Hey Guys,

A situation has arisen in my campaign, and I'm hoping you can provide me with some insight and/or suggestions. First though, a history lesson.

The time is 5 years after the fall of the Republic, and the gradual eradication of the Jedi. The party in this campaign consists of a young Padawan who's master was killed and she was forced to befriend a Clone who was not affected by Order 66. At the start of the campaign, she and her Clone protector have engaged the services of a smuggler, his trusty droid bodyguard, the ship's mechanic, and the smugglers oldest friend who happens to be a but of a swindler and lady's man. They escaped off planet and made their way to the smuggler's boss' base of operations (a Hutt). During the trip, the swindler has informed the smuggler that the Padawan is exactly that - a Jedi. A role of Lore resulted in a success but 4 threat which I allowed the player to interpret that he knew what a Jedi was, but had been affected by the Imperial propaganda, and believed that the Jedi were evil and corrupt and had attempted to bring down the Republic. Effectively he blamed them for the galaxy being where it was. Good story I though. Unfortunately, this caused the story to take a horrible turn in the long run, with the smuggler not trusting the Padawan at all.

During the meeting, Dark Sun turned up to ruin the party, and it was found was an attempt by them seizing control of the Hutt's assets (I mean she did kind of steal it from them previously anyway - so fairs fair). The PCs defended the Hutt's holdings, and held off the attack, During the fight though, the Clone Trooper was killed (the player left the group due to personal issues). Thus the Padawan was all alone.

But...the plot thickens when it was found that one of the Hutt's advisors is also a Jedi in hiding. She first offered the Padawan her services to help her train, initially mentioning that she could sense much anger in her. The Jedi was promptly rejected by the Padawan (she is a snarky teenager who was effectively raised through puberty by a trained killer). The Jedi then gave the smuggler instructions to keep an eye on the Padawan as she was concerned that the "child" was on the path to the Dark Side (yes that's one of the character's Moralities). The smuggler agrees to let the Padawan on his ship as a crew member - although somewhat reluctantly - and his job was to report what he sees the Padawan do.

It didn't help that she was now in possession of a dark side artifact that the group helped recover before fleeing a planet.

Going on further, the Padawan has gone out of her way to try and make herself needed by the group, but can't seem to make headway, mainly because the only person to see her make a difference was the mechanic, who isn't the best player in the group - and therefore not helping to big note the Padawan to the others. Its now got to the point that the Droid Bodyguard sees the Padawan as a threat and is trying to get her off the ship as best as she can.

It also doesn't help when the thing they do see is the Padawan interfacing with a Dark Side Relic they found, which is supporting the smuggler's claim she is evil.

So now to the problem.

The Padawan player (who is my partner) has got to the stage where she doesn't want to help these "ungrateful so-and-sos". She is using language such as, "I feel sorry for the characters given that she's lost her best friend and is now being considered a 'threat' by the droid and the smuggler".

I need to bring the character to want to be together as a group. Any suggestions as I'm a bit lost?

I do want to point out that this is some great story telling going on, and I "think" the players are enjoying themselves. The story has had some great moments, and is definitely full of intense role play, but I'm worried that it has the potential to implode, and I'm really after advice as to what direction to head.

Thanks in advance.

Talk to your players. Voice your concerns to them. Who knows, maybe they're all loving the way things are going…or maybe not. If they share your concerns, then as a table y'all can figure out what to do to bring things "back on track."

-EF

The problem appears to be character cohesion, and may be caused by me not bringing the party together in the first place, rather than have almost two groups and merge them during session. I guess I need something that it going to allow the Padawan to be seen by EVERYONE to be heroic. I tried that this evening with the PCs stuck with their ship at the bottom of a canyon getting repairs, and transferring some precious cargo from one ship to another when they were ambushed by a Krayt Dragon. The Padawan jumped out in front, trusted in her feelings (with a big difficulty) and managed to calm the dragon down using calm emotions. Unfortunately half the party was either cowering in fear and didn't see what happened, or were in the ship and didn't have line of sight. Only one character saw it all happen, but that was the mechanic (see reasons above).

