Trail Runs Cold

It was too long, but we finally got the gang together for another RPG session.  Recapping the last episode was easy - this blog.  For those of you just tuning in - we ended a pretty epic two part mission involving the rescue of a bionic woman named Cratala.  

We were rewarded with payment of a promise of information pertaining to Dr. Jorbis Kane's murder mystery.  But before we could obtain the data - we were pursued by yet another Star Destroyer and its Tie-Fighters.  A lot of die rolling and some ACE galactic warfare, we managed to escape and claim the doctor's precious prize.

Cloud City bound - we were on the trail of a possible killer.  His name - Skarr.  The long voyage allowed us to heal our wounds and devise a game plan.  Upon arrival - we were directed to a lower landing bay dock.  This made getting up to the apartment levels very difficult and very expensive.  

The group decided to break into Skarr's pad after their attempts to contact him fell on deaf ears.  Griff kept look out as the Doctor and Cardhu investigated.  A grizzly discovery - Skarr's lifeless body lie in a pool of blood in a all too familiar scene.   The Doctor revealed his wife's body was found in a similar fashion - results of her murder investigation confirmed an execution.

Outside the apartment, Cloud City Guards along with Stormtroopers detained Griff who wasn't able to talk her way out of a bad situation.  To keep her allies safe - she reluctantly was led to the detention center.  Some timely rolls of the die got her out of trouble - but just barely.

This bought the others time to rummage through the apartment for clues.  The only hard find was Skarr's datapad.  Decrypting it and learning its secrets  revealed that Skarr briefly knew the Doctor's father-in-law.  Information about a rare and life threatening disease which the Doctor's wife contracted as well as vague coordinates to the planet Mrlsst were also learned.  Mrlsst according to Skarr's accounts - was visited frequently by the father.

Blind Sided!

 Chardonnay with Death Star Ice Cube

Our little group got together finally after what seemed like an eternity.  After some nice social banter to catch up with real world lives, we got down to business – Part II of “THE WHEEL”.

This being our 3rd session with new comer Griff the mechanics of the game seemed almost second nature.  This really sped up the game and really made the story line flow.

Here’s what happened.

The trio’s main mission was to fly to a jungle planet to try and find a crashed ship of deserters.  On board was to be some cybernetic research for the group to acquire and bring back to the station to be sold on the black market.   Anything else was for the taking.

However when the team landed – all that was found was the remains of a crashed ship.  A metal skeletal carcass – picked clean of any useful entrails.

The group had a droid in tow who was to help with the mission.  The droid turned out to be the property of Captain Harsel.  The pilot of the crashed ship.   Captain Harsel was now the leader of the remaining survivors.

The entire story then just took off as the Captain and the Droid re-unite.  The group is brought to a fortified village and meet the other survivors including Crutella – a humanoid with cyborg implants.

The captain is afraid to leave the planet in fear he be discovered by the Imperial.  Crutella wants off.  Since there was some disagreement on which of the 2 the group should focus their efforts – they decide to split and take on both in separate side plots.   Griiff attempted to ally Crutella while the Dr and Cardhu tried to hard line Captain Harsel.

THE BLIND SIDE

This is when it got crazy.  Griff’s wrist band (a disguised communicator) goes off and it’s Kal.  Kal was the security officer on board ‘The Wheel’ who helped the trio recover the IT-3PO droid before embarking to the planet.

HE WORKS FOR THE IMPERIAL!!!!  Kal had sweet talked Griif and gave her a bracelet which was a homing beacon and communicator.  It was a trap to help the Imperial track down the deserter ship.  The group unknowingly betrayed the deserters by leading the Imperial right to their doorstep!

Stay and Fight or escape?
There was room for 2 extra passengers on board the shuttle.  The group urges Captain Harsel and Crutella to join them.  Crutella flees with the group as the Captain stays to fight off the Imperial landing party.

Among-st  a hail of blaster fire the group escaped back to the shuttle and avoid capture and ‘fair trial’ of the Imperial variety.

They make their way to rendezvous with Rone to hand over the cybernetic research – which happens to be Crutella.   When the two lay eyes on each other they ran into each other’s arms.

The End.

The group couldn't stop talking about the blind side and all thoroughly enjoyed the twist the GM had incorporated into the story line.  It was like when Luke finds out Vader is his father!  No one saw the Kal angel coming.

This entry wouldn't be complete without a huge shout out to our GM.  It was a well thought out and very enjoyable adventure to experience!

The Wheel

The Wheel - starwars.wikia.com

We kicked off part 1 of a 2 part adventure. In a somewhat elaborate back story alignment of Cardhu's character and current events- a familiar Imperial foe captured our ship in an ambush and seized all our possessions.  We were allowed to go on our way, but all we'd work for was now gone.

Our new heading was the Wheel - a giant space station where we'd meet up with a Cardhu's friends who'd given her an opportunity to pay off a favor.  The favor - find a legend ship and appropriate some advanced technology.  Any other goodies would be there for the taking.

The Wheel also provided for a chance meeting of an old 'friend' of Griff's. A security officer on the station who'd aid the group in re-capturing a droid needed for the mission.  Two Rodians made off with it and almost escaped the station had Griff's friend not intervened to seal off the landing bay.  Griff's quick thinking and use of a disguise kit fooled them into leaving the droid behind and fleeing the station.

