Star Wars -- Corporate Defiance
Here are the IC and Rogue's Gallery threads.
[sblock=Overview]Everyone calls it Darkness nowadays. The real name of the moon orbiting Danoate has been lost to time and the depths of the Imperial galactic database, and as it stands, no one really cares what it was originally called anyway -- even the native feline Zarsen (the younger ones, at least) have begun to believe that perhaps it is better left forgotten. The only salvation for this otherwise forgotten lump of rock in space is that it is self-sufficient: otherwise, all life (whether the natives or the colonists and entrepreneurs from across the galaxy now forced to call this moon their home) would have ceased to exist.
The inhabitants of Darkness have been trapped on what many of them would call a virtual penal colony for seven years: no ships have come, from all indications, and none have certainly left, especially now with the spaceport in such disrepair. The pollution doesn’t help, either -- the sky is black as night, no matter the time of day, and the acid rain that results from the extreme pollution can kill a sentient in a matter of minutes. Still, however, people manage to scrape by and subsist, however meagerly. There are, however, certain exceptions: MarTech being by far the most prevalent, although some other (albeit smaller) entrepreneurs manage to do well for themselves.[/sblock]
[sblock=History]Darkness is the home to the Zarsen, a feline race that some would call “cousins” to the Wookiees (although certainly not to their faces -- both species take offense at the comparison). During the waning days of the Old Republic (approximately two hundred years before the Battle of Naboo), it began to see increased traffic with the arrival of MarTech. Headed by a Corellian named Kal Tyret Sortev, MarTech was a growing corporation that was competing with (and succeeding rather well) the likes of Czerka Corporation, Aratech, Incom, Cybot Galactica, Industrial Automaton and several other major corporations. Weapons, armor, medical research, droid fabrication/maintenance/repair, starship maintenance/repairs, general equipment and supplies -- you name it, MarTech manufactured and sold it in some form or another.
With the arrival of MarTech and their subsequent growth, Darkness began to grow. The initial corporate headquarters and related facilities began to grow and expand, until it became the MCIC -- the Martech Central Industrial Complex. From there, the eight Parsecs that now comprise the vast majority of Marcite (which includes the MCIC), have grown until the city has covered more than half the moon, and there is still the occasional expansion and building. As such, MarTech began their own security force to help enforce the local laws.
Darkness began to change over the passage of time, and the situation has only intensified within the last twenty years following the end of the Myuni Wars, in which MarTech solidified their rule by eradicating the vast majority of military installations not under their direct control. MarTech’s practices and policies were not environmentally friendly, much to the dismay of the Zarsen, with whom Sortev had originally made agreements concerning the development of the moon. The pollution grew steadily worse, and Darkness became more and more a seedy locale amid the vast reaches of the Outer Rim. With the outbreak of the Clone Wars between the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the Old Republic, Darkness frequently became a place to lie low when the warfare proved too intense in neighboring systems.
Seven years ago, MarTech outlawed any and all travel off-planet, citing the ever-increasing pollution as the major contributing factor towards the apparent decision to cut itself off from galactic society as a whole. At the same time, MarTech began a systematic crackdown of the moon, quashing anyone who disagreed with MarTech and declaring a state of martial law. The urban warfare that inevitably resulted was brief, but filled with casualties -- mostly those who had the misfortune of finding themselves at the business end of a MarTech blaster, courtesy of MarTech Security, which had grown to the size of a planetary army over the two centuries since MarTech arrived on Darkness. Any force or faction that MarTech could have conceivably considered a threat to their titular control of Darkness was quashed with ruthless efficiency.
Interestingly (and mysteriously) enough, Kal Tyret Sortev still runs the day-to-day affairs of MarTech, even now. For a human, Sortev seems remarkably well preserved for his two hundred plus years. More than a few rumors have been spread about his apparent longevity -- cloning (courtesy of the Kaminoans, from whom MarTech had bargained for their technology shortly before the beginning of the Clone Wars); genetic engineering; medical research breakthroughs; or other, even more enigmatic methods. Those, however, are just rumors, and no one is able (or perhaps willing) to discover the truth.[/sblock]
[sblock=Corporate Overview -- MarTech]Kal Tyret Sortev, a Corellian rumored to be well into his third century among the living, maintains a tight, iron-fisted control over MarTech Corporation as the CEO and chairman of the board of directors. Each divisional head (vice president) also has a seat on the board of directors. The current board of directors is as follows:
Head of Council -- Kal Tyret Sortev
Chief of War -- General Cohin Lrell
Research and Development (Warfare) -- Tokar Wyn
Research and Development (Scientific) -- Shi Koplin
Genetic Development -- Dr. Jerub Gar’Finell
City Development and Safety -- Deresku Narubi
Power Generation and Supply -- Randall Erratus
MarTech runs the entire gamut of corporate endeavors and pursuits: droids, military armor and weapons, medicine, engineering, technology and more. It is virtually impossible not to feel their influence in some form or another, no matter what you may purchase. Even much of the foodstuffs come from facilities owned and maintained by MarTech Corporation.
Rumor, however, has it that Kal Tyret and the MarTech board of directors are not what they appear to be. Theories are far-ranging and widespread, and many of them without a basis in fact. Whispers of MarTech being a silent partner in the foundation of the Confederacy of Independent Systems is one of the most popular rumors, but others rumors -- many of them far more dire -- abound in the private day-to-day gossip.
