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StarWars Episode 3.74.γ.6
A Night of Shadows
.
It is a time of darkness within the galaxy.
Following the chaos of the clone wars, the evil
Emperor with the aid of his servant Darth Vader,
Dark Lord of the Sith, has tightened his grip on the
worlds of the former Old Republic. Hope for those who
value freedom in the galaxy is fading. Now the Dark Side
of the Force rises in supremacy.
.
Yet a glimmer of hope rises from despair.
A fledgling rebellion sprouts forth from the scattered
ashes of the Old Republic. These brave sentients, dedicated
to ideals of hope and justice, stand firm against the rising tide of
evil. Slowly, through covert action the roots of rebellion spread from
system to system.
.
Their task is not easy. The Emperor’s
evil forces are widespread and entrenched.
And the Emperor’s diabolical schemes spawn evils
new to the universe. The Rebellion will need new help
to continue it’s vital mission.
.
Scene 1: Occurs in a space station in the Nebulon star cluster. The characters are working for the system customs inspection and space traffic control. One CH will have duty monitoring incoming traffic to the system.
Character Job Descriptions (to be printed and passed out to the appropriate players)
**Your job is a station traffic controller. You monitor incoming ships to the system, query them about their cargo and destination, direct them to their flight path, and inform them of station regulations. If a ship goes off course, you contact them to correct their flight path. If they are non-responsive or require emergency assistance you call the robotic escort tug to bring them in. The standard escort tug is basically a large droid equipped with a sublight drive and a tractor beam. If the standard escort tug is unable to handle the situation there is also a security tug equipped with a sublight drive, tractor beam, and an ion cannon, with a live pilot and co-pilot. You are also in control of a station tractor beam for emergency docking situations. When you are not working at flight control, you perform customs inspections at port entry and occasionally assist with security for station events. A typical flight control conversation on your job goes like this,
You: “YT-1300 Freighter Millenium Falcon, this is Tullis Station 1 control, what is your cargo and destination?â€
Ship Captain: “Oh, I got a load of nerf cheese and bantha pelts, plus some used droid parts, but don’t bother with the whole import bit, we’re just stopping by for a refuel, restock, and hyperdrive adjustment on our way to Sullust.â€
You (sounding and feeling really bored): “OK, Millenium Falcon proceed to fuel dock S76 on trajectory X-alpha-zeta. If you do decide to do some trading there is a 10 percent station import tax. If you need to restock at the commissary, any exotic biologicals on the list that I am sending you must go through quarantine. There is a list of controlled substances that are not permitted on station including Kessel spice, Yorbi nuts, and Gamorrean fire-spirits. You will have to check any Class 2 or higher items including fire-arms, flammable materials, vibro-weapons, etcetera. That’s all on the list too. If you pass our security check, you are allowed one personal Class 2 side-arm with a permit obtainable at security for a 50 credit fee. The permit is good for one standard month and renewable.â€
Ship Co-pilot: “HO-Arrrr! Uhnff-hnnnff—wwoowoorrrh.â€
Ship Captain: “My friend here wants to know if ‘personal side-arms’ includes Wookie bowcasters. They aren’t on the list.â€
You: “Let me look it up, ummm, bowcasters are permissable as cultural weapons, but still require the 50 credit permit.â€
Ship: “Much appreciated tower. We’ll see you portside. Falcon out.â€
You: “Tower out.â€
Lepa Nyasha (Jason): Your job is to pilot the station security tug. The security tug is equipped with a sublight drive, a focused scanner, a tractor beam, shields, and an ion cannon. You provide backup for the escort droid in towing disabled ships to dock. If a ship is out of control, your job is to approach it, capture it with your tractor beam and guide it into the proper flight path. If the ship is proving to be a danger, your job is to disable it with the ion cannon, and tow it into station with the tractor beam. You utilize the scanner on any ship which you have to tow in order to determine if it may be a threat due to malfunctioning equipment, hidden weaponry, or contraband cargo. You also assist the station security forces with station defense. Occasionally you also act as station security by piloting the station Z-95 Headhunters on system patrol (A Z-95 Headhunter is like an X-wing except it has only one set of wings and a single pair of forward facing lasers. It is also not as maneuverable or fast as an X-wing.) When you are not piloting ships, you also assist with on-station security, performing customs inspections, assisting in customs investigations, and assisting in emergency relief efforts.
Munchaki (Mayree): Your job is to co-pilot the station security tug. The security tug is equipped with a sublight drive, a focused scanner, a tractor beam, shields and an ion cannon. As co-pilot you are in primary control of the security tug’s defensive systems (shields, tractor beam, and ion cannon). You provide backup for the escort droid in towing disabled ships to dock. You also assist the station security forces with station defense. If a ship is out of control, your job is to approach it, capture it with your tractor beam and guide it into the proper flight path. If the ship is proving to be a danger, your job is to disable it with the ion cannon, and tow it into station with the tractor beam. You utilize the scanner on any ship which you have to tow in order to determine if it may be a threat due to malfunctioning equipment, hidden weaponry, or contraband cargo. On occasion you also act as a station traffic controller (see traffic controller job description). When you are not co-piloting ships, you also assist with on-station security, performing customs inspections, assisting in customs investigations, and assisting in emergency relief efforts.
Pyul Eunhasu (Eunsil): Your job is to act as security and police for the station trading company. You coordinate with station security to ensure public peace, act as a customs agent for incoming cargo, assist in emergency relief efforts, and act as liaison for your company’s trades. You also investigate crimes and collect forensic evidence at crime scenes.
Sigmund (Bruce): Your job is to act as a customs inspector and investigator. You act as a customs agent for incoming cargo, coordinate with station security to ensure public peace, assist in emergency relief efforts.
