FATE Wars: Session IV

Arriving in orbit around the moon, their sensors pick up life signs in scattered areas throughout the surface, as well as two larger signals indicating established structures; one Imperial-made, another Republic. There were numerous smaller signals indicating outposts and similar structures over the place. Flying toward the Imperial Defense Control Tower, they see it surrounded by an idyllic community akin to the Hobbitshire. Decorative plants had been placed in the various windows and ledges of the originally ominous control tower, and the landing port had been replaced with the equivalent of a sports field.

Interrupting the game, they land and stroll by the numerous confused Chadra-fan, ignoring their questions and pleas. Partway up the installation, they meet the mayor of the village, wearing a piece of modified equipment to act as a jetpack; thus giving him the headstart to catch up with the party. Asking why Sith were returning to a colony they had long abandoned earned him a blast of force lightning, his bodyguards thrown out a window after their own jet packs were disabled with the Force. Interrogating the mayor for the source of his tech, he told them they were modified salvage from the area, and promptly overloaded his own jet pack in an attempt at a suicide bombing to harm Imriel. Imriel pushed the explosion back and was unharmed.

They didn't have so easy a time against the heavily armed and armored Chadra-special forces unit, who also had a flying droid covered with lightsaber crystals, that attacked them near the control station for the entire Imperial Planetary Defense network. After a rough fight of flamethrowers, lightsaber-charged thermal detonators, and light shurikens, they managed to take out the assailant; mainly by realizing that the equipment was all modified extensions from the complex, and put in the passcodes they were given to deactivate everything in the area.

Rearming the facility, they told the network to essentially treat everything as a hostile invader (except their room and the landing pad where their shuttle was) throughout the planet.

The disturbance in the Force is felt by the entire party, and so very many of the inhabitants are blasted by exploding outposts they built around or automated defenses aiming toward them. While Pradeque looks out a balcony at the devastation throughout the land, Sorbin decides to look at the old logs for anything special that Darth Newton might be looking for. The main thing is that the Imperial general was complaining about the tendency for the Sith and Jedi that died on the colony to nearly immediately rise as dangerous force ghosts, making the fighting difficult because of their potential damage.

It's at this point that the party feels the disturbance in the Force continue to roil around and turn Dark, and starting to form a Force Storm over the entire planet. Thinking better, they head toward the shuttle, and find fifteen Chadra-fan that had been possessed by Force Ghosts and standing over the corpses of Pat's soldiers and wielding kit-bashed lightsabers; their eyes crackling with lightning. The fight is over swiftly by some truly astounding rolling on their side, especially considering relatively abysmal rolling.

They perform a strafe of the Republic installation before leaving the planet and start heading back to Imperial space. They're congratulated, curtly, for their mission and are contacted by the new Minister of Military Action; a Given named Darth Kenner. Darth Kenner informs Imriel that due to recent changes in the Sphere of Philosophy (a Givin has taken the position), they need to reevaluate their Sith for ideal missions in their military objectives. Their new mission is to escort a recently defected Republic droid programmer named Lord Asis without killing/destroying those who attempt to harm him. Further details would be provided by the Imperial attache with Lord Asis upon arrival.

The attache was a Givin. Lord Asis was a portly human with a heavy amount of cybernetics, which only made Imriel hate him more (if he's under the knife that much, why not cut off some of the fat). There's a manufacturing facility abandoned due to all of the droids breaking free of their restraining bolts. Due to Lord Asis's programming experience, direct access to the control station at the heart of the facility would allow him to upload changes that would reactivate the restraining bolts. They're to refrain from destroying any droids along the way, as they will be newly acquired assets at the completion of the mission. In addition, the attache provides new uniforms to the Sith for a more optimal performance, as well as informs them that they will be under surveillance throughout the mission to better analyze their conduct to determine whether they need further optimization.

This earns the attache a broken neck, to which Lord Asis nearly gets ill from the sight; before handing over the holo-recording he was told to provide when the attache was killed. The recording is of the attache, telling them that there was a 47% chance of him being killed by Imriel, and that in preparation the recording was made to inform the party that due to his relative low value, his death would not detract from their evaluation of the success of the mission.

Lord Asis is asked to disable the surveillance, and is forced to inform the party that it's built into his cybernetics along with the system he needs to be able to access the control system, so disabling the surveillance on him would essentially invalidate the mission.