MarTech’s security forces, in particular, deserve special mention. MarTech security is a virtual private army under the control of the MarTech board of directors -- their loyalty is to MarTech and their leaders alone. Attempts at bribery are typically doomed to failure, mostly because the bulk of the forces are Separatist battle droids either scavenged or duplicated by MarTech for their own personal use. More often than not, bribery attempts result in more severe penalties for those who try to buy their way out of trouble with MarTech forces.
There are eight divisions of MarTech security: each division is, for the most part, dedicated to a specific Parsec for patrol and enforcement of MarTech law and policy. The only exception is the Alpha Division, comprised of the best and brightest of MarTech security -- and all of them, unsurprisingly enough, are humans. Alpha Division nominally keeps watch over the MCIC, but are also capable of ranging into the outlying Parsecs and even into the desert wastes of the remaining uncivilized parts of Darkness. The other divisions are a mix, mostly human and droid (courtesy of MarTech somehow obtaining many of the plans for the bulk of the CIS droids in full production during the Clone Wars).[/sblock]
[sblock=Parsec Overview -- Marcite]Marcite comprises nearly sixty percent of the total surface area of Darkness. There is almost always some form of expansion in the eight Parsecs outlying the MCIC in the center of Marcite -- for there to be little or no construction to expand the city limits is a rarity. Each Parsec is assigned a division of MarTech security to enforce MarTech laws and corporate policies -- failure to comply with MarTech security and their random inspections (although there is hardly anything random about how they target those who voice dissent to MarTech control) can result in anything from detainment to immediate execution.
Each Parsec has a numerical designation: Parsec I, Parsec II, Parsec III, Parsec IV, etc. Each Parsec also houses a trio of power generators to supply power throughout each Parsec -- these power plants are heavily guarded, although there has been the occasional attack by perpetrators currently unknown (the most recent attempt was approximately three months earlier, and resulted in martial law instituted by MarTech in Parsec III due to its’ success, although the power generator has since been repaired and brought back online). The various factions remaining on Darkness make their home (in some form or another) in these Parsecs. Some have more territory than others, whether due to numbers (or lack thereof), equipment, safe houses and more. The Parsecs are as follows:
MCIC: The MarTech Central Industrial Complex is the centerpiece of Marcite itself. Contained within are the main offices and facilities of MarTech -- offices, laboratory complexes and more -- as well as the main housing for MarTech’s high-ranking personnel, and a sizable contingent of scientists and engineers to keep the main power generators at peak efficiency. MarTech’s planetary security force (or mercenary army, as some MarTech detractors would call it) also maintains barracks and armories in the MCIC. Alpha Division of MarTech security patrol this area, although by MarTech policy, they are able to range the entirety of Darkness in pursuit of those deemed criminals by MarTech.
Parsec I: Patrolled by the Beta Division of MarTech security, Parsec I is perhaps the largest of the eight Parsecs that comprise the outlying areas of Marcite, ranging from due north to northeast. Parsec I takes up a wedge approximately eighteen percent in size of the overall area of the outer eight Parsecs of Marcite, and the outer edges are within fifty kilometers of the polar ice caps of Darkness. The Bloodsniffers maintain an active presence in this Parsec, focused mainly on narcotics and gambling.
Parsec II: Gamma Division of MarTech security patrols Parsec II, one of the smaller Parsecs of Marcite. Ranging from the northeast towards the east, Parsec II takes up a wedge approximately nine percent of the total outlying Marcite area. The Bloodsniffers also maintain an active presence here in Parsec II, with narcotics and vice as their chief source of income. Parsec II is also one of the poorer Parsecs in Marcite.
Parsec III: Parsec III of Marcite is the smallest Parsec, taking up only eight percent of the total surface area of the outlying Marcite Parsecs from the east towards the southeast. Here, the Delta Division of MarTech security is the long arm of the law, and they wield it with ruthless efficiency; martial law is, for the time being, still in effect following a moderately successful attack on one of the three main power generators fueling this Parsec. The main corporate offices and laboratory complexes of GenTech are located here, both above and below ground. Unknown to MarTech, however, the Nova Guard has secretly smuggled a small contingent of personnel and resources into Parsec III to keep watch over GenTech and the apparent ongoing interest MarTech has in their subsidiary. The covert group known as Sector has also shown some interest, mostly in Nova Guard’s apparent movements into Parsec III, and has established a small number of subterranean cells to observe Parsec III more closely.
Parsec IV: Ranging from the southeast to almost directly due south, Parsec IV has a total surface area of approximately sixteen percent of the outlying Marcite Parsec area. Epsilon Division of MarTech security is in solid control of Parsec IV, and from all indications have little, if anything, to worry about. Such apparent peace, however, couldn’t be farther from the truth: Sector maintains a number of safe houses, as well as small subterranean cells to serve as miniature bases of operations from which the covert group can strike out at MarTech.
Parsec V: Parsec V is the only Marcite Parsec not controlled by a division of MarTech security; instead, MarTech contracted out the Nova Guard to patrol Parsec V and keep the peace. Measuring in at approximately fourteen percent of the outlying Marcite Parsec area, Parsec V has the ill fortune of being considered the poorest Parsec in which to reside. The Parsec ranges from just slightly askew of due south to the southwest. The Bloodsniffers have hungrily eyed Parsec V as a new venue, but the Nova Guard has brooked nothing of the sort: Parsec V has perhaps the most overt display of urban warfare, with the Nova Guard on one side and the Bloodsniffers on the other. Such displays are typically brief, but do nothing to allay the Bloodsniffers desires to take control of the illicit spectrum of the Parsec. The Sabers, however, do some of their charity work to clean up the messes caused by the skirmishes between the Nova Guard and the Bloodsniffers -- part of why the Bloodsniffers want so badly to stamp out the Sabers once and for all.