This is not a commentary on "rightness or wrongness", but it seems like your group really takes roleplaying to a different level than my group. Surely the players know that the Padawan jumped in front of a dragon, it seems like part of the problem might be the "extra effort" going into the separating player vs character knowledge. Sometimes I think it's easy to overdo this and it becomes artificial. I was a player in a campaign where something similar happened, we all had a special mission, but one of the players pursued that to the exclusion of group cohesion, and the game ground to a halt. Just MHO, but I find it more manageable when players act in character for the most part, but also approach things cohesively, and some shared knowledge and goals can be assumed.

As an example of artificiality, the people "cowering in fear"...wouldn't they at least have peeked to see what was making the dragon go away? If you think you're about to die, and there's a reprieve, wouldn't that suggest a possible opportunity for escape? It doesn't seem like the most heroic behaviour to stick your head in the sand and keep it there no matter what...as roleplaying, it feels forced.

As a related question: who was enforcing the "cowering" and how was that determined? Was that the player who said his character was cowering, or was this a case of the GM imposing behaviour on a character?

The dragon attacked at night, successfully sneaking up on the group with a VERY lucky roll. This is where everyone was when it went down:

• The Droid PC was outside dealing with some stormtrooper bodies that had be left in their ship (long story)
• The smuggler was inside and completely oblivious to the situation as he was too worried about getting rid of the stormtroopers from his ship.
• The Mechanic was dealing with a stasis chamber which she was transferring from one ship (that they stole) to another (the PCs ship). She was also facing the thing when it emerged from the shadows
• The Con Artist was walking along talking to the Mechanic
• The Jedi was meditating after she sensed a dark presence on the planet they were on.

The only one to actually fail the fear check was the Con Artist, and he was the one who fled back to the shuttle (the ship they stole), and hid under the seats. That was the player's interpretation. He did roll a despair though, and was the first to actually spot the thing. Everyone else didn't have line of sight to the dragon, or what the Jedi was doing. The smuggler headed to the top turret and fired the killing blow to the creature, and thereby wasn't at the right level to see the Padawan.

Have someone the smuggler trusts try to steal the relic, make it appear like he/she is "helping" them by removing what appears to be the problem.

So knocks out the Padawan and turn over a dark side destiny point if available and declare the mechanic accidentally interrupts the "friend" contacting the Empire about the location of a rebel cell and its "Jedi" leader.

Could even have the droid present and have them accidentally overhear the transmission realising they've been betrayed.

Now depending on how they react they could cut the transmission before the intruder completes the call, but if as you noted above they don't react properly make it clear their ship is now identified as a rebel ship, dumping the Padawan merely gives that player the chance to run a new character if they want.

Now if they're smart they can get the Padawan to track the relic since they're familiar enough to use Sense to track it... I assume they have that force power?

Now if they track down the "friend" they learn an Inquisitor is en route to confirm the information, if they can recover the relic and get their betrayer into a fight with the imperials they can escape hopefully without the inquisitor checking any further... but you get a potential new nemesis to scare your players with if they want to try and turn in the Padawan since the Inquisitor might not be aware of them yet but the Empire is and do they want them checking a report linked to a suspected rebel cell?

Not sure if this is too much or too far but may help inspire more replies that will probably help more!

As a related question: who was enforcing the "cowering" and how was that determined? Was that the player who said his character was cowering, or was this a case of the GM imposing behaviour on a character?

The character rolled a despair and three threat. I advised him that he was staggered for a round, and that all of his checks for the encounter would be upgraded due to the failed fear check. Obviously I explained that narratively. I would never tell a character what they can or can't do.

Okay, that makes sense. But still...it's a dragon. Even the Con Artist saw it. Then the dragon went away. Surely the group must wonder how that happened. I can only compare to my group, but if one character related info to the others (no matter how poorly roleplayed), it's generally taken for granted. It feels like the balance between good roleplay and group cohesion is skewed. It doesn't sound like this is your issue, but maybe the player's issue. You'd know best whether your group needs a showcase episode where the Padawan's trustworthiness becomes established, or whether you can just ask them to chill a little on the inter-character hostilities.

