A little background: My group is using the spice mine from The Long Arm of the Hutt as a base. They mine Ryll Spice for the extra income. I have introduced a group of pirates that likes to hit ships haul spice and other valuations.

They have only had one run in so far and I'm working on a second. The head of this pirate group is a Force Sensitive that slipped through the cracks during the days of the Order. I want to make him a long term nemesis. Should be fun... For me anyway... Lol.

Anyway the pirates have hit another shipment and are on their way to Nar Shaddaa. Ironic because the PCs are already there. So I know the pirates will attempt to board the PCs ship and the PCs will attempt to counter-board and retake what's theirs.

They will probably take the opportunity to sell it on Nar Shaddaa and make a quick buck. Now for my questions:

1. How often should this pirate band strike?

2. What sort of problems should they have on Nar Shaddaa trying to sell the Spice?

1. My advice would be not too often, overuse spoils the impact. I personally would only use the pirates when I thought my group had forgotten about them, and at the most inopportune time.

2. Nar Shadaa problems could be many fold. I like the playing on paranoia approach. The threat of getting ripped off and left laying in the gutter is very powerful and a very real possibility. Make the players feel that. I wouldn't actually do it , but I would make my players worry about it.

Run the negotiation almost like a combat. When they do make the sell and are at the meet, make sure it's super tense. The buyer's thugs all exchanging knowing glances, etc.

Hope this helps even a little. Good luck and let me know how it works out.

On 9/26/2018 at 12:52 PM, HistoryGuy said:

1. How often should this pirate band strike?

2. What sort of problems should they have on Nar Shaddaa trying to sell the Spice?

1. As often as it's interesting for you and the players.
2. Whatever you want to throw in so long as it doesn't feel like a "random encounter;" i.e. "Oh no, a swoop gang wants your drugs! Roll for Initiative." The actual act of selling drugs isn't very interesting. Check out HBO's The Wire . The drama comes from the character interplay in a city where it's debatable who the good guys and bad guys are. The actual drug sale should be the last action in a series of tense events revolving around negotiation, hiding out, keeping your fear in check, and deciding who's trustworthy and who's a snitch. The challenge should be for the PCs to figure out who's a good buyer.