture of recent events, the Provisional Council has ordered an account of the battle strategies used.
The Battle at Ukio
Perhaps one of the most technically demanding and ingenious attacks of the war was launched against the planet Ukio. Ukio, one of the New Republic's key agricultural production facilities, was conquered by the Empire with its shield generators intact.
Studying evidence provided by eyewitnesses, a clear picture is painted of the cunning of Thrawn and his attack.
Piecing together information from intelligence reports and eyewitness accounts, the true nature of Thrawn's plan becomes clear: the loss of Ukio was the result of a well-executed hoax. Employing the Force-enhanced coordination skills of Joruus C'baoth and utilizing the Emperor's cloaking-shield technology, Thrawn was able to convince the citizens of Ukio that the Empire had developed a super weapon capable of penetrating planetary shields with no discernible effort.
New Republic Intelligence revealed that Thrawn possessed a working cloaking device, though conventional military wisdom states that such a device is impractical because it blinds the user's sensors as well as the opponent's. Thrawn apparently did not subscribe to conventional military wisdom and found an incredibly shrewd use for the device.
When the leader of the Ukian people refused to surrender, the Star Destroyer Chimaera opened fire... straight through the shield. Faced with the impossible — a weapon that penetrated the shields — and against which the Ukians had no defense, Ukio surrendered.
In reality, Thrawn was able to cloak four small Carrack-class cruisers and well before the attack place them in Ukio's atmosphere, underneath the boundary of the planet's shields (50 kilometers above the planet's surface). There, undetectable to Ukian sensors, the Imperial vessels remained hidden, until the Imperial fleet appeared, demanding surrender.
Thrawn ordered the Imperial fleet to open fire on Ukio. The Ukians then registered repeated hits on the planetary surface. To the Ukians, it appeared that the Empire had developed turbolasers that could fire directly through planetary shields. In reality, the tactic was an elaborate trick. Using the Force powers of Joruus C'baoth, the Empire aligned the Carrack cruisers to precise coordinates directly underneath the Imperial Star Destroyer in upper orbit. C'baoth coordinated the shots of the Star Destroyer with salvos from the cloaked Carrack cruisers. While the Star Destroyer's shots were absorbed by the energy shield, the Carracks, underneath the shield, were able to deliver pin-point shots following the exact trajectory of the Star Destroyer's salvos. C'baoth maintained constant mental contact with the vessels' crews and controlled their movements and firing patterns to create multiple simultaneous firings. Faced with the threat of total destruction, Ukio had no choice but to surrender.
Thrawn's victory at Ukio achieved a twofold objective. First, the capture and subjugation of a huge agricultural production facility had tremendous supply benefits to the Empire. Second, the idea of another Imperial super weapon wreaking havoc on the planets of the New Republic was a huge propaganda victory for the Empire, and it came at a time when New Republic morale was very low. Since the victory was so decisive, it received widespread dissemination throughout Republic and Imperial space.
The Siege of Coruscant
Symbols are extremely important to the New Republic. That the new government has taken the traditional capital of the Empire, and the Republic before it, is an important symbol of change to the galaxy. The fact that Thrawn could so masterfully manipulate this symbolism to his own advantage underscores the importance of the Siege of Coruscant.
Thrawn's attack was sudden, unpredictable, and timed when there was no clear leader of the New Republic defense force on Coruscant. Admiral Ackbar was away from Coruscant on other fleet duties. Garm Bel Iblis, a brilliant tactician in his own right, was unable to take command because at the time he was still independent of the Republic's power structure (not to mention the fundamental distrust of each other he and Mon Mothma shared). That left Admiral Drayson, a competent if somewhat uninspired tactician, in command.
Thrawn's forces were devastating Drayson's starfighter and capital ship defense, due in part to Drayson's inability to utilize the strengths of the Golan defense platforms protecting Coruscant. Drayson was ordering the Republic ships to stage their defense in high orbit over Coruscant, forcing the Republic forces to battle toe-to-toe with the more heavily armed and more numerous Imperial ships. The Golans' weapons were not accurate enough at that range to be useful: the weapons were just as likely to hit friendly Republic vessels and the enemy Imperials.
As the battle began to "turn ugly," Bel Iblis assumed command. Bel Iblis immediately ordered New Republic vessels back towards the planet to force Imperial ships to come within range of the planetary defenses. Shortly thereafter, Thrawn's master plan became evident; Bel Iblis had played right into Thrawn's hands.
Instead of following the Republic ships, and thereby coming into range of the Golan platforms, the tractor beam emplacements of the attacking Star Destroyer began registering multiple launches — numbering in the hundreds — but New Republic sensor sweeps indicated that nothing was launched. Then, a collision between a New Republic ship and something revealed to the New Republic tacticians that the Imperials were indeed up to something. Bel Iblis fired ion beams at the area near the collision, and managed to find the object the New Republic ship had struck: a cloaked asteroid.
Then, the New Republic determined that the Imperials had made over 270 such "empty launches" — there were potentially that many undetectable cloaked asteroids orbiting Coruscant. The Imperial strike force retreated, leaving the New Republic to sort out exactly what to do. If the planetary shields were lowered, undetectable asteroids could fall to the planet's surface, killing millions of civilians. Coruscant was effectively cut off from the rest of the galaxy.
The cunning of the plan was remarkable; Thrawn knew he could deal yet another telling blow to the New Republic's morale by isolating its leadership, without unnecessarily tying up his forces in a drawn out siege.
The military minds on Coruscant developed a plan to locate the hidden asteroids: by distributing sensor-reflective dust in low orbit, and then bombarding the dust cloud with a negative ion beam (re-polarizing the dust), the dust particles repelled each other and spread out, showing "turbulence" in the sensor readings where the asteroids passed through the clouds. The plan was a limited success; it could only be employed in small areas in a time consuming process.
The siege was broken by the timely arrival of Talon Karrde, who provided evidence of the true number of asteroids in orbit. He had learned this information during the smuggler attack on the Bilbringi shipyards, although at the time he did not realize the significance of what he had discovered. Grand Admiral Thrawn had launched a mere 22 asteroids over Coruscant. The other launches the New Republic detected were "empty," yet had effectively stopped the Republic's government.
Screen Formation
Wedge Antilles, leader of the legendary Rogue Squadron, has been instrumental in the development of new and daring starfighter maneuvers and tactics. Perhaps the most unusual of Antilles's maneuvers is the "screen formation."
The screen is used to provide maximum coverage for an unprotected vessel, while using a minimum of starfighter cover. While it is very useful, the maneuver requires a great deal of skill and timing (and more than a little nerve).
The screen formation centers around the unprotected vessel. The escort starfighters form an intricate "sphere" around the ship. Rather than maintaining positions relative to the protected ship, the starfighters constantly swap position.
On the average, six or more starfighters are used to cover the central vessel. One starfighter flies ahead of the central vessel, one flies behind, one to port, one to starboard, and when possible, one each above and below the protected vessel.
Starfighters in the screen formation "swap" position at short intervals with their "adjacent" starfighters. For example, the ship in the fore moves port, and the starboard fighter moves fore, and so on.
The screen formation has been used effectively as a distraction before a "Cracken Twist." Since a Cracken Twist is used to confuse enemy eavesdroppers, the phrase "Cracken Twist" is what usually initiates a screen, before jumping to hyperspace. Screening fighters maintain the "zigzag" pattern as long as possible before jumping to hyperspace to further confuse enemy tracking efforts. Often, squadron leaders will tailor the actual jump order to avoid predictability in combat. The only real constant is that the fore, aft and protected vessel all jump at roughly the same time.
Screen Formation (Optional Rule)
In game terms, a screen formation can be utilized by three or more starfighters. It is assumed that the player characters have pre-arranged a flight order and a jump pattern, and as such players must declare the pattern in advance.
Each maneuver in the screen formation requires an Easy starfighter piloting roll when cover is provided by three or four starfighters. Cover by five or six starfighters requires a Moderate starfighter piloting check for each maneuver. Seven or more fighters in formation require a Difficult starfighter piloting roll for each maneuver. The central vessel must make Easy piloting rolls for each round that starfighters are providing cover in formation. Pilots failing this roll by one to five points add +5 to the difficulty of the next piloting check; pilots failing this roll by six or more points collide with one of the other ships (determine randomly), doing 4D damage to each.
If the screen formation check is successful, any enemy ships suffer an increased difficulty of +2D to attack the screened ship.
A-wing Slash
Another useful maneuver for starfighter engagements during which enemy vessels can intercept transmissions is the "A-wing slash," developed by General Garm Bel Iblis.
The A-wing slash is designed to work in conjunction with two groups of starfighters directed from a "base ship," usually a capital ship. The first group of fighters (X-wings, for example) is ordered over normal battle transmission channels to alter course, usually away from incoming fighters. As the enemy fighters turn to engage the first group of fighters, a second group of fighters, normally A-wings, "slashes" at the enemy ships' flank at full speed. Usually, the distraction of the X-wing group of target fighters, combined with the firepower and the awesome speed of the A-wing fighters, confuses enemy pilots enough for the Republic fighters to gain a critical combat advantage. Enemy fighters that are not destroyed by the A-wings are then finished off by the X-wings. When employed successfully, the A-wing slash is devastating.
This particular maneuver is best used at the "sentry line" of an enemy capital ship. If the sentry vessels ignore the A-wings to pursue the first group of fighters, the A-wings have a clear shot at the enemy capital ship. If the enemy fighters attack the A-wings, they are left open to attack from the circling and incoming X-wings.
While this maneuver has its uses, it is somewhat limited. It requires a large number of fighters acting in concert, although Bel Iblis has employed the tactic successfully without fully briefing the squadron leaders as to the specifics of the maneuver.
A-wing Slash (Optional Rule)
In game terms, the A-wing slash requires two elements of starfighters. The first element may consist of any starfighters. The second element must consist of fighters that are faster than the attacking enemy ships.
A central commander directing the assault is preferred, though a starfighter pilot can order one. If a starfighter pilot attempts an A-wing slash, he or she suffers from a combined actions penalty: flying a starfighter and coordinating a tricky assault maneuver is not easy.
Commanders directing an A-wing slash must make an opposed tactics roll (if the opposing commander does not have the tactics skill, the commander may roll their Knowledge attribute). If the attacking commander beats the enemy commander by six or more points, enemy fighters are caught off guard for one round and suffer a penalty of -1D to all maneuver actions. If the tactics roll is unsuccessful, the commander's timing is off and the first element's starfighters are at a -1D penalty for that and the next round.
Chapter Four: The Fringe
From the datapad journal of Voren Na'al, Director of New Republic Council Research.
Fringe Activity
While current events have centered largely on the conflict between the Empire and the New Republic, these two galactic superpowers are not the only forces currently operating in the galaxy. The underground society known as the fringe has had a profound impact on the continuing war.
The fringe consists mainly of smugglers, criminals, pirates and others who skirt the Republic and the Empire. Rather than a true organization, the fringe is a disparate group of individuals who are united solely by their opposition of the Empire and the Republic. Many in the fringe are simply the scum of the galaxy: the dregs who would sell their own parents for a quick credit or two to spend at the local cantina. Others, however, have simply decided to abstain from galactic politics, preferring to keep their own counsel on where and how to conduct business.
Recent events have shown that the fringe can field impressive strength when its members can cooperate and organize themselves. Senator Garm Bel Iblis, the noted Corellian politician previously believed dead, allied his personal army with the New Republic. While he remained independent of the Republic for years due to disagreements with Mon Mothma, Bel Iblis eventually decided to cooperate with the Republic and was pivotal in stopping Thrawn.
Talon Karrde, the noted smuggler chief, has managed to assemble a group of some of the most notorious smugglers in the galaxy and organize them for both combat and intelligence gathering. For the time being, at least, Karrde is siding with the Republic, although he still considers the operations "profit-making ventures" rather than "charity for the good of the galaxy."
As always, I prefer to look beyond the events in history and try to gain some understanding of the individuals who make it. Perhaps a greater understanding of these scoundrels will help us to understand the fringe itself. Given the degree of assistance provided by Karrde and his allies, (including searching for the Empire's cloning banks, the data concerning the cloaked asteroids, and Karrde's information about Thrawn's shield-penetrating "super weapon"), understanding the fringe becomes very necessary.
Talon Karrde
Talon Karrde has become a prominent "underworld figure" in the galaxy. However, Karrde is a different type of leader: he is a smuggler and information agent, rather than a loathsome gangster. He has always conducted his business with a strong sense of personal honor and treats his employees as associates, rather than subordinates.
Karrde and his group have operated successfully in both Imperial and New Republic space, quietly earning profit without drawing too much attention to themselves. Karrde has always expressed a desire to avoid any involvement in political matters, but recent events forced him to make a choice. After Grand Admiral Thrawn determined that Karrde hid Han Solo and Luke Skywalker from investigating Imperial forces, Thrawn levied a substantial bounty on Karrde's head. Naturally, Karrde decided to side with the Republic.
Karrde has mobilized prominent smugglers of the fringe, creating a very effective intelligence gathering network. Since information exchange is one of Karrde's more profitable sidelines, the future activities of the group should prove most interesting.
Karrde has proven a useful (albeit unofficial) ally of the New Republic. Lately, the data he sells seems to arrive at exactly the right moment to stave off disaster, and it is of top quality. Rumors abound that Karrde was trained by New Republic Intelligence agents. It is a rumor that he flatly denies. "I would be nowhere near as effective if I had been trained by New Republic agents," he says with a sly smirk.
Karrde has struck an uneasy alliance with Luke Skywalker. It was Skywalker's promises of payment from the New Republic that initially prompted Karrde to help search for Grand Admiral Thrawn's troop cloning facility.
Karrde obtained a macrobinocular recording of the bombardment of Ukio, providing the information that conclusively proved that the Empire's "super weapon" was a cleverly constructed hoax. Karrde also provided detailed sensor accounts indicating that the Imperial blockade of Coruscant was over. His data from the Bilbringi shipyards showed that the Empire had been somehow modifying 22 otherwise ordinary asteroids. Once Karrde learned of the Empire's "cloaked asteroid" assault on Coruscant, he divulged that the New Republic had indeed destroyed all of Thrawn's asteroids.
Karrde is a pragmatic businessman, but he has strong feelings about the welfare of his people. Believing Mara Jade was imprisoned on Coruscant, he offered the sensor data about Ukio as payment for simply being allowed to speak to her. Princess Leia Organa Solo was forced to lie to the smuggler because Mara was already off-planet with Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian. The group had located the cloning facility and was en route to the planet Wayland to destroy it. While he is loath to be drawn into the war by choosing sides, he has realized that he is doing what must be done, even if he hates being at the mercy of forces beyond his control.
"Volunteering" to accompany Princess Leia to Wayland (for a mere 70,000 credits, paid by agitated Bothan diplomats), Karrde showed a more "hands-on" approach to smuggling. Only rarely does Karrde take part in such a violent operation — his involvement keenly illustrates the concern Karrde has for his crew.
It is unusual to see such loyalty in a smuggler; perhaps the New Republic will be forced to deal with the fringe in a totally different manner from now on. After all, Karrde is an honorable man ... in his own way. From all reports, Karrde is still upset about being dragged into the political arena. His past jests about Han Solo's entanglement with the New Republic aren't quite as amusing to him as they once were.
Karrde is a Human male, with thinning black hair, a goatee and mustache. He usually dresses in simple but elegant tunics, baggy slacks, and a padded vest and greatcoat that he has owned for many years. Karrde is faultlessly polite and calm, even in desperate situations. It is this even temperament that has saved him from certain death a number of times.
Talon Karrde
Type: Smuggler
DEXTERITY 3D+1
Blaster 5D+2, brawling parry 5D+1, dodge 6D+1, melee combat 4D+1, melee parry 4D+1, pick pocket 6D+1, running 5D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D+1
Alien species 7D+1, bureaucracy 7D+2, business 9D, cultures 8D+1, intimidation 6D+1, languages 7D+1, law enforcement 7D+1, planetary systems 6D, streetwise 8D+2, survival 4D+1, value 5D+1, willpower 6D+1
MECHANICAL 3D+2
Astrogation 7D+2, beast riding 4D+2, communications 6D+2, repulsorlift operation 5D+1, sensors 7D+2, space transports 8D+2, starship gunnery 5D+2, starship shields 6D
PERCEPTION 3D
Bargain 8D+2, command 9D+1, con 8D, forgery 6D, gambling 6D+2, investigation 8D+1, persuasion 7D+1, sneak 6D+2
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 4D+2, stamina 6D+2
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Computer programming/repair 4D+2, first aid 4D+2, security 6D+2
Force Points: 3
Dark Side Points: 1
Character Points: 17
Move: 10
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), datapad (scomp-linked into Wild Karrde's computer system), Wild Karrde
Mara Jade
From the personal journal of Voren Na'al, Director of New Republic Council Research. This is a confidential document, not for public dissemination.
Mara Jade is a slim, athletic young woman, possessing the grace of a Galloan Wind Dancer and the fighting prowess of a cornered Tusken Raider. This ferocious young smuggler often radiates sheer bitterness, hatred and loss, marring her beauty.
Recently, certain facts have come to light about Mara Jade: she once trained and served as the "Emperor's Hand," a personal agent that the Emperor used to enforce his will. Though Mara refuses to discuss the matter in detail, she has hinted that she was, in fact, a direct extension of Palpatine's will.
Apparently, Mara was removed from her family when she was very young, and it is possible that the Emperor had her family killed. Her memories of the subject are cloudy, though whether this is due to the passage of time or her prolonged exposure to the insidious influence of the Emperor is uncertain.
It was during her tenure as a servant of the Emperor that she first encountered Luke Skywalker, whom she blames for the destruction of her life and the Empire. Despite her hatred for Skywalker, however misplaced, she has assisted him on a number of occasions, most notably on the planet Jomark. Jade rescued Skywalker from the influence of the Dark Jedi Joruus C'baoth, who was attempting to subvert Luke and swing him towards the dark side.
Mara was injured in the battle to possess the Katana fleet. Her ship crippled in the battle, with failing life support, it was only the actions of Jedi Skywalker that saved her from death. Judging from her comments, she considered death infinitely preferable to being saved by Skywalker. Despite Skywalker's efforts, Mara spent nearly a month unconscious and in recovery in the medical wing of the Imperial Palace. Welcomed into the Imperial Palace because of her actions in the battle, Mara began plotting her return to Talon Karrde's organization almost immediately.
Unfortunately, her reunion with the smuggler was delayed: an Imperial Intelligence team had infiltrated the Palace and was attempting to kidnap Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa Solo's children. It was during this attack that some of Mara's peculiar Force skills became evident. She was able to detect the attack before it happened, and was able to "mentally project" her thoughts to Organa Solo. Mara's actions apparently saved the day, and the Intelligence team was stopped.
Unfortunately for Jade, the team leader, an Imperial major named Himron, identified Mara as their contact inside the Palace. While this accusation was false — Himron was simply planting disinformation to confuse the New Republic — Palace Security felt that there was no choice except to confine Mara until a full inquiry could be carried out.
Realizing finally that "her" Empire was dead, and that Thrawn's Empire was not the Empire she desired to serve, Jade was rescued from confinement by Han Solo and Lando Calrissian after she offered to help them find Thrawn's hidden cloning facility. While Mara did not know the exact location, she had previously visited the Emperor's storehouse and eventually led the Republic's heroes to the Mount Tantiss installation.
It was at Mount Tantiss that Jade and Skywalker confronted the menace of Joruus C'baoth, who claimed that both Mara and Luke would kneel before him. A fierce battle ensued, and with the combined efforts of Luke, Leia, Han, Karrde and Mara, C'baoth was slain. Mara Jade has since decided to train in the Force under the tutelage of Luke Skywalker, though she is still troubled by visions of the Emperor. After the battle at Mount Tantiss, Skywalker gave Mara his father's lightsaber, recovered from the rubble of the storehouse.
Mara Jade is an attractive, slender young woman with red-gold hair and green eyes. She is an excellent pilot and a skilled personnel manager. She is reliable, and Karrde had seriously considered making her his second-in-command before the return of Thrawn separated the pair. If Mara Jade attains mastery of the Force, she will become an even more formidable woman indeed.
Mara Jade
Type: Merc
DEXTERITY 3D+2
Blaster 9D+1, blaster: hold-out blaster 10D+2, brawling parry 7D+2, dodge 8D+2, lightsaber 4D+2, melee combat 8D+1, melee parry 7D+2, missile weapons 6D+2, pick pocket 8D+2, running 6D+2, thrown weapons 6D+2
KNOWLEDGE 2D+2
Alien species 8D+2, bureaucracy 7D+2, business 5D+2, intimidation 7D+2, languages 8D+2, planetary systems 5D+2, streetwise: Talon Karrde's organization 7D+2, survival 7D, value 4D+2, willpower 7D
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Astrogation 8D+2, beast riding 5D+2, communications 6D+2, ground vehicle operation 6D+2, repulsorlift operation 5D+2, space transports 9D+2, starfighter piloting 9D+2, starship gunnery 9D+2, starship shields 8D, swoop operation 7D+2
PERCEPTION 2D+1
Bargain 5D+1, command 7D+1, con 6D+1, gambling 6D+1, hide 8D+1, investigation 4D+1, persuasion 5D+2, search 7D+1, sneak 8D+1
STRENGTH 3D+2
Brawling 6D+2, climbing/jumping 7D+2, lifting 5D+2, stamina 8D+2, swimming 6D+2
TECHNICAL 3D
Blaster repair 6D, computer programming/repair 7D, demolition 4D, droid programming 3D+2, droid repair 3D+2, first aid 5D, ground vehicle repair 6D, repulsorlift repair 5D, starfighter repair 6D+1, starship repair 6D+1, starship weapon repair 5D+1
Special Abilities:
Force Skills: Control 2D+2, Sense 2D+2, Alter 1D+2
Control: Absorb/dissipate energy, accelerate healing, control pain, emptiness, enhance attribute*, hibernation trance, remain conscious, resist stun
Sense: Danger sense*, life detection, life sense, magnify senses, receptive telepathy, sense Force
Alter: Injure/Kill, telekinesis
Control and Sense: Projective telepathy
Control and Alter: Inflict pain*
Control, Sense, and Alter: Telekinetic kill*
*Described in the Dark Force Rising Sourcebook.
This character is Force-sensitive
Force Points: 4
Dark Side Points: 4
Character Points: 20
Move: 10
Equipment: Hold-out blaster (3D), comlink, lightsaber (5D)
Niles Ferrier
Niles Ferrier was a large Human, solidly built, with a thick black beard. His ornately embroidered tunic always smelled of carabba tabac and armudu spice, the blend of cigarra he favored.
Until recently, Ferrier was known as one of the best "palmers" in the business. Stealing starships — particularly well guarded ships — was Ferrier's specialty.
Ferrier recently became embroiled in a dispute between Talon Karrde and the Empire, and was forced to perform some espionage activities for Grand Admiral Thrawn (on pain of death, naturally). Ferrier orchestrated the ambush on the smuggler meeting on Trogan, which resulted in the death of the Gotal smuggler, Lishma.
Thrawn, angry that his scheme to prevent the formation of a unified smuggler coalition had been snapped by the dull-witted ambush staged by Ferrier, brought the ship-thief to the Chimaera and let him know in no uncertain terms that his debt to the Empire would be paid in full. And a rather large debt it was.
Planting some damaging evidence on Talon Karrde during another meeting of smugglers, Ferrier hoped that the smuggling coalition would fall apart — thereby saving his own neck from the wrath of Grand Admiral Thrawn. Unfortunately, a slip of the tongue revealed that Ferrier was the traitor after all, and Karrde was exonerated in the eyes of his fellow smugglers. Ferrier was killed in his efforts to evade the wrath of the "smuggler coalition."
Niles Ferrier
Type: Spaceship Thief
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 5D, blaster: hold-out blaster 6D, brawling parry 6D, dodge 7D, melee combat 5D, melee parry 5D+2, pick pocket 7D, running 6D, thrown weapons 5D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D+1
Alien species 4D+1, bureaucracy 4D+1, business 5D+1, intimidation 5D+1, languages 5D+1, law enforcement 6D+2, planetary systems 5D+2, streetwise 7D+2, survival 4D+1, value 5D+1, value: starships 10D+2
MECHANICAL 3D+2
Astrogation 4D+2, capital ship piloting 6D+2, communications 6D+2, hover vehicle operation 5D+2, repulsorlift operation 5D+2, sensors 4D+2, space transports 7D+2, starfighter piloting 6D+2, starship gunnery 6D+2, starship shields 4D+2, swoop operation 4D+2
PERCEPTION 2D+1
Bargain 7D+1, command 4D+1, con 7D+1, gambling 6D+1, hide 8D+1, investigation 7D+1, persuasion 5D+1, search 6D+1, sneak 6D+1
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 6D, climbing/jumping 5D, lifting 5D, stamina 6D
TECHNICAL 3D+2
Capital starship repair 6D+2, computer programming/repair 7D+2, computer programming/repair: spaceport security systems 10D, demolition 4D+2, droid programming 5D+2, droid repair 4D+2, first aid 4D+2, repulsorlift repair 5D+2, security 8D+2, starship repair 7D+2
Force Points: 1
Dark Side Points: 4
Character Points: 11
Move: 9
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), datapad, cigarra, blast vest (+1D physical, +2 energy)
Brasck
Brasck of Baros is one of the more unsavory characters operating in the frayed sections of society since Jabba the Hutt met his end. The Brubb was once employed by Jabba as a mercenary; after Jabba's death at the hands of Leia Organa Solo and her allies, Brasck grabbed as much of Jabba's organization as he could — including Jabba's slaving operations. Brasck is willing to kidnap and pillage wherever necessary to make a profit. He is among the most cold and ruthless individuals in a profession that is noted for its amorality.
He is also, unfortunately, one of the most successful beings in the business. Since he deals in high risk cargoes, namely spice, contract kidnappings and slaves, Brasck has a large profit margin. By sharing his wealth, he attracts some of the best fringe pilots and bodyguards. Because of the efficiency that Brasck's organization displays, Talon Karrde offered the Brubb a part in the smuggler coalition he was trying to form. Brasck still believes that siding with the Empire will prove the most profitable in the long run and refused.
Brasck is currently attempting to cash in on Thrawn's bounty on Luke Skywalker. He is still somewhat intimidated by both the Empire and Skywalker himself; Brasck was present when Skywalker almost single-handedly crippled Jabba's organization. Only time will tell what new heinous crimes this abrasive and foul-mouthed Brubb gangster will commit.
Brasck
Type: Brubb Merc
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 6D+2, blaster: blaster rifle 8D+1, brawling parry 6D, dodge 6D+1, melee combat 6D, melee parry 6D
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Business 5D, business: slavery 8D, business: smuggling 8D, intimidation 6D+2, languages 4D, planetary systems 4D+1, streetwise 6D, survival 5D
MECHANICAL 3D+1
Astrogation 5D+1, beast riding 5D+1, repulsorlift operation 6D+2, space transports 5D
PERCEPTION 2D+1
Bargain 5D+1, command 5D+1, con 4D+2, hide 4D+1, search 4D+1, sneak 4D+2
STRENGTH 4D+1
Brawling 7D+1, climbing/jumping 5D+1, lifting 6D+1, stamina 7D+1
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Demolition 3D+2, first aid 3D+2
Special Abilities:
Natural Body Armor: +2D against physical.
Color Change: Brubbs can change color to match their surroundings. Add +1D to any sneak attempts.
Force Points: 1
Dark Side Points: 3
Character Points: 9
Move: 9
Equipment: Heavy blaster pistol (5D), vibroknife (STR+2D), comlink, concealed body armor (+2D physical, +1D energy)
Par'tah
Par'tah is a Ho'Din, a native of the planet Moltok. She stands three meters tall, with mottled green skin and a reed-thin build. She tends to dress in flowing green garments, which conceal a small blaster and whatever cash she may have scraped up.
Par'tah's operation is actually quite marginal; she spends far more than she can afford to look more profitable than she really is. Since smuggling contracts often go to those who most look like they can do the job, Par'tah believes that looking like she can afford to pass up work will help net her some lucrative runs. Originally, she seriously considered pursuing the bounty on Luke Skywalker, but since becoming affiliated with Karrde's smuggler coalition, she realizes that it is not in her best interest to assist Thrawn.
