First of all I'd like to say hello! This is my first proper post but I've been following the forums for a while now & I have to say that as a collective you guys post some really good stuff

One way is to have somebody like the usurper employ the group to do some task and then he tries to kill them before he pays them. Sets up the players to want revenge and to want their promised payment. Similarly, the usurper could give the players a job to kill somebody or go and do some sort of task that would help shift the balance to try and cause the war - maybe the players get caught, and they find out what's really going on, and then whoever captured them asks them for help.

Depending on how the characters are set up, you may be able to link these things to obligation. So maybe obligation on debt or favor rolls up, and the NPC(s) that are owed the debt/favor is also somebody involved in the impending war.

And of course, there's also just the option of trying to force the players into the area if all else fails. Something like a bounty hunter with a massively powerful ship comes in out of nowhere, and he ends up damaging their navicomputer, so when the players think they're jumping to one place, they end up right in front of whichever moon you choose. Then with their ship being too damaged, they're forced to land and probably ask for help on repairs. Then from there they person giving them something to do in exchange for repairs leads them in one way to the war, or maybe the city just happens to get attacked by terrorists, and then the players get told about what's happening.

First a few questions;

How many worlds are in this system?

From whats been said the Gas Giant named Nukuru (As big as Jupiter? Is it composed of say Hydrogen or something that could be mined like Cloud City does?) has at least 3 inhabited moons.

Sarukaam sounds like it also holds the capital city being temperate with large oceans (are we talking Water World or like Earth about 70% of the surface is water? Do they have underwater settlements? And if so would there be say Mon Calamari or other aquatic races present? Do they serve a similar function as the Gungan did on Naboo (except for Jar Jar)?) and 3 small continents and has the largest population of the Moons (As in High Population? Do they have any appreciable agriculture and if not where do they grow their vegetables, livestock, etc?).

Baoshan the second Moon is Barren and a literal Desert (Like Vulcan?) home to mining facilities (are these extensive? Would you say Baoshan is as big as Sarukaam? Which moon was first inhabited?) and a reclusive religious sect that recruits its members from this system and several others (How do they recruit others outside of this system? Do they have a recruitment campaign and what does the Empire think of them?) possibly led by a Force User (Former Jedi or Dark Side Adept? Could they be of the alien adept type? do they have a monastery or shrine on the other moons? Do they recruit inmates for example?) and finally

Arakis the third moon described as Frozen (As in Ice World ala Hoth?) and home to a high security prison (as in the one shown in the KOTOR MMO?) along with a medtech research station rumoured to use the inmates as guinea pigs (how true is this? exactly who are sent here? do the empire send say rebel prisoners here on the understanding that they will never be released in case they figure if the Rebels assume they send everyone to Kessel they'd know where to find them and they don't want these people found!).

The system is ruled by a number of Clans who left the core worlds a millennia ago (around the time of the KOTOR MMO?) and settled in this system (which world did they settle first?) and flourished (which clan was involved in which industry? how are the Hutts involved?)

The ruling Clan named Settat is currently going through a crisis as its current leader is beset by problems due to various deceptions and active terrorism plaguing the system with the Empire showing an interest in the systems affairs and whilst some of the ruling clan are inclined to accept the Empire's help those in charge are hesitant to let them gain a foothold after learning of the destruction of Alderaan. (Doesn't have to be a darkside adept or force user simply a power hungry and ambitious diplomat and/or politican will do fine, however it doesn't hurt to have someone be the fall guy like this rumoured force user involved in that religious cult which could easily be suspected of being Jedi Sympathisers after all Baoshan is already barren and an Imperial strike on the Monastery there wouldn't hurt anyone, well important to whoevers in charge that is! )

What does this system offers the Empire?

What defences do they have to prevent the Empire just steamrolling in (and what fleet and fighters do they have?)?

How would the clans react if the Empire installs a Moff of their own choosing?

And how does your bad guy react to that?

Is there anything else of interest in the system?

Who was there before them?

Was there evidence of another race living there? And if so what happened to them assuming the clans didn't secretly wipe them out?

Are there any evidence of the Celestials or the other ancient races ever being present in this system?

Is there a rebel cell operating here?

Where were your players heading to when they made their first run in with this system's would be BBG?

Do they have any contacts within this system?

Is this their home system? And if so whats their relationship with the Clans or the other residents?

Any asteroid belts?

Any pirate bases?

I could go on but I think thats enough for now!

There's lots of fun ways to incorporate the players into a larger struggle, Lathrop got a good (if a little cliche) option, but with some minor rejiggering you can take it to the next level.

