Star Wars

These Shattered Stars

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Introduction

This is the information page for These Shattered Stars, a campaign world based upon the Star Wars Expanded Universe. In this campaign, the Great Hyperspace War takes several years, and is very slow going for all sides involved. The War also becomes a great turning point in both the Sith Hierarchy and the Jedi Order.

Other Pages

• There is no limit to the number of times whch a character may have Weapon Focus for a particular weapon. Note that each iteration of Weapon Focus counts as a separate feat.
• Lightsabres use the dexterity mod to determine if a hit was made, instead of strength. The Weapon Finesse feat allows one to use the dexterity mod as a modifier for lightsabre damage.
• Dark Side Points (and Light Side Points) are given based solely on motivation. Merely using Force Strike against a living opponent does not result in the issuance of a DSP. There must be clear motivation that a person used it in an inethical manner.
• As an option, a Force Warrior may take, in lieu of the +1d6 increased unarmed damage at L2, L5, and L8, an automatic Trip attack at L2, an automatic Trip OR Disarm at L5, and an automatic Trip AND Disarm attack at L8. This is in lieu of the +1d6; the Force Warrior would not get the added unarmed damage. In such a case, the Force Warrior then uses DEX instead of STR to determine their melee attack.
• Armor is armor. Unless you are attempting to use HEAVY or POWERED armor, you DO NOT need an Armor Proficiency feat to wear it. You may have to make do with taking some extra time (a few rounds) to put it on but you will not suffer armor checks.

Rumors

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Campaign Information

Note: The information below is not neccessarilly widely-known. All of it can be assumed to be known to the player characters with at most some research. However, some of it is not commonly known. The following scale is therefore used:

1. Knowledge that every Republic citizen could be expected to know.
2. Knowledge that you could find by doing a HoloNet search, and would know how to find.
3. Uncommon knowledge. If you didn't attend a class on it, you probably don't know it.
4. Rare knowledge; there's an obscure textbook in every university library that has this information.
5. Knowledge that only the PCs (and the subject, if applicable) would know. Secrets Which Can Get you Killed.

Click here for the Jedi Order page.

Scale: 4

Early in the history of the Republic, when the various Force traditions were gathering together for the first times and exchanging their learnings, before the rise of the Jedi Order, Ogana had a peculiar Force tradition of it's own, though it was obscure and often relegated to the status of "cult." The Bendu were monastics, cenobites who isolated themselves in their lonely monasteries atop various craggy mountains, eschewing outside contact. It was actually historic when representatives attended some of the conferences between scholars who were studying the Force.

The Bendu would have a strong influence on the formation of the Jedi Order. The monks proved to actually have one of the most comprehensive views of the Force, laced with a great deal of Oganan mythology. Many of their symbols were adopted by the various scholars, though it was perhaps unfortunate that the Light Side of the Force was focussed upon by the latter conclaves.

The Bendu themselves claimed a very balanced view of the Force, viewing sentient beings as being composed of at least nine types of spirits or motivations, one of which was an impetus for balance. These eight motivations opposed each other, and gave rise to the ethos of balance in all things. Pride or Honor balanced Caregiving, Creativity balanced Preservation, Discipline or Order balanced Growth or Chaos, and Serenity balanced Emotion. Only when one was in blance did the ninth aspect arise and allow the person to achieve enlightenment. Each of these motivations tied into major figures of the Oganan pantheon; interestingly, so did the ninth aspect, which was represented by a hermaphroditic, formless being which was never worshipped by anyone other than the Bendu.

The convocations were not entirely kind to many traditions. Once the Force -- for want of a better word -- was confirmed and proven to exist, the various conferences began to strip away the mythologies and symbolism that hundreds of traditions had forged over the millenia. What remained, amidst the cries of outrage, was a secular, scientific study of the Force, and the seeds of a group which would become the Jedi Order. This group focussed on the emphasis of the Light Side of the Force, which at the time was really the only politically correct decision to make; many felt that for users of the Force to even imply that they "gave in" to the desires of the id, in whatever way, the Force would come to be seen as a negative thing, and users of it would be suppressed.

