Star Warsery
One thing I actually hate about Star Wars is the method of tracking the years. The only reasonably official calendar marks everything BBY/ABY (Before/After the Battle of Yavin), but that makes absolutely no sense for anything before - especially when we're talking about four thousand years before that event. Basically, the only calendar of years that exists is purely out of character, leaving no good way to talk about it in character.
Anyway... I don't know. I have enough thoughts that I might actually give this campaign a whirl. Granted, I have no idea when we'd play. Tuesdays and Thursdays are Exalted. Every other Wednesday is a game offline (this may change and require adjustments elsewhere at the end of the month). Sundays are Guild Wars. And, theoretically, I want some nights when I'm not "having" to do something. >.>
49-45 Years Ago: The Great Sith War is waged - a conflict between the Republic and the forces amassed by the fallen Jedi Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma, primarily the Krath. Ulic enlists the aid of the Mandalorians by defeated Mandalore the Indomitable in single combat. The Battle of Kemplex IX causes a supernova, destroying a number of worlds including Ossus, famed for its Great Jedi Library. When Ulic kills his brother Cay, he finally surrenders himself and pledges to aid in defeating Exar Kun. Exar Kun himself is finally defeated on Yavin IV in a massive firestorm of Force energy.
24 Years Ago: The Mandalorian Wars begins. After battling worlds beyond the Republic, the Mandalorians start to push against and wind against the Republic forces. It's not really until the Jedi Revan and other like-minded Jedi join the Republic forces, against the Council's wishes, that the tide begins to turn.
19 Years Ago: The Mandalorian Wars end at the Battle of Malachor V. The Mandalorians are nearly wiped out by a superweapon that damages the entire system, survivors scatter. Revan and his apprentice, Malak, take their fleets into the Unknown Regions.
18 Years Ago: Revan's fleet returns, larger than before and claiming to be Sith, waging a war on the Republic that its officers had defended mere months past. The conflict becomes known as the Jedi Civil War.
15 Years Ago: After almost three years, the "Sith" fleet amassed by Revan and Malak is officially defeated at the Battle of Rakata Prime. The Star Forge is destroyed and the system is officially declared off-limits. Revan, believed redeemed from the dark side, departs while Bastila Shan joins the Jedi Council on Coruscant. While the Sith are fragmented, a shadow campaign begins that results in the deaths of a great many Jedi over the next five years.
10 Years Ago: The Jedi Exile locates and defeats the Sith Triumvirate - most notable are the defeat of Darth Nihilus over Telos IV and Darth Traya, the later destroying Malachor V. Visas Marr and other companions of the Exile assist in restoration of the Jedi Order.
2 Years Ago: Jedi Masters Hid Torr and Omal-Ruu establish a small Jedi Academy on Lusior IV as a place to teach as well as exploring sites of archaeological interest.
Present (ie. 3,941 BBY): Lusior IV is home to almost three hundred individuals, including frontier settlers, archaeologists, and a small contingent of Jedi at the academy there. The world belongs to the Republic, but is so undeveloped as to not have any real representation on its own. Officially, it is only a research outpost falling loosely under Jedi control.
The academy itself is central, with the only real hangar for landing craft, and was constructed making use of some remaining structures augmented with new construction. The other buildings radiate out at uneven intervals, modular buildings serving as homes, storehouses, laboratories and communal meeting areas spreading out a few miles from the academy itself. There is enough local farming and ranching that the colony could be self-sufficient, though supply vessels arrive every two or three months with things that cannot be obtained locally.
The academy itself is home to five masters at present:
- Master Omal-Ruu (male draethos) is most often considered the head of the academy. He has a reputation for patience and wisdom and is known to have sided with the Jedi Council during the Mandalorian Wars, advocating Jedi uninvolvement in the conflict.
- Master Hid Torr (male twi'lek) was still a student when his mentor was killed in the Jedi Purge. He attained the rank of Master only a few years ago, and is fascinated with relics of the past. The ruins on Lusior are what attracted him to the place, though it was Master Omal-Ruu who arranged to establish a center for learning rather than merely an archaeological dig.
- Master Strask Fey'ag (male bothan) was asked by Master Omal-Ruu to lend his wisdom at the academy. Strask primarily teaches lightsaber combat and Force defense techniques. Though rarely brought up, it is common knowledge among those at the academy that Master Strask served as a Jedi "Shadow" during the Jedi Civil War, operating undercover to hunt Sith agents.
- Master Mar Roke (female human) offered her services upon hearing of a new academy being established. Unlike most Jedi, she avoids use of lightsabers by choice, preferring peaceful resolutions. And she is known for that attitude, having survived the Jedi Purge by taking up the mantle of civil servant on Coruscant rather than making her status as Jedi apparent. She sees to much of the mundane administrative duties of the academy and colony as a whole.
