What is the world really about? I'm not sure what you mean here. What are you asking for?

What is the world really about? I'm not sure what you mean here. What are you asking for?

My apologies for my poor spelling, grammar and word usage. It seemed good at two in the morning.

I'm asking what the current situation is going on with the world. What is the history of it? Why are the Imperials here? How long have there been refugee camps? How many refugees are we looking at?

Like one of the planetary dossiers you see in the rulebooks?

That's right.

I intend to go all Lawrence of Arabia in this campaign, if needed.

Arkos II

Astronavigation data: Arkos system, Boleian sector, Mid Rim region

Orbital metrics: 390 days in a year/28 hours in a day

Government: Imperial governorship, minimal democracy/sentient rights

Population: 4 billion (Human 30%, Ithorian 20%, others 50%)

Languages: Basic

Terrain: Terrestrial

Major Cities: Nostria (capital), Valua, Irrogensis

Areas of Interest: Spineback Mountains, Glittering Falls, Ancient Crystal Caves, Public Nature Reserves (found worldwide)

Major exports: Foodstuffs, timber, exotic goods

Major imports: Technology, machinery

Trade routes: None near

Special conditions: None

Background: Arkos II is one of the ‘old worlds’ of the Republic – those planets that were first colonised as part of the expansion out of the Core and into the Rim. It has been a doggedly loyal member of the Republic for centuries, and embodied every one of its ideals: a wide range of alien species, working together to forge a common goal on what started off as a frontier world but soon adopted new importance in multiple ways. Traditional artworks and trinkets made by the earliest colonists became a cottage industry selling products of incredible beauty and rarity to the galactic community, while the vast forests full of plentiful game, the rolling seas and sweeping plains made Arkos the local sector’s main agricultural world, shipping produce off-world in quantities so vast that within a millennium the tiny colonies had grown into major cities. Technology, of course, was kept to a minimum so as to retain the economically vital ecosystem – a lesson learned one too many times before.

Throughout galactic history Arkos has seen conflict. The Jedi Civil War saw it play host to a minor space battle in which the Republic fleet was forced to withdraw and for the duration of the war Arkos served as one of Darth Revan’s main logistical stations. Later during the Great Galactic War it was the sight of a major space and land battle, in which more than fifteen thousand Imperial and Republic troops were killed. It is said that a Jedi Convent, built for the purposes of training novices to their order, was constructed on the site of the battle’s climax in the Spineback Mountains.

Arkos remained largely unimportant for the next few millennia, doggedly staying loyal to the Republic in face of any tribulation. However by the time of the Clone Wars this loyalty was slacking: the obvious corruption of the Republic and its increasingly humano-centric loyalties made the multispecial population of Arkos II uncomfortable. Though they did not go so far as to defect from the Republic during the Clone Wars, they declared neutrality and refused to sell their food stocks to either side throughout the war. When Emperor Palpatine declared the formation of the Empire, Arkos was forced to reaffirm its Oath of Loyalty; the food stocks it had stockpiled throughout the war were confiscated and distributed to more loyal worlds, but Arkos’ garrison was remarkably light all things considered.

However in the long term this would create more problems than it solved. With its garrison relatively minimal – no more than a pair of patrol cruisers in orbit and a reinforced regiment of the Imperial Army on the ground – soon refugees began flocking to the planet. The first few were appreciated – work was always needed in the fields and fisheries – but soon as more and more refugees arrived they began to create a problem. While initially the people of Arkos II had opened their homes to the refugees, a smear campaign by the garrison and threats that to take in refugees would lead to an assumption of collusion with the Rebel Alliance meant that soon the locals were too scared to help them.

By then swarms of ships were arriving daily, and being seized almost immediately on arrival by Imperial customs. The crews were imprisoned, the passengers sent to the surface for internment in shanty towns outside the major cities. It is estimated that as many as a million refugees now exist across the planet’s surface, the vast majority of them living in squalid conditions, usually hemmed in by Imperial guards positioned to stop them from leaving without a work permit. Disease, starvation and exposure are all major risks these people face, and it is reckoned that a crisis point is almost certain to be reached soon. This is compounded by the fact that in response to the crisis the Empire has strengthened its garrison with two more battalions of Army infantry and one of Stormtroopers as well as a heavy cruiser and several prefabricated bases. Only time will tell whether the local Rebel cell can hope to do anything in this situation.

**** good work, CC. That was what I was hoping for since the team set down on the world.

A few threads just occurred to me:

1. Refugee population: this will most likely be a good source of recruitment for ground troops and support. Unfortunately, that would present another set of problems.
2. Imprisoned crews: I'm going to be asking more about the number and sizes of the ships, but a trained crews can help us out as well.
3. Possible Jedi Convent: This one is also really attractive to me, if only in the regards of bringing in some Jedi Artifacts and Force Users. However, this one would be a bit more doubtful, especially if the Empire knows about this.

Right off the bat, I can see why the Cartels/Black Sun would be interested in Arkos. Conditions are prime for a black market to be implemented, especially if there's money to be made off the misery.

Security Analysis: Ground Forces will be tough to handle. While there aren't any hard numbers, we can count on being outnumbered. Especially if they have heavy weapons and air support.

