Campaign Ideas

Jedi Merkurian · Apr 6, 2001

It's said that all good GM's plaigerize their material, so let's have a big giant sharing of ideas for campaigns!

I'll start:

I'm not sure what period I'll set this in, but I'm leaning heavily to the NJO era. It probably won't follow the novels, but I ~love~ the idea that the New Republic must now deal with all the corruption & such from the Old Republic that was oppressed (but not erased) by the Empire. I think I'll have the Imperial Remnant be all bitter, like Germany between WWI & WWII.

The ~real~ fun will come from the Unknown Regions, though. This is also where the plaigerism comes in; it's all from D&D. There will be a society ruled by a theocracy of Dark Jedi (I've toyed with the notion of the DJ's actually being Sith, founded by one who was either a renegade who never heard of the Rule of Two, or just said "Hell with that!" but I dunno...)

The region is divided into Domains, each Ruled by a Dark Lord (usually Force lvl 13+)and an Executor/apprentice(usually Force lvl 7-12). The Lord tries to advance the status of the Domain in a fashion just like RAS' drow elves of Menzoberranzan; which is to advance by eliminating someone higher-ranking. At the same time, the Lord is trying to stave off plots against him/her/it by the Executor. Likewise, while the Executor plots to become Lord, they must also look out for the Adepts (max Force lvl 6th) who plot to become the next Executor. And of course, the Adepts must watch out for their fellow Adepts, who are all plotting to become the next Executor.

Above all of this are the Nine Great Domains, who seek to advance the Feudality as a whole (I ~might~ call it the Dominion, but that's too Star Trekky). They must also look out for each other trying to advance, as well as the lesser Domains trying to become Great Domains. The Lords of the Nine (get it?) are:

Lord Null (looks/acts like Thanos from Marvel comics)
Lord Omin (looks like the Undertaker from WWF)
Lord Dread (looks like Kane from WWF)
Lord Phobetor (looks like the Hessian from Sleepy Hollow)
Lord Brimocer (looks like Chyna from WWF)
Lord Pathos (the masked, insane Lord)
Lord Spectrous ("the Hidden Lord")
Lord Quisitor (looks like the Kurgan from Highlander)
Lord Jodamat ("the Dark Mother")

Our Heroes(tm) will most likely run afoul of Lord Vidia ("the Lord-in-Exile") and her apprentice, Lord Alastor.

I doubt I'll use the Vong ~per se~ but I do like the idea of a deception, pain & death worshipping society that HATES the Jedi. The other idea for "grunts" would be bio-engineered warriors (like orcs, goblins, or Jem Ha'Dar), techno-zombies (like Borg) or both: a warrior caste who beleive that death in battle is glorious & believe that not even death can stave their love of war...

Your thoughts? Your own adventure/campaign ideas?

Superchunk · Apr 9, 2001

Here's a game I was running for awhile:
Time Period: 1 year before Star Wars A New Hope.

Plot: The PCS are working for the rebellion and have taken passage with a deep space freighter to the outer rim. During en route the ship is attacked by pirates. The crew escapes to the planet below. Here, they find people laboring and working on materials for hyperdrive engines. It turns out that this outer rim planet is manufacturing (unknowingly) materials for the Empire. There is a labor strike when the PCs arrive. They meet up with the organizer and try to convince him to keep striking to delay production. Eventually a platoon of Stormtroopers arrive to stop the strike.

Jedi Merkurian · Apr 9, 2001

Interesting...did Our Heroes(tm) have enough firepower or brains to stave off the stormies?

Nightray · Apr 10, 2001

It looks like you have a pretty interisting begaining, but it also looks like you are missing a little of the starwars flavor. A tie to the sith is very intersting. also the way the empire conducted it's business there are still outer rim areas thea have no idea that the empire has been defeated. An example of this is the death star project. They only surfaced as a major peice after suscessful testing of the super laser. One more possible idea off the top of my head are the outbound jedi flights. Jedi loaded into ships and headed into the outer rim territories. so there could be many small pockets of jedi, or mabey one of them thought they could figure out the sith. Any way i hope you have fun playing some of these senerios. Nightray

Megs · Apr 16, 2001

****Modest Spoilers ***
(I use information that is currently reserved for Episode II. If you?re looking to avoid any spoilers, please don?t read any further.)

This campaign idea requires a great deal of faith on the part of my players, but it is something I?m going to try.

