Year
4 of the Great ReSynchronization
(31
Standard Years before the Battle of Yavin)
______________________________________________________________________________
GrS 04:01:19, morning (Expansion Region, Cularin system: Cularin,
Gadrin): Criminals break into a laundry
service, run by two old Sullustans, and steal several uniforms which belong to
a local trade house. (note:
month/day-date conjected by the real-life publication date of the roleplay
adventure, which premiered during the
Winter Fantasy Convention on January 25 – 28, 2001)
2001 (January
25), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
GrS 04:01:19, day (Expansion Region, Cularin system: Cularin, Gadrin): A Sullustan cargo vessel docks at the city of Gadrin
to offload very expensive electronic components, which typically get used in
high-end computer security systems. All of the parts are offloaded onto a pair
of unmarked landspeeders, and the records of the transaction are send back to
the shipping company’s base of operations on Sullust. (note: A Cularin
Presence states that the Sullustans ‘docked yesterday’)
2001
(January 25), by Morrie Mullins PDF
module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and Wizards of the Coast
GrS 04:01:20, morning (Expansion Region, Cularin system: Cularin,
Gadrin): Criminals break into a laundry
service, run by two old Sullustans, and steal two sets of uniforms: one set belongs
to the trade concern House Hirskaala, and the other set belongs to Renna’s
Transport Service. This is the second break-in into the shop in as many days. (note: month/day-date conjected by the real-life
publication date of the roleplay adventure, which premiered during the Winter Fantasy Convention on
January 25 – 28, 2001)
2001
(January 25), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
2001
(January 25), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
GrS 04:01:20, late morning – evening (Expansion Region, Cularin system:
Cularin, Gadrin): Cularin celebrates Reidi Artom’s
first successful colonization, exactly 200 standard years ago. Individuals of
all species turn out to share in the glorious role Cularin begins to play in the
galaxy, to celebrate how far the world’s lush natural resources have brought
the system in a mere two centuries. The streets are flooded with revelers, all
flocking to the square at the center of the city of Gadrin, shouting, dancing,
laughing.
A smiling visage, rotating above the central square of
Gadrin, shows the face of Velin Wir, Metatheran Cartel’s representative to
Cularin. Without introduction, the image begins to speak. (what follows are
the exact words spoken by Velin Wir):
“Good people, to enhance your celebration I bring
grand tidings. The Metatheran Cartel has decided that the Cularin system is
worthy of heavier investment. In addition to our small office, we intend to
provide you with a full-fledged Cartel trading and distribution center, to
truly help make Cularin an integral part of the galaxy at large.”
With another broad smile, the holoprojection flickers
and fades. During the message, the crowd grew silent as Velin Wir’s face was
known to all, and trusted by almost none. Now, the celebration continues, but
more subdued. Some revelers, already well past inebriation, continue as loudly
as before, but many find Wir’s message message disturbing. Small groups begin
to break off from the main body of the party, concerned persons looking for somewhere
at least marginally more quiet.
One of these worried men, a freelance operative, makes
his way to Vanster Enan’s Sop House, one of the liveliest, loudest cantinas in
Gadrin. Once inside, he sees two Rodians playing sabacc at a corner table.
Three Humans, two females and a male, are talking at a table in the center of
the room: The women, Amaya and Suki, have come to Enan’s to find men to have
fun with at the party, but so far only dug up Kip, a greasy man with a thin
mustache. Varoca, a Wookiee, and Oosk, a Trandoshan, are arm-wrestling while a
small Human named Nance is taking bets on the outcome of the matches.
The freelance operative sits down with a group of
other operatives at a large table to one side of the room. After a while, the
door slides open and a young man named Darin rushes into the cantina. He has
dirty blonde hair and his clothes are a patchwork mess. He stops just inside
the doorway, his eyes darting back and forth as he scans the bar. He begins to
stammer that Cularin is in danger, and that they have to do something. The door
opens again, and several individuals dressed in security uniforms from House
Hirskaala, one of the local trading houses, rush in and grab the young man by
the wrists. The guards are actually agents of a criminal organization who stole
the uniforms this morning from a company that does laundry for Hirskaala. They
take the young man with them.
A few minutes later, a representative from House
Hirskaala enters Vanster Enan’s Sop House, in search of Darin. The freelance
operatives tell the representative what has happened. The representative asks
them to go to House Hirskaala to provide a statement on what happened to the
young employee.
