So I am wanting to run a game, but it will be way darker than a normal setting.

The game is set one year after the Empire Strikes Back

1) Luke joined his father, with Palpatine allowing it, he saw what would happen if he didn't. There are only 2 Sith Lords, Palpatine and Vader, though Luke is quite powerful in the force.
2) Ackbar has died
3)Leia and Mothma are missing, presumed dead
4) Han and Chewie presumed dead, as the Millennium Falcon was blown up with them onboard
5) Lando is alive, and somehow negotiated a 'neutral ground' for Bespin, though what it really means is they work for the Empire, though only a token garrison of Stormtroopers are on world.
6) Inquisitors are on all worlds in the Inner Rim and most of the Outer Rim
7) Dark Jedi are way more common than ever thought.

What suggestions would you make besides the ones above?

Vehicles, Starships, and more.

All suggestions welcome

The Rebellion is reeling, though not all hope is lost, the PCs can fix it, or can they?

It would be a Knight level game, just because of the insane lethailty of things

36 minutes ago, bblaney001 said:

So I am wanting to run a game, but it will be way darker than a normal setting.

The game is set one year after the Empire Strikes Back

1) Luke joined his father, with Palpatine allowing it, he saw what would happen if he didn't. There are only 2 Sith Lords, Palpatine and Vader, though Luke is quite powerful in the force.
2) Ackbar has died
3)Leia and Mothma are missing, presumed dead
4) Han and Chewie presumed dead, as the Millennium Falcon was blown up with them onboard
5) Lando is alive, and somehow negotiated a 'neutral ground' for Bespin, though what it really means is they work for the Empire, though only a token garrison of Stormtroopers are on world.
6) Inquisitors are on all worlds in the Inner Rim and most of the Outer Rim
7) Dark Jedi are way more common than ever thought.

What suggestions would you make besides the ones above?

Vehicles, Starships, and more.

All suggestions welcome

The Rebellion is reeling, though not all hope is lost, the PCs can fix it, or can they?

It would be a Knight level game, just because of the insane lethailty of things

I assume Luke was captured at Bespin.
What happened to Ackbar?
What happened to Leia and Mothma? Was Leia on the Falcon with Han and Chewie?

If the Inquisitorious is so prominant I suspect force users are more common in addition to the Dark Jedi. Though I would just call them dark sider as dark jedi implies they were jedi once.

At what point does the timeline diverge from canon as that helps address where things spin out from. Is it Lukes battle on Bespin?

The basic setting assumptions seem fine.

There are a lot of questions that need answers (see also above).

How many players are participating? What kind of characters are they running?

What will the group of PC's be doing for the Rebellion?

Okay with scant information here are my suggestions.

If you plan on ramping up the difficulty you may want the PC's to start with significantly more Exp than "Knight" level. ( +500 exp is what I started my players with and it was nice).

Erase the word "minion" from your vocabulary. Treat each Stormtrooper as an intelligent well trained member of a team. They love using grenades too.

Nerf the heck out of Stimpaks. Immediately following are the rules I use for Stimpaks.

Quote

Stimpaks. Stimpaks are normally a one per day usage, but diminish after time with repeat usage.

The first stimpak will heal 5 wounds. Subsequent doses on the same day will only heal 1 wound.

Stimpaks reduce efficacy if used day after day and will reduce the their effectiveness by 1 wound per days. So on day 1 a first stimpak will heal five wound, on day 2 the first application (that day) will only heal four wounds. Day three heals only three wounds, etc.

On each subsequent application of a stimpak on the same day, characters must take a easy ( d ) Discipline or Resilience check (whichever is better) plus setback die ( b ) equal to the number of stimpaks taken (so far). Any character taking only 1 stimpak (per day) will not take addiction checks. A character taking two stimpaks per on a day will roll d bb for their first addiction check.

