[Wushu] Star Wars: The Beast Wars

[TheRoleplayer]

Finally I was able to kickstart an old project of mine: running Star Wars and introducing my new group to Wushu. However, the way I'm doing it is, at least, unconventional...

First of all, I decided to set my game at an Era unfamiliar to my players. All of them are avid videogamers, but their experience has only enlightened them towards the New Jedi Era (some of them have tried KotoR, but their familiarity is still minimum). So, I'm setting my game 4,000 Before the Battle of Yavin (BBY). Also, I promissed my players they would have the chance of taking part in some major events on the Star War Universe. So, I started collecting info from all sorts of sources: comics, wikis, forums and lots of RPG sourcebooks.

I wanted something slightly "light", in order to give them the time to get used to their characters, to the Wushu system, and to the very scenario. My choice was the Beast Wars, an event that triggered greater events as the Old Sith Wars and The Jedi Civil War , and some others later. I'm keeping the sequence of events, but I'm substituting the original characters for my players' ones.

After some historical Era background, my players got a feel for what was the galactic republic like, as so as galactic travelling, Jedi characters and the (not always) suttle influence of the dark side throughout the galaxy. It's important to mention: by this time, most of the galaxy maps haven't been done yet. So, not all planets and/or systems known by the players were availabe. It's been giving us a lot of room to improvise.

And I have to say: what a great fun we've been having!

Let me introduce my protagonists (I'm sorry if the sheets don't look evocative enough... they are great in Portuguese!).
Design Notes: I've given 6 points to create characters. I've limited my Jedi characters to Advanced Padawan level and gave each of them 2 favourite Force techniques chosen from a list.

Art-Khan (Magoo)
Species: Human
Concept: Commander of Republic Elite
Traits: Tactical Leader (4); Weapon Master (4); Tracker (3); Elite Trooper (3)
Weakness: Too Proud (1)
CHI: 3

Klauss Vitar (Guigs)
Species: Human
Concept: Veteran Republic Pilot
Traits: Grizzled Spacer (5); Assault Strategist (4); Fast Reflexes (3)
Weakness: Bureaucracy Intolerant (1)
CHI: 3

Thangorr (Markin)
Species: Wookiee
Concept: Republican Trooper
Traits: Elite Soldier (5); Intimidating Size (4); Stealthy Intruder (3)
Weakness: Soft-Hearted (1)
CHI: 3

Mel-Vin Low (Cardoso)
Species: Human
Concept: Jedi Sentry wannabe
Traits: Lightsaber Artist (5); Padawan Sentry (4); Persuasive (3)
Favourite Techniques: Concentration & Telepathy
Weakness: Uncertain (of the Jedi Way) (1)
CHI: 3

Haak Todd (Xexéo)
Species: Zabrak
Concept: Jedi Guardian wannabe
Traits: Lightsaber Prodigy (4); Chivalrous Fighter (4); Acrobatic (3); Charismatic Mediator (3)
Favourite Techniques: Enhancement & Telekinesis
Weakness: Fanatic (for the Jedi Way) (1)
CHI: 3


Next: First Session

[TheRoleplayer]

Session One: the Beasts of Onderon

Our story begins with the arrival of a Republican ship in Arkania, bringing a message from Coruscant to the great Jedi Master Arca Jeth.

The crew has been doing some recognition missions throughout systems distant from the Core, reporting back to Coruscant every now and then and giving assistance wherever they were needed. Short before it was time for them to get back home, they were asked to deliver a message in Arkania.

In Arkania, Master Jeth, known as a very wise and experienced Jedi, heads the training of several apprentices. He greets the Republican crew and checks the message while the soldiers talk to the padawans about what's new far away.

During dinner, Master Jeth tells his students and his guests a story about the planet Onderon, a planet that only recently has joined the Galactic Republic. He starts by describing the physical attributes of the Onderon system and its planets, and continues with the story of the world of Onderon. Once per year, the atmosphere of Dxun, on of Onderon's four moons, touches the planet's atmosphere, aloowing the bestial creatures of the moon to cross over and prey on the peaceful inhabitants of the planet. In reaction of this annual scourge, the Onderonians constructed the massive, walled city of Iziz.