The freelance operatives leave the Sop House and make
their way through the streets to House Hirskaala. The offices of House
Hirskaala are located several blocks from the Sop House, near the center of
Gadrin within sight of the monument of Reidi Artom. A thick metal wall
surrounds the Hirskaala compound, and two Human guards stand beside the
enormous set of double-blast doors that serve as a gate. Although the guards
are gruff, they are reasonable: once the operatives mention their encounter
with a roving guard patrol from the house, they are directed to the offices of
Nim’Ri, the Trandoshan head of security for the trading concern.
Nim’Ri explains that one of their employees, Darin,
did express concerns about competition from the Metatheran Cartel. Darin
claimed to have information that would ‘sink’ the Cartel. The security guards
the operatives saw in the Sop House were not from House Hirskaala: Nim’Ri tells
them that they had uniforms stolen from their laundry service this morning. He
also informs them that other trading houses have had trouble as well: less than
an hour ago, he received word that an entire cargo-hold’s worth of materials
was appropriated by individuals wearing stolen uniforms. The Trandoshan tells
the operatives that Darin was a good employee, and represented no threat to
Hirskaala. The operatives are free to tour the facilities, as they have nothing
to hide.
After interviewing several employees of House
Hirskaala, the operatives learn that Nim’Ri is speaking the truth. Intrigued
about what happened, they decide to pay a visit to the Office of Peace and
Security where they are greeted by a male Rodian, who directs them to his
lieutenant, Henk Lorin. But the female Cerean knows relatively little about
potential problems with the Metatheran Cartel: although she is not happy about
their increased presence, she has reviewed their security forces and is
satisfied that they are as competent as most of the private security in Gadrin.
Lorin tells them that no complaints were filed about the incident at the Sop
House, and she lets the operatives file one. Henk Lorin is aware of the laundry
thefts and has her people working on the matter: the uniforms used yesterday
have already been recovered from a trash pile on the outskirts of town, near
the edge of the jungle, and she expects the ones stolen from House Hirskaala to
turn up as well.
Next stop for the operatives is the laundry service:
the two old Sullustans who run the shop are very embarrassed that their shop
was broken into in as many days, but have no useful information whatsoever. The
proprietors tell the operatives that another set of uniforms was stolen this
morning along with the Hirskaalan uniforms: they belong to Renna’s Transport
Service.
The operatives try their luck at the docking bay, and after
some research they find out that one of the men who collected Darin this
morning was part of the group who picked up electronic parts from a Sullustan
ship yesterday. Going to the garbage pile just outside of Gadrin, the
operatives locate the discarded Hirskaalan uniforms. After some searching, they
also find the discarded Renna Transport Service uniforms: the uniforms seem to
have been sterilized, so no trace of the individuals who wore them remains.
Suddenly, claxons begin to roar a couple of streets further. The operatives
quickly move toward the alarm. As they come around the corner of the street,
they see that one of the walls of another trading house has been blasted. As
they watch, a man in a soiled uniform stumbles through: he throws his blaster
to the ground and starts to run into their direction while looking back over
his shoulder. Several other individuals in similar uniforms burst through the
opening in the wall, but seem disoriented by the smoke and noise. The
operatives manage to subdue the running guard, called Lars. The guards at the
building seem to be following another lead and take off in the opposite
direction. The operatives lead the still-struggling Lars back into the compound
through the smoking hole in the wall. Inside, they encounter a madhouse as
people are rushing everywhere: in the center of it all stands a relatively tall
Rodian, waving her hands and barking orders. Her eyes pass over the operatives
and she walks over to them, asking them who they are. The operatives introduce
themselves and learn that the female Rodian is Renna, the owner of Renna’s
Transport Service. They hand over Lars, whom Renna immediately recognizes as
one of the men who just hijacked a full ship off her landing pad. Lars is taken
into custody by Renna’s guards: she does have first claim on the criminal,
since he was caught stealing from her, and private security concerns supersede
OPS in cases like this. He will eventually be turned over to the Office of
Peace and Security, but only after Renna’s security team have had a chance to
make sure he cannot provide more definite information. Looking at the gap in
her wall, Renna shakes her head and remarks that the operatives have done her
quite a service: she asks them if she can do anything for them. When the
operatives remark that they want information about what just happened, Renna
explains that one of her shuttles was hijacked from the landing pad, which is
why the claxon went off. The shuttle, which headed off into the direction of
the jungle, was carrying speeder parts and Meir wine, a new intoxicant she just
started importing from Sullust. She has had other shipments stolen recently,
and the one that really upset her was a shipment with datapads and multichannel
comlinks. The operatives thank her for her time, and Renna remarks that if they
should need anything while they are trying to figure out what is going on, she
is offering her assistance.
