Looking for some free advice on the next arc of a year-long campaign. We've had some player & character changes recently, so only 3 of the 6 original characters are still with us. The group has both a smuggling and a bounty hunting element, with a good/moral-leaning to them. This next adventure should hopeful make the group a little tighter and pull both sides together.

The plan is to bring up part of the Darryn's past (group pilot/captain). The ship he was serving on pre-campaign had a mutiny; he and the other loyal members were stranded, and the captain (Darryn's mentor) was executed. Both Darryn and his mentor were part of the Black Bha'lir smuggling group, which is still a major supplier of jobs for the PCs. One of the new players made the Bha'lir part of his background as well, as a junior member who has come under Darryn's wing.

The PCs have earned a decent reputation, and now seems like the perfect time to bring up the above. The group's Bha'lir patron found some info on the leader of the mutiny, last seen on Nar Shaddaa (mostly because I just picked up the new Hutt sourcebook). The PCs task will be to track down the scum and execute the Rite of Retribution on him.

I have some vague ideas, but I don't want the mission to be just a "go to this place, find the guy, gun him down". Any advice on twists to the story? Suggestions on checks to be made, avenues to be pursued, trails to be followed, etc.?

Thanks in advance!

I am using Black Bha'lir as well If the are interested in politic game, involving them in the inner machinzation of the organization could span an arc or more...

Wow, a very open ended situation you have there!

Just my 2 creds, but I agree with the above about thinking what happened to the NPC since the mutiny. What did they gain and do they still have it? Unless there's something else in game to prevent it, the NPC could be anywhere from a Hutt (or other criminal) majordomo to a slave of the same. Once you nail that down the other pieces you mention (checks, trails, etc) will fall in to place.

As for looking for twists, let's see....

If they have a reputation, the mutineer might hear about them coming and try to do something about it (attack them first, make a run for it, etc)

The lead could be old/false and they have to put in more work than they bargained for sorting through lies/false trails or traveling to other locations.

I like the idea of the Rites needing to be done a certain way. Could be anything really, but the first idea is to require them to be killed at the location they wronged the Bha'lir.

If your party likes tension there might be a reason the 3rd PC -doesn't- want him dead, something they only learn later.

Along the same lines, maybe performing the Rite violates something else in the smuggler's code. (If the mutineer has fallen on hard times and is unable to defend himself, killing him could violate the first tenet from a certain point of view)

Having a year long game, I'm sure there's other things you could bring in from outside what you've told us to mess with them too.

That's all I can think of at the moment. You might get other ideas thinking about how this adventure will fit into the larger story of the campaign and ways you can get the third PC to be more than just, "along for the ride".

Maybe he's been arrested by the Empire, and the party has to decide wether or not to get involved in his execution (of course, nothing wrong with a little GM incentive.)

Maybe he knows something about a mythical treasure hoard/ship etc.

Or maybe he's just joined some powerful crime lord/organisation