When : Days after events that may take place in Episode III. Anakin Skywalker has fallen, and Darth Vader rises in his place. The shattered Jedi Council frenetically scramble to save the last vestiges of their order, republic, and future. The Old Republic breathes its last not with a bang, but a whimper.

Here?s where I?m going to start my game. The New Order is crafted, tempered by the jackboots of the Stormtroopers, forged with the hollow paean of the newly minted Emperor, and stoked by the anger fueling Darth Vader. The remaining Jedi either flee, succumbing to the fear their masters desperately sought to inure them against, or fight, and Jedi are so very good at fighting. It is the birth of the Empire and the crucifixion of the Republic.

Set around the birth of the twins, the Empire is ruthlessly purging the galaxy of the Jedi and the enfeebled grip of the Old Republic. The Senate has voiced its consent with silence, thereby enabling the clonetroopers to serve as the white-armored Stormtroopers.

Now, I?ve always felt that the ?Purge? had an amazing potential for development. The galaxy spirals into despair at the behest of a man claiming himself Emperor, while his apprentice sweeps the galaxy clean of Jedi. There will still be enough Jedi to help the formative Rebellion take its first stutter steps into existence, and train the hopefuls that may one day restore sanity to the Republic. There will always be a use for Scoundrels and Scouts, Fringers and Nobles, Soldiers and Bounty Hunters, perhaps needed more now than ever; like never before, hero is a dying breed.

I feel this gives me the best of all possible worlds. I have a quantifiable enemy the players can envision (the Empire), still have access to the late, great Jedi Knights, and can enjoy a period that not only will not be covered, but most likely never will be.

Our heroes unwittingly begin on the wrong side of the conflict, working for the fledgling Empire. They are hired or ordered to help locate a selection of people, rebels from the Clone Wars and known criminals. The list isn?t necessarily long, but the trip in finding them should be a treat, running into a host of dangers. Soon enough it?s realized that some of the people they?re tasked to locate are Jedi. Now it comes down to whom do they follow, their Empire or their conscious? From there, the plot difficulties will include Dark and Fallen Jedi seeking to earn a way into the Emperor?s New Order, bounty hunters on the trail of a high bounty, and the almost omni-present cloud of Darth Vader looking to swoop in on our heroes. If my PC?s include Jedi, well, it looks like they weren?t too adept at hiding.

That?s my idea. Naturally, I?ll have to come up with my own chronicle of Vader?s fall from grace, the conclusion of the Clone Wars, the fate of Count Dooku, the how?s and why?s of a galaxy of billions accepting such a wantonly cruel form of government, and the destiny of those that will come to shine brightest when the Rebellion needs them most. Since I don?t want to offend anyone with my distinctly non-purist take on how Episode II and III will unfold, I?ll spare you the details.

Still, I think the Purge has ample potential for roleplaying. Do you?

Jedi Merkurian · Apr 16, 2001

I like the idea. One concern is that if you keep to continuity, it's going to be a *very* grim campaign, as the Jedi are doomed to fail...

Megs · Apr 16, 2001

Very true. While I don't mind the grim tone, my players may. Good point.

Crimson_Jedi_Knight · Apr 16, 2001

Ah, but there were a decent number of weak Jedi that got away. And fallen Jedi are always weak in the force. My suggestion would be that if any of the characters are Jedi they have three options: Fall, turn to the dark side, or DIE. After all fallen Jedi were the most common of Jedi that left the order.

JediBendu · May 2, 2001

The campaign that I am in mid run on was begun before Ep I, so I created my own background. We started with an adult Anakin skywalker, who was acknowledged as a living legend by all the characters.

The game took place in the background of the fall of anakin skywalker, and the end of the republic. It was a trilogy of games with alternating adventure and politics (one of the players was a senator, another a Jedi, another a smuggler and the last an archaologist)

The Sith were a cult who worshipped weakness, and were actually pirates. Eventually Anakin joined up with them and then later joined the Emperor (who the characters actually helped get into power by accident).

The second trilogy of games is set during the Classic era, the players have just taken part in a chase to capture some lost cloning technology and keep it out of the hands of the Empire. They have ties to the original characters from the first trilogy (one of them carried over his character, but he was killed in classic style).

The future of the game includes two more scetions in the Classic trilogy, and then three games completing the series in the NJO era (but without Vong).