She has always maintained a friendly sparring relationship with Talon Karrde, a mutual respect that has turned into an odd sort of friendship. Karrde realizes that Par'tah has spent far more than she can afford to and has offered her a place among the smuggler coalition, partly to help float the Ho'Din some money and partly because he respects her abilities.
Par'tah is still in mourning over the loss of her friend and fellow smuggler, Lishma. The death of the Gotal at the hands of the Empire has helped cement her desire to pay back the Empire for its actions.
Currently, Par'tah is considering some contracts to run construction materials and computer components to the Empire, a run she desperately needs to help keep her business solvent, although the funds Talon Karrde obtained from the Bothans has helped considerably. Still, there are schedules to keep, and goods to haul, and Par'tah will carry any cargo for the highest bidder.
Par'tah
Type: Ho'Din Smuggler
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 4D, brawling parry 4D, dodge 5D, melee combat 4D, melee parry 4D
KNOWLEDGE 3D+2
Alien species 5D+2, bureaucracy 4D, cultures 5D+2, languages 4D+2, planetary systems 4D+2, streetwise 4D+2, survival 4D+2
MECHANICAL 3D
Astrogation 5D+2, repulsorlift operation 6D, space transports 5D+2, starship gunnery 5D, starship shields 4D+2
PERCEPTION 2D+1
Bargain 6D+1, command 5D+1, con 4D+1, gambling 4D+1, hide 5D+1, search 4D+1, sneak 5D+1
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 5D, lifting 6D+1, stamina 6D
TECHNICAL 3D
Computer programming/repair 5D, droid programming 5D, droid repair 5D+1, first aid 6D+2, repulsorlift repair 4D+1, space transports repair 5D
Character Points: 6
Move: 10
Equipment: Hold-out blaster (3D+2), comlink
New Characters
The Last Command introduces a number of new characters from the fringe society who did not appear in Heir to the Empire or Dark Force Rising. They are presented here for the first time.
Samuel Tomas Gillespee
Samuel Tomas Gillespee is a relatively well known smuggler; the phrase "less-than-honorable" is usually tagged onto his description by his fellow smugglers, though usually with affection rather than genuine distrust.
Gillespee made quite a name for himself in his youth with his spectacular exploits during Kessel runs. Most people don't know that these maneuvers succeeded largely because Gillespee himself never touched his freighter's controls. He made an even bigger name for himself by skipping the system with his partner's cut of the profit. Gillespee says the situation was "a simple dispute that has since been rectified." Since then, Gillespee handles administrative duties, rather than hands-on smuggling runs, mostly because his is a spectacularly unlucky (not to mention unskilled) pilot.
Gillespee commands a great deal of respect among the smuggling community; despite his reputation as a con artist, he always treats his crew well. As a result, a large number of competent pilots and techs have flocked to him. To date, his group consists of over 20 ships.
He had decided to retire to an out-of-the-way farming planet. Unfortunately, that planet was Ukio, and when the Imperials arrived and subjugated the planet, Gillespee found himself caught in the middle of the ongoing civil war. Gillespee's smuggler mentality concerning politics ("Business is business, and politics is politics. I'm a businessman.") was shaken by the Empire's subjugation of Ukio, and the presence of clones severely unnerved him. ("I don't happen to think people ought to come off an assembly line, thanks. And if they did, I sure as mynocks wouldn't put the Empire in charge of the factory.") For the first time, he decided to take a stand, and decided to join up with Karrde's smuggler coalition. While he was angered by the loss of his land and retirement days, Gillespee was still intimidated by the might of the Empire. Still, he felt that this was a battle worth fighting.
Gillespee is middle-aged, paunchy and tired-looking. He has spent nearly three decades flying his ship, the Kern's Pride, through several dicey raids, smuggling runs, and assorted misadventures.
Samuel Tomas Gillespee
Type: Retired Smuggler
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Blaster 5D
KNOWLEDGE 2D+2
Bureaucracy 4D+2, streetwise 6D
MECHANICAL 4D
Astrogation 5D, capital ship gunnery 6D, capital ship gunnery: tractor beams 6D+2, space transports 4D+2, starship gunnery 6D
PERCEPTION 2D
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 4D
TECHNICAL 3D+2
Capital starship weapon repair 5D, capital starship repair 5D, weapon repair: tractor beam 6D
Force Points: 1
Character Points: 4
Move: 10
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), comlink, datapad, Kern's Pride (modified freighter)
Shirlee Faughn
Shirlee Faughn has been a friend and assistant to Samuel Gillespee since she was a teenager. Faughn, several years younger than her captain, signed aboard the Kern's Pride as a communications apprentice. She quickly learned the ropes of both space communications and the smuggling trade.
Gillespee took a liking to the young Corellian, particularly her polite nature and sense of humor, which neatly complemented the smuggler-captain's jovial nature. Realizing that Faughn would be a great asset to his command abilities, he promoted Faughn to his second-in-command.
Faughn is at heart a very serious woman; she constantly analyzes her surroundings and situation, and almost never smiles or jokes on duty — though her off-duty hours are spent spinning hilarious yarns in the Kern's Pride galley. She is faultlessly polite, and despises physical violence, which she deems uncultured (though she has been known to man a quad-mount and blow Imperial ships to pieces when the situation was justified).
Faughn is in her forties, a slender Corellian with short, dark hair and piercing black eyes. She dresses in gray steelcloth trousers, a white tunic and a blue flight jacket.
Shirlee Faughn
Type: Communications Specialist
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Blaster 4D+1, brawling parry 5D+2, dodge 6D
KNOWLEDGE 4D
Alien species 8D, languages 8D, planetary systems 6D
MECHANICAL 4D
Astrogation 6D, communications 8D+2, sensors 7D, starship gunnery 6D+2
PERCEPTION 2D
STRENGTH 2D
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Capital starship weapon repair 5D+2, computer programming/repair 6D
Character Points: 7
Move: 10
Equipment: Hold-out blaster (3D+2), comlink, datapad (contains a number of encrypting programs for communications computers)
Rappapor the Bith
Rappapor the Bith is a close friend of Samuel Gillespee, and though they have never "officially" worked together, the pair has seemed almost inseparable since they began operating as smugglers. Both deny that this is because they have a close friendship; rather, they claim that they happen to be "passing by" when they bail each other out of bad situations.
Rappapor began his smuggling career young in life. His father, also a smuggler, taught Rappapor the basics of smuggling, ship repair and piloting, as well as the value of smuggled commodities. Rappapor, who adored his father, absorbed these lessons, and they now serve him well since he followed his father into the smuggling profession.
Rappapor is a competent pilot, a born haggler, con artist, and a horrible practical joker (usually at Gillespee's expense). Since the Bith as a species are normally much more intellectually inclined than Rappapor tends to be, he is something of an outcast, calling his fellow Bith "a bunch of stuffed shirts who wouldn't know a good time if it jumped up and computed non-linear equations on their backsides!"
Rappapor is a fairly typical-looking Bith, slightly built, with a bulbous, hairless cranium. He wears baggy, loose-fitting red trousers, a black tunic, and a white flight vest.
Rappapor the Bith
Type: Bith Smuggler
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Blaster 5D, blaster: heavy blaster pistol 6D+2, dodge 5D+2, vehicle blasters 5D
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Alien species 6D, business 4D, business: smuggling 6D+2, cultures 4D+2, languages 5D+1, streetwise 6D+1, value 6D
MECHANICAL 3D+2
Astrogation 5D+2, communications 5D+2, repulsorlift operation 5D+1, space transports 6D+1, starship shields 6D+2
PERCEPTION 2D
Bargain 5D, bargain: smuggled goods 7D, con 6D, forgery 6D+2
STRENGTH 2D
TECHNICAL 3D+2
Computer programming/repair 6D+1, first aid 5D, security 5D
Special Abilities:
Vision: Biths have very poor vision, suffering a penalty of -1D for any visual-based action more than 20 meters away, and they cannot see more than 40 meters.
Scent: Biths have well-developed senses of smell, giving them +1D to all Perception skills when pertaining to actions and people within three meters.
Character Points: 18
Move: 8
Equipment: Heavy blaster pistol (5D), comlink, knife (STR+1D)
Ellor
Ellor left his home planet, Duro, shortly after graduating from a planetary university. He was looking for excitement (as is often the case with Duros). Early in his wanderings, Ellor encountered a then-quite-young Talon Karrde, who convinced the naive young Duro to help him with a smuggling job.
Ellor's first smuggling adventure almost became his last, as an Interdictor cruiser appeared on their freighter's scopes shortly after picking up their load of Gy'lan spice. Realizing that they faced the death penalty, Karrde piloted the tiny freighter through a series of near-suicidal maneuvers that managed to shake off the startled pursuers long enough for a hasty micro-jump into hyperspace. Ellor, while terrified by the near-disastrous ending to the smuggling venture, was nonetheless exhilarated by the action and excitement. He has remained a smuggler to this day.
Ellor is tall and thin, with large eyes, no nose, and a thin slit of a mouth. He tends to wear green, padded tunics and baggy black trousers. He is extremely reckless, though his experiences with Karrde have helped temper his rashness with a little thoughtfulness. He still tends to jump into situations without knowing quite what is going on; it's just that he is much better at figuring out when things are beginning to go against him and then finding a way out of the situation. Karrde worries that Ellor's impulsiveness will someday cost the Duro his life.
Ellor
Type: Duro Smuggler
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Blaster 6D+2, brawling parry 6D+1, dodge 5D+2
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Alien species 5D, business 5D, business: smuggling 8D+2, streetwise 6D
MECHANICAL 4D
Astrogation 6D+2, space transports 5D+2, starship shields 7D
PERCEPTION 2D+2
Bargain 5D, command 5D+1, con 6D, sneak 4D
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 6D+2, lifting 6D+2, stamina 5D+1
TECHNICAL 3D+2
Space transports repair 5D+2
Character Points: 2
Move: 9
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D)
Billey
Billey is something of a legend in the smuggling community. He is one of the oldest active smugglers: Billey has been a smuggler for nearly 60 years, a fact made even more impressive by the spectacular successes he has had. Billey's runs tend to make more profit than most independent shippers usually see in a year. Billey was thought to be a living good luck charm: a being who could work miracles in his freighter.
At least, he could, until a botched spice run crippled the grizzled smuggler. His ship's control systems were shot out by an Imperial customs vessel, and Billey's ship careened out of control into a cliff wall. Billey managed to eject — barely. The landing, however, caused severe internal injuries, including a broken spine.
Medical droids in the prison ward of the Goshyn Detention Center determined that the only way to heal Billey was to cybernetically implant a new spine and lung system. Billey, whose hatred of cybernetics was well known, categorically refused the treatment. Serving out his term on the penal asteroid, Billey grew increasingly frail.
Fortunately for his smuggling crew, his wits were as sharp as ever, and since his release from prison, he has been carefully planning and executing daring smuggling runs that have maintained his reputation, even though "he doesn't get around as well anymore."
Billey is an aging Human, possibly of Corellian descent, though it is hard to tell. His face is deeply lined, and his gray hair sticks out wildly in several directions. He has a thick gray beard, a prominent nose, and piercing brown eyes. He is known as a stern shipmaster, tolerating no disrespect or incompetence. He is also known to be very grumpy.
Billey is physically weak and has can manage only minor movements with his arms and legs. He uses an old-fashioned wheeled chair to move around, refusing to utilize a more modern repulsorchair.
Billey
Type: Smuggler
DEXTERITY 1D*
KNOWLEDGE 3D+2
Alien species 6D+2, bureaucracy 7D, business 6D, business: smuggling 9D, intimidation 8D+2, streetwise 9D+2
MECHANICAL 1D*
PERCEPTION 4D
Bargain 8D, command 8D, con 9D
STRENGTH 1D*
TECHNICAL 1D*
Computer programming/repair 4D
* Due to injuries
Character Points: 5
Move: 5 (in chair)
Equipment: Rolling chair, datapad, comlink
Dravis
Dravis is typical of many modern smugglers: young, ambitious and talented. While he is still somewhat reckless (and a bit less streetwise than many of his older smuggling compatriots), he is a valuable asset to Billey's smuggling crew.
Dravis began his career as a starfighter pilot, graduating from the Imperial Academy with honors. His father, a decorated fighter pilot himself, expected Dravis to join the Imperial Navy, hoping that his son would become a member of the infamous Scimitar Wing assault group.
Dravis had other plans. Somehow, and he refuses to reveal exactly how, he wound up stealing a Lambda-class shuttle from the Academy and fled to the Outer Rim Territories. A persistent rumor cites a Corellian female, an irate father and something called "DL-44 nuptials" as the major causes of Dravis's flight. Eventually, Dravis met and was hired by Billey, who recognized the youngster's piloting ability and enthusiasm.
Dravis is of medium height, with a muscular build. He has short brown hair. He is fairly nondescript, which is an asset when he needs to blend into a crowd to avoid Imperial "entanglements." He tends to wear brown flight fatigues (similar to those favored by New Republic pilots), and a bantha-hide flight jacket. He is quick with a joke, hot-tempered and energetic, though his energy does not quite make up for his lack of experience.
Dravis
Type: Smuggler
DEXTERITY 3D+1
Blaster 5D, dodge 5D+2
KNOWLEDGE 2D+1
Streetwise 3D+2
MECHANICAL 3D+2
Astrogation 6D, hover vehicle operation 6D, repulsorlift operation 6D, space transports 7D, starfighter piloting 5D, starfighter piloting: TIE 9D+1, starship gunnery 6D+1, starship shields 6D+2
PERCEPTION 3D
Hide 5D, sneak 5D
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 6D
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Space transports repair 6D+2
Character Points: 12
Move: 10
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), macrobinoculars, medpac, false IDs
Mazzic
Very little is known about the smuggler Mazzic, and that appears to be just the way he likes it. Mazzic is well known for his suspicious nature and distrust of anyone outside his organization. He has managed to cover his tracks very well in the past.
Lately, he has become more reckless. After the death of his friend — the Gotal smuggler Lishma — at the hands of the Empire, Mazzic has become very determined to make the Empire think twice about interfering with him or his friends. This anger prompted Mazzic and some other members of the smuggling community to stage an assault on the Bilbringi shipyards. They managed to destroy an Imperial Star Destroyer that was under construction.
While Mazzic is a very good smuggler, an excellent pilot and a respected leader, he is still, at heart, a poor strategist. This newfound dislike of the Empire has not sharpened Mazzic's tactical edge, though. If not for the timely intervention of Talon Karrde, Mazzic could well have died at Bilbringi.
Mazzic's background is something of a mystery. He readily admits that he is a Corellian, though he refuses to elaborate upon the reasons for his departure from his homeworld. It is known that at one time Mazzic was an "honest" businessman, running regular, official cargo for the Empire. At some point, the Empire double-crossed him, and a friend of his was murdered. There is some speculation that the murdered "friend" was really Mazzic's wife.
Mazzic is a tall, muscular Corellian, with long black hair that falls to his shoulders. He usually wears a skintight black flight suit, a heavy blaster pistol on his right hip, and a short black cloak. He is a no-nonsense, forthright individual, who has no tolerance for deception. He is deeply suspicious of the Empire, though he is not above running goods for it: the idea of collecting money from the Empire he so despises appeals to Mazzic.
Mazzic
Type: Smuggler
DEXTERITY 3D+1
Blaster 6D+1, dodge 6D+2, melee combat 6D+2, running 5D+2
KNOWLEDGE 2D+1
Alien species 3D+1, bureaucracy: Imperial Navy 4D, languages 4D, planetary systems 6D+2, streetwise 8D, value 8D
MECHANICAL 3D+2
Astrogation 7D, sensors 6D+2, space transports 7D+2, starship gunnery 6D+2, starship shields 6D+2
PERCEPTION 3D
Bargain 5D+2, con 6D, forgery 6D+2, gambling 4D+2, persuasion 5D, search 5D, sneak 5D+2
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 6D, stamina 6D+2
TECHNICAL 2D+2
First aid 5D+2, repulsorlift repair 6D+2, space transports repair 6D+1, starship weapon repair 5D+2
Force Points: 1
Character Points: 4
Move: 10
Equipment: Heavy blaster pistol (5D), comlink, Distant Rainbow (modified space yacht), Raptor and Skyclaw (modified fighters)
Shada
Shada is an extremely attractive Human female that many people believe is Mazzic's current love interest. Shada is constantly on hand, even during business meetings. Most smugglers perceive her as little more than a vacuous and decorative trinket the smuggler enjoys having on hand.
Shada is, in fact, Mazzic's bodyguard. The young woman is highly trained in a variety of martial arts and has repeatedly proven her worth. Mazzic hired her for reasons known only to himself and Shada.
Shada is a member of a mysterious sect, the "Mistryl shadow guards." She refuses to acknowledge her affiliation with the group. She does not discuss the matter even with Mazzic, claiming that to reveal too much about the Mistryl would break an oath of secrecy. The Mistryls are considered little more than myth, and there are a few wild speculations about the group of female warriors.
The Mistryls are an enigmatic group of women warriors from an unknown planet, a world stamped into submission under the heel of the Empire. The Mistryls banded together to force the Empire to deal with their planet fairly, in the name of justice. Unfortunately, the group — indeed their entire planet — has insufficient resources to combat the Empire. As a result, the Mistryls have begun hiring themselves out as mercenaries. They are rumored to take any job they are offered, no matter how distasteful, as long as that job does not serve the Empire's interests in any way.
Shada enjoys her position as Mazzic's bodyguard. Initially, many of Mazzic's crew members didn't take her seriously. She once made an example of one of Mazzic's outlaw techs when he pinched her: the tech was in a neural reconstruction facility for nearly a month. Ever since the incident, there have been no further "indiscretions" on the part of Mazzic's crew.
It is unknown whether Shada is still a Mistryl or if she deserted the group for her own reasons. It is possible that one of Mazzic's ships was a Mistryl warship that Shada stole, but no one really knows for sure.
Shada is a strikingly beautiful Human female, with long black hair that she usually wears pulled up and held in place with a number of lacquered zenji needles. The needles are not merely for hair-styling purposes; in combat Shada can hurl these with deadly accuracy, and with sufficient force to crack even some forms of battle armor.
Shada
Type: Mistryl Shadow Guard
DEXTERITY 4D
Blaster 5D+2, dodge 6D+2, melee combat 8D+2, melee parry 7D, thrown weapons: zenji needles 9D+2
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Alien species 6D, languages 6D, streetwise 9D, survival 5D+2
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Beast riding 5D+2, space transports 5D+2, starship gunnery 7D
PERCEPTION 4D
Hide 7D, search 7D, sneak 7D
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 6D, brawling: martial arts 7D+2
TECHNICAL 3D+2
Computer programming/repair 6D+2, first aid 5D+2
Force Points: 2
Dark Side Points: 1
Character Points: 14
Move: 12
Equipment: Selection of false IDs, hold-out blaster (3D), 15 zenji needles (STR+3D+1 when used with the thrown weapons: zenji needles specialization, otherwise STR+1D)
Clyngunn the ZeHethbra
Clyngunn the ZeHethbra is well known in smuggling circles. He operates a small freighter in the Outer Rim Territories. He is unusual for a smuggler in that his ship is completely paid for and he consistently makes money. Clyngunn has been a profitable operator for almost two decades, mainly because he maintains a low profile. Smugglers who advertise their good fortune lose it, in his view. He prefers to operate alone, ostensibly to cut down on overhead, though privately he admits that he generally does not like other smugglers. Trustworthiness is a trait that most ZeHethbra value and smugglers are, at best, an untrustworthy lot.
Clyngunn tends to shy away from all matters political and prefers to keep his contact with other smugglers to an absolute minimum. That he has joined Talon Karrde's group underscores the menace the Empire represents to the smuggling community.
Clyngunn began his career as an athlete, oddly enough. Clyngunn was the chief competitor for the ZeHethbra team in the much-publicized Stratis Games of Hallrin IV. Clyngunn's particular event was the Multi-Sentient Unarmed Combat Rounds, a regulated form of multi-species combat. Clyngunn won the highest honors in his class, and still holds the record for most sentients defeated in a single round.
Clyngunn was somewhat disenchanted after leaving athletic competition, and with a large amount of ready cash at his disposal, was willing to try just about anything to stave off boredom. A friend suggested that he buy a ship, and travel the galaxy a while to "find himself." Clyngunn purchased a star yacht and visited several tourist planets. However, he was steadily growing more and more bored. On a whim, he traveled to the Outer Rim Territories, and that was where he met his first smuggler, Billey. Clyngunn realized that smuggling might help keep him busy enough to cure his malaise.
Trading in his star yacht for a freighter, he spent a sizable amount of his sports gratuities to customize the ship. He augmented the ship's speed and armament and added sensor shielding for a number of compartments. His career as a smuggler had begun.
Initially, Clyngunn ran spice and guns for Billey, but eventually tired of working for someone else and began to operate as an independent. His reputation as a combat champion has helped dissuade the "unethical" members of the smuggling profession from interfering with him. One of the more interesting anecdotes concerning the effects of Clyngunn's fame involved a customs boarding party. The squad leader, an amateur athlete himself, recognized Clyngunn and was so honored to receive Clyngunn's autograph that he "overlooked" the smuggled chav wine on board. Clyngunn's fame in sporting circles has diminished, as he has not competed for nearly a decade, though he is surprised at how many people still remember him. While he is good-natured about his "fame," he realizes that it is a detriment to his smuggling activities.
Clyngunn is a ZeHethbra, a species of furred, muscular humanoids. His main coloring is black and he has a wide stripe of white fur beginning at the bridge of his nose and running down his back. He has large fangs and claws, and can exude a powerful pheromone capable of rendering those around him unconscious. He wears blue cloaks and tunics, and black bantha-hide slacks. Clyngunn is quick to anger, capable of wreaking considerable havoc on his opponents.
Clyngunn the ZeHethbra
Type: ZeHethbra Smuggler
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Blaster 5D+2, brawling parry 10D+2
KNOWLEDGE 2D+1
Law enforcement 6D, streetwise 6D+2
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Astrogation 7D+2, communications 4D+1, repulsorlift operation 6D+2, sensors 6D+1, space transports 6D, space transports: Lady Sunfire 8D, starship shields 6D+1
PERCEPTION 3D
Con 5D+2, forgery 6D, hide 6D+1, investigation 6D+1, search 5D+1, sneak 6D
STRENGTH 4D
Brawling 9D, climbing/jumping 7D, lifting 8D, stamina 6D+1
TECHNICAL 3D+2
Security 5D+2, space transports repair 6D+1
Special Abilities:
Spray: ZeHethbra can project a stinging spray that can blind and stun those within a three-meter radius. All characters within the range must make a Difficult willpower role or take 5D stun damage; if the result is wounded or worse, the character is overcome by the scents and collapses to the ground for one minute.
Character Points: 11
Move: 11
Equipment: Heavy blaster pistol (5D), forged personal IDs, forged ship IDs, datapad, Lady Sunfire (modified freighter)
Balig
Balig
Type: Smuggler
DEXTERITY 3D+1
Blaster 5D, dodge 5D+1, vehicle blasters 7D
KNOWLEDGE 2D+1
Streetwise 5D+1
MECHANICAL 3D+2
Sensors 5D+2, space transports 4D, starship gunnery 8D+1
PERCEPTION 3D
STRENGTH 3D
TECHNICAL 3D
Starship weapons repair 7D+2
Move: 10
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), comlink, datapad, weapons repair tool kit
Capsule: Balig joined Talon Karrde's crew as a gunner aboard the Wild Karrde. While he is still rather young, he exhibits great skill with the ship's weapons. He is extremely verbose, always telling amusing anecdotes to anyone and everyone who will listen, even during heated combat (though Karrde often rebukes him for it).
Balig is short, blond and slender. He wears standard flight coveralls and high spacers' boots. He usually wears a blaster pistol in a cross-draw holster.
Griv
Griv
Type: Rodian Smuggler
DEXTERITY 4D+1
Blaster 5D+2, blaster: heavy blaster pistol 6D, blaster: blaster rifle 6D+2, dodge 6D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D+1
Law enforcement 6D, streetwise 6D+2
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Beast riding 5D, hover vehicle operation 6D, repulsorlift operation 5D+2
PERCEPTION 3D
Con 5D+2, forgery 6D, hide 6D+1, investigation 6D+1, search 5D+1, sneak 6D
STRENGTH 3D+1
Brawling 5D+1
TECHNICAL 2D+1
First aid 5D+2
Move: 10
Equipment: Blaster rifle (6D), blaster pistol (4D), blaster rifle (6D), comlink, datapad, 4 medpacs
Capsule: Griv is a Rodian and a former law enforcement officer on a Rodian colony world. He is currently a "weapons man" for Talon Karrde. Karrde, recognizing that he can not out-think all opposition, hired Griv because of his ability with blasters and uses him in conjunction with Fein as long distance weapons cover in suspicious situations.
Griv wears a light brown tunic and black spacer's vest, with dark brown slacks and boots. He always carries two blasters, and his rifle is seldom out of reach. He is also well-versed in Human first aid, and has proven a useful medic.
Fein
Fein
Type: Merc
DEXTERITY 3D+2
Blaster 7D+2, blaster: blaster rifle 9D, dodge 4D+1, melee combat 5D+1, melee parry 5D
KNOWLEDGE 2D+2
Alien species 7D, bureaucracy 5D+1, business 6D, intimidation 5D+1, streetwise 5D+1
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Astrogation 6D+2, repulsorlift operation 7D+2, space transports 7D, starship gunnery 6D+2, starship shields 6D+1
PERCEPTION 2D+1
Bargain 5D, command 6D, con 7D+2, forgery 6D+1, persuasion 4D+2
STRENGTH 3D+2
Brawling 7D
TECHNICAL 3D
Move: 10
Equipment: Blaster rifle (6D), heavy blaster pistol (5D), macrobinoculars, comlink
Capsule: Fein is another of Karrde's weapons specialists. Recruited by Karrde from a swoop gang in the Outer Rim Territories, Fein has since grown into a valued member of Karrde's crew. His skill with a rifle has saved the smugglers from death on a number of occasions, including the Imperial attack on the Whistler's Whirlpool on Trogan.
Fein is extremely dangerous; he is efficient and deadly with his weapon. He is not very popular with his fellow smugglers because of his cold, almost clinical, detachment. He rarely speaks, and when he does it is because he has something rather nasty to say. Despite his abrasive nature, he is well respected and appreciated.
Lishma the Gotal
Lishma the Gotal
Type: Gotal Smuggler
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Blaster 3D+2, dodge 4D+1, melee parry 5D
KNOWLEDGE 2D+2
Alien species 7D, bureaucracy 5D+1, business 6D, streetwise 5D+1
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Astrogation 6D+2, repulsorlift operation 7D+2, space transports 7D, starship gunnery 6D+2, starship shields 6D+1
PERCEPTION 4D
Bargain 6D, command 8D, con 7D+2, forgery 6D+1, persuasion 4D+2
STRENGTH 3D+2
Brawling 5D
TECHNICAL 3D
Special Abilities:
Energy Sensitivity: Gotals receive +3D to search in wide open areas. See page 90 of the Dark Force Rising Sourcebook.
Mood Detection: Gotals can read the moods of others. See page 90 of the Dark Force Rising Sourcebook.
Fast Initiative: Gotals who are not suffering from radiation static receive a +1D bonus when rolling initiative against non-Gotal opponents. See page 90 of the Dark Force Rising Sourcebook.
Move: 10
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), comlink, datapad
Capsule: Lishma the Gotal made a reputation for himself by his sheer single-minded determination. Anyone who disputed him was stepped on as quickly as possible, as hard as possible. While he was more than a little cantankerous, his insight into most matters concerned with smuggling was quite keen.
Lishma was killed in an Imperial ambush during the first meeting of what would become Talon Karrde's smuggler coalition. It is ironic that the Gotal was killed; he did not think opposing the Empire was a wise idea.
Chapter Five: Planets
From the datapad journal of Voren Na'al, Director of New Republic Council Research.
In the last few months, I have had the privilege of recording the experiences of the people who have contributed to the creation of the New Republic. They have fought its battles and engineered its victories. The number of places that these heroes have visited is staggering. If battling the Empire ceases to appeal to the Heroes of Yavin, the New Republic Scout Service should consider recruiting them.