Parsec VI: At eleven percent of the total surface area of the outlying Marcite Parsecs from the southwest to the west, Parsec VI is patrolled by the Theta Division of MarTech security. The Bloodsniffers maintain an active presence here in Parsec VI, with the majority of their illicit business forays directed at vice and gambling. Parsec VI also boasts the largest contingent of Zarsen within the Marcite city limits. Unfortunately, many of them are allied in some form with the Bloodsniffers, or are actual members in good standing.
Parsec VII: Parsec VII could almost give Parsec V a run for the money as the poorest Parsec in Marcite. Ranging from the west to northwest and measuring at twelve percent of the total surface area of the outlying Marcite Parsecs, Parsec VII is the home of the Sigma Division of MarTech security. The Sabers also maintain an active presence in Parsec VII, which they claim as their home turf. A few small subterranean cells in place by Sector are present, but typically have little activity to report. Parsec VII is the official “red light district”, featuring several bars and cantinas. The most popular cantina in Parsec VII takes part of its name from the Parsec itself: the Seventh Heaven.
Parsec VIII: The final twelve percent of the outlying Marcite Parsec area, Parsec VIII ranges from the northwest back to due north. Omicron Division of MarTech security provides the patrol and law enforcement needs of this Parsec, and like Parsec IV, believes themselves to be apparently peaceful. Such peace is an illusion, however -- the covert group known as Sector also have several major subterranean cells located throughout the Parsec confines.[/sblock]
[sblock=Sector]Eight years before the Battle of Naboo, Sector originally arrived on Darkness. They entered into agreements with MarTech to assist in covert missions that required plausible deniability on the part of MarTech. While Sector’s track record was highly impressive, MarTech kept a close watch on the group. Seventeen years later, MarTech began their systematic crackdown and instituted their rule of Darkness in the Myuni Wars, just one year before the outbreak of the Clone Wars between the Old Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems -- Sector was one of the first apparent casualties in the fighting.
Sector, however, didn’t trust MarTech nearly as much as MarTech had believed. The casualties from Sector seven years ago were the most expendable personnel -- those who, in the opinion of Sector‘s leadership, were compromised in some form by MarTech, or otherwise generally mistrusted in some form or another. Sector relocated themselves (their main base of operations is unknown, but believed to possibly be located in the subterranean caverns beneath the desert wastes of Darkness) and underwent a wide-scale reorganization.
Sector currently has five major divisions, designated I, II, III, IV, and V respectively. Sector I is the inner circle that directs the organization as a whole. From there, it spirals out to Sector V, which usually isn’t much more than common fodder for the guerilla strike operations. The higher level of experience a Sector operative possesses, the further into the spiral they progress. Only the most experienced and qualified make it past Sector II into the inner circle of Sector I.
Two years ago, Sector set the stage for an attempt to assault MarTech and defy the mega-corporation. The attack was largely a failure -- many Sector operatives were killed in the attack, seriously setting back Sector's agenda in their ongoing secret war with MarTech. The only saving grace was that MarTech never discovered that it was actually Sector that was responsible for the attack; however, the corporation is aware that at least one military organization survived the purge of the Myuni Wars, and is always on the look-out for information that could lead them to the truth.
Interestingly enough, Sector rigorously tests their potential recruits for signs of Force-sensitivity, mostly out of a deep-seated distrust and intolerance for any sign of Force potential. The reasons behind Sector’s apparent intolerance is unknown, but those potential recruits who are discovered to be Force-sensitive are watched very closely by Sector -- they are not, however, brought into the fold. Those who were found to be Force-sensitive after testing began in earnest mere weeks before the outbreak of the Myuni Wars were, perhaps even more interestingly, among the Sector casualties when the main group went underground.[/sblock]
[sblock=Miscellaneous]Zarsen: The Zarsen are the indigenous species on Darkness. A bipedal feline species, the Zarsen are occasionally compared with Wookiees, mostly for some of their physical similarities. Males grow to in excess of two meters in height (some as much as two and a half meters tall), while females are typically a head shorter, barely surpassing the two-meter height mark themselves. They possess claws, but have no compunctions about using them if they believe it necessary. They are naturally lithe, but not very strong-willed or charismatic.
Their society was a fairly primitive nomadic lifestyle before the arrival of Outworlders (as they call anyone who isn’t Zarsen). Typically, the strongest and wisest of the Zarsen were placed into positions of leadership, much like tribal chiefs and shamans. The youngest Zarsen generation, however, has adapted quite rapidly to the changes in the times -- several of them have even joined the two major swoop gangs on Darkness. Most of the Zarsen who cling to the traditions live in the desert wastes, but more and more young Zarsen are flocking to Marcite for opportunities of their own.
The Bloodsniffers: The largest major swoop gang on Darkness, the Bloodsniffers are some of the worst dregs to be offered as part of galactic society -- they are a pack of bullies, ne‘er-do-wells, criminals, deviants and general miscreants. The Bloodsniffers are also one of the primary sources of illegal dealings, whether it be narcotics, vice, gambling and more. The only reason they are tolerated by MarTech and not wiped out is because the Bloodsniffers pay a percentage of their profits to MarTech as protection money. The Bloodsniffers have territory mostly in Parsecs I, II and VI, but occasionally cross into Parsec VII to try and intimidate the Sabers.
