Session XXVIII - Ground Zero

Hey there again! 

This next session ran VERY smoothly, mainly because I had NPCs lay out the plan for the players and they just executed it. Note.. with large groups, this is probably the way to go. Some may complain that this is more or less railroading, but look, I have always said that TTRPGs are "collective storytelling." Planning the story out in advance ensures that the story is better, and the players can add their own pieces to it through their characters. Yes, it means that certain results are pre-determined, but honestly it's how well you mask it to give the illusion of free will.

I know some people will say that this is still railroading and the game is playing us rather than the other way around, but the alternative, a sandbox approach, leads to just random aimless adventures that only work well if the GM is really creative on the spot or... they also only give the illusion of choice. Example.. the GM plans out a huge adventure, then asks whether the players want to go to sector a or sector b, (or sector f or z or theta.. whatever). No matter where they go, they will find the same unchartered planet and embark on the planned adventure.

I'm pretty straightforward in my method. I plan out interesting scenes for each player so that everyone gets a time to shine, and then figure out how to stitch them together, then I sprinkle in a few combats here and there.

Anyway let's get to this session.

It may be AI slop... but the prompt was "mean looking gangsters on Coruscant." The blaster bow is a nice touch.

Session XXVIII - Ground Zero

Explosions ring out in the night sky above one of the many platforms attached to mountainous skyscrapers that dominate the planet-wide skyline of the Imperial capital Coruscant. 

Though they had planned to break into the Imperial Palace, the “officially deceased” members of the Rebel Strike Force formerly known as Delta Team happened to cross paths with their comrade Vero Morelock, who is on the run after rescuing her five-year old daughter from some of the vilest gangsters in the Coruscanti underworld. 

Black-eyed, burned, bruised, bloody, and barely able to walk, Vero collapses from exhaustion as the Ewok warrior D’Wook (actually Hal Brunchkiler… it’s a long story) dives trident-first into the horde of the bossman’s hired muscle....

Session XXVII - Freaky Benduday

Welcome back dudes and dudettes!

This latest session was more a lesson for me than one for the players. I had decided that rather than let the players go along with whatever my npcs suggest, so as not to railroad them, I'd simply just ask them what they want to do, and then whatever they decide is how we would proceed.

I don't know if it's just this group, or if it's because this group is particularly large, but we need to aim for balance between guiding them on what they need to to do and giving them full autonomy.

Often when something required a split-second decision, the players would sit around and debate what the best course of action was. Either that or when the most obvious action presented itself (for example, run away from danger) they would sit around and try to find a way to deal with the danger, taking lots of time when ... even after the danger was dealt with, they were no closer to progressing past where they were currently standing.

The session was still fun, of course... but it took a long time to get through parts of the story that I expected would not take that long... and then we had to rush past the second half of the session (where all the good roleplay would have been) because we wasted so much time using the force to defeat Indiana Jones style temple traps.

But at any rate, let's get this party started with the opening crawl... and here's a pretty sweet picture...

So this is what I was inspired by when creating my Alderaan Jedi temple. So just imagine the short one is an Ewok who smacks his face a lot and the tall one is somewhat plucky.

Opening Crawl:

Session XXVII: Freaky Benduday

In a strange twist of fate, the aspiring Jedi Hal Brunchkiller and the mighty Ewok warrior D’Wook have switched bodies after an inter-dimensional mishap in the ruins of the Jedi temple in the Graveyard of Alderaan.

Finding a solution to their predicament will be difficult, as the unlikely pair and the rest of their group, the strike force formerly known as DELTA TEAM, have been officially declared dead, but in actuality placed on administrative leave and confined to the Alderaan system by the REBEL ALLIANCE.

The team discuss their next options, keeping in mind that any attempt to leave the Alderaan system will have to be officially off the books, hidden from the Alliance brass.

Session XXVI: Echoes of the Past

 Okay folks! This next session was wild. It's got everything.

1. Interactions with feature characters? Check

2. Interactions with prominent prequel and sequel characters? Check

3. Shameless fan service linking obscure sequel characters to a player character? Check

4. A lightsaber duel with a hilarious conclusion? Check

5. Humorous critical failures in the heat of battle? Check

6. Unintentional innuendos egged on by immature man-children who act like they're still teenagers who've never had conversations with real actual women. Check.. unfortunately.