FATE Wars: Session III

The party receives a holocall from Zorbo the Hutt, to go to the planet Khomm, an agricultural world in the Deep Core that specializes in algae production. They're to steal a large sample of L-4 as well as the dataplans for it. The hyperspace travel takes two weeks, with a temporary interruption of being knocked out of hyperspace because of a gravity storm; nearly instigating violent attack from the planet, Calligrattica, they ended up in orbit while they attempted to reorient their location. There's a bit of eyebrow raising at the sensors picking up signals of beetles the size of mountains on the planet's surface, concerned that attack might be reminiscent of the scene from Starship Troopers. Thanks to allaying debate, they keep the territorial natives from opening fire, and continue on their way.

Upon reaching Khomm, they pose as wealthy patrons wishing to purchase L-4, and are greeted by one of the nobles upon a litter. He presents an ornate litter for the party to use, flippantly killing a number of slaves to provide higher quality ones when the opportunity arises.

As they ride toward the L-4 facility, the noble provides a tour of the planet and their algae producing ways, all in an attempt to ingratiate himself for the chance at profit. Due to the distances involved, the party stays the night in one of the palaces, where the grounds prove to be exceedingly heavy in slaves. The two most perceptive members of the party (Sorbin & Daquan) are able to notice, but the servants move entirely through secret passageways, using innumerable hidden hatches and doors to clean and refill food trays when their heads are turned. A couple occasions, one of the doors leads to a different room than before, the entire palace having been built semi-modular such that a dedicated team of servants below can operate the cranks to subtly rotate the rooms in relation to each other.

Just before dawn, Sorbin notices an armed individual sneaking into the room through one of the hidden doors, to which he knocks out the intruder with a blaster shot to the chest. The noble enters out of concern from the noise, and questions where the blood came from, blithely not acknowledging the body even when the party points at it; in fact, the noble starts to feel ill, leaves for a moment to retch. He returns to a clean carpet (the body is over Imriel's shoulder) and apologizes for his behavior, as he cannot recall what the concern even was, but is glad that the guests aren't concerned about the noise. Providing the privacy they asked for, the party dumps the body in the tub and do a little first aid after disarming him entirely. There is a fresh glass of ice water when they decide it to be time to wake him, and Imriel is creeped out by her boots already being cleaned of the blood without her noticing.

The intruder is a revolutionary, and points out the 'mysteriously' appeared torture implements next to Imriel when he starts to withhold information. Proper applied pain gets him spilling beans. His mission was to sabotage some of their gear and scare them away as customers to harm the nobles. Seeing the opportunity, Daquan offers to help the cause by telling him to find a way to get more nobles to the L-4 facility, and they will be rewarded.

Later that morning, Imriel and Sorbin state a need to make a holocall and to obtain some of the credits for the upcoming purchase, and are given a litter and mobile chef for their breakfast. Meanwhile, Pradeque & Daquan are carried to the facility. L-4 is an acidic algae that will dissolve metal, and metal alone, and works much faster with a specific alloy; a trait that must be tweaked on request.

While delaying for time, a high noble named Lord Nirsal and several other nobles arrive for highly esteemed guests, only to be blasted by a surprise arrival of the Closest Shave. It lands near the ruined crater of an entrance, in which Imriel & Sorbin pour out to kill the guards. It's a heated fight with the 30 soldiers, and Pradeque calmly picks up the L-4 containers and walks by, ignoring their attacks the entire time. The sales-noble is devastated before slain on the spot by Imriel when it's all said and done, and the party leaves the planet with their spoils.

At the station, they drop off the L-4 tanks and the data, noticing that Zorbo's accountants have been replaced with Imperial Givin and the ship has been repaired drastically faster than expected (nearly two months ahead of schedule). With a shrug, they continue toward the far off moon with the Chadra-Fan for their next mission.

Wilati the Rat King

Wilati the Rat King

Male Human Rogue 3/Sorcerer 5
Wilati is a former fire-breather, petty thief, and hedge-mage for a traveling troupe. This changed when he jilted a witch, who cursed him to forever be as socially and physically repugnant as she saw him.

Description
A broken Keleshite, aged far beyond his years, isolation having left his mind as addled as his body. Stained stage jewelry adorns him in mockery of a king while his only vassal, his rat familiar, sits atop his shoulder. His teeth and breath are rotten from years of fire-breathing, supplemented by the powerful curse.

Notable Gear
Wilati always keeps at least one potion of fire substituted shocking grasp on his person, modified to be expelled through his breath rather than hands (statistically unchanged).