Definitions:
A Yorbi nut looks like a raisin, but has a bitter taste and the texture of cured leather. Chewing it will cause a strong euphoric sensation for most carbon-based species. This sensation has been described as being pushed into tune with the Force. Some Yorbi nut chewers believe they can see the Force through use of this agent, and it is used in rituals for many cultures. Unfortunately, chewing Yorbi nuts can also cause some carbon-based species (including humans) to suffer from severe delusions and hallucinations. Individuals have spaced themselves out of airlocks and leapt to their deaths while in the grip of Yorbi induced hallucinations. Yorbi nuts are therefore strictly regulated in systems controlled by humans and the other species affected in this manner. (“May the Force be with you!†gestures a grungy looking human offering an open hand with 5 wrinkled nuts…)
Gamorrean fire spirits are a fiery orange liquor that glows in the dark. This drink is extremely unpalatable to most humans and other life-forms with similar biochemistry, but it is adored by Gamorreans, Sullustans, Twileks, Hutts, Grannans, and some other species. To most species that can palate Gamorrean fire spirits, this drink is like strong alcohol with mild hallucinogenic properties. However, to Gamorreans a single sip is an incitement to party as only Gamorreans can. Since the cleanup of just such a typical Gamorrean party usually involves disaster relief funds and emergency crews, Gamorrean fire spirits are banned from virtually every space station in the galaxy.
Primary Station Characters:
Rin Hahmoxis
Proprietor of Fair Heritage Galactic Mercantile, and on the station’s governing board. She is a middle-aged Bithian with a calm attitude and a habit of knitting remarkable fabrics and fashions. She knits 5 threads simultaneously using a paired set of knitting needles for each finger pair. She has a shrewd business sense and has built her shop into one of the pre-eminent import / export chains of the sector. She also exhibits her weaving in several galleries around the sector. Confidentially, she is one of the fledgling Rebel alliance’s key suppliers.
Nef Haglund
Station security chief. He is a loud, boisterous human male with long curly blonde hair and a stocky build. He enjoys running the station security and is quite competent in his job, although he is a bit of an old-school cop in his attitudes.
Glimmer Marksman
Loan shark that lent Munchaki and Lepa the credits to buy the Barn Swallow.
Human male. Square jawed, scraggly hair that falls over eyes. Physically very fit. Broad-built, medium height. Very quick. Mannerisms are reminiscent of a lizard. Rolling, asynchronous eye-movements, swift turns of the head, flicks tongue, clicks teeth. Rough personality, Dangerous reputation. Reported to have torn an assassin droid limb from limb with his bare hands. Killed Rhodian hunter Gzorak, a bounty hunter known for exceptional brutality. Never caught starting a fight, but has severely injured several well known fighters. Figurehead of an underworld organization populated by society’s low lifes: aliens and social outcasts. Nearly always accompanied by his girlfriend Q.P.
Q.P.
Humanoid female with blue skin and silver hair and eyes. Glimmer’s long time girlfriend and constant companion. She appears youthful, beautiful, and bimbo-ish. Speaks with a breathy high-pitched voice. Wears high heels and sparkly gowns of the latest night club fashion. Sways seductively as she walks.
Game Introduction Narration:
“It is a typical day. You (Pyul Eunhasu) been on shift for a few hours and you are just getting back from your lunch break. It is pretty dull. Your stomach is overly full from the cheap cafeteria food and you are sleepy. You have a slight eye ache from staring at the control screen for so long. As you direct traffic along one of the major thoroughfares you see one of the ships deviate from the assigned traffic lanes.â€
* Pyul detects a freighter arriving out of hyperspace very close to the station. The freighter will emerge at full thrust on a direct course for the station. The freighter’s log will respond automatically to queries to indicate that it is arriving from the Kypos system, however the pilot will not respond to any hails. The freighter will move erratically, and divert from the flight path, but will over correct back onto a course towards the station.
[Commentary by CHs human coworker and position trainer: (Zned Hubris) “This frood’s been on the spice too long. Aren’t you gonna call the escort droid?â€]
The ship is getting closer to the station… It slips again out of the flight path. If CH doesn’t call the droid then someone else will, and will chastise CH for forgetting their job.
The ship will maneuver wildly away from the droid tug and increase its acceleration towards the station.
If the security tug is called, the ship will try to maintain the maximum distance from the tug, and wildly maneuver to dodge the tractor beams and ion cannon. With a Perception check the security tug pilot or co-pilot will be able to see that the freighter has taken severe blast damage and a possible breach near the cargo section. Difficult scan will show two lifeforms in the escape pod, and no life forms elsewhere in the freighter.
If the security tug is successful in capturing the freighter, the ship will drag the tug towards the station a while before its momentum slows. The ship will then suddenly target the station with a laser cannon, fire into the commerce section’s transparisteel windows, and launch an escape pod through the breach. Rescue efforts must be employed as if the ship had crashed through the breach, however in this case, no innocent civilians are killed, and the blast doors and air shields are deployed before total decompression can occur.
OUR CHARACTERS SUCCEEDED IN STOPPING THE FREIGHTER FROM DIRECTLY CRASHING INTO THE STATION SAVING DOZENS OF LIVES. HOWEVER THE FREIGHTER DID LAUNCH AN ESCAPE POD INTO THE STATION.
Crash scene Investigation:
Nef Haglund, station security chief, will request the pilot characters to return to the station following the incident. They are to assist the investigators in their inspection of the scene and contribute any insights they may find pertinent to the case.
A Durosian in pilot coveralls is found dead in the pilot’s seat of the freighter. His skin is covered with radiation burns and blotchy white pimples (Medical report: blotchy white pimples are a sign of long term stress toxicity in Durosians). It is clear from the state of the corpse that it has been dead or decaying for some time. It is also clear that this pilot could not have been alive while piloting the freighter in the last few hours.
Investigation of freighter: Easy search. Signs of bedlam and carbon scoring are in the passenger compartment and cargo hold. Large gouges are found on the cargo hold doors. Moderate level search of the ship finds some red-brown scales in the cargo hold.
Investigation of the escape pod: Easy search reveals gouge marks similar to those in the cargo hold. Moderate level reveals red brown scales in the escape pod.
Scene connector: Following the crash site investigation, Rin Hahmoxis asks the CHs to investigate the disappearance of a maintenance technician. As she speaks she weaves a complicated pattern into a scarf with all 10 digits simultaneously. She also wants the CHs to investigate any unusual activity. She will suggest speaking to the security chief. The pilots are to be involved because they have pre-established reputation as intelligent and competent persons and they were directly involved in observing the incident. They may have insights that others who were uninvolved would not.
Zombie riots
Psychotically enraged zombies with white pimples attacking bystanders randomly. Following combat, a horrendously loud roar draws CH attention to a shop adjacent to the battle.
Within the shop the CHs find a Rhodian child, paralyzed with fear, hiding in a debris pile, clutching stuffed doll called “Binkyâ€. (Calls himself Ba’ob). “Saw monster! Saw monster!†repeated ad-nauseum.