Everything outside the city walls remained a savage wilderness. As pubishment, criminals were released into the outlands, and quickly fell prey to the beasts of Dxun. In time, however, the outcasts learned to capture and tame the creatures, and started using them as flying mounts. Over the years the outcasts formed huge armies of beast-riders, and begun to attack the city. To this day, Onderon has remained a divided planet, the war beteewn the beast-riders and Iziz continually scalating as technology advances.

Master Arca Jeth has been nominated as the Jedi Watchman over the Onderon System, and the message brought by these troopers is an appeal made by Queen Amanoa, of Iziz. She wants help to cease hostilities between Onderon peoples.

Master Arca Jeth decides to stay in Arkania while some of his students are back from their knight trials, and charges two of his most advanced apprentices to helping the citizens to end the centuries-long war. He reminds them that the Jedi stand for peace; they must use their weapons only as a last resort. He also asks the troopers to join his pupils, as the presence of such republican officers might help making mediation faster.

They travel across the galaxy in the troopers ship, the Star Strider, to Onderon. As the Strider streaks through the atmosphere toward the sprawling city of Iziz, they were assaulted by giant birds, and realise those are, in fact, beast-riders. While evading the attacks (they decided not to strike back), they hailed the city and requested landing instructions. Some back-up is sent by the city, and the Strider sets down at the Royal Space Dock.

After brief introductions, the Onderonian Minister of State, Novar, orders the Royal Protectors to bring Thangorr and Haak (the non-humans of the group) to the immigration area for interrogation. It seems that the Onderonians have much to learn about becoming a Republic member world. Although uncomfortable, no one protests. Art-Khan and his troopers have got used to this kind of behaviour, specially from systems so far from the Core.

After a while, the group is led to the throne room to meet the Queen, who is explicity disappointed to find Jedi students rather than the great Jedi Master she’d expected. She quickly introduces her daughter, Galia, and they start discussing about possible negotiation terms to take to the beast-riders. Suddenly, beast-riders burst through teh translucent dome that houses the throne room, spraying shards of glass everywhere as the great beasts descend.

The Republican troopers and Jedi apprentices join the Royal Protectors in order to battle the intruders as the Queen retreats into an anti-room, in the heart of the palace. Some beast-warriors break away from the main attack group and head after the Princess. Art-Khan leads his soldiers to flank the room as he shots the beast-riders to force them gather in the middle. Haak protects the Queen as his mates and the Protectors restrain the invaders.

The beast-warriors managed to kill some guards and subdue Galia, escaping as the other warriors were being defeated. The Queen furiously blames the group incompetence for her daughter’s kidnapping. Having come to the concusion that the invaders had internal help, the Queen suggests that the group work as a rescue team, since they’ve made a prisioner and she couldn’t trust her own men to do it.

Session One Concluded.

Notes: the game went very smoothly, as the players were getting used to the different take on action reslotuion and game pace / flow of Wushu. We had 2 Conflicts only:

Arrival at Onderon: I made this one a 5/1 conflict. They only needed to get to the Space Port, but I put some beast-riders on their way. The idea was to roll some dice and introduce the antagonists. No problems here, and the teamwork was perfect: Art-Kahn checking radar systems and helping Klauss to trace the appropriate route. They even included cloud camouflage in their descriptions!

The Throne Room Combat: this one was 15/1. It didn’t really matter how it would end, as by the end of it, Galia would be kidnapped anyway. The Jedi used some TK to unbalance the riders, and the troopers used the environment as weapon (column shards, flags and smoke). Some of them got hit, but nothing really impairing.

Next Session: The Rescue

[Kiero]

Hee hee, I recognise the plot of this one. I take it your players haven't read the comic in question? :D

[TheRoleplayer]

You're right! It's quite difficult to find Star Wars comics here in Brazil, except for specialized comic shops. Even so, part of my group is not fluent (or willing) enough in English to give it a try.

We're playing again tonight, so I'll have more of this soon.