7. Overused movie trope that ends in a cliffhanger? Check

This was probably one of the most fun sessions we've ever had. The only (slight) problem was keeping my players on task. Everyone was laughing so hard every 30 seconds that at times they were getting a bit distracted. Certain spots didn't work the way I intended, but that's okay. It was a good session, so good that I need to write it out on the day after we played while this is still in my mind!

So let's begin with the opening crawl!

Session XXVI: Echoes of the Past 

The covert Rebel strike force known as DELTA TEAM has thwarted a plot by Captain Hook and his band of space pirates to crash a bomb-laden cruise ship into New Alderaan, a survivors’ colony built on an asteroid containing the doomed planet’s royal palace, and secretly the home base of a rival faction of Rebel-aligned pirates. 

Despite the surprise pirate attack, Delta Team was able to complete its mission, to infiltrate a meeting between two Imperial Moffs aboard the cruiser, and even managed to take one of the moffs prisoner.

The REBEL FLEET has sent Rogue Squadron, led by its recently promoted commander Wedge Antilles, to transport the moff back to the fleet where he will be tried for his crimes...

"Hooah! That got 'em!"

Session XXV: Riders of the Maelstrom

 Opening crawl:

Session XXV: Riders of the Maelstrom

As the “new lineup” of the Ice Pirates rock band--in an elaborate diversion--dazzled the attendees of the evening gala aboard the Kuari Princess cruiseliner, the rest of the REBEL strike force known as “DELTA TEAM” snuck into the engineering section to investigate a possible meeting between two IMPERIAL MOFFS.

Fortunately for their mission, “possible” became “definite,” as in the course of their investigation, they stumbled into the secret meeting. 

Unfortunately for their safety, the two moffs had a security detail of 50 elite stormtroopers, who shoot wildly in their general direction, as they dive out of harm’s way...  

Uh oh!

Session XXIV: A Dagger in a Haystack

Howdy folks! 

Sessions 24 and 25 are the rest of the module called Riders of the Maelstrom. The past two sessions were filler, because Vero's player had been unable to attend, and I was using this module to put Vero in the same room as Moff Andi Wolf, who as a rising star in the Imperial navy had been detailed for a short stint at the academy and taught Vero's classes in military tactics. The two saw an instant attraction and fell in love.

Dating students is forbidden, and if their secret got out, his career could have been ruined. Andi was quite ambitious and was set to rise through the ranks once his time as a teacher came to a close.

The problem is that upon graduation Vero revealed to him that she was pregnant. Seeing how that would be damaging to his career, Andi framed her of passing information to rebel sympathizers, and got her sent to prison. He also arranged for some of the other prisoners to beat her up to the point that she miscarried.

While she was in prison, Andi did rise to power, likely by backstabbing his superiors and using those in his circle of influence to further his ambitions.

When she was finally out of prison (either by serving the duration of her sentence or escaping) she joined the Rebel Alliance's espionage unit as an explosives expert. She has been dreaming of the day she would meet Andi again, so she can have her revenge.

So yeah, she's got it in for him, and it wouldn't have been right to go through the whole session and run her as an NPC for what is essentially closing her arc.

Well Vero's player came back for these two sessions and so now we're back on task.

Vero Morelock is not someone you want to see on the other side of a blaster barrel. Or the battle axe she wields. Or any other weapon she might have... Or her bare hands. Let's just say she's badass.

Opening Crawl: 

Session 24

A DAGGER IN A HAYSTACK 

After sneaking 20 refugees into the spaceport on Planet Doom, Delta Team must now sneak them aboard the Kuari Princess luxury cruise ship, so they can claim asylum once they are off-world. 

 However, the rebel group must not bring too much attention to themselves, because they are on their own mission... to find another rebel operative codenamed Dagger, who has information about a clandestine meeting between two Imperial Moffs. 

 Crew from the Princess descend upon the crowd of antsy passengers for pre-boarding procedures...

Session XXIII: SIGHT BEYOND SIGHT

Opening Crawl:

Session XXIII 

SIGHT BEYOND SIGHT

Following their epic matches as temporary members of the Galactic Wrestling Federation, Delta Team soaks in their success among the rest of the roster in the ready room deep within the Grand Arena on Planet Doom.