From a player perspective I felt the group really started coming together.  Two of us are still relatively new to the entire RPG genre while the third and the GM are both vets of the game. Griff's take on the game I imagine is helping take the adventures in completely uncharted directions.  Who thinks of purchasing a disguise kit and using it to take down two Rodians?  The same two that almost brought my character Cardhu to an end with a direct blaster shot to the chest in a high speed chase fire fight?

It's the first time I felt afraid for my first ever RPG character. Almost having your character killed was a very strange feeling.  This person I created about 6 months ago was now lying on the ground in need of serious help.  Yoda's proclamation of "RECKLESS" came to mind.  I shall be more careful in part 2 of this adventure.  Even if the die are in my hand are loaded - it doesn't mean it's a sure thing.

On the Run but from what?

Now that I've made it to the Edge of the Empire,  the sleepless nights on the run seem almost a lost memory. I'm not sure how I feel now that running for the most part has subsided - there seems to be a void now.

I hope the other clan members made it off Ryloth. However I doubt it.  I'm certain the Regents cou ensured they're all dead.  Ever since father made it clear that it was in Ryloth's chance to be free of the Republic and join the separatists I've never felt safe.

Republic or separatist.  It was easy - everything was black and white.  Now out here on my own on the 'edge' - everything seems a shade of grey.  I'm now just one person trying to survive.  I guess I can justify some of the things i've done in the name of self preservation.

A Means to an End

"That was too easy." Gryph thought as she got dressed. She kicked the empty bottles of firewater out of the doorway and made her way down to the galley.

Before embarking on this mission she knew she had to find a way to get on the inside track, she had to get the others to trust her, so she used her "abilities" to form a bond with Cardhu (she knew the good doctor was still hung up on his dead wife and was therefore a lost cause).

Now she should be easily able to convince Cardhu at least to give her a cut of any credits they accumulated for now on.  That would mean Gryph would be well on her way to a new life and if that meant screwing a couple of street rats over than so be it.

FEAR

Apprehending  a deadly bounty hunter not only comes with rewards of credits, but sometimes influence.

 According to a journal entry left open by Dr. Jorbis Kane - it appears he's taken full advantage.  The Pykes were willing to help him out and he uncover some more clues surrounding the circumstances of his wife's murder.

So an ominous and enormous space ship crawled across the sky - cutting short any further recreation activities.  So large it seemed unreal.  An Imperial Star Destroyer.  It spit out tiny little bugs from its hangar bays.  The bugs would eventually be realized to be Tie-Fighter Bombers. 

There was a quick message from Admiral Crawley informing the inhabitants that we would be bombed into oblivion if a certain bounty hunter was not not released to them.

This situation according to Cardhu clearly did not involve them with bounty hunter anymore. The two packed their crates and rendezvous en route with YT.  Half their money lost and quick introduction to Gryph Jones and the trio blasted out of the system evading Tie-Fighters.

So what kind of trouble did they get into now?  Well it involves a missing Star Destroyer and a reward for its rescue.  20000 credits!  Since Gryph was new to the gang - the doctor and Cardhu after much deliberation decide that Gryph will have to earn her cut.

What's a girl to do? Out of money and out of options.  Gryph to her credit does negotiate a performance bonus if she's deemed valuable to the mission at hand.  This did however set the tone for the adventure - Jorbis' opinion of the lady folk surfaced and made for some really awesome interaction between characters.

What a scoundrel!

Jorbis Kane

Jorbis forgot to log himself out of the ship's system.  I shouldn't have read this but... here it is:

--------------Begin Log------------------

“The killers will be found. I’ll see to that myself” Jorbis says aloud to no one but himself. He’s been sitting all night. Staring out into the darkness searching for answers. Asking, but receiving no reply.  Those who could help are few and far between. Days have blended into months while his task remains firmly rooted in his mind.  He must find these people. He must bring them to justice. Justice? Is that even possible at this point? 

His mission to find his wife’s killer has been going slowly. Slow, until now.

 Jorbis reached out to the Pyke crime syndicate to find answers. A bold move but one that paid off in the end.  The answer was not at all what he expected it would be.  The Pyke’s sources confirm with absolute certainty that the murder was not an accident. It was retribution for something that Medlun’s father had done. He had crossed the wrong people and Medlun paid the price.

The information hit Jorbis hard. He wasn’t prepared for any of it. Almost sick to his stomach, he returned to his hotel room in a daze.  How could this happen? What did her father do? What is he involved in? The time to grieve is long past. The time for action is dawning.

The night has been spent partly in anguish and partly in sorrow. Not sorrow for what has happened. No, this sorrow is for what he must do. The game has changed. The stakes have increased and the cards are dealt.  How they are played it another matter. The plan that Jorbis has formulated is solid.  At least it seems that way to him.

“I only have one choice” he mumbles. Time is slipping away quickly. With every step he gets closer, they get further away. Jorbis begins to pack up for the day. As he sorts through his gear he gains confidence. Firmly grasping the light blaster pistol he knows he is on the right track. He will find the killers…even if it takes her last breath.  First however, he needs to prepare.

Leaving his room he glances at the door across the hallway. “Hmph” he grumbles. “That Twi’lek will sleep with anything”.  He could see the relationship growing on their last mission together. Cardhu and Gryff were drawing closer all the time. He thought better than to disturb them. They need their sleep. No doubt they were up all night too….

-------------End Log----------------------------------