IN THIS CASE LEPA NYASHA HEARD THE SMALL CHILD MOVING IN THE DEBRIS OF THE COUCH AND FIRED A BLASTER INTO THE CUSHIONS. HE NARROWLY MISSED, AND THE CHILD RHODIAN RAN OUT SCREAMING IN FEAR.
Medical droid reports that the Rhodian child’s life signs were erratic, but have settled into a normal pattern. Rhodian child draws picture of zombifier (tentacles, three eyes, monstrously huge, red, large mouth with sharp teeth)
Zombie bodies are all dead, all have a portion of their brains removed that control thought and decision making. And all have a fine, scalpel like incision that cuts into their brain.
Evil zombifier
Characters follow a report of a sighting of the monster. This is in a section of the station where power is still limited to emergency backup, due to riots and spaceship damage, leaving it dark and spooky. When they arrive the Rhodian child will appear behind them repeating, “Scared…scared!†As this occurs they will be attacked by the big 3-eyed tentacled monster from a dark corner of a dark alleyway. Blast bolts will cause the monster to become enraged. The monster also heals at an astonishing rate and will recover from any non-lethal damage within a few days. Lethal damage will affect it as if mortally wounded.
Monster
ST 6D Climbing/Leaping 7D
DX 4D Dodge 6D
Armored Body 1D vs Physical
Rapid Healing
THE MONSTER CHARGES THROUGH THE CHARACTERS AND KNOCKS THEM ABOUT. PYUL IS STUNNED AND KNOCKED OFF HER FEET BY A STRAY TENTACLE. THE CHARACTERS UNITE TO BEAT BACK THE MONSTER AND, DESPITE ITS GREAT STRENGTH AND NEAR INVINCIBILITY, IT BEGINS TO COWER AWAY FROM THEIR BLOWS. MUNCHAKI BEGINS TO REALIZE THE MONSTER IS NOT ATTACKING BACK, AND SUDDENLY PYUL HEARS A CHILLING LAUGH COMING FROM BEHIND HER.
As monster collapses it cries, “Binky!†and points towards Ba’ob and the doll. Ba’ob will laugh, “Heh, heh, heh…â€, rips the head of the doll, tosses it at the monster, and runs off into the alleyways at astonishing (force enhanced) speed.
THE CHARACTER ARE STUNNED BY THIS AND WHEN THEY RUN OUT TO THE HALLWAY, THE ZOMBIFIER HAS VANISHED INTO AN AIR DUCT, TEARING THE METAL WITH ITS BARE HANDS.
Game 1 stopping at elevator with crowd of panicked people during another Zombie attack.
StarWars Episode 3.74.γ.7
 The Shadow Laboratory, Part 1
.
The rising tide of the Dark Side manifests
in new spawn. On Station 1, orbiting over the
Planet Tullis, a foul creature toys with the terrified
residents. Creating animated corpses from the bodies
of its victims, the Zombifier spreads terror and confusion
throughout the system.
.
Following their first encounter with the Child
Monster and the Evil Ba’ob; Lepa, Munch’chaki,
Pyul, and Sigmund have raced to confront the horror
again. On exiting the lift, they find a crowd of panicked,
rioting citizens. The mob presses them into the back of the lift,
while beyond the crowd, our heroes can see more victims of the
Zombifier bent on destroying the station.
.
Intent as they are on their quarry, they do not
yet understand the full evil of the Zombifier. For
this creature arrived from beyond the Nebula, and its
dark homeworld still awaits…
The Zombifier when sighted will say, “EAT BRAIN!â€. And Cackle.
As the Zombifier is tracked down, the CHs will corner him in another dark passageway, where 3 more zombified people than characters will fight for him as he finishes supping on the brains of a Quarren shop owner. (The creature is a shapeshifter, but due to his small size he always resembles the children of victim species. Ba’ob is not his real name. In fact, the big red monster child is Ba’ob.) the Zombifier will be changing into his true form as the encounter begins. He will develop a puffy translucent-maggoty skin, through which pulsing veins are visible, and a beak that resembles a giant mosqito with a razor sharp tongue protruding. the Zombifier will be humming a strange dissonant tune while feeding as the battle ensues. The feeding will take only 1 round. If the CHs fire a blaster at the Zombifier, he will shriek with anger and dodge by leaping far back down the passageway. The bodies of the Zombifier’s zombified victims will block any easy shots.
The Zombifier will be mutating into a Quarren child, but maintaining some of his own physical characters over the next 4 rounds. He will look absolutely disgusting during this transition time, with rapidly pulsing veins and putrid purplish-greenish flush washing through his skin in random patterns. As the CHs fight their way toward the Zombifier, he will laugh hysterically while mutating. When his mutation is complete he will attack on his own. (Stats: DX 4(8)D, Dodge skills 5(10)D, ST 2(4)D, Brawling 4(8)D, Beak ST+1D Damage, PER 4(8)D, KN 2(4)D, MC 2(4)D, TC 2(4)D, 10 Darkside points; Control 3(6)D, Sense 3(6)D, Alter 3(6)D, Force Skills: Telekinesis, Affect Mind, Control Pain, Remain Conscious, Resist Stun)
How the Zombifier fights: Uses a Darkside point each round. Will use Affect Mind to leave a shadow image while it attacks from behind (Control: Very Easy, Sense: Targets Control or PER, Alter: Moderate). Loses 1D effectiveness for each additional target. When this becomes ineffective, the Zombifier will then throw debris at them (Control to hit, VE 1D, E 2D, M 4D), then throw them at each other (Control to hit, Target may resist Alter with PER or Control, 4D Damage).
Shadow attack: 4 Actions: Affect Mind (Control 3D, Sense 3D, Alter 3D, Dodge 7D, Move 10, Attack 5D, ST effectively 4D, Attack Does 5D)
Telekinetic attack: 1 action per victim + Dodge: (Enhanced Control 6D, Alter 6D, Dodge 10D)
THE ZOMBIFIER BATTLES THE CHARACTERS AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. THE CHARACTERS ARE FORCED TO BATTLE THROUGH THE ZOMBIES BEFORE REACHING IT. DURING A SHADOW ATTACK IT LEAPS ONTO LEPA NYASHA. PYUL CUTS IT OFF HIS BACK WITH HER VIBROBLADE. SOON THE CHARACTERS OVERWHELM THE ZOMBIFIER AND FINALLY SLAY IT.
