So my group has been playing the various versions of Star Wars for several years now, with no real clear historical context. So once FFG came out with their take, I decided to definitively write the history of the group. Now a thing to note about the campaign, is, it's not a traditional campaign. 3 GMs running one of the systems, 4 players per group, which can be run in any sort of combination. FaD only, EoE only, AoR only, AoR+EoE, EoE+FaD, 2 players from each system, etc., and on rare occasions, all three systems at once with all 12 players.

Now, one of the players has a Wookiee Life Debt to another player (part of the character's rough background). Now since the erratic nature of how we're running the game, and PCs being NPCs at times, I'm wondering if I should leave the Life Debt as a purely RP thing or give it a mechanical aspect as an Obligation Debt. Leaving it as a purely RP thing, takes the stress off the GM, but putting a mechanical aspect (Obligation) on the Life Debt, can give it some weight and can make the character act. What are your thoughts?

(Disclaimer: I hate Obligation anyway!)

My take on it though is that Obligation should always apply to someone outside the party. Life Debt to an NPC is fine. Life Debt to a PC is a Motivation rather than an Obligation.

When accepting Obligations, I always ask myself: if you stopped doing this thing, would there be any real consequences?

Haha

You bring up some really great points Maelora. I generally feel that Obligation is supposed to be towards an NPC as well. I can definitely see the case for Motivation, and agree completely. And I do believe the character does have that as a Motivation. After mulling over your response, I think that would work well for the PCs as possible NPCs.

As for your self Obligation question, that's a great question to ask.

My take on it is that Obligation should have some repercussions for the PC. If you don't pay a debt to a Hutt, he can call bounty hunters on you. Addiction and Adrenaline Junkie have built-in flaws.

But anything owed to another PC doesn't have too many repercussions. I think things like 'Oath' should be treated as Motivations. If you swear an Oath to yourself and then decide you don't want to do it after all, nobody else cares.

True. My thinking was, with a Life Debt being such a hefty thing, there should be some sort of penalty for the player. Perfect opportunity to get a desire vs going to rescue friend who's about to be executed.

Now mind you, I'm not trying to screw over the player, he is the one who chose to have his character owe a Life Debt. I'm just trying to put it mechanically, in the right category. "Here's your Life Debt Motivation, but it's not that serious. If you find something better to go do, you can go do that instead" versus "Hey, if you buddy is in jail and about to be executed, if you fail to go and try and rescue him, you will be reviled in Wookiee society, which we know you play the character who believes in the Wookiee laws to a fault."

Me personally, I would have let the Life Debt occur through RP versus right off the bat, but that's me. I like leaving my characters open to let the GM flesh out more. "For the next couple of years, Talley and his squad struck against the Empire." Doing what specifically? I can let the GM expand on that if they want, or create an adventure around, or whatever.

Anyways, one of the players told another player that he's wanting to play again. So, I figured a nice one shot or two shot adventure would be to expand on the Life Debt story. The Wookiee player doesn't have to be there for since not playing all night because the character is being held captive, would get boring. Plus, I'd be able to bring in one of the 3 recurring NPC (Rival) villains. Like I said, this is a large campaign spread.

I originally got the idea from Old World of Darkness I played back in the day, with 5+ games being played in the same system and setting and wanted to create a game that I could incorporate a combined game but also branch out with one game to tell one specific story I wanted to tell. The EoE crew may only want to do smuggling runs for example, but Talley, being a soldier in the Alliance, unless it's Alliance related, he wouldn't really care about. One story idea I had is EoE smuggles blaster rifles to the Rebels (adventure 1), then the Rebels go and use those rifles to do something that help Force and Destiny (adventure 2), with that help from the Rebels, it helps the FaD characters go and do their thing (adventure 3). Or any combination like that. Give each group their moment in the spotlight in the big picture.