The Sabers: Modeled after the Jedi Knights, the Sabers are the second (but much smaller) major swoop gang, numbering perhaps twenty-five all told. Many of them are accomplished duelists, capable of wielding sabers of their own, but there are limits to their skill. They do their best to clean up the mess left behind by the Bloodsniffers, and attempt to be a positive, active influence in Parsec VII, where they mark their territory. Such charity and good works, however, make it inevitable that clashes between the Bloodsniffers and the Sabers occur. Unfortunately, the Sabers tend to be on the losing end of such conflicts. The Sabers, however, are the most vocal proponents of the urban legend known by the same name as the moon on which they reside -- Darkness.[/sblock]
[sblock=Timeline]232 BBY -- MarTech Corporation, under the direction of Kal Tyret Sortev, wins the rights to the moon of Darkness, a moon of the planet Danoate. Believed to be a loss, MarTech discovered soon thereafter that Darkness had enough raw materials to potentially be self-sufficient, and began making the moon their corporate and financial headquarters.
232 BBY - 23 BBY -- Darkness begins to grow under the careful supervision of MarTech corporation, much to the eventual chagrin of the indigenous feline Zarsen species, who find themselves steadily pushed further and further back as the main city of Marcite expands to it's current size, claiming sixty percent of the moon's surface area.
40 BBY -- The covert ops organization known as Sector comes to Darkness, offering their services to MarTech.
23 BBY - 22 BBY -- The Myuni Wars: MarTech cracks down on military installations not under their direct control. Sector is the first organization to be targetted: however, the organization came to expect such a move, and went underground.
7 BBY -- MarTech shuts down the only spaceport on Darkness, citing the mounting environmental problems as justification for closing all traffic into and out of Darkness. Shortly thereafter, MarTech adopts a state closely resembling martial law in most respects. Personal freedom is slowly stripped away, especially for those not in MarTech employ.
2 BBY -- Sector mounts an offensive against MarTech with the assistance of several smaller groups that managed to avoid the notice of MarTech during the Myuni Wars. The offensive was ultimately a failure -- many operatives were lost. MarTech, now suspicious that at least one of the major military organizations that they had believed destroyed during the Myuni Wars has survived, has grown more tyrannical.
0 BBY -- The story begins...[/sblock]
Characters:
1) Level 5 (28-point buy -- don't forget your 4th level attribute point; Vitality Points will be full Hit Die plus Con for 1st level, 3/4 hit die plus Con for subsequent levels -- Wound Points are your Con score); no Jedi classes allowed (see Sector entry for details as to why); prestige classes will be case-by-case basis once you're eligible for them; combat will be a very real possibility in this game, although the role of Sector is more covert ops, so keep that in mind -- but don't feel that you all have to be soldier to survive (and no, I won't enforce any multiclassing penalties as described in the Multiclassing section of the core rulebook; I rather dislike that part, so consider it Rule 0'ed by me).
I do want backgrounds for each character, especially over the last seven years (since that's how long everyone will have been on Darkness, due to the ban imposed by MarTech on outbound space flights). You will all be in Sector III (Sector III, Cell 42 to be precise, if that's any help -- read the Sector entry for details on the designations) when the game begins, and coming together as a full-fledged cell group at the opening of the game. The more detail you give, the better -- especially seeing as how I'm the type of guy who will read them and take notes for potential RP hooks -- but don't write a novel.
I will probably be drawing up an NPC (dependent on what sort of characters I see), probably a Tech Specialist doubling as the team's transport pilot and outside support (via comms and computer research for the team while on-mission -- sorta like the bulk of characters that Sam Fisher was in contact with via comlink in the Splinter Cell games, or Donovan from the old USA Network's TV series version of La Femme Nakita), but don't let that stop you if you also want to take on a techie role.
2) Spending money: 6,500 credits -- room and boarding, while somewhat spartan, is part and parcel of your service with Sector; typical gear for missions will also be available (comlink, etc.); past that, spend as you will, but anything outside the core rulebook is subject to DM veto (although I do plan to be pretty reasonable) -- if you do want anything outside the core rulebook, please cite me a reference as to the book the item in question comes from so I can check it out for myself before approving it.
3) All rolls will be done via Invisible Castle; the main question here (because I'm putting it up for vote) is whether you would like me to make the rolls for you, or whether you would prefer to make the rolls and make them a part of your posts. I'm fine with either way, although I'd feel perhaps a little more comfortable with the former option (especially with certain skill checks and saving throws) -- I am willing to compromise on attack/damage rolls and such and let you make them, though, if you all would prefer that. As it's said, speak now or forever hold your peace.
4) Posting: I don't want this to be just a casual thing where you post just whenever, but at the same time I don't want to say you all have to post every single day. For my own peace of mind, let's call it 2-3 posts per week (more if we can manage it, and if not, that's okay too). I do want to try and keep a fairly cinematic feel to it, but we'll see how that goes as time progresses.
5) I do want to start this off fairly soon, but at the same time I want to give everyone a fair shake insofar as chargen goes. There will be five character slots -- those who have posted thus far have first dibs, but I'll be giving everyone through October 26 (that gives everyone two weeks from today, as I'm editing this opening post majorly from it's original appearance) to have characters posted here for my viewing pleasure. I don't pretend to be an expert, but I will try to offer pointers (if you like) to help you with your characters.
6) I would like everyone posting a character to email me (darksabrz@gmail.com) with your forum name, character name and general concept (level breakdown is sufficient for me), and a number between 1 and 10 (and no, I'm not kidding about that last part). Rest assured, I have my reasons for asking this (mostly to help me keep you all straight until I create the Rogue's Gallery thread for the approved characters -- and no, the number you choose isn't going to be the order I try to kill your character or anything like that; I do want you all to have a chance to "win").