A new announcement from the Kuari Princess cruise ship rings through their comlinks--the repairs to the life support system will take longer than expected, and every passenger will be forced to spend the night in the spaceport, but the ship is scheduled to depart at 13:00 the next day.

The team should probably go join the other passengers in the spaceport before someone notices they are gone ...

The inside of the arena. The crowd loves these guys.

The sellout crowd in the grand arena chanted LoSar'Tan's name as he postured in the ring following his victory over He-Man. After a while he made his way backstage to thunderous applause.

Session XXII: For whom the bell tolls

These next two sessions were filler, because this mission aboard the Kuari Princess is supposed to be closing some plot threads in Vero's story, but her player was unable to make both of these sessions. This is how the first one went.

Wait, isn't that Lion-O from the Thundercats? What is this?
(Fear not dear readers. This will make sense... sort of...)

Opening crawl:



Session XXII - FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS

The half of the Rebel strike team "Delta," led by Hal Brunchkiller, escaped with their lives from the imperial-held world of Aris, abandoning their mission to find the secret Rebel agent known as "Dagger."

Now as stowaways on the Kuari Princess cruise ship, they encountered the other half of Delta Team, who after their own (more successful) investigation, have determined that Dagger is likely someone on board.

Since Dagger has vital information about a meeting between Imperial Moffs Gideon and Wolf, finding him among the throngs of hedonistic passengers before the cruiseliner's final destination is the team's highest priority...

Session XXI: They messed it up!

This episode begins with a prologue prior to the opening crawl.

The scene opens up in the same courtroom as the previous session.

Ricard: Private Errter, the court has determined that you are guilty of perjury and your actions during the Battle of Hoth put Delta Team in unnecessary danger. For this reason, you are hereby stripped of rank and will spend the next two years on kitchen detail. The rebellion needs soldiers however, so you are not discharged. After your two years are up, you will be reinstated, upon which time your services as an infantry soldier may be called upon again. Do you have anything to say?

Errter: Only that I am sorry to Delta Team and to my fellow soldiers. I lied because I was ashamed at my cowardly actions. I accept my punishment and look forward to earning my rank back.

Ricard: Mr. Errter, you are to report immediately to the mess hall for duty starting immediately. Make it so!

Errter: Yes Sir!

Ricard: This court is adjourned!

As the people in attendance murmur about the case they just heard, Piker approaches Delta Team.  

Piker: Hey guys.. I’ve got a message from the big cheese, Mon Mothma... she has a new mission for you. Report to the briefing room at 17:00

Those looking out the window could see the Milennium Falcon undocking and flying away from the fleet. On their side of the window, they saw a man and a woman--Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa--dressed in white and two droids, staring aimlessly into space. 

This is what it looked like.

Session XX: Tribulations and Trials

Time to leave!

Opening crawl: Charges detonate seemingly at random on board the Imperial Star Destroyer Subjugator, as the escaped rebel prisoners, their friends,  dozens of defecting stormtroopers and rogue droids, and their hostage, rush toward the hangar bay, hoping to find any ship they can in order to escape before the core explodes.

Additionally, the rebels must send warning to several patrolling Rebel vessels in the fleet, which they know intend to engage the Subjugator at close range -- but it's a trap!

The Subjugator's core has been rigged to detonate in a way that inflict maximum damage on any and all ships in its vicinity. The countdown has begun. 59... 58... 57... 

Sessions 18 and 19

I am finding myself with less and less time to write these because a lot is going on at work. Here's a quick and dirty version. (Fortunately I did write opening crawls.)

Session XVIII

A Tale of Two Jeegns

While fighting their way out of the detention area of the Imperial Star Destroyer Subjugator with half of Delta Team, Vero Morelock and Lo’sar Tan reunited with the other half of the team, Turk, D’Wook,, L1-NK, Golden Wheels, and Jeegn Ztungles.

The rest of the team, who awaits just beyond the aft blast doors, consists of Hal Brunchkiller, Grundle Chanken, and Jeegn Ztungles... hence the problem.

What will happen when one Jeegn meets the other?

Session XVII: The Empire Struck Back

Opening crawl: 

In the aftermath of the Battle of Hoth, the group of rebel soldiers code-named "Delta Team" were taken prisoner, transported to an orbiting Imperial Star Destroyer, and held in the detention area...

again...