The galaxy is unimaginably vast, and the borders of the Known Galaxy are as fluid as the water of an ocean. New alien species, planets and other discoveries are catalogued at a phenomenal rate, pushing forward the boundaries of what we consider to be "known."
Until recently, the New Republic had control of almost three-quarters of the Known Galaxy, though in the outer systems the Empire operated with relative impunity. With Grand Admiral Thrawn's campaign, the Empire's grasp was extended to half the galaxy (a phenomenal feat accomplished in only six months). Since Thrawn's death, however, how long the Empire can maintain control is questionable. New Republic troops are staunch fighters and, with the destruction of the cloning facility on Mount Tantiss, Imperial soldiers are no longer "disposable."
The systems and worlds described below have been selected because they have played key roles in the events of the last few months.
Berchest
Berchest is one of the larger trade worlds in Anthos sector. Anthos sector is situated well behind Imperial lines, and despite its proximity to Imperial rule, a thriving illicit smuggling trade has flourished there. Rather than travel from remote bases in the Outer Rim Territories, many smugglers and other dubious "merchants" find it useful to have a staging area near their prospective markets.
Anthos sector contains a number of systems ideal for smugglers, as a planetary collision thousands of years ago has left an unusually high frequency of radioactive and sensor fouling material on or near many of the major trade routes. While these routes are by no means easy to navigate, they are preferable to dealing with Imperial customs and military vessels. As a result, many of the more adept (or foolhardy) smugglers ply their trade in the Anthos sector.
Since the very early days of the Old Republic, Berchest has been hailed as a planet of extraordinary beauty. Berchest's seas, in particular the magnificent red-orange sprawl of the Leefari Sea, are composed of a particularly strong saline solution, and powered by the strong tides created by Terhaari (Berchest's sole moon), the seas have had a profound effect on the rocky planet, creating huge crystal deposits on Berchest's shores. These crystals — sometimes several kilometers in diameter — have been painstakingly carved into actual cities by the Berchestian artisans. In fact, "citysculpting" is a highly respected and cherished Berchestian art form.
Unfortunately, the Clone Wars and the rise of the Empire severely cut into Berchest's tourist trade. The Berchestians have been forced to find alternative sources of income to fuel their economy. Fortunately, the tourist trade helped establish a number of lucrative trade routes that passed near the planet. While Berchest is far from being the largest trade nexus in the galaxy, it is busy enough to foster excellent economic growth.
Currently, Berchest is under the rule of Imperial Governor Staffa, a former smuggler who has somehow conned his way into a position of power in the Berchestian government.
Berchest
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Temperate
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Hydrosphere: Moist
Gravity: Standard
Terrain: Crystal coasts, plains, mountains, forests
Length of Day: 21 standard hours
Length of Year: 381 local days
Sapient Species: Berchestians (N), Bimmisaari, Humans, Gotals, Rodians, wide variety of other aliens
Starport: Stellar class
Population: 3 billion
Planet Function: Trade
Government: Imperial Governor
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: High technology, mid technology, warehoused cargoes, native crystalline art
Major Imports: Shipped cargoes, tourism
Calius Saj Leeloo
Calius Saj Leeloo, the City of Glowing Crystal, is the premier tourist attraction of the planet Berchest. Carefully carved from the planet's largest crystal deposit, Calius is breathtaking in its beauty. At sunset, the crystal city seems to shine with otherworldly brilliance, radiating a deep red hue that is renowned throughout the galaxy.
Perhaps the most famous structure in Calius is the Sanctum Arcti, the gathering house for the Berchestian world-religion. The Berchestians value the art of citysculpting above any other skill, and the Sanctum Arcti has become a huge conclave of the planet's best sculptors and artisans. The Sanctum houses over 2,000 scholars and artisans who are constantly planning and overseeing the creation of new building sculpture designs.
The Sanctum Arcti stands almost a full kilometer tall and covers nearly three square kilometers. Virtually every centimeter on the building's surface is elegantly sculpted. Positioned for maximum sun exposure, and specially tinted to subtly alter coloration, the building shines brighter and more stunningly than any other structure on Berchest.
Currently, Imperial troops patrol the city regularly. The Berchestians themselves espouse no particular political view and tend to keep to themselves, avoiding attracting Imperial attention. Still the Berchestians prefer peace and free trade above all else: after all, many of their best customers are not Imperials...
Governor Raccyx Staffa
Governor Raccyx Staffa is rather unusual for an Imperial governor: he used to be a fair smuggler. While he was never a great success, Staffa was a shrewd businessman, and when he "retired," he still had wealth, property and friends — a rare commodity for a smuggler.
Staffa had often visited Berchest and was always struck by the planet's scenic beauty. In fact, he would often joke with his fellow smugglers that someday he would retire and enter Berchestian politics.
The specifics of Staffa's installment as Imperial Governor of Berchest are murky at best. Many suspect he bribed his way into power, while others believe he applied for the position and simply murdered the other candidates.
In truth, Staffa himself is a bit surprised about his current position. After retiring to Berchest, he realized that he truly loved the planet and its people, and he legitimately desired to make their lives better. He entered into politics, and was elected as a member of the Berchestian Council.
Then he discovered the Imperial governor's habit of taking kickbacks from wanted smugglers passing through Berchest. Gathering evidence of the governor's impropriety, Staffa blackmailed him into "early retirement," and forced the Imperial to recommend him for the governorship. To his amazement, his plan actually seemed to work.
Falling back into his smuggling habits, Staffa realized that the governorship was an effective position from which to embezzle and blackmail, and all opposition to his rule soon faded. He contacted a number of his smuggler acquaintances, including Talon Karrde, and set up an "informal taxation system" whereby Staffa allowed the smugglers to operate on Berchest — for a cut.
Staffa believes that his illegal activities have escaped Imperial notice. He is mistaken, and the main reason that he is allowed to operate (other than the fact that he is a surprisingly good administrator) is that his ties to the smuggling community may help Imperial Intelligence root out some of the more troublesome members of the fringe.
Staffa is a short, overweight Human, with thinning brown hair and a handlebar mustache. He generally wears loose-fitting tunics and robes of good quality. He rarely carries a sidearm these days; his personal guards are Imperial stormtroopers.
Governor Raccyx Staffa
Type: Imperial Governor
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Blaster 4D, brawling parry 5D+2, dodge 5D
KNOWLEDGE 3D+2
Alien species 5D+2, bureaucracy 6D, business 4D+2, business: exports 7D+2, business: smuggling 6D+1, streetwise 5D
MECHANICAL 2D+1
Astrogation 4D+1, ground vehicle operations 3D+1, hover vehicle operations 4D+1, repulsorlift operations 4D+1, space transports 4D
PERCEPTION 4D
Bargain, 6D, command 8D, con 7D, forgery 7D+2, investigation 5D
STRENGTH 2D+2
Stamina 4D+2
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Character Points: 8
Move: 10
Equipment: Comlink, Imperial ID, pouch, 5,000 credits
Bespin
The Bespin system is located near the Corellian Trade Spine, at the head of the Ison Corridor. The Trade Spine draws a great deal of traffic to the system, in particular to the Cloud City mining colony.
Bespin itself is a gas giant, with three layers: one of clouds, one of liquid metal rethen, and a metal core. The spectacular colors of the planet make it a beautiful place to visit.
Bespin is predominantly a mining colony. Cloud City, a monument to repulsorlift technology, maintains a position over the gas giant, and mines the Tibanna gas from the atmosphere of Bespin. While a significant portion of Bespin's atmosphere would be considered harmful to most life-forms, there is a "Life Zone" that exists roughly 150 kilometers below the outer border of the atmosphere.
Bespin has, of late, been under Imperial control since the departure of Lando Calrissian. For a brief period, Imperial occupation of Cloud City ended, and the garrison that Darth Vader had ordered in place had been recalled. On the orders of Grand Admiral Thrawn, a new garrison has been installed, and the Empire has raided the supplies of Tibanna gas that were stored aboard the floating city.
Bespin
Type: Gas Giant
Temperature: Temperate (in the Life Zone)
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable) in the Life Zone
Hydrosphere: Moist (in the Life Zone)
Gravity: Standard (in the Life Zone)
Terrain: Gas Giant
Length of Day: 12 standard hours
Length of Year: 14 standard years
Sapient Species: Humans, Ugnaughts
Starports: Imperial Class (restricted to military use only)
Population: 4 billion
Planet Function: Tibanna gas mining, former gambling resort
Government: Imperial Governor
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: Spin-sealed Tibanna gas
Major Imports: Foodstuffs, mid tech, high tech
Bilbringi
The Bilbringi system is devoid of life, consisting of rocky worlds rich with heavy metals. The Bilbringi system has little of interest in it save the Bilbringi shipyards, a large, heavily defended facility used for the construction of Imperial warships. The shipyards were created at Bilbringi because of the system's proximity to Imperial convoy routes and the preponderance of available metals and ores. The shipyard's main control facility was constructed on Bilbringi VII, a medium sized planetoid that maintains a monotonously regular orbit around its sun.
The shipyard facilities themselves are orbital platforms that circle the planetoid, and are constantly monitored by the installation's security systems. The orbital platforms are used for virtually every stage of starship construction: there are open dry-docks for the overhaul of hyperdrive engines, heavy lifting platforms, a work area for the construction of space vessel superstructures, and even a firing platform to fine-tune a new ship's weaponry. Overall, the Bilbringi shipyards are an impressive and efficient facility for the Imperial Navy.
Unfortunately, the very size of the shipyards makes them vulnerable to attack. In recent weeks, successful attacks against the Empire have been made by both the New Republic and members of Talon Karrde's smuggler coalition. The smugglers Mazzic and Ellor were successful in destroying a nearly completed Imperial Star Destroyer, an act of revenge for the slaying of the Gotal smuggler Lishma. Within a matter of days, the New Republic launched an attack on the shipyards in hopes of procuring a Crystal Gravfield Trap array. A sizable portion of the installation was destroyed during the attacks.
General Drost, the Imperial officer in charge of Bilbringi's security, has been removed from command. Shortly after the smuggler attack on Bilbringi, Admiral Thrawn allegedly gave the beleaguered officer a last chance to improve security procedures for the shipyards. As the New Republic attack indicated, Drost's revisions to security procedures were, to be polite, ineffective.
Currently, the defenses of the Bilbringi shipyards have been effectively removed. The Golan II battle platforms and shield generators that protected Bilbringi were damaged beyond repair. The shipyards have since been abandoned. The New Republic, realizing that the shipyards were too exposed to continue as a military dockyard, simply scavenged what equipment and material remained. The loss of Bilbringi is a major blow to the Imperial shipbuilding effort.
Bilbringi
Type: Asteroid Belt
Temperature: Frigid
Atmosphere: None
Hydrosphere: Arid
Gravity: None
Terrain: Asteroids, shipyards
Length of Year: 830 standard days
Sapient Species: Humans, wide variety of other species
Starports: Imperial Class (restricted to Imperial military use)
Population: 12 million
Planet Function: Shipbuilding
Government: Imperial Moff
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: Imperial warships
Major Imports: Foodstuffs, mid tech, high tech, raw materials
Chazwa
The Chazwa system has recently fallen back under restrictive Imperial control. While a garrison has been in place on the planet Chazwa for almost seven years, Imperial efforts at controlling the system have been half-hearted at best. After Grand Admiral Thrawn assumed control over the Empire, discipline was reinforced, even for rear echelon troops like those on Chazwa.
Chazwa has recently been used as a central shipping point for Imperial war supplies, troops and information. While a number of smuggling and legitimate freight shipping operations run through Chazwa, the Imperial presence has forced these operators to move very carefully because Imperial smuggling penalties are quite severe.
The Imperial garrison on Chazwa has recently been upgraded to full operational status, receiving a new complement of troops, including some cloned stormtroopers, and the Interdictor cruiser Rampart has been assigned to the system to reduce smuggling in the area.
The planet is medium-sized and orbits a small white-dwarf star. It is habitable for Humans and a number of other alien species, with a mild climate and weather and a moderate amount of natural resources.
Chazwa
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Temperate
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Hydrosphere: Moderate
Gravity: Standard
Terrain: Plains
Length of Day: 26 standard hours
Length of Year: 369 local days
Sapient Species: Humans
Starports: Stellar Class
Population: 3.5 billion
Planet Function: Trade, manufacturing
Government: Imperial Governor
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: Information, agriculture products, mid technology
Major Imports: Foodstuffs, medicine
Crondre
Crondre is a small, icy world that the New Republic has converted into a supply depot for perishable medical supplies. The frigid planet facilitates flash-freezing and storage of many time-sensitive medical compounds. The storage facility on Crondre has been hollowed out of the planet's immense glaciers, in much the same manner as the Alliance's Echo Base on Hoth. A series of Fabritech matrix shield generators protects the storage facility, as does a huge ion cannon battery and a Golan II space defense platform.
Unfortunately, due to the hostile nature of the planet's environment, only a small number of troops can be stationed on Crondre at a given time. The bulk of the New Republic personnel in the system are stationed aboard the Golan II. Since there is an overflow of troops aboard the station, it has been modified and acts as a traffic flow control into and out of the system.
Crondre itself consists of large fields of glaciers that are slowly grinding their way across the planet. As yet, no indigenous life has been discovered.
Crondre
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Frigid
Atmosphere: Type II (breath mask suggested due to numbing temperatures)
Hydrosphere: Moist (mostly in form of glaciers and snow)
Gravity: Standard
Terrain: Glacier
Length of Day: 23 standard hours
Length of Year: 392 local days
Sapient Species: Humans, wide variety of other species
Starports: Limited Services
Population: 2,000 (on surface), 800 (Golan II platform)
Planet Function: New Republic supply depot
Government: New Republic
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: None
Major Imports: None
Dolomar
Dolomar is the only planet orbiting its star. Dolomar was originally a colony world of the Republic, and it was settled after a rich discovery of ores and various specialized minerals and crystals. After the Battle of Endor, Dolomar quickly allied with the New Republic, but Grand Admiral Thrawn's campaign of conquest subjected the world to bitter and desperate fighting.
Dolomar is a world of extreme cold, blizzards, and ice. The colonists live underground in immense caverns and tunnels that protect them from both the cold and orbital bombardments. The colonists are an extremely resilient and stubborn group of people. When the Empire attacked, it learned how stubborn they can be: the initial Imperial invasion fleet was ambushed and wiped out.
Currently, Imperial warships are attempting to gain a permanent foothold in the system, but Dolomar's defense fleet is holding its own (thanks to support from the Republic). The Empire has been able to conduct very limited ground attacks and orbital bombardments, in hopes of penetrating the planetary shield generators and taking over the surface of the planet. Dolomar's gunners have shot down most of the Empire's landing transports, so the Empire has been unable to land any heavy vehicles or artillery pieces, and only a small number of transports with troops have been able to land. Those ground forces that do make it to the underground cities are eliminated by the colonists in fierce rounds of street fighting. The local inhabitants know the streets and alleyways of Dolomar infinitely better than Imperial Army troops, and use this for a decided tactical advantage.
The surface of the planet consists of nothing more than glaciers, snowdrifts and ice-shrouded mountains. The northernmost mountain chain, the L'tiri Peaks, houses the largest of the underground complexes, Diflu. Hidden amongst the caverns and tunnels, Diflu hosts a large number of shops, space vessel repair facilities, and cantinas.
Dolomar
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Frigid
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Hydrosphere: Moist (mostly solidified as glaciers and snow)
Gravity: Standard
Terrain: Glaciers, snowfields, mountains
Length of Day: 45 standard hours
Length of Year: 224 local days
Sapient Species: Humans
Starports: Stellar Class
Population: 1.5 billion
Planet Function: Colony
Government: Participatory Democracy
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: Minerals, Dolomar spice wine
Major Imports: Mid technology, high technology, foodstuffs
Farrfin
The planet Farrfin was a popular refuge of smugglers and pirates in the days of the Old Republic. Its remote location made it ideal for hiding from pursuers, and eventually the Rebel Alliance made use of the planet as well. The planet's inhabitants, the Farghul, a species easily given to smuggling and con artistry, freely welcomed all newcomers to Farrfin — if only for the chance to bilk the unwary out of every credit they could.
Recently, Imperial forces have tried to dominate the Farrfin system, and have met with stern resistance. The craggy, fog-choked planet makes ground operations difficult, and the local inhabitants, used to operating in these difficult conditions, have managed to stall Imperial takeover. The Republic is also supplying weapons, food and medicine so that the Farghul can continue their resistance effort.
Farrfin is a medium sized planet, with high mountain peaks, deep valleys, some tectonic instability, and a number of underground streams. These streams (and, in some cases, larger bodies of water) meet with the lava just beneath the surface of the planet, causing huge fissures of steam to explode from the ground. These "steamstorms" are what makes the planet difficult for the Empire to cope with: the damp weather, low visibility, and the unfamiliar and treacherous terrain have all contributed to make Imperial occupation extremely difficult.
Farrfin has three major cities: Farlhu, Jahhnu and Geltyu. A strong "criminal" element thrives in these cities, with con-artists running sabacc scams on every street corner, and pockets being picked left and right. The famed Jahhnu betting houses rake in incredible sums of currency, as gullible off-worlders and bored smugglers gamble away their earnings. That this haven for bored criminals has managed to repulse Imperial attacks is bewildering to the Empire.
Farrfin
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Temperate
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Hydrosphere: Moist
Gravity: Light (0.9 Standard)
Terrain: Mountains, oceans
Length of Day: 29 standard hours
Length of Year: 388 local days
Sapient Species: Farghul (N)
Starports: Stellar Class
Population: 6 billion
Planet Function: Entertainment, homeworld, smuggling haven
Government: Criminal hierarchy
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: Information, smuggled goods
Major Imports: Liquor, holos, spice, other contraband items
Filve
The planet Filve has become a huge service station for passing starships. An Imperial class starport services virtually any vessel (though smaller ships tend to be put off by Filve starport's inflated docking fees). The Filvians, noted for their mechanical aptitude, have turned a hot, dry, uncomfortable planet into a major trade and information nexus.
A large number of ships pass through the Dulfilvian system, mostly restocking at Filve. A number of the galaxy's wealthiest corporations, such as Sienar and BlasTech, have opened branch offices on Filve. Filvian computers and computer operators are highly respected in their field, and many of the galaxy's most popular computer systems had Filvian programmers.
The planet itself is hot, dry and uncomfortable. The climate is almost monotonous: constant sunshine, oven-hot winds and a complete lack of vegetation make Filve an inhospitable desert planet.
The Filvians have created gigantic, self-contained cities to house themselves and the off-worlders that live on the planet. These huge mega-cities are interlocked, and it is possible to visit each city without ever walking outdoors. These cities are completely climate controlled and are protected from the uncomfortable outside environment.
Filve
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Hot
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Hydrosphere: Dry
Gravity: Standard
Terrain: Urban
Length of Day: 14 standard hours
Length of Year: 110 local days
Sapient Species: Filvians (N)
Starports: Imperial Class
Population: 6 billion
Planet Function: Service, homeworld
Government: Alliance/Federation
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: High technology, computers, droids
Major Imports: Food, medicine
Generis
Generis, in the Atrivis system, was the prime New Republic communications nexus in the Outer Rim Territories until it fell to the forces of Grand Admiral Thrawn. Only the actions of Pash Cracken managed to save the lives of many members of the Atrivis Communications Group.
Generis is a planet of startling natural beauty: a lush jungle planet that displays a number of indigenous creatures and plants. The terrain is hilly and rocky, with choking jungle foliage clogging the few pathways that have been forged through the rugged terrain. The nature of the terrain convinced the Rebel Alliance to install a communications array there; even if the Empire managed to locate the comm center, an extended ground campaign would be required to take or disable the center.
There are no major cities on Generis, nor are there any surviving indigenous sapient species. The ruins of a number of temples of decidedly non-Human origin have been discovered, but there is no clue what became of the temples' builders.
The comm center that is now firmly under Imperial control is located on the southern pole of the planet, near a large deposit of hiridiu crystals. These crystals have been used in old-style communications systems since the days of the Old Republic; the proximity of the crystals helps boost modern communications signal strength by almost 30 percent. The loss of this unique broadcast center will be difficult for the New Republic to recover from.
Generis
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Hot
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Hydrosphere: Moist
Gravity: Heavy (1.1 of Standard)
Terrain: Jungle, mountains
Length of Day: 42 standard hours
Length of Year: 234 local days
Sapient Species: Humans, wide variety of other species
Starports: Limited Services
Population: 2,000
Planet Function: Communications center
Government: Imperial Governor
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: None
Major Imports: None
Hijarna
Hijarna has a mystery to xenoarcheologists galaxy-wide since its discovery during the Fifth Alderaanian Expedition. The planet is almost totally devoid of life, and, if all the data on the structure and composition of the planet is accurate, Hijarna was destroyed by warfare. One of the few major structures still standing on the planet is the so-called Fortress of Hijarna, a brooding, massive edifice of blackened stone that is perched high atop a bluff overlooking a battle-scarred plain.
Hijarna shows evidence that it once was a lush, beautiful world. Fossil records indicate an abundance of animal life — at one time. No trace remains, however, of the sapient species responsible for the destruction of the planet. The cause of Hijarna's downfall has remained a topic of speculation for researchers and scientists for decades. Some feel that the fortress was created as a last ditch defense against whatever destroyed the planet, while others feel that the fortress may have been a stronghold for the invaders or conquerors.
The fortress is occasionally used by smuggler Talon Karrde as a meeting place far from the prying eyes of Imperial Intelligence. Karrde chose Hijarna as a rendezvous point for a vital meeting of the smuggler coalition.
Hijarna
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Moderate
Atmosphere: Type II (breath mask suggested due to bacterial contaminants)
Hydrosphere: Dry
Gravity: Standard
Terrain: Barren wasteland
Length of Day: 22 standard hours
Length of Year: 363 local days
Sapient Species: None
Starports: Limited Services
Population: None
Planet Function: Smuggler hideout
Government: None
Tech Level: Space (smuggler camp only)
Major Exports: None
Major Imports: None
Mrisst
Mrisst is a small planet in the GaTir system and a member of the New Republic. The Mrissi were subjugated by the Empire for decades; many were conscripted into military service. After the Battle of Endor, the Mrissi were more than willing to throw off the Imperial yoke and support the New Republic.
The planet is a very mild, terrestrial world, and quite hospitable to Humans and similar life-forms. Small lakes and rivers dot the four major continents. The terrain is predominantly jungle, consisting of varied forms of vegetation such as the tiny "spinetrees" and the slender, thousand-meter-tall "spirepines."
Planetary weather is extremely mild, and the Mrissi have flourished on this world. Mrisst is fairly self sufficient, and imports little more than high technology and high energy fuel sources. Most of the planet's population relies on efficient solar, hydro and thermal heating sources, but there are some cases where advanced energy sources are still necessary. Mrisst does have one major commodity to sell: education.
Mrisst has become a center of higher learning for many of the economically disadvantaged students of the galaxy. The Mrisst Trade and Science Academy (MTSA, often pronounced "MiTSA") provides a high quality educational program to students who may have been unable to attend the Imperial Academy or other large and expensive universities. While the prestige level of a Mrisst education is lower than that of the larger, wealthier institutions, Mrisst graduates tend to get a better education, which is borne out once the graduates get into the work force.
Recently, Mrisst has been recaptured by the Empire. Thrawn used Mrisst as a staging area for his final assaults leading into the attack on Coruscant.
Mrisst
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Temperate
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Hydrosphere: Moderate
Gravity: Light (0.8 of Standard)
Terrain: Forests, mountains
Length of Day: 20 standard hours
Length of Year: 278 local days
Sapient Species: Mrissi (N), wide variety of other species
Starports: Stellar
Population: 3.5 billion Mrissi, 6 billion (students of various species)
Planet Function: Educational center
Government: Representative democracy
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: None
Major Imports: Educational material, computers
Ord Mantell
Most people know Ord Mantell as a gambling reserve and seedy spacer and smuggler conclave. However, there's a lot more to this outlying world that once served as a prime military base for the Old Republic.
Ord Mantell is a world of contrasts. It was originally founded by Corellian colonists 12,000 years ago as an advance Republic military and scout base. As the Republic expanded to new trade routes, Ord Mantell lost its strategic significance, but the presence of full military-quality starship yards and docks encouraged a thriving civilian cargo trade.
In the intervening years, Ord Mantell has become something of a "free port": all manner of legitimate and illegal cargoes pass through the system. Smugglers and legal free traders often dock on the planet, confident that there is a minimal risk of "Imperial entanglements."
Ord Mantell has also given rise to a thriving gambling and entertainment industry. Along the southern coast of the continent of Worlport, a sprawl of cities provide gambling and all manner of vices, no questions asked. The cities are modern in all respects, and Ord Mantell's countless billions of tourists a year can expect to find any convenience they are accustomed to in the Core.
Beyond the teeming bustle of the cities, much of Ord Mantell remains primitive and rural. Ord Mantell's terrain is dominated by wide plains, large salt water lakes and forests. A number of small towns and cities dot the planet, ranging from farming to fishing communities. The majority of the inhabitants of the rural communities shy away from contact with out-worlders, preferring to stay away from the visitors who seem to consistently bring so much trouble to their lives. There are a small number of cities that cater to the needs of smugglers and spacers, giving these individuals even more privacy than the gambling cities can. Unfortunately, these rural spacer cities are little more than "outlaw settlements," much like Mos Eisley, where visitors must be willing to dispense "justice" through a threatening word and a blaster.
The general level of technology in rural Ord Mantell is low; droids and computers are oddities to most residents.
A year ago, the New Republic added Ord Mantell to its membership. While the Republic has made extensive efforts to "civilize" the planet, old habits die hard and the planet remains a center of illicit activities. Recently, the Republic deployed an X-wing fighter wing to the planet to assist in the ongoing skirmishes in the sector. Originally housed in the remains of an Old Republic space defense base in the planet's southern hemisphere, the Ord Mantell Fighter Wing has become an essential part of the New Republic's defense in the sector.
Ord Mantell
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Temperate
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Hydrosphere: Moist
Gravity: Standard
Terrain: Plains, jungles
Length of Day: 26 standard hours
Length of Year: 334 local days
Sapient Species: Humans, Trandoshans, wide variety of other species
Starports: Limited Services
Population: 4 billion
Planet Function: Trade, entertainment, gambling
Government: Republic Governor
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: None
Major Imports: None
Ord Pardron
Ord Pardron is a remnant of Old Republic military expansion, the name "Ord" itself a throwback to the military jargon of that bygone era. "Ord" is an acronym for "Ordnance/Regional Depot," and serves the function of a frontier "fort" or advance military base. Countless Old Republic regional bases were given the name "Ord" when they were first settled (colonists often chose to settle near a military facility for their own protection); on many worlds, the term has survived to this day.
Ord Pardron is essentially a large rock in space. The planet has low gravity and a very thin atmosphere. Ord Pardron is rich in minerals and ores and was extensively mined by the Republic and the Empire to provide raw materials for starships. Approximately five years before the Battle of Endor, Ord Pardron was abandoned by the Empire because most of its mineral resources had been exhausted. Shortly before the Battle of Yavin, a small Rebel Alliance fighter base was established in the remains of the Imperial base.
Ord Pardron Starfighter Base launched a number of successful attacks on the Empire, which was unable to locate the subterranean Rebel outpost. After the Battle of Endor, the base was re-tasked and is now a major sector defense outpost due to the protection afforded by the heavy-metal make-up of the planet. Even without planetary shields, the underground base at Ord Pardron can withstand sustained orbital bombardment. A full complement of starfighters, capital ships and support personnel have been stationed on Ord Pardron.
Ord Pardron
Type: Asteroid
Temperature: Cool
Atmosphere: None
Hydrosphere: Arid
Gravity: Light (0.15 Standard)
Terrain: Barren
Length of Day: Planet does not rotate
Length of Year: 752 standard days
Sapient Species: Humans
Starports: Standard class (restricted to New Republic and emergency use only)
Population: 68,000 (New Republic troops)
Planet Function: New Republic military base
Government: New Republic Military
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: None
Major Imports: None
Ord Trasi
Ord Trasi is a major shipbuilding facility for the Empire. It is a heavily defended fortress system that the New Republic has thus far been unable to take from the Empire. The Imperial yards at Ord Trasi are primarily responsible for the construction of capital combat starships, and since the return of Thrawn, the facility has concentrated solely on building Imperial Star Destroyers.