The Syncretic Assembly, as this group was then known, was initially very freewheeling and diverse. Despite the secular basis of the group -- that is, the scientific deliberations of the scholarly convocations -- the Syncretic Assembly had very little issue, at first, with whatever way a member chose to invoke their use of the Force. Many chose to call themselves by traditional names, such as "priestess" or "sorcerer." The Syncretic Tradition accepted the Bendu symbol of the Ninefold Force, much to the chagrin of the monks, who saw the Assembly's focus on the Light Side, or "Ashla" as they called it, as potentially dangerous and destructive, as much as the Dark Side. Despite their protests, the Assembly gave a great deal of credit to the Bendu, and in frustration the monks retreated to their monasteries, refusing any and all further contact with the Syncretic Assembly.

Over the next five hundred years, the Syncretic Assembly gained acceptance in the nascent Republic, and they adopted a sort of chivalric and monastic code, based loosely upon numerous traditions of monastic knights. The Syncretic Assembly eventually homogenized, and their members came to known themselves as "knights." It was as the "Order of Jedi Knights" that the Republic formally recognized them, the word "Jedi" being taken from one of the original interchange languages of the galaxy as a term for "luminous being," reflecting the adherence to the inherent "rightness" of the Light Side of the Force that the Syncretic Assembly began and which the Order of Jedi Knights whished to continue. (The word "Jedi" is actually from the Ogana language.) Several thousand years later, with the formal establishment of the padawan system and the assumption of the rank of "master" by a number of knights, the order was renamed to, simply, the "Jedi Order." Ironically, some five thousand years after the formation of the Republic, there would be what would eventually be called the Heresy Wars, which for the most part weren't wars at all, in which the Jedi asserted their dominance over other Force traditions in the Galaxy, reasoning that it was important that the Light Side of the Force remain ascendant.

The Bendu, meanwhile, had lost numbers steadilly to the Syncretic Assembly, and were often viewed as a superstitious lot. Three thousand years after the formation of the Jedi Order, they were in trouble of disappearing (which it was interesting to note was made little mention of in the minutes of the Jedi Council.) The government of Ogana declared them a part of their "national heritage" and arranged for funding to maintain the order. Some few Jedi who become disillusioned with the Order as a whole occasionally find their way to the sole remaining Bendu monastery, thus (somehow) maintaining the numbers of the monks.

The Kono

Scale: 4

The Kono were formed as a "loyal opposition" to the Syncretic Assembly, insisting that the Balanced Force be the path taken instead of the Light Side. The debates between members of the kono and the Syncretic Assembly were almost legendary, if somewhat repetetive after a time, and for a time the Kono represented a very viable and attractive alternative to the Syncretic Assembly and, later, the Jedi Order.

With the Senatorial Resolution naming the Jedi as Republic peacekeepers and plenipotentiaries representing the Chancellor (the same resolution which named the position of "Chancellor" as "Supreme Chancellor") the Kono saw a dramatic decrease in popular support, and they became little more than a curiosity. They lingered clear until the Heresy Wars, during which they half-heartedly fought with the Jedi against various darksider cults, after which they disappeared. The Kono are more widely recognized by Jedi historians as being the mothertradition of the original Silver Path.

The Silver Path

Scale: 4
Note: This entry is written from the point of view of the Academy's records.

A minor society that remained secret, the Silver Path dateed to the time of the Heresy Wars. They were very careful about what they did and who knew about them. Certainly, the Templars had knowledge of the Silver Path, and were highly disapproving of it; Jedi who were discovered to have even cordial relations with the Silver Path were called before the Tribunal.

The Silver Path is actually not peculiar to the Kono. It was, in fact, a confraternal society founded by both Jedi and Kono; attempts to include darksiders in it's numbers tended to fail miserably, though some "triats," or groups of three (which is how the Kono preferred to operate) which included Jedi, Kono, and various benign darksider cults, saw some success, particularly ones which included a priest of Savalli Kho. While most Kono had full knowledge of the Silver Path, relatively few Jedi or Savalli knew of it themselves.