The character rolled a despair and three threat. I advised him that he was staggered for a round, and that all of his checks for the encounter would be upgraded due to the failed fear check. Obviously I explained that narratively. I would never tell a character what they can or can't do.

That's an Ouch! roll for sure, and good penalty. I didn't think you would, but some GMs do make that mistake.

Can you explain anything about the relic?

Right so the smuggler must realise someone or something held the dragon at bay before he could kill it?

What ship are they using?

Could just check the ship recordings, would have thought the droid would have checked but how about introduce a treasure map?

The relic reveals an important detail that the Con Artist discovers relates to a lost treasure ship associated with the Sith, think KOTOR there should be YouTube videos of the ships used in that mmo to use as a reference.

Thing is the Padawan is the only one who can access the relic to locate that ship, question is will that spark their interest?

I just think that the party are being utter door Knobs about it all. They could have quite easily recognised the links between the two actions if they actually thought about that. Besides, no one should even know what a sith is, that history has been extinct for over 1020 years, thus the entire darkside thing should be a bunch of mombojumbo to those not trained in it, just mildly unsettling at worst.

They are purposely only seeing the bad and not the heroic side to the PC. Tell them to chill on that front a bit as it should be a basic right for everyone to have fun. My character has owned a sith artifact for almost his entire life, but it's only recent that his steadily eroding morality has really got people worried in character.

Made me wonder how they'd react if that artefact could lead them a treasure dating back from KOTOR?

Have this idea for a story where you had several groups vying for the information ending up the PCs followed and captured. Left outside they're rescued by someone they took for an eccentric hermit based at a small disused refuelling depot.

Turns out the "artefact's" sole purpose was to lead greedy treasure hunters inside an underground Sith death trap leaving whatever gear or equipment left outside ripe for salvaging with anything they carried underground being added to the accumulated treasure for the next group of victims to be drawn to their doom to.

The "artefact" is then reset and sent off world to begin this horrifying ordeal all over again.

Can you explain anything about the relic?

Right so the smuggler must realise someone or something held the dragon at bay before he could kill it?

No. By the time he got the gunnery station, the Jedi had released her influence (she only did it long enough to allow everyone to get inside the ship), and had fled into the ship. The Krayt then gave chase and was pushing down on the ship trying to pry open the sardine can...I mean the ship...to get its dinner.

What ship are they using?

YT-1000 with some small modifications.

Could just check the ship recordings, would have thought the droid would have checked but how about introduce a treasure map?

Good idea.

The relic reveals an important detail that the Con Artist discovers relates to a lost treasure ship associated with the Sith, think KOTOR there should be YouTube videos of the ships used in that mmo to use as a reference. Thing is the Padawan is the only one who can access the relic to locate that ship, question is will that spark their interest?

Very much my thoughts too.

You know we might be able to help more if we know what your PCs Obligations and motivations are?

So using the below as examples;

The Smuggler discovers secrets about his ship he didn't know about for example the previous owner his details to an old storehouse he used to maintain and upgrade his ship think deeds to a disused hangar aboard a Golan Space Platform that the ship has the means to access if he/she can find it.

Potential base, means to rebuild their business and a handy place to hide especially if hunted by the Empire for instance!

Edit: Sorry reread the opening message and realised this is set 5 years after ROTS and not after A New Hope as I previously thought!

For character Obligations:

Veil of Darkness - Character Obligations

The Padawan has Bravery/Anger as her Morality.

The motivations for the characters are:

KYN-11T (Droid Bodyguard)

Self Discovery
“Kyanite” was never meant to be self aware. Originally intended to be controlled by a master control program, acting as a specialised security droid. When the crystal was inserted into the droid body, both the crystal and “Kyanite” became self aware. “Kyanite” is now keen to learn whatever it can about the universe around it.
Belief in Justice
“Kyanite” has a sense of revenge due to the supposed enslavement of its people. It is unsure if this is some sort of influence from the crystal, or something more focused on the use of droids by the galaxy’s citizens in every day life.

Arcz Blakeney (Human Con Artist)

Conflict (Adrenaline Junky)
Escaping from a fortified compound with guards in hot pursuit and getting away by the skin of his teeth has invigorated Arcz in a way that he has never before experienced. It is a feeling that he wants to feel again and again and again.