Ord Trasi was a fort world in the days of the Old Republic (hence the "Ord" appellation). Established as a "jump-off" point and refueling depot for exploration missions, the Ord Trasi outpost saw heavy usage and gradually improved the level of its ship maintenance facilities, eventually becoming the major construction center it is today. Ord Trasi itself is typical of most planets that serve as shipbuilding centers. The planet is rich in metals, ores, and minerals, as well as natural crystals used in weapons and communication gear, all of which are mined to fuel the Imperial war effort. Most of the Empire's shipbuilding is carried out in orbit, utilizing a tremendous series of space stations and orbital docking platforms. The space platforms completely encircle Ord Trasi and house most of the Empire's troops stationed at the planet. A number of weapons platforms defend the network of space stations, and smelting and metal refinement facilities are located on Ord Trasi's two moons. The smelting facilities feature minimal guards as most of the actual mining is carried out by droids.
Ord Trasi
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Cool
Atmosphere: Type II (breath mask suggested)
Hydrosphere: Arid
Gravity: Standard
Terrain: Mountains, plains
Length of Day: 28 standard hours
Length of Year: 412 local days
Sapient Species: Humans, Wookiees (slaves)
Starports: Imperial Class (restricted to registered Imperial shipping and military use)
Population: 2 million
Planet Function: Shipbuilding facility
Government: Imperial Moff
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: Starships
Major Imports: High technology, refined metals
Poderis
Poderis can be described by a variety of terms, though "marginal" seems the most accurate. Virtually no one has ever heard of the small colony planet. Technically, the colony should have simply been declared a failure and relocated decades ago, but the stubborn nature of the colonists — a stubbornness on a par with the Svivreni — has managed to keep this small planet going. The combination of its disorienting 10 hour days, unusual geography and violent winds have made the planet a singularly difficult location to survive in.
Poderis has a nearly perpendicular axial tilt, creating terrible winds (comparable to hurricane levels) during the planet's spring and autumn. The "lowland-slough ecology" and erosion patterns of Poderis have created the planet's unusual land masses: towering mesas lie in archipelagos dotting the planet's large oceans.
For the protection of the settlements perched atop the mesas, huge wind barriers have been constructed. They are angled slabs of hull-strength starship metal that act as windbreaks.
Grand Admiral Thrawn used Poderis as a lure for Jedi Luke Skywalker, who was led to believe that Poderis was a possible transfer point for the Empire's clone traffic. Poderis is also a drop-off or pickup location for smugglers, though a recently increased Imperial military presence has curtailed much of the illicit flow of goods.
Poderis
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Temperate
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Hydrosphere: Moist
Gravity: Standard
Terrain: Archipelago chains of mesas
Length of Day: 10 standard hours
Length of Year: 77 local days
Sapient Species: Human
Starports: Limited Services
Population: 17 million
Planet Function: Colony
Government: Imperial Governor
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: None
Major Imports: Food, medicine, high technology
Qat Chrystac
Qat Chrystac is one of those unusual battle sites that occur in virtually every war; the planet has no strategic value save that what began as a small skirmish to wipe out an enemy outpost evolved into a seemingly endless and ever escalating conflict.
The planet is a volcanic nightmare, with a bizarre form of radioactive lava spewing forth from hissing crevasses in the planet's surface. Huge seas of molten rock cover the planet, distinguished by large mesas of volcanic glass that tower several kilometers high over the seas. The radioactive lava that is constantly sprayed into the planet's poisonous air has a severe scrambling effect on all manner of computers and sensors. Because of the hostile nature of the planet's environment, a rogue cell of the Rebellion decided it would make an ideal hiding place.
Qat Chrystac became a point of contention almost a decade ago. The Rebels managed to capture a heavily shielded starship, similar to the shieldships of Nkllon, and simply buried it in the rock of the planet. The Empire, learning of this base, launched an attack and was soundly defeated; the Empire was not ready for the harsh conditions of the planet, and the Rebel group on Qat Chrystac was comprised of some of the fiercest fighters in the Rebellion. The fighting rages on to this day.
Currently, a small contingent of Imperial Radiation Zone Troopers is cautiously working its way across Qat Chrystac's surface in hopes of locating the hidden base. This stormtrooper unit, stationed aboard an older model siege platform in orbit over Qat Chrystac, has been in active combat for almost seven months, and is in desperate need of reinforcements. The New Republic, hoping to wipe out one of the few truly elite stormtrooper divisions left since the death of the Emperor, has managed to supply the Qat Chrystac base with new weapons, troops and supplies.
Qat Chrystac
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Searing
Atmosphere: Type IV (environment suit required)
Hydrosphere: Dry
Gravity: Heavy (1.4 of Standard)
Terrain: Radioactive lava seas, volcanic glass plateaus
Length of Day: 12 standard hours
Length of Year: 166 local days
Sapient Species: None
Starports: Limited Services
Population: 2,000 New Republic troops, approximately 1,500 Imperial Radtroopers
Planet Function: Hidden Base
Government: None
Tech Level: Space (inside the New Republic base)
Major Exports: None
Major Imports: None
Sarka
Sarka is a planet of steaming jungles and vast tracts of marshland. The planet is home to a dazzling variety of insects, plants and animals, including the Sarkans, the planet's only sapient species.
Sarka has few cities (in the traditional sense); rather, the majority of Sarkans live in an elaborate system of interlocking caves and subterranean passageways. The caves are usually located adjacent to one of the planet's many underground hot springs, which helps compensate for the cool Sarkan nights. Salyrini is the largest of these underground cave-cities. Despite their crude outward appearance, the caves are very modern, incorporating a number of shops, restaurants, holo-theatres and other amenities.
Among the major exports of Sarka are the Sarkan Nova Rubies, which the Sarkans mine from their cave networks. These crystals are common on Sarka and are used for illumination in the darker reaches of the caves. These gemstones are highly prized by many off-worlders because of their brilliant luminescence. The Sarkans tend to be amused that these common stones can be so prized by other species, though they are more than willing to part with them — for a proper price.
Sarka has parlayed its gem wealth into political clout, and now Sarkan ambassadors are among the powerful political factions in the New Republic. Sarka is currently negotiating a shipping treaty with the New Republic, and the Sarkan delegation hopes to lure a New Republic military detachment to Sarka. The military presence would help cut down on smuggling, piracy and Imperial incursions into Sarkan territory.
Sarka
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Hot
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Hydrosphere: Moist
Gravity: Heavy (1.3 of Standard)
Terrain: Jungle, marshland, cave networks
Length of Day: 39 standard hours
Length of Year: 462 local days
Sapient Species: Sarkans (N)
Starports: Imperial Class
Population: 4 billion
Planet Function: Trade center
Government: Ruler by tribal selection
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: Nova Rubies
Major Imports: Luxury items
Svivren
The planet Svivren has posed a tremendous problem for the Empire in recent days. This planet's hardy inhabitants have thus far managed to resist attempts at Imperial occupation, outlasted Imperial siege efforts, and infuriated the Empire by their determined refusal to submit to Imperial rule. The Svivreni are notoriously stubborn, and are thoroughly opposed to participating in "political infighting" (the term they use to describe the galactic civil war).
Svivren itself is a harsh world, consisting of mountainous terrain, with long, cold winters and uncomfortably warm summers. Despite the rough nature of the planet, the Svivreni have thrived and used their skill to turn their planet into an important regional trading port.
Svivren is completely neutral in the civil war. Svivreni law forbids the presence of any personal weapon and its well-armed security troops enforce that law efficiently. Any violent actions on Svivren result in immediate and public execution. As such, Svivren has a low crime rate, and even smugglers tend to avoid the planet: if the Mon Calamari made smuggling difficult, the Svivreni made it dangerous.
Svivren
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Temperate
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Hydrosphere: Moderate
Gravity: Standard
Terrain: Mountains, cultivated agriculture zones, urban
Length of Day: 26 standard hours
Length of Year: 388 local days
Sapient Species: Svivreni (N), Ewoks, Humans, Sullustans
Starports: Imperial, 6 Stellar
Population: 8.5 billion
Planet Function: Service
Government: Svivreni Trade Alliance
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: High technology, mid technology, computers, droids
Major Imports: Food, medicine
Tangrene
Tangrene is one of the more heavily defended planets in the Empire's sphere of influence, largely due to the presence of an Imperial Ubiqtorate base (which houses one of the few crystal gravfield trap arrays near the New Republic border). That General Garm Bel Iblis managed a successful raid against the planet is a monument to the Corellian senator's cunning.
Tangrene is protected by a minimum of two Imperial-class Star Destroyers, and anywhere from 10 to 50 smaller vessels (ranging from Carrack-class light cruisers and Interdictor cruisers to Victory-class Star Destroyers). Imperial officers joke that anything that enters the system without authorization — including space debris — is destroyed without even so much as a comm warning. A complex series of remote sensors ensures that nothing gets into the system undetected.
Tangrene itself is ideally suited to its role as an Imperial "fortress" world. Fifteen Imperial garrisons are scattered strategically throughout the cliffs and canyons of this nearly barren planet, positioned to take maximum advantage of the available terrain. Any attacking ground forces will be hard pressed to take and hold any of the planet's rocky ground.
Tangrene was once home to a species of peaceful nomads that were enslaved by the Empire. They were forced to help construct the garrison bases and shield generators of the system's defense network. After construction was completed, the sector Moff decided it would be more expedient to depopulate the planet rather than risk revolt or insurrection. The Tangrene people were completely wiped out, without the slightest chance of defending themselves. Tangrene remains a monument to the Imperial capacity for cruelty.
Tangrene is a craggy, mountainous world, almost completely devoid of surface vegetation and water. A number of underground lakes (and even one subterranean ocean) have been located and tapped to supply water to the Imperial garrisons. These underground caverns also support a wide diversity of fungi and vegetation.
The maze-like canyons that spread across the planet's surface have been mapped and secured by the Empire. Motion trackers, heat sensors and sentry observation posts monitor all access to the Imperial Garrisons and Ubiqtorate base.
The Empire has recently upgraded the shield generators of Tangrene to make the planet even more difficult to penetrate. Because of Tangrene's position near the New Republic, the planet has become an increasingly attractive staging area for Imperial incursions into Republic space.
Tangrene
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Standard
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Hydrosphere: Dry
Gravity: Standard
Terrain: Mountains, canyons
Length of Day: 29 standard hours
Length of Year: 356 local days
Sapient Species: Humans
Starports: Stellar class (restricted to Imperial military use)
Population: 290,000 (Imperial troops)
Planet Function: Imperial Base
Government: Imperial sector Moff
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: None
Major Imports: None
Trogan
Trogan is a planet of harsh contrasts: natural beauty is marred by violent weather; areas of lush vegetation spring up among vast tracts of barren wasteland. Trogan is perhaps best known for its tides; the gravitational pull of the planet's three moons make for some impressive tidal shifts. The coastlines of the planet's land masses are heavily eroded and subject to the pounding of the planet's inhospitable weather and the inexorable pull of the ocean.
Many of the citizens of Trogan felt that the planet could become a tourist attraction to rival Berchest. The planet's ocean activity during the seasonal high tide can be quite spectacular, especially during violent electrical storms. Unfortunately, the tourist trade on Trogan never quite caught on. The planet's economy has remained stagnant and it appears that Trogan will remain a subsistence planet just struggling to get by.
Trogan
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Temperate
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Hydrosphere: Saturated
Gravity: Standard
Terrain: Plateau
Length of Day: 32 standard hours
Length of Year: 401 local days
Sapient Species: Humans
Starports: 1 Standard class
Population: 8 million
Planet Function: Subsistence, tourism
Government: Imperial Governor
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: None
Major Imports: None
Whistler's Whirlpool Tapcafe
Whistler's Whirlpool is one of the many casualties of the Trogan Planetary Tourism Board's poor planning and mismanagement. The tapcafe was a mild success shortly after opening, but eventually fell out of favor with the tourist crowd and subsequently closed.
Whistler was an Ortolan merchant who was preoccupied with food, like the majority of his species, and loved the idea of owning a major restaurant and entertainment cafe. Deciding upon a "nature" theme for his tapcafe, Whistler designed and built the establishment around the Whirlpool.
The Whirlpool is a natural depression, a bowl-shaped pit that is open to the sea at its bottom. Due to the violent nature of the planet's tides, six times a day, a huge white-water geyser fills the bowl in an impressive display of sound and water.
The Whirlpool's tables are located in concentric circles around the bowl, providing an exciting view of the geyser while still retaining a feel of luxury and decorum. Or so Whistler thought.
In reality, the Whirlpool is cold and damp, and the constant roar of the geyser drowns out all chance of conversation. After Whistler was forced to close, the Tourism Board considered its options. Since the building would require a total (and expensive) reconstruction project to convert its design to another venue, Whistler's Whirlpool is now a deserted building that the Trogan Tourism Board desperately wishes to sell.
Ukio
The planet Ukio is one of the best known of the agricultural planets in the Abrion sector. The planet has almost entirely been converted to food production facility, and is one of the most efficient food distribution centers in its sector.
Ukio itself is a large planet, with gentle winds, calm weather and a mild climate. Seasonal changes are virtually nonexistent due to the planet's slow rotation and low axial tilt; the growing season lasts most of the Ukian year. It is ideal for the production of grains and other foodstuffs, and the planet has ample fallow land for future expansion.
Ukio was once a planet of rolling hills and wild grasses. The peaceful farmers of the planet spent decades working the land, and eventually developed a scientific system for harvest improvement. Today, Ukio is covered with carefully cultivated and painstakingly designed field systems that are systematically farmed for maximum output. Crop rotation procedures are not only recommended, but required by Ukian law. The Ukian government, displaying remarkable foresight, prevents the destruction of arable land and all Ukians must make sure that they do not exhaust the growing potential of the soil.
Ukio consists of three major continents. Hundreds of rivers cut through the lands, providing ample natural irrigation. Modern technology has allowed the Ukians to harness and redirect the rivers, increasing irrigation capacity.
Ukio
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Temperate
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Hydrosphere: Moderate
Gravity: Light (0.8 Standard)
Terrain: Plain
Length of Day: 22 standard hours
Length of Year: 357 local days
Sapient Species: Ukians (N)
Starports: Imperial Class
Population: 7.5 billion
Planet Function: Agriculture, homeworld
Government: Overliege Monarchy
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: Food
Major Imports: High technology
Tol dosLa
Tol dosLa
Type: Ukian Bureaucrat
DEXTERITY 2D
Dodge 5D
KNOWLEDGE 3D+2
Alien species 4D+2, bureaucracy 5D+2, bureaucracy: Ukio 7D+2, business 5D+2, business: agriculture 8D+2, languages 6D+2, value: foodstuffs 7D+2
MECHANICAL 2D+2
PERCEPTION 4D
Bargain 5D, bargain: foodstuffs 9D+1, command 7D+1, persuasion 7D+2
STRENGTH 2D+1
Swimming 4D+1
TECHNICAL 3D
Computer programming/repair 5D+1
Character Points: 2
Move: 10
Equipment: Datapad (listing harvest production schedules)
Capsule: Tol dosLa is the spokesman for the Ukian Overliege, the ruler of the planet. DosLa is well known and respected on Ukio, both for his agreeable nature and his shrewd political skills. He is the oldest son of Gol dosLa, the Overliege, and is next in line for the Overliege position.
Tol dosLa is tall and reedy, as is typical for the Ukian people, and is very soft spoken. He is not afraid to speak his mind, but he is always very gentle in persuading people to consider his point of view. It is a tactic that has proven very effective in the past.
Vaathkree
Vaathkree is a harsh, volcanic planet that is constantly hammered by meteor impacts. It has heavy gravity and a corrosive, poisonous atmosphere. Huge plains of lava and exposed radiation-emitting metals stretch between the spouting volcanoes and the huge crevasses that scar the surface of the planet. This highly volatile world is home to one of the more interesting forms of life in the galaxy: the Vaathkree.
The Vaathkree are one of the well-known trading species in the galaxy and have a strong religious tradition centered around "the art of the deal." They are some the most relentless hagglers in the galaxy.
The Vaathkree have created domed cities to house any off-world guests they may receive. These cities are a marvel of metallurgy and engineering — like the Vaathkree themselves, Vaathkree vnals, or "life-towns," are partly organic constructs. Vaathkree vnals are partially alive, and capable of communicating with their inhabitants. Vnals dot the surface of Vaathkree, and are rather comfortable for brief stays, although most visitors are unnerved by the idea of sleeping inside a living, breathing building.
Visitors to the planet often find small pieces of living metal. These small nodes of ore are referred to as Stonesingers (the phrase the Vaathkree use when explaining the concept to visitors), and they are the children of the Vaathkree. Stonesingers tend to be found in the large lava flats that stretch across the planet and tourists are ordered to only observe them from a distance. Vaathkree has been ignored by the Empire. The Vaathkree themselves have not yet resisted the efforts of the Imperial military.
Vaathkree
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Searing
Atmosphere: Type IV (environment suit required)
Hydrosphere: Arid
Gravity: Heavy (1.8 Standard)
Terrain: Volcanic mountain chains, lava flats
Length of Day: 54 standard hours
Length of Year: 197 local days
Sapient Species: Vaathkree (N), Vnals (N), Stonesingers (N)
Starports: Imperial Class
Population: 6 billion
Planet Function: Service
Government: Vaathkree Council
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: Mid tech, raw materials
Major Imports: High tech, computers, droids
Woostri
Woostri is a predominantly ocean planet, with a single small continent. Woostoid historians claim that before a great cataclysm occurred long ago (during the reign of one of the previous, now forgotten civilizations), a substantial portion of the planet's surface was actually above water. Most of the continent has been transformed into a single, sprawling urban technopolis.
Woostri is a major administrative asset to the New Republic; the computer processing facilities and the natural organizational ability of the Woostoids makes the planet an ideal "data-crunching facility" for the fledgling government. A large number of NeuroSaav Model 608 Mega'puters have been installed in Gopsthal, the main administrative district of Woostri. As a result, much of the planet is now computer-controlled. Everything from landspeeder maintenance to traffic control to housekeeping is droid- or computer-directed, and as a result, the Woostoids have a large amount of free time.
Due to the Woostoids' love of recreation, a substantial portion of the an average Woostoid's day is devoted to entertainment. The planet boasts an incredible selection of music complexes, holo-theatres, restaurants, sporting events and amusement parks. As a result, the planet has become something of a tourist attraction, although the Woostoids never intended this. Nonetheless, the natives welcome visitors to their world and they enjoy the diversity of the countless species who come to recreate.
One of the more famous features of Woostoid society is the Woostri HoloScan Database, a holographic library that has been hailed as one of the most complete research facilities in the galaxy. The HoloScan Database is located in a huge complex thousands of kilometers across and several hundred stories tall. For a few credits per visit, the curious can access information on civilizations pre-dating the Old Republic, scientific research, star travel and millions of other topics, both scholarly and recreational in nature.
Due to the presence of the HoloScan Database, the New Republic War College has elected to open a branch campus near the research facility, and a large number of off-world visitors can be seen frequenting the sprawling complex at any given hour of the day.
Woostri
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Temperate
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Hydrosphere: Saturated
Gravity: Standard
Terrain: Urban
Length of Day: 22 standard hours
Length of Year: 312 local days
Sapient Species: Woostoids (N), countless other species
Starports: Imperial Class
Population: 18 billion
Planet Function: Academic, library, recreation, homeworld
Government: Representative Legislature
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: Information
Major Imports: Tourism, high tech
Xa Fel
Xa Fel, a planet in the Kanchin sector, is one of Kuat Drive Yards' (KDY) major manufacturing facilities, producing fully 20 percent of the corporation's inventory of starship hyperdrive engines. Xa Fel was a prime target of Grand Admiral Thrawn: the ability to snatch pre-made starship stardrives was a tremendous boost to the Imperial shipbuilding effort.
Xa Fel was once a world of sprawling plains and gentle hills. Fertile land that was well suited to agriculture was converted to manufacturing and production at the direction of KDY. Now, factory complexes and corporate worker dormitories dominate a dreary, polluted landscape.
KDY's take over of the Xa Fel is an example of unscrupulous corporate execs taking advantage of a naive technologically primitive species. KDY's execs realized that the primitive Xa Fel could be awed by the Empire's technology and convinced them to sell the rights to their land cheaply (and above all else, legally). A program of flattery, bribery and strong-arm tactics directed at those Xa Fel who opposed industrialization was remarkably successful, and the Xa Fel were completely overwhelmed by the corporation. The Xa Fel soon found themselves tenants on their own land.
Under KDY management, the planet was steadily despoiled by pollution. Xa Fel is now subject to constant wind and water erosion, and due to the chemical pollution caused by the manufacturing methods of Kuat Drive Yards, the air has become mildly acidic. During the planet's rainy season, improperly protected buildings may be severely damaged and corroded. Breath masks and environment suits are suggested when visiting Xa Fel.
The Xa Fel, powerless to stop the destruction, despaired. Under New Republic rule, however, hope has returned to the wounded planet. The New Republic has ordered KDY to clean-up the planet, but KDY's bureaucrats and administrators have slowed the cleanup efforts to a crawl. Unfortunately, attacks from Grand Admiral Thrawn have forced the Republic to concentrate on preventing the Empire from re-taking the planet and KDY has been, for the time being, left to function with no supervision.
Xa Fel
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Hot
Atmosphere: Type II (breath mask suggested)
Hydrosphere: Standard
Gravity: Standard
Terrain: Urban
Length of Day: 31 standard hours
Length of Year: 379 local days
Sapient Species: Xa Fel (N)
Starports: Imperial Class
Population: 16 billion
Planet Function: Homeworld, starship drive manufacturing
Government: KDY Executive Board
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: Hyperdrive engines
Major Imports: Water, foodstuffs, mid tech, high tech, computer components
Yaga Minor
Yaga Minor is a major shipbuilding and weapons design center for the Empire. While the planet lacks the resources of other major construction centers, its historical importance as a weapon and starship design and testing site have enabled it to retain its prominence.
Yaga Minor has a long and distinguished history. The Old Republic used Yaga Minor as a launch point for the "Outbound Flight" project, a valiant attempt to learn more about what lies beyond the galaxy. Ord Trasi and Yaga Minor have much in common; Ord Trasi was a military base with tremendous shipbuilding facilities and Yaga Minor was a combination military and civilian launch point. That the "Outbound Flight" mission was launched from Yaga Minor underscores the peaceful nature of the expedition. When the Empire arose, Yaga Minor was converted to strictly military use. It is rumored that some of the early prototypes for the torpedo spheres were tested at the Yaga Minor weapons range.
Yaga Minor has become of increasing importance to the Empire because of one "commodity": the Yagai subspecies. These large, strong aliens were genetically engineered by the Yagai as a labor source and are suited for work in harsh environments. They have been employed as cheap slave labor and, as they are quite knowledgeable about starship drives and weapons systems, make an excellent source of construction conscripts.
Yaga Minor is a beautiful forest world, with an abundance of life-forms. An extensive network of rivers and lakes have eroded a number of caves through the major mountain chains on each of the planet's six continents. These caves are where the majority of the Yagai live.
Yaga Minor
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Temperate
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Hydrosphere: Moist
Gravity: Heavy (1.2 of Standard)
Terrain: Forest
Length of Day: 23 standard hours
Length of Year: 451 local days
Sapient Species: Yagai (N)
Starports: Imperial Class (restricted to military use only)
Population: 4 billion
Planet Function: Starship construction, homeworld
Government: Imperial Moff
Tech Level: Space
Major Exports: Starship drive units
Major Imports: Refined metals
Chapter Six: Mount Tantiss
From the datapad journal of Voren Na'al, Director of New Republic Council Research. This was written shortly after the destruction of Mount Tantiss.
A Piece of History
The planet Wayland played a pivotal role in the war recently, providing a source of troops and exotic equipment that Grand Admiral Thrawn was able to use to his advantage. After the death of Thrawn and the destruction of the Mount Tantiss facility, the few disheartened Imperial survivors rapidly evacuated the area. A New Republic xenoarchaeology team was dispatched to examine the remains of this once-secret installation. The survey teams have swarmed over the facility in an attempt to learn all they can about Mount Tantiss, its contents, the Emperor and Grand Admiral Thrawn. Much to the detriment of history, the Noghri are opposing the archaeologists: they have sworn to destroy every remnant of the Emperor, including every one of Palpatine's tools and artifacts that survived the blast.
Some of the New Republic historians in my research group have managed to determine at least some of the history of the planet by examining recently uncovered confidential Imperial records. The planet Wayland was colonized by Humans during the second wave of Old Republic expansion. However, shortly after the colony ship left for Wayland, a filing error removed all trace of the planet from official records, and for all intents and purposes, the colony ceased to exist. The colonists were stranded and forgot-ten about.
No one was able to tell the colonists this, however. They waited and waited for transport and supply ships that never came, and all hopes of ever leaving the planet eventually faded. The colonists encountered two other alien species — the Psadans and the Myneyrshi — and the three groups quickly became embroiled in conflict. The colonists had energy weapons, which were used against the primitive crossbows of the other aliens. As generations passed, however, the colonists' tools failed and broke, and they too declined into a technologically primitive culture. In those centuries, the colonists lost knowledge of the larger galaxy. Eventually, the colonists forgot that they were even from another planet, and their culture became more and more superstitious. In time, the three species formed an uneasy truce — one that, for the most part, held for a century before the arrival of the Empire.
It is unknown exactly when or how the Emperor found Wayland, but it is assumed that he located it after he began his rise to power. The Emperor apparently decided that the planet would make an ideal location for his treasure vault: Wayland was isolated, remote and had an easily subdued population. It is generally assumed by the Republic archaeology teams that the Imperial Engineering Corps honeycombed Mount Tantiss. Presumably, after construction was completed, they relocated a number of the Emperor's treasures and unique pieces of technology into the cavernous edifice. It would also appear that the Emperor at some point planned to use this base as a major staging area; a large portion of the base's design was geared towards accommodating a large military force, although it is believed that Tantiss only housed large numbers of troops after its rediscovery by Grand Admiral Thrawn. After construction was complete, the Emperor left the Guardian to watch over his treasures. While the Emperor periodically returned to survey "his" playthings, the Guardian was the one charged with keeping intruders from Palpatine's vaults.
The Psadans and Myneyrshi have attempted to relate some details of the following events, but the Republic's historians have been unable to confirm the following myths. Apparently, the Dark Jedi Joruus C'baoth arrived on Wayland and confronted the Guardian. C'baoth emerged the victor, but then subjugated the people of Wayland, forcing them to build and live in a small city at the base of Mount Tantiss. Apparently, he used his mental powers to instill obedience.
Age of Mount Tantiss
There is a controversial theory about Mount Tantiss: some historians suggest that the cloning facility may already have been located on the planet, and the Emperor merely expanded the facility. Upon examining the wreckage left in the wake of the mountain's destruction, it is impossible to gain an accurate reading on the facility's age due to the incredible radiation levels. However, the control components and fragments of the various computer systems have shown that the cloning facility was considerably older than the technology present in other areas of the mountain, almost as if the computers and machinery had either been transplanted there from another cloning facility en masse, or that the cloning center had been in the mountain prior to the construction of the rest of the facility.
This theory is supported by Han Solo and Lando Calrissian, who saw the Mount Tantiss installation firsthand while it was still intact. Calrissian supports the contention that the cloning facility was an intact cloning complex from the past. Says Calrissian, "At the time, I remember saying to Han that the cloning complex looked like it had been picked up somewhere and dropped into the mountain, like it had been relocated entirely. The computer system and wiring conduits were pretty vintage stuff, and I suppose it is possible that the Emperor simply expanded on an existing installation."
Unfortunately, the origin of the cloning chambers cannot be conclusively proven due to the damage done by the blast. However, the debates that have occurred between the various New Republic scientists and archaeologists present at the Mount Tantiss facility have been lively to say the least. The idea that the base at Mount Tantiss is not necessarily an Imperial construct is a tantalizing mystery.
The following report was prepared with the assistance of the New Republic Xenoarchaeology Division, and is based on the progress reports of the search teams on Wayland. The information concerning the layout and function of various rooms within the Mount Tantiss installation is speculation and educated conjecture, as little of the structure remains intact. It is estimated that it will take several years to sift through the remains of Mount Tantiss. Obviously, further study is warranted.