Imperial arrival
New Character: Imperial Inquisitor Rogan Vaas: Vaas is a tall thin man with a light complexion and dark hair. His movements are efficient and show careful control. He usually speaks in a soft voice, but will raise his volume to a penetrating nasal pitch when irritated. Moderate Perception checks will observe that he has a nervous tick in his left cheek that is exaggerated when he is angry. The PC check will also reveal that he is a man of violence, who keeps his desire to frenzy under tight and, at times barely adequate, control. He vents this desire for violence in almost random displays of cruelty against people who irritate him. He shares the standard Imperial biases against non-humans and women.
Prior to the completion of the battle, Imperial Inquisitor Rogan Vaas will arrive by Imperial shuttle, escorted by Imperial Army troopers.
Vaas will arrive in the aftermath of a successful battle escorted by 12 Army troopers and attempt to take custody of the Zombifier. The Imperials SUCCEED IN TAKING custody of the body, placing it in a medical cryotube. If the CHs were successful in stopping the Zombifier, then Vaas will curtly thank them for the quick job, and firmly assert that their assistance is no longer necessary (Thank you for the quick job constables, I will take over now…).
As the Imperials exit, they are confronted by an Ishi-Tib reporter, Dehr Wexel, from Tullis Station News, holding a recorder “Inquisitor Vaas, do you have any comment on the capture of the Zombifier? Where is it from? Does the Imperial office of Inquisition have any official comment?†Vaas will snap, “Out of my way you slime!†and shove Dehr roughly against the wall, then strides past with a smug look of satisfaction. Dehr will attempt to interview the characters, who are now local celebrities for their efforts in stopping the Zombifier. S/he will ask for comments, and about whether the rumors of Imperial biological experimentation are true.
Vaas also attempted to take custody of the child monster, but was thwarted by Rin. Rin will have hidden the child monster with some underworld contacts (see descriptions of Glimmer and Q.P.)
Rin will speak to Pyul through a secure transmission. “Are you secure?†“I have information for you that you need to be aware of. Reveal nothing to the Inquisitor.†She will reveal she has placed the child in a safe house. She will also reveal that the child monster was the real Ba’ob, and that the zombifier merely borrowed the name as a prank (“A foul example of its vile humor! The zombifier was toying with Ba’ob as it toyed with us. It truly was a sick game from a diseased mind!â€).
Rin will not reveal who Ba’ob is staying with, unless the CHs press. If they make Moderate streetwise rolls, they will know that Glimmer is the head of an underworld gang. LEPA IN FACT KNOWS GLIMMER PERSONALLY AS GLIMMER IS HIS LOAN SHARK. Nef Haglund absolutely hates this idea and will be very upset if the characters reveal it to him.
Following the trail to origin of freighter’s flight
The planet Kypos is a large, dense inner ring planet, with an axial tilt at only 30Ëš to the elliptic. It supports organic life, but only within a thin ring around the equator, where temperature fluctuations are less extreme. Storms are frequent throughout the year due to the extreme shifts in temperature at the poles, but are less extreme in the solstices, and more extreme around the equinoxes.
Rin Hahmoxis is able to provide the characters with additional information. The freighter’s records, which have been wiped clean now by Rin’s people, state that the Imperial Base is located outside the life zone of the planet, and is exposed to hazardous extremes of heat and cold during the summer and winter. The damage to the ship was caused by Capital ship scale turbolasers. Rin’s research has also revealed that the planet was probably settled over two thousand years ago by Old Republic colony ships, but there has been little or no contact or trade with the residents since then.
Rin asks the CHs to investigate the origin of the zombifier, but cautions them to watch out for the ship that caused the damage to the freighter.
Encounters in the Kypos system
As the CHs arrive in the system they will immediately see that because the system is situated closely to the nebula, space is filled with a bright orange light. Sensors are largely masked by nebular ionic storms and the effective range is about 1/10th normal. The ionic storms cause the poles of the planet to flare dramatically, with a red-yellow light of firestorms on the summer side and an icy blue-green on the winter side. As the CHs approach the planet and can obtain readings, they can see that the military base is in the winter/fall side of the planet outside of the narrow life belt on the equator.
The characters will receive no readings of ships until they are essentially within orbit of the planet. Then, if they are paying attention to the sensors for the presence of ships, they will notice a Corellian Corvette (the rebel blockade runner from the 1st Star Wars movie) becoming visible around the horizon of the planet. The ship accelerates toward the CHs ship and attacks. DESPITE AMAZING PILOTING BY LEPA NYASHA, THEY ARE OVERWHELMED BY THE COORDINATED BLASTER SHOTS FROM THE CORVETTE. The CHs ship is disabled and must crash land on the planet. MUNCHAKI HEROICALLY REPAIRS DAMAGE TO THE p style=”text-align: center;”SHIP AS IT FALLS THROUGH THE ATMOSPHERE PREVENTING THEM FROM BURNING UP ON ENTRY. LEPA IS THEN ABLE TO STEER THE CRASHING SHIP INTO A SWAMP FOR A SOFT LANDING.
THE IMPACT OF THE CRASH CAUSES INJURY TO THE CHARACTERS, AND STARTS A FIRE IN THE HULL.
Game 2 Stopping here
StarWars Episode 3.74.?.8
The Shadow Laboratory, Part 2
.
Following the trail of the Zombifier to the Kypos
system, our heroes are ambushed by a mysterious enemy.
Sustaining heavy damage from the Corvette turbolasers, the
Barn Swallow screams uncontrolled into the turbulent atmosphere
of the planet. Only Munch’chaki’s technical skills and heroic piloting
by Lepa Nyasha save the ship from a fiery doom.
Now, battered and bruised by the crash our heroes
draw forth from the ruins of the cockpit. Each breath
is torture as circuitry and conduits billow in smoke and the
air turns increasingly foul. Lepa and Pyul are incapacitated,
entangled in torn wires and crash webbing. Every second is
critical for them now as the freighter’s overstressed and failing
life support struggles to return oxygen
Meanwhile, a deceptive peace reigns in the world
outside the ship. Calls of fauna echo through the vines
as the jungle returns to a state of rest. A deceptive peace,
because somewhere out there beyond the trees, beyond the
light, lurks the laboratory, and the dark origin of the Zombifier…
Game starts out with a fire causing toxic fumes to foul the air in the cabin. Lepa and Pyul are trapped in their seats and unconscious (if Mairee can’t make it then Lepa and Munchi will be out, Pyul will just be stunned and at -1D). The fumes will cause 0D for 3 rounds, 1D for next 3, 2D for next 3, etc.
