This short scenario continues to develop the storyline introduce in
Turbulence and
Plunder, leading to a daring raid on a mag-lev train on the planet Corellia.
Turncoat
-Nate
Star
Wars: Age of Rebellion: Turncoat
Recently operatives of the Rebel
Alliance discovered a plot involving Jal Santhe, a Tionese nobleman
who is indebted to Slarr the Hutt, and who arranged to sell details
of shipping routes to pirates working for the crimelord. Armed with
this information, and working in conjunction with a Tionese Rebel
sympathizer named Gaea Rus, Special Operations has made a deal with
the turncoat: He'll surrender himself to Alliance protective custody,
as long as someone helps sneak his mistress, Fennix Taro, from under
the noses of her Imperial minders on the planet Corellia.
Natural, Rebel Intelligence
looks to the Player Characters to do the job. In fact, Intel has
learned that Taro is currently traveling by mag-lev train across the
planet, providing the perfect opportunity for a quick and discreet
extraction.
Note to the GM
While
this scenario can easily be played as a stand-alone mission, it
builds upon events depicted in Turbulence
and Plunder.
Playing them as a series helps develop a bigger, more immersive
story arc for the Player Characters.
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Adventure
Summary
This adventure begins with some
quick preparations by the PCs, outfitting themselves and their ship
along with setting up any cover story that they might want to use.
Once the mission starts, they can board the mag-lev train, seek out
Taro, and make a plan for separating her from her minders. Then it
becomes a race to board the PCs' ship and escape as reinforcements
are arriving.
Planning
and Preparation
While the PCs could spend all
kinds of time preparing for this mission, it's probably best to keep
such activity quick and easy. Those who think to ask for such
information can obtain a layout of the mag-lev train, but that's
about it. Characters who've attracted unwanted Imperial attention
might need to obtain fake identification and prepare cover stories,
too, which can become important during roleplaying situations later.
There's also the question of where they want to leave their ship,
keeping it hand for making an escape, but not leaving a pilot out of
the other action. If need be, the Alliance can assign the PCs an R2
unit to act as a stand-by pilot.
Involving
the Player Characters
After making their preparations,
the PCs can quickly move into action, boarding the train and starting
to search and plot.
Mission
Objectives and PC Duty
Detailed below are some of the
ways in which this assignment can tie into different characters'
objectives.
Combat Victory: While one can
hope that this assignment comes off without the need for combat,
it's always good be ready for that possibility.
Counter-Intelligence: This
character is, as usual, tasked with making sure that the operation
isn't exposed by Imperial agents.
Intelligence: Helping secure the
cooperation of Jal Santhe could be quite the coup for the Alliance,
helping gain access to all kinds of useful information.
Internal Security: This
character, too, should strive to make sure that the PCs are not
revealed as Rebel Operatives, or that their mission is compromised.
Personnel: While he's only one
person, the turncoat Jal Santhe is of considerable value to the
Rebel Alliance.
Political Support: For this
character, cementing the alliance with Gaea Rus and her noble family
should be a priority.
Recruiting: Securing the aid of
both Jal Santhe and Gaea Rus are important achievements for this
character.
Resource Acquisition: Gaining
access to information about, and possibly materiel from, the Santhe
Corporations could be highly beneficial.
Sabotage: Removing Jal Santhe
from Imperial influence would be a blow to the Empire in and of
itself.
Space Superiority: Here again,
while the PCs might hope to avoid ship-to-ship combat in this
mission, it's likely to become a necessity.
Support: This character can, as
usual, help fellow operatives in attaining any of the aforementioned
duty objectives.
Tech Procurement: The Santhe
Corporations deal in all kinds of technology, and Jal Santhe can
provide information about it.
Episode
1: Boarding the Train
The PCs should be able to handle
the first part of the mission, boarding the mag-lev train, just
through good roleplaying. Even so, the following map and location
descriptions are included to help set the scene, and in case the
situation takes a desperate turn.
The
Station
This
building is often built into a natural hill, an area where the
mag-lev rail passes above the level of the surrounding ground. For
that reason, patrons enter below the main platform and access to the
tracks is restricted.
1.