The Mount Tantiss Installation
The Mount Tantiss facility was an immense series of honeycombed caverns created inside the massive mountain on Wayland. Apparently, the mountain was left almost completely vacant, with the exception being Joruus C'baoth, the Dark Jedi who was guarding the mountain at the time of Captain Pellaeon and Grand Admiral Thrawn's arrival. However, Mount Tantiss could have supported a full Imperial battlegroup.
After Grand Admiral Thrawn "reactivated" Mount Tantiss, he decided to leave only a token force: a mere battalion of soldiers, with repulsorlift vehicles and repulsorlift-sensitive garral guard beasts. He also had a full security system installed, including sonic sensors, and ordered Imperial foot patrols to complement the electronic security systems.
The entrance to Mount Tantiss was small, almost innocuous: a simple shield blast door entrance at ground level, much like the military bunkers the Empire used on so many occupied planets. However, the blast door and the adjacent tunnel were substantially reinforced under the rock of Mount Tantiss. It would take an aerial bombardment of incredible power to force the bunker open. Proper coded key sequences entered in the exterior security lock notified the inner defenders when to open the door, but it could not be opened from the outside.
Mount Tantiss had two other entrances further up the face of the mountain. Several hundred meters up the side of the mountain was a full-service hangar bay that had been carved out of the mountainside. This was the main hangar for all starships deployed to Mount Tantiss.
Further up the mountain was the private emergency shuttle bay of the Emperor. Whenever the Emperor or his most trusted officials arrived at Mount Tantiss, they would use this smaller hangar, allowing them to come and go unobserved. This hangar bay was also an emergency escape area. In the unlikely event that the Emperor would be forced to leave the mountain, this allowed for expedient access to an escape vehicle, rather than travel all the way down to the regular hangar bay.
The major security flaw in the mountain — a flaw that the Heroes of Yavin successfully exploited — was the large air intake system located midway up the exterior of the mountain. An efficient system for providing air to the lower levels of the mountain was necessary; the shafts provided access to all but the most isolated and secure areas of the base. The intakes themselves resembled retractable turbolaser turrets and were hidden behind a thick metal grating. The intake was large enough for Humans to walk through and led to an elaborate pump system that spread cooling air throughout the innermost chambers of Mount Tantiss. The intake system was controlled through a centralized computer system deep inside the mountain and was retracted back into its armored housing when not in service. A computer access terminal was located near the intake, primarily for maintenance purposes; the intakes sucked in a large amount of debris and service droids often needed to manually open the intake tube to clean the air shafts.
The Upper Levels
The Throne Room Complex
The uppermost level of the mountain contained the throne room complex, which was always kept in a state of constant readiness by order of the Emperor. The chamber was similar to the massive throne room the Emperor had constructed for himself aboard the second Death Star. According to Luke Skywalker, the throne chamber was smaller than the one aboard the Death Star, and was considerably more "dank and primitive, and not as polished as the high-tech command chamber" aboard the space station.
The throne room was dominated by a huge hologram of the galaxy, a work of art in itself. A single blazing point of light was included for each of the galaxy's billions of stars. Political regions were delineated by subtle color variations, and updated as the status of various regions and systems changed. From the command panel on the Emperor's throne, the image could be manipulated to highlight any area of the hologram, or focus in and provide detailed information on even a single system if the Emperor desired. The hologram was tied into the massive computer datavaults below, as well as the HoloNet broadcast transceiver, so the Emperor could effectively access almost any piece of information in the galaxy and incorporate it into the hologram if necessary.
The throne was set on a dais near the viewports and was flanked on either side by two of the Emperor's elevated guard posts. The throne itself contained a secure communications channel that broadcast on, received or observed any HoloNet frequency. The projector could be modified for Palpatine's private transmissions. Apparently, his personal favorite communications setting was a massive holographic projection of his own face so that he could peer down on his subordinates.
A single balcony crossed the throne chamber, linking the control systems monitors and other vital command posts. Of course, all of these systems could be run from Palpatine's throne, but sometimes the Emperor chose to have others to maintain the operation of Mount Tantiss.
The throne room had two turbolifts and a single emergency stairwell. One lift was the Emperor's lift for quick access to the royal chambers or the emergency hangar bay below the royal chamber. A second turbolift was keyed to the Emperor's retinal scan, so only he could activate it. Of course, it stopped at the throne room level, its presence was carefully hidden on all other levels, and did not even appear on any schematics.
The Upper Vaults
A number of the Emperor's treasure vaults were scattered throughout the upper levels of the complex. The vaults themselves appear to have been hewn directly into the rock of the mountain and were huge, capable of housing Palpatine's vast collection of trophies.
The vault chambers were up to three hundred meters square, with huge, arched ceilings. Each vault had security monitors: if anyone other than the Emperor or his emissaries and guards was detected within the vaults, the security computer magnetically sealed the blast doors. A concentrated, paralyzing nerve gas was pumped into the vault, and force and repulsor fields were activated to immobilized the intruder. The whole security procedure took less than 10 seconds, and after it was complete, the Emperor would have a choice specimen for interrogation.
The upper vault chambers were dedicated almost exclusively to artwork and historical artifacts, predominantly Human, captured or extorted from the Core Worlds. A few pieces — those that did not require any form of high technology like holography — survived, most notably the Farnican chime-painting Idyll, a mixed media musical/painting/sculpture thought to have been destroyed years ago. The Emperor commanded some effective thieves, it would appear.
The amount of stolen artwork and technology that is estimated to have been destroyed when Mount Tantiss was blown apart is staggering.
The Royal Chambers
The royal chambers complex was the personal residence of Palpatine when he was staying at Mount Tantiss. While the chambers complex took up a full three levels, there was only one turbolift stop to the area. The chamber included a meeting area for consultation with his closest advisors, a full information station (for access to the datavaults below) and countless other amenities for the Emperor's comfort. He was known to keep his repository of information on the Force in a separate library at this level.
Emergency Shuttle Hangar
This small shuttle bay was Palpatine's emergency escape route. This bay was equipped with a single specially modified Lambda-class shuttle that was known to have been equipped with a much more advanced hyperdrive (supposedly capable of reaching the x1/2 hyperdrive barrier). It was also rumored that this personal escape vessel was equipped with a cloaking device, but this is considered unlikely considering that Mount Tantiss itself only contained plans for a cloaking device instead of actual working models.
Emperor's Private Studies and Access Corridors
This three-level area served as the residence of the Emperor's servants and advisors, as well as his private study and work area. The Emperor often chose to meet with his advisors and military officers on these levels. These levels also provided the only link between the rest of Mount Tantiss and Palpatine's private upper levels.
The Middle Levels
The middle levels of Mount Tantiss housed the Emperor's collection of Spaarti cylinders, as well as weapons and technology vaults, and a number of service areas, including crew barracks and medical facilities. A main turbolift shaft connected the middle levels to the upper vaults and the Emperor's private levels, and maintenance droids had a number of service lifts that they could use to move around the mountain. There were a series of turbolifts that connected only the middle levels, such as the cloning chambers, and the lower levels, such as the military barracks.
The Cloning Chamber
Spaarti cylinders are the devices necessary to produce viable clones, the central element to Thrawn's plan to destroy the New Republic. The Spaarti cylinders present in Mount Tantiss numbered in the thousands (over 20,000 cylinders were estimated to be in the facility, though the exact number is unknown; no Spaarti cylinders were recovered intact). The cylinders were all located in an immense cavern known as the cloning chamber.
The chamber was well over 10 stories tall, with multiple balcony levels built in amphitheater or stadium-style rows. The top level of the chamber was a control and maintenance area, with each of the lower levels containing row upon row of Spaarti cylinders. Each level's circular balcony stretched further toward the center of the cavern than the previous level, much like a stadium. Running through the center of the cavern was a huge column, which housed the immense power distribution and nutrient feeder systems. Piping, power lines and waste removal tubes filled the cloning chamber, running from the central column to each balcony. Each balcony had four retractable bridges, which could be extended to the central column. Each level also had nearly two dozen doors, allowing access from the outside.
The Spaarti cylinders were arranged in groups of four, attached to overhead nutrient feed pipes and power conduits. Each cluster of Spaarti cylinders was overlooked by a ysalamiri on a nutrient frame.
Spaarti cylinders stand approximately four meters tall, and each holds one clone. The clone floats in a protective gelatin, which accelerates growth and helps maintain the genetic code of the template. Each Spaarti cylinder contains a computer processing system that is linked directly into the cerebral cortex of the forming clones. Within hours of entering the cloning matrix, the computer begins "flash-pumping" information into the minds of the forming clones. When a clone emerges from a Spaarti cylinder, it is fully trained.
This "flash-pumping" method of training the clone soldiers was apparently one of the key elements Thrawn incorporated into his plan. It enabled him to field fully trained armies in an astoundingly short time.
The use of the ysalamiri was also of immense importance to Thrawn's effort. According to the few records that remain from the past, clones needed at least a year of growth to remain even marginally mentally stable, and the recommended time period was three to five years. This was because the presence of multiple clones creates a "disturbance" in the Force. If clones are grown too quickly, and do not have time to learn how to deal with this disturbance, they will go insane. However, the use of the ysalamiri, who "push back" the Force, eliminates that pressure while the clone is growing. Thrawn produced mentally stable clones in 15 to 20 days. In other words, Thrawn could literally "grow" an army in under a month, each and every month, as long as the clone chamber was still in operation.
The Technology Vaults
A series of nearly 30 technology vaults was present in the middle levels of Mount Tantiss. They possessed the same level of security as the upper treasure vaults, though it appears that a number of stormtroopers or Imperial army troops were used by Thrawn to supplement the security measures.
Very few items in the tech vaults survived, though some interesting fragments of information have been liberated from the rubble. The majority of the finds in these vaults consist of data or plans for high-tech weapons and equipment. What follows is a listing of plans that were found for some of the items; unfortunately, the massive electrical surges and the power of the blast destroyed or damaged most of these documents and prototypes, so it is unlikely that they will lead to viable technologies without extensive additional research:
- A proposed guidance system for cloaked starships.
- A proposed advanced stasis chamber system, greatly improving upon the already existing technology used at the Corporate Sector Authority's Stars' End facility.
- An incomplete set of specifications for a virulent form of time-sensitive hive-virus that could be used for biological terrorism. The virus would remain dormant for a specified period but it was highly contagious, so it would be spread throughout a population. After that specific time had passed, the virus would become active, with genocidal results. Fortunately, the base gene codes necessary to activate such devastating weaponry seemed to be damaged or absent.
- Examples of unusual bio-technological devices attributed to an unknown species named the "Charon."
- A schematic for a massive automated weapons construction facility.
Service Areas
A number of air shafts and service crawlways twisted throughout the mountain, but the majority of them met in the middle levels of the installation. Air conduits, including the air intake system that Solo's group used to penetrate the mountain, ran the length of the middle levels. The maintenance tunnels, trash compactors, and ventilation ducts were all easily accessed from this level.
Droid storage chambers were also common in this area, and MN-2E and SPD-R4 service droids were common at Mount Tantiss, as they are in other Imperial installations.
Waste removal was handled in this section, with trash disposal chutes lining a number of the secondary corridors in the maze-like structure. Plastics, metal, food and water were all recycled, and processed in the lower section of the mid-level. Non-recyclable products were crushed into small waste cubes by the trash compactors and disintegrated in the mountain's fusion reactor.
Technical Areas
The technical sections of the mountain were quite extensive, housing a variety of laboratories and science stations, presumably to test and refine a number of the alien and exotic technologies stored at the facility. The labs were all located above the service areas.
Few of the labs that have been surveyed contain the equipment necessary for strictly experimental purposes. The refinement of power systems and other such military applications seems to have been the primary motivation for the inclusion of labs in the Mount Tantiss installation. This is fairly typical of Palpatine's thinking; science and research were underutilized under his rule.
The medical bays of Mount Tantiss were also located in the mid-level, just above the technical stations. These medical bays were comparable to those aboard Imperial Star Destroyers, and included approximately 30 operation theaters and nearly 200 diagnostic booths. For every three rooms, a bacta tank was available, though these tanks tended to be larger than galactic standard; in an emergency, up to five patients could be treated in a single tank, though efficiency would be decreased.
Two full intensive care wards were also included, housing the life-support machinery as well as computer- and droid-assisted operating machinery.
A smaller chamber, located adjacent to the main medical section, has been located. It contained a full store of medical supplies, including specialized life-support equipment. In effect, the chamber was a complete, self-contained medical bay. Presumably, the Emperor's personal physician treated Palpatine in his own personal medical wing. The majority of the equipment was destroyed, as were all the medical records at the facility.
Hangar Bay
The hangar bay was also massive, containing the complete complement of vehicles and ships that the garrison commanded. TIE fighters were stored on roof racks and maneuvered by repulsorlift shunts into launch tubes adjacent to the traditional hangar bay. Assault shuttles, troop transports, Skipray blastboats and other support craft had a conventional hangar. The main hangar area acted as both the maintenance bay and garage: all repairs were performed on a vessel while it was still in the hangar.
Security Areas
There were a number of security stations scattered throughout the middle levels. Each of these station rooms had a complete array of sensors for Mount Tantiss's corridors, and served as a checkpoint for individuals travelling through the mountain. The Republic assault team on Mount Tantiss used the computers at one of these stations to access the schematics of Mount Tantiss.
The Lower Levels
The lower levels of the mountain housed military troops and their respective stations, as well as the vehicles and weapons necessary for defending the mountain. These levels contained food production facilities, an armory and a landing field, among other basic service areas. All evidence indicates that this area received minimal use until the arrival of Grand Admiral Thrawn. While this area of Mount Tantiss was clearly designed for waging military campaigns, it is clear that the Emperor chose not to run his battles from this facility.
The War Room
The uppermost of these lower levels was where the war room was located. Large, transparent battle boards and hologram tanks were located at the far end of the semi-circular chamber, along with a huge, curved monitor screen that could focus on any image picked up on the various sensor monitors.
A centralized communications station was located in the war room, capable of communication with Imperial forces anywhere in the system. This comm center was used primarily for battle purposes; the main communications center was located one level below.
A detailed map of the mountain and the surrounding terrain was available from the memory banks of the central battle-computer, though the radiation damage was so extensive that only a partial reading of the data was possible.
The Command Wing
The command wing was the hub of military operations at Mount Tantiss, much like the bridge of a Star Destroyer. All administrative duties were carried out in this section.
The command wing housed the main computer core of the facility, the communications center, all officers' quarters and offices, as well as the main security systems. The command core, the central command center, constantly monitored all work stations and data files processed through the base computers. Any station within Mount Tantiss (with the exception of the Emperor's throne room) could be controlled from the command core. The majority of the technicians that worked in the command core were situated in a crew pit and surrounded by duty consoles and viewscreens. The floor above the crew pit contained the command platform, where duty officers monitored the base's operations.
The base commander's office was situated above the main sprawl of the command core, and overlooked the main floor through a massive mirrored viewport. Within the office, the base commander could access any station within the command core, and could communicate with any station within the Mount Tantiss complex.
The Main Computer Core
The main computer core was a tremendous bank of computers that compiled and indexed all information that passed through Mount Tantiss's communications and data retrieval systems. Troop movements, equipment requisitions, and virtually every scrap of information that was moved through the Imperial data network was duplicated and filed away in the massive memory banks of the facility (excluding the Emperor's private communications). This information could then be recalled by the command wing and the Emperor as necessary.
Countless droids ran the computer core, streamlining the operation as much as possible. Data retrieval must have been extremely efficient, though it is doubtful that the Emperor used this facility as often as the Imperial Data Vault on Coruscant.
The computer core was even larger than the cloning chamber, and was similarly constructed. The room was essentially a curving amphitheater-style chamber, lined with dozens of catwalks and a central power core. Huge banks of computers and data-compression and storage units filled every part of the chamber, leaving just enough room for the library droids to maneuver.
The Main Security Section
The main security section was probably the most utilized department in the entire facility (with the possible exception of the cloning chamber). The main security chamber observed and monitored all other security stations, and could also independently observe any portion of the base. The security section also enclosed two separate armories, six surveillance stations, a number of watch stations, and an office for ISB use.
The Detention Block
The detention block was similar to most Imperial holding areas, with row upon row of tiny cells crowded together for the imprisonment of political prisoners, criminals, agitators and the like. An "operating theater" of sorts was located in the center of this section, apparently for interrogation purposes. Since this particular feature is not usually included in the standard Imperial detention area design, it is likely that the Emperor or his Inquisitors used this area to interrogate particularly recalcitrant prisoners.
It is doubtful, however, that the detention block of Mount Tantiss ever saw much usage, though the Emperor always believed in being prepared for nearly every contingency. Some of the remains of the consoles in the security wing were still in their protective duraplast shipping wraps.
Barracks
The barracks were designed to serve a full battlegroup's worth of soldiers. Complete barracks for all medical staff, technicians and military troops below officer level were located in this area.
A mess hall serviced the complete complement of each service branch: the stormtroopers ate in one mess hall, the medical personnel in another, and so on. All food was prepared by food service droids in a centralized kitchen, connected by service walkways.
Three separate, heavily shielded armories supplied weaponry. The complete inventory of the weapons storage facilities is unknown, though it is assumed that the most current weaponry, including PLEX-4s and E-Webs, were available to the base's troops.
Subterranean Levels
The subterranean levels were located far beneath ground level, and it is assumed that they housed Mount Tantiss's four massive power reactors. It was connected to the lower levels by a series of turbolifts and ladders.
The overload triggered by Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca spread down into the reactor level. The resulting explosion destroyed most of this area, which is still flooded with radiation, obscuring all sensor readings. The metal in the mountain also fouled all sensor readings, and at this point, it is still far too dangerous to send search teams into the area. It is known that there were four massive fusion reactors powering Mount Tantiss, although only three were operational when Grand Admiral Thrawn arrived. Each generator put out enough power to run an Imperial Star Destroyer, indicating that Mount Tantiss, when fully operational, required an immense amount of energy.
The Labyrinth
Sensor scans have been unsuccessful at determining what lies beneath the reactors. A few of the weaker signals received by the scanning crews show what appears to be a massive maze, although it is possible that this is simply a series of natural caverns. These chambers may stretch for kilometers below the surface. What these catacombs contain, or if there are any levels beneath them, remains a mystery. Most puzzling is the variance in readings with each scan of the labyrinth: each mapping scan returns a different picture of the maze, as if the labyrinth keeps changing. It is unknown how to access these areas, although it is presumed that there was some sort of hidden turbolift access to this area.
Note: What is unknown to the New Republic is that both the labyrinth and the hidden crypt level below it were secretly constructed by Palpatine. Palpatine made every effort to hide the existence of these areas, including "silencing" the work crews that built these hidden chambers. It is unknown exactly what use these chambers served.
Chapter Seven: Creatures
From the datapad journal of Voren Na'al, Director of New Republic Council Research.
Countless creatures inhabit the planets of the galaxy. Sometimes benign, sometimes hostile, these creatures are often uniquely interesting... or uniquely dangerous.
The New Republic Scout Service has provided the following list of creatures that have played a role in the events of the past months to help illustrate the obstacles that the Heroes of Yavin had to overcome, as well as show the wonders they experienced in their travels.
Ysalamiri
Ysalamiri have the unusual ability to "push back" the mysterious energy field known as the Force. Apparently, this bizarre ability is a defense mechanism against the ysalamiri's natural enemy, the vornskr. Vornskrs, four-legged predators that hunt the ysalamiri through the Force itself, are the only other known non-sapient species that are so attuned to this mystical energy field.
Ysalamiri are small, lizard-like creatures, growing no more than 50 centimeters in length. Ysalamiri are essentially legged serpents with a thin coat of hair and they live in a symbiotic relationship with the trees of the planet Myrkr.
Single ysalamiri create "bubbles" of Force-empty space up to 10 meters in radius, though two or more ysalamiri in close proximity create much larger bubbles. For more information on the ysalamiri, see page 89 of the Heir to the Empire Sourcebook.
Ysalamiri
Type: Sessile Lizard
DEXTERITY 0D+2
PERCEPTION 1D+1
STRENGTH 0D+2
Special Abilities:
Force Repulsion: Ysalamiri can create "bubbles" in which the Force cannot be manipulated. A single ysalamiri can form a defensive bubble up to 10 meters in radius. Within the bubble, characters cannot use Force skills, Force Points or Character Points. Force attacks directed at ysalamiri fade away as they enter the creature's "Force bubble."
Move: 0
Size: Up to 50 centimeters long
Vine Snakes
The planet Wayland is home to a huge variety of aggressive species, making it a dangerous world by anyone's standards. Vine snakes are among the most vicious of Wayland's predators. They inhabit the dense forest regions of the planet, and cluster in groups of 10 to 100. They nest inside the large vines that are common to Wayland. When the vines are disturbed by potential prey, the vine snakes attack as a group, swarming over whatever unfortunate creature touched the vines. Vine snake bites inject a neurotoxin into the victim's bloodstream, and unless treated, the toxin is usually fatal within an hour.
Vine snakes are almost impossible to spot. Their coloration matches the common acid roots and dense vines of Wayland, and they remain totally motionless until agitated.
Vine Snakes
Type: Camouflaged Predator
DEXTERITY 4D
PERCEPTION 1D
STRENGTH 1D
Special Abilities:
Venom: The vine snake's neurotoxin is extremely deadly, inflicting paralysis almost immediately. The poison does 3D damage per round unless an anti-venom is applied by a medpac.
Move: 5
Size: 0.6-0.9 meters long
Vornskr
The vornskrs of Myrkr are extremely dangerous predators. These vicious, vaguely canine quadrupeds have sharp teeth and whip-like tails that are coated with a mild poison. Vornskrs tend to be dormant during the day, preferring to hunt at night (though they are unpredictable enough to surprise victims during daylight hours, as well).
Vornskrs appear to hunt their natural prey, the ysalamiri, through some odd attunement to the quasi-mystical energy field called the Force. Wild vornskrs react very badly around Force-users, mistaking them for their natural prey.
A vornskr usually attacks with its tail first, attempting to stun its prey. After a target is rendered helpless, a vornskr will finish its target with its claws and teeth. Vornskrs have short fur, ranging in coloration from gray to black. They have piercing red eyes.
Vornskr
Type: Force-Sensitive Predator
DEXTERITY 4D
PERCEPTION 2D+1
Sneak 5D
STRENGTH 3D+2
Special Abilities:
Teeth: STR+2D damage
Tail: STR+1D stun damage
Force Sense: Vornskrs can detect Force-users. They are considered to have 3D in this ability. Upon sensing a Force-user, they become very agitated and aggressive: they confuse all Force-users with the ysalamiri. A Force-user within 10 meters can be detected and tracked by a vornskr with a Very Easy roll; 11-25 meters is an Easy roll; 26-50 meters requires a Moderate roll; and 51-100 meters requires a Difficult roll. Over 100 meters is a Heroic difficulty.
Move: 15
Size: 0.8 meters tall at the shoulder, up to 1.6 meters long (including tail)
Garrals
Garrals are the guard beasts genetically engineered by the Empire. Decades ago, Imperial ground commanders realized that no matter how well a trooper was trained, it was still possible for guards to lapse and allow an enemy to pass into Imperial territory. An Imperial garrison commander, Luthos Garral, bred a predatory animal, crossbreeding the Mantessan panthac and a number of similar domestic and wild beasts.
The result of Garral's experiment was the beast named in his honor: a two-meter long, gray-furred killing beast. Garrals are quadrupeds, with white freckling along their backs. Their short tails end in small tufts of white fur. They are easily trained and are now in common usage at many Imperial garrisons.
Garrals were bred to be extremely agitated by the ultrasonic emissions of repulsorlift engines, which makes them useful for monitoring enemy troop movements. When within 200 meters of an active repulsorlift unit, garrals fly into uncontrollable killing frenzies.
Garral
Type: Genetically Engineered Guard Beast
DEXTERITY 2D
Dodge 7D
PERCEPTION 3D
STRENGTH 4D+2
Special Abilities:
Claws: STR+1D damage
Teeth: STR+1D damage
Attack Training: Garrals are bred to be easily trained. They will obey and protect their masters, usually Imperial soldiers, who use the beasts on perimeter patrols.
Repulsorlift Sensitivity: An active repulsorlift unit within 200 meters will provoke an attack from a garral. The creature will not break off the attack unless killed or ordered to stop the attack by its master.
Move: 16
Size: 2 meters long
Panthac
Panthac
Type: Small-Game Predator
DEXTERITY 3D+2
Dodge 6D
PERCEPTION 4D
Search: hunting 6D
STRENGTH 4D
Special Abilities:
Teeth: Do STR+1D damage.
Claws: Do STR+1D+1 damage
Move: 16
Size: 0.4-0.5 meters long
Capsule: Panthacs are native predators of the forest world Mantessa. They are small (a half-meter in length), but quite strong for their size. They have extremely sharp fangs and claws and are relentless hunters.
Clawbirds
The clawbirds of Wayland, called stana by the Myneyrshi of Wayland, are small but dangerous vicious avian creatures. They seldom grow over 10 centimeters long, with wingspans of up to 15 centimeters. Each wing is tipped with sharp, needle-like spines that inject a slow-acting poison into a target. Despite their diminutive nature, they are more than a match for larger predators, especially when they hunt in flocks. Flocks range in size from five or six birds to over 100 clawbirds, and they seem to be able to hunt almost as a coordinated unit.
Clawbirds attack in swarms. They use a series of "wave attacks" to bring down their prey, while the other clawbirds protect the attackers from any hidden predators. Clawbirds simply poison their prey and then circle, sometimes for over an hour, waiting for the target to die from the poison. As soon as the prey falters, however, a feeding frenzy begins, as the clawbirds begin fighting their way to the body, often killing others of their own kind in the process.
Clawbirds are used in various rituals and customs of the natives of Wayland. The Humans, Myneyrshi and Psadans stuff and bleach a clawbird as a symbol of truce; a dead predator illustrates the temporary silencing of hostility between competing species.
Clawbird
Type: Avian Predator
DEXTERITY 1D
Dodge 4D-2, flight 4D
PERCEPTION 1D
STRENGTH 1D
Special Abilities:
Poison Spines: Clawbird poisonous spines do STR+1 damage and inject a slow-acting poison into a target. Consider the poison to have a paralysis intensity of 3D (the victim must roll Strength or stamina to resist the poison). The intensity of the poison increases by +1D for each hour, up to a maximum of 6D; the poison can be counteracted by medicines found in any medpac. When rolling for the poison, if the poison beats the character's roll by 0-3 points, the character is stunned (as per page 62 of Star Wars, Second Edition). If the poison beats the character by 4-9 points, the character is paralyzed and is incapable of voluntary movement. If the roll beats the character's resistance roll by 10 or more points, the character becomes mortally wounded, and if the roll beats the character by 15 or more points, the character dies.
Move: 15 (flying)
Size: 10 centimeters long, 15-centimeter wingspan
Chapter Eight: Aliens
From the datapad journal of Voren Na'al, Director of New Republic Council Research.
Intergalactic Census
"Imagine a galaxy, if you can. A galaxy of hundreds of millions of stars, each with planets. On how many of these worlds might life arise? How many of these life-forms might be sapient? Even now, we have no idea how many countless thousands — possibly millions! — of intelligent life-forms we share our galaxy with ..." — Excerpt from a New Republic Scout Service Recruitment Advertisement.
While some species tend to be more prevalent than others — such as Humans, Rodians or Wookiees, for instance — the true number of sentient beings is impossible to calculate. Imagine the difficulty in cataloguing the non-sentient species as well as the sentient ones; even the most steadfast of researchers would pale at the prospect.
In my chosen profession I am saddened by the lack of contact I have with members of other species (though I was fortunate to meet a member of the Noghri people... a truly fascinating experience). However, with some careful research and interviewing, I have managed to piece together a list of some of the species whose members have assisted or hindered New Republic efforts during the campaign of Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Given the Empire's prejudiced attitude towards non-Humans, Imperial documents concerning other species tend to be biased. While these documents were an interesting starting point, I preferred to seek facts about other species from individuals who had actually met some of these aliens.
Farghul
The Farghul are a felinoid species with medium-length tawny fur, sharp claws and teeth, and a flexible prehensile tail. The Farghul are a graceful and agile people. They are very conscious of their appearance, always wearing high-quality clothing, tending toward elaborately decorated shorts and pants, cloaks and hats; they do not generally wear tunics, shirts or blouses.