The society's initial goals were to promote tolerance for and understanding of non-Jedi Force-users, darkside and lightside alike. Admittedly, this was not at all easy, especially with the Templars, and almost ten thousand years of avoiding any sort of involvement with the Dark Side by the Jedi Council. Members of the Silver Path also taught against the purely stoic and serene attitude undertaken by the Templars. In time, this failure to achieve any sort of understanding between the Force traditions which perceived a dualist Force, together with the withering and eventual collapse of the Kono tradition, led to the turning of the Silver Path into a militant organization.

The Valsar of Byss

Scale: 4

With the formation of the Syncretic Assembly, most Force traditions either faded away into history, turned in upon themselves and became isolationist, or joined or were folded into the Assembly. Very few endured, and even fewer new ones were founded outside of the Heresy Wars. One group which managed to form on it's own and thrive was the Valsar of Byss. The darkly beautiful world in the Deep Core had been colonized early in the Republic's history, but the difficulty of entering the Deep Core meant that colonies there were often left to their own devices for long periods of time. This developed into a Republic-loyal but fiercely independant culture. On Byss, a small group of Force-sensitive beings began to experiment with their own abilities, working in secret and in a lodge system, managing to avoid the notice of the Jedi.

After a number of pirate attacks on outlying settlements on Byss in which the society fought off the outlaws, the society began to gain some local approval, and local scholars would often attend the meetings. While there were undoubtedly secret meetings, the society began to be more open, and much like many fraternal societies on other planets, became an integral part of the local community.

For several hundred years, the Valsarian Society was a strong supporter of the communities of Byss, and it became common for politicians and leaders to join the Society. The higher degrees of the society, however, had come to explore deeper and father into the Force than the Jedi ever had, even perhaps approaching the understanding possessed by the Bendu. It was archaeologists assosciated with the Valsarian Society who discovered various artifacts assosciated with a long-collapsed native race's civilization. These artifacts allowed a small expedition, fifteen thousand years before the Great Hyperspace War, to be sent from Byss to the world of Had Abbadon. The Valsarian Society discovered the world-city and it's artificial moons, and did much to unite the disparate, degenerate tribes which inhabited the world.

The Society then, quite calmly and unexpectedly, took over Had Abbadon.

That is probably an extreme way of putting it, but that's how the hyperspace explorers out of N'Zoth described the situation. Despite local support for the Society and a track record of a benevolent, progressive oligarcy over Had Abbadon, the Republic Guard attempted to oust the Valsar on both Byss and Had Abbadon. On Byss they were ignored, and the Valsar simply went into hiding, using their abilities with the Force to conceal themselves. On Had Abbadon it was a little more brutal, and when the Republic attempted to install a democratic government the natives took strong exception to this, and killed all of the appointed officials.

Somewhere in this campaign, a Force-sensitive member of the Guard detachment realized that there was some sort of Force involvement, and the Jedi Order responded by organizing a company and sending them into the Deep Core. This company, which came to be known as the Company of Knights of the Bright Star (usually called simply the Brightstars) had the unfortunate experience of discovering that the Valsar had a well-developed and dynamic Force tradition amongst their upper degrees, a tradition which promoted the "Shattered Force" model. This campaign, more than anything, revealed the Jedi's distinct lack of ability to fight using small unit tactics, when half the company was wiped out. Most fell victim to the skaav, a unique Valsarian weapon which was, simply, small, high-density metallic balls which could be thrown and manipulated to wood- (and armor-) piercing velocities and remarkable accuracy by the Valsarian adepts. Eventually, however, trade embargoes and pressure from other Deep Core worlds allowed the campaign to end in a stalemate, and the Valsarian Society officially withdrew from the government of Had Abbadon.

Though they remained as a fraternal society, no member of the higher (Force-using) degrees has been seen in millenia. They are believed to have hidden themselves on Had Abbadon, and as long as they remain there, the Jedi Order is more than willing to not pursue any sort of agenda against them.

The Brightstars eventually became the company of knights charged with the proctorship of the Deep Core, and they were headquartered on on Byss, where the company has it's priory. Since that time, the ranks of the Brightstars have been filled mostly with consulars and archaeologists, with very few guardians. The Jedi of the Deep Core have done a great deal to better relations between the independant native peoples and the Republic, and have also improved the local perceptions of Jedi. This has led to the unique order from the Council stating that any Jedi travelling in the Deep Core must first report to the Byss Priory of the Brightstars directly.