Jedi Merkurian · May 2, 2001

Update: I believe that I'll call my Dark Jedi the Lettow. Apparently, that was an early name that GL was going to use for the Sith. The Legions of Lettow who opposed the Jedi Bendu, became the Sith Knights, and are now the Sith Lords that we know so well.

Hmm...Lettow Feudality...Lettow Dominion...Dominion of Lettow...

The soldiers could be Legionnaires...

Man, I can't wait 'till that Dark Side sourcebook comes out in August!

Lordban · May 3, 2001

Dark Side is good. You need Dark Side

Anyway may I submit you a campaign idea, so that you can tell me whether you feel I've got some improvements to do or not ?

Jedi Merkurian · May 3, 2001

Sure, go right ahead! That's why we have this thread: to swap & refine ideas.

Jedi Merkurian · May 4, 2001

Alright guys, given the plot about the Lettow and their society (see prev. posts in this thread), whaddya think should be the time period for the campaign:

*2000+ years before Battle of Yavin
*25 years after Battle of Endor
*50-100 years after the Battle of Endor

Jedi Merkurian · May 14, 2001

Grrrrrrrr One of my players & I were discussing the new series from Dark Horse Comics called Star Wars-Infinities It's like a "What If" for AGFFA. Anyway, he absently commented that "wouldn't it be cool to have a Rebellion-Era game without Han & Luke, etc., and have the adventuring group be The Heroes of the saga?"

shakes fist at player Curse you and your good ideas!!!

Anyway, even though the campaign setting will be Rebellion-era, the "pivotal event" will take place some 30-odd years earlier during the "Duel of the Fates" In one scenario, Darth Maul doesn't gloat & just offs Obi-Wan, leaving Anakin to be trained by Yoda and/or Mace Windu. I'm still brewing on that one...

The other is that instead of kicking one way, Darth Maul kicks the other, sending Qui-Gon over the ledge. Obi-Wan is the one who presses the offense, eventually getting killed by Darth Maul. just like Spider Man in the Marvel comics, it's just not a "What If?" unless Obi-Wan dies Darth Maul is able to escape, and Qui-Gon takes Anakin as his Padawan learner. Queen Amidala purchases Shmi's freedom, offering her a job as part of her entourage. This works out quite well for Anakin when Padme replaces Palpatine as the Naboo sector Senator. Granted, Anakin isn't supposed to have much contact with family, but when has Qui-Gon been one for following the rules?

Anyway, Sidious hatches a plan to lure Anakin to the dark side & off Maul as punishment for failure: Maul kills Shmi, Padme (who was pregnant with twins) and maybe Qui-Gon (I haven't decided yet) Of course, Anakin rages (and loses a hand; it's not SW unless a Jedi named Skywalker loses a hand) but as in the RotJ as we know it, Palpatine takes a moment to gloat, which brings Anakin back to clarity. Before the Emperor can lightning bolt Skywalker into oblivion, he is rescued by Mace Windu, but the Emperor is able to escape.

In homage to the Thrawn Trilogy, the Emperor resorts to Plan B, cloning Anakin from the hand that was lost while he was filled with hatred & anger, dubbing him Darth Vader. Anakin cannot face him because of the loopy "clone dissonance" thing, but another Jedi Master (Mace Windu? Qui-Gon Jinn?) tears the a$$ out of Vader, turning him into the cyborg that we all know & love. Alternately, the borgification could come over the course of several engagements as Vader hunts down Jedi. As insurance, the Emperor "programs" Vader with an "override command" to keep him loyal (an idea I borrowed from a really good fanfic)

This all leads to the present: 30-odd years later, there are still some old-guard Jedi who yet live (I haven't decided who) not the least of which is Anakin Skywalker. The Empire is still the Empire, there's Grand Moff Tarkin, the Death Star, Grand Admirals, etc. There's also a corps of Inquisitors, Dark Jedi whose job is to help Vader hunt down the remaining Jedi. As a plus, the Emperor has a loyal henchman in case any of the Inquisitors plot against him, and Vader is far mightier than any of them (Inquisitors will not be allowed to advance beyond 12th lvl) and because of the "clone dissonance" Anakin Skywalker cannot defeat Vader either.

That will be the Heroes' destiny...

Your thoughts?

Edit I forgot to say that when Anakin gives the "I'll never turn to the dark side" speech, Maul tries to backstab Anakin, bur fails, causing him to come down with a sudden case of death.

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Campaign Ideas

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Superchunk Jedi Youngling

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Nightray Jedi Youngling

Megs Jedi Youngling

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