Any questions or comments, feel free to ask.
Here are the IC and Rogue's Gallery threads.
[sblock=Overview]Everyone calls it Darkness nowadays. The real name of the moon orbiting Danoate has been lost to time and the depths of the Imperial galactic database, and as it stands, no one really cares what it was originally called anyway -- even the native feline Zarsen (the younger ones, at least) have begun to believe that perhaps it is better left forgotten. The only salvation for this otherwise forgotten lump of rock in space is that it is self-sufficient: otherwise, all life (whether the natives or the colonists and entrepreneurs from across the galaxy now forced to call this moon their home) would have ceased to exist.
The inhabitants of Darkness have been trapped on what many of them would call a virtual penal colony for seven years: no ships have come, from all indications, and none have certainly left, especially now with the spaceport in such disrepair. The pollution doesn’t help, either -- the sky is black as night, no matter the time of day, and the acid rain that results from the extreme pollution can kill a sentient in a matter of minutes. Still, however, people manage to scrape by and subsist, however meagerly. There are, however, certain exceptions: MarTech being by far the most prevalent, although some other (albeit smaller) entrepreneurs manage to do well for themselves.[/sblock]
[sblock=History]Darkness is the home to the Zarsen, a feline race that some would call “cousins” to the Wookiees (although certainly not to their faces -- both species take offense at the comparison). During the waning days of the Old Republic (approximately two hundred years before the Battle of Naboo), it began to see increased traffic with the arrival of MarTech. Headed by a Corellian named Kal Tyret Sortev, MarTech was a growing corporation that was competing with (and succeeding rather well) the likes of Czerka Corporation, Aratech, Incom, Cybot Galactica, Industrial Automaton and several other major corporations. Weapons, armor, medical research, droid fabrication/maintenance/repair, starship maintenance/repairs, general equipment and supplies -- you name it, MarTech manufactured and sold it in some form or another.
With the arrival of MarTech and their subsequent growth, Darkness began to grow. The initial corporate headquarters and related facilities began to grow and expand, until it became the MCIC -- the Martech Central Industrial Complex. From there, the eight Parsecs that now comprise the vast majority of Marcite (which includes the MCIC), have grown until the city has covered more than half the moon, and there is still the occasional expansion and building. As such, MarTech began their own security force to help enforce the local laws.
Darkness began to change over the passage of time, and the situation has only intensified within the last twenty years following the end of the Myuni Wars, in which MarTech solidified their rule by eradicating the vast majority of military installations not under their direct control. MarTech’s practices and policies were not environmentally friendly, much to the dismay of the Zarsen, with whom Sortev had originally made agreements concerning the development of the moon. The pollution grew steadily worse, and Darkness became more and more a seedy locale amid the vast reaches of the Outer Rim. With the outbreak of the Clone Wars between the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the Old Republic, Darkness frequently became a place to lie low when the warfare proved too intense in neighboring systems.
Seven years ago, MarTech outlawed any and all travel off-planet, citing the ever-increasing pollution as the major contributing factor towards the apparent decision to cut itself off from galactic society as a whole. At the same time, MarTech began a systematic crackdown of the moon, quashing anyone who disagreed with MarTech and declaring a state of martial law. The urban warfare that inevitably resulted was brief, but filled with casualties -- mostly those who had the misfortune of finding themselves at the business end of a MarTech blaster, courtesy of MarTech Security, which had grown to the size of a planetary army over the two centuries since MarTech arrived on Darkness. Any force or faction that MarTech could have conceivably considered a threat to their titular control of Darkness was quashed with ruthless efficiency.
Interestingly (and mysteriously) enough, Kal Tyret Sortev still runs the day-to-day affairs of MarTech, even now. For a human, Sortev seems remarkably well preserved for his two hundred plus years. More than a few rumors have been spread about his apparent longevity -- cloning (courtesy of the Kaminoans, from whom MarTech had bargained for their technology shortly before the beginning of the Clone Wars); genetic engineering; medical research breakthroughs; or other, even more enigmatic methods. Those, however, are just rumors, and no one is able (or perhaps willing) to discover the truth.[/sblock]
[sblock=Corporate Overview -- MarTech]Kal Tyret Sortev, a Corellian rumored to be well into his third century among the living, maintains a tight, iron-fisted control over MarTech Corporation as the CEO and chairman of the board of directors. Each divisional head (vice president) also has a seat on the board of directors. The current board of directors is as follows:
Head of Council -- Kal Tyret Sortev
Chief of War -- General Cohin Lrell
Research and Development (Warfare) -- Tokar Wyn
Research and Development (Scientific) -- Shi Koplin
Genetic Development -- Dr. Jerub Gar’Finell
City Development and Safety -- Deresku Narubi
Power Generation and Supply -- Randall Erratus
MarTech runs the entire gamut of corporate endeavors and pursuits: droids, military armor and weapons, medicine, engineering, technology and more. It is virtually impossible not to feel their influence in some form or another, no matter what you may purchase. Even much of the foodstuffs come from facilities owned and maintained by MarTech Corporation.
Rumor, however, has it that Kal Tyret and the MarTech board of directors are not what they appear to be. Theories are far-ranging and widespread, and many of them without a basis in fact. Whispers of MarTech being a silent partner in the foundation of the Confederacy of Independent Systems is one of the most popular rumors, but others rumors -- many of them far more dire -- abound in the private day-to-day gossip.