The lower exit hatch will not open. It is jammed against the swamp substrate. Either the top hatch or the escape pod can function as a way out. If the top hatch is opened then the fires will backdraft and cause 3D fire damage to the person who opened the hatch. Fume damage will thereafter occur at +1D per round. There are flame retardent cannisters in the passenger area, which will reduce the fumes damage by 1D per round for 5 rounds, before being exhausted.
As crash settles the med droid MD-85 IS FOUND TO BE DESTROYED.
A STOWAWAY ROBOT FROM THE TULLIS STATION, SEN TAUR 8 (ST8: RON), AWAKES FROM TORPOR DURING THE CRASH. HE HELPS DRAG INJURED CHARACTERS TO THE ESCAPE POD AND LAUNCHES THEM ALL OUT OF THE SHIP, AVOIDING PROBLEMS WITH PURE OXYGEN AND FIRE. ST8 IS ALSO EQUIPPED FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE.
As the CHs leave the ship they will be attacked by a pair of lance striders (Scale: DX 4D, ST 3D, Armor ST+1D, Lanceclaws ST+2, Move 20). The lancestriders will attack to kill and eat the Chs.
THE CHARACTERS SUCCEED IN DESTROYING THE LANCE STRIDERS, USING THE SHIPS GUNS.
Meet native aliens
THE CHARACTERS TRAVEL NORTH TOWARD WHERE THEY HAD DETECTED THE IMPERIAL BASE WHILE IN ORBIT AND meet NATIVE ALIENS 2 days after the LANCE STRIDER attack.
Mixture of alien species from settlement in ancient Old Republic, Riding Tauntauns. Armed with swords, bows, whips, and black powder slug throwers. They all wear well-constructed metallic armor (+1D physical, no DX penalty) decorated by elaborate patterns in valuable metals and stones.
About half of the aliens have three eyes, tentacles, sharp teeth like Ba’ob, but average only 1.2 meters tall and are more lightly built than Ba’ob. One of them named Ny’arth is the leader of the expedition. (HE SPEAKS LIKE THE BISHOP IN THE PRINCESS BRIDE) His species is called Otoolin. They are native to this planet, and the most common species present in the village. The party set out when they saw the ship crash. They were sent by their village elders to find survivors.
THE injured CHs will be cared for with good field medical competence.
As CHs travel toward the night side, they will see that days become shorter rapidly.
The village is situated high in the mountains in a cave network with tent-like structures set up outside. The gullies around the village show signs of recent massive geological scour events (huge boulders, smooth cliff walls). Easy KN rolls will reveal this. Difficult KN rolls will reveal the probability of valuable ores and stones in the debris. All the scoured gullies have a whiplike vegetation that is flexible but extremely tough. It resembles bull kelp, but flattened and without the float, and has razor sharp edges. The expeditioners call it razvine. All other vegetation is very tough encrusting forms. All the highland trees are stunted and wind whipped. The village is within the lower treeline on a mountainside, about 1,000 meters above the scoured gullies. There are patches of snow here and there. The alien village is Winter status now, with a 6 hour day.
About 7,000 sentients in this village complex. 4 other villages are within a weeks travel, but have been destroyed by the Imperials. The surviving refugees have fled to this community. It is overcrowded and many are sleeping in makeshift tents. Food supplies are short and the people look hungry, but determined. Villager NPCs: Salwah Uehn (Otoolin, Village elder, female), Hycammon (Durosian carpenter, councilor, male), Msuntel (Otoolin farmer, councilor, male), Srenargh (Ithorian blacksmith/councilor, female), Y’toth, Myeni (Ba’ob’s parents, Otoolin, farmers, male, female respectively) Villager NPCs will be seen as the CHs walk down into the cave
Salwah Uehn: The village elder. An Otoolin. She is taller than average by a head, and thin, with a pruny face. She wears decorated robes and a simple headdress with a stone on the forehead. She carries a tall staff. She has no teeth and sucks on her lips as she listens. She peers through a monocular at what interests her.
The expedition party will lead the CHs down into the caves to the village elder’s tent. Torches light the cave at regular intervals. The tent is made of decorated furs with colorful patterns in black and white. Within the tent an Otoolin woman (Salwah Uehn) is seated on a stool at one end. About twenty mixed species children are seated within the tent as well, About half of them are seated cross-limbed in front of the teacher. These are holding ink quills over paper and appear to be meditating and scribbling randomly on the parchment. The remaining children are holding a variety of musical instruments or humming mismatched discordant tunes. Salwah Uehn is sitting and copying out script with her eyes closed while humming a much nicer melody. Ny’arth will introduce the CHs to her by saying, “Elder, the survivors of the crash you sent us after.†If asked she will state that she is teaching writing and music to the children. More pressure and she will say they are attempting to scribe a letter from Brutho Rahln. Ba’ob’s parents will arrive after a moment of conversation and interrupt with introductions.
Surrounding villages have been raided by people with blasters who took captives, killed others, and burned what was left. Some villagers left to rescue their citizens, but none ever returned. Village elder will tell about the Imperial base and provide a guide.
Y’toth and Myeni will insist on accompanying the CHs. They are both shy but determined. Y’toth is especially shy. Myeni does the speaking. On the subject of Ba’ob they are determined to find out what he is like now. Y’toth gets very quiet, and turns away but listens. He was with Ba’ob when the raid occurred and is regrowing a stub of his right appendage. The stub is still half as long as the left appendage and looks raw and smooth, but is recovering well. If asked about it he will say, “We Otoolin heal quickly.â€
As the CHs are leaving a group of children run by kicking around what seems to be a white object like a ball. They are singing a repetitive nursery rhyme which when translated goes roughly like, “Stick go thwack, break white skull back, Stone go throme, break all white bone.†“I’m Brutho Rahln!†“I’m Salwah Uehn!†“Can I be Brutho Raln this time!†The white object is a stormtrooper helmet.