On this addition check each “failure” represents how hard it is to break the addiction and the “threats” represent the intensity of the addiction or how many setback die a character suffers, without “dosing up” until the addiction is beaten.

If there are that many Inquisitors running around I'd encourage the PC's to be force sensitive. In my campaign each PC was required to purchase the FSE talent tree. Also give the group an awesome force trainer who can get them up to speed on the Force quickly.

1) I assume Luke was captured at Bespin.
Yes, though he went willingly

2) What happened to Ackbar?
His fleet died protecting the escape of rebels from *insert world* (still determining that)

3a) What happened to Leia and Mothma?
They were escaping from *insert world*, the one Ackbar was protecting, and never arrived at their destination with the rest of the survivors.

3b) Was Leia on the Falcon with Han and Chewie?
Nope (see above). They too were ambushed, though by Boba Fett and other Bounty Hunters, all reports have concluded that they died when the Falcon blew up.

4) How many players are participating? What kind of characters are they running?
4 to 5, with one NPC droid, highly possible that R2 will be the droid

5) What will the group of PC's be doing for the Rebellion?
Trying to stabilize them Rebellion and then take it from there.

6) If there are that many Inquisitors running around I'd encourage the PC's to be force sensitive. In my campaign each PC was required to purchase the FSE talent tree. Also give the group an awesome force trainer who can get them up to speed on the Force quickly.
I am debating that, though the more force sensitives, the more problems, as it will be easier for them to draw attention to themselves.
I also have a 'Master' for them in mind

Suggestions noted.

48 minutes ago, bblaney001 said:

1) I assume Luke was captured at Bespin.
Yes, though he went willingly

2) What happened to Ackbar?
His fleet died protecting the escape of rebels from *insert world* (still determining that)

3a) What happened to Leia and Mothma?
They were escaping from *insert world*, the one Ackbar was protecting, and never arrived at their destination with the rest of the survivors.

3b) Was Leia on the Falcon with Han and Chewie?
Nope (see above). They too were ambushed, though by Boba Fett and other Bounty Hunters, all reports have concluded that they died when the Falcon blew up.

4) How many players are participating? What kind of characters are they running?
4 to 5, with one NPC droid, highly possible that R2 will be the droid

5) What will the group of PC's be doing for the Rebellion?
Trying to stabilize them Rebellion and then take it from there.

6) If there are that many Inquisitors running around I'd encourage the PC's to be force sensitive. In my campaign each PC was required to purchase the FSE talent tree. Also give the group an awesome force trainer who can get them up to speed on the Force quickly.
I am debating that, though the more force sensitives, the more problems, as it will be easier for them to draw attention to themselves.
I also have a 'Master' for them in mind

Suggestions noted.

In that case where in the time line was the deviation? Cause it doesn't seem like it is Bespin. And we can give you better advice if we understand when and where the changed occured? Did Death Star I still get destroyed at Yavin? Did Rogue I happen? Rebels? how deep do the alterations go?

The original Death Star was destroyed as per normal.

Luke changed at Bespin, instead of dropping off the weather vane, he took Vader's hand and joined him.

A year later the Rebels got wrecked, as the Empire used the knowledge Luke had, which wasn't much, but they didn't fully know Luke survived, only rumored.

It'll now be a total of 5 years after Bespin and the universe is screwed.

Rogue One did happen

Rebels did happen

The Jedi 'Master' will be a homebrew one, an old friend's PC from Star Wars SEG d6

I think Daeglans' concern is how did Han get unfrozen in order to get blown up by Boba Fett? Threatening 2 of the big three is what drove Luke to Bespin, so it's a critical point.

12 minutes ago, bblaney001 said:

Luke changed at Bespin, instead of dropping off the weather vane, he took Vader's hand and joined him.