MarTech’s security forces, in particular, deserve special mention. MarTech security is a virtual private army under the control of the MarTech board of directors -- their loyalty is to MarTech and their leaders alone. Attempts at bribery are typically doomed to failure, mostly because the bulk of the forces are Separatist battle droids either scavenged or duplicated by MarTech for their own personal use. More often than not, bribery attempts result in more severe penalties for those who try to buy their way out of trouble with MarTech forces.
There are eight divisions of MarTech security: each division is, for the most part, dedicated to a specific Parsec for patrol and enforcement of MarTech law and policy. The only exception is the Alpha Division, comprised of the best and brightest of MarTech security -- and all of them, unsurprisingly enough, are humans. Alpha Division nominally keeps watch over the MCIC, but are also capable of ranging into the outlying Parsecs and even into the desert wastes of the remaining uncivilized parts of Darkness. The other divisions are a mix, mostly human and droid (courtesy of MarTech somehow obtaining many of the plans for the bulk of the CIS droids in full production during the Clone Wars).[/sblock]
[sblock=Parsec Overview -- Marcite]Marcite comprises nearly sixty percent of the total surface area of Darkness. There is almost always some form of expansion in the eight Parsecs outlying the MCIC in the center of Marcite -- for there to be little or no construction to expand the city limits is a rarity. Each Parsec is assigned a division of MarTech security to enforce MarTech laws and corporate policies -- failure to comply with MarTech security and their random inspections (although there is hardly anything random about how they target those who voice dissent to MarTech control) can result in anything from detainment to immediate execution.
Each Parsec has a numerical designation: Parsec I, Parsec II, Parsec III, Parsec IV, etc. Each Parsec also houses a trio of power generators to supply power throughout each Parsec -- these power plants are heavily guarded, although there has been the occasional attack by perpetrators currently unknown (the most recent attempt was approximately three months earlier, and resulted in martial law instituted by MarTech in Parsec III due to its’ success, although the power generator has since been repaired and brought back online). The various factions remaining on Darkness make their home (in some form or another) in these Parsecs. Some have more territory than others, whether due to numbers (or lack thereof), equipment, safe houses and more. The Parsecs are as follows:
MCIC: The MarTech Central Industrial Complex is the centerpiece of Marcite itself. Contained within are the main offices and facilities of MarTech -- offices, laboratory complexes and more -- as well as the main housing for MarTech’s high-ranking personnel, and a sizable contingent of scientists and engineers to keep the main power generators at peak efficiency. MarTech’s planetary security force (or mercenary army, as some MarTech detractors would call it) also maintains barracks and armories in the MCIC. Alpha Division of MarTech security patrol this area, although by MarTech policy, they are able to range the entirety of Darkness in pursuit of those deemed criminals by MarTech.
Parsec I: Patrolled by the Beta Division of MarTech security, Parsec I is perhaps the largest of the eight Parsecs that comprise the outlying areas of Marcite, ranging from due north to northeast. Parsec I takes up a wedge approximately eighteen percent in size of the overall area of the outer eight Parsecs of Marcite, and the outer edges are within fifty kilometers of the polar ice caps of Darkness. The Bloodsniffers maintain an active presence in this Parsec, focused mainly on narcotics and gambling.
Parsec II: Gamma Division of MarTech security patrols Parsec II, one of the smaller Parsecs of Marcite. Ranging from the northeast towards the east, Parsec II takes up a wedge approximately nine percent of the total outlying Marcite area. The Bloodsniffers also maintain an active presence here in Parsec II, with narcotics and vice as their chief source of income. Parsec II is also one of the poorer Parsecs in Marcite.
Parsec III: Parsec III of Marcite is the smallest Parsec, taking up only eight percent of the total surface area of the outlying Marcite Parsecs from the east towards the southeast. Here, the Delta Division of MarTech security is the long arm of the law, and they wield it with ruthless efficiency; martial law is, for the time being, still in effect following a moderately successful attack on one of the three main power generators fueling this Parsec. The main corporate offices and laboratory complexes of GenTech are located here, both above and below ground. Unknown to MarTech, however, the Nova Guard has secretly smuggled a small contingent of personnel and resources into Parsec III to keep watch over GenTech and the apparent ongoing interest MarTech has in their subsidiary. The covert group known as Sector has also shown some interest, mostly in Nova Guard’s apparent movements into Parsec III, and has established a small number of subterranean cells to observe Parsec III more closely.
Parsec IV: Ranging from the southeast to almost directly due south, Parsec IV has a total surface area of approximately sixteen percent of the outlying Marcite Parsec area. Epsilon Division of MarTech security is in solid control of Parsec IV, and from all indications have little, if anything, to worry about. Such apparent peace, however, couldn’t be farther from the truth: Sector maintains a number of safe houses, as well as small subterranean cells to serve as miniature bases of operations from which the covert group can strike out at MarTech.
Parsec V: Parsec V is the only Marcite Parsec not controlled by a division of MarTech security; instead, MarTech contracted out the Nova Guard to patrol Parsec V and keep the peace. Measuring in at approximately fourteen percent of the outlying Marcite Parsec area, Parsec V has the ill fortune of being considered the poorest Parsec in which to reside. The Parsec ranges from just slightly askew of due south to the southwest. The Bloodsniffers have hungrily eyed Parsec V as a new venue, but the Nova Guard has brooked nothing of the sort: Parsec V has perhaps the most overt display of urban warfare, with the Nova Guard on one side and the Bloodsniffers on the other. Such displays are typically brief, but do nothing to allay the Bloodsniffers desires to take control of the illicit spectrum of the Parsec. The Sabers, however, do some of their charity work to clean up the messes caused by the skirmishes between the Nova Guard and the Bloodsniffers -- part of why the Bloodsniffers want so badly to stamp out the Sabers once and for all.