The Farghul tend to have a strong mischievous streak, and the species has something of a reputation for being nothing more than a pack of con-artists and thieves — a reputation that is not very far from the truth.
The Farghul are fearsome, deadly fighters when provoked, but usually it is very difficult to provoke a Farghul without stealing his food or money. They tend to avoid direct conflict, preferring to let others handle "petty physical disputes" and pick up the pieces once the dust has settled. Most Farghul have extremely well-developed pick-pocketing skills, sleight of hand tricks, and reflexes. They are a species that respects cunning and trickery to overt physical force.
The Farghul are particularly intimidated by Jedi, probably a holdover from the days of the Old Republic: the Jedi Knights once attempted to clean out the smuggling and piracy bases that were operated on Farrfin (with the felinoids' blessing). They have retained a suspicion of other governments ever since. They have a strong distaste for the Empire, although it was concealed until after Farrfin was liberated by the Republic. Current relations with the New Republic are supportive and amiable. With the Empire attacking Farrfin, the Farghul have maintained a determined resistance and have received substantial support from the Republic. The Farghul do not trust the bureaucrats of the Republic, particularly the Bothans and Mon Calamari, but they appreciate the military aid. They also like the New Republic's citizens since they "are so easy to liberate from their credit vouchers."
Farghul
Attribute Dice: 12D
DEXTERITY 2D/5D
KNOWLEDGE 1D/4D
MECHANICAL 1D/3D+2
PERCEPTION 2D/5D
STRENGTH 2D/4D
TECHNICAL 1D/3D+1
Special Abilities:
Teeth: Add +2D to brawling damage.
Claws: Add +1D to brawling damage
Prehensile Tail: Farghul have prehensile tails and can use them as an "extra limb" at -1D+1 to their Dexterity.
Story Factors:
Acrobatics: Most Farghul are trained in acrobatics and get +2D to acrobatics.
Con Artists: The Farghul delight in conning people, marking the ability to outwit someone as a measure of respect and social standing. The Farghul are good-natured, boisterous people, that are always quick with a joke. Farghul receive a +2D bonus to con.
Move: 10/12
Size: 1.7-2 meters tall
Filvians
Filvians are intelligent quadrupeds that evolved in the stark deserts of Filve. While they can survive in the harsh conditions of the desert, they much prefer cooler temperatures to be found in the extreme regions of their world and on other planets. Their front two legs have dexterous three-toed feet, which they also use for tool manipulation (a Filvian can walk on two legs, but they are much slower when forced to move in this manner). They have a large water and fat storage hump along their backs, as well as several smaller body glands that serve the same function and give their bodies a distinctive "bumpy" appearance. They have a covering of short, light hair, which ranges from light brown to yellow or white in color.
Filvians are efficient survivors, capable of going as along as 30 standard days without food or water. They enjoy contact with other species and it is this desire to mingle with others that inspired the Filvians to construct an Imperial class starport on their planet.
Once a primitive people, the Filvians have learned, and in some cases mastered, modern technology and computers in particular. Filvian computer operators and repair techs are highly respected in their field, and many of the galaxy's most popular computer systems had Filvian programmers.
Filvians are good-natured, with a fondness for communication and sharing different perspectives. They are eager to learn about others and make every effort to understand the perspectives of others. The Filvians sided with the New Republic approximately three years before Thrawn's return, but have been very cautious since the fighting has increased. They would clearly prefer to see the New Republic triumph, but are very anxious about Thrawn's efforts.
Filvian
Attribute Dice: 10D
DEXTERITY 1D/3D
KNOWLEDGE 1D/4D
MECHANICAL 1D+1/4D+2
PERCEPTION 1D/3D
STRENGTH 1D+2/4D
TECHNICAL 2D/5D+1
Special Abilities:
Technology Aptitude: The Filvians are quick studies of technology. At the time of character creation, they receive 2D for every 1D placed in any Technical skills.
Stamina: As desert creatures, Filvians have great stamina. They automatically have +2D in stamina and survival: desert and can advance both skills at half the normal Character Point cost until they reach 8D.
Story Factors:
Fear of the Empire: Filvians are fearful of the Empire because of its prejudice against aliens.
Curiosity: Filvians are attracted to new technology and unfamiliar machinery. When encountering new mechanical devices, Filvians must make a Moderate willpower roll (at a -1D penalty) or they will be unable to prevent themselves from examining the device.
Move: 8/10
Size: 1.2-1.9 meters tall
Humans: Xa Fel
The plight of the Xa Fel is a galactic tragedy and a perfect example of what modern mega-corporations without adequate supervision can do to a planet. The Kuat Drive Yards facility that eventually dominated the planet Xa Fel was constructed with cost as the only concern: now, decades later, the planet is poisoned almost beyond repair. A cleanup crew from the New Republic has attempted to fix the planet's ecology, but the process has been very slow so far.
The Xa Fel themselves are a species of near-Humans. Before KDY began construction on the planet, they were genetically almost identical to mainline Humans (presumably, the planet was one of the countless "lost" colonies of ancient history). Now, though, the pollution and poverty of their world has left the Xa Fel permanently scarred. Many Xa Fel are undernourished; disfiguring sores and blisters cover most of the inhabitants. The damage seems to have affected the Xa Fel at the genetic level: new generations of Xa Fel are being born with these disfigurements. Many Xa Fel tend to have respiratory problems, due to the high acid content of Xa Fel's atmosphere. When visiting "clean" worlds, Xa Fel often choke or pass out because they are unused to the purity of a clean atmosphere. The life span of an average Xa Fel has dropped from 120 standard years to less than 50 since the shipyards were constructed.
The Xa Fel have been trapped in a spiral of poverty since their simple tribal government was overpowered by the corporate might of Kuat Drive Yards. The Xa Fel tend to distrust and even outwardly despise visitors from other worlds, particularly corporate executives, though some have a modicum of gratitude to the New Republic for its attempts to fix the planet and heal the Xa Fel people.
Humans: Xa Fel
Attribute Dice: 9D
DEXTERITY 1D/3D
KNOWLEDGE 1D/3D
MECHANICAL 1D/4D+1
PERCEPTION 2D/4D
STRENGTH 1D/2D
TECHNICAL 1D/4D+1
Special Abilities:
Mechanical Aptitude: The Xa Fel seem to have a natural aptitude for machinery and vehicles, particularly spaceships. At the time of character creation, they receive 2D for every 1D of beginning skill dice they place in any starship or starship repair skills.
Story Factors:
Corporate Slaves: The Xa Fel have been virtual slaves of Kuat Drive Yards for decades, subjugated by strict forced labor contracts. They despise their corporate masters. Due to the depleted nature of their world, and the health problems resulting from the pollution of their world, they are unable to fight back against the masters they so despise.
Move: 7/10
Size: 1.5-1.8 meters tall
Mrissi
The Mrissi of the planet Mrisst, in the GaTir system, had been subjugated by the Empire for decades, until two years ago, when they managed to force the Empire to leave their planet thanks to the help of New Republic soldiers.
The Mrissi are small avian-descended creatures who lost the power of flight millennia ago. They have a light covering of feathers and small vestigial wings protrude from their backs. They have small beaks and round, piercing eyes.
The Mrissi operate several respected universities which cater to those students who have the aptitude for advanced studies yet cannot afford the most famous and prestigious galactic universities. Mrissi tend to be scholars and administrators, catering to the universities' clientele. The Mrissi cultures are known for radical (but peaceful) political views. Due to the prospect of a return to civilian rule through the New Republic, the academics of Mrisst are having a grand time debating the future of the galaxy and the government. Decades of being stifled by Imperial rule has encouraged the Mrissi to speak out on any and all subjects, despite the validity (or more often, the lack of validity) their suggestions possess. Most recently, their arguments have centered on how to throw off the Empire, which retook the planet as one of the final moves before the assault on Coruscant.
Mrissi
Attribute Dice: 7D
DEXTERITY 1D/2D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D/5D+1
MECHANICAL 0D/3D
PERCEPTION 1D/3D+2
STRENGTH 1D/3D
TECHNICAL +1/3D+1
Special Abilities:
Teaching Ability: The vast majority of Mrissi are scholars and should have the scholar skill and a specialization. Mrissi can advance all specializations of the scholar skill at half the normal Character Point cost.
Story Factors:
Enslavement: The Mrissi were subjugated by Imperial forces. During that time, many Mrissi left their planet and most continue roaming the space-lanes. Some are refugees, but most are curious scholars.
Move: 4/8
Size: 0.3-0.5 meters tall
Sarkans
Sarkans are one of the more powerful political factions in the New Republic due to the gem wealth of Sarka, their homeworld.
The Sarkans are tall (often over two meters) bipedal saurians: a lizard-descended species with thick, green, scaly hides and yellow eyes with slit pupils. They have long, tapered snouts, and razor-like fangs. They also possess claws, though rather small; Sarkans often decorate their claws with multicolored varnishes or clan symbols. The Sarkans also have a thick tail that provides them with added stability and balance, and can be used in combat. They seem to share a common lineage with the reptilian Barabels, but scientists have been unable to conclusively prove a genetic link.
Sarkans tend to wear baggy, loose-fitting robes, often festooned with gemstones. They always travel in groups of three, a holdover from their clan dominated culture.
The Sarkans are very difficult to negotiate with. They have a rigid code of conduct, and all aliens are expected to fully understand and follow that code when dealing with them. Aliens that violate the protocol of the Sarkans are often dismissed as barbarians.
Sarkan protocol states that a meeting with an ambassador must begin with a long greeting in one of the five primary Sarkan languages. This greeting must include — in the following order — the life history of the individual, the number of battles won, the number and value of gems mined, and mates acquired in the course of one's life. This greeting must last at least an hour. If the greeting takes less than an hour, the Sarkans consider this to be an insult because either the person does not consider the ambassador "worth" a complete greeting, or the person performing the greeting has lived such an inconsequential life as to be beneath the ambassador and therefore not worth the ambassador's time. In most formal situations, such as state dinners and political negotiations, these greetings often last more than eight hours.
Following the ritual greeting, a series of elaborate dance steps must be performed by the visiting delegation. Species without tails are excused from knowing the complete set of intricate steps and maneuvers that make up the ancient Sarkan dances, but species that do have tails have a difficult task before them. The dances usually last three hours, and every member of the visiting delegation must dance in turn.
Failing to comply with these protocols is considered a major insult to the ambassador, and will probably lead to the immediate "removal" of the visiting delegation from the Sarkan ambassador's sight. Sarkan diplomatic bodyguards tend to be quite rough.
Sarkans used the nova rubies of their home planet to acquire their fabulous wealth, and they tend to be very amused by those who covet the glowing gemstones. Nova rubies are very common on Sarka, but are unknown on other worlds and are considered a valuable commodity throughout the civilized galaxy.
Sarkan
Attribute Dice: 12D
DEXTERITY 1D/3D+2
KNOWLEDGE 2D/4D+1
MECHANICAL 1D/3D+2
PERCEPTION 2D/4D+2
STRENGTH 3D/6D+1
TECHNICAL 1D/3D
Special Abilities:
Night Vision: The Sarkans tend to have excellent night vision, and operate in darkness with no penalty.
Cold Blooded: Sarkans are cold-blooded. If exposed to extreme cold, they grow extremely sluggish (all die codes are reduced by -3D). They can die from exposure to freezing temperatures within 20 minutes.
Tail: Sarkans can use their thick tail to attack in combat, inflicting STR+3D damage.
Story Factors:
Sarkan Protocol: Sarkans must be treated with what they consider "proper respect." The Sarkan code of protocol is quite explicit and any violation of established Sarkan greeting procedure is a severe insult. For "common" Sarkans, the greeting is brief and perfunctory, but for respected members of the society, the procedure is quite elaborate.
Move: 4/7
Size: 1.9-2.2 meters tall
Svivreni
The Svivreni are a species of stocky and short humanoids. They possess a remarkable toughness bred by the harshness of Svivren, their home planet. The Svivreni are heavily muscled.
The Svivreni traditionally wear sleeveless tunics and work trousers, covered with pouches and pockets for carrying the various tools they use in the course of their work. They are almost entirely covered by short, coarse hair. Svivreni custom calls for adults to never trim their hair, which grows longest and thickest on the head and arms; Svivreni regard the thickness of one's hair as an indication both of fertility and intelligence. As Svivreni tend to defer to older members of their community, the longer a Svivreni's hair, the greater that individual's status in the community.
The Svivreni are excellent mineralogists and miners, and are often hired by large corporations to oversee asteroid and planetary mining projects. The Svivreni expertise in the area of prospecting is well known and well regarded; many have become famous scouts.
The planet Svivren has recently withstood an occupation attempt by the Imperial Navy under Grand Admiral Thrawn. To the Empire's surprise, the Svivreni were able to resist the invasion until the death of Thrawn, at which point the Empire retreated from Svivren due to the collapse of Imperial authority.
Svivreni
Attribute Dice: 12D
DEXTERITY 1D/3D+2
KNOWLEDGE 1D/3D
MECHANICAL 2D/3D+2
PERCEPTION 1D/4D+1
STRENGTH 2D/5D
TECHNICAL 1D/3D+1
Special Abilities:
Stamina: Due to the harsh nature of the planet Svivren, the Svivreni receive a +2D bonus whenever they roll their stamina and willpower skills
Value Estimation: Svivreni receive a +1D bonus to value skill checks involving the value of ores, gems and other mined materials.
Story Factors:
Stubbornness: The Svivreni cannot abide the idea of being conquered, and the Imperial occupation effort only solidified this resolve. Anyone trying to convince a Svivreni of a position they do not agree with is fighting a losing battle.
Move: 4/8
Size: 0.6-0.9 meters tall
Ukians
Ukians are known as some of the most efficient farmers and horticulturists in the galaxy. They are also among one of the gentlest species in existence. The Ukians are hairless, bipedal humanoids with green skin and thin red eyes, which narrow to slits. They are humanoid, but to the average Human, Ukians appear to have been incorrectly "assembled"; they appear gangly and awkward. Their slight build hides impressive strength.
The Ukian people are firmly rooted in their agrarian traditions. Few Ukians ever leave their homeworld and the vast majority of these aliens pursue careers in agriculture. Most Ukians spend their time cultivating and organizing their harvest, and most have large farming complexes directed by the Ukian Farming Bureau. The planet itself is run by the Ukian Overliege, a selected office with a term of 10 years. The Overliege's responsibilities include finding ways of improving the total agricultural production of the planet, as well as determining the crops and production output of each community. The Ukian with the most productive harvest for the previous 10 year period is offered the position.
Ukians are a pragmatic species and share a cultural aversion to "the impossible"; if events are far removed from standard daily experience, Ukians become very agitated and frightened. It is this cultural "fear of the impossible" that Grand Admiral Thrawn exploited to capture Ukio with its shield generators intact.
Ukian
Attribute Dice: 12D
DEXTERITY 1D/3D
KNOWLEDGE 1D/4D+1
MECHANICAL 2D/4D
PERCEPTION 1D/4D
STRENGTH 3D/4D
TECHNICAL 1D/3D+1
Special Abilities:
Agriculture: All Ukians receive a +2D bonus to their agriculture (a Knowledge skill) rolls.
Story Factors:
Fear of the Impossible: All Ukians become very agitated when presented with a situation they believe is impossible.
Move: 5/11
Size: 1.6-2 meters tall
Vaathkree
The Vaathkree people are essentially a loosely grouped band of traders and merchants. They are fanatically interested in haggling and trading with other species, often invoking their "religion" they call "the deal" (a rough translation).
Vaathkree average between 1.5 to 1.9 meters tall, and are seemingly made out of stone or metal. Vaathkree have an unusual metabolism and can manufacture extremely hard compounds, which then form small scales or plates on the outside of the skin, providing durable body armor. In effect, they are encased in living metal or stone. These amiable aliens wear a minimum of clothing, normally limited to only belts or pouches to carry goods.
Vaathkree are long-lived compared to many other species, with their natural life span averaging 300 to 350 Standard years. They have a multi-staged life cycle and begin their lives as Stonesingers: small nodes of living metal that inhabit the deep crevasses in the surface of Vaathkree. They are mobile, though they have no cognitive abilities at this age. They "roam" the lava flats at night, absorbing lava and bits of stone, which are incorporated into their body structure. After about nine years, the Stonesinger begins to develop some rudimentary thought processes (at this point, the Stonesinger has normally grown to about 1 meter tall, but still has a fluid, almost shapeless, body structure).
The Stonesinger takes a full two decades to evolve into a mature Vaathkree. During this time, the evolving alien must pick a "permanent form": the alien decides on a form and must concentrate on retaining that form. Eventually, the growing Vaathkree finds that he or she is no longer capable of altering its form, so thus it is very important that the maturing Vaathkree choose a form they find pleasing. As the Vaathkree have been active members of the Republic for many millennia and most alien species are roughly humanoid in form, many Vaathkree select a humanoid adult form.
"The deal," the code of trade and barter that all Vaathkree live by, is taught to the Stonesingers as soon as their cognitive abilities have begun to form. The concepts of supply and demand, sales technique and (most importantly) haggling are so deeply ingrained in the consciousness of the Vaathkree that the idea of not passing these ideas and beliefs on to their young is simply unthinkable.
Vaathkree
Attribute Dice: 12D
DEXTERITY 1D/3D
KNOWLEDGE 1D/4D
MECHANICAL 2D/4D
PERCEPTION 2D/5D
STRENGTH 2D/4D+2
TECHNICAL 1D/3D+1
Special Abilities:
Natural Body Armor: Vaathkree, due to their peculiar metabolisms, have natural body armor. It provides STR+2D against physical attacks and STR+1D against energy attacks.
Trade Language: The Vaathkree have created a strange, constantly changing trade language that they use to communicate back and forth between each other during business dealings. Since most deals are successful when one side has a key piece of information that the other side lacks, the trade language evolved to safeguard such information during negotiations. Non-Vaathkree trying to decipher trade language may make an opposed languages roll against the Vaathkree, but suffer a +15 penalty modifier.
Story Factors:
Trade Culture: The Vaathkree are fanatic hagglers. Most adult Vaathkree have at least 2D in bargain or con (or both).
Move: 6/11
Size: 1.5-1.9 meters tall
Woostoids
Woostoids inhabit the planet Woostri, a nexus for information exchange and storage in the New Republic. In the days of the Old Republic, Woostoids were often selected to maintain records for Republic databases, and are still noted for their record-keeping and data-management abilities. Woostoids are highly knowledgeable in the field of computer design and programming, and have remarkably efficient, analytical minds.
Since the Woostoids are so adept at computer technology, a substantial portion of Woostri is computer controlled, which has helped to weed out a number of tasks that the Woostoids felt could be automated. Since so much of Woostoid society is handled by computers, they have a large amount of free time and a substantial portion of their economy is geared towards recreation.
Woostoids are of average height (by Human standards), but are extremely slender. They have reddish-orange skin and flowing reddish hair. They have bulbous, pupil-less eyes that rarely blink. Traditionally, they wear long, flowing robes of bright, reflective cloth. Woostoids are a peaceful species, and the concept of warfare and fighting is extremely disconcerting to them. Woostoids tend to think about situations in a very orderly manner, trying to find the logical ties between events. When presented with facts that seemingly have no logical pattern, they become very confused and disoriented.
Woostoids
Attribute Dice: 10D
DEXTERITY 1D/3D
KNOWLEDGE 2D/5D
MECHANICAL 1D/4D
PERCEPTION 1D/3D
STRENGTH 1D/2D+2
TECHNICAL 2D+2/5D+1
Special Abilities:
Computer Programming: Woostoids have an almost instinctual ability to operate and manage complex computer networks. Woostoids receive a +2D bonus whenever they use their computer programming/repair skill.
Story Factors:
Logical minds: The Woostoids are very logical creatures. When presented with situations that are seemingly beyond logic (such as Thrawn's "super weapon" ploy), they become extremely confused, and all die codes are reduced by -1D.
Move: 7/11
Size: 1.6-1.8 meters tall
Yagai
The Yagai (singular: Yaga), are tall, reedy tripeds native to Yaga Minor, the site of a major Imperial shipyard. They have two nine fingered hands, and all of their fingers are mutually opposable, making them well suited to delicate mechanical work. They are particularly knowledgeable about starship hyperdrives and have been conscripted by the Empire to help maintain the Imperial fleet.
Before the Empire, the Yagai were famed for their starship engineering skills and their cooperation with the Republic. While the Yagai are still known for their skills, their relationship with the Empire is strained. The people of Yaga Minor deeply resent the Imperial presence and are always looking for prudent opportunities to sabotage the Imperial war effort. Unfortunately, with the rest of their people effectively held as hostages, most main species Yagai starship workers are reluctant to risk incurring Imperial wrath — the Yagai are intimately familiar with the atrocities the Empire has been known to commit.
The Yagai tend to favor baggy, flowing garments of neutral colors (at least neutral to their world — whites and many shades of blue and purple). The Yagai are an aggressive and territorial species that would make a valuable asset to the New Republic if they could be freed from Imperial rule. Unfortunately, since Yaga Minor is so heavily defended, the rescue of the Yagai is a short-term impossibility.
Yagai
Attribute Dice: 12D
DEXTERITY 1D/4D
KNOWLEDGE 1D/2D+2
MECHANICAL 1D+2/4D+1
PERCEPTION 2D/4D
STRENGTH 1D/4D+2
TECHNICAL 2D/5D+2
Story Factors:
Enslaved: The Yagai have been conscripted into Imperial service because of their technical skills. As a result, almost no Yagai are free to roam the galaxy; most that are seen away from their homeworld are escaped slaves (and tend to be paranoid about the possibility of being captured by the Empire) or are workers who are forced to slave for Imperial officials away from their homeworld.
Move: 10/12
Size: 1.5-1.8 meters tall
Yaga Drone (Subspecies)
Yaga Drone (Subspecies)
Attribute Dice: 8D
DEXTERITY 1D/2D
KNOWLEDGE 1D/1D+1
MECHANICAL 1D/4D+1
PERCEPTION 1D/1D+1
STRENGTH 2D/5D+2
TECHNICAL 2D/5D+2
Story Factors:
Genetically Engineered: The Yagai Drones have been genetically engineered to survive in harsh environments like deep space. They are extremely sluggish and bulky, and almost never speak. They are trained from birth to be completely loyal to the Empire, but many secretly harbor sympathies with the Republic.
Sealed Systems: Once they are full-grown, Yagai Drones require no food, water or other sustenance, save the solar energy they absorb and occasional energy boosts.
Body Armor: All Yagai Drones receive a +2D bonus to resist energy attacks and +3D to resist physical attacks.
Move: 8/12
Size: 2.5-3 meters
Capsule: Yagai Drones are huge, muscular versions of the Yagai main species. They have purple skin and wild, yellowish hair. They almost never speak, except to acknowledge orders from their work-masters.
The reclassification of the Yagai Drones as "non-citizens" has led to official New Republic complaints. Because of this continuing rights issue, the New Republic has refused to use Yagai labor in any shipbuilding projects.
ZeHethbra
The ZeHethbra are a well-known species that has travelled throughout the galaxy and settled on a number of worlds. The ZeHethbra species has no less than 80 distinct cultural, racial and ethnic groups that developed due to historical and geographic variances. While many non-ZeHethbra have trouble distinguishing between the various groups (to the casual observer, the ZeHethbra seem to have only five or six major groups), ZeHethbra themselves have no problems distinguishing between groups due to subtle markings, body language and mannerisms, slight changes in accent, and pheromones.
ZeHethbra are tall, brawny humanoids, with a short coating of fur, and a small vestigial tail. All ZeHethbra have a white stripe of fur that begins at the bridge of their nose and widens as it stretches to the small of the back. The width of the stripe denotes gender; wider stripes are present on females, while males tend to have narrow strips, with slight "branches" running out from the main stripe.
The color of ZeHethbra varies. Generally, black fur is the norm, though in the mountainous regions in the northern hemisphere of ZeHeth, brown and even red fur is common. Blue-white fur covers the ZeHethbra from the southern polar region, and spotting and mottled colorations can be found on some ZeHethbra of mixed lineage.
The ZeHethbra are naturally capable of producing and identifying extremely sophisticated pheromones. Indeed, a large portion of the ZeHethbra cultural identity consists of these pheromones, and many ZeHethbra can identify other ZeHethbra clans and history simply by their scent. In times of danger, the ZeHethbra can expel a "spray" that is blinding and unpleasant to the individual that is being sprayed.
ZeHethbra
Attribute Dice: 12D
DEXTERITY 1D/4D
KNOWLEDGE 1D/4D
MECHANICAL 2D/4D+1
PERCEPTION 1D+1/3D+1
STRENGTH 1D/4D
TECHNICAL 1D+2/3D+2
Special Abilities:
Spray: ZeHethbra can project a stinging spray that can blind and stun those within a three meter radius. All characters within the range must make a Difficult willpower role or take 5D stun damage; if the result is wounded or worse, the character is overcome by the scents and collapses to the ground for one minute.
Move: 9/12
Size: 1.6-1.8 meters tall
Chapter Nine: The Noghri
From the datapad journal of Voren Na'al, Director of New Republic Council Research.
Killers For The Empire
The mysterious aliens known as the Noghri have only recently made their presence known to the New Republic, although it appears that Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker have been painfully aware of them for some time.
The Noghri are hairless, grey-skinned bipeds, heavily muscled and possessing unbelievable reflexes and agility. They have been in service to the Empire as assassins for several years. Apparently, the Empire, represented by Lord Darth Vader, convinced the Noghri leadership that only the Emperor's forces could restore their homeworld of Honoghr to life; the planet had become contaminated by poisonous debris from a crashed starship. The Noghri, who possess a rigid honor code — much like that of the Wookiees of Kashyyyk — felt obligated to serve the Empire to repay their debt.
The Emperor decided that an unknown race of unstoppable hunters and assassins, fanatically devoted to him and willing to undertake any mission at his merest whim, would be a fabulous asset. The Emperor had all traces of Honoghr removed from Imperial records and charts, and implemented a plan that would effectively subjugate the Noghri. Of the rival politicians, dissidents and other bothersome individuals that the Emperor faced, it is certain that a good number of them met an unpleasant end at the hands of Noghri assassins.
Imperial Treachery Revealed
Only recently has the treacherous nature of the Empire's scheme been laid bare: Princess Leia Organa Solo proved to the assembled clans of the Noghri that the Empire had been slowly poisoning the soil of Honoghr for years. The Emperor, in a careful subterfuge that convinced the Noghri that their world was being helped, condemned the Noghri to an eternity of indentured servitude to the Empire. Once the Empire's duplicity was revealed, the Noghri calmly and coldly bided their time to strike back at their oppressors.
Since the Empire and Grand Admiral Thrawn could no longer be trusted, the Noghri realized that they had to act. The construction of their Hidden Valley, the so-called "Future of Honoghr" is impressive as an act of engineering. That the Noghri carried it off without tipping their hand to Grand Admiral Thrawn makes their effort almost miraculous.
The Noghri Hidden Valley was constructed near a river, hidden in the shadows of a huge series of cliff walls. Sandwiched between the cliffs, the Hidden Valley is only visible to outside observation from (more or less) directly above. Using the nearby river, the Noghri have managed to harness to provide irrigation for the crops they are harvesting. Four different types of grains (imported from other worlds) and a number of leafy, edible plants are being steadily cultivated to help supplement the food supplies of the struggling Noghri villages.
The Noghri have recently acted as Leia Organa Solo's personal bodyguards, claiming she is the Mal'ary'ush. Leia has failed to reveal to me exactly what that term means, but I can only assume this is some Noghri term that refers to her status or royal lineage.
After the "unofficial" release of Mara Jade by Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca, from New Republic custody, the Noghri assisted in the destruction of Mount Tantiss; apparently, the Noghri subdued all natural predators and the planet Wayland's less-than-friendly natives, allowing the strike team to infiltrate Mount Tantiss. The Noghri even took an active part in the battle, protecting the exit tunnel and reportedly neutralized a large number of Imperial troops in the process.