The operatives leave the mess at Renna’s behind,
although by the time they finish their meeting with Renna, the cleanup has
already begun. Renna follows them out, calling out orders and getting into the
middle of things to assist with the effort. As the operatives turn the corner,
a ragged cough from an alley to their right draws their attention. A figure in
a tattered brown cloak, hood raised, stumbles out of the alleyway and leans
uneasily against a half-full rain barrel. When the operatives approach the
figure, whom they have identified as Borus Ferthyn, madman of Gadrin, he pulls
back his hood. Ferthyn grunts and starts to talk, cursing the blaster
Metatheran Cartel. He starts to tell them about tidbits of information he had
overheard. According to Borus Ferthyn, the Cartel is in league with the Dark
Jedi on Cularin. He also mentions that there are creatures in the jungles of
Cularin that negate the Force. The madman also knows about the numerous thefts
of high-tech shipments, most of which have been perpetrated by Dugs, and
remarks that the droids on Uffel are involved. Furthermore, he tells the
operatives that there is a hidden base of operations in the jungle west of
Gadrin, although he does not know whose base of operations it is. After this
weird conversation, the operatives decide to check out the jungle surrounding
Gadrin, and hire a speeder.
The operatives set off into the jungle. Passing
beneath great boughs, the world becomes darker, with shafts of yellow light
stretching down through the trees to touch the leaf-covered forest floor. After
a while, as they are deep into the jungle, the operatives hear the sound of a
pair of speeders that are coming up behind them. Suddenly, two blaster bolts
rip through the air on either side of their speeder.
The riders on the pursuing speeders are armed with
light blasters. The Human mercenaries Kerner and Bont, in the employ of a
criminal organization, have orders to make sure no one comes into their sector.
However, they are only prepared for tourist traffic, and are pretty surprised
whem they are shot back at. Kerner veers off and crashes into a tree with a
huge explosion. Bont stays on the operatives and keeps firing, but the
operatives hit his speeder, which explodes into nothingness. The explosion
seems to have disrupted something in the speeder’s controls of the operatives
and it crashes. The operatives get out of the wrecked speeder and look around
the clearing where it came to rest. Strange plants and flowers carpet the
ground, and a small stream runs by the west edge of the clearing. There is a
strange, pungent smell in the air, probably coming from the piles of refuse all
around. And the noises of the jungle seem to be getting louder. Suddenly, they
notice that something is coming through the underbrush to the north and south
of them. These are the same brown-skinned, quadrupedal creatures they had
spotted while they were on the speeder. Normally, mulissiki would not bother
with Humans, but they have very much been enjoying the feeding off the refuse
piles and are getting a little uppity and territorial because this is good
garbage. So while they would not usually attack, this garbage is good enough
that they are coming after the operatives. The fight attracts the attention of
Metatheran Cartel guards, who set the operatives free. The eight Caarite guards
are under very specific order from no less than Metatheran Cartel leader Velin
Wir himself to not harm anyone who comes near the base, because invariably,
that will generate negative publicity for Metatheran. Thus, the guards, under
the command of Corporal Dregz, escort the operatives back to the Cartel’s new
base of operations.
The trek through the jungle is short, leading them to
a small hillock with a bunker built into one side, shielded from any craft that
might pass overhead by a rocky outcropping. Another dozen Caarite guards lounge
near the entrance, and they seem to only barely notice as Dregz and his patrol
lead the operatives inside. The facility itself shines and whirs, everything
new and top of the line. Caarites, Humans, and other species scurry busily
about, reading datapds or discussing future ventures. The main corridor they
are in winds down into the hill, finally opening out into a grand receiving
room where multiple plush sofas line the walls and an iridescent conference
table stretches from one end of the room to the other. Highbacked wooden chairs
covered with exotic fabrics surround the table. A door at the far end of the
room slides open, and Councilor Velin Wir steps through. Smiling, he welcomes
the operatives, remarking that he is sure they have questions for him. When the
operatives ask him what he is doing out in the jungle, the Metatheran Cartel
leader explains that Gadrin and Hedrett are crowded and overly busy: they
needed a base of operations that was more isolated, a lower-traffic area. When
the operatives asks him about the recent thefts in Gadrin, Wir remarks that he
is aware of the problems. The operatives point out that they have evidence that
some of the stolen goods were brought into the jungle, and want to know if the
Cartel is involved. Velin Wir points out that they have no need for supplies
from offworld, as they have their own: he is, however, aware of another
presence out here in the jungle. The Caarite leader tells them that some of his
guards have reported the construction of a landing platform in the forest,
about two standard kilometers to the west of where they are: they have seen
numerous shuttles and other vessels going into that direction. To prove that he
has no bad intentions with Cularin, Velin Wir allows the operatives to take a
tour of the facilities. He is even prepared to provide them with an armed
escort if they want to check out the mysterious landing platform in the west.