Main Concourse
This
broad, open area has double doors on both sides for patrons to come
and go. At high-traffic times, naturally, the place is milling with
beings of all sorts. Stairs and turbolifts provide access to the
platform above. The ceiling is six meters high, and is supported by
thick column of durasteel and pourstone.
2.
Ticket Kiosk
Each
of these booths has three stations for droids to buy and sell
tickets. They do not normally check passengers' identification unless
alerted by local authorities to do so.
3.
Turbolift
These
large carriages haul beings up and down all day long. In the event of
an emergency, they can be locked down. Additionally, a locked door
beside each shaft provides maintenance access.
4.
Cafe
For
those beings who wish to pass a little time or who wish to have
sustenance during their travels, these two areas serve all kinds of
food and beverages. Unlike the ticket kiosks, each is operated by
organic staff.
5.
Platform
Turnstiles
lead from the stairways onto the platforms. One side is designated
for each direction, and it is not uncommon for a being to find
oneself on the wrong side of the tracks as the mag-lev train is
approaching. As with the turbolifts, the turnstiles can be locked
during emergencies, but they don't create much of a barrier.
Maintaining
Cover
At the GM's discretion, they
might need to make some Deception checks, opposed by the ticketing
agents' Perception efforts. As always, the GM can add setback or
boost dice, depending on good or bad roleplaying. This should make
the PCs feel tense, but not present any real danger.
Another possibility, of course,
is that a character from one of the PCs' backgrounds makes an
unexpected appearance. This could be a family member, an old romantic
flame, a former criminal associate, or the like.
Episode
2: Planning for Departure
Refer to the map above and the
area descriptions below once the PCs board the mag-lev train.
Control
Cabin
The
bullet-shaped front car of the mag-lev train features a small control
room with a console and chairs for the pilots. There's also a small
refresher unit and a storage area for personal items and emergency
equipment. Note that one of these cars is usually situated at each
end of the train, to provide a backup in the case of a breakdown or
extra push when traveling in the mountains.
Baggage
Car
Shelving
units fill this car, providing space for stowing the luggage that
passengers don't carry on with themselves, along with any cargo that
the mag-lev train might be carrying. In addition to the doors at each
end of the car, there is a set of double-doors on each side to
facilitate loading and unloading.
Dining
Car
Tables
and chairs line the walls of this car, each situated beneath its own
window. Uniformed beings provide table service.
Kitchen
Car
In
addition to cooking surfaces and food preparation areas, along with
the related implements, this car has a cold storage room for keeping
foodstuffs fresh.
Observation/Lounge
Car
Those
passengers who pay for the upgrade can take their ease in this car,
which has comfortably upholstered chairs and sofa along with small
tables. The same beings who work in the dining car also serve
beverages and appetizers here.
Passenger
Car
While
this car provides the most cost-efficient means of travel, there are
few frills involved. Pairs of seats line both sides of the aisle, and
a pair of refreshers are located in the rear of the compartment.
Sleeping
Car
Those
beings who are traveling a great distance have the option of
reserving a room in one of these cars. There are two varieties, with
either a single or a double bed. Each type has its own refresher.
Finding
Fennix
Once they're aboard the train,
the PCs can start looking for Fennix Taro. She starts out in her
private sleeping car, with the Imperial agents next door to her.
Before long she emerges to eat supper, however, spending some time in
the lounge car before moving to the dining car. When that happens,
the Imperials stay close, but don't sit with her.
Fennix Taro—Use the
stats for a Wealthy Noble from page 430 of the core rulebook.
Lieutenant Ennis Dul'Tir—Use
the stats for an Intelligence Agent from page 419. This agent knows
that he's been given a relatively minor assignment, but hopes that,
by conducting himself well, he will be offered more important
business in the future.
Minders—Use the stats
for Naval Troopers from page 419.
Making
Conversation
Approaching Fennis is, at first,
pretty simple. After all, she's an attractive Human woman and so it
seems only natural that someone would want to chat with her. Her
Imperial minders try to seem disinterested, and might need to make
Deception checks opposed to the PCs' Perception efforts in order to
avoid being noticed or eavesdrop on any conversation. Subtle
characters can use seemingly innocuous conversation to reveal who
they are and why they're looking for her, however. Keep in mind that
she is devoted to Jal Santhe, and turns away anyone who just seems
like a flirt.