Motivations/Goals
His first goal is staking out a domain in the dredges of civilization where his liege can live comfortably. He defends his right to rule, and seeks riches that befit his imagined status to fill his coffers. Wilati harbors no small amount of resentment towards circus folk and many traveling entertainers after being run out by his troupe due to the curse, which readily turns to thoughts of vengeance.

Schemes/Plots
No stranger to a reputation ruined, Wilati is skilled at sabotage and levying accusations towards his mark. Sample tricks include disguising as his target and performing some public misdeed or planting stolen goods to sully their reputation. If his target sleeps unguarded, replacing the contents of their potions or otherwise tampering with their equipment is of particular effectiveness. There is little he can do about his odor, which leaves a clue for the party to follow once they notice the pattern of events.

Adventure Hooks
* While too proud to truly follow anybody, Wilati is easily manipulated by those that play to his delusions and resentments, directing him towards the party.
* Deciding that his 'kingdom' needs to expand, Wilati begins a campaign of terror amongst the beggars and vagrants, extracting tithe wherever possible; until one of the unwanted beseech aid against the almost demonic ruler.
* A man is found burned to death in an adjacent room to the party, with an uncomfortable odor about him and the window. The news devastates the four other people in the inn, who hadn't seen each other since their traveling troupe disbanded shortly after that terrible curse was afflicted on their fire-breather.

Thaumaturgical Trinkets: Part II

Final Blot

Aura moderate transmutation; CL 7th
Slot -; Price 17,280 gp;Weight - lbs.
Description
A well-used and expertly made painter's brush. The handle is of carved darkwood and the bristles are from a barghest's tail.
With a command and with a touch upon a surface, all surfaces in a 20' radius are cleansed and sanitized. Objects are bleached white, all writing and inscriptions are subject to erase, and any sources of infection for diseases or poisons are rendered inert. This does not cure the afflicted and the cleaned surfaces can be reinfected normally.
Creatures in the area are also affected. The brush will automatically dispel and remove modifiers to morale and any fear effects. It will also end a rage (including a golem's berserk) and the confused condition (Will DC 16 negates). This does not prevent the subjects from being subject to the conditions or modifiers again.
The brush can be used twice per day.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, erase, calm emotions; Cost 8,640 gp

Horn of World's End

Aura moderate abjuration and transmutation; CL 10th
Slot none; Price 56,000 gp; Weight 1lb.
Description
Carved from stone found in the highest peak of the world, this large horn emits a deep tone that can be heard from miles away. A character can blow into the horn as a standard action, creating a 360’ cone of windstorm wind strength blowing outward. The winds last for 1 hour. See Environment for details.
The horn can be blown like this once per day with no risk. If it is used more frequently, there is a 20% cumulative chance per usage that day that it cracks and shatters into uselessness.
The wearer is never checked or blown away by winds of windstorm strength or less.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item; cloak of winds, control winds; Cost 28,500gp

Thaumaturgical Trinkets

Balor's Salve

Aura strong evocation; CL 15th
Slot none; Price 4,000 gp per dose; Weight —Description
This substance is thick, unctuous, and always warm. This magical contact poison has a one minute onset time, after which the victim must make a DC 20 Fortitude save or be the center of a fireball (15d6, Reflex DC 20 half). The victim does not get a Reflex save to resist the fireball.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, fireball; Cost 2,000 gp

Hand of Eternal Remorse

Aura moderate necromancy; CL 7thSlot hand; Price 70,000gp; Weight —
Description
This ebon gauntlet has a single blank eye in its palm, filled with hatred and drawn to suffering. The wearer can open the gauntlet’s eye to curse those around him (one target per round) as a gaze attack, except that the wearer must take a standard action, and those merely looking at the eye are not affected. Those failing a DC 16 Will save are cursed to be unable to heal naturally; any attempt to magically heal the creature must succeed on a DC 16 caster level check or the spell does not function. Successfully cursing someone grants the wearer fast healing 1 for one minute.
The wearer will see calamity after calamity, with the sick and dying plaguing their existence like a literal disease.The Crime modifier is increased by +4 for any community the item is in. In addition, the Danger value of the settlement, for the character, is increased by +10. See Settlements for details.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, bestow curse, vampiric touch; Cost 35,000gp

Mandolin of Ooze Hail

Aura moderate conjuration and evocation; CL 7th
Slot -; Price 32,250 gp; Weight 50lbs
Description
This appears to be an ordinary mandolin, but if the possessor learns the proper tune, he can call upon a storm of ooze. With a successful DC 15 Perform (string instruments) check, ice storm is cast upon the chosen area, dealing 4d6 acid damage instead of the normal damage; in addition to having the [acid] subtype rather than [cold].
After the first round, an amoeba swarm is called and follows the player's telepathic commands for as long as the mandolin is played. If for any reason the player ceases playing, the swarm disappears. The Perform DC increases by +5 each time the ooze hail is successfully called.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, ice storm, summon monster II; Cost 16,125 gp