The operatives borrow a Metatheran Cartel speeder and
make their way over to the area where Councilr Velin Wir told them to expect to
find activity. And sure enough, they do: ahead of them, a large area has been
cleared and a makeshift landing platform has been constructed. It rises more
than three standard meters off the jungle floor, supported by four huge
columns. Atop it sits a small transport shuttle bearing some familiar markings:
it is the shuttle that was just stolen from Renna’s Transport Service. As the
operatives watch, several men and women gathered around the shuttle begin to
disassemble it, piece by piece, hauling first the side panels and then the
other parts of the shuttle off the platform and into a nearby cave. Within
minutes, they have very effectively dismantled the entire vessel. The Human
pirates are completely engaged in their task, and do not pay attention to the
surrounding jungle at all. The operatives head back to Gadrin to alert House
Hirskaala and Renna’s Transport Service.
Later, the operatives lead two groups of guards from
both House Hirskaala and Renna’s Transport Service back to the pirate landing
platform. Since the pirates do not put up much of a fight, they are quickly
captured and arrested. The security guards learn that the pirates are just
doing a job: they get credits transferred to them, along with instructions that
are hand-delivered by middle-men who cannot be found again, and they do what
they are told. Although there was another pickup of goods scheduled, one of the
pirates had tripped a silent alarm, alerting their connection to trouble. When
questioned about Darrin’s whereabouts, the pirates tell the operatives that the
young man escaped, and they have no idea where he ended up. He ran off into the
jungle, heading back towards Gadrin when they last saw him. (note: month/day-date conjected by the real-life
publication date of the roleplay adventure, which premiered during the Winter Fantasy Convention on
January 25 – 28, 2001. In making the above summary, I have had to make some
choises regarding the direction the operatives take: I tried to make the most
logical decisions)
2001
(January 25), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
2001
(January 25), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
2001
(January 25), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
2001
(January 25), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
2001
(January 25), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
2001
(January 25), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
2001
(January 25), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
2001
(January 25), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
GrS 04:01:21, day (Expansion Region, Cularin system: Cularin, Gadrin): In the wake of the discovery of the Metatheran
Cartel’s base of operations in the jungle of Cularin, and the removal of the
nearby pirates, the trade organization begins running a shuttle back and forth
to their new base from the cities of Gadrin and Hedrett. The Cartel embraces
the communnity, offering promises of peace and support: the face of the
Cartel’s Councilor, Velin Wir, is everywhere, smiling pudgily from
holo-billboards, and the local news is filled with stories about how the Cartel
helped the “brave Cularin heroes” rot out the pirates who were threatening
commerce in the system. There are even stories that the smugglers in the
Asteroid Belt have taken notice, and are grateful for removing some unauthorized
competition from the scene.
The local trading houses reward the freelance
operatives, who were crucial in exposing the pirate operation, handsomely.
Renna, the female Rodian owner of Renna’s Transport Service, awards them with
two datapads, as well as a bottle of Meir wine, imported from Sullust. Other
trading houses award the operatives with 450 credits each.
2001
(January 25), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
2001
(January 25), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
2001
(January 26), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
GrS 04:01:23, late day (Expansion Region, Cularin system: Cularin, Gadrin): Two people, who left for work in the morning, do not
return home and are reported missing.