Space forces is another matter. Two patrol cruisers and a heavy cruiser might be a bit tough, but they're no Star Destroyer. Meaning that those forces can be defeated. However, reinforcements will probably come and that will not help us in the long run.

Let me pose this question to the group: Do you want confront Zavvel and his men now? Or do you want to bug out of the city and leave it to the Imperials to deal with him?

I could go either way there. We could either post up what we've gotten on Zavvel, and him and the "original" cell out to dry while we move out to form a new cell. Or, we can try to go head to head and hope our numbers are enough to at least get our foot back in the door.

If nothing else that Jedi Convent sounds like a fun place for a new base...

Sorry it took so long to bring out. I slightly forgot it needed doing!

For the ships, the unarmed ones that have been impounded are usually drifting in orbit around the planet, completely powered down and essentially left to rot. The armed ones are usually destroyed after they've had all their useful parts scavenged. The crews are in the same prison camps as the refugees. Anything I missed?

Sorry it took so long to bring out. I slightly forgot it needed doing!

For the ships, the unarmed ones that have been impounded are usually drifting in orbit around the planet, completely powered down and essentially left to rot. The armed ones are usually destroyed after they've had all their useful parts scavenged. The crews are in the same prison camps as the refugees. Anything I missed?

Hmm. That doesn't make sense to destroy armed ships. Granted, if the crew were scum and pirates then sure, but most ships have a laser canon or two to handle asteroids and comets.

In addition, good ships are hard to find for any operation, especially the Imperials. I can foresee the bigger ships being seized and sold/given to others. Smaller ships would allow the Empire to expand and support more bases.

Lastly, maybe it's just me, but it doesn't make sense for crews and refugees to be put into the same camps. Especially if said camps allow work permits and such.

so what are we doing IC?

I could go either way there. We could either post up what we've gotten on Zavvel, and him and the "original" cell out to dry while we move out to form a new cell. Or, we can try to go head to head and hope our numbers are enough to at least get our foot back in the door.

If nothing else that Jedi Convent sounds like a fun place for a new base...

Places where the Force is known to populate are known to the Empire, dangerous, or both. It may not be a bad place to explore, though.

so what are we doing IC?

I just posted Geoff's reaction to the brief from above. My apologies in advance for restating any questions, though.

the brief finished?

I'll let Rax stay in the background for this. It's better if you guys decide the course of action since I'm just running the character temporarily.

the brief finished?

I'm taking the dossier on the planet as part of our brief and asking questions off that. The brief is still in session, but I'm asking questions to further it along on areas that are either interesting or relevant to the current situation.

I'll let Rax stay in the background for this. It's better if you guys decide the course of action since I'm just running the character temporarily.

While letting us decide the course of action si good, I would still want to hear what either you as the player think or Rax's view. That way Rax will be kept involved.

Indeed. The plan is to see a bit of a consensus forming in the IC before piping in.

Personally I tend to be the cautious type investing time in surveillance before taking action. I think Rax might not be so cautious...

Indeed. The plan is to see a bit of a consensus forming in the IC before piping in.

Personally I tend to be the cautious type investing time in surveillance before taking action. I think Rax might not be so cautious...

That's my plan, at least. Get a consensus of what everyone both thinks and want to do. Then go from there.

For myself, I am in between taking the fight to Zavvel and washing my hands of him. Geoff would want to make his patients are out of harms way first before leaving Zavvel.

Hence the Gibbs comment.

Hmm. That doesn't make sense to destroy armed ships. Granted, if the crew were scum and pirates then sure, but most ships have a laser canon or two to handle asteroids and comets.

Not to contradict you - I'm not here to tell you what to think - but if I had a planet full of refugees and as much existing military power as the Empire I'd see no need myself for an armed merchantman, but I think the planet full of refugees would. So I'd destroy any ships that could fight off a TIE patrol while leaving the system, and leave the ones I could easily overhaul until they could be sold for scrap.

I agree with CC here. The Empire might simply destroy ships as part of a message of dominance, fear or contempt.

Ships in Star Wars never seem to be in short supply. The gesture of cutting off any chance of escape is powerful.

Plus the Imps aren't always looking for maximum utility for all their seized goods.

I agree that something needs to be done about the Captain. Not only has he betrayed the Rebellion, but he gave us the royal shaft.

Whether it is with a retreat or in a body bag, he has to go.

The best end result would be to disgrace him right back, but that would be a far more difficult task than simply gunning him down...

Yeah, but there's also a public perception game we need to play here. If we make the fact that the rebellion on this planet is at-odds with itself, the cell as a whole could lose the confidence of the people.

Yeah, but there's also a public perception game we need to play here. If we make the fact that the rebellion on this planet is at-odds with itself, the cell as a whole could lose the confidence of the people.

Public perception might be the least of our worries. At least with PR we can slowly heal that rift.

A bigger concern is how to get at Zavvel with out blowing the chance.

How gauche is it to nominate yourself for the position of cell leader?

I'm unsure about that.

Just curious, what is the penalty for shooting to wound instead of killing various NPCs?