Dial back your time-table a couple months so the BBEG is just getting things going and it should fall into place. Think about how to start a war (Comrade Putin may have some good tips) and integrate your players into that greater scheme. Remember your BBEGs plan is all about destabilization, so he's not really preparing for war so much as trying to instigate one.

Some ideas that may work depending on your players group composition:

Build a small communications outpost (to spy on a moons comms and establish a base for slicers to run propaganda and cyber-ops).

Hire and run support for a merc team. (These guys will act as pro-(insert group here) militia forces who will do things like take over a mining outpost, make some grand statements, acts of sabotage, and then the players will extract them before the real PDF shows up to clear them out.

Data theft, be it through slicing or the actual stealing of the hardware.

Piracy, the players are to hit a shipment of (important cargo), with orders to just stash it somewhere out of the way (BBEG will just go back and recover it once in charge, since production will be hurt by the Imperial "stabilization" mission he can use this load to keep up with quotas)

Instigate a riot: As things get weird the populace starts publicly protesting, all it needs is some scathing tirades and molotovs and there's plenty of reason to call in riot police, or possibly worse.

Foment clan unrest: The players must pose as Clan A members and conduct destab ops against Clan B (think of the tribal issues they have in Africa and the Mid-east though probably not as nasty best to keep it largely PG-13)

The simple answer is: find a way for your main villain to cross the players' characters.

Most gaming groups are easy to motivate towards someone who messes with them.

Depending on the group, they could be used as patsies in the villain's manipulation schemes. Then while trying to clear their names in the middle of an increasingly unstable situation, they discover clues that there is a puppet master messing with everyone but no hard evidence. You might need to get them enmeshed with some local NPCs (friends, lovers, etc.) in order for them to care enough to stay and unravel the mystery. You have the beginnings of a great conspiracy/intrigue campaign.

Cheers for the responses, Lathrop, Ghostofman, Loloki.... really liking those ideas!

At present I'm in the early stages of creating this (mainly in my lunch hour at work) & so far my friends haven't created characters.... I do have a fair idea of the kind of characters they'll go for tho so hopefully I'll be able to tie in their obligations & motivations to what I have planned for them! They're usually pretty keen to help out & whenever we've started anything new we sit down & do the "what kind of stuff would u like to do as a star wars character" conversation.

Copperbell... Just putting together a response to your questions, am currently at work & doing this on my phone tho so it's taking a while, watch this space )

Ok... In response to Cooperbell's questions:

I plan to set this campaign approx 3 years BBY, so Alderaan is still there & the Death Star plans have not been stolen. The Empire is extending its grip on the galaxy system by system, mopping up seperatist survivors & hunting the few remaining Jedi.

Nukuru is a blue/white gas giant located The Outer Rim approx the same size as Saturn (but not ringed). There are a further 4 planets in the system but none habitable. There is also a large asteroid belt that lies further out from the star than Nukuru which is mined extensively... mostly under the control of Clan Mordakai (Clan Settat rival).

Sarukaam is approx 90% water but there are no underwater settlements. As well as the 3 continents there is also a large island archipelago (this is where Buaku the Hutt had his "palace"). The capital city, Alm Kaladan, sits atop coastal cliffs on the moon's largest continent. There are no aquatic sentient species on the world (other than those that have traveled there & settled). The moon does provide its own food via agriculture, numerous farms dot the warm interior of the main continent that grow food crops & provide meat from herd animals. The moon still relies on imports for many luxury items tho.

Baoshan is a smaller moon than Sarukaam. The main mining facility is basically a massive deep shaft in the moon's crust with a city built in & around it & is controlled by Clan Mordakai. There are also numerous other independent mining installations... However these are occasionally hindered by "accidents".

The religious sect is viewed by many as merely a group of crazy outcasts by many. In truth I plan for if to be a puppet organisation of the Clan Settat usurper which he uses to carry out terrorist attacks against his own clan & its rivals. In order to recruit it's members the sect uses a poison (from the jungles of Sarukaam's southern continent) that increases an individual's susceptibility to suggestion. At present the Empire does not know of their existence as they have so far only recruited members from neighboring systems.

Not sure about the prison in KOTOR (I'm a PlayStation man & unfortunately we don't get these games, if we did I'd have definitely played them). The prison is used by the Clans moons & also by works from neighboring systems. As yet the Empire does not use the facility but once they arrive in system they mire than likely will use it as an alternative for Kessel. The med-tech facility definitely uses the inmates for experimentation, this is kept secret from the general populace of the Nukuru system though.