Parsec VI: At eleven percent of the total surface area of the outlying Marcite Parsecs from the southwest to the west, Parsec VI is patrolled by the Theta Division of MarTech security. The Bloodsniffers maintain an active presence here in Parsec VI, with the majority of their illicit business forays directed at vice and gambling. Parsec VI also boasts the largest contingent of Zarsen within the Marcite city limits. Unfortunately, many of them are allied in some form with the Bloodsniffers, or are actual members in good standing.
Parsec VII: Parsec VII could almost give Parsec V a run for the money as the poorest Parsec in Marcite. Ranging from the west to northwest and measuring at twelve percent of the total surface area of the outlying Marcite Parsecs, Parsec VII is the home of the Sigma Division of MarTech security. The Sabers also maintain an active presence in Parsec VII, which they claim as their home turf. A few small subterranean cells in place by Sector are present, but typically have little activity to report. Parsec VII is the official “red light district”, featuring several bars and cantinas. The most popular cantina in Parsec VII takes part of its name from the Parsec itself: the Seventh Heaven.
Parsec VIII: The final twelve percent of the outlying Marcite Parsec area, Parsec VIII ranges from the northwest back to due north. Omicron Division of MarTech security provides the patrol and law enforcement needs of this Parsec, and like Parsec IV, believes themselves to be apparently peaceful. Such peace is an illusion, however -- the covert group known as Sector also have several major subterranean cells located throughout the Parsec confines.[/sblock]
[sblock=Sector]Eight years before the Battle of Naboo, Sector originally arrived on Darkness. They entered into agreements with MarTech to assist in covert missions that required plausible deniability on the part of MarTech. While Sector’s track record was highly impressive, MarTech kept a close watch on the group. Seventeen years later, MarTech began their systematic crackdown and instituted their rule of Darkness in the Myuni Wars, just one year before the outbreak of the Clone Wars between the Old Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems -- Sector was one of the first apparent casualties in the fighting.
Sector, however, didn’t trust MarTech nearly as much as MarTech had believed. The casualties from Sector seven years ago were the most expendable personnel -- those who, in the opinion of Sector‘s leadership, were compromised in some form by MarTech, or otherwise generally mistrusted in some form or another. Sector relocated themselves (their main base of operations is unknown, but believed to possibly be located in the subterranean caverns beneath the desert wastes of Darkness) and underwent a wide-scale reorganization.
Sector currently has five major divisions, designated I, II, III, IV, and V respectively. Sector I is the inner circle that directs the organization as a whole. From there, it spirals out to Sector V, which usually isn’t much more than common fodder for the guerilla strike operations. The higher level of experience a Sector operative possesses, the further into the spiral they progress. Only the most experienced and qualified make it past Sector II into the inner circle of Sector I.
Two years ago, Sector set the stage for an attempt to assault MarTech and defy the mega-corporation. The attack was largely a failure -- many Sector operatives were killed in the attack, seriously setting back Sector's agenda in their ongoing secret war with MarTech. The only saving grace was that MarTech never discovered that it was actually Sector that was responsible for the attack; however, the corporation is aware that at least one military organization survived the purge of the Myuni Wars, and is always on the look-out for information that could lead them to the truth.
Interestingly enough, Sector rigorously tests their potential recruits for signs of Force-sensitivity, mostly out of a deep-seated distrust and intolerance for any sign of Force potential. The reasons behind Sector’s apparent intolerance is unknown, but those potential recruits who are discovered to be Force-sensitive are watched very closely by Sector -- they are not, however, brought into the fold. Those who were found to be Force-sensitive after testing began in earnest mere weeks before the outbreak of the Myuni Wars were, perhaps even more interestingly, among the Sector casualties when the main group went underground.[/sblock]
[sblock=Miscellaneous]Zarsen: The Zarsen are the indigenous species on Darkness. A bipedal feline species, the Zarsen are occasionally compared with Wookiees, mostly for some of their physical similarities. Males grow to in excess of two meters in height (some as much as two and a half meters tall), while females are typically a head shorter, barely surpassing the two-meter height mark themselves. They possess claws, but have no compunctions about using them if they believe it necessary. They are naturally lithe, but not very strong-willed or charismatic.
Their society was a fairly primitive nomadic lifestyle before the arrival of Outworlders (as they call anyone who isn’t Zarsen). Typically, the strongest and wisest of the Zarsen were placed into positions of leadership, much like tribal chiefs and shamans. The youngest Zarsen generation, however, has adapted quite rapidly to the changes in the times -- several of them have even joined the two major swoop gangs on Darkness. Most of the Zarsen who cling to the traditions live in the desert wastes, but more and more young Zarsen are flocking to Marcite for opportunities of their own.
The Bloodsniffers: The largest major swoop gang on Darkness, the Bloodsniffers are some of the worst dregs to be offered as part of galactic society -- they are a pack of bullies, ne‘er-do-wells, criminals, deviants and general miscreants. The Bloodsniffers are also one of the primary sources of illegal dealings, whether it be narcotics, vice, gambling and more. The only reason they are tolerated by MarTech and not wiped out is because the Bloodsniffers pay a percentage of their profits to MarTech as protection money. The Bloodsniffers have territory mostly in Parsecs I, II and VI, but occasionally cross into Parsec VII to try and intimidate the Sabers.