Though they are thankful to be alive, unlike so many of their comrades, they are uncertain what fate awaits them, as the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader, has taken a keen interest in aspiring Jedi* Hal Brunchkiller.

Half of Delta Team sits within one of the more “luxurious” holding cells, complete with sleeping shelves, a relatively clean floor, and a window that looks out over the frozen globe below... 

A view from behind the Subjugator... or maybe one of the other ships involved in the Battle of Hoth.

Session XVI: The Empire Strikes Back

This session opened with a prologue before the roll of the opening credits.

The Silverlight and the 20 Alderaanian cruise ships arrived in space near Asteroid 7785

Radd: (On comms) This is Colonel Norrin Radd requesting landing permission for 20 Alderaanian cruise ships and the 200 soldiers of the newly established New Alderaan security force. And also my new friends in the Silverlight.

Comms: Permission granted.

 

The hangar bays opened up and the ships flew in one by one.

The Silverlight landed and the soldiers of the security force marched out of their ships in formation. Cecil, CT-12, CT-16, Hal, Grundle and D’Wook were all talking to Colonel Radd, and they all turned to receive the Silverlight’s crew.

D’Wook caught a glimpse of Lo’Sar in his new spiffy armor and leapt into action, pouncing on his chest and wailing on him with all his might.

Turk attempted to talk some sense into him but the bloodlust had already kicked in.

LoSar struggled a bit but eventually removed the helmet. When D’Wook saw who was inside, he came to his senses and backed off. 

The party questioned D’Wook and through the interpretation efforts of Golden Wheels, the group was treated to a tale of the man who mysteriously appeared in the forests surrounding D’Wook’s village, often stealing food and killing any Ewoks who would try to prevent him. One Day, whe D’Wook laid pursuit he saw the armored man enter what he called a giant metal bird, and ascend to the heavens.

From that day onward, D’Wook vowed to seek revenge for his fallen comrades, and that’s why he became so eager to board Turk’s vessel.

Relieved that he was no longer being pummeled, LoSar stood up and joined the others.

Vero suggested they try to contact the Rebellion to try to get their next orders. Grundle called his contact, who said they had once again been assumed dead, and that he wasn’t going to tell them any more details.

Grundle  transmitted a message for General Rieekan about ET’s species (the Asogians) and Waldorf salads.

(Editor’s note: They think it’s hilarious that they’ve figured out that the actor who plays Carlist Rieekan was on this British comedy show skit about Waldorf Salads. Bringing up the Asogians (E.T.’s species) came from a discussion I had with Grundle’s player, suggesting that the only way they could possibly get the necessary ingredients would be to go to Earth, and given that it is in another galaxy, the only way to do that would be to find the species that did go. And that’s the E.T.s.. So I guess he did that between sessions? 🤷)

He also explained that Blissex designed some kind of cloaking device that they should figure out how to use immediately.

The contact suggested to Grundle that they show up in person at the rebel base.

The group decided that’s where they would be headed next.

Everyone rested.

D’Wook spent some time with his Flutterplume

They took off the next day...

Session XVI: The Empire Strikes Back

The Empire Strikes Back

It is a bright time for the Rebellion. The Empire searches in vain and is nowhere near discovering the new secret Rebel base on the remote ice world of Hoth.

The crew of the Silverlight, fresh off their successes establishing their home away from home at the New Alderaan Casino and Resort, are excited to join their comerades there for the first time in about six months.

They expect a heroes' welcome, as their ship is equipped with impressive kyber crystal-based technology that could turn the tide of the galactic civil war, leading to the end to the Empire's tyranny once and for all!

Session XV: We don’t give a ship!

Opening crawl

Thanks to the expert fighting skills of the frankendroid Golden Wheels, Cecil Organa won enough money to stave off foreclosure of Asteroid 7785  by his business partner Jabba the Hutt, and pay off the remainder of his debt. 

But with his fleet of luxury cruise ships stolen by Trandoshan bandits, he has no means to return his guests to the nearest starbase, and new guests have no means of traveling to the resort asteroid.

Jabba’s majordomo Bib Fortuna has the only ship in the hangar capable of transporting large numbers of people to and from the asteroid, and he and Cecil are locked in negotiations…

Most of this session takes place aboard "the nearest starbase." Since that location is generic, here's a generic photo of a starbase. 