Creating
a Distraction
This could be an opportunity for
tech-savvy characters to shine. In order to separate Fennix from her
minders, they could cut power to the car in which she is traveling,
trigger an alarm for an automatic stop and evacuation, or something
similar. The mag-lev train has decent protection against such
sabotage, so any such efforts should be Hard (but manageable) tasks.
As always, it's up to the GM to adjudicate any particularly clever
(or crazy) schemes that the players devise.
Starting
a Fight
This development is probably
unavoidable for the PCs, and something that they should approach with
caution. After all, most of the cars are also occupied by innocent
civilian passengers, meaning that stray blaster fire could cause
collateral damage. To reflect this, the GM could use Despair results
in such a way, using the stats for Mechanic (page 413) or Nerf Herder
(433) characters from the core rulebook to represent the wounded.
The Imperials, of course, are not concerned about restraint once the
shooting starts.
Calling
for Backup
At an opportune moment, Lt.
Dul'Tir calls for Imperial backup. This is a planet swarming with the
Empire, of course, given the importance of the local shipyards, and
so there's plenty of help to be had. Once he does so, the action
should move to the endgame portion of this scenario.
Episode
3: Making an Exit
The Imperial response to the
Dul'Tir's call for help comes in two parts. The first of these is an
AA-70 Observation and Command speeder that arrives atop the train and
drops to squads of stormtroopers, each consisting of a sergeant and
four troopers. They force their way into the cars and begin searching
for the Rebels. This should lead into a running battle, as the PCs
try to escape aboard their own ship.
AA-70 Speeder—Use the
stats from page 50 of Lead by Example.
Stormtroopers—Use the
stats from page 420 of the core rulebook.
Stormtooper Sergeants—Use
the stats from page 420.
Imperial Vehicle Corps
Pilot—Use the stats from page 419.
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A
Complication
Fennix has a pet houjix named
Nibbles. She loves this four-legged reptiloid very much, since it
was a present from Jal. The problem is that she's keeping it in
her sleeping car, and it doesn't like beings other than her at
all. She refuses to leave without it, however, and so one of the
PCs (probably a tough fighting-type) needs to retrieve it. The
houjix does not cooperate, so that character needs to stun or
otherwise incapacitate the creature in order to move it. Let the
shenanigans ensue.
Nibbles the Houjix—Use
the stats from page 27 of Strongholds of Resistance.
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The second part of the Imperial
response comes in the form of four TIE fighters that try to shoot
down the PCs' ship.
TIE
Fighters—Use the stats found on page 270 of the core rulebook.
TIE Pilots—Use the
stats found on page 423.
This should not be a battle to
death, but another running fight as the PCs try to escape with their
quarry. While the pilot is trying to avoid being shot out of the
sky, and any gunners are returning fire, other characters can engage
with making repairs to damage suffered and, even more importantly,
plugging in the coordinates for a hyperspace jump. It should take
about six rounds for the PCs to clear Corellia's gravity well and
thus be clear to jump. That last task is Average in difficulty, along
with any setback or challenge dice the GM wants to add due to threat
from the battle or the use of destiny points.
Epilogue
As long as the PCs do escape with
Fennix Taro, they've won an important victory for the Alliance. Jal
Santhe then arranges, via communication with Gaea Rus, to be taken
into custody. He knows a great deal about the Santhe Corporation's
workings, and thus can provide hooks for all manner of future
missions—in particular, one secret project known as “Firestorm.”
Rewards
for Risks
At the GM's discretion, the PCs
should earn 10 experience points for a complete success, or 5 xp for
a good effort; players who stick to their characters' motivations
should earn another 5 xp. At the same time, they should each increase
their Duty rating by 5.
Appendix
1: Opening Crawl
Presented below is
an opening crawl in the style of the Star Wars
movies for use with this scenario.
STAR WARS
AGE OF REBELLION
TURNCOAT
It is a time of civil war.
In order to recruit a Tionese
noble and Santhe Corporation executive,
Rebel agents from Tierfon Base are
preparing to extract his mistress
from under the noses of her
Imperial minders. If they succeed,
they can win a valuable ally for
the Rebel war effort. Failure, on
the other hand, could endanger
scores of innocent lives...