With all the resources of the Empire, you'd think he would need one of Vader's secondhand cyberhands! 😜

31 minutes ago, kaosoe said:

I think Daeglans' concern is how did Han get unfrozen in order to get blown up by Boba Fett? Threatening the big three is what drove Luke to Bespin, so it's a critical point.

yeah now that I know the deviation point how did Leia and Chewie and Han end up blown up. You are gonna need to clear up that chain of events a little better. As Kaosoe points out the only reason Luke is on Bespin is Han and Leia. The Only Reason Lando would be treated Nuetral is if he sold out Leia and Han. Han would go with Baba Fett. Leia and Chewie would go with Vader Along with Luke. To get to your point there needs to be some more events. Like somehow Chewie and Leia escape the the empire.

So what would you suggest?

That's the reason I'm here asking.

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

well start with not killing everyone.

Han is in Carbonite on Jabba's wall.
Chewie is a Imperial Slave.
Leia is in Imperial Prison or has been executed.
Ackbar can of course die with a small fleet.
The Falcon is with Lando.

The advantage to these changes is now you have plot hooks to hand out for things like freeing Han for example.

10 minutes ago, Daeglan said:

well start with not killing everyone.

Han is in Carbonite on Jabba's wall.
Chewie is a Imperial Slave.
Leia is in Imperial Prison or has been executed.
Ackbar can of course die with a small fleet.
The Falcon is with Lando.

The advantage to these changes is now you have plot hooks to hand out for things like freeing Han for example.

Or just kill everyone and don't sweat the details. The game is about the PCs not the canon characters.

14 minutes ago, HappyDaze said:

Or just kill everyone and don't sweat the details. The game is about the PCs not the canon characters.

Sure. But a solid understanding of the world as it is to start is important. And plot hooks are good. Anyone they rescue should only be good for adviceafter their rescue as the are broken

I agree don't worry about the main characters unless you plan to use them. I don't incorporate main characters in my games, only their names and that is rare.

It sounds like a darker game than it would normally be at this point of the time line. Can let to move battles with evil with the inquisitors on all planets, and of the Empire still a massive threat. Just build a good story based on the characters and what the final goal is for the campaign.

2 hours ago, Daeglan said:

Sure. But a solid understanding of the world as it is to start is important. And plot hooks are good. Anyone they rescue should only be good for adviceafter their rescue as the are broken

Understanding the world doesn't revolve around those characters should be enough. They could have all died from food poisoning for all it matters. They were the THEN; let's get on with the NOW!

50 minutes ago, HappyDaze said:

Understanding the world doesn't revolve around those characters should be enough. They could have all died from food poisoning for all it matters. They were the THEN; let's get on with the NOW!

Well except what the status of those characters tells the characters a lot about the state of the galaxy

2 hours ago, Daeglan said:

Well except what the status of those characters tells the characters a lot about the state of the galaxy

The characters or the players? The characters very likely have no idea who those characters are beyond some Rebel propaganda following Yavin.

7 hours ago, HappyDaze said:

The characters or the players? The characters very likely have no idea who those characters are beyond some Rebel propaganda following Yavin.

Players

20 hours ago, HappyDaze said:

Or just kill everyone and don't sweat the details. The game is about the PCs not the canon characters.

Yeah I kind of wonder why the details of the canon characters matter at all in this game. Just tell the players what the galaxy is like, as the characters would know about it. People on Earth watched the movies, the characters in the setting are just living their lives, not collecting Luke and Vader trading cards.

Assuming you have already told the players it will be dark and different from canon, describe that Empire is supreme and the effect that has on life in the setting. Shooting to make the players uncomfortable with darkness is a tall order, they will likely just go ok this is what it's like and it's grim and all let's get going.

Here is what I could plan for such a campaign.
On Bespin, Han died during the carbon freezing test proving that the procedure is not secure. So Vader opts for a more direct approach from Luke and the duel didn’t end in the industrial part of the Cloud City; one-handed Luke is not able to escape (by falling into a chasm). Vader eventually captures Luke. Luke, Leia, Chewbacca and C-3PO are transported to the Executor and moved on Coruscant. Lando and R2-D2 stay in the Cloud City with the Falcon . Boba Fett goes to Tatooine with Han Solo.

