In my quest to find a good way to describe the races and cultures in my games so players can more easily get into them, I’ve hit upon the idea of describing the good life from that race or culture’s viewpoint.
Originally I toyed with an idea borrowed from Hero Quest, a sidebar containing ‘What My Father/Elders Taught Me.’ But I decided to look for something else, because a) it wasn’t my idea; b) the writeups could be longer than a player’s attention span; and c) they don’t necessarily encourage proactivity on the player’s part.
So I thought, what can I define as a goal that will make players more likely to roleplay? Premise: just about everyone wants to have a good life – to be happy, comfortable, and respected. Thing is, each race or culture can define this in its own way. Thus I decided to write up a short description of the ‘good life’ as conceived by each of the races and cultures in Sea Rovers of Syrene.
Each one-sentence statement is easy for any player to digest, while at the same time revealing a slice of the race or culture’s values, religion, and way of life.
Palmarians: To live without any known stain on my honor, and have the respect and admiration of my people; to give my family ease and luxury; to make the Paragons’ Pilgrimage at least once in life.
Islanders: To live in freedom, able to sail where I will; to win honor and glory by voyaging far and returning victorious from battle; and to see as much of the world as possible, bringing home a trophy of every adventure.
Shakandas: To own many cattle; to win renown in hunting and battle, or in wrestling and other competitions, or be known as a powerful shaman; and to have a large family and many sons [for which I will need many cattle].
Feranians: To live a life of pleasure and refinement; to do as little manual labor as possible; and to have a passionate romance, whatever the consequences!
Tamerouan Divers: To explore as much of the underwater world as I can; to see my people safe and free from want; to add to the glory of Tameroun by adding to its treasures and keeping them safe.
Felyrans: To live a life of comfort and plenty; to be free to love and play as I wish, and never get bored; to always be seeing something new.
Karkadans: To live free from slavery; to be accepted in a community as one of their own; to have as much as we want to eat, all the time; and to gain vengeance for what was done to us Karkadans by the Ebon Ring of Kaldun.
Marmousars: To live a life of laughter and trickery, finding the fools of the world and teaching them a lesson in wits; to always be trying something new; to return to Marmousarim with the most interesting treasure trove, so that I will be admired by all Marmousars.
Zembari: To be known and respected for my learning and wisdom; to travel and learn from many other peoples; and to always have the favor of my ancestors, through performing the daily ancestor-honoring rites: thus will I be chosen as an ancestor guardian myself when I die.
Merawids: To win honor and glory in combat, and thus gain station within my tribe; to live a life of freedom and vigor, uncorrupted by the decadence of the ‘civilized’ peoples; and to die a good death in battle!
I’ve revised the Vivid system, so character creation for Dawn of the Jedi will be a bit different from what we did in Johnny Rooks. Here’s the procedure:
1) Concept Line
Tell me in a sentence or two what your character concept is. If you have a rather complex idea, like having a Jedi Master character, email me and we’ll thrash it out together.
2) If your character is a Jedi: What does being a Jedi mean for you?
Try to answer this question in-character.
3) How did your character become a Jedi?
How did your character come into the Jedi Order? As a child? As a youth? As an adult? What were the circumstances? Did you leave anything behind that could come back to haunt you later?
4) Species
You may choose just about any of the sentient species in the Star Wars universe. I’ll not post the bonuses of the various species, as I want you to choose this according to concept, not stats.
5) Primary Trait
What is the main thing your character is/can do? Those of you playing Jedi can write Jedi here; those who want a character like Han Solo can write Smuggler. I’d like it better, though, if you made this more colorful, frex ‘Hot-headed Jedi with an Attitude’ or ‘Ice-cold Smuggler Pilot.’
You only have ONE Primary Trait.
6) Major Traits
What else describes your character? What other fields of activity is your character good at? This can be physical traits like Tough, Strong, Quick, etc; mental traits like Quick Thinker or Strong-Willed; skills like ‘Hotshot Pilot’; even ideas as to what direction your Force abilities have gone, e.g. ‘Innate Understanding of Droids’ or ‘Force Healer’, etc.
You may have up to FOUR Major Traits.
7) Minor Traits
Minor skills and abilities of your character are taken as Minor Traits.
You may have up to SIX Minor Traits.
8) Hooks
Come up with one or more personal qualities, circumstances, issues, or connections that tend to create problems for your character. Proud, Willful, Insatiably Curious, Hates [insert person or species here], make good Hooks.
For Jedi characters, please include the name of your Jedi Master here, and affiliations with any Jedi factions or external orders and factions you want. Issues arising from the way you became a Jedi are also very appropriate; did you become Jedi over someone else’s objections, did becoming a Jedi mean leaving something very important behind, etc etc.
9) Outfit
Give me an idea what your character has on his person. This includes weapons.
