I'm doing my first campaign that's not taken from a book, and it's sent my players to a Jedi temple to find an artifact (or artifacts) for a collector. But it seems I've written myself into a predicament because I'm not really sure what to have them face.

They're heading to a swamp planet, where the temple is said to be, so I could have some creatures gives them a hard time. But what kinds of things would be fitting for a Jedi temple? I'm not really sure what sort of dangers or other fun would lie within. This is a typical Rebellion Era campaign, with an Infiltrator (from AoR), an Outlaw Tech, and a Smuggler Pilot. I'm also sending a GMPC Archaeologist along with them, but I'd rather the encounters be geared toward the players.

How about Yoda?

Have the area resemble Dagobah from the movie and if you have access watch the Samurai Jack inspired version of the Clone Wars dealing with the temple of Ilum.

So there's left over battle droids from the Clone Wars rusting around, a force spirit watching over the shrine and your gmnpc is a bad guy looking to strand your pc's behind after finding the macguffin!

Hmm maybe a cross between Raiders of the Lost Ark meets Firefly might be in order?

Not sure if that helps!

Was this recently in use by the Jedi (as in up until Order 66), or is it an ancient and previously 'lost' site?

Is this "Echoes of the Past"? If not, hunt it down. Sorry, I forget the author at the moment.

There may be some old security system protocols that are still active. As its on a swamp planet, it could be overrun by nasty creatures since those environments tend to reclaim their space quickly once outside forces stop keeping them out.

I don't see much in the way of serious traps and such. The Jedi Order never struck me as ones that would use such items. Not a Light Side act leaving a pit trap or deadfall that could injure or kill someone who simply wanders in innocently.

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Of course, deep crevasses without handrails are pretty common in Star Wars, and not necessary a sign of an evil interior decorator.

I guess the first question would be "how old is this temple?"

From the sounds of it, the temple for the OP's adventure would be fairly old, possibly pre-dating the Ruusan Reformations that took place about a 1000 years prior to the events of the Clone Wars.

As for things to find, there would quite likely be some degree of automated defenses, as well was hostile native lifeforms, particularly if the world in question is a swamp world that's teeming with lifeforms. The automated defenses should be right up the Outlaw Tech's alley in terms of disabling them, while the Infiltrator could scout ahead and be better suited to dealing with some of those hostile native lifeforms that have made dens/nests/warrens in ruined sections of the temple.

I'm sure a Google search for walk-thrus of the two KOTOR video games could be helpful, as both of them have missions involving the PC traipsing through old ruins/temples at various parts of the game. And might give ideas of "tests of worthiness" that the PCs have to overcome to get to the inner sanctum of the temple proper.

There was an adventure titled "Echoes of the Jedi" for WotC's Dawn of Defiance campaign, which centered on the PCs delving into the ruins of the Jedi Academy in the Cularin system (which had been a key feature of their Living Force campaign under the OCR/RCR versions). It could be mined for ideas, particularly as the adventure itself really comes across as a glorified dungeon crawl (and is one of the weakest adventures in the series I feel).

I created a few cool marsh monster encounters for my group when they had had to return to Cholganna (post Beyond the Rim) and found themselves traipsing through a particularly swampy area...

Is this "Echoes of the Past"? If not, hunt it down. Sorry, I forget the author at the moment.

That's mine, and you can check it out here: http://thompsonpeters.com/eote/modules/

Feel free to mine it for resources. It's pretty heavily KotOR-themed. The stuff you're looking for (Jedi Temple) starts in the second act (p23).

I agree that Jedi are not too likely to build deadly traps, but...

Automated defenses tend to get twitchy given decades/centuries of neglect. Maybe a local predator could be chased off by a "mild electric shock," except that the targeting systems no longer see the difference between giant dinosaur and puny humanoid, and what would be "mild" to the monster is lethal to explorers.

Completely mundane pieces of equipment become hazardous when they break down. Water, plus damaged heating units, equals steam clouds/blasts. Pooled water and corroded wiring make electric traps. Collapsed passages force explorers to climb through maintenance hatches or still-functioning machines. You could even have the classic "inexplicable chomper hallway" of deadly pistons; no one was ever supposed to be in here while the pumps were operating, so it is incredibly unsafe.

Another group may have arrived before/simultaneously/after the heroes. Treasure hunters and Imperial Inquisitors and crazy old hermits all want what is in the temple, or to make sure that it stays buried.

The Jedi have, at times, been hunted and persecuted. So they might have various forms of defenders, from security droids to friendly natives (who still protect the temple with religious fervor).

As mentioned by Donovan, "tests of worthiness" could be in place as teaching tools for young Jedi, or to remind older ones of the tenets of the Order. Questions about the Jedi Code, devices designed to test someone's Force sensitivity (like a lock that normally requires telekinesis to open; OR a detonite charge!), and maybe even a "leap of faith" type setup that relies on the Force for guidance (or on player cleverness, like tossing sand to find the invisible path).

Combine some of these, and the temple becomes as challenging to get into as any Wizard-made dungeon. Just be sure to make it equally rewarding!

Use the Dianoga from the EOTE rulebook as an encounter while traversing the swamp.

Use old battle droids that had discovered the site during the clone wars and somehow remains active.

Just some ideas.