Session XIV: WINNERS AND LOSERS

 Opening Crawl: 

As the Silverlight is being repaired, its crew has been spending the last week on asteroid 7785 in the Graveyard of Alderaan, as guests of “King” Cecil Organa, the last member of Alderaan’s royal bloodline*. 

What was once the ruins of the royal palace has been masterfully restored and now shimmers brightly as the “New Alderaan Casino and Resort.”

Cecil, as braggadocious as he is, has been a generous host, providing the crew with the resort’s best accommodations, and wining and dining them on a nightly basis, to the point that maybe he is being not just nice... but too nice. 

This is apparently what Alderaan Palace looks like. So imagine it with a casino in there somewhere.

Session XIII: The Orders that Bring Order

Opening crawl

Hal Brunchkiller has sacrificed his life, getting sucked into the void while defeating the wicked king of Nockmaar Castle.

With his legendary sword in tow, held by Cherlindria’s padawan Fin Rasiel, the battered party, minus Hal, makes their way back to the island to return the wand to the noble sorceress.

 The eclipse is due in six months time, and much preparation is necessary for the planned assault on Sifo-Dyas’ stronghold of Tir Asleen.

Two Fett clone knights on horseback guarding Tir Asleen Castle

Session XII: So you want to be a hero...

 Opening Crawl

Session XII -  So you want to be a hero....

While bombing in his standup comedy act during the harvest festival in the town of Fishlick, Hal Brunchkiller extracted a legendary sword from a stone, shocking and aweing the citizens.

Believing that Hal and his friends are heroes of legend come to fulfill a prophecy, the people will not hesitate to help them in any way that they can.

But who is the wicked king that Hal is seemingly destined to destroy? Some believe it is Sifo-Dyas, while others believe it could be someone else ...

Remove the muscles and add some Jedi robes and that's kinda what it looked like.

Session XI: A Knight for a Day

Oh no. What did we get ourselves into?

Opening Crawl

Session 11: A Knight for a Day

Hal Brunchkiller has “fixed” the hyperdrive, but the Silverlight did not return to the secret rebel base on Hoth.

Instead the ship crash landed on an uncharted planet, where technology does not work, and whomever has more iron, or blood, rules the day.

Knights representing the Kingdom of Tir Asleen have arrived at the crash site, but eerily, they are all clones of Jango Fett, and refer to Hal as “General,” harkening back to the days of the Clone Wars. But who are these clones, and how did they get to this planet?

Session X: Chaos on Cloud City

 Opening Crawl: 

While Turk and his apparent accomplices D’Wook and CT-12-0315 remain in jail, Vero, Hal, Jeegn, Grundle and CT-16-0215 have just located Dr. Vreen, who has been assimilated by the Borg, err, I mean, he’s been infected with the “evolution droid virus,” and he is slowly turning into a machine.

Skynet, I mean ExoExOne, has become self aware and is attempting to not only take control of all the droids in Cloud City, but also the people, who will themselves become droids if they are exposed to the virus.

Once ExoExOne has control, its new cyborg slaves will convert Cloud City into a factory for the virus, so that they can infect neighboring systems and bring them under the evil droid’s control. Today Cloud City, tomorrow the galaxy!

So this one makes vanilla pretty good, but not chocolate or strawberry.

Session IX: The Clouded Truth

Opening crawl: 

Session IX: The Clouded Truth

Shortly after arriving at Cloud City, the former stormtrooper TK-182 (Turk) appears to have been caught in the act of murdering Dr. Issan Len, a key inventor of droid-CPU-to-clone-mind transfer tech, and the designer of the ExoExOne droid, which has the ability to control and redesign an entire ship or battle station.

Cloud City’s administrator Lando Calrissian does not believe Turk is the killer, but the evidence is too incriminating for him to ignore it.

Though Turk is innocent, the squad of wing guards is set to arrest him and his companions on murder charges, unless they can somehow prove they are clean. 

Hello, what have we here?

Session VIII: A Crisis on Cloud City

(A few of the players were going to be late, so we did some training.)

Aboard Another Chance, still orbiting Ord Mantell:

Luke showed Hal how to parry blaster shots. Han showed Grundle and Jeegn how to dodge.

