Hey all,
My gaming group will soon tackle (a modified version of)
The Jewel of Yavin
. We will be playing over Zoom, which hampers in-character discussions and planning some, so I have decided that Arend Shen will offer a suggested plan for the heist for the players to work from. Basically, Arend supplies the team with what he believes to be a good game-plan, but it will be up to the PCs to implement, change, and execute their own plan based off of it. I hope that this will make things a little easier for my players and myself logistically, allowing me to prepare targeted encounters and such for our short zoom session. (Also note that in my version Arend's daughter, Aris Shen, is a smuggler flying a ship called the Pulsar Hawk, and is already known to the PC crew).
In any case, here's the plan that I (i.e. "Arend Shen") has come up with in my game. I hope this can be helpful to other GMs struggling to tackle this logistical beast of a scenario, and I would very much appreciate any feedback and troubleshooting you guys might have. My goal is to present the players with a clear-cut and easy-to-grasp challenge, so that we can spend our time roleplaying rather than going back-and-forth over what this and that element of the plan was and requried, etc. Remember, this is only the suggested plan that the PCs are presented with, outlined to give the players some idea of the scope and complexity of this job; their millage will very likely vary a lot from this.
For context: My team consists of one high-society person, one ace pilot, one slicer/mechanic, and one smuggler/underworld dude. I have organized the goals and sub-goals to roughly fit these 4 characters, to give each character type something specific to keep an eye on.
(Sorry for the formating being all screwed-up...)
DAY 0 – Evening: Meeting at Lvl50 Business Suite #307 (Arend's suite)
· -- After the meeting, familiarizing yourselves with Cloud City
DAY 1
· -- Slicing Groundwork on the 1 st day
o Acquire encryption sample from someone with security clearance to the Cloud City network. --> Simplifies both system slicing AND the creation of a computer spike (which further simplifies slicing).
§ The Inside Man: Arend has set up an investment firm at Cloud City, and his hired secretary has the required security clearance. Arend COULD ask the secretary for a one-day network access card allowing you to examine the network’s defense at your leisure. HOWEVER, the secretary is NOT corrupt (hired from the Cloud City staff pool); this WILL create a data trail. Estimated to take 1 hour . (Risky and data trail) .
§ Alternatively, you could sneak into a government office and abuse someone’s open terminal. Estimated to take 5-10 hours . (Very risky but no data trail) .
· --Racing Groundwork on the 1 st day
o Acquire a racing speeder. Estimated to take 1 hour + time for any ID forgery require . (Or borrow Arend’s rented Cloud Car; if you break it you buy it).
o Investigate the competition. Estimated to take 8 hours .
§ The Stormhawks (MandalMotors Corporation PR team)
§ Relgar “the Carbine” Carrae (anonymous Hutt-sponsored team)
§ Tarryn Rayzer (Cloud City’s top racer)
· --VIP Groundwork on the 1 st day
o General (from afar) investigation of collective auction bidders and VIP guests. Foresee any problems or discover exploitable opportunities. Estimated to take 10 hours .
· --Museum Heist Groundwork on the 1 st day
o Casing the joint. Estimated to take 2 hours .
o Investigating Grayson’s Crew for weaknesses. Estimated to take 8 hours .
o Device a plan of attack for the heist; how and where and when to enter the museum (post-auction so as not to discourage bidders), how to circumvent security, and how to get out with the Jewel of Yavin in your possession. (Will the heist be a one-man job or a team effort?).
DAY 2
· --Slicing Groundwork on the 2 nd day
o Create a systems-specific computer spike. Estimated to take about 10 hours . --> Tool for simplifying the system slicing job later .
· --Racing Groundwork on the 2 nd day
o Upgrade racing speeder? Estimated to take 1 hour per upgrade installed & 1 hour for each modification made to an upgrade .
o Sabotage competitor teams? Estimated to take 2 hours per team .
· --VIP Groundwork on the 2 nd day
o Targeted (up close) investigation of select auction bidders and VIP guests, to created exploitable relationships or dig deeper into their character, motivation, and resources. Estimated to take 5 hours per targeted VIP .
§ Get a VIP to vouch for Miss Vestra Tetrum [i.e. our high-class VIP PC] to attend tomorrows auction gala, with a +1 if possible. (Arend could vouch for her in a pinch, but the more distance can be maintained between him and the crew the better).
· --Museum Heist Groundwork on the 2 nd day
o Hire underworld specialists. Estimated to take 2 hours per new crewmember hired .
o Investigating Cloud City Security for weaknesses. Estimated to take 8 hours .
o Prepare for, test, and adapt the heist plans.
DAY 3 – Morning: THE RACE
· --Win the Cloud City Grand Prix and secure the invitation to the evening’s auction gala for the driver and co-pilot. (The more crewmembers have access to the auction, the great is your ability to react to unforeseen situations that might arise; the race winners will have high status at the gala).
DAY 3 – Workday Hours: HANDLING LAST-MINUTE PROBLEMS
· --Adapting to any change-of-plans for the auction, slicing job, or museum heist
· --Catch-up on unfinished preparations (more stakeouts, bribes, getaway preps, computer spike work, etc.)
DAY 3 – Evening: THE AUCTION (VIP event; invited guests only)
· --Manipulate the bidders to drive up the price --> This is where you make your money
o You might also discover interesting insights into the VIP guests which you could later exploit, perhaps to cause a distraction or secure a sponsor or in other ways aid the heist. This is all on you.
· --Deal with Lobot, the Cloud City’s Security Chief --> Taking the computer-expert cyborg out of the equation should simplify the systems slicing job later .
DAY 3 – Night: THE SLICING JOB (This is where you make your money)
· --Slice the Cloud City Bank directly --> Very difficult and risky
· --Slice a Remote Banking Droid --> Requires stealth and droid-napping
· --Cover your tracks and leave as scant a data trail as possible
· --DO NOT TRIGGER AN ALARM/CAUSE AN INCREASED IN SECURITY!
DAY 3 – Night: THE MUSEUM HEIST (VIP event; invited guests only)
· --Enter the museum through your selected time and place
· --Circumvent security and make your way to the Auction Exhibit Room (#7)
· --Enter the Auction Exhibit Room (#7), dispatch any remaining security, and steal the Jewel of Yavin
· --Exit the museum through your selected route
· --Bring the Jewel of Yavin to our agreed-upon rendezvous point; there we will swap the gem for the cash*
· --Escape Cloud City
o Arend’s suggestion: Leave Cloud City aboard a stolen vessel (airspeeder or starship). Jump ship mid-flight for Aris and her crew pick you up on the Pulsar Hawk and smuggle you back into Cloud City to act as if nothing is amiss. Then, at an opportune time, you may leave Cloud City for good in your own ships with none the wiser
o Or you could simply make a run for it with your own ship, the consequences be damned.
*In my version, if the funds are transferred to Arend's accounts, they are immediately re-transferred from there to a debit credit-stick in his possession, which cannot be traced and which can be cashed in at any legitimate galactic banking establishment with no data trail. Arend & the PCs will swap cash for jewel... or not.