Had Abbadon

Scale: 3

Coruscant is not unique. There are a few other world-cities, but they all lack the glamour and fame of Coruscant. Had Abbadon is one of these world-cities, located far in the Deep Core behind layers of nebulae and dust clouds. The world is indeed known to the Archives of both the Jedi Order and the Senate, but it is rarely visited due to the difficulty of reaching it. While nominally a member of the Republic, like most worlds in the Deep Core sectors it is ferociously independant and only rarely do senators from the Deep Core attend the Senate on Coruscant.

The Shattered Force

The Shattered Force model is considered heretical by the Jedi Order and most other traditions that hold to a model of a Unifying or Living Force. It is distinctly antithetical to those traditions, (though the Bendu have apparently been studying it ever since they heard about it.) What didn't help things any was the fact that the Valsar did more than merely hold their own against the Jedi sent against them. While this may have been the Valsar's willingness to train themselves beforehand in coordinated tactics and strategy, their sorcery held a great deal of worry (and, often enough, pain) for the Jedi, and it was used in ways which were "grey" -- not quite "darksider" but not exactly espousing peace and harmony and diplomatic solutions to problems; the Valsar had no problems with preemptive strikes.

The Khomm Triads

The conflict with the Khomm Triads took a turn for the worse, however, when there was a bungled assassination attempt against the knight-captain of a local company of the Order militant. This triggered a very strong reprisal against the Khomm Triads, however it was slow in coming. In the meantime a number of other darksider cults saw the Order as being weak following the conflicts with the Dark Jedi. Others -- even some lightsider groups -- saw this as their last chance to remain unfettered to the Order. What eventually spawned from the conflict with the Khomm Triads was perhaps some of the most brutal ideological conficts ever known: the Heresy Wars.

The Savalli Kho

Click here for the Galactic Republic page.

Scale: 2

Twenty thousand years ago, an economically aggressive race in the Outer Rim Territories became disturbed by the economic effect that the conquests of Xim the Despot was having. The Corellian's actions were having a negative effect on the galactic economy. Moreover, it was likely he would come after them at some point. In addition to this, important albeit secondary, he was waging a war of conquest and forced unification against the galaxy, and needed to be stopped for that reason.

This race was the Hutts, and though shrewd financial acumen -- and sometimes outright threat -- they managed to get together a coalition of Mid Rim races, whose sole purpose was to oppose Xim. Ironically, the Hutts would forge the start of what would eventually become the Republic. With the defeat and disappearance of Xim, and the signing of the Treaty of Coruscant, the groundwork was laid, and over the next few centuries the great Galactic Republic would be formed.

For a time, nobody forgot the contributions the Hutts made to this great act. Nobody was allowed to forget; the Hutts would bring it up at any chance. However, the formation of the Republic was not done according strictly to the Hutts wishes, and the short-lived alliance between the Hutt "nations" collapsed. The Hutts withdrew to their own region, henceforth known as Hutt Space. There was never again any sort of true unity amongst the Hutts, and each major "family" (consisting of perhaps two or three members at most) ruled significant financial holdings, operated mostly by slave, indentured, or low-rent labor.

The Hutts were not above a little dirty deeds themselves, and Hutt Space became a sort of free-trade zone where anything could be bought for a price, somewhere. The infamous spice mines of Kessel were in this region, operated by a number of Hutt families, in fact the largest single consistent alliance of Hutts in galactic history. This situation was excaberated by the increasing number of drifters, criminals (and the assosciated pursuit by bounty hunters,) and scoundrels looking to make easy money in illicit trade or services. Many of these dregs would be taken up by the Hutt crime lords, forming retinues or "courts" for their masters.

But a "shadow" economy is of no use without a "legitimate" economy to lie under, and this is one of history's great ironies. In snubbing the formation of the Republic, the Hutts set themselves up to step into a waiting vacuum that the leadership of the Republic had no idea would exist. The control of the underworld would give the Hutts a great deal of influence in illicit and quasi-legal affairs. Huttee became the de facto language of choice for the underworld, and hitmen subcontracted through the Hutts became commonplace.