2001
(January 26), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
GrS 04:01:23, night (Expansion Region, Cularin system: Cularin, Gadrin): A group of twelve Gungan security officers, working
for Gadrin-based Gungan Security, disappear while on an assignment to protect
Battle of Naboo-hero Broof Yurdel. (note: The
Resistance Within states that this occured ‘two nights ago’)
2001
(January 26), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
GrS 04:01:23, night (Expansion Region, Cularin system: Cularin, Gadrin): A group of six security officers from the House
Hirskaala trading concern, disappear, together with the Trandoshan head of
security Nim’Ri. (note: The Resistance Within states that this occured ‘two nights ago’)
2001
(January 26), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
GrS 04:01:25, late day (Expansion Region, Cularin system: Cularin, Gadrin): An entire work team disappears. This is just one of
several mysterious disappearances in the last few days.
2001
(January 26), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
GrS 04:01:26, morning (Expansion Region, Cularin system: Cularin,
Hedrett): The Twi’lek male Manion Basca,
owner of the Jax Warehouse, arrives at his warehouse to find out that the night
shift has already left. He is waiting for the day shift, which does not turn
up. (note: The Resistance Within states that the day shift did not turn up
‘yesterday’)
2001
(January 26), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
GrS 04:01:26, morning – late
day (Expansion Region, Cularin system:
Cularin, Gadrin): A gray protocol droid visits the
quarters of one of the so-called “Heroes of Cularin”, who managed to expose a
pirate organization just a week ago. The freelance operative recognizes the
four-armed protocol droid as E1-6RA, the droid overseer of the Jedi academy on
Almas. The droid asks the operative to come to the Jedi enclave on the
northeast corner of Gadrin at noon.
The operative arrives at the appointed time, and a
young boy escorts him into a large, well-lit sitting room just off the central
meditation chamber of the Jedi enclave. Upon entering the room, he sees no sign
of E1-6RA, although there are several other individuals present. The operative
recognizes them as the other Heroes of Cularin. After a few minutes, the
bronze-colored protocol droid makes her entrance. Taking a seat, she welcomes
the operatives and introduces herself as the personal assistant to Lanius
Qel’Bertuk, Jedi Master of the Almas Jedi academy, and his overseer of
activities. The protocol droid explains that she has gathered the operatives
because an alarming number of citizens have disappearred from Gadrin and
Hedrett in the last week: Master Qel’Bertuk has sensed a disturbance in the
Force, emanating from Cularin. E1-6RA points out that the Jedi are too well
know to be effective investigators, which is why they turn to the Heroes of
Cularin, as they have shown themselves to be capable of great bravery, and are
still likely to be able to gather a great deal of information. Master Lanius
Qel’Bertuk would consider it a personal favor if they would try to find out
what they can about the situation. When the operatives want more information,
the protocol droid tells them that the disappearances did not begin until after
the Metatheran Cartel base of operations was discovered in the jungle, and the
pirates were removed. Many of the missing individuals worked together, and
since their disappearance, no bodies have been found: as near as they can tell,
there are fifty missing citizens as of last night, and there will probably be
more tonight. Once the operatives have no more questions, and agree to look
into the situation, the protocol droid hands them a list of of businesses
affected by the disappearances: Gungan Security, House Hirskaala, Spirited
Spirits, Dry Goods Emporium, and Jax Warehouse. She also hands them the
following listing of notable missing individuals:
Kris Wahl: Human
gambler and noted lady’s man, Wahl was born on Cularin into a wealthy family
and has never worked a day in his life.
Gerta Haman: Outspoken Human activist, frequently involved in fierce debates about
the importance of allowing the Tarasin to retain their culture on Cularin.
Spent her days as inventory manager at Jax Warehouse.
Shayne Gerrare: Cerean head of R&D at Spirited Spirits, creator of the famed
“Double-Dip Outer Rim Rumdrop.”
Broof Yurdel: Gungan shift supervisor, midnight shift for Gungan Security, veteran
of famed “Battle of Naboo.”
Nyrkar: Wookiee
preservation specialist and dietary consultant employed part time by the Dry
Goods Emporium for his expertise in all things food.
Nim’Ri:
Trandoshan head of security for House Hirskaala.
The operatives take the lists, and E1-6RA asks them to
report in to her, at the Jedi enclave, in three days. She also gives them a
comlink channel on which she can be contacted if they need to speak to her
before then, but three days is when she will be back on-world.