On the way to the citadel of the evil zombifier
Lower canyon trip
Approaching the nightside of the planet the sun gets lower on the horizon and the day shortens by about 1 hour for each day of travel. It will take 4 days to reach the upper canyon, and another two days to reach the citadel. The map that is sketched shows a long canyon trip to a lake with an ice dam that turns into a glacier before a last overland trip to the X where the laboratory lies.
On the first night the characters see a reflection off of the orbiting Corvette.
Every night Y’toth and Myeni will take turns humming and scribing on parchment like the children did with the elder. If asked what they are doing, they will say it is an exercise to remember the map. YTOTH AND MYENI URGENTLY WAKE THE CHARACTERS EARLY ONE MORNING. They show that the fresh map they drew the night before is now missing the dam and trail has changed. THEY lead the CHs away from campsite in the well developed canyon and up a very steep and tricky slope that requires moderate climbing rolls to reach the crest of the cliff. Minor falls result in scrapes and bruises, but no one is hurt. There is no trail up there and movement is difficult over rocky and unstable terrain. When CHs ask they will say this is the path that Salwah Uehn told them to follow. Around mid-afternoon there is a low rumble that builds into a roar. A wall of water cascades down through the canyon driving hurricane like winds before it. THE CHs HOLD ON TO KEEP from being knocked over as the flood rolls by. Myeni says, “This is why we always follow Salwah Uehn’s map!â€
On night 2 THE CHARACTERS SEE a star separate from the orbiting light of the Corvette.
On day 4 reach the upper canyon where the drained lake is. The day 4 map is different too, the late part of the trail has changed to cross over a canyon route. A broken ice dam has released the water, and the lake appears to be drastically lowered, but refilling as the dam reseals with ice. The guides bring the CHs to the upper canyon trail which leads above the icy river.
Upper canyon trip
Day 4 afternoon, Suspension bridge ambush by space-based stormtroopers. 10 more Stormtroopers than characters.
One captain conducting battle sets up ambush to occur when CHs are crossing a rickety suspension bridge. Two troopers will have jet packs to fly and attack with. The others are hidden behind boulders and trees on the far side of the canyon. The bridge occurs over a raging river. During the battle, with Difficult PER roll a CH will notice that it is possible with Difficult Climbing roll to get to a covered location below in the canyon, from where a grenade can be thrown. If the CHs have not been able to find a way to defeat the troopers, then they will be rescued by The BlackHeads. If they do defeat those troopers who are present then 20 space-based reinforcements arrive)
Abandoned Imperial characters (BLACKHEADS): Lieutenant Nox Qren (Tall, Thick necked, muscular, dark, bearded, half-healed scar on face, deep voice). Sergeant Twigg (short, lean, wiry, bald, muscular, scar on throat). About twenty army troopers and stormtroopers. All stormtroopers have marked their helmets with black soot, TO TELL THEMSELVES FROM THE SPACE BASED TROOPERS. They call themselves the BlackHeads as a joke.
Imperial revolt: About 30 Troopers in soot blackened armor. They are all bearded, and appear to have been living off the land for weeks. Abandoned on planet during the Zombie attacks. They will rescue the CHs when it is getting very desperate.
Night 4: BlackHeads story
Nox: “The Kypos facility was a classified genetic research lab. Our team was the first platoon assigned as security. Things were going pretty well at first. Very quiet. It all changed when the new base commander, Colonel Armand Tith arrived with special orders. Tith brought along a whole platoon, and this fellow Horux, who looked to be some kind of pirate, and had some of his own rough looking malcontents. Horux’s crew was the group responsible for carrying out the first part of the new plans. They sealed off the upper levels and declared them top secret. Horux’s gang went out for some forays and returned with some of the locals. Said these locals were insurgents who were gonna raid the facility. “That was ridiculous. The locals had no reason to bother with us, and some of the captives were kids! They were no threat. They were still shooting pop guns! Sure, we’d see some once in a while at a distance in the winter. But they left us alone. We were too far out of the way. They wanted nothing to do with us. The next thing we knew, the ‘insurgents’ were brought into the new top secret section of the facility, and we didn’t see them again.â€
Twigg: “Well you did’t see them again. During high summer, when the air was inferno, we saw some of Horux’s gang ejecting something out the waste ports. Corporal Liek and I were on ExPat (uh, that’s exterior patrol), and we got a look at some of their bodies before they were incinerated. They’d been doing something to them. Their bodies were…I mean it wasn’t right… they had… multiple limbs… tumors… organs growing on the wrong side of the skin… I mean, I saw a guy on Carrida get semi-digested by a vapor snake, and I didn’t heave… but I almost lost it right there, suit bound or no!†“Liek didn’t like it one bit either. He filled out a form to report it to the Inquisitorial office. Thought he should put a stop to it. Two days later, he’s out on ExPat, and his bike ‘malfunctions’ has a powerplant short and detonates under him. Horux comes to our squad with the Commander and his roughs behind him and announces it just minutes before Liek’s patrol is due in. He says, Liek’s accident was unfortunate, but Liek was nosy. Bad things happen to nosy people. Real subtle, like we couldn’t see clear as water what he was saying. Horux could tell we saw through his Bantha Crap and gave us the hairy eye. The next day our squad gets special orders from the Colonel to go out on long patrol. Not being a complete idiots, we do all the checks on our own equipment. Some of the power sequences in the speeders had been tampered with. A butcher’s job, not elegant at all. We fixed those up before leaving. Made damn sure our weapons were well charged and functional too. Good thing for that, because just 5 klicks out of base an assault shuttle comes out of nowhere and starts blasting. A lot of guys died right away, but we holed up in some rocks and our return fire set their shuttle burning. After that we had to split for the equator before our suits coolant ran out. There was no way we could go back to that base.â€
Nox: “I was still on base when that happened, and I never heard Twigg’s story. Colonel Tith reported that the patrol had been caught in a fire storm. That was that, nobody survives those. We held a memorial and all, thinking they’d died, and Tith even sounded like he was gonna cry. What an actor. Well the week after that, something happened in the upper levels. Something got loose. In the middle of the night, Horux and his crew comes blasting out of that top secret lab, and seals the lifts. Before the alarm even goes off, his crew commandeers all the shuttles and blasts away, leaving the hangar guards dead. The next thing we know, those zombies are busting out of the top secret labs and killing like crazy. Some of Colonel Tiff’s private guard, some of Horux’s crew, some of those villagers they were experimenting on. And in the middle of the fight, guys we thought we knew turn into zombies themselves, and start attacking too. It was chaos, there was nowhere to run, because the outside was inferno, and the zombies were destroying everything. My whole squad was being slaughtered. 8 others and myself only survived because we had already suited up for our ExPat and we dove out the waste chute.â€
The troopers can tell the CHs about how to destroy the base by overpowering the generator. This must be done from the commander’s office. They are determined to get off of the planet, and plan to take the crew shuttle up to mutiny and capture the Corvette.
