Knights of the Old Republic - IC

OCC Thread
Rogues Gallery

The Mid-Rim world of Devlak V, on the Ulthan Delta, southern hemisphere of the continent of Cuun.

“The Republics is again at a crossroads my students” Master Nomi Sunrider starts.

Sitting on a large rock near a wide delta where her Jedi academy sits, Master Sunrider spreads out her robes as she looks out at the assembled students whom have answered her summons this morning. Tuff gulls circle and cry overhead as they head to the lower salt beaches below as the first of Devlak V’s suns peeks through the early clouds. “…growing troubles and unrest threaten the peace that so many have spent so much of their lives striving for.”

“200 years old ago, an independent surveyor working for the Republic, discovered a mountainous desert world, 20 parsecs off the Hydian Way HyperJump route. At the time, the world nor the system, held much interest to the Republic, and as the native specie, the Hiss’agoth as they called themselves, were fairly primitive it was decided to leave them alone to develop without interference.”

Handing a datapad to Serrana, Nomi says “This datapad has the most up to date information on Histogoth from the Republic libraries. Each of you should look it over, and keep it until your task is complete.

Datapad info…
[sblock]
The Histogoth System (basic info)
Yellow Star, 4 planets, 1 asteroid belt
1st planet – Glow Rock, hot green-house nightmare world. Little to no minerals or value and no life.
2nd planet – Histogoth (see below).
3rd planet – Orange Heaven, gas giant with four moons. No mining value or life. All but one of the moons are airless, lifeless rocks. One more, Cold Rock, has low oxygen and a very cold atmosphere and mostly covered by glaciers. Some life reported but no colonies or Republic presence there.
Asteroid belt is in 4th orbit, some Czerka and independent mining here, but not extensive.
4th planet – Far Rock, dirty-ice planet, with no mineral value or life.

Histogoth.
Type: Terrestrial Desert (20% covered by water, in the polar regions)
Length of Local Day 28 hours
Length of Local Year 274 local days
Histogoth is a dry, desert world. The equator has an extensive high mountain range, while the small salty seas are located in the polar regions. Most life is found in the mountains, with deep reservoirs of water found underground but near enough the surface that life can be sustained.
The sentient native species is called the Hiss’agoth, whom live almost exclusively in the mountainous equator region. The Hiss’agoth are a reptilian species, averaging 1.7 meter tall, and 70kgs in weight. They have extremely muscular legs allowing them to run very fast and to leap greater distances then might be expended. They scaly skin tends towards brownish coloring, and males have a horned head crest that continues to grow throughout their life. They are fairly primitive by Republic standards, being mostly roving tribal clans of hunter/gatherers. The best weapons they had developed on their own were muskets but most hunter-warriors relied on bows and spears.

NOTE that there is extensive other files on the datapad that character can access, but also includes the following that Nomi tells the students. If you wish to look into any area future, you can make a unskilled Use Computer check, the DC is base 5 and up, and of course you can take 10 or 20 on both of these checks. i.e. the info is not hidden and you can find what ever is there given enough time.[/sblock]

“Then perhaps 100 years ago, prospectors for the Czerka Corporation discovered Gidden-Blue Ore on the great desert plains of the pole regions of the world. The Republic allowed the corporation certain mining rights there, due to the importance of Gidden-Blue. There are few other worlds, in this part of the Republic, where this ore can be so easily mined.”

“The Republic did open contact with the natives at the time, and it was discovered that they cared little for this region of the planet, instead sticking to their high mountains where they had lived for centuries. A few natives did move down into the low-land plains to settle around the numerous Czerka compounds, working as miners and labors.”

“Over time, independent prospectors and others started arriving on the world in ever increasing numbers. The Republic tried to control this immigration, but they had too many other issues to deal with at the time and so it was left unchecked. Unfortunately criminal elements also started to arrive, looking to cash in on the miners new found wealth.”

“The worst of these are centered around a place called Casino City, on the southern hemisphere of the world and near the Yellow-Snake Mountains a fairly holy site for the natives. This appears to be where the troubles with the natives started. The crime bosses of the Casino City, especially one Popottus the Hutt, worked out some deal with Czerka Corporation and local Republic officials to set up their city near a large underground water reservoir, despite local protests.”

