I'm using Under a Black Sun as part of an on-going campaign. The party can inspect the crates in the storage area of the Zelcomm tower and take some of the weapons. However on page 31, the module states "If the characters take a large quantity of weapons, the GM should give them 5 additional Obligation points each." My players will always take loot if given the opportunity.

It doesn't seem realistic for the typical party to give the weapons back or return the value in credits to the Black Sun, after taking the loot in the first place. So short of returning the weapons or paying for them, how would the party resolve this obligation?

This would also be applicable to obligation incurred for being charged with a crime by the Empire.

Perhaps a Black Sun agent asks them to undertake a particularly nasty mission to settle the debt.

Alternately, what if it was a setup, and Black Sun sold the PCs out to a local Imperial authority who was in Black Sun's pocket but wanted to make it look like he was being tough on crime?

-Nate

I'd have the Zelcomm leader (I forget if he was named in the adventure) send his thugs after the PCs until they either find some way to make amends or they take him out of the picture (a la Teemo, from Long Arm of the Hutt).

The Criminal Obligation would be similar in that law enforcement would pursue the PCs until they find some way to drop off the radar (wiping law enforcement records, falsifying evidence, bribing officers, etc).

Those are good possibilities that I hadn't considered. I would have to work on the narrative. Why would Black Sun trust a group who stole from them? Wouldn't taking out the Zelcomm leader incur even more Obligation?

I wonder if Obligation could be reduced with the passage of time. A bad situation would stress a person out for some time, but after some time if nothing happens, it might become less relevant to the individuals.

Wouldn't taking out the Zelcomm leader incur even more Obligation?

That would be contingent on how the Players choose to take him out. True, a straight up assassination would likely incur the wrath of Black Sun; but perhaps there's an opportunity to frame, blackmail, or start an internal war.

I wouldn't reduce the Obligation without some kind of action on the part of the players. Perhaps they've spent money on false identities, and that's why they haven't heard from their Nemesis in over a year. There ought to be some amount of Player effort involved.

Also, the compulsive storyteller in me can't stand the idea of letting plot threads dangle. A big, final confrontation with Mr. Bad is way better than, "well, I guess Mr. Bad stopped caring."

Wouldn't taking out the Zelcomm leader incur even more Obligation?

That would be contingent on how the Players choose to take him out. True, a straight up assassination would likely incur the wrath of Black Sun; but perhaps there's an opportunity to frame, blackmail, or start an internal war.

I wonder if Obligation could be reduced with the passage of time.

I wouldn't reduce the Obligation without some kind of action on the part of the players. Perhaps they've spent money on false identities, and that's why they haven't heard from their Nemesis in over a year. There ought to be some amount of Player effort involved.

Also, the compulsive storyteller in me can't stand the idea of letting plot threads dangle. A big, final confrontation with Mr. Bad is way better than, "well, I guess Mr. Bad stopped caring."

Excellent advice.