So I'm going to be running my group through some more Star Wars after they finish Horde of the Dragon Queen.

Was looking into prison planets for an idea for a mission/adventure a la Escape from New York. Came across this planet and dug out the old Polyhedron with the article and read it again. As I was reading it I realized I could build a good initial campaign around the characters just getting off the planet.

The initial campaign will be the characters banding together and playing on Ord Vaxal initially. This campaign will make a good Edge campaign as the planet is nothing but criminals for the most part, or the descendants of criminals at this point. Resources are very limited, especially things like blasters.

Character Creation

• Characters can be drawn from any official species or career from any of the books. Although species and careers from F&D are subject to change. The nice thing about this planet is that it is a dumping ground for any type of concept; criminal, rebel, soldier, force-user, etc.
• Equipment is limited. The most used weapons on the planet are melee and slugthrowers. Blasters are very rare, as are the power sources to keep them going. Restricted items will be all but unheard of.
• Obligation will be the initial mechanic. Morality will also be used with Force-users, if any. I don't expect this to be a bright and shiny campaign, though.
• I will run this more as an open sandbox campaign, letting the players and their characters direct the action. I will use rumors and information to give them ideas, but for the most part will leave them to their own devices.
• The ultimate goal is to have them make their way off planet. Once that is done we'll see what happens. Join the Rebellion. More heists. Whatever, but that will be part two of the campaign.
• Depending on how much fun everyone is having, it may be run start to off-planet, or in parts so we can play other games.

Just some initial thoughts. I'll flesh it out more as it gets closer. Some recurring NPCs and some different ideas for adventures.

I hope one of the characters is there because a friend or lover betrayed them. They plan to escape, gain a bit of wealth and fame while destroying all who double-crossed them.

Count of Monty Cristo like.

I hope one of the characters is there because a friend or lover betrayed them. They plan to escape, gain a bit of wealth and fame while destroying all who double-crossed them.

Count of Monty Cristo like.

Nice. I could always have some NPC pass on information about a treasure off planet. It could be a good reason to find a way off.

I hope one of the characters is there because a friend or lover betrayed them. They plan to escape, gain a bit of wealth and fame while destroying all who double-crossed them.

Count of Monty Cristo like.

Nice. I could always have some NPC pass on information about a treasure off planet. It could be a good reason to find a way off.

but the treasure is just a ruse so the NPC can reconcile issues with his wife before she remaries.

So I'm going to be running my group through some more Star Wars after they finish Horde of the Dragon Queen.

Was looking into prison planets for an idea for a mission/adventure a la Escape from New York. Came across this planet and dug out the old Polyhedron with the article and read it again. As I was reading it I realized I could build a good initial campaign around the characters just getting off the planet.

The initial campaign will be the characters banding together and playing on Ord Vaxal initially. This campaign will make a good Edge campaign as the planet is nothing but criminals for the most part, or the descendants of criminals at this point. Resources are very limited, especially things like blasters.

Love it! Couple years ago I had an EotE campaign open with the players trying to get on to Ord Vaxal so they could break someone out. It was the most fun we ever had with EotE, and that's saying something hope it works out well for you.

As for treasure, there's always the lost hoard of the Corellian pirate, Salovan Fische, for your players to find...!

For those looking, the PDF can be purchased here:

http://paizo.com/products/btpy7zcp?Dungeon-Issue-106-with-Polyhedron-165

Looks great!

I had a lot of fun dumping my players here, things I added; neck explosives that set off if too many prisoners are in one location, they were similar to a device used in an old christopher lambert film. I also added an old clone trooper base up in the hills that had turned to can abolish to survive as they didn't realise the planet was inhabited. My favourite line was when the party met the clones troopers medical droid, before finding out how they had survived, and bemoaned the fact that he was a highly trained surgeon but now he was little more than a skilled butcher. It was a while later when they worked out that he was being literal.

