Star Wars d6 Solo - Part 2
We’re still on Tatooine playing through what I think turns out to be the backstory for Zato Windskimmer, a slicer currently living on Tatooine about six months after the Battle of Yavin.
Current threads include Zato being on the run from Mos Eisley local law enforcement while wounded as well as a potential future connection to Alliance SpecOps.
Opening scene
What’s happening around me as the smoke clears? We’ll peek in using the Ironsworn oracles.
- Action: Betray
- Theme: Danger
I hear somebody shouting, “Officers! He’s hiding back there!” This old alleyway is not going to stay quiet thanks to some bootlicking snitch. I’m wounded with only a blaster pistol on me.
Let’s see, should I hide here? Or do I think I can make it to the Lucky Despot instead? Time to move, if this place has been pointed out. This is almost the definition of the Moderate difficulty for Hide/Sneak, “hiding in a doorway in the streets of Mos Eisley”, although I’m wounded. So we roll 5D - 1D vs Moderate (15) => 17, we make it over there without getting caught.
Lucky Despot
This is a rickety old space freighter that’s now converted into a rundown decrepit old hotel and casino. It’s run by Lady Valarian, who fancies herself Jabba’s rival but is really more of a vassal. This ultimately means we’re protected, since the Bloated One is the real authority here. The cops come by once in a while, but there are arrangements in place and warnings ahead of time.
It’s late evening, so the blast door to the main entrance isn’t down yet. Who’s on duty at the entrance? This time, we’ll give control over to the Scarlet Heroes oracles.
- Do I know them (unknown)? Yes
- Trait: Stutters
- Temperament: Deceitful
- Desire: Collecting bribe
- Reaction: Hesitant agreement
- Species: Human
- Name: Drinna Madar
She’s willing to let me in but needs a little something to make sure she forgets I’m here. I don’t have anything on me but this blaster, and I doubt Lady V’s guards will let me take it in with her. So I’ll offer it here for, you know, “safekeeping”. She’s already looking for a bribe, so we’re just looking to bargain on the cost. Bargain vs Bargain will be 3D vs 2D => 9 vs 3 => 3x, meaning she will take half of the value. Drinna waves me through and I’ll owe her a favor in the future.
Now is Lady Valarian even here? She “seldom” is, so it’s Unlikely => 19, yes. She’s a young Whiphid female who towers over Humans with an intimidating pair of tusks. What do I want from her? Out of Mos Eisley for sure. The better I roll, the farther she’ll send me. So I decide to roll Con, which is a Persuasion skill. I decided to roll it against her Con ((not sure that was the right way and I forgot to drop a die for the Wounded state)), meaning 3D vs 4D => 12 vs 6 => 2x. Wow, what’s her mood that has me working such a great deal against her interests? The Temperament oracle says 79 Scornful: really, I’m just not worth her time.
So now we’ll find out what she wants in return using an oracle from Stars Without Number (p. 183). 16: Intimidate a rival into ceasing their course of action. But her rival is Jabba the Hutt, and there’s no way she expects me to intimidate him. So I’ll reroll, 6: Take a message to someone hard to reach. We’ll combine them: she wants to send a message telling him to stop doing something, and she karking wants me to take it.
Working for Lady Valarian
First, I’ll need some medical attention. I won’t be much of a messenger if I keel over on the way there. Does she have a medic around (likely)? 16, yes. So we’ll assume they’re skilled with Medicine, 4D vs Wounded (10) => 15, success. I’m now uninjured, although if I take another wound today I’ll need more serious attention.
What’s this message? I know the context is “intimidation” and “stop what you’re doing”, but let’s dig into that a little more.
- Action: 91 Escalate
- Theme: 56 Advantage
She wants to needle him about allowing so much Imperial activity here. He’s in charge, isn’t he? I might even be expected to tell him about the mess with the Alliance folks. This is a load of bantha poodoo… but I’ll do what I have to do to get out of here.
Her folks can get me to his townhouse here in Mos Eisley, but I’m on my own from there. What’s the reaction of the guards out front? They’re initially unfriendly, but it’s clear I represent Lady V in this matter, so 2D + 2 => 5 Dismissal. They wave me off and tell me to get out of here. That’s just the starting point, though, for our “negotiation.” I’ll threaten them by pointing out that the message is from a vassal - they certainly wouldn’t want to displease mighty Jabba, would they?
I’ve given him some reasons to obey and let me in, so I’ll roll Command as 3D vs Easy (10) => 11 and we’re in.
Is Jabba even here? Like Lady V, he is “seldom” here, so Unlikely => 3, no. Instead I’ll deliver the message to whichever flunky is in charge. The source material I have to hand doesn’t have anyone specific, so we’ll generate an NPC.
- Species: Dressellian
- Name: Mayce Lillia
- Description: Scarred, dejected, swoop racing fan
- Temperament: Capricious (arbitrary, impulsive)
Mayce receives the message. I’m just delivering it, then I’m out of here. I don’t think I need to convince her to take it. But how does she react? Still unfriendly with a mild advantage and thus 2D + 2 => 10 Qualified Consent. What’s the qualifier? Back to oracles:
- Action: 16 Evade
- Theme: 29 Trade
Mayce takes it and tells me to leave immediately. Suits me, as I don’t want to get blamed by Jabba if he’s unhappy. “Shooting the messenger” in this case is no euphemism. I head back out into the darkness of Mos Eisley and try to sneak back to the Lucky Despot. As before, 5D vs Moderate (15) => 21 and we return safely.
This really seems more like Zato’s back story. When we pick things back up, we’ll be someplace else, possibly with a bit of heat from being a fugitive on Tatooine, looking for slicing work. I’ll probably give this a few days to percolate in my brain about how I want to handle things from the suggestive resources I have around here.