The Republic has had varying success in suppressing Hutt-sponsored and -subcontracted crime. The truth is, the Republic enjoys some benefits to having the Hutts be a separate entity from themselves. More than a few "special operations" missions have actually been quietly contracted out to the Hutts, providing not only plausable deniability but also an alternative "black" source of funds. Hutt Space also provides a counter-point to the Republic; criminal elements eventually migrate to the relative freedom of Hutt Space. The Republic does not expend resources in pursuing lesser criminals, but does encourage the practice of placing bounties, and has permitted members to do the same. This has, in some cases, backfired; the Hutt crime lords have leapt upon the practice of bounties for their own vendettas, to the point where "bounty" is starting to loose some of it's meaning as a government-sanctioned pursuit of a known criminal.

The Hutts tend to be, in foreign relations, laid-back and easygoing for the most part; Republic politics do not interest them. Intrusions on their territory, however, are met swiftly and with (creative) vengeance. The Hutts can, though their operatives and agents, cause a great deal of trouble for the Republic, to the point where most analyses regarding the feasibility of overwhelming the Hutts with military force usually end with the Republic in financial ruin. For this reason, and the fact that there is only so far that the Republic can reach, the Hutts are permitted to maintain their state so long as they do not take military action against the Republic or any of the lesser "client states" which the Republic is allied with or maintains in the Outer Rim Territories.

[NEW] Some Hutts are citizens of the Republic. They are (generally) law-abiding and while they drive hard bargans and are shrewd financialists, they are no more guilty of financial crimes than most other brokers. They are occasionaly singled out as being the sources of various illicit dealings. Most Hutts who do so, however, keep that business in their own space; the various and sundry Republic criminal organizations have a constant enmity with the Hutts, and very strictly maintain their territory against any encroachment.

Hutts tend to be unlikable, since they participate in very unlikable business. For the most part, Hutts will make no bones about the multitudinous affairs they participate in, most of which would be considered illicit by Republic standards. What to a Republican is "illegal" or "immoral" is to a Hutt a simple "business deal." The areas where the Hutts garner most of their trade with the Republic shadow economy is in the vice trade. Spice is a major export from Hutt Space, and many smugglers make their start (or their unpleasant end) in running spice for the Hutts. While use is generally considered a "victimless crime" in the Republic, narcotics such as spice and ryll are heavily regulated and considered high-risk substances; their import is strictly regulated if not banned altogether.

Another area which the Hutts have a reputation in is extortion. Most Hutt families maintain an active band of "pirates" on retainer to harrass the merchants "protected" by other Hutt families, or at least to provide plausable deniability. These "pirates" are just as often called upon to defend their employer's shipping as they are to attack their employer's competition's shipping. Again, a Hutt takes his territory very seriously, and encroachments of this type are usually the Hutt equivalent of acts of war.

A short note warning travellers in Hutt Space: The Hutts are gangsters. They are inclined to see anything in their territory as automatically theirs, if given enough reason. The key to dealing with the Hutts is diplomacy and not being too smart for one's self. A Hutt who feels he has been cheated or is not being given the respect he feels he deserves is prone to unpleasant temperament. Hutts in such states tend to get very creative in reasserting their dominance over the people in their territory. This has unfortunate effects for not only the subjects of the Hutts' wrath, but also bystanders. Many Hutts are not at all averse to imposing punishments that not only stretch the definition of "cruel and unusual," but also bend, break, and outright disintegrate such definitions.

Those who have had long-term dealings with the Hutts have some things to add, however. Expect a Hutt to go by the letter of his word if not the spirit. Calling a Hutt to task on a trivial point will make them... irritable. Hutts are businessmen, however, no matter how gangsterish they are; they will come through on their word. In the underworld, it is impossible to do otherwise. Of course, this translates, more often than not, into, "If a Hutt tells you he's going to have you killed, you will be killed," but a Hutt takes his racketeering seriously; if a Hutt is paid protection money, he will provide protection... or at least retribution. (Flowers at your funeral are extra.) It is rare to find a Hutt who will allow someone to talk down to them, and almost all Hutts have the power, finances, and courtiers (i.e. flunkies) to enforce their will upon others. However, some Hutts respect strength of character, either amused or impressed by bravado, and if treated well, they may make offers of employment to the daring. This is a dangerous gambit, however, because many Hutts are just as likely to turn around and "retire" employees who have shown too much courage in standing up to their boss.

