In my current campaign , set about 5-7 BBY, the PC's are fighter pilots aligned with a largeish rebel group (they have a small fleet that, if combined, might be able to take on a single star destroyer and win). During their last missions, one of their NPC wingmen, Rodwin Curovao, heroically sacrificed himself to destroy an asteroid that had been directed to impact a civilian city.

The PCs knew him as pretty stiff, by the book kind of guy, and perhaps a little arrogant. They know he was a noble from fancy family or other on Brentaal IV, but not much of the details. One of these details is that he was a Scion of the Curovao family owners of Curovao ImpEx, who are huge handlers and dealers of military equipment. Now the Curovao family's hands are far from clean, and they've made several fortunes from working with the empire. While Rodwin himself had taken up the rebel cause, he didn't have an illusions about managing to convince his parents or grandparents to join the cause. Instead he signed as mere pilot with the idea that if he died in combat against the empire, that would push his family in the right direction. The PCs commanders have pretty much figured the same thing (they were possibly on board with the plan all along, or Rodwin informed them via posthumous letter) and are going to make a push to win the Curovao family and their resources over.

As one of the PCs plays a something of a face character (Hotshot/Propagandist/Squadron Leader), who was in the battle where Rodwin died, it makes sense to send them to the Curovao family to formally extend their condolences, return his personal effects (including newly awarded medals for valor) and in general make a charm offensive. Initial contact with Curovao has been made, so the PC will travel to Brentaal on a formal (but secret!) invitation. The rebel leadership of course realizes that this could be a trap, given the family's imperial leanings, but given the possible rewards, the PCs are considered acceptable casualties if things go wrong.

So, basically, the PCs will discreetly travel to Brentaal IV, where they will have to put on their fanciest dress uniforms to try make the best possible impression on Rodwins family, his grandmother, the matriarch, in particular. If all goes well, the rebels will have gained a powerful supplier, and the PCs will get a chance to get some new snazzy ships. If things go bad, they'll probably be handed over to the empire.

I've considered a sideplot as well, where the snazzy new gear the PCs are about to get is stolen by a somewhat friendly smuggler the PCs have befriended earlier. The smuggler is planning to sell the stuff to the rebels (at a discount even!) so she's nominally on the same side as the PCs. However, stealing from the hand about to feed them could be seen as impolite by those stodgy nobles, so the PCs might want to stop her anyway. Also, if they're about to get the stuff for free anyway, paying a smuggler for it is a step down. However, for the smuggler, just letting the rebels have it means that there won't be any payday for her. Of course, if they don't win over the nobles, the might want to steal the stuff anyway, assuming they're still alive.

But...

Here's the rub. I've got a good outline, and a quite a few details, but I'm lacking the core of this arc. Right now it's pretty much "Walk in, try to convince grandma. Pass/fail." and that is just too... bland.

I need some ideas for intrigue involving family members, imperial agents or other nobles houses, but currently I'm drawing a complete blank beyond "some family members are diehard empire and some aren't."

Dear forum, hit me with your best shots!

“Grandma” isn’t Grandma. Grandma had a special place for Rodwin in her heart, and his choice to join the Rebellion had her reconsidering her decision to do business with the Empire. But, she made the mistake of confiding in one of those family members staunchly loyal to the Empire. That family member either conspired with other like-minded family members or the Empire itself to replace Grandma with a Clawdite imposter. Grandma is still alive - they couldn’t bring themselves to allow her death...they still love her, after all, and were just looking out for the family’s interests - but she’s hidden away...somewhere.

Rodwin's brother (or sister) has recently returned from the Imperial Academy and is going to be assigned to an elite tie squadron. At face value the sibling is distressed and upset with the presence of the rebellion pilots. Secretly though, they have always looked up to their older brother and only joined the empire due to social pressures. With Rodwin's death, the sibling could become a long term spy within the competing squadron, or a terrible foe.

OR

Rodwin has two siblings: One that is sympathetic to the rebellion and one that is not. With Rodwin's death, both are jockeying for the future head of the Curovao family. Of course the PCs could be useful in this competition...

1 hour ago, Nytwyng said:

“Grandma” isn’t Grandma. Grandma had a special place for Rodwin in her heart, and his choice to join the Rebellion had her reconsidering her decision to do business with the Empire. But, she made the mistake of confiding in one of those family members staunchly loyal to the Empire. That family member either conspired with other like-minded family members or the Empire itself to replace Grandma with a Clawdite imposter. Grandma is still alive - they couldn’t bring themselves to allow her death...they still love her, after all, and were just looking out for the family’s interests - but she’s hidden away...somewhere.

