No I am not talking about that sport where they jog? Yog? For an extended amount of time.

I am starting a new group next week for the Easter Long weekend, and we are setting aside two days and nights to really get a cracking start to the open ended campaign.

We are setting our intro during the events of Episode III, and the years that follow (Thankyou Dawn of Rebellion)

I have previously only run set time story driven (pre-written or written in entirety by me) but that won't work for this, as the group of players the Wife and I are joining like to sandbox.

I am sketehing out about 4 hours of story as an intro and to teach the system (3 have only done a beginner sesh and 2 have never played this system, they are longtime RPGs though) then by the end of that I should have enough to work with to make it up as I go.. I hope

My overall goal is to have the birth of the Empire and the spark of rebellion happening around the PCs, and let them decide how they want to interact with it.

Any tips and ideas for running marathon gaming weekends would be greatly appreciated (and yes, food is covered, we have an entire Lamb on the spit to work through)

Beer will be another essential... you’ve sorted that as well right

Do a session zero : where all your players will create the PC together so no one will have a not appropriate character for you marathon. Making an adventure since it's and open game, make only sketches of story of a starting point and a end point for the marathon. In between it will be improvisation. Prepare yourself some encounters but general ones so you can make them pop when it's the time. Introducing set break time. Every 4h of play stop for 30min. So you won't have players diverging while playing (it's normal to foul around always)

Beers, chips, coffee, pizza.

Plan alot of planets. Or ideas at least since your group can leap easy where they want.

Since food/drink seem to be the main focus of the suggestions:

Bring some midichlorians for everyone, obviously.

Hunger may become an issue, so don’t be surprised if anyone gets a crazing for taquitos and cheese dip. If you get pizza, here’s an idea: How about you don’t pay the bill? Yolo. If a taco made entirely out of dorito exists, find it and bring that as well. Make sure everyone has zimas. Get a bunch of booze and get drunk at home. The liquor store closes at midnight. Lemonade would also... hit the spot. On a hot day like today? Cool and refreshing. Steve/Ben/Obi-Wan/Larry should be able buy the nachos. Just get a bunch of beer. Even that Kashyyyk Jungle Juice that Chewbacca likes so much.

I’m all out of references to Auralnauts ideas. I might be able to provide some more on March 31 when The Last Laser Master comes out.

Sandbox essentials:

- A list of NPC names. And sometimes places (cantina/casino names)

- Generic Enemy stats. Thugs, Mynocks, Security Droids, Stormtroopers, etc. (the print and play Adversary decks rule)

- Generic Encounters. ie Bar fight, Bounty Hunter, Space pirates, etc. These are especially great for the "oh crap I don't know where do go next with this story I need time to think" moments. Short combat eats up time while they roll dice you are thinking of the next story move.

Lol all these food suggestions! Did you all miss the bit where we a cooking AN ENTIRE ANIMAL on the spit.

Session zero has been done over FB. I have this weekend away for work to tie all the disparate PCs and there backstories into a reason for being in the same spot at game start.

11 hours ago, ThreeAM said:

Sandbox essentials:

- A list of NPC names. And sometimes places (cantina/casino names)

- Generic Enemy stats. Thugs, Mynocks, Security Droids, Stormtroopers, etc. (the print and play Adversary decks rule)

- Generic Encounters. ie Bar fight, Bounty Hunter, Space pirates, etc. These are especially great for the "oh crap I don't know where do go next with this story I need time to think" moments. Short combat eats up time while they roll dice you are thinking of the next story move.

Definitely all of this, especially the names... there’s always some random shopkeeper that they’re buying supplies from that they want to know the name of!! I also have a list of alien races just to add a bit more variety... it’s amazing how many twi’leks & rodians get used when making up NPCs on the fly so having the list makes variety that bit easier!

Also have some city/settlement names handy for when (yes when, not if) they go to that planet that u expected them to have no interest in at all!

Check out the Internet for some suitable maps! This guy (http ://www.miskafredman.com/maps/ ) does some awesome stuff & if u search for Star Wars on his site you’ll get a good number of useable maps like rebel bases, outlaw hideouts, an imperial detention block! Even his fantasy themed maps are useful!

As others have said sketch out some side plots, or ideas for them... they don’t have to be detailed, just give yourself an idea of what it involves, that way u can drop it in wherever or whenever. If u can, think of ways that u can link these plots or have the outcome affect one of your other plots!

Finally don’t be worried about calling a break... there’s gonna be times when your players have gone off on a tangent & you’ll need a bit of time to flesh things out before u carry on Your players can always entertain themselves with that beer I mention in my first response!

It sounds like you’ve got a great weekend planned... I envy the time you’ve got to spend playing!!

Enjoy.... & maybe let us know how it goes

4 hours ago, AceSolo5 said:

I also have a list of alien races just to add a bit more variety... it’s amazing how many twi’leks & rodians get used when making up NPCs on the fly so having the list makes variety that bit easier!

I’ll advertise my Complete Species Guide for that, especially those last 3 pages.

28 minutes ago, Yaccarus said:

I’ll advertise my Complete Species Guide for that, especially those last 3 pages.

Agreed... an absolutely AWESOME resource!!

I did a marathon weekend and what I didn't plan for was that cooking, cleaning, and general upkeep were going to take a lot of time.

That said, for sandboxing, I'd stick with no more prep than some bullet points and some generic NPCs & settings to put them in - something a coat of paint can be slapped on at a moment's notice to suit the current need.

