Game Background The characters are on an isolated planet in the Outer Rim called Karvis III. At the start of the game, the Empire has just moved in and occupied the planet, and all the player characters were either on the planet or in the system when the Imperials moved in. This part of the game will not be played out, but a brief set-up story will be written for each character.
Information about the Karvis system
Karvis is a three-planet system orbiting a red giant star. The surviving planets are all that remains of a 12-planet system that was burned up when the red giant was formed out of a yellow star. The resulting shift in the bio-zone landed the remaining third planet in an excellent position, with incredible growing seasons and a uniformly moderate temperature. Before the shift, massive ice caps held most of the planet?s water, but when the planet was in the bio-zone of the red giant, the ice caps melted and the planet became fertile.
The Karvis system?s three planets are all inhabited, but Karvis II and Karvis I are quite close to the corona of the system?s star, so heavy radiation shielding is a necessity to conduct the mining operations taking place there.
The government is a constitutional monarchy. The royal family has veto powers over any law passed by the Praetorium, but the ruling Regent cannot propose any laws to be enacted. Thus, the elected assembly makes the laws, which must be ratified by the Regent. If the Regent wants a law on the books, he must get someone in the Praetorium to propose it.
History of Karvis III The Karvis system was colonised thousands of years ago by a group of intrepid explorers fleeing their home planet. The planet?s sun was going nova, so a desperate plan was formed. Five generation ships were constructed, and a portion of the populace left in each vessel, hoping to start anew on some other world. The ship Karvis searched for many generations before they found a planet capable of supporting life. The ship was scrapped to provide the colonists with their first homes, and life began over again. The planet was almost idyllic, and an ideal agricultural world.
While the planet was provided with an agricultural wealth, it lacked many of the heavy metals and other raw materials the colonists were counting on finding to construct high-tech devices. While the colonists initially had many high-tech devices, the inability to manufacture more caused a gradual shift in the culture of the people away from technology and towards a more agrarian society.
The lack of anything other than basic technology also caused a shift in the government. The Karvis people were used to a true democracy, where every citizen had a vote in the policies and actions of the government. Without their high-tech computers and other equipment, such a system was no longer possible. Over the generations, the system of government shifted from a democracy to a constitutional monarchy. Little changed as the generations passed.
This changed when the Republic Explorer Corps first arrived.
Republican Scouts found a rich culture nestled in the arms of an agricultural Eden. Reports were filed with the Senate, and envoys made contact with the planet.
The Republic was expanding into what was termed the Outer Rim, and were looking for planetary systems to colonise. Then they stumbled upon this jewel in the middle of their exploration zone. A plan was immediately made to use Karvis as a stepping stone to other systems in the sector.
The royal family was cautious, fearing the impact on the culture of their people, and the subsequent chaos that would cause. So a deal was struck where three large stations would be constructed for the shipping that would be moving through the system. Any contact off-worlders had with the Karvis people would take place at enclaves set aside as spaceports. This was all intended to minimise the impact on Karvis culture.
Karvis quickly became a major transport hub for the entire sector. Karvis was not a full member of the republic, which suited them just fine. The business arrangement suited all concerned. It was inevitable that outside contact would eventually affect the Karvis culture. Though the spread was slow, advanced technology slowly made its way into the Karvis culture. Soon, high tech devices were commonplace. This enabled the Karvis people to explore and colonise their system, and led to the discovery of rich mineral deposits on Karvis I and II.
This was the golden age of the Karvis people. The planet saw an unprecedented boost to the economy. Still, there was a strong cultural bias against off-worlders. Also, few Karvis citizens leave their planet to travel the galaxy.
As the horizons of Karvis expanded, they became more aware of the government with which they dealt. They soon petitioned for full membership in the Republic, and were granted it. They still had not developed hyperdrive technology, as there was no need. With their rich agricultural production, the products they wanted came to the Karvis people, there was no need to leave the planet to find them.
Once they were on the inside, the people of Karvis began to realise what a mess the republic was in. Corruption and political manoeuvring left a bad taste in the mouth if the Royal Family. Their dissatisfaction grew. They were tired of the corruption, and the political manoeuvring of the senate. The Karvis people were new to the political arena of the senate, and they didn?t like it. Then came along a young senator named Palpatine.
Palpatine promised a New Order that would sweep away the chaos, corruption and waste of the republic. This was exactly what Karvis wanted, so they threw their support behind Palpatine. In fairly short order, the Senate appointed Palpatine Emperor.
Everything changed once Palpatine assumed the mantle of Emperor.
Soon, the Regent and the Praetorium began to see that Palpatine was not the solution they had hoped for. Soon they began to speak out against the actions of the Emperor, eventually opposing him openly.
The Karvis representatives to the Senate still believed in the New Order, though their faith was shaky. They still opposed Bail Oragana and Mon Mothma, but were also against many of the measures instituted by Palpatine. The unpunished atrocities against civilians disturbed them greatly. They became more and more vocal in their opposition to Palpatine?s application of the New Order.