It was a Noghri warrior, Rukh, who slew Grand Admiral Thrawn. Rukh served as Thrawn's personal bodyguard and assassin. Upon finding out that his people had been betrayed and fooled, anger and rage filled his heart. He knew that, as Thrawn's trusted aide, he would have to be the one to exact revenge for his people. Rukh is now revered by the Noghri as a great hero.
Honoghr
Very little of the planet Honoghr remains fit for habitation. That they have avoided extinction illustrates the determination of the Noghri people. Honoghr, while never a bountiful planet, is now little more than a brown, dust-caked wasteland.
The small section of arable lands that remain, the Clean Land, is where the Noghri have been forced to settle. Times are lean, and the traditionally antagonistic clans have been forced to abide by a truce to survive. The city of Nystao and a number of small villages are nestled in the Clean Land.
Now that the Noghri are aware of the Empire's treachery, the cleanup effort of Honoghr has begun in earnest (with assistance from the New Republic). Judging by their success in the Hidden Valley, there is a glimmer of hope for the near-dead world, though the road to Honoghr's salvation will be long, indeed.
Honoghr
Type: Terrestrial (toxic)
Temperature: Temperate
Atmosphere: Type I (breathable)
Hydrosphere: Dry
Gravity: Standard
Terrain: Toxic plains, some Clean Land
Length of Day: 23 standard hours
Length of Year: 352 local days
Sapient Species: Noghri (N)
Starports: Imperial Class
Population: 10 million
Planet Function: Homeworld
Government: Clan (Formerly Imperial allied, now neutral)
Tech Level: Stone, with space components
Major Exports: None
Major Imports: Food, water, medicine, high tech, mid tech
The Hidden Valley
The Noghri refer to the Hidden Valley simply as "the future." They may, in fact, be correct. The Valley is both a bold statement and a marvel of agricultural engineering, especially considering the limited technological items the Noghri have been able to acquire.
The Valley's first outsider visitor was Jedi Luke Skywalker. He was experiencing mechanical problems with his X-wing after a tangle with Imperial warships and ventured to Honoghr in a desperate bid to gain assistance and repairs. Since the Valley was an ideal hiding place, it was decided that Luke should remain there briefly. Skywalker was quick to admit that he was overwhelmed by the Valley. "Coming from a desert world like Tatooine, vegetation as rich as this is just not something I'm used to... Dagobah and Endor had much richer vegetation, but the fact that the Noghri could make such an impressive beginning in so short a time... well, it is a very positive sign. I only hope that there is some way to repair the damage done to Honoghr. At this point, I think it will be years before the planet is even close to being healed."
The Valley is sandwiched between two cliffs — almost a kilometer in height each — and because of the height of the cliffs (and their tendency to jam all but the most determined of sensor probes), the Valley is effectively invisible except from directly overhead.
The Valley is situated near a large river that the Noghri have managed to harness to provide irrigation for the crops they are harvesting. Four different types of grains (imported from other worlds) and a number of leafy, edible plants are being steadily cultivated to help supplement the food supplies of the struggling Noghri villages.
Ovkhevam is the Noghri chiefly responsible for the existence of the Valley. He recognized the camouflage potential of the cliffs, and with the help of several of the clan dynasts, was able to construct the farming area in less than a month. Ovkhevam believes that someday the soil of Honoghr can be cleansed and restored to its former purity. This remains to be seen.
Character Updates
The following are descriptions of some of the more prominent Noghri who have had an effect on recent events.
Rukh
Rukh, clan Baikh'vair, was one of Grand Admiral Thrawn's earliest recruits when he discovered the homeworld of the Emperor's dreaded Death Commandos. Rukh, un-intimidated by the high technology that was demonstrated by the Empire, impressed the Grand Admiral. Thrawn made the young Noghri his personal bodyguard.
At first, Rukh believed his service to Thrawn brought honor to the clan Baikh'vair and to himself. Personally serving the lord of the Noghri Overclan is an incredibly prestigious honor for a clan warrior. When Rukh was informed of the Empire's treachery, he volunteered to "monitor" Grand Admiral Thrawn to insure that, until the Noghri people were ready to act, the Imperial leader did not become overly suspicious of his alien assassins. Rukh also vowed to kill the Grand Admiral, at the cost of his own life if need be.
Rukh was in a unique position: he could monitor the same information that Thrawn received. Rukh believed that the Thrawn's death should only come after the Grand Admiral learned that the Noghri had betrayed him: then and only then would Thrawn know Rukh's assassin's knife. This rationale is typical of the Noghri: what better time to slay Thrawn, a master of deception, than when he realized that he was being deceived himself?
Rukh is now something of a legend among his fellow Noghri. To slay a hated enemy of the entire Noghri people, in his own stronghold is an act of incredible bravery and skill to the Noghri. As a species of fierce hunters, this is the greatest possible hunt. It was a hunt worth dying for.
Rukh
Type: Noghri Death Commando
DEXTERITY 4D
Blaster 6D, brawling parry 9D, dodge 9D, melee combat 7D, melee combat: knife 8D+1, melee parry 7D, running 6D, thrown weapons 8D
KNOWLEDGE 2D+1
Bureaucracy 4D+1, intimidation 6D, languages 4D+1, planetary systems 4D+1, streetwise 6D+1, survival 7D, value 3D+2
MECHANICAL 2D
Repulsorlift operation 6D, space transports 6D
PERCEPTION 4D
Bargain 5D, command 6D, con 7D, hide 9D, search 7D+1, sneak 9D
STRENGTH 3D+2
Brawling 8D+2, brawling: Noghri martial arts* 9D, climbing/jumping 7D+2, lifting 5D+2, stamina 8D+2
TECHNICAL 2D
Security 5D
* Receive +2D when used against someone without this specialization, does STR+1D+2 damage. See page 94 of the Dark Force Rising Sourcebook.
Special Abilities:
Claws: STR+1D
Teeth: STR+2D
Stealth: +2D when using hide or sneak
Enhanced Senses: +2D when using search
Force Points: 1
Character Points: 16
Move: 14
Equipment: Knife (STR+1D), comlink
Khabarakh
Khabarakh was a Noghri assigned to the commando team charged with the abduction of Princess Leia. Upon realizing that Leia was the Mal'ary'ush and not to be harmed, he faced a moral dilemma: be loyal to his people and protect the Mal'ary'ush, or obey his duty to the Empire by abducting the Mal'ary'ush.
Khabarakh decided to protect Leia. He placed the clans in jeopardy by bringing Leia to Honoghr. Khabarakh also showed incredible bravery and fortitude: Thrawn, believing that Khabarakh was a traitor, forced the clans to publicly chastise and punish the young Noghri. However, this gave Leia time to address the collected Noghri people and prove the Empire's treachery.
Leia also helped engineer the release of Khabarakh before fleeing the planet. After "escaping," Khabarakh relocated to the Hidden Valley, where he now serves as caretaker of the "Future of the Noghri." His seclusion in the Valley is typical of Noghri tactics: efficient and subtle. What better place to hide a fugitive than under his pursuer's nose?
Khabarakh is young for a Noghri commando, though he is able: he has withstood repeated attacks from the mighty Chewbacca, and even earned the massive Wookiee's respect.
Like many Noghri, Khabarakh yearns to erase the scars the ravages of war have left behind. Khabarakh is also a realist: he knows that the damage to Honoghr is so severe that it is unlikely that it can be repaired in his lifetime — if it can be repaired at all.
Khabarakh
Type: Noghri Death Commando
DEXTERITY 4D
Blaster 5D, brawling parry 5D, dodge 6D, melee combat 5D, melee parry 5D
KNOWLEDGE 2D+1
Intimidation 5D+2, languages 3D+1, streetwise 4D+1, survival 5D+1
MECHANICAL 2D
Repulsorlift operation 3D, space transports 4D
PERCEPTION 4D
Bargain 4D+2, command 5D, con 6D, hide 7D, search 6D, sneak 7D
STRENGTH 3D+2
Brawling 6D+2, brawling: Noghri martial arts 6D+2*, climbing/jumping 5D+2, lifting 4D+2, stamina 6D+2
TECHNICAL 2D
Security 4D
* Receive +2D when used against someone without this specialization, does STR+1D+2 damage. See page 94 of the Dark Force Rising Sourcebook.
Special Abilities:
Claws: STR+1D
Teeth: STR+2D
Stealth: +2D when using hide or sneak
Enhanced Senses: +2D when using search
Force Points: 1
Character Points: 8
Move: 13
Equipment: Heavy blaster pistol (5D), knife (STR+1D), comlink
New Characters
There are a number of new Noghri introduced in The Last Command that did not appear in either Heir to the Empire or Dark Force Rising. They are presented here for the first time.
Ovkhevam
Ovkhevam, clan Bakh'tor, is the Noghri responsible for the creation of the agricultural storehouse in the Hidden Valley. Ovkhevam is one of the older Noghri and remembers when the planet was green and capable of supporting life. Ovkhevam is surprisingly peaceful for a Noghri and is more interested in growing food for his people than killing and dying for a distant Empire.
Ovkhevam was angered deeply by the Empire's deception, because it was both an insult to the honor of the Noghri, and because of the damage that was wrought on Honoghr itself. Ovkhevam is the premier agricultural expert on Honoghr, and as such, is ideally suited to the task of creating and managing the Hidden Valley.
Ovkhevam hopes one day to repair all the damage done to Honoghr, believing that given enough time and care, the planet will be healed. The Hidden Valley is but a foothold for the battle Honoghr faces. Ovkhevam is optimistic: he says, "Here will someday be enough food to provide for all."
Ovkhevam has taken a liking to Khabarakh, the young Noghri outcast who had been forced into hiding in the Hidden Valley. Khabarakh is an impulsive youth and requires the firm hand and wisdom of an older Noghri to help Khabarakh overcome his "wildness." Ovkhevam is slowly teaching the young Noghri commando the basics of agriculture.
Ovkhevam is extremely formal, always addressing individuals (even those he knows well) by their full names and titles. He firmly believes in the Noghri customs and traditions, especially those concerning growing and farming. Agriculture is very important this older Noghri, but he is still a member of a warrior race: he wishes that he had the honor to slay Thrawn.
Ovkhevam
Type: Noghri Elder
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 3D+2, brawling parry 5D, brawling parry: vs. martial arts 6D, dodge 8D, melee combat 5D, melee parry 5D
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Agriculture 7D+2, cultures 6D, intimidation 8D, survival 6D
MECHANICAL 2D
PERCEPTION 4D
Bargain 4D+2, command 6D, hide 7D, search 6D, sneak 7D
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 5D+2, brawling: Noghri martial arts* 7D+2, climbing/jumping 4D+2, lifting 4D+2, stamina 6D+2
TECHNICAL 2D
* Receive +2D when used against someone without this specialization, does STR+1D+2 damage. See page 94 of the Dark Force Rising Sourcebook.
Special Abilities:
Claws: STR+1D
Teeth: STR+2D
Stealth: +2D when using hide or sneak
Enhanced Senses: +2D when using search
Force Points: 2
Character Points: 12
Move: 11
Equipment: Agricultural tool kit, knife (STR+1D)
Cakhmaim
Cakhmaim is the premier warrior of the Noghri clan Eikh'mir. He is the leader of the honor guard of the Mal'ary'ush and charged with the protection of Princess Leia.
Cakhmaim was part of the "delegation" of Noghri that quietly entered the Imperial palace to protect Leia from threats to her and her children. Cakhmaim, Khabarakh, and Mobvekhar were duty-bound to die for Leia if necessary.
Cakhmaim has led several Death Commando missions for Grand Admiral Thrawn, and feels personally insulted and angry that Thrawn so used the Noghri people. That Rukh, his rival since childhood, managed to slay Thrawn has not sat well with the Noghri warrior, who does not feel Rukh is worthy of such acclaim.
Cakhmaim
Type: Noghri Death Commando
DEXTERITY 4D
Blaster 7D+2, brawling parry 5D+2, brawling parry: vs. martial arts 9D, dodge 8D+2, melee combat 5D+1, melee parry 5D+2
KNOWLEDGE 2D+1
Intimidation 7D, languages 3D+1, streetwise 6D+1, survival 5D+1
MECHANICAL 2D
Repulsorlift operation 3D+2, space transports 5D
PERCEPTION 4D
Bargain 4D+2, command 7D+2, con 6D, hide 8D, search 6D+2, sneak 9D
STRENGTH 5D+2
Brawling 7D+2, brawling: Noghri martial arts 8D+2*, climbing/jumping 6D+2, lifting 6D+2, stamina 6D+2
TECHNICAL 4D
Security 6D
* Receive +2D when used against someone without this specialization, does STR+1D+2 damage. See page 94 of the Dark Force Rising Sourcebook.
Special Abilities:
Claws: STR+1D
Teeth: STR+2D
Stealth: +2D when using hide or sneak
Enhanced Senses: +2D when using search
Force Points: 1
Character Points: 3
Move: 15
Equipment: Heavy blaster pistol (5D), knife (STR+1D damage), comlink
Ekhrikhor
Ekhrikhor
Type: Noghri Death Commando
DEXTERITY 4D
Blaster 6D, brawling parry 6D, brawling parry: vs. martial arts 6D+1, melee combat 5D, pick pocket 6D+1, running 6D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D+1
Alien species 3D+1, intimidation 6D+1, survival 6D+1
MECHANICAL 2D
Repulsorlift operation 3D+2, space transports 3D+1
PERCEPTION 4D
Hide 8D, search 7D, search: tracking 9D, sneak 9D
STRENGTH 5D+2
Brawling 8D+2, brawling: Noghri martial arts 9D+2*, climbing/jumping 6D+2, lifting 6D+2, stamina 6D+2
TECHNICAL 4D
First aid: Noghri 6D
* Receive +2D when used against someone without this specialization, does STR+1D+2 damage. See page 94 of the Dark Force Rising Sourcebook.
Special Abilities:
Claws: STR+1D
Teeth: STR+2D
Stealth: +2D when using hide or sneak
Enhanced Senses: +2D when using search
Force Points: 1
Dark Side Points: 2
Character Points: 13
Move: 13
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), knife (STR+1D), comlink, medpac
Capsule: Ekhrikhor, clan Bakh'tor, is one of the most fearsome Noghri warriors. Like many of his people, he revels in combat and the thrill of the hunt. As a hunter and assassin, he has tracked and killed the Empire's targets for nearly a decade.
Ekhrikhor is a bit more pragmatic than his fellow Noghri; he has operated in the galaxy for too long to not absorb some of the morals and norms of the other species. He does not take the Emperor's deception as personally as the rest of the Noghri people; he realizes that the Emperor was trying to accomplish his goals as expediently as possible. This is not to say that he is not angered: he is enraged, and he also understands why Palpatine did what he did. Expediency is not a legitimate excuse to lead the entire Noghri people to slaughter. He simply has not made his fight against the Empire as personal as the other Noghri.
Ekhrikhor was most recently sighted on Wayland, assisting the small group of saboteurs (including Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian and Mara Jade) in their trek to Mount Tantiss. Ekhrikhor cleared the path to the mountain for the small group, making sure that all potentially lethal obstacles were removed or rendered harmless without letting the Republic operatives know that they were under Noghri protection. It was only the Force skills of Luke Skywalker that allowed the New Republic warriors to learn that the Noghri were present.
Ekhrikhor considers it a great honor to have been a participant in the battle of Mount Tantiss. He has great respect for the New Republic warriors, particularly Skywalker and Solo, who maintained their composure during the battle. Ekhrikhor has witnessed (and killed) many Humans who have "turned coward" when fighting began, and he considers it refreshing to find Humans with such spirit and bravery.
Mobvekhar
Mobvekhar
Type: Noghri Death Commando
DEXTERITY 4D
Blaster 5D, brawling parry 6D, dodge 6D+1, melee combat 5D, melee parry 5D
KNOWLEDGE 2D+1
Intimidation 5D, survival 6D+1
MECHANICAL 2D
Repulsorlift operation 3D, space transports 3D
PERCEPTION 4D
Con 6D, hide 7D, search 6D, search: tracking 8D, sneak 7D
STRENGTH 5D+2
Brawling 7D+2, brawling: Noghri martial arts 7D+2*, climbing/jumping 6D, lifting 6D, stamina 6D+2
TECHNICAL 4D
* Receive +2D when used against someone without this specialization, does STR+1D+2 damage. See page 94 of the Dark Force Rising Sourcebook.
Special Abilities:
Claws: STR+1D
Teeth: STR+2D
Stealth: +2D when using hide or sneak
Enhanced Senses: +2D when using search
Character Points: 3
Move: 13
Equipment: Blaster pistol (4D), comlink
Capsule: Mobvekhar is Cakhmaim's lieutenant, serving as an apprentice to the Noghri warrior. Mobvekhar is quite young, though he is recognized as a gifted hunter and warrior. He has apprenticed with Cakhmaim for two years and has participated in a number of military operations with the leader of the Noghri Mal'ary'ush honor guard.
Chapter Ten: Equipment and Droids
Equipment
Jammer Packs
The jammer pack was an accidental technological invention that is rapidly proving its usefulness in covert operations. Originally designed as a device to prevent unauthorized listeners from tapping into sensitive comlink transmissions, the jammer pack was less than successful. The unit produced a muffled static effect every time it was activated, and made conversations harder to tap, but also harder for the authorized listeners to understand. After a few million units were produced, the product was discontinued.
Covert operations forces, Imperial Intelligence units in particular, recognized the signal jammer's potential: with a strong enough power source, the faulty unit could effectively drown out all comlink activity with high-gain static. Cutting off communication lines is usually a necessary step in sabotage operations, and the jammer pack is a convenient and simple method of accomplishing that task.
The original signal jammer was a small flat, rectangular box that could fit into the palm of someone's hand. It had input and output receivers and scomp links, and a small input board so users could attune the jammer to the frequencies of personal comlinks. A small control dial set the amount of "background static" that was produced to foul eavesdroppers. A tiny, rechargeable power cell was located in a recessed panel on the unit's underside. The entire unit could be hidden in a belt utility pouch for inconspicuous transport.
Imperial Intelligence added several features to the unit. The largest alteration was an increased power source, which produces high-gain transmission static on all bandwidths. Intel also added a computer input to tap into centralized communications system to shut down all the communications in a network. Both of these items were relatively simple to manufacture, but the cost of miniaturization made the unit more expensive. The existing unit will still fit into a small pocket so the comm tech in a strike team can carry it conveniently. If cost is a consideration, a similarly powered unit can be jury-rigged with a civilian power generator and scomp computer link, making the unit large enough to require a small backpack, but substantially saving on costs.
Jammer Pack
Model: Modified MicroThrust ComTech Eavesdrop Protection Unit
Type: Communications disruption unit
Skill: Communications
Cost: 1,050 (basic unit), 3,400 (Imperial modified unit), 1,750 (jury-rigged unit)
Availability: X
Game Notes: To successfully activate the jammer pack requires a Moderate communications roll. If successful, it produces high-gain white noise on all communications bandwidths, prevent any comlink transmissions within a 150-meter radius. A successful Difficult communications roll is necessary to tie the jammer pack into an integrated communications network (such as the com-link system in Imperial Palace on Coruscant). If completed, the jammer pack produces communications-fouling noise that is broadcast throughout the entire system, completely shutting down the network. The jammer pack can tie into an integrated network from any public access terminal, but this normally requires several additional computer programming/repair totals to successfully slice into the network's management program routines.
Electronic Lock Breaker
Modern security systems are quite effective, particular building security packages. Even the low-cost Fortress-7 electronic deadbolt system is quite efficient at keeping low-tech undesirables from entering protected areas, though with the correct knowledge and tools, they are not impossible to disable.
More advanced systems utilize computer coding systems that rapidly change sequence; the sophistication of these systems protects luxury homes and buildings from unauthorized entry. The Imperial Palace on Coruscant uses a combination gene-scan/random-flux code key sequence to protect residents and visitors. Authorized personnel are given a key that is linked to their genetic code; a micro-scanner in both the lock and the code-key establish the keyholder's identity. If the gene-code does not match, a security alarm sounds and all door locks are immediately activated. Overall, the system that protects the Imperial Palace is the most advanced on the market and was considered virtually foolproof.
At least, it was, until the invention of the electronic lock breaker. This device is essentially a high-memory capacity computer terminal with an independent power source and a key-code replicator input/output jack. The I/O jack is plugged into the door lock, and a large polynomial computation is "spiked" into the security monitor programming. The polynomial keeps the main security computer "occupied" and "convinces" it that there is no security breach. The rest of the lock breaker's computer memory randomly flashes gene-sequence codes at phenomenal rates, until the correct gene code to open the locked door is discovered.
The electronic lock breaker also has functions for opening other types of computer-governed locks, but programming for each specific type of lock must be pre-entered into the unit; its memory storage is not large enough to accommodate every type of lock in its database.
Lock breakers are very useful tools for criminals and Intelligence agents who often need to gain unauthorized access to a room or building. The lock breaker is capable of bypassing most security systems but it requires a great deal of power and a considerable amount of time. The unit produces a loud hum when it is operating, so the user needs a good deal of privacy to get through a lock unnoticed. However, with proper planning or diversionary tactics, it can be quite effective.
Republic slicers are experimenting with a counter-programming concept to deal with the lock breaker. Since the lock breaker randomly flashes through genetic codes, and thus is capable of producing virtually any genetic sequence, Republic programmers are considering adding "ringer" codes to their alarm systems. If the lock breaker tries a "ringer" code on the lock system, the lock's computer system will realize that this is a prohibited code sequence, and it will trigger a system-wide alarm. Preliminary tests have proven modestly successful.
Electronic Lock Breaker
Model: OutlawTech Lock Breaker
Type: Security tampering unit
Skill: Security, computer programming/repair
Cost: 25,000 credits (basic unit), 1,000 (per security system profile software package)
Availability: X
Game Notes: The Lock Breaker requires a Moderate security roll to activate and a Difficult computer programming/repair roll to successfully determine gene sequence codes in advanced computer locks. Specific system profiles must be programmed before use, but pre-programmed system profiles (which are quicker to enter and generally more effective than "homemade" profiles) can be installed with a Moderate computer programming/repair roll.
Holorecording Macrobinoculars
A number of commercial models of macrobinoculars are on the market, but a new innovation is becoming quite popular. Some manufacturers have begun releasing combination macrobinocular/holorecording units. Prior to the introduction of these "dual function units," users had to scomp-link the macrobinoculars into a holorecording unit, often resulting in software incompatibilities and glitches: the finished recording was often flawed.
The new device retains the functions of a standard macrobinocular set, including range and targeting information (on all but the cheapest models), but it adds the ability to store a holographic recording of anything seen through the viewfinder. With the sensor attachments available, sensor data can also be stored and recorded on the macrobinocular's recording unit.
Unfortunately, the cost of these devices is fairly high. Miniaturized holograph technology is expensive, and only those who can afford "the best" tend to own these units.
Holorecording Macrobinoculars
Model: Neuro-Saav Model TT4 Holorecording Macrobinoculars
Type: Specialized image magnification/recording device
Skill: Search
Cost: 2,000
Availability: 2
Game Notes: Holorecording macrobinoculars provide the normal advantages of standard image magnification devices (this specific unit gives +2D to all search or Perception rolls more than 100 meters away). In addition, the device can record up to three standard hours of visuals on a standard data card. For more information on macrobinoculars, see Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, Second Edition, page 153, and Heir to the Empire Sourcebook, page 109.
Weapons
E-Web Repeating Blaster
The E-Web heavy repeating blaster ("Emplacement Weapon, Heavy Blaster") has been a long-standing fixture as a small- and medium-sized unit gun emplacement. The weapon has been repeatedly proven a top choice for anti-infantry actions, and as a joint venture between BlasTech and Merr-Sonn, it received wide distribution throughout the galaxy's various military organizations. BlasTech's new E-Web(15) is a revised model of the standard E-Web (in fact, most soldiers make no distinction between the E-Web(15) and E-Web). It is made exclusively by BlasTech, although it is rumored that Merr-Sonn is readying a similar weapon for release. Like its predecessor, the E-Web(15) can be carried as a two-piece unit by teams on maneuvers. It can be "quick-mounted" on a tri-pod and set up as a temporary fire emplacement in less than five minutes.
The weapon is outfitted with a high-demand portable Eksoan power generator and is fitted with the new Gk7 Cryocooler unit (to keep the weapon from overheating in combat). The original E-Web was equipped with the Gk3 Cryocooler, which tended to overheat, and in heavy radiation zones like Qat Chrystac, overload rather explosively. The new Gk7 is supposed to be much more efficient, and does effectively resist the damaging effects of high radiation zones, although the new unit's cooling coils must be replaced after 20 hours of field use.
The E-Web is definitely a two-man weapon. Single troops can fire the weapon, but with very little effectiveness, save as suppressing fire. The unit itself is quite resilient and can withstand a number of direct blaster hits before it is rendered inoperative. The newer models of E-Web also have a small shield generator to protect the cryocooler unit, affording a small amount of protection (usually stopping one or two blaster hits before shutting down).
E-Web(15) Heavy Repeating Blaster
Model: BlasTech E-Web (15) Heavy Repeating Blaster
Type: Two-man Heavy Repeating Blaster
Scale: Character
Skill: Blaster: repeating blaster
Crew: 2, skeleton: 1
Ammo: Power generator only
Cost: 6,300
Availability: X
Fire Control: 2D (0D if on skeleton crew)
Range: 3-75/200/500
Damage: 8D
Thermal Detonator
Thermal detonators are small grenade-sized explosives that generate a powerful explosion. Thermal detonators are very simple to operate: slide the thumb guard out of the way and press the activation stud. The Merr-Sonn Munitions thermal detonator, which people are most familiar with, has a six-second delay to either deactivate the detonator or duck and cover.
Thermal detonators contain enough baradium, an extremely unstable synthetic explosive. The thermal detonator's power source, usually no more powerful than a blaster power pack, activates the baradium, which generates a particle field when exposed to a power source. The particle field controls the expanding "explosion." At the end of the reaction, the sphere collapses in on itself. Anything outside the sphere is undamaged, while anything within the sphere is exposed to the heat damage of the baradium detonation.
Generally, thermal detonators contain enough baradium for a five meter sphere. Recently, modified black market detonators that can allegedly create 100 meter blast spheres have been confiscated by Republic authorities. Baradium is extremely unstable, and improper handling of a thermal detonator can trigger an accidental detonation.
Thermal Detonator
Model: Merr-Sonn Thermal Detonator
Type: Personal Concentrated Heat Explosive
Scale: Character
Skill: Grenade (for throwing)
Cost: 200
Availability: X
Range: 3-4/7/12
Blast Radius: 0-2/3/5
Damage: 10D/8D/5D
Conner Net
Conner nets are very old weapons and have been used by customs ships since the days of the Old Republic. While they are somewhat "low-tech" compared to the advanced technology of tractor beam emplacements and turbolaser batteries, Conner nets have become increasingly popular with smugglers and pirates who may need to immobilize grounded targets.
Conner nets are contained in large metal canisters, roughly three to five meters in length. These canisters are normally shot through a concussion missile launcher or cargo shunt, with a typical deployment altitude of 50 to 100 meters. The canister is equipped with a number of small separator charges. When activated, the casing separates, spreading the metal mesh net inside the canister over the target area. High power electric current is channeled from mini-generators at the center of the net, electrifying the entirety of the confining mesh. The current tends to foul shipboard guidance, sensors, weapons and other vital electrical systems. Because the generator can work for several hours before running down, an outside party is normally necessary to burn the net off the surface of the target.
Conner Net
Model: Conner Ship Systems Type I Restraining Net
Type: Ship restraining unit
Scale: Starfighter
Skill: Starship gunnery
Cost: 5,000 per canister
Availability: 3, R
Range: 5-25/50/100
Blast Radius: Net is 50 meters in diameter
Damage: 10D
Game Notes: To successfully activate the Conner net requires a Difficult starship gunnery roll. All ships (or other targets) touched by the net suffer a +5D penalty when using any electrical system (includes drive, weapons, sensors and ship-integrated communications systems). Any unprotected person who touches a charged Conner net suffers 10D damage every round they are in contact with the mesh.
Portable Missile Launcher
The PLX-4, the latest model of MerrSonn's famous "Plex" series of missile launchers, serves as a very effective close-support weapon for infantry troops. The PLX-4 fires both missiles and standard rockets and is designed for use on repulsorlift vehicles. The launcher is the standard "over-the-shoulder" design, though new tripod mounts are available from third-party manufacturers. The PLX-4 can fire "dumb" rockets in a line-of-sight attack, "smart" rockets (the Gravity-Activated Mode, or GAM, guided missile designed for the Plex series) and the latest entry into anti-aircraft weaponry: "savant" missiles.