The Sabers: Modeled after the Jedi Knights, the Sabers are the second (but much smaller) major swoop gang, numbering perhaps twenty-five all told. Many of them are accomplished duelists, capable of wielding sabers of their own, but there are limits to their skill. They do their best to clean up the mess left behind by the Bloodsniffers, and attempt to be a positive, active influence in Parsec VII, where they mark their territory. Such charity and good works, however, make it inevitable that clashes between the Bloodsniffers and the Sabers occur. Unfortunately, the Sabers tend to be on the losing end of such conflicts. The Sabers, however, are the most vocal proponents of the urban legend known by the same name as the moon on which they reside -- Darkness.[/sblock]
[sblock=Timeline]232 BBY -- MarTech Corporation, under the direction of Kal Tyret Sortev, wins the rights to the moon of Darkness, a moon of the planet Danoate. Believed to be a loss, MarTech discovered soon thereafter that Darkness had enough raw materials to potentially be self-sufficient, and began making the moon their corporate and financial headquarters.
232 BBY - 23 BBY -- Darkness begins to grow under the careful supervision of MarTech corporation, much to the eventual chagrin of the indigenous feline Zarsen species, who find themselves steadily pushed further and further back as the main city of Marcite expands to it's current size, claiming sixty percent of the moon's surface area.
40 BBY -- The covert ops organization known as Sector comes to Darkness, offering their services to MarTech.
23 BBY - 22 BBY -- The Myuni Wars: MarTech cracks down on military installations not under their direct control. Sector is the first organization to be targetted: however, the organization came to expect such a move, and went underground.
7 BBY -- MarTech shuts down the only spaceport on Darkness, citing the mounting environmental problems as justification for closing all traffic into and out of Darkness. Shortly thereafter, MarTech adopts a state closely resembling martial law in most respects. Personal freedom is slowly stripped away, especially for those not in MarTech employ.
2 BBY -- Sector mounts an offensive against MarTech with the assistance of several smaller groups that managed to avoid the notice of MarTech during the Myuni Wars. The offensive was ultimately a failure -- many operatives were lost. MarTech, now suspicious that at least one of the major military organizations that they had believed destroyed during the Myuni Wars has survived, has grown more tyrannical.
0 BBY -- The story begins...[/sblock]
Characters:
1) Level 5 (28-point buy -- don't forget your 4th level attribute point; Vitality Points will be full Hit Die plus Con for 1st level, 3/4 hit die plus Con for subsequent levels -- Wound Points are your Con score); no Jedi classes allowed (see Sector entry for details as to why); prestige classes will be case-by-case basis once you're eligible for them; combat will be a very real possibility in this game, although the role of Sector is more covert ops, so keep that in mind -- but don't feel that you all have to be soldier to survive (and no, I won't enforce any multiclassing penalties as described in the Multiclassing section of the core rulebook; I rather dislike that part, so consider it Rule 0'ed by me).
I do want backgrounds for each character, especially over the last seven years (since that's how long everyone will have been on Darkness, due to the ban imposed by MarTech on outbound space flights). You will all be in Sector III (Sector III, Cell 42 to be precise, if that's any help -- read the Sector entry for details on the designations) when the game begins, and coming together as a full-fledged cell group at the opening of the game. The more detail you give, the better -- especially seeing as how I'm the type of guy who will read them and take notes for potential RP hooks -- but don't write a novel.
I will probably be drawing up an NPC (dependent on what sort of characters I see), probably a Tech Specialist doubling as the team's transport pilot and outside support (via comms and computer research for the team while on-mission -- sorta like the bulk of characters that Sam Fisher was in contact with via comlink in the Splinter Cell games, or Donovan from the old USA Network's TV series version of La Femme Nakita), but don't let that stop you if you also want to take on a techie role.
2) Spending money: 6,500 credits -- room and boarding, while somewhat spartan, is part and parcel of your service with Sector; typical gear for missions will also be available (comlink, etc.); past that, spend as you will, but anything outside the core rulebook is subject to DM veto (although I do plan to be pretty reasonable) -- if you do want anything outside the core rulebook, please cite me a reference as to the book the item in question comes from so I can check it out for myself before approving it.
3) All rolls will be done via Invisible Castle; the main question here (because I'm putting it up for vote) is whether you would like me to make the rolls for you, or whether you would prefer to make the rolls and make them a part of your posts. I'm fine with either way, although I'd feel perhaps a little more comfortable with the former option (especially with certain skill checks and saving throws) -- I am willing to compromise on attack/damage rolls and such and let you make them, though, if you all would prefer that. As it's said, speak now or forever hold your peace.
4) Posting: I don't want this to be just a casual thing where you post just whenever, but at the same time I don't want to say you all have to post every single day. For my own peace of mind, let's call it 2-3 posts per week (more if we can manage it, and if not, that's okay too). I do want to try and keep a fairly cinematic feel to it, but we'll see how that goes as time progresses.
5) I do want to start this off fairly soon, but at the same time I want to give everyone a fair shake insofar as chargen goes. There will be five character slots -- those who have posted thus far have first dibs, but I'll be giving everyone through October 26 (that gives everyone two weeks from today, as I'm editing this opening post majorly from it's original appearance) to have characters posted here for my viewing pleasure. I don't pretend to be an expert, but I will try to offer pointers (if you like) to help you with your characters.
6) I would like everyone posting a character to email me (darksabrz@gmail.com) with your forum name, character name and general concept (level breakdown is sufficient for me), and a number between 1 and 10 (and no, I'm not kidding about that last part).
Rest assured, I have my reasons for asking this (mostly to help me keep you all straight until I create the Rogue's Gallery thread for the approved characters -- and no, the number you choose isn't going to be the order I try to kill your character or anything like that; I do want you all to have a chance to "win").Any questions or comments, feel free to ask.
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