If you’re playing a Jedi, you may be carrying a Force-imbued melee weapon such as sword or staff, a protosaber (a lightsaber tethered to a belt power pack), or ‘standard’ lightsaber as seen in the movies, which is actually a still novelty in this era.
No lightsaber modifications as yet, though I’ll allow them later in the game.
Constantius Strayer, ex-Jedi Master, 50-year old human
A Jedi Master exiled for espousing a dangerous philosophy and attacking another Jedi Master.
Quote: “The Jedi Order was created to protect the galaxy. The best way to protect a society is to govern it. Therefore it is only right for the Jedi to become part of the Republic’s government.”
Primary Trait:
Ex-Jedi Master
Major Traits:
Eloquent Speaker; Driven; Strong in the Force; Master Strategist
Minor Traits:
Speaks Some Huttese; Connections (Republic Military); Connections (Alsakan Royal Family); Charismatic; Perceptive; Pioneer of Battle Meditation Techniques
Hooks:
Proud; Stubborn; Noble Intentions, Flawed Perceptions; Obsessed; Student of Master Lettow
I’ve been playing Knights of the Old Republic between extended bouts of writing, and now that I’ve got a day of breather I just couldn’t help thinking of running Star Wars adventures again. The idea that won’t let go of my head, however, is to dig further into the past, well before the Mandalorian Wars and Darth Revan, even before the first wars against the Sith, back to the time when the Jedi Order was in its infancy. The Dawn of the Jedi.
It is a time of great hope, and a time of great fear. Following the devastating Force Wars on Tython, light-aligned mystics and warriors founded the Jedi Order, and pledged it to keep the peace for the newly incorporated Galactic Republic. Daily new planets are joining the Republic, and daily the reputation of the Jedi Knights grows as healers, advisers, diplomats, and justiciars. But the shadow of the Dark Side is never far away.
The Jedi Order’s very success has caused it innumerable new problems. The Jedi Council is divided, and many Jedi Masters are diverging from the core teachings of the Order. Among the greatest points of contention is the question of what to do with other, older Force-using traditions. Some Jedi want to assimilate them. Some Jedi want to learn from them. And some Jedi want to destroy them.
Nor are the Jedi universally welcomed. Past experience has taught many to fear all who wield the power of the Force. Jedi attempts to bring in all Force-senstives they meet under the aegis of the Order has led to accusations of kidnapping and slavery. On some planets, fear and suspicion are already giving way to hate …
[Note: I will try to stick to Star Wars canon as closely as possible, but do not guarantee it. This is not official Star Wars material.]
The main theme of this campaign is What does it mean to be a Jedi? Players will take the roles of the early Jedi, charting the path of the Order through a period of growth, change and threats. Other themes that will be prominent in the campaign are:
The True Sons of Tython
The True Sons of Tython is a small group of Jedi Masters and their students who believe the Jedi Order should be exclusively human. Most claim that this is not discriminatory at all, but rather that as a human-created order, the Jedi Way is not necessarily compatible with the minds of other species. Members of the faction discourage aliens from joining the order, instead steering them toward other traditions seen as allied to the Jedi. The True Sons of Tython have similar aims with, but are not allied to, the Human Primacy faction.
The Human Primacy Faction
This faction of Jedi Knights includes no Masters, but has a surprisingly large following. Its goal is to make human Jedi have primacy over Jedi of other species, so that in time the High Council will consist entirely of humans, who will then impose a humans-only policy in recruitment and training. The ultimate objective is thus to have a human-only Jedi Order. Members of the faction watch out for promising human Padawans and try to recruit them, often secretly helping chosen Padawans to make them stand out and gain favor with the Council.
The Universal Jedi Faction
This faction insists on equal rights for all species, especially within the Jedi Order. Many recruits come to it embittered by their experiences with the human primacists, and thus resent human Jedi. Masters of this faction actively seek to recruit more non-human apprentices, even if it means taking in adults or those not entirely suitable for training.
The Gray Masters
The Gray Masters are a revered quartet of old Tythonian monks, and are among the oldest of the Jedi. No longer active in the Council, they have retired to a wilderness hermitage on Ossus to meditate on the Force, but are still sought by Masters in the Council for advice in times of crisis. The Gray Masters advocate stringent asceticism for the Jedi, recommending that Jedi take vows of poverty and celibacy to prevent them from forming dangerous attachments. While the Order has had no problem enforcing the first, they have still not agreed on the second, which is strongly resisted by many Jedi especially those of martial descent.
Knights of the Inner Temple
The Knights of the Inner Temple are an unofficial Jedi order within the Order, and in fact most Jedi not from Tython aren’t even aware of it. The group only includes Jedi descended from Tythonese deiyo families, the ancient martial class of Tython’s premier civilization. The core belief of the group is that the Jedi exist primarily to fight evil, as contrasted to the current consensus in the Council that the Jedi exist to harness the Force for enlightenment and peace. The Knights of the Inner Temple are also slow to give up their family ties, often finding excuses to visit their former homes or meet family members. It has also become an accepted practice among them to retire from the Jedi Order after middle age and return to Tython, where they often rise to political prominence.