Savant missiles are "surprise attack" weapons that have proven extremely effective against careless pilots. When launched, the savant's computer system does a sensor scan to "tag" the intended target. Then, the computer system goes into "savant" mode.
To enemy pilots, incoming savants appear to be line-of-sight "dumb" rockets. With a couple of simple maneuvers, the pilot can easily avoid the rockets. The computer control system of the savant missile does not activate for roughly five seconds (though different intervals can be programmed into the missile) — long enough to fool a pilot into thinking he has avoided destruction by a "dumb" rocket.
When the savant delay has expired, the rocket's computer system activates and homes in on the tagged target. Most pilots are fooled by the missile's first pass and never even see the rocket swing around to hit them from behind. Savant missiles are not currently in wide use, but their remarkable success rate suggests that they will become increasingly popular with infantry or vehicle units. They are ideal for guerrilla attacks, and the Empire has used them extensively at Qat Chrystac.
Portable Missile Launcher
Model: MerrSonn PLX-4 Missile Launcher
Type: Portable Missile Launcher
Scale: Speeder
Skill: Missile weapons: Plex
Ammo: 4 (detachable missile rack)
Cost: 6,000 (launcher), 200 ("dumb" rocket), 600 ("smart" GAM rocket), 1,000 ("savant" rocket)
Availability: R
Range: 100-500/3/10KM
Damage: 6D
Game Notes:
Savant Rockets: Because of the computer system necessary to fire the savant rockets, one round and a Moderate missile weapons roll is necessary to "tag" a target. If this roll is failed, it means that the "tag" system has not locked on the target and the weapon acts only as a "dumb" rocket, relying entirely on the missile weapons roll in the next round. If the roll is successful, the savant missile is considered to have a skill of 4D to hit the target (normally the rocket activates at point-blank range). The attacker must make a second missile weapons roll at normal difficulty for the straight-line rocket attack.
Droids
SPD Droids
SPD Droids
Type: Industrial Automaton Hound-W2 SPD (Scanning Patrol Detail) Droids
DEXTERITY 2D
KNOWLEDGE 1D
MECHANICAL 1D
PERCEPTION 5D
Search 6D, search: transmitting devices 8D+2
STRENGTH 1D
TECHNICAL 1D
Equipped with:
- Fabritech communications/sensor array
- Four retractable extensor arms, capable of extending up to 15 meters
- Retractable fine work grasper arm
- Four sensor modules (one per arm), including thermal imaging (+1D to search), audio receptors, laser scan and pulse scan emitters
- Extendable video sensor
- Probability projection computer, for assistance in detailed search procedures
Move: 7
Size: 0.4 meters tall
Cost: 3,500
Capsule: SPD series droids are common among security and law enforcement authorities. Industrial Automaton has been very successful with its security droids, and the SPD series has been no exception. SPD droids are small, box-like machines that roll on treads. They have a number of retractable sensor appendages that they can deploy in "sniffing out" possible security breaches. SPD droids communicate with the same high-density electronic language of chirps, beeps and whistles as astromech droids, although they can be scomp-linked into a computer translator so that technicians can understand what the droids are saying.
MN-2E Droid
MN-2E Droid
Type: Industrial Automaton MN-2D General Maintenance Unit
DEXTERITY 1D
KNOWLEDGE 1D
MECHANICAL 2D
PERCEPTION 1D
STRENGTH 2D
TECHNICAL 2D
Equipped With:
- Wastestream Systems refuse recycling unit
- Vibro-shears (STR+2)
- Extendable arm, with buffer and polisher attachments
- Extendable cleanser applicator
- Refuse collection scanning computer
Move: 7
Size: 1 meter
Cost: 800
Capsule: MN-2E droids are among the least sophisticated machines that Industrial Automaton has built. They are designed for janitorial, maintenance and cleaning duty. They can be equipped with program modules for task functions, such as proper care of plant life, sensitive sanitation protocols and other specialized work duties. MN-2E droids are propelled by a small repulsorlift unit that is capable of floating as high as 75 meters. Because they are capable of such free movement, they are ideal for janitorial duties in areas with extremely high ceilings (such as the Imperial Palace's Grand Corridor). MN-2E droids communicate with a series of electronic squawks and clucks. They are generally reliable, if simple, worker droids that are used throughout the galaxy.
Chapter Eleven: Vehicles
Speeder Trucks
Speeder trucks are cargo vehicles that are seeing a sudden jump in popularity. While they are not nearly as fast as a landspeeder, they are easy to control, fuel efficient and capable of carrying much heavier loads. Due to the current lack of funds and new vehicles, the Empire has begun using speeder trucks as impromptu troop transports: they are certainly less expensive than AT-ATs or other deluxe speeder vehicles.
The Aratech Z-12 speeder truck design includes a rear-mounted pair of engines, with forward-extended control vanes. The driver controls the vehicle from the rear, positioned in an elevated control pod set above the cargo deck. Through manipulation of servo-assisted control grips and pedals, the driver controls the vehicle's speed and direction.
The Empire has begun to use a modified version of the Z-12 on rear echelon worlds that do not require heavily armored vehicles for the movement of troops and material. The modifications include a heavy blaster cannon (servo-controlled from the pilot's compartment or independently fired from the troop bay), heavier grade armor plating for the engine housing and control surfaces, as well as a fully armored control pod for the pilot. The troop sections are only partially armored and uncovered, but still provide much better protection than civilian versions of the truck. While this shielding adds substantial weight, slowing the truck, it also reduces the chance that a lucky shot will put the vehicle out of commission.
Speeder Truck
Craft: Modified Aratech Cargo Master Z-12 Speeder Truck (Military Version)
Type: Repulsorlift Troop Carrier
Scale: Speeder
Length: 20 meters
Skill: Repulsorlift operation: speeder truck
Crew: 1, gunners: 1 (in troop compartment)
Crew Skill: Varies, but typically repulsorlift operation 3D+1, vehicle blasters 4D
Passengers: 24 (troops)
Cargo Capacity: 500 kilograms
Cover: Full (pilot), 3/4 (troop compartment)
Altitude Range: Ground level - 2.5 meters
Cost: 5,200 (stock), 7,850 (as modified)
Maneuverability: 1D
Move: 30; 90 KMH
Body Strength: 1D+2
Weapons:
One Heavy Blaster Cannon
Fire Arc: Turret
Crew: 1
Skill: Vehicle blasters
Fire Control: 2D+2; 1D (if fired from pilot compartment)
Range: 400/800/1.2KM
Damage: 4D+2
Combat Cloud Cars
Cloud cars are mid- and upper-atmosphere vehicles that use a combination of repulsorlift and ion engine propulsion. They are agile craft and capable of reaching speeds up to 1,500 kilometers per hour. Combat cloud cars are generally used for escort duty on worlds that are subject to attack from starfighters. Because starfighters do not function at peak efficiency in an atmosphere, these cloud cars are a cheap alternative for airspace patrol duty. Combat cloud cars are more heavily armed and armored than the average cloud car, and are restricted to law enforcement and customs agencies on most worlds.
Combat Cloud Cars
Craft: Ubrikkian Talon I Combat Cloud Car
Type: Combat Cloud Car
Scale: Speeder
Length: 10 meters
Skill: Repulsorlift operation: cloud car
Crew: 1
Crew Skill: Varies, but typically repulsorlift operation 4D+1, vehicle blasters 4D+1
Passengers: 1
Cargo Capacity: 50 kilograms
Cover: Full
Altitude Range: Ground level - 100 km
Cost: 80,000 (new)
Maneuverability: 3D
Move: 520; 1,500 KMH
Body Strength: 4D+2
Weapons:
Double Blaster Cannon (fire-linked)
Fire Arc: Front
Skill: Vehicle blasters
Fire Control: 1D
Range: 50-400/900/3KM
Damage: 4D+2
Chapter Twelve: Starships
Golan Space Defense Stations
Golan space defense platforms are some of the more remarkable pieces of space hardware in existence. The SpaceGun model is an orbiting combat platform designed for defense duty around smaller outposts, such as civilian shipbuilding facilities and colony worlds. The Republic chose to use these platforms around the Sluis Van shipyards.
The Golan II platform is for repelling starfighter and light capital combat starship assaults. It has been modestly up-gunned from the original design, but has a much more efficient power generation system, giving it greater shield power. It has 35 turbolaser batteries, 10 proton torpedo launchers and eight tractor beam emplacements, making it a match for most ships. The unique "crossbeam" structure of the hull makes it capable of absorbing a great deal of punishment.
The Golan III station is a much more powerful defense station and is geared towards military installations and vital civilian facilities. It has 50 turbolaser batteries, 22 proton torpedo launchers and 15 tractor beam emplacements and is the largest platform Golan Arms manufactures.
The crewmembers of these stations are a unique group. It requires a peculiar mindset to function aboard a system defense platform. These crewers know that they are often the last line of defense for a system or facility. Platforms also have no escape: unlike starships, platforms cannot evade enemy fire. Attackers often make the platforms their initial target in any assault. Defense platform crewers must deal with the realization that they are the combatants most likely to be killed in a space battle — and most take a perverse pride in this knowledge.
Golan II Space Defense Station
Craft: Golan II Space Defense SpaceGun
Type: Systems Defense Platform
Scale: Capital
Length: 2,158 meters
Crew: 550, gunners: 149
Crew Skill: Capital starship gunnery 5D, capital starship shields 6D+2
Passengers: 80 (troops)
Cargo Capacity: 10,000 metric tons
Consumables: 3 months
Cost: Not available for sale to civilians
Hull: 4D
Shields: 2D+2
Sensors:
Passive: 35/0D
Scan: 60/1D
Search: 100/2D
Focus: 3/2D+1
Weapons:
35 Turbolaser Batteries
Fire Arc: Turret
Crew: 3
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D+1
Space Range: 1-5/10/17
Damage: 5D
10 Proton Torpedo Launchers
Fire Arc: Turret
Crew: 2
Skill: Capital Ship Gunnery
Scale: Starfighter
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 1/3/7
Damage: 9D
8 Tractor Beam Projectors
Fire Arc: Turret
Crew: 3
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 4D
Space Range: 1-5/15/30
Damage: 6D
Golan III Space Defense Station
Craft: Golan III Space Defense NovaGun
Type: Systems Defense Platform
Scale: Capital
Length: 2,600 meters
Crew: 880, gunners: 228
Crew Skill: Capital starship gunnery 5D, capital starship shields 6D+2
Passengers: 100 (troops)
Cargo Capacity: 15,000 metric tons
Consumables: 3 months
Cost: Not available for sale to civilians
Hull: 5D+2
Shields: 4D
Sensors:
Passive: 35/0D
Scan: 60/1D
Search: 100/2D
Focus: 3/2D+1
Weapons:
50 Turbolaser Batteries
Fire Arc: Turret
Crew: 3
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D+1
Space Range: 1-5/10/17
Damage: 5D
24 Proton Torpedo Launchers
Fire Arc: Turret
Crew: 2
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Scale: Starfighter
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 1/3/7
Damage: 9D
15 Tractor Beam Projectors
Fire Arc: Turret
Crew: 3
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 4D
Space Range: 1-5/15/30
Damage: 6D
Assault Shuttles
Imperial assault shuttles are generally used to ferry Zero-G stormtroopers and other elite units to various combat zones throughout the galaxy. The Beta-class assault shuttle (the precursor to the Gamma-class shuttle that has seen such heavy usage in recent days) is a heavily armored and armed transport vessel. Tractor beam generators, concussion missile launchers and blaster cannons are standard weaponry, and the Empire has produced numerous variants for specific mission profiles.
Beta assault shuttles are sectional and modular. The permanent forward cockpit section has room for a command crew of five (three pilots can manage the ship if necessary). Beta-class assault shuttles are both atmospheric and space capable, and have a limited hyperdrive system.
The main body of the assault shuttle has room for 40 spacetroopers, with matching launch ports (for quick deployment) and power couplers (for recharging the suits). Other modules include traditional troop modules (with room for 68 troops and gear), weapons pods, or cargo bays. The permanent-use spacetrooper bay in the Gamma-class was adopted because of design flaws that were discovered in the Beta-class shuttle. The strains of the modular coupling system, and the associated stresses that were spread along the ship's entire internal structure, required a complete refitting of Betas after only two years of service. By going to the permanent bay system in the Gamma shuttles, the refitting was required only once every five years of service.
Beta-Class Assault Shuttle
Craft: Telgorn Corp Beta-class Assault Shuttle
Type: Assault Shuttle
Scale: Capital
Length: 30 meters
Skill: Space transports: assault shuttle
Crew: 5, skeleton 3/+10
Crew Skill: Varies, but typically capital ship gunnery 5D, capital ship piloting 5D+1, capital ship shields 4D
Passengers: 40 (spacetroopers)
Cargo Capacity: 500 kilograms
Consumables: 5 days
Cost: Not available for sale
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x3
Nav Computer: Limited to 3 jumps
Maneuverability: 1D+2
Space: 8
Atmosphere: 365; 1,050 KMH
Hull: 3D
Shields: 3D+2
Sensors:
Passive: 20/0D
Scan: 40/1D
Search: 60/2D
Focus: 3/3D
Weapons:
4 Laser Cannons
Fire Arc: 2 front, 2 rear
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 1-5/10/17
Atmosphere Range: 100-500/1/1.7KM
Damage: 1D+2
Tractor Beam
Fire Arc: Front
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 3D
Space Range: 1-5/15/30
Atmosphere Range: 100-500/1.5/3KM
Damage: 5D
Concussion Missile Launcher
Fire Arc: Front
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 1-5/10/17
Atmosphere Range: 100-500/1/1.7KM
Damage: 3D+2
Mazzic's Battle Craft
The smuggler Mazzic has assembled an impressive collection of ships that he operates rather effectively. His personal vessel, the Distant Rainbow, is a modified Kuat Drive Yards Starwind-class pleasure yacht that Mazzic modified far beyond the original design specifications. Mazzic apparently bought the Distant Rainbow from a retired Rodian smuggler who had decided to give up smuggling and space travel and settle on a nice, quiet planet in the Outer Rim Territories. The Rodian had no idea that Mazzic had some major plans for his yacht, which included substantially augmenting the vessel's weaponry, lift/mass ratio and sensor countermeasures package. Overall, the Distant Rainbow is capable of combat maneuvers that can give many Imperial ships a run for their credits, while retaining the grace and style of a pleasure yacht.
The Distant Rainbow
Craft: Modified Kuat Drive Yards Starwind-class Pleasure Yacht
Type: Modified pleasure yacht
Length: 50 meters
Scale: Starfighter
Skill: Space transports: Starwind pleasure yacht
Crew: 5, gunners: 2, skeleton: 2/+5
Crew Skill: See Mazzic
Passengers: 10
Cargo Capacity: 2 metric tons
Consumables: 2 months
Cost: 1,610,000 (including modification costs)
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x1
Hyperdrive Backup: x15
Nav Computer: Yes
Maneuverability: 2D
Space: 4
Atmosphere: 280; 800 KMH
Hull: 3D+2
Shields: 3D
Sensors:
Passive: 10/0D
Scan: 25/1D
Search: 45/3D
Focus: 3/4D
Weapons:
2 Quad Laser Cannon
Fire Arc: Turret
Crew: 1
Skill: Starship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 1-3/12/25
Atmosphere Range: 100-300/1.2/2.5KM
Damage: 5D
The Raptor and Skyclaw
The Raptor and Skyclaw are the pride of Mazzic's "fleet." They are heavily modified SoroSuub Preybird-class fighters that SoroSuub attempted to market nearly a decade ago. Mazzic, through connections at SoroSuub, got an advance look at the prototype of the fighters and fell in love with the design.
Due to disputes over the weapons systems, the project went substantially over-budget and was discontinued. According to Mazzic, he managed to procure two of the few production ships, and through his contact, got an amazing price for the ships. Rumors persist Shada was somehow involved with this, but neither one will discuss the matter. He has spent several years refining the onboard flight and weapon systems, transforming the ships from competent escort ships to sleek, deadly starfighters.
The ships' weapons systems are computer guided. The control interfaces of the ships are a combination of classified Imperial technology and custom-designed components, making these craft highly maneuverable.
Perhaps the best feature of the ships (for Mazzic's line of work, at least) is their appearance: birdlike and predatory. These vessels have intimidated better armed ships into submission on more than one occasion. To further accentuate the vicious-looking nature of the craft, Mazzic has added a unique color-scheme: paintings of flaming birds of prey appear on the superstructure. The Skyclaw has a bird of red flame painted on its wings, and the Raptor has a similar insignia painted in blue.
The Raptor and Skyclaw
Craft: Modified SoroSuub Preybird-class Starfighters
Type: Heavy Assault Starfighter
Scale: Starfighter
Length: 21 meters
Skill: Starfighter piloting: Preybird
Crew: 1, gunner: 1
Crew Skill: Astrogation 6D, sensors 5D, starfighter piloting 6D+2, starship gunnery 6D+2, starship shields 6D
Cargo Capacity: 15 kilograms
Consumables: 4 days
Cost: 200,000 credits
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x3
Nav Computer: Limited to five jumps
Maneuverability: 1D
Space: 9
Atmosphere: 400; 1,150 KMH
Hull: 4D+2
Shields: 1D+2
Sensors:
Passive: 20/0D
Scan: 40/1D
Search: 60/2D
Focus: 3/3D
Weapons:
2 Heavy Laser Cannons (fire-linked)
Fire Arc: Front
Skill: Starship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D+1
Space Range: 1-3/12/25
Atmosphere Range: 100-300/1.2/2.5KM
Damage: 5D+1
2 Concussion Missile Launchers
Fire Arc: 1 front, 1 rear
Skill: Starship gunnery
Space Range: 1/3/7
Atmosphere Range: 50-100/300/700
Damage: 8D
New Republic "Shroud" Freighter/Fighter System
New Republic "Shroud" Freighter/Fighter System
Craft: Modified Ghtroc Industries class 720 Freighter
Type: Modified light freighter
Scale: Starfighter
Length: 38 meters
Skill: Space transports: Ghtroc freighter
Crew: 1 (1 can coordinate), gunners: 1, 1 astromech droid
Crew Skill: See Luke Skywalker and R2-D2
Cargo Capacity: X-wing and 15 kilograms
Consumables: 1 week
Cost: 98,500 credits (for new freighter), 45,000 for additional modifications
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x2
Hyperdrive Backup: x15
Nav Computer: Yes
Maneuverability: 1D
Space: 3
Atmosphere: 260; 750 KMH
Hull Code: 2D+2
Shields: 1D
Sensors:
Passive: 15/0D
Scan: 30/1D
Search: 50/3D
Focus: 2/4D
Weapons:
Double Laser Cannon
Fire Arc: Turret
Skill: Starship gunnery
Fire Control: 1D+1
Space Range: 1-3/12/25
Atmosphere Range: 100-300/1.2/2.5KM
Damage: 4D
Proton Torpedo Launcher
Fire Arc: Back
Skill: Starship gunnery
Fire Control: 1D
Space Range: 1/3/7
Atmosphere Range: 50-100/300/700
Damage: 7D
Special Modifications:
Starfighter Storage System: The modified cargo bay vessel has storage space for one Incom T-65 X-wing fighter and is capable of releasing the starfighter while in flight.
Shroud Package: A small repulsor shunt helps distribute a cloud of metallic particles that foils sensors and tractor beams. It adds +1D to the difficult of all sensors checks and adds +3D to the difficulty of any tractor beam attempts within or through the cloud of particles.
Lady Sunfire
The Lady Sunfire is Clyngunn's heavily modified freighter. Clyngunn, a ZeHethbra smuggler, claims that the ship was originally a Barloz-class transport. Smuggler-oriented modifications such as enhanced engines, a complete (and contra-band) sensor array and a larger powerplant have taken up much of the ship's original cargo space. The vessel's original front-firing laser has been replaced by a trio of quad guns, one on the upper hull, and one each mounted on the port and starboard sides. A cluster of four concussion missile launchers is aimed aft and a military-quality countermeasures package has been installed, making this vessel extremely difficult to track.
Lady Sunfire
Craft: Modified Corellian Engineering Corporation Barloz-class Heavy Freighter
Type: Modified medium freighter
Scale: Starfighter
Length: 41 meters
Skill: Space transports: Barloz freighter
Crew: 2, gunners: 1, skeleton: 1/+5
Crew Skill: See Clyngunn the ZeHethbra
Passengers: 4
Cargo Capacity: 70 metric tons
Consumables: 2 months
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x1
Hyperdrive Backup: x8
Nav Computer: Yes
Maneuverability: 1D
Space: 6
Atmosphere: 330; 950 KMH
Hull Code: 4D+2
Shields: 1D
Sensors:
Passive: 10/0D
Scan: 25/1D
Search: 40/2D
Focus: 2/3D
Countermeasures Package: Add +1D to the difficulty for other ships to detect the Lady Sunfire.
Weapons:
3 Quad Turbolaser Batteries
Fire Arc: 1 front, 1 left, 1 right
Skill: Starship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D+1
Space Range: 1-3/12/25
Atmosphere Range: 100-300/1.2/2.5KM
Damage: 5D+1
4 Concussion Missile Launchers (fire-linked)
Fire Arc: Rear
Crew: 1
Skill: Starship gunnery
Space Range: 1/3/7
Atmosphere Range: 50-100/300/700
Damage: 8D
Update to Second Edition
Golan I Space Defense Station
Craft: Golan Space Defenses SpaceGun
Type: Systems Defense Platform
Scale: Capital
Length: 1,231 meters
Crew: 213, gunners: 112
Crew Skill: Capital ship gunnery 5D, capital ship shields 5D
Passengers: 40 (troops)
Cargo Capacity: 5,000 metric tons
Consumables: 3 months
Cost: Not available for sale to civilians
Hull: 4D
Shields: 2D
Sensors:
Passive: 25/0D
Scan: 50/1D
Search: 75/2D
Focus: 3/2D+1
Weapons:
28 Turbolaser Batteries
Fire Arc: Turret
Crew: 3
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 1-5/8/14
Damage: 4D+2
5 Proton Torpedo Launchers
Fire Arc: Turret
Crew: 2
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 1/3/7
Damage: 7D
6 Tractor Beam Projectors
Fire Arc: Turret
Crew: 3
Skill: Capital ship gunnery
Fire Control: 2D
Space Range: 1-5/10/15
Damage: 4D
Afterword: The Empire
From the datapad journal of Captain Gilad Pellaeon, commanding officer of the Star Destroyer Chimaera.
The Empire is doomed.
There is little more that need be said. With the death of Grand Admiral Thrawn at the hands of that cursed mongrel Rukh, there is no unifying force guiding the destiny of our Empire. Perhaps, a few months ago, I would have scoffed at the idea of one man controlling or shaping the events of the galaxy through sheer force of will. I certainly did not agree with the Grand Admiral's contention that the Imperial Navy's loss at Endor was because we were, in effect, enslaved to the Emperor, as if we were, in Thrawn's words, "borg-implanted into a combat computer."
That was then. Now, I see that the Grand Admiral, the worthiest successor to the Emperor's throne to have yet appeared, was quite accurate in his assessment. Almost immediately after his death — within minutes, in fact — the Chimaera was in retreat, fleeing the forces of the Reb... the New Republic. And I was forced to watch the Empire die again.
Such irony. The Grand Admiral had identified the Bilbringi shipyards as the site of a New Republic attack, despite overwhelming evidence that Tangrene was the enemy's target. The Chimaera was prepared to deliver a crippling blow to the New Republic space fleet. As the Republic ships appeared, the Admiral had once again proven his uncanny ability to outguess his enemy.
And then we received the news of the Noghri attack on Mount Tantiss. In a fraction of a second, Rukh disabled me with a blow to the throat and the despicable creature assassinated the Grand Admiral before my unbelieving eyes. The filthy animal met a deserving fate.
Since then, the true nature of what is left of the Empire has become apparent. The most powerful military force in the history of the galaxy has been reduced to a pack of garrals and neks squabbling over scraps under the master's table. Without a strong leader, such as the Emperor or the Grand Admiral, we have been unable to cooperate. Already, reports of fighting between Imperial units are reaching the Chimaera. What has become of us? Is it possible that we are, at heart, only scavengers, rather than leaders and law-givers?
I have ordered the Chimaera to set course for the Unexplored Regions. Once, those territories were the domain of the Grand Admiral. It seems only fitting that the Grand Admiral's flagship make its last stand in the region where he was so successful. The Chimaera and the rest of the Grand Admiral's fleet will make its last stand at the edge of civilized space. It will be a grand and tragic battle. I find myself approaching the coming battle with a sense of hope, but I cannot fathom why. To die in the shadow and memory of my warlord is perhaps the most fitting demise I can ask for.
Intelligence reports indicate that a number of warships, including the Avenger II, Revenant, and Talon, are heading towards the Deep Galactic Core. It would seem that other commanders have chosen their last stand to be near the Emperor's secret retreats in the Core.
But the Chimaera will not stand with them, not in the Emperor's shadow. The Chimaera will only ever have one true master.
Afterword: The New Republic
From the datapad journal of Voren Na'al, Director of New Republic Council Research.
At last a time of peace may finally be upon us. After years of fighting, the Emperor has been destroyed, and his heir, Grand Admiral Thrawn, has been slain by one of his most trusted servants, the Noghri commando Rukh. It is a time for rejoicing, for it appears that the war may well be over once and for all.
Grand Admiral Thrawn will probably become a figure of great historical curiosity. Who was this tactical genius and how did he rise so high in the Emperor's hierarchy? Where did he hone the skills he so expertly used against the New Republic? I am saddened that the answers to these questions may never be known.
With Thrawn gone, the Empire has plunged into chaos. Already, reports of disputes between various Imperial factions are foreshadowing the fragmentation and disintegration of the Empire. New Republic ships, under the command of Admiral Ackbar and Garm Bel Iblis, are steadily making advances against Imperial positions, and it looks like the war may finally be over within a year. It is a period of great celebration in the New Republic.
The celebration has not reached Honoghr yet, unfortunately. Already, New Republic environmental engineering teams are carefully examining the damaged planet, hoping to find a way to restore at least some of the planet's former purity. The task is a daunting one and the teams are pessimistic. Planets are hardy entities, but Honoghr may be beyond redemption. It is amazing that the Noghri survived at all.
The Noghri people are uncertain as to where their loyalty should lie. They still claim allegiance to the Skywalker line, but neither Luke nor Leia Organa Solo desire to be the leaders of a species that has so long suffered under the tyranny of others.
Talon Karrde and his forces have relocated again, seemingly eager to follow a separate path. The smuggler mentioned in passing that the crew of the Wild Karrde, and the other members of his smuggler coalition, were delighted to learn of the death of Grand Admiral Thrawn. All indications suggest that the cooperation of the Republic and the smugglers was an alliance of necessity, not choice. While negotiations will continue, it is clear that both sides still retain deep fears and resentments, and a firmer association will only come one tentative step at a time.
The festive attitude has done little to lift Jedi Luke Skywalker's mood in recent days. Perhaps the presence of Mara Jade as liaison will help. The normally soft-spoken Jedi, who I have interviewed on countless occasions, has been a bit preoccupied of late. Though he claimed that he was simply a bit nervous about training Jaina and Jacen Organa Solo, his niece and nephew, it was clear to me (and I'm sure, many others) that Jedi Skywalker was preoccupied with other concerns. After some repeated (and rather nosy, I must admit) questioning from me, Luke confessed that there is something that has been bothering him ever since his return from Mount Tantiss.
"Councilor Fey'lya was so adamant about destroying Mount Tantiss," he said. "I am curious as to why. What was there that made him so scared? The cloning threat was real, certainly, but Leia said it was obvious that he was concealing something. It worries me."
Skywalker has also confided in me something that I am hesitant to even record in my personal journal. "I have felt a disturbingly familiar 'shadow' in the Force. I can't identify it; I'm not even sure 'it' is even there. But every so often, I sense a presence that is just not right. Maybe it is a residual trace of Joruus C'baoth. Or my... the clone. I can't really say." Luke looked distracted for a moment, then added, "It's probably nothing."