FATE Wars: Session II

And so, the players spend some time deliberating on the plan of action, especially since the one for Lambert is absent for this and the next one or two sessions. One is made, and the mission has begun, to Nal Shadda. Sorbin's reason for running to the Empire and becoming just a pilot was because he lost very valuable cargo he was smuggling for a Hutt named Bozzo, who happened to run a very profitable casino/pawn establishment on Nal Shadda; the very place they are headed. Sorbin is currently wearing a face concealing helmet to avoid suspicion, & checks with his connections to know when Bozzo isn't at the business.

They enter the foyer, mind tricking the staff at the front to let them bring their weapons inside and to not get in the way of any soldiers that come in later. They take a table near the back, where the wookie appraiser mans the vault/money-changing desk, and play a few rounds of Pazaak. While playing, the dealer realizes what Imriel is; and happens to be an Imperial spy, so he starts cheating on her behalf. When one of the other patrons at the table accuses Imriel of cheating, the dealer pulls out a blaster, loudly denouncing his insolence before a Sith Lady.

The head bouncer walks over, a Talani human with a light-foil, just before the dealer tosses his gun into Sorbin's hands to claim innocence. The bouncer tells Sorbin to put down the gun and come with him, to which Sorbin points out it isn't a gun, his long barrel sniper rifle is a gun. The bouncer's head explodes from the point-blank shot, the rest of the place erupts into chaos.

Imriel and Pradeque charge the wookie in the back, the omwati calls up her disc blades and telekinetically goes like a blender on the various guards, and Sorbin unloads a couple patrons of their valuables. Imriel attempts to lightning down the second main bouncer, the brother of the Talani who also wields a light-foil (duel duelists), who manages to absorb/deflect the attack long enough for Sorbin to also blast his head off. Pradeque wrestles down and bashes in the head of the wookie (some Imperials rumour that he's Massassi-caste). After the fight ends, Pradeque and Imriel's soldiers enter the place to keep any remaining patrons and surrendered guards pacified while the group begins to make their Santa sacks.

While working, 23 people materialize around the party, all wielding vibro-swords. They seem solid and real, but occasionally flicker as if afflicted with computer static. They demand that the party surrenders and tells them their future destination, to which the party unloads incredibly high rolls to my low rolls and blasts them all; except Imriel's lightning misses completely. Sorbin sees them for what they are, extreme concentrations of Dark Side energy manifesting into solid, if fragile, constructs.

The dealer, loyal and eager to please the first Sith he's met, abandons his undercover mission to assist Imriel. Joining her, he informs her of an escape route that Bozzo uses when wanting to evade pursuit when leaving the planet.

They supplement their theft with the resources provided by the Empire to go before Zorbo the Hutt, a 'legitimate businessman', owner of a rather large shipyard in the fleet, and nemesis of Bozzo the Hutt. With a bit of work, they manage to convince him to use his shipyard and a few materials to repair the ship, on the condition they perform two services. The first is to attack another of Bozzo's assets in about a week and a half, the second is to utilize the force of the capital ship on a location as its maiden voyage. Agreeing, the party returns to Khem Tal on their mission.

Upon arrival to the Sphere of Logistics, they discover that the position has been replaced with Darth Newton, who admonishes Imriel for her in inefficiently selected dress. Absolving the party of any responsibility with Zorbo's requested use of soon repaired capital ship, he provides a new mission to the party. Providing coordinates, their mission is to arrive and just start murdering. The details and reasons are deigned unimportant for their role, and they are dismissed. On the way out, another sith Givin stops by the party to provide passcodes that should prove useful during their mission.

Curious as to the nature of their mission, they look into it with some research. Sorbin calls in a fellow smuggler (in the eyes of non-Imperials), who is currently really tired from drastically increased workload by the new Sphere of Logistics. The destination is a remote moon colony that used to be owned by the Jedi for its lightsaber crystals, and was the site a number of battles during the Galactic Civil War. Due to its resources being uneccesary to the Jedi, and the Sith unable to maintain control or even a large enough Force-sensitive population to justify the need to make new lightsabers (reusing old ones is preferred), it's currently an independent colony of agrarian Chadra-fan (child-sized people with bat-like heads).