L'zadarma D'bro (Twi'lek Mechanic)
Relationship
L’zadarma is very loyal to her family, and if it wasn’t for her free spirit and desire to “do the right thing”, she would have no problem in selling out even her best friends in order to protect those of her immediate family and then to a lesser extent, her extensive number of relatives.
Extended Family/Clan
L’zadarma’s loyal also includes those of her close friends. She’s not quite sure yet if that loyalty extends to the crew of the ship she’s recently signs on with. Hopefull in time, these people will become just as close as family.

Zax Wettega (Human Smuggler)
Ambition (Freedom)
Zax aims to get away from the Hutts whenever possible. How he intends to do this is anyone’s guess, but the closer people get to him, the more they learn that what he has planned, is not for the feint of heart.
Relationship (Comrades)
Zax is committed to supporting his friends in times of needs, doing almost anything when the situation warrants such.

El-Isara Vesri (Human Jedi Padawan)
Quest (The Jedi)
El-Isara aims to bring the order she was raised to be apart of, back to the galaxy once more.

Kyanite reminds me of the Iron Knights I'm very interested in seeing where his story goes

Droid

Twi'lek

Smuggler and Padawan

Con Artist

These sir are a nice shade of brilliant. I especially like the brother/sister element to the Jedi and the Smuggler since they are the ones at odds. How would that even come out?

Well you could try...

present a situation where the padawan can save the twi'lek's family... perhaps a spice run with some complications?

the security droid should a: be following the lead of the guys he's protecting, and b: accessing the ship's sensors to see what happened with the dragon. unless there's enough imperial heat tracking her, she's more of an asset than a liability.

and lastly, talk to them before the next game. inter party conflict is no fun for anyone, especially the gm.

Aye, inner party conflict is only fun if the party actually want inner party conflict: my current PC skitters toward the darkside quite frequently (largely through actions that are equally as ruffless as those deployed against him. Such as preforming a hiest against a Hutt and collapsing a tunnel while escaping in a tie interceptor) and loathes Jedi in particilar (largely because no one with a glow stick thus far has approched him with peaceful intentions. The only actual Jedi he does know has actually stolen the jewel of Yavin from him despite having saved Ezias life on two occations. Not to mention he has a sith spirit whispering sweet nothing's in his ear for a year and a half, grooming him in the ways of the sith despite being out of touch with the current state of the galaxy.).

Yet when it comes down to it he is willing to stomach those differences for the rebellions ultimate aims. They and the party are always short handed in dealing with the empires many schemes. Ideally he would either have nothing to do or destory them as most other force users have been nothing but threats to his survival in a universe he still struggles to understand yet this isn't the time where being a jedi or sith carries any meaning; for Tobin this is a time of frequent desperate alliences against the indominable might of the empire otherwise if they fail he won't have anywhere else to go.

Same here really; Most of the party have chosen to be weary of the Jedi, after all in this time it's a massive obligation to have one in the party without a grand goal in sight. Sure the smuggler has reason to distrust them but I think the party could do more to encourage a bit of inner dynamic banter.

How about one of the crew is kidnapped and the Padawan is the only one that can track them?

Hmm... have you read Splinter of the Minds Eye by Alan Dean Foster?

Yes I have, years ago.

Just a thought but what if the relic is being hunted by someone like the Collector from GOTG?

Presumed an eccentric, but actually trying to prevent an event he/she assumes only happens because someone misuses this relics?

Your PCs are approached and asked to locate and retrieve the other relics to keep them out of the Empire's hands in return for a handsome profit and your group discovers they have the means to locate the other relics with the Padawan help.

The Padawan learns there are light side versions of the relic and hunts those to help ease their dark side problem, but eventually begin to doubt their patron's intentions which does have merit because he/she needs a force user to seal the relics away but will have the force user killed after to insure they remain hidden this time and if the players are the only witnesses well you understand where I'm going with this right?!