“This situation continued for some years, with the natives protesting the despoiling of certain parts of their world, when a group of the mountain dwelling Hiss’agoth started attacking travelers heading to and from Casino City. As time went on, the attacks became more common and deadly. It was rumored that Popottus the Hutt started offering a bounty on native heads, but it has never been proven.”

Sighing slightly, Nomi takes a deep breath before continuing sadly “As tensions escalated, the Hiss’agoth started taking their fight down into the polar plains, attacking the mining operations. Czerka Corporation responded by offering a large bounty on the hides of the Hista’goats, a sturdy mountain herbivore that the natives use for almost everything, including milk, as a means of transportation, almost as a member of each community.”

“Until the arrival of Czerka, the Hiss’agoth had never advanced much above hunter gathers, migrating throughout the mountainous region, following the herds of Hista’goats. They had developed primitive muskets, but mostly relied on iron-tipped bows and spears for weapons. Bowcasters and slug-throwing firearms started making an appearance among the Hiss’agoth 30 years ago and when the raids started, more advanced weapons appeared in their arsenal. They are getting these weapons from off-world smugglers but either Czerka nor the Republic has been able to stop these criminal, nor have they been able to located their bases of operation.”

“And then 20 days ago, a native Hiss’agoth group calling themselves the Pure, issued a statement to the local HaloNet hub, demanding the removal of all non-Hiss’agoth species from the surface of their world within ten local days. When their demands where not meet at the appointed time, they destroyed the local HyperJump HaloNet Beacon junction, but not before they issued another statement… demanding that if the Republic did not remove all non-Hiss’agoth from the planet’s surface in thirty local days, that they would destroy the main Jump Beacon station at Bogden along the Hydian Way. This is a major hub for galactic travel through out this region of the Expanse and the Outer Rim. If it were to be destroyed, untold damage could be inflicted until it was repaired, which could take as long as a year.”

“And this is where you come in my students, I have two main tasks that I am assigning you for your final test to Jedi Knight…”

“First, you will seek out this Hiss’agoth group, the Pure, and you will put a stop too any future acts of terror. If at all possible, try too resolve this peacefully, but if not, they must not threaten the lives of millions of citizens by destroying the JumpBeacon. Use force if you must, but only as a last resort.”

“Second, I want you to uncover whom is supplying weapons and explosives to the Hiss’agoth and the terrorist groups, and put a stop to it. I suspect that elements in Casino City, but do not assume anything. Use the locate Republic and Czerka representatives to help if need be.”

“If you can, you might also negotiate a settlement with Czerka and the Hiss’agoth to quell their differences. Do what you can here, for there is a great deal of tension between the two, and the Republic needs the ore from Histogoth if possible. But if all else fails, the Republic must honor the wishes of the majority of the native species plans for their future. If the present situation continues to escalate, and the native continue turning against off-worlders, then the Republic will have no choice but to leave.”

“The Republic capital ship, Glory of the Republic, will arrive in two days to transport you to the Histogoth system. Without the JumpBecon station there is no other way to get there. The Glory will be able to hold Padawin Jade’s yacht and will remain just outside the system to avoid provoking the situation any further. If you need their assistance though they are at your disposal for the duration of this task.”

Nomi looks over each of the students before her, and says “I know that this is a great responsibility that I set before you, but I have every confidence that you will succeed. If you have any questions, ask them now. You have two days to prepare for departure. And may the Force be with us all.”

---

[OCC – first please describe your character, no need to introduce yourselves to each other as you have all trained together, but an idea of what you look like and what you are wearing would be good. Then on to any questions.

When posting if you could put your Characters Name, Class(es) Hit Points and Conditions in the title that would be cool also, just so we can keep track of who is who.

Questions? Post them over in OCC if they are about the game]

Jarec Noscondra, Soldier 2/Jedi 4, HP 61/61

Jarec sits impassive through the bulk of Master Sunrider's presentation, his pale blue eyes betraying no particular emotion. He frowns slightly when she turns to the Pure, the expression deepening as she concludes. The ragged scar running across his cheek making the expression somewhat ghastly.