Contrary to popular belief, there have been a few Hutt Jedi. However, because of the Hutts' natural corpulence and low mobility, they tend to find themselves in the Jedi Academy or the Order's financial offices. There are currently no more than six Hutt Jedi in the entire Order. (They are also amongst the most physically-fit of any Hutt anyone would ever see, but this does little to add to their mobility; lacking a spine tends to detract from one's general physical agility.)

The Mandalorians

Scale: 3

Mandalore is a world or a group of worlds somewhere in the galactic west, out past Tapani Sector in the Outer Rim; the exact location is not known. Mandalore is known for producing high-quality soldiers. Sometimes, individual soldiers or bands of them will venture out into the galaxy and offer their services as mercenaries or, much more recently, as bounty hunters. They charge exorbitantly for their services, however. This has led some to believe that Mandalore is very resource-poor, and is trading the skills of it's soldiers for money to purchase needed material. The only thing known for certain is that the Mandalorians warriors are very highly-skilled, their technology is very advanced, and even fights between them and Jedi can be close matches.

Technology

Scale: 3

The history of the bowcaster and the lightsabre are actually comingled, much to the surprise of some historians. The technologically-advanced Wookie civilization on Kashyyyk were contacted not long after the resolution of the initial major heresies of the Jedi Order. The Wookies had discovered some interesting effects from the creation of small, high-momentum rotating energy fields. In particular, energy fields with superconducting properties could cause quite a bit of molecular disruption. At first, and for many years, this was only possible in a lab. Later, an design for a "molecular drill" was exported from Kashyyyk to other planets. While it did not cause a major revolution in industrial processes, it did push this design from the merely theoretical to the practical arena.

Once advanced power sources came into being, it became possible to generate this field from a man-portable device. At first used as a sort of drill or energy-based jackhammer, the uses for a weapon became apparent. There was a quantum leap in development when a power source small enough to be carried on a belt was developed, and a handheld emitter was built. For the most part, the galaxy's soldiers scoffed at the energy-based melee weapon. Vibroblades were quieter, less visible, and could be thrown. And at range, nothing beat a concussion rifle. However, one band of warriors paid very close attention to the new developments. They were members of the fledgeling Jedi.

The design of the molecular disruptor blade intrigued them. For millenia, swords were always given especial reverence, and had become the centers of focus for whole philosophies. This blade of energy held a fascination for many of the disparate philosophies that made up the Jedi in that time. The blade was researched, improved, and sublimated into the lightsabre that has since come into legend and song.

In the meantime, the Wookies were looking closely at the technology that they had developed, and were watching carefully the directions it was taking. One scientist had the idea of determining a way to detach the field from the generator and accelerating it to use as a ranged weapon. This neccessitated a number of changes, such that, aside from the initial field generator, the resulting weapon had little or no resemblance to the lightsabres that the Jedi were now wielding. It was also significantly different from concussion weapons, requiring a cross-beam with stabilizing field spheres. And it was heavy. This was a significant divergence from common weapon technologies of the time, and few were willing to make use of the Wookie weapon. Except the Wookies, of course, and Wookie adventurers took it up as a trademark weapon. For the most part, the bowcaster, as it came to be known as, could not be significantly improved, and would remain the same, with some mild improvements in accuracy, damage, and range, for the remainder of the life of the Republic.

Iso-Gloves

Scale: 2

The iso-glove is a common item found in the packs of archaeologists throughout the galaxy. The item is of simple design: it is a hermetic covering of the hand or other manipulative appendate, fitting snugly about halfway up the forearm, with automatic fitting polymers which when activated tighten it along the appendate. The digit-tips are covered in a non-skid surface, and along the back of the hand are the generators for a short-range buffer field. This allows an archaeologist to pick up and manipulate an artifact or potsherd without apply the strength of his own grasp upon it, nor to contaminate the item he is manipulating.

Darksiders

The Sith Empire

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