- Master Kaz Doth (male zabrak) is known to have trained under Master Visas Marr after the destruction of Malachor V, having been appointed to his rank only very recently. Master Kaz is mechanically inclined, giving his technical expertise to keep the machines of the colony running. He is perhaps most infamous among the students for being the one to program and maintain the academy's combat training droids.
The five serve as mentors to the thirty-three individuals training to become Jedi. Of that "class," there are eight who are borderline candidates who, whether due to personality or aptitude, are seen as unlikely to complete their training. The other are either too new to judge or seem solidly on the path as Padawans. Most students find themselves associating more with one master than the others, based on their interests, though lessons are given by all at times and there is no "one master, one apprentice" rule in effect. As master Omal-Ruu believes in a holistic approach, everyone helps out around the academy with various chores to instill a sense of community and responsibility beyond just lessons in the Force.
So what else is necessary?
I probably don't need to hash out details of every student at the academy or person in the surrounding colony, though detailing a few would probably be a good thing.
Player characters have to be made, naturally. It sounds like probably two from scratch and one probably requiring something of a re-build depending on rules decisions. And really the characters should probably be concepted out (if not fully generated) as a group rather than individually.
And, of course, those rules decision. 1) I'm still not sure what the best way to handle attributes is. Roll? Point-buy? The latter is "fair," but can lead to "cookie-cutter builds." 2) I'm still not sure what to do with the Destiny mechanics. I do sort of want to use them, but I'm not sure which way is best.
Opinions and thoughts wanted, you three-who-know-who-you-are. If you're not familiar enough with stat-generation methods or Destiny rules, guess what? That means you have homework. ;)
Anyway... I don't know. I have enough thoughts that I might actually give this campaign a whirl. Granted, I have no idea when we'd play. Tuesdays and Thursdays are Exalted. Every other Wednesday is a game offline (this may change and require adjustments elsewhere at the end of the month). Sundays are Guild Wars. And, theoretically, I want some nights when I'm not "having" to do something. >.>
49-45 Years Ago: The Great Sith War is waged - a conflict between the Republic and the forces amassed by the fallen Jedi Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma, primarily the Krath. Ulic enlists the aid of the Mandalorians by defeated Mandalore the Indomitable in single combat. The Battle of Kemplex IX causes a supernova, destroying a number of worlds including Ossus, famed for its Great Jedi Library. When Ulic kills his brother Cay, he finally surrenders himself and pledges to aid in defeating Exar Kun. Exar Kun himself is finally defeated on Yavin IV in a massive firestorm of Force energy.
24 Years Ago: The Mandalorian Wars begins. After battling worlds beyond the Republic, the Mandalorians start to push against and wind against the Republic forces. It's not really until the Jedi Revan and other like-minded Jedi join the Republic forces, against the Council's wishes, that the tide begins to turn.
19 Years Ago: The Mandalorian Wars end at the Battle of Malachor V. The Mandalorians are nearly wiped out by a superweapon that damages the entire system, survivors scatter. Revan and his apprentice, Malak, take their fleets into the Unknown Regions.
18 Years Ago: Revan's fleet returns, larger than before and claiming to be Sith, waging a war on the Republic that its officers had defended mere months past. The conflict becomes known as the Jedi Civil War.
15 Years Ago: After almost three years, the "Sith" fleet amassed by Revan and Malak is officially defeated at the Battle of Rakata Prime. The Star Forge is destroyed and the system is officially declared off-limits. Revan, believed redeemed from the dark side, departs while Bastila Shan joins the Jedi Council on Coruscant. While the Sith are fragmented, a shadow campaign begins that results in the deaths of a great many Jedi over the next five years.
10 Years Ago: The Jedi Exile locates and defeats the Sith Triumvirate - most notable are the defeat of Darth Nihilus over Telos IV and Darth Traya, the later destroying Malachor V. Visas Marr and other companions of the Exile assist in restoration of the Jedi Order.
2 Years Ago: Jedi Masters Hid Torr and Omal-Ruu establish a small Jedi Academy on Lusior IV as a place to teach as well as exploring sites of archaeological interest.
Present (ie. 3,941 BBY): Lusior IV is home to almost three hundred individuals, including frontier settlers, archaeologists, and a small contingent of Jedi at the academy there. The world belongs to the Republic, but is so undeveloped as to not have any real representation on its own. Officially, it is only a research outpost falling loosely under Jedi control.