For those looking, the PDF can be purchased here:

http://paizo.com/products/btpy7zcp?Dungeon-Issue-106-with-Polyhedron-165

Looks great!

Link does not work for me.

For those looking, the PDF can be purchased here:

http://paizo.com/products/btpy7zcp?Dungeon-Issue-106-with-Polyhedron-165

Looks great!

Link does not work for me.

The domain, Paizo.com, is not responding for me. Is that what's happening with you?

--- paizo.com ping statistics ---

Nada

Yeah, it was down yesterday, seems to be back.

I guess that was the problem.

So my group decided to take a break from our D&D campaign and got together to create their characters for Escape from Ord Vaxal.

These are the characters in broad strokes as they have yet to define their backgrounds and obligations in any way yet. They all took a +10 xp bonus for an increase to obligation since they all start with no equipment.

• Frett; nautolan guardian Soresu defender; bounty obligation.
• Kane Starlight; human ace hotshot; dutybound obligation.
• Sonak 311; droid technician outlaw tech; criminal obligation.
• Sol Kast; zabrak soldier medic; disgraced obligation.
• Zhorin Black; cyborg (gank) bounty hunter gadgeteer; a score to settle obligation.

I have a few ideas to draw them in here or there, but beyond that I'm going to let them direct their course in the sandbox. Should be interesting.

Session 1

Just a get to know you and familiarize with the mechanics session. Half the group had played and the other had not. The half the had not picked up on the dice mechanics pretty quick. I always like that.

Here are some highlights.

• The group was brought to the prison planet Ord Vaxal in a Purgatory-class prison ship.
• They were then ferried to the surface in a Peth-class Shuttle.
• Standard protocal for the shuttle is to hover 3 meters from the surface and for the prisoners to evacuate the shuttle through the rear hatch. The shuttle then returns to the ship in space with the rear doors remaining open.
• The pilot related this to the prisoners so they would be prepared. The droid immediately showed no concern and pointed out that vacuum meant little to him. As GM I immediately pointed out he would be one technician versus entire ship. Yeah he jumped out with the rest.
• Prisoners immediately scattered to the winds. There was the remains of a city described in the distance so the group immediately started towards it. They traversed the wilderness keeping eyes and ears out.
• They did have a close call with a trigha, but it wandered off in search of other prey. I did this more for a flavour thing than anything else but to also introduce them to some local fauna.
• They actually learned the name of the creature from a group of bandit/cannibals that tried to take them on right after the tragha left. This encounter was an easy one just to give them some starting equipment.
• A fun introduction to the combat mechanics though. Funnily enough the droid technician waded in with the rest. (An aside but the player is a friend of mine who routinely plays more cerebral characters as brutes; starting fights and such and hilarity always ensues.) Frett used the Force to allow himself to pick up a large tree branch and use it as club (I love imaginative thinking; I basically removed the cumbersome penalty so he could swing it) and took out a couple of minions. All in all a quick but uneventful fight that garnered them some heavy clothes, knives and single pistol.
• The characters then made their way to the ruined city of Tof Soren. The characters got more colour. Half the city destroyed. Three main sections remaining/surviving. Saw that there was a town watch of a sorts. Very little in the way of equipment. Slugthrowers are the main ranged weapons with melee weapons like knives second. Barter is the way of life here. Most people congregate in the marketplaces, which is where the group ended up.
• The ended up at a local watering hole just in time to be caught up in A Deal Gone Wrong (Lords of Nal Hutta). The group ended up siding with Corte Voss over Thamoss. I'm going to use her to give them some upcoming missions.
• The group gat in close and personal with their knives immediately. Again, Frett the group's Force user was very good at using his Move power. Themoss's group were hiding behind a table so he pulled it away depriving them of their cover. I think the group wanted to take out Themoss and his group due to their better weapons and armour; slugthrower rifles and armoured clothing.
• Next I'm going to be running a riff on Rendevous at Ord Mantell.

Staring off well so far. Plan on using Blackhole as a big baddy with them eventually.