"Master Sunrider, if the Hiss’agoth are primitives herding pack animals in the mountains, how did the Pure even gain access to the Hyperspace Beacon, let alone destroy it?" He shakes his head. "I can understand their frustration - even their anger - but I don't see how they could have come by the means?"

Serrana Vao, Twi'lek Female Scoundrel 5/Jedi 1, 48/48 HP (no conditions)

[sblock=OOC]A hunter/gather culture is not going to invent firearms. Although Serrana would not realize this (since it's entirely outside her experience and interests), someone with Knowledge (social sciences) probably would twing that even the 'local' muskets are most likely imports, or at least built based on off-world designs.[/sblock]

[sblock=Serrana's description]Serrana is short (only a little over 1.5m tall), blue-skinned, blue-eyed, just barely an adult by Twi'lek standards, and 'cute', with her lekku (head-tails) usually curling around behind her head. Although she wears the off-white Jedi robes of a Padawan, it's pretty easy to tell that she's more comfortable in a flight suit even after nearly two years as Master Sunrider's student. She carries has the utility pack she almost always wears arranged so that all the tool pouches are on one hip, and the holsters for her blaster and lightsaber are on the other, ready for her to draw right-handed. She makes no effort to conceal the weaponry; otherwise someone might see a pretty young Twi'lek and get the wrong idea.[/sblock]

More than a little surprised at what Master Sunrider saying this was the final test before Knighthood for all of them -- she would have wagered more than a few credits that she was well behind her fellow Padawans in learning the Jedi arts -- Serrana reads through the datapad before passing it around to the others, pausing for a moment to copy the pertinent files to her own.

"I wonder who's smuggling what." She muses. She might have a disturbing tendancy not to catch these things when she was in the middle of them, but Mirana Vao's daughter could recognize the front for a scam when she saw one. Her parents had run enough of them. "Might be something else, but I'd toss five credits on smuggling. And another five that the Pure are going to be running into some problems with their arms suppliers in the very near future."

Elan Xandar Renn, jedi 6, HP 68/68

“Master Sunrider, a few questions, if I may,” Elan Xandar Renn spoke quietly from the back of the gathering. Slightly below average in height for a human, and slim but wiry rather than muscular, Elan dressed in tan and brown jedi robes. His only visible weapon was a lightsaber, bequeathed to him by his first teacher in the Jedi arts. It’s blue-white energy blade, was by now familiar to the other Padawans who had trained and sparred with him.

In his late twenties, Elan Xandar Renn was old for a Padawan, but he had started his training later than most Jedi candidates.

A quiet fellow, not prone to long winded speeches, he spoke softly. He drew back the hood of the brown outer robe, revealing tanned skin, medium length black hair, neatly trimmed goatee, and dark eyes. The intensity of his gaze mirrored the strength of his commintment to the Jedi ways.

“If I understand correctly, then this Casino City is the largest settlement on the planet? If so, are the attacks mainly concentrated there, or against the individual Czerka mining stations? It stands to reason that we stand a better chance of finding these rebels in or near the largest offworlder population center. There, I suppose, are the main Czerka offices also located?”

“Also, Master, will we require protocol droids to communicate with the Hiss’agoth? Do they speak Basic, or some other language familiar to us?”

“And lastly, is there some form of local Hiss’agoth government, be it religious or political? Is there some figure we could contact, who holds some form of influence over the tribes, or is their culture so fragmented that there is little or no contact between the clans?”

Jarec said:

"Master Sunrider, if the Hiss’agoth are primitives herding pack animals in the mountains, how did the Pure even gain access to the Hyperspace Beacon, let alone destroy it?" He shakes his head. "I can understand their frustration - even their anger - but I don't see how they could have come by the means?"

Click to expand...

Nodding her head, Master Nomi smiles and says "I suspect, but have no proof, that whomever is smuggling them weapons might also have supplied them with starship that got them to the local JumpBeacon. It is unlikely, but possible, that this same group has access to a starship with advanced Nav computer systems. These are extremely expensive ships of course, but if there is any chance that they can carry out their threat, you must discover and stop it."