Well we are underway. 10 hours of gameplay and 50xp in. Everyone is having a blast.

Order 66 has been given and the PCs are on the run for trying to save their Jedi mentor (emphasis on trying)

Broke for sleep.

We are going to time warp a year to the inaugural Empire day. Each PC will get a chance to see what they did in that year with a "single roll adventure check" and if succesul I will hand out some universal specs or other rewards.

But first...Coffee

Nice enjoy guys. We finished a 14hours stretch game at 3 am. Keep us posted for the following events and how good they're one roll for a year went out.

End of day two, a total of 22 hours down so far.

They have acquired a Hammerhead corvette with a captain (non of them can fly). with the aim of setting it up as their homestead. And now there making some money for a "Entrepenour" out of Nimban.

Best check so far was the "face" (Zeltron Performer/Charmer) was running away from the raging Ronto in the bar, where they were waiting for their contact for sale, when she bumps into him an says hi and to see if is the contact.. with the attached role below

So that resulted in the whole contract negotiation resolving without a hitch, extra profit, and another job.

Hah awesome. My group has dabbled in the starter kit and we are just gearing up to start a campaign, will hopefully start it in a few months with a semi marathon campaign of our own. Our two passions are table tops/video games and fishing. Combining video games with the camping portion of fishing has always been very difficult, board games was equally challenging, but table top RPG's seems like a natural fit around the fire as it gets dark.

This thread has been a great inspiration Never GMed before so I am just soaking all of this in..

Star Wars RPG After Action Report - Easter Weekend 3 day marathon

Hi all,

So for the long weekend, 7 friends (and associated pet humans) gathered on a farm to travel to a galaxy far far away for an epic 3 days of STAR WARS!!!

Close to 30 hours of game time was enjoyed over 6 sessions, and an absolute blast was had by everyone (I think the children enjoyed themselves too, I should ask…)

Inspired by the recently released “Dawn of Rebellion” sourcebook 4 swashbuckling murder hobos, a Holo-diva and a confused Senate guard gathered during the events of Episode III to fight to survive during the chaos of Order 66, the downfall of the Republic and rise of the Empire.

Our stars were:

Brinna, Senatoral Blue Guard human(a Soldier Vanguard Played by the wife)

Smar-do, a Weequay warrior on a blood oath (Warrior Agressor)

Infindel Renatus, the Zeltron face of Holo-soap operas and other bit parts (Colonist Performer)

Alira’a , the no nonsense Togruta huntswoman (Bounty Hunter Survivalist)

Xanthia, the Thakwash loner game hunter with the uncanny knack to land that shot and multiple personalities to keep herself company (Seeker Hunter)

Zorath, the diminutive but tough Noghri who just really loves big guns (Soldier Heavy)

And myself as the Game Master/Narrator/Guide to the Galaxy

Following the great guidelines of GM no-nos, I started the campaign with a split party, with half the group, under the command of CAPT Jan Dodonna, trying to rescue a Venator Star Destroyer that the other group was stuck on as it plummeted into the atmosphere of Commenor., after escaping the terrible battle of Corescant.

Once safe, the team were recovering in Hospital on the surface and getting to know each other when all the Clones protecting them started killing all the Jedi healers and party members with force ability. They managed to narrowly escape while protecting Senator Mon Mothma, enduring the intense firepower of Clone Captain Keith Demaas, who killed their Jedi protector, in the hammerhead corvette truncheon. They then safely delivered the Senator to Polis Massa where she met her friend Bail Organa, informed them all that a wanted notice was posted to all of them for kidknapping the senator.

Cut to a year later, the Empire is expanding at a rapid pace. The team agreed to meet to catch up, and as laying low was providing middling results against the wanted notice. (For this I used the “one check adventure” system to see how profitable or costly that year was for each PC was, with rewards for successful checks ranging from new specs, new toys or information on jedi artifacts)

The group met the captain of the Trunchion , who had been fired that day and lumped with an impounded ship and docking fees. They scrounge up the money by taking on a job and loan from a local fence that Brinna had been providing muscle for, head to Eriadu to do some research at the library, where they pick up a scholar who knows the location of an ancient Jedi training ship.

Then they travel to and sell their load at Shumvarr for a very tidy profit (after a raging Ronto smashed the Cantina they were negotiating in). The 3 triumphs the face rolled on her check to find the contact led to another job to Correllia to sell CEC the latest R6 astromech blueprints that were acquired by, unsavoury, means.

On their way, they stopped over at Sullust, to find a Slicer good enough to hack the imperial network and get rid of there wanted status. The slicer worked for a Sullustan Che Guevera, who needed them to blow up a Hypercomm station first. They succeed and get their records wiped, before boosting coreward to Correllia, also known as space Texas.

Once there, they do a little shopping, which of course results in a shootout in a pawn shop. Overnight they pick up a side gig running a intrasystem smuggling route and earning a contract with a local mogul. The next day CEC beconed, so the group hires a limo, puts on their best face and goes to pickup the CEC agent. On the way back, a highway chase ensues as INCOM security agents attempt to assassinate the CEC VP, but the party is victorious and they jet to Yag’Duul station to conduct the meeting between CEC and their client. Profit wins the day.

All in all, as the wife and mines first marathon, (The others were old hats) It was an amazing ,fun and exhausting experience. The other four had never played the system before but by the end they could build a dice pool with the best of them. On the way home, Wifey was still brainstorming ideas of where her PC needed to go next. (She is a keeper)

Signing out until next time,

May the dice be with you