The freelance operatives decide to begin at once by
checking out the list of locations E1-6RA provided. The offices of Gungan
Security, a private, for-hire security firm not associated with any single
trading house in the system, are located in the building beside a recently
vacated Metatheran Cartel warehouse. Inside, behind a desk covered with very
orderly piles of paper, sits a Gungan of middle years. He welcomes the
operatives inside and introduces himself as Aervis Wint. The operatives tell
him who they are and what their mission is, and Wint explains that they have
lost twelve Gungans who disappeared two nights ago: they worked for the Gungan
hero Broof Yurdel, who has also disappeared.
Next stop is House Hirskaala, located near the center
of Gadrin. There they meet with the young Human Yaeger Doru, the replacement of
head of security Nim’Ri. Doru has no idea what has happened to the Trandoshan,
but produces a strange piece of information: a single sheet of paper he found
under Nim’Ri’s desk, in Nim’Ri’s handwriting. (the following is the exact text
on the piece of paper, as written by Nim’Ri):
Reidi Artom, Sixth System
RA-VI
Hiironi?????
Yaeger Doru tells the operatives that in addition to
Nim’Ri, seven members of the security force disappeared also, two nights ago.
As it is getting late, the freelance operatives decide
to call it a day and continue their investigation in the morning. (note: I have decided to end today’s proceedings at
this point, as Encounter 2 has a part in which
Manion Basca has been waiting for two hours in the morning for OPS officers to
arrive, and the events of the operatives at this point take place after noon)
2001
(January 26), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
2001
(January 26), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
2001
(January 26), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
2001
(January 26), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
2001
(January 26), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
GrS 04:01:27, morning (Expansion Region, Cularin system: Cularin,
Hedrett): The Twi’lek male Manion Basca, owner
of the Jax Warehouse, arrives at his warehouse to find out that the night shift
has already left. While waiting for the day shift, which, just like yesterday,
does not turn up, he discovers that the warehouse has been vandalized. The face
of the building is covered with colorful graffiti,
criss-crossed with red and white lines that converge on two brilliant
blue-white stars and three paler blue stars scattered across the mural. In the
center of the mural is what can only be Morasil, the ancient yellow sun that
even now hangs above Curalin. Delicately etched into the swirl of yellow and
red that makes up Morasil is a very distinct, Human-shaped eye. The windows of
the warehouse appear to have been broken, but cleanly, and the jagged bits
removed from around their egdes. Manion Basca alerts the Office of Peace and
Security, but since nothing was taken, he is told that it might take a while
for some OPS officers to show up. (note: The
Resistance Within states that the day shift did not turn up ‘this morning’)
2001
(January 26), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
GrS 04:01:27, morning – late
day (Expansion Region, Cularin system:
Cularin, Gadrin & Hedrett): The so-called
“Heroes of Cularin”, who managed to expose a pirate organization just over a
week ago, continue their investigation into the disappearances of individuals
and work crews which took place over the last week. They were asked to look
into the affair by protocol droid E1-6RA, the overseer of the Jedi academy on
Almas. Yesterday, they had received a list which contained the names of noted
missing individuals, including Kris Wahl, Gerta Haman, Shayne Gerrare, Broof
Yurdel, Nyrkar, and Nim’Ri. They had checked out a few of the locations tied
with the disappearances, including Gungan Security and the trade corporation
House Hirskaala.
Today, the freelance operatives make their way across the rivier to the city of
Hedrett, where they seek out Spirited Spirits. Yves Arsen, the Cerean owner of
Spirited Spirits has no time to talk to them: he refers the heroes to Spirited
Spirits head of R&D Shayne Gerrare’s home, and provides them directions.
Next stop for the operatives is the Dry Goods Emporium
which, along with Jax Warehouse, is located along the bank of the river in
Hedrett. It is a slow day inside the Emporium. The Human manager, Cal Majjer,
has several Caarite stockboys working for him. Majjer tells the operatives that
the Wookiee in charge of food preservation and dietary consutation, has gone
missing: losing his Wookiee is bad enough to set the company back thousands of
credits.