"Also, the smugglers must be getting paid extermely well, but I am unsure what the natives are paying them with. It is a mystery that I can not answer."

drothgery said:

OCC [sblock]A hunter/gather culture is not going to invent firearms. Although Serrana would not realize this (since it's entirely outside her experience and interests), someone with Knowledge (social sciences) probably would twing that even the 'local' muskets are most likely imports, or at least built based on off-world designs.[/sblock]

Click to expand...

OCC [sblock]True but this is Star Wars after all... there are a few permenant city-dwelling centers where they might have been developed [/sblock]

Elan Xandar Renn said:

"If I understand correctly, then this Casino City is the largest settlement on the planet? If so, are the attacks mainly concentrated there, or against the individual Czerka mining stations? It stands to reason that we stand a better chance of finding these rebels in or near the largest offworlder population center. There, I suppose, are the main Czerka offices also located?”

“Also, Master, will we require protocol droids to communicate with the Hiss’agoth? Do they speak Basic, or some other language familiar to us?”

“And lastly, is there some form of local Hiss’agoth government, be it religious or political? Is there some figure we could contact, who holds some form of influence over the tribes, or is their culture so fragmented that there is little or no contact between the clans?”

Click to expand...

Nomi nods and replies "Casino City is only the largest non-Czerka city, the other major non-native cities of note are mostly concentrated closer to the poles. The datapad should have all their names. The Republic capital is Landing Port North, where I believe the major Czerka offices are also located."

"Yes I will arrange for a protocol droid to be provide to you. Many of the natives do speak basic but not all."

"As for local Hiss'agoth government there is none that I know of, but there are a number of permanent settlements located through out the mountains. The one that I know of is called Summer's Lake and is in the Yellow-Mountains not far from where Casino City is located. It is said to hold some religious importance to the Hiss'agoth, but I do not know what"

Jade Shesh [Noble 4/Jedi 2] 42/42HP

Jade lounges on large rock, leaning back with her weight resting on her elbow. The heiress was wearing a set of luxurious jedi robes made of a green silk that matches her eyes. Just the cut of the robes looked expensive, and they emphasized her form in a not very jedi-like way. Shaking her head softly so that her blonde hair swayed back and forth, Jade smiled softly at Jarec's question. The Hiss’agoths were primitives, it was most likely someone else backing the reptiles for their own benifit, someone wanting to disrupt the trade route. Planets along the other trade routes would certainly benifit from the disruption, or anyone wishing to spread chaos.

"It is unlikely that the Hiss’agoth are acting on their own in this, most likely someone is using them. Neutralize their benefactor and the Hiss’agoth will fall into line." A small almost negligible gesture summons the datapad to her hand and she begins to look over the data on the pad to see who else besides the Hiss’agoth would benefit from the removal of the Republic from the planet, or the closure of the trade route.

"Who is commanding the Glory of the Republic? And What exactly are his orders should we have to pursue this else where?"

Talesa Nell, Miraluka Female Noble 1/Jedi, 45/45 HP (No Conditions)

Talesa Nell sat on a rock, her legs crossed beneath her. She was short, standing at a meter and a half at most. Her hair was long and purple, and she was very thin, almost frail, even. She wore a simple, light blue robe with her lightsaber in her belt at her left side, and a standard issue Republic military medkit was carried at her right side. The most distinctive feature on Talesa's face was the plain, white blindfold that she had tied over her eyes. In all her time with the Jedi Order, the only person who had ever seen her without it on was Nomi. The purpose of the blindfold was not to restrict her sight, indeed, a simple blindfold couldn't begin to restrict her true sight, but rather, to spare others the sight of her dead, white eyes.

"I wonder," she mused, out loud. "I agree with Jade. It seems likely that some other group is using the natives for their own purposes. It could perhaps even be an attempt to discredit the Hiss’agoth in the eyes of the Republic citizens and government. Are there any other movements among the Hiss’agoth working towards the removal of the Republic from their world? More peaceful ones, I mean."