The Imperials witnessed the arrival of the Durosian pilot’s ship. It was pursued down to the planet by the Corvette, but escaped significant damage due to the skill of the pilot. It arrived in the system only a week before during the seasonal shift. The troopers tried to reach the base on time to intercept it, but were prevented by the equinox storms. The ship took off again before they could reach the base. They have been holing up here in the meantime in the hope of meeting another ship.
The troopers can tell the CHs about how to destroy the base by overpowering the generator. This must be done from the commander’s office. They are all bearded, and appear to have been living off the land for weeks. Imperial’s story:
Day 5: Morning. Y’toth and Myeni wake the CHs up, waving a piece of freshly inked parchment. “We must hurry! Salwah says time is short! We must hurry!†The parchment if translated says literally, “Time is short! You must hurry! Great danger! Go to the citadel immediately!†(Y’toth and Myeni will insist it is not their penmanship if questioned about the parchment scribing.)
The night before the lair
Both Force Users will experience troubled dreams. “Cold… very cold… dark… trapped… pain… pain… cannot move… hunger… cannot breathe… cannot think… hunger.. want to die… RAGE… so much pain…RAGE… helps to think… gives power… want revenge… trapped… hunger… RAGE… REVENGE!â€
With these dreams visions of red distorted veins pulse in darkness. At each surge in hate the veins pulse more strongly.
Non-force using Sensitives will have trouble sleeping too. Dark dreams.
On awakening from these dreams, Ytoth and Myeni shows the characters their meditation drawings from the night before. The patterns of these drawings match the pulsing veins of their own dreams the night before.
Entering the lair
Stormtroopers are visible standing outside the citadel. They do not move except for a slow rocking with the wind as they automatically balance. Some are holding on to guns, but they are not holding them ready, more they are just dangling in their grips.
Life sense rolls will reveal no living creatures, except in the peak of the tower is a human and something vague, something dark, cold… pain… rage!!! (Must make a Moderate Control roll or pass out screaming. They will recover within 10 minutes).
Entering the lair they will find the power is off. The CHs will have to confront 5 zombified Stormtroopers immediately.
ST8 WRESTLES ONE TO THE GROUND, THE OTHERS BURST INTO FLAME UNDER THE CHARACTERS BLASTER FIRE.
As they enter further into the hallway entrance, they will come to a catwalk over the detainment pit. The pit is about 100 meters across and has a single catwalk over it. A 10 meter section of the central catwalk has collapsed, and is still dangling into the pit below. The cell doors below are all open. The lifts are not operational. Below is a sea of zombified Imperials, lab workers, and a few subjects. They will begin to clamor, moaning as soon as light touches them. If the CHs try to cross, the monsters below will try to clambor up the catwalk (Difficult climbing roll, 3D ability). Their weight will cause the catwalk to start to dip toward the pit. Severing the collapsed section will prevent it from being dragged down. The lift shaft at the end will lead to the Commander’s office. (Difficult climbing for first ascent. After it will be Easy to climb the rope.)THE CHARACTERS SEVER THE CATWALK AND USE A ROPE TO SWING THEMSELVES ACROSS THE GAP OVER THE ZOMBIES. THEY TOSS DOWN SOME GRENADES AND START THE ZOMBIE MASS BURNING.
Session 3 Stops Here
StarWars Episode 3.74.?.9
The Shadow Laboratory, Part 3
Deep into the icy night of Planet Kypos,
our heroes have arrived at the secret laboratory
where the Zombifier was spawned. Despite the demise
of this being, animated corpses still wander the structure,
driven by an evil will that reaches beyond the grave.
Dangling by a thin cable hundreds of meters
in the air, Munchaki, Lepa, Pyul, Sigmund, and ST8
scale a narrow lift shaft to the top level where the secret
biological experiments took place. Below, hordes of zombies
batter at the wreckage of the lift, driven to pursue their quarry.
Now as our heroes clamber onto the final landing,
a sealed door blocks their path. Beyond this portal lies
their destiny and the answer to the mystery that led them to
… the Shadow Laboratory!
Climax
The top floor of the facility starts out in a hallway to a sealed door. Moderate TEC roll will get the door open. It will reveal the genetic research lab. From the sealed door there is immediately a hallway, leading to a circular room with computer equipment in the center. All the equipment is smashed to pieces and covers the upper lift (which is still powered beneath the debris. It is on an independent power source and is actually a repulsor sled). There are six doorways on each level (in hexagonal pattern, the lowest level one of the doorways leads to the lower lift landing). There are 3 upper levels with similar layout. In the laboratory rooms from any of the upper levels doors access a large trapezoidal room with rows of cloning cylinders.
ST8 IS DISABLED WHILE OPENING THE DOOR AND DOES NOT GO UPSTAIRS WITH THE OTHER CHARACTERS (RON IS OUT FOR THIS GAME)
Within the laboratory rooms, all the cylinders are smashed. The corpses of experimental subjects litter the floor. Corpses of laboratory personnel and troopers also litter the floor. All prone corpses have had their heads damaged or deformed in one way or another. Experimental subjects are covered with tubing and circuitry.
The Top level is on a lift that runs to all the other levels from the top 4th level and contains only 1 circular room. On entering, the CHs will see a still form behind a desk silhouetted against a large transparisteel window with the aurora blazing behind. Two IG series assassin droids flank the walls to either side of the view.
Imperial in charge of the laboratory, Colonel Armand Tith, is standing silently behind his desk.
Description: A skeletal man with loose skin hanging from his frame indicating a recent and severe loss of weight. His skin is flabby, his eyes are red, He has two weeks of growth in his beard. Up close he smells feverish and unwashed. He is leaning calmly against his desk. The floor behind him is covered with empty tubes of intravenous nutrient fluid. He has a heavy blaster holstered on his hip.
“Aah! Visitors! What a privilege! Welcome to my la-bor-a-tory. We are a top rated genetic research facility. I am Colonel Armand Tith.†Tith seems to fade out and forget about the characters. He mumbles and hums to himself as he twiddles his fingers. Occasionally he will glance at the dark corner of his lab.