Vero and Hal grappled a bit, and he attempted to use the force to get out of a headlock. He ended up levitating them both and then passing out. Luke was able to catch them with his own telekinesis.

Just then Grundle noticed that the Tantive III had taken off from Ord Mantell. Grundle, Jeegn, Hal and Vero ran to the bridge. They told Cecil, who was sitting in the command chair. Cecil ordered them to fire torpedoes. They each took a shot. Several were off the mark, but one of Vero’s exploded just as the Tantive III entered lightspeed... in a direction it didn’t want to go.

Intermission (the rest of the players showed up.)

Session VII: Blasts from the Past

Opening Crawl:

Princess Leia Organa commands Another Chance, an old Clone Wars-era capital ship that was converted into an armory by the high council of Alderaan about 20 years prior to the planet’s destruction.

Manned by a makeshift skeleton crew of well-known (and not so well-known) HEROES OF YAVIN, the ship is en route to the new hidden Rebel base located in the Hoth system. 

With their vessel having been heavily damaged in battle, the crew is making as many repairs as possible without dropping out of lightspeed.

Another Chance... to die?

Session VI: It's a TRAP!?!?!

Opening Crawl:

After discovering a group of Imperial intelligence officers in a hidden room inside the ruins of the Palace of Alderaan, Vero, Turk, Jeegn, D’wook, Hal and the droids quickly defeated them and kept one alive for questioning.

Who was this trap set for? Where is all the rumored Alderaanian treasure? And how are they going to get off this Asteroid?

The Imperial officer stares defiantly at the group of rebels, intent on keeping his secrets. At least for now... 

This is apparently what the palace of Alderaan looked like. So imagine this is just part of a large asteroid and it is flying around in space.

Session V: The Graverobbers' Gambit

Yes, every small ship in the galaxy looks like that.

Opening crawl

The rebel agent Zaz Kamiroz is dead, but with his last breaths he revealed to Vero Morelock, whom he mistook for an undercover Princess Leia Organa, that the ROYAL PALACE of ALDERAAN has been found by the miners of OUTPOST 11  in the Graveyard of Alderaan, a newly formed cluster of asteroids that once made up the doomed planet.

It is very likely that the Empire has also learned of the discovery and the rumor that Bail Organa, one of the architects of the Rebellion, may have survived the planet’s destruction.

The race is on to find the palace before the Empire can, but Vero and her friends can do nothing other than return to the safe confines of Poliss’ droid shop to discuss their next move.

The Graveyard of Alderaan module was written with several cutscenes which serve to inform the players (but not the party) of the story. This time we opened with Leia standing over a dead miner and telling Luke that they found her father and they have to go to Alderaan. Han then suggests taking the Falcon.

I have to say I kind of don’t like this, because it forces the players to act on information that their characters don’t have. They now know that the feature characters are on their way to the same place they are going, and their goal is to preserve continuity or else the Empire Strikes Back isn’t going to happen. I tried to alter the story a bit to inform them in game that this is what is going to happen, but then it was all the less climactic when they uncovered that information. 

Session IV: BACTA THE FUTURE

That's Turk.... honest.

Opening crawl

After narrowly escaping a deadly shootout on the streets of Mos Eisley, the group of badly wounded rebels board the Ithorian herd ship Bazaar with a new lease on life.

Much has changed in the galaxy during the two years they spent in the belly of the hellish sarlaac monster, including Hal Brunchkiller, who now thinks he’s some kind of Jedi knight. 

The massive herd rumbles as it prepares to enter hyperspace and leave Tatooine and its twin suns far, far behind...

For good...

For real...

Honest... we really aren’t going back there again...

What? You want to go back?... but there is an ENTIRE FREAKING GALAXY!!! WHY DO WE HAVE TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME ON TATOOINE?

It's like the galactic equivalent of South Dakota... No offense to South Dakotans. 

Oh, who am I kidding? There are no South Dakotans that will ever read this, but that’s my point! Tatooine is the freakin’ sticks! There's New York! There's LA! DC!!!! No, you wanna go back to Bismarck?

Okay, Bismarck is actually North Dakota, but did YOU know that? Did you?

Okay fine, we'll go back to Tatooine eventually. Just not right now. We've got more important things to do. Like find that medical center, and then try to reestablish contact with the Rebel Alliance....