The academy itself is central, with the only real hangar for landing craft, and was constructed making use of some remaining structures augmented with new construction. The other buildings radiate out at uneven intervals, modular buildings serving as homes, storehouses, laboratories and communal meeting areas spreading out a few miles from the academy itself. There is enough local farming and ranching that the colony could be self-sufficient, though supply vessels arrive every two or three months with things that cannot be obtained locally.
The academy itself is home to five masters at present:
- Master Omal-Ruu (male draethos) is most often considered the head of the academy. He has a reputation for patience and wisdom and is known to have sided with the Jedi Council during the Mandalorian Wars, advocating Jedi uninvolvement in the conflict.
- Master Hid Torr (male twi'lek) was still a student when his mentor was killed in the Jedi Purge. He attained the rank of Master only a few years ago, and is fascinated with relics of the past. The ruins on Lusior are what attracted him to the place, though it was Master Omal-Ruu who arranged to establish a center for learning rather than merely an archaeological dig.
- Master Strask Fey'ag (male bothan) was asked by Master Omal-Ruu to lend his wisdom at the academy. Strask primarily teaches lightsaber combat and Force defense techniques. Though rarely brought up, it is common knowledge among those at the academy that Master Strask served as a Jedi "Shadow" during the Jedi Civil War, operating undercover to hunt Sith agents.
- Master Mar Roke (female human) offered her services upon hearing of a new academy being established. Unlike most Jedi, she avoids use of lightsabers by choice, preferring peaceful resolutions. And she is known for that attitude, having survived the Jedi Purge by taking up the mantle of civil servant on Coruscant rather than making her status as Jedi apparent. She sees to much of the mundane administrative duties of the academy and colony as a whole.
- Master Kaz Doth (male zabrak) is known to have trained under Master Visas Marr after the destruction of Malachor V, having been appointed to his rank only very recently. Master Kaz is mechanically inclined, giving his technical expertise to keep the machines of the colony running. He is perhaps most infamous among the students for being the one to program and maintain the academy's combat training droids.
The five serve as mentors to the thirty-three individuals training to become Jedi. Of that "class," there are eight who are borderline candidates who, whether due to personality or aptitude, are seen as unlikely to complete their training. The other are either too new to judge or seem solidly on the path as Padawans. Most students find themselves associating more with one master than the others, based on their interests, though lessons are given by all at times and there is no "one master, one apprentice" rule in effect. As master Omal-Ruu believes in a holistic approach, everyone helps out around the academy with various chores to instill a sense of community and responsibility beyond just lessons in the Force.
So what else is necessary?
I probably don't need to hash out details of every student at the academy or person in the surrounding colony, though detailing a few would probably be a good thing.
Player characters have to be made, naturally. It sounds like probably two from scratch and one probably requiring something of a re-build depending on rules decisions. And really the characters should probably be concepted out (if not fully generated) as a group rather than individually.
And, of course, those rules decision. 1) I'm still not sure what the best way to handle attributes is. Roll? Point-buy? The latter is "fair," but can lead to "cookie-cutter builds." 2) I'm still not sure what to do with the Destiny mechanics. I do sort of want to use them, but I'm not sure which way is best.
Opinions and thoughts wanted, you three-who-know-who-you-are. If you're not familiar enough with stat-generation methods or Destiny rules, guess what? That means you have homework. ;)
Considering the problems inherent in feelings of inequality, I'd vote point-buy. Or have everyone roll, whoever gets the best 'set' becomes the 'set' everyone else uses (or reverse engineer the points it'd take to generate that roll and give that point amount to everyone, or the difference of) I like my idea about Destiny, but I've told you that already.
ReplyDeleteI like my idea about Destiny, but I've told you that already. I... don't remember exactly what that was. <..> I recall we discussed the basics of what the rules are and the options of GM-set "secret" destinies versus player-chosen ones. I don't recall what your preference was and/or why.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'm one to prefer dice rolling. I don't think everyone needs to be exactly the same, attribute wise, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. If needed, I'll re-build, since there's really nothing about the concept I'd have to change except for attributes.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the calendar-related issues, it could be that the the Jedi Council was responsible for this OOC system of tracking time. In Empire, Yoda tells Luke "through the Force, things you will see. Other places. The future...the past..." Conceivably, the Jedi could have foreseen the battle of Yavin thousands of years in the future, and decided this was an important enough event to base a calendar on. This would fall in with other commonly accepted star wars canon; like thirty year old droids interfacing with modern systems, the apparent regression in technology between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, or (my favorite) Boba Fett's willingness to be surrounded by thousand of his father's clones with no reaction ;)
ReplyDelete<..> Details, details... ;)
ReplyDelete