Located two blocks up from the Dry Goods Emporium, the
operatives make they way to Jax Warehouse. A tired-looking Twi’lek, the owner
of the warehouse named Manion Basca, asks them what they want. He has been
waiting for a representative of the Office of Peace and Security for two hours,
since his warehouse was vandalized last night. Since nothing was taken, the OPS
told him that it might take some time for officers to show up. As the
operatives explain that they are trying to find out what is happening, Basca
tells them that when he arrived this morning, the day shift again did not turn
up, just like yesterday. The night shift had already left when he discovered
the damage. When the operatives ask him about Gerta Haman, Manion Basca tells
them that as an inventory supervisor, she was part of the day shift that did
not turn up yesterday. The operatives check out the face of the warehouse
building, which is covered with colorful graffiti, criss-crossed with red and
white lines that converge on two brilliant blue-white stars and three paler
blue stars scattered across the mural. In the center of the mural is what can
only be Morasil, Curalin’s ancient yellow sun. Delicately etched into the swirl
of yellow and red that makes up Morasil is a very distinct, Human-shaped eye.
One of the operatives remarks that the bright stars might represent the
habitable worlds in the Cularin system (Cularin and Almas), and the three
dimmer stars on the mural might represent the habitable moons in the system:
Dorumaa, terraformed over Almas, Ulbasca, over Genarius, and Tilnes, over
Cularin. The thickness of the lines connecting the various stars may correspond
to trade routes. Another operative points out that Termadus, the second star of
the system, is missing on the mural.
As they have visited the several locations tied to the
disappearances, the operatives decide to check out the dwellings of the missing
individuals. They go to and examine the single-person dwellings of Gerta
Harman, Broof Yurdel, Nyrkar, and Min’Ri without discovering anyting unusual.
This leaves only two places to explore: Shayne Gerarre’s home, and Kris Wahl’s
home.
Kris Wahl is a scoundrel, a wastrel who has been
living off his family’s money from the day he was born. Much to the chagrin of
his parents, however, he has also a conscience, so while he inherited many of
their vices, including a sizeable gambling debt, he also tosses a good deal of
credits to “worthless philantropic nonsense” that his parents know little
about. This includes providing a large number of credits to his friend, the
also-missing Human activis Gerta Haman, for some relief project she wanted to
sponsor for the indigenous species of Cularin. The Wahl mansion is one of the
nicest in Hedrett, and is the only single-family dwelling of more than two
levels in either city.
The Heroes of Cularin arrive at the Wahl mansion:
security droids stand along the walkway leading to the door, where they are
greeted by a prim young woman in red who escorts them to Dr. Wahl. Dr. Wahl,
Kris Wahl’s mother, is a well-known biotechnical surgeon specialized in
cybernetics, and her husband is a slacker. When the operatives explain their
intentions, they learn that Kris Wahl is indeed missing: his mother suspects
that he has run off with Gerta Haman on some foolish errand. Upon leaving the
Wahl estate, the operatives are stopped by the a scarred Human named Polst, who
has been watching for anything that might lead him to young Kris Wahl, who owes
him 1,138 credits. But when Polst and his 4 Human thugs realize that the
operatives are of no help, they are allowed to proceed.
The operatives go back to Gadrin to seek out the
dwelling of Shayne Gerrare, Cerean head of R&D at Spirited Spirits, creator of
the famed “Double-Dip Outer Rim Rumdrop.” Gerrare lives alone in a single-story
dwelling on the west-side of Gadrin, as far from the river as he could afford.
A few hundred meters of grassy open space separates his back door from the edge
of the jungle. When the operatives arrive, they discover scorch marks on the
door, probably from a heavy blaster, and there are signs of a struggle on the
front lawn. After successfully bypassing the security system, the operatives
enter and search the house. One of them finds a datapad with a cracked screen
beneath a pillow in the bedroom. The only useful data that can be obtained from
the broken device is that the “Hiironi tribe knows of a suitable location.” All
the other data has been wiped from the pad. There are some interesting
documents in the study, including a partial recipe for the mixing of a
Double-Dip Outer Rim Rumdrop, Shayne Gerarre’s specialty drink that made
Spirited Spirits what it is today. The operatives decide to check out the
Hiironi tomorrow.
2001
(January 26), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
2001
(January 26), by Morrie Mullins PDF module (roleplay adventure), RPGA and
Wizards of the Coast
GrS 04:01:28, morning – late evening (Expansion Region, Cularin system: Cularin): The so-called “Heroes of Cularin”, who managed to expose
a pirate organization just over a week ago, continue their investigation into
the disappearances of individuals and work crews which took place over the last
week. They were asked to look into the affair by protocol droid E1-6RA, the
overseer of the Jedi academy on Almas. Yesterday, while investigating the
dwelling of Shayne Gerrare, Cerean head of R&D at Spirited Spirits, they
discovered a datapad-entry which stated that the “Hiironi tribe knows of a
suitable location.” They decided to check the Hirroni lead out.