I love this, but I think it'll work better with people controlling access to "poor old, sick grandma while she's just devastated with grief".

I mean, bringing a clawdite into the house? What do they even eat ?

1 hour ago, VadersMarchKazoo said:

Rodwin's brother (or sister) has recently returned from the Imperial Academy and is going to be assigned to an elite tie squadron. At face value the sibling is distressed and upset with the presence of the rebellion pilots. Secretly though, they have always looked up to their older brother and only joined the empire due to social pressures. With Rodwin's death, the sibling could become a long term spy within the competing squadron, or a terrible foe.

OR

Rodwin has two siblings: One that is sympathetic to the rebellion and one that is not. With Rodwin's death, both are jockeying for the future head of the Curovao family. Of course the PCs could be useful in this competition...

Good, good.

I was thinking about ways to work the imperial defector's past into the mix, and the imperial academy on Corulag is pretty much next door on the galactic scale.

Since grandma is the head of the family, there's probably above Rodwin vying for control, but this conflict could work between Rodwin's parents and an older cousin (who's parents have passed away). Maybe put a twist on it and have the parents be the pro-imperial ones (or maybe just against the rebels that got their son killed) and the cousin more sympathetic one.

This could be worked into Nytwyngs idea above, with the parents controlling access.

Also, I was wondering why a pro-imperial family member wouldn't just call the authorities at the drop of a hat. The answer of course is that the PCs have a formal invitation signed by grandma herself. Grandma could probably call the empire and claim that it was in order to lure the rebels out, but if someone else does, well, then the empire might use that as an excuse to enforce more direct control or even seize the assets of the traitorous grandma, which means a sizeable chunk of the family's assets.

Checking the map Brentaal is so deeply entrenched into the Core that it's going to be an Imperial stronghold!

And if the PC's have been involved long enough then the Empire probably has dossiers on most (if not all) of the PC's.

For starters, the PC's are likely going to need to sneak onto the world and sneak onto the family estates.

Another twist to consider, would be a corporate espionage angle where their presence isn't noticed by Imperial agents but by corporate vendors and partners who see the PC's as possible business rivals.

Some of the younger family members could also be COMPNOR Youth Corps* (I know it probably has a different name) but a couple of the younger siblings could be thoroughly indoctrinated and looking for an easy boost to their 'resume' and would love nothing more than to be able to report 'suspicious persons.'

You could also introduce the "family friend" (an Imperial Officer on the take with the family) who is ACTUALLY a ISB plant sent to see if anyone not directly related to the family actually shows up to offer condolences for the lost rebellious son.

59 minutes ago, penpenpen said:

I love this, but I think it'll work better with people controlling access to "poor old, sick grandma while she's just devastated with grief".

I mean, bringing a clawdite into the house? What do they even eat ?

Good, good.

I was thinking about ways to work the imperial defector's past into the mix, and the imperial academy on Corulag is pretty much next door on the galactic scale.

Since grandma is the head of the family, there's probably above Rodwin vying for control, but this conflict could work between Rodwin's parents and an older cousin (who's parents have passed away). Maybe put a twist on it and have the parents be the pro-imperial ones (or maybe just against the rebels that got their son killed) and the cousin more sympathetic one.

This could be worked into Nytwyngs idea above, with the parents controlling access.

Also, I was wondering why a pro-imperial family member wouldn't just call the authorities at the drop of a hat. The answer of course is that the PCs have a formal invitation signed by grandma herself. Grandma could probably call the empire and claim that it was in order to lure the rebels out, but if someone else does, well, then the empire might use that as an excuse to enforce more direct control or even seize the assets of the traitorous grandma, which means a sizeable chunk of the family's assets.

To add to the last point; the empire might look to make an example of anyone who has allowed anyone to work for the alliance. These are space fascists with an eye to increase the power of the state. Thus the family might not necessarily want to get the empire involved for the sake of losing face. One complicating factor might be to involve someone who doesn’t really care about the rebels at all, beyond being an opportunity to add their assets to his/her own. Extra complicated if one of them has a double identity as an ISB agent who was just looking for an opportunity to have all those resources under his personal family, no mothers, brothers, sisters. Just that person and his family.