• On Coruscant, Vader and the Emperor turn Luke to the dark side of the Force. Then, Luke becomes an Inquisitor chasing Rebels in the Galaxy.
• Vader tortures Leia (to death?) to make her reveals the secrets of the Rebel Alliance (she holds up and reveals nothing?).
• Chewbacca is deported as a slave to the construction site of the new Death Star.
• Darth Vader rebuilt C-3PO and makes him his personal (and unwilling?) assistant.
• Since Luke knew several hiding places of the Rebel Alliance, many rebel leaders are arrested or killed (Rieekan, Mon Mothma, Akbar….).
• Yoda is killed on Dagobah, now it is ghost-Yoda.
• On Bespin, Lando Calrissian gnawed by the remorse start his own resistance movement.

Some milestones for the campaign could be:

• Battle of Hoth : the characters are rebels on the Echo base (see the Adventure idea #8 Marooned on Hoth in the Star Wars d6 Core Rulebook page 119). After escaping Hoth with a stolen Imperial ship with a limited amount of fuel, PCs can only reach Anoat (There’s not much there) or Bespin. The PCs meet Lando who possibly became an ally and a rebel leader. At this point, players realize that the continuation of the campaign will not match with the movies: they are in Terra Incognita.
• Lando gives/lends the Falcon to the PCs. R2-D2 possibly join the group.
• Freeing prominent figures of the Rebel Alliance (from the Empire, from Jabba the Hutt, from anybody you want).
• After several adventures, PCs (especially the one who is sensitive to the Force) are contacted by ghost-Yoda and/or ghost-Kenobi. They provide(s) a serious Jedi training to the character(s). Eventually, ghost-Yoda/Kenobi reveals the truth about the Emperor, Vader, Luke and Leia. The two masters can be used to “manipulate” the PCs, to bring them to Luke/Vader/Palpatine in time with proper training to maximize chances of success.
• The attack of the Death Star II (with the help of a slave named Chewbacca).
• More adventures.
• The Inquisitor Luke is the main nemesis for this campaign; he is the one who hunts the rebels (and the PCs) across the Galaxy. He is a killable character (powerful but killable). A sub-climax of this campaign could be an epic duel with Luke and several henchmen.
• A final confrontation with Vader and the Emperor; letting Vader know that Leia was his daughter can be a serious revelation to him (especially after he tortured/killed her at the beginning of the campaign).

The End.

Rather than having Yoda killed he dies of old age, alone. Yoda saw the turning as it happened and so moved from Dagobah and is elsewhere when he dies. Darth Vader and Luke find his robe and staff...

Based on how Darth Vader is in the comics (he hates Palpatine for lying to him and constantly testing him) I think he would make a play for the emperor with Luke. This could be a plot point where the players find out and chose to get involved trying to take them all down. Depending on where the dice roll and who the players choose to focus on during the conflict will dictate the survivors.

5 minutes ago, MrTInce said:

Rather than having Yoda killed he dies of old age, alone. Yoda saw the turning as it happened and so moved from Dagobah and is elsewhere when he dies. Darth Vader and Luke find his robe and staff...

Or ... that. I like this image, Its way better than an orbital bombing.

Even if I love orbital bombing ... with nukes and stuff. 😉

23 minutes ago, MrTInce said:

Rather than having Yoda killed he dies of old age, alone. Yoda saw the turning as it happened and so moved from Dagobah and is elsewhere when he dies.

Dagobah was a festering swamp. That already puts it one step on the way to being Space Florida.

Quote

Dagobah was a festering swamp. That already puts it one step on the way to being Space Florida.

Without the sunny beaches, though

5 hours ago, dreenan said:

Without the sunny beaches, though

It might have sunny beaches....Yoda might be a snow bird at his summer place