The Hiironi irstadt is the largest and best known on
Cularin, and as such, a route has been partially created through the jungle to
it. The amount of traffic between the settlements and the Hiironi is enough to
typically keep predators away, especially since most of the traders who move
through the area do so armed. When they head for the trail that leads to the
Hiironi, the Heroes of Cularin meet a group of what they believe are traders:
several large-capacity speeders sit in a clearing, and are being loaded with
supplies. Two Humans, a man and a woman, are giving orders to a mixed crew of
Rodians, Sullustans, and a trio of Trandoshans. At their approach, the young
woman breaks away from the rest and walks to the operatives to meet them. The operatives
learn that this is a releif mission, organized by two young Force adepts, San
Herrera and Nia Reston: although neither of them believe the Jedi academy is
quite right for them, they are convinced that they need to do good work. Reston
explains that they have hired a large number of laborers to assit them, and are
ostensibly going to trade with the Hiironi. Nia Reston asks them if they are
here to help haul the goods out to the Hiironi irstadt. The operatives, who see
this as a good opportunity to travel to the irstadt, accept the offer of 100
credits per laborer and begin to start loading boxes. Inside are techbnical
supplies to improve the Hiironi quality of life.
Arriving at the Hiironi irstadt, the operatives see a
great bustle of activity. Tarasin going about their daily activities of
cleaning, cooking, trading, and talking. Most of the Tarasin pay little
attention as Nia Reston and San Herrara lead the small caravan of speeders into
the center of the village, amidst the ornate wooden buildings, and begin
offloading their goods. The huge wooden double-doors of the largest building
opens and a procession of Tarasin females emerges. They wear the symbols of
severak different irstadt, with one of them carrying an ornate wooden staff:
this is Dariana, Mother of the Hiironi. She looks around the irstadt and her
eyes settle on the traders unloading the boxes of goods. As she raises ther
staff skyward, the quills on the back of her arm stand out straigh to either
side. Dariana states that sne senses a disturbance. When Nia Reston and San
Herrara start to move toward her, Dariana waves them back and points her staff
at the operatives: they are to come with her into the building.
Inside, it becomes clear that Dariana does not know precisely
what is going on, but she has a good idea: the disturbance she has sensed is
not in the Force, though it does manifest there, but instead in the balance of
nature near Cloud Mountain. Specifically, on the far side of the mountain from
the cities of Gadrin and Hedrett, in an abandoned mineral mine. Dariana is
aware of a great deal of activity there, upsetting the local inhabitants, who
have begun to migrate to other areas. The Mother of the Hiironi explains that
she wants what is best for the jungle, and makes it clear that the other
Tarasin who just left want the same: they were a delegation from many irstadts
who were meeting to discuss how to retain their identity in the face of change
on Cularin. When the operatives explain why they have come, and mention the
mysterious message on Shayne Gerrare’s datapad, Dariana nods thoughtfully. She
explains that she was asked recently by a friend of the irstadt, whose name she
will not divulge, about a region where a minor sanctuary could be established:
she recommended Cloud Mountain, which is one of the reasons she has been aware
of the changes there lately. She remarks that she does not knw what kind of
‘sanctuary’ her friend wanted, but has been somewhat worried that the upheavals
in the area might disturb what sanctuary there was. When Dariana realizes that
the operatives want to check it out, she approves.
Once outside, Nia Reston and San Herrara thank the
operatives for their help and provide them with credit chips for the
agreed-upon amount.
A little while later, the operatives emerge from the
jungle to see the bald northern face of Cloud Mountain rising before them. The
group makes their way up the mountain: when they get up near the entrance to
the mines, lots of tracks are visible, some of them fairly recent. An access
panel is off to one side of the entrance to the mines, but the entrance itself
stands open. Examining the tracks on which the mines’ blast doors ised to
operate makes it clear that they were removed in a hurried fashion, with little
regard for future usage of the facilities. After they enter the mine, the
operatives get inside one the the several small turbocarts which takes them
deeper into the mine. After a short while, they discover that they are being
followed by a second turbocart, this one occupied by several security droids.
When the droids open fire on the operatives, they take up speed to escape. They
steer through several blastdoors into a tunnel and stop the turbocart. One of
the operatives gets out to close the blast doors. A second later, they hear how
the droids’ turbocart slams into the blast door on the other side.