[sblock]What does Talesa know about Czerka Corporation? Galactic Lore +10.[/sblock]

Nicolas would, as always find himself seperated a little from the remainder of the padawans. A jedi practically from birth he had always tended towards the more mystical aspects of the force, concentraiting himself towards being mindful of the will of the living force, doing his best to merely be a conduit for its designs.

He was a young man, Just eighteen years of age, his clothing a coarse brown jedi robe, the inevitable itching and chafing serving only to focus his center of self, to bring him back to reality when need be. His eyes flashed open, a soft baby blue as he glanced slowly among the assembled students, waiting for each to ask their questions in turn before finally raising his voice in inquery.

"These..." he glanced down to his datapad, tapping it briefly to be certain of the pronunciation. "Hiss'agoth. Are there any recorded instances of force sensitives among them? You mentioned that they had religion and though it is not always the case many primitive religions are based off basic knowledge of the force." He did not add that in most cases, those primitive religions tended towards dark side force users as a natural result of those having the power lacking the disipline of the Jedi.

"I ask only because... well with the force as their ally these hiss'agoth could certainly be capable of all of the things they are credited for without the need for anything but basic arms suppliers."

He smiled thinly, offering a shrug as he dipped his head. That was Nicolas' way, if all of the others agreed on a possibility, he seemed to require to come up with an alternate solution. Nine out of Ten his solution was always off base, but it brought discussion and possibility to their planning, always a good goal.

Jade Shesh said:

"Who is commanding the Glory of the Republic? And What exactly are his orders should we have to pursue this else where?"

Click to expand...

Master Nomi replies "Captain Ardeana Dul-Quinn is commanding the Glory, and her orders are to provide you any and all assistances that you might require. Please use discretion though, as the Jedi do not have any true authority over the Republic Military. But if, as I suspect, those responsible for arming the Hiss’agoth have access to a capital ship with advanced Nav systems, you will need their help.”

Talesa Nell said:

"I wonder," she mused, out loud. "I agree with Jade. It seems likely that some other group is using the natives for their own purposes. It could perhaps even be an attempt to discredit the Hiss’agoth in the eyes of the Republic citizens and government. Are there any other movements among the Hiss’agoth working towards the removal of the Republic from their world? More peaceful ones, I mean."]

Click to expand...

Master Nomi shakes her head "I am afraid that I know none of the groups that are looking for the Republic to leave, except a few natives whom reside in Landing Port North. I would suspect that those Hiss'agoth whom have settled around Yellow Snake might be involved with the mountain dwellers who wish the Republic to go, only because of Casino City proximity."

Talesa Nell said:

[sblock]What does Talesa know about Czerka Corporation? Galactic Lore +10.[/sblock]

Click to expand...

[sblock]
NOTE normally you can make your own rolls but I will in this case... 1d20+10= 27
Czerka Corporation, is a Galaxy-spanning business involved in hundreds of manufacturing, development and sales enterprises. They are a Republic leader in weapons development and involved heavily in mining on thousands of worlds. But they are also leaders in droid development, hyperdrive manufacturing, and planetary development (everything from home building, to service sector, HoloNet and JumpBeacon maintenance, etc).
It is rumored, but has never been proved that the company also engages in a large number of illegal activities, including slave trading, weapon smuggling and supporting pirates in the Outer Rim worlds.[/sblock]

Nicolas said:

"These..." he glanced down to his datapad, tapping it briefly to be certain of the pronunciation. "Hiss'agoth. Are there any recorded instances of force sensitives among them? You mentioned that they had religion and though it is not always the case many primitive religions are based off basic knowledge of the force."

"I ask only because... well with the force as their ally these hiss'agoth could certainly be capable of all of the things they are credited for without the need for anything but basic arms suppliers."

Click to expand...

Again Master Nomi shakes her head, saying “I do not believe that a Jedi has every visited the planet, at least not according to our recorders here. I believe that the datapad notes that there are rumors of a mystical order called the Night Warlocks but they are only rumored and it seems that the natives refer to them as something of a boggy-man as a warning for their children to be good.”