What does this system offers the Empire? The system it's rich in ore & also sits at the head of the Nukuru Spur hyperspace route which is a safe route through the Bochiri Crescent Nebula to the world of the Bochiri Wastes which would their give them a strategic base in this area of the outer rim.

What defences do they have to prevent the Empire just steamrolling in (and what fleet and fighters do they have?)? The Clans maintain a small defense fleet of frigate class warships along with Z95 equivalent fighters. There are no orbital defenses.

How would the clans react if the Empire installs a Moff of their own choosing? They would be unhappy to say the least... The system had always maintained its independence from the Core & had no seat in the Republic Senate, although it did trade with numerous Republic systems.

And how does your bad guy react to that? Again he would fight against this... His aim is to rule the system with the "aid" of the Empire.

Is there anything else of interest in the system?

Who was there before them? The only inhabitants ofc the system prior to the arrival of the clans were the Chareg, reptilian humanoids from the southern jungle continent of Sarukaam. Many of these have been forced into slavery & work in the mines of the system.

Was there evidence of another race living there? And if so what happened to them assuming the clans didn't secretly wipe them out? See above.

Are there any evidence of the Celestials or the other ancient races ever being present in this system? No.

Is there a rebel cell operating here? Not at present.

I've not decided on the following 3 questions yet... We've not created characters yet so backgrounds aren't established.

Where were your players heading to when they made their first run in with this system's would be BBG?

Do they have any contacts within this system?

Is this their home system? And if so whats their relationship with the Clans or the other residents?

Any pirate bases? No pirates but there is a group of mercenaries in a secret base in one of the neighboring systems. This group are separatist survivors from the clone wars who hire out their services to anybody with the credits. Note... In my universe the clone wars were fought against sentient races (both human & alien) not a droid army.

Hope that's all ok for u & thanks for the questions... Actually helped to focus my thinking!

So thats about 6 orbital paths for the system;

0- Star

1- Uninhabitable World?

2- Uninhabitable World?

3- Nukuru and its habitable moons?

4- Asteroid Belt?

5- Uninhabitable World?

6- Uninhabitable World?

Something like that?

No pirates but there is a group of mercenaries in a secret base in one of the neighboring systems. This group are separatist survivors from the clone wars who hire out their services to anybody with the credits. Note... In my universe the clone wars were fought against sentient races (both human & alien) not a droid army.

Yes as it should have been!

Copperbell...

Yep, exactly like that!

I never liked the idea of fighting droids... Didn't seem personal enough to me.

I'd also suggest when you gather them as a group sometime at the start you take 10-15 minutes and work out the player-GM agreement that you want them to stay in this system for X number of sessions, with X being a ballpark number. In the course of that discussion also find out what sorts of things they are interested in doing with their characters if you haven't already found out... and make sure you put that stuff in the setting.

There is enough to your setting that with a couple other character-specific plot activities included they'll have enough of a sandbox there until you all want move on. You just want to address this early so when things get tough you can remind them "hey guys, we all agreed to this" in case they decide to just bug out and leave system. Also this is the reason I mentioned strongly enmeshing them with the local NPCs.

Thanks all for all the good advice!

I plan to run this in a kind of episodic fashion with the main plot running in the background whilst the players carry on with other EotE styles of missions... Which will involve them traveling off world in some cases. I've got some ideas for a couple of missions based on Ryloth & I'm also working on ideas for incorporating Level 1313 on Coruscant (I've been really inspired by the concept art for the, sadly cancelled, console game). Would also like the players to experience Tarkin's rise to Grand Moff & maybe witness/narrowly escaped from some of the atrocities he commits on his climb to power!

Ultimately though I want them to become invested in the Nukuru system & care about what happens there & as the main plot progresses they'll become more embroiled in stopping the usurper & the Empire achieving their aims!

That's the plan anyway! But as we all know, no plan survives contact with the players )

Have you thought about setting your version of Star Wars 1313 within that mine on Baoshan?

I was remembering that sequence where their ship descends into the lower levels and wondered how that would feel on Baoshan...

In particular they're ambushed on the way down as per that game demo and maybe have them try to recover their shipment and/or ship after the attack.

Could even use this as a recurring theme to highlight how different people live out here with the Clans making sure only those invited or wanted can visit Sarukaam?

Would also make an interesting base and use the A New Hope style of visuals with everything looking used, maybe a bit decrepid and antiquated since resources are limited...

That's a **** fine idea Copperbell... Cheers for that )

I was planning for their missions to Coruscant to be linked to work for Buaku the Hutt, actually makes more sense to keep this in the Nukuru system!