“Horux has sent you for my reassignment hasn’t he…†“I have made astounding progress. The experiments are a resounding success!†“Just between you and me, I am a fellow who is going places. UP… UP…UP!!!.†“Stay on my goodside, and you can ride all the way to the summit! The upper eschelons of power!!!â€
The view is magnificent is it not? I myself directed that the aurora’s should be my backdrop! “
I called a cab to come and pick me up… but I missed it…†“It flew away with another passenger†“I couldn’t pay that fare…†“It wasn’t meant to be though!†“The Corvette shot it from the sky!!!â€
“Horux didn’t approve of our earlier progress… Too slow he said… Must make progress… must make progress†“Now he won’t even return my calls…Ha!… What do you think of that!â€
You found my repulsor sled! Aah, I had wondered where it went!
But now they can get up here! Don’t’ you realize what you’ve done! I buried on purpose. It is the only way to be safe from them!
“Subject Beta-17a was acting up… We settled it down… encased it in carbonite.†“Subject Beta-17b was more mobile, it evaded our security…â€
“It isn’t happy with me… No, no… not happy… not happy… Didn’t know… Didn’t know it could… …It wont let me go… … It won’t let me eat…†“I fear I’ll go mad!!!â€
Turns to the nebula, “Now it watches me all the time! It’s eyes are always open, even when they are closed!†ITS FACE! ITS FACE!†Tith VIOLENTLY WRENCHES HIMSELF away from the window turning away from it, his eyes wildly flashing about the room, trying to glimpse out the back of his head his eyes while not moving his head. Flinching if his eyes go towards the dark corner.
“You’ve got to help me! Please! You are my only hope! Save me!â€
(If CHs notice where his eyes keep flashing they will see a dark corner where a carbonite figure is ensconsed. It looks like one of the experiment subjects frozen in carbonite. It resembles the zombifier. There are wires and tubing attached to the form. Easy First Aid rolls will reveal that it was being kept alive by artificial support prior to the carbonite freezing, and the tubes and wiring feed into its abdomen and brain. It appears that it was in intense agony when it was frozen.)
The creature in the carbonite is the genetic brood sibling of the Zombifier. It is almost mindless in its rage and has fed into the Dark side to support its revenge. The creature is controlling the zombies and has a grip on Tith’s mind. Tith will scream in rage and attack the CHs with his blaster if they try to destroy it. When Tith is beaten, the creature will begin it’s attack on the CHs.
If the CHs succeed in destroying the creature, Tith will regain consciousness and seek revenge by activating the destruct sequence for the base. “For the glory of the Empire!†The countdown will last 2 minutes.
The creature inside the carbonite attacks with force telekinesis, manipulating the characters minds so they see the aurora step into the room as a living creature.
Carbonite creature attacks
The nebula will form a face and crawl through the window into the room as a glowing monster. As the CHs are attacked they will suffer damage if they fail their PER or Control rolls. The droid will not be able to see the monster, but will suffer telekinetic attacks and be attacked by the droids.
DURING THE BATTLE THE BASE COMMANDER COLLAPSES BEHIND HIS DESK, MUNCHAKI WRESTLES ONE OF THE ASSASSIN DROIDS NEAR THE WINDOW AND IT’S HIGH POWERED BLASTER RIFLE SHOOTS OUT THE WINDOW. SHE THEN TOSSES IT OUT THE WINDOW. THE AURORA BEAST STEPS THROUGH THE WINDOW THEN AND BEGINS TO ASSAULT THE CHARACTERS WITH TELEKINESIS. ONE OF THE CHARACTERS SHOOTS THE CARBONIZED ZOMBIFIER’S DEFROST CONTROLS AND IT BEGINS TO THAW. THEY MANAGE TO KILL THE CREATURE INSIDE AS IT LOSES ITS PROTECTION.
ARMAND TITH THEN TRIGGERS THE SELF-DESTRUCT COUNTDOWN.
THE CHARACTERS TAKE THE REPULSORLIFT BACK TO GET ST8 IN THE ELEVATOR SHAFT THEN RACE BACK UPSTAIRS AND OUT THE WINDOW. WITH EXCELLENT PILOTING LEPA MANAGES TO GET THE CLEAR THOUGH HE FLUBS AND THEY FLIP THE REPULSORLIFT SLED. ALL THE CHARACTERS GO FLYING INTO THE UNEVEN GROUND WHICH PROVIDES COVER AS THE BASE EXPLODES.
Aftermath
The abandoned Imperials will capture the crew of the Corvette and retrieve the CHs ship from the swamp. The Corvette is being manned by a skeleton crew Imperial naval officers and only a dozen stormtroopers. The commander of the Corvette, Captain Treg will be killed during the battle. Lieutenant Skyers will be next in command. He will be willing to cooperate fully with the Blackheads upon hearing their story (under duress until he got the full description). His crews orders were issued by a new sector Moff, Horux, who issued the order to interdict and destroy any traffic that came through the system.
The Imperials will ask, “What next?†“We can’t go back to the Empire now…â€
The Blackheads will offer the other assault shuttle which has suffered major hull and life support damage for spare parts to rebuild the Barn Swallow. It still has a functional tractor beam, concussion missile launcher, hyperdrive, and main drive.
Back at the cave colony
Salwah Uehn will offer instruction in the force skills she is skilled in. These will include Force Navigation (instinctive astrogation sense), danger sense, combat sense, merge senses, weather sense, telekinesis, farseeing, control another disease, control another’s pain, accelerate another’s healing, detoxify poison in another, remove another’s fatigue, return another to consciousness, projective telepathy, receptive telepathy, instinctive astrogation control, translation, and the necessary prerequisites for these powers. She can also offer instruction in a non-force sensitive PER based skill of Telepathic Openness. With a moderate skill roll and a few minutes of meditation this reduces the difficulty of receiving projected telepathy by one level (this can be useful when the distant proximity or relatedness of target increases difficulty.)
Once instruction is complete Salwah Uehn will go to a cubby in her study take out a box from her bureau. Inside is an ancient lightsaber. It is now non-functional, but a successful difficult TEC roll will reveal that it is just an issue with the power supply and conducting gem, and can be fixed when the parts are replaced. The CHs will need to find the proper antique parts dealer to replace it.