This proved to be their downfall.
The Fall of Karvis Thirteen days ago, the Karvis representative to the Senate was very vocal in his opposition to the latest military expenditure made by the Emperor. They threatened to levy taxes on any Imperial vessel using the docking facilities at Karvis III.
Yesterday an Imperial task force arrived in the system. At first there was no need for concern. Imperial squadrons often moved through Karvis on their way elsewhere. Too late, the KDF realised this was an attack. The Imperials launched a bloody raid on the three space stations above Karvis III, capturing them completely within minutes of their arrival.
Too late to save the stations and bring their powerful defences into play, the KDF launched their fighter squadrons. These were swept aside by the massed fighter squadrons of an ISD and two Victory star destroyers. Heavy losses were taken on both sides, but there were many fewer KDF fighters than Imperial. Only a handful of the KDF fighters survived the attack to flee to the planet?s surface.
The Imperials then consolidated their hold on the system, boarding and seizing any vessel unfortunate enough to have witnessed the massacre. Several vessels that attempted to flee were destroyed. An hour after their arrival, the system was secured, and the ground assault started.
Right up until the very end, the Regent and the Praetorium attempted to contact the Senate for help, but communications were being jammed. Not having hyperdrive-capable ships at their command, there was no way to get a message out of Karvis to bring forces to their defence. The outcome of the contest was inevitable.
Ground troops landed at the spaceport compounds, seizing them thanks to heavy support from TIE/gt fighters. From these locations, the troops marched against the major population centres, driving the KDF ground forces before them. In fairly short order, the Empire held the entire planet with the exception of the capital city, Lendt. The KDF had been shattered by the ferocity and speed of the Imperials, and were unprepared to defend against the scores of walkers that led the Imperial advance. Yet the KDF fought on with courage and determination.
Then a terrible horror took place.
The remaining regiments of the KDF had dug in around Lendt. The fighting had bought time for the city to erect some defences and get heavy weapons into position to support the troops. The city had plenty of food, and a secure water supply. They also had plentiful reserves of troops. The plan was to hold out here until word could reach the senate of the atrocity. Then, the Senate would send relief forces.
It was not to be.
Imperial troops moved into position to blockade the city, and made every appearance of settling in for a long siege. With the KDF units, the government and the Royal Family sealed inside Lendt, the Star Destroyers moved in. In an orbital bombardment that lasted 12 hours, the capital city, palace, and the spirit of the Karvis people were crushed. Between bombardments, wave after wave of TIE/gt fighters poured death down on the city. Fortunately, the population of Karvis is primarily rural. Only 1,279,800 people lost their lives.
Once the bombardment was over, Imperial troops rounded up anyone who held a leadership or management position in the local government from other cities and towns. Any sign of resistance or discontent was immediately crushed with brutal, lethal force.
While the ground forces had been capturing Karvis III, the big ships had moved on the colonies at Karvis II and Karvis I. Due to the relative positions of the other planets in the orbital plane, they had no idea what was happening on the other side of their massive sun. Karvis II was taken quickly. When Imperial troops landed, the security forces misinterpreted the landing as some sort of inspection. Most were killed before they could even fire a shot. Karvis I had warning, thanks to an intrepid ore-ship crew who saw the attack on Karvis II. Karvis I held out for several hours, finally fleeing into the maze of mine tunnels and caverns.
It is now 24 hours since the Imperials first arrived. The Karvis system has been completely pacified. The populace, stunned and in a state of shock, unable to comprehend the horrors they have seen, and unable to organise themselves without their government leaders of the Royal Family. All are presumed dead. The Empire has appointed a military governor to rule over the Karvis system with an iron fist, and the squadron of star destroyers remains in orbit, seizing any vessel that enters the system.
On the ground, troops continue to brutally pacify the populace, often seizing people at random who are taken to one of several pre-fabricated bases that have been erected at the spaceports.
In one day, the people of Karvis went from being the Jewel of the Outer Rim to a beaten people suffering under martial law.
Such is the way of the Empire.
Requiem Out of the darkness that has enveloped Karvis, there are dim flickerings of light. Isolated pockets of survivors of the KDF exist. Unknowns to the people, the Crown Prince and his sister have survived the occupation. The Empire holds both, though their identities remain hidden from the Empire for the moment. Isolated noble families have also escaped the carnage, going to ground with such of their personal forces as they could escape with, providing potential leadership to the people. Others ? off-worlders that fled the attacks on the spaceports, also hide in the countryside, marooned in Karvis by the Empire.
Three days have passes since the Empire came.
These are truly desperate times. These are the times when heroes are made, or broken. The light of freedom still flickers in the shadows and in the wilderness.