For those that wanted to know what the status is, here is my write for the device:

BACKGROUND

The Golden Arcadium is one of several similar statues believed to have been first discovered by the Reconstituted Sith Empire in a war which occurred over 4000 years ago. The statues are believed to be some type of power source, however the exact details or purpose of the statues are unknown. Originally the statues were discovered when the Reconstituted Sith Empire were seeking alternate forms of super-technology harnessed by the ancient civilizations of old. The statues’ origin and nature were never fully understood, and were eventually stored away from the prying eyes of their enemies. At some point, the statues disappeared and no record exists of their fate.

Approximately 13 years ago, a similar statue, the translation of its name meaning, The Minstrel, was discovered by a Jedi Padawan, named Iela Wa-Uun, in an ancient crypt on the planet Olan-Tir in the Araxian Sector. The statue was being used to power an ancient Sith temple, capable of returning dark side spirits to the mortal realm. The dark sider’s who discovered the temple were thwarted, but their plans and how they came upon the statue in the first place remained a mystery.

The statue was taken to Coruscant for study and although some breakthroughs were made as to the statue’s origins, the exact nature of the statues again proved to be a mystery even to the oldest of the Jedi Council. Since the discovery of The Minstrel, rumours persisted in the Archeology Community that in records, dating back to the time of Darth Bane (the first Sith to instigate the Rule of Two), it was indicated that several of the statues had been seen in the Dominus Sector. The Jedi Council, given the problems they had faced with the re-emergence of a Sith Apprentice and the potential existence of a Sith Lord, decided it best to send several Jedi operatives to seek more information about the artifacts or to at least discover if the statues remained in that area of space. Consequently, the Jedi Council contacted Jedi Master Ania Sebri, and her Padawan El-Isara Vesri to perform that task.

Jedi Master Ania Sebri, and her Padawan El-Isara Vesri discovered several clues to the existence of the artifacts, travelling to most of the worlds in the sector during that time, however for each clue, a new mystery was discovered. Unfortunately, their journey of discovery ended when the Sith once again emerged, and Supreme Chancellor Palatine, best known as Darth Sidious, claimed the throne of a New Order – The Galactic Empire.

Having lost her master, Padawan El-Isara Vesri, with the assistance of a rebel Clone Commando, RC-1666, have been searching for proof of the existence of the statues ever since.

MECHANICS

There are 14 statues in the collection, the entirety of which is called The Council of the Kooroo. Each of the items is made of pure Alum Crystal, and was intricately carved by a conglomeration of Dark and Light side force users who had formed a union to destroy an entity known only as The Machine.

Each statue has been imbued with different powers, and each is mystically connected to the other. The statues are made of 7 colours namely blue, green, orange, purple, red, and yellow. Each statue was also given a name:

Sailors Light – Blue (L)
Alycars Wave – Blue (L)

Dancing Goddess – Green (L)
The Minstrel – Green (L)

Amber’s Fall – Orange (L)
Essence of Grace – Orange (L)

Obsidan Night – Purple (D)
Deeper Darkness – Purple (D)

Slavers Torment – Red (D)
Death’s Door – Red (D)

The Golden Arcadium – Yellow (D)
The Kings Crown – Yellow (D)

Each of the statues also acts as a Jedi Holocron of its maker, but only once they have been controlled. The statues also have raw power contained therein, and if touched automatically caused 4 strain and 4 conflict to be caused to the wielder. Even the mere presence of a statue may cause a force sensitive to feel drained of energy. Unless controlled, whilst being held, the statue continues to cause strain at a rate of once per turn until dropped.

Of course, the statue may be controlled, but only through commitment and dedication. In order to control a statue, the wielder must succeed at a Formidable Discipline check, which is upgraded twice if the wielder is opposite to the statue’s “alignment”, or upgraded once if the wielder is neither an Agent of the Dark Side or a Light Side Paragon.

If controlled, the statue increases the wielder’s Sense force power, if they have any, to the equivalent of starship scale range, and automatically indicates to the wielder, the direction of the next closest statue. Sensing the exact location of the closest statue requires another Formidable Discipline check, upgraded in the same way as aforementioned, however the upgrades are dependent on the target statue.

The writeup that the characters can read is found here

The Golden Arcadium