This is the background leading up to the first game. The players will create the character of their choice, from either a stock template or a custom one, according to preference. Character sheets must be submitted in advance, and a background that takes the character to Karvis III at the time of the Imperial attack must be approved. From there, the GM will prepare individual accounts of the attack and occupation by the Empire, which will take the players to a meeting where the first game begins. All of the players have heard about pockets of resistance, and have made their way to a meeting area. Here, they will take stock of the situation, and their adventures will begin.
General Stuff All Rebels Should KnowThis file is for all new players and can be updated at any time. A new version is compiled following each adventure, but radical changes occur only every few adventures. It's a good idea to ask for a new copy every six episodes, particularly if you weren't participating. It is available on disk or paper.
KDF Rank Structure| Ground Forces | Starfighter | Navy |
| Trooper | Pilot | Spacer |
| Corporal | | Squad Leader |
| Sergeant | Flight Leader | Section Leader |
| Warrant Officer | Warrant Officer | Ensign |
| Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Sub-Lieutenant |
| Captain | Captain | Lieutenant[/td |
| Major | Wing Commander | Commander |
| Colonel | Colonel | Captain |
| General | General | Admiral |
Rebel History The game is set in the time period before Yavin and the first Death Star. The Mantooine and Fest accords are only a dream, and Mon Mothma and Bail Oragana are both still active in the Senate. There is no real ?Rebellion? at this time, though on many planets that have been pacified by the Empire, the populace has formed isolated bands of freedom fighters.
The State of the War(or: A survival guide for players and characters [and players who ARE characters])
The Empire encompasses about 30% of the galaxy. In that area, there are thousands upon thousands of inhabited planets, and thousands upon thousands of planets producing materiel for Palpatine's war machine. Imperial space is divided up into sectors, led by a Moff. Each sector has a number of planets under its control, ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Each sector also has innumerable defence forces for these planets, over and above the sector fleet.
A sector fleet is an attack fleet composed of several Star Destroyers and many smaller support ships such as carriers, cruisers, frigates and starfighters. One sector alone has over a thousand ships at it's disposal. All in all, the Empire has many millions of starships. And this does not include the defence fleets that permanently guard Coruscant.
By comparison, the entire Alliance can field a fleet that is approximately half the strength of a single sector fleet, commanded by a minor Moff with few friends at court. A single Imperial Star Destroyer carries about 4 regiments of ground troops, (over 8,000 men), while the entire Alliance ground forces, if they were assembled in one place would number only about that much.
What does all this mean? How does the Alliance survive?
The area the Empire covers would mean that each individual ship would need to patrol a cube about 100 light years on a side. This in an impossible task, so the Emperor concentrates his forces in populated areas, and trade routes. This gives the Alliance a lot of space to hide in, but means that whenever they come up against the Empire they are sure to be out-equipped, out-numbers, and out-fought.
The way the Alliance gets around this is to use stealth, speed and feints to keep the Empire guessing. Even then, more often than not, the price of a mission's success is at the cost of those conducting the mission. In order to survive, the Alliance trooper must use their wits, their skill, and perhaps most importantly, their luck (or the Force) to survive the impossible odds they face.
Note to the Players For the players, all this boils down to the fact that 99 times out of 100, there will be more Imperials than you can shake a stick at, and from time to time you will be faced with a situation that does not present a ready solution. In cases such as these, it may be necessary for the party to create their own solutions, perhaps use a force point or two, and trust to luck. Even then, sometimes, the dice or the odds will be against you, and you may fail. Failure is also heroic.
Killing off the cast every adventure, however, is not heroic. As the game-master, I wish to work with the players to create Drama, Action, Suspense and Adventure. Sometimes along the way, people may die, or a mission will not be successful and many will suffer. This is Drama. Perhaps the players will not see their path before them, and will not know how to solve a problem. This is Suspense. Very often, the odds will be against you, and you will have to run rather than fight, or perhaps the fight will be the hardest thing the character has done, and will require cunning and skills beyond normal folk. That is Action. All of these things combined add up to Adventure. I ask all the players to keep this in mind as they participate in the creation of this story.
Dramatis PersonaeImperials? Admiral Aldon Grata: Imperial Navy Officer rumored to employ bounty hunters. Also rumored to be in the vicinity of the Karvis system. Commander of the 5th Heavy Battle Squadron of the 9th Imperial Fleet.
? Moff Rogel Karn Moff of the Bruanii Sector:
? Governor Nethaniel Fiytha: Imperial Governor of the Karvis System
? First Minister Boba Jauthin: Leader of the Karvis Provisional Assembly; Colonel in the Imperial Army
? Minister Hiram Rodov: Deputy First Minister, Karvis Provisional Assembly (former member of the KLA, known Imperial sympathizer and suspected traitor).
? Alexander Haim Commander, COMPNOR Defense Forces, Karvis System
? General Vince Denoba: Commander, 8549th Imperial Battle group
? Line Captain Thenda Wu: Commander, Karvis Squadron, Imperial Navy
Karvans? Thaddus Rollin: Minor criminal and general lowlife scum that used to hang around in the seedier areas of the capital city.