Legacists
The Legacists believe strength in the Force tends to be hereditary, and encourage Jedi to marry and have children; exceptionally powerful individuals are even encouraged to have multiple liaisons, the better to preserve their genes. Some bloodlines are specially marked, and Legacist Masters and Knights carefully watch over their current representatives, such as Master Prana Sadow, the knights Morin Ragnos, Elgus Nadd, and Theonax Sunrider, among others. The Legacists are strongly opposed by the Gray Masters and their followers, who claim the Legacists are not only confusing the Jedi by promoting dangerous attachments, but are also threatening to create Jedi dynasties which will cause great problems with the Republic later. Many in the Senate fear this movement, especially the Letheans who suffered for generations under warlords steeped in the Dark Side.
The Initiates of Ban Cruach
The Initiates of Ban Cruach is a secretive Force cult that has concentrated on finding how to prolong life using the Force. They are known for their healers and the extreme longevity of their Reverend Mothers. Unknown to the rest of the galaxy, however, is the Initiates’ human primacy agenda. The council of Reverend Mothers offers health, healing and longevity to select politicians in exchange for doing the cult ‘favors’ and implementing policies that raise humans above other species. So far the Initiates’ work has been subtle, but it cannot be too long before one of their clients sparks a crisis for the Republic …
Voashi Monks
The Voashi Monks are a mystic order believing in reincarnation through the Force. They are currently locked in a legal battle with the Jedi Order over custodianship of the novice Aishen Trang, whom the monks believe to be the reincarnation of their Lord Hierophant. The Jedi Council is unwilling to give up Aishen Trang because more than one Master has had visions in which Trang went over to the Dark Side. A radical group among the Voashi Monks now plans to assassinate Taishen Trang, to ‘free his spirit to reincarnate again.’ Jedi who have studied with the Voashi claim this order has many techniques for contacting the dead. For the Voashi, the worst possible punishment that can be meted out to a Force-using being is to kill it and entrap the soul in a crystal using the Force, thus preventing reincarnation.
Diviners of K’leng
On the planet Skarith, the priestly caste of K’leng have long supplied the people with Diviners – Force Adepts who use their vision to guide others and judge disputes and criminals. Force-sensitivity among the caste is encouraged by strict endogamy; while this has increased the proportion of Force-sensitive children among them, it has also brought many problems that come with excessive inbreeding. The senior Diviners refuse to deal with the Jedi, forbidding all of their caste from joining the Jedi Order on pain of death. The Jedi on the other hand see a strong potential for Dark Side influence to come from the Diviners, particularly those with mental aberrations caused by inbreeding.
Lethean Inquisitors
The planet Lethea was horribly ravaged during the Wars of the Witch-Kings, fought between warlords using the Dark Side of the Force. Fear of this devastation being repeated brought about the Inquisition. The Inquisitors examine all Lethean children, and if any are found to be Force-sensitive, have the ability burned out of their minds. Those children who survive the Cleansing, as it is called, usually do so only as near-witless husks. The Inquisitors of course are Force Adepts themselves, the only ones allowed to use the Force on Lethea. The Inquisitors are hostile to the Jedi, and have prevailed upon Lethea’s ruling families to refrain from joining the Republic.
Athmanists
This sect was founded by Mohr Athman, a Jedi who left the Order after unintentionally killing another Jedi in a dispute. It is dedicated to absolute non-violence, teaching that even self-defense can lead to Dark Side. The Athmanists have formed hidden monasteries on several planets, where they cultivate their minds by constant meditation and bend the Force to mask their power and presence. The Jedi Order has nothing against this sect, save for one little detail – some of the most promising young Knights left the Order to join it after the Unification Wars. Fearful of losing more Jedi, the Senate has urged the Jedi Council to do something about the sect.
Jatthists
This sect founded by ex-Jedi Master Koro Jatth teaches use of the Force through extreme asceticism and painful physical ordeals. Jatthists must not live in shelters – sleeping either in the open wilderness or in streets – eat only food given as alms or gathered from the wild, use technology as little as possible, and spend much of the day in Force and combat exercises. Jatthists also eschew lightsabers, using only Force-imbued swords. Jatthist doctrine is almost wholly in agreement with Jedi teachings, but the existence of an independent, militant Force-using order troubles many in the Jedi Council and the Senate. Particularly disturbing for the Council is the Jatthist emphasis on suffering as a means of learning the Force.
Master Lettow
Jedi Master Lettow is controversial for his teachings on the Force, as he advocates finding greater power when necessary in ‘the need for positive action.’ According to Lettow, ‘He who knows but does not act, does not know;’ Jedi must act more aggressively in dealing with evil. Lettow also sees no problem in having many apprentices at once, which some Masters are trying to regulate. To the Republic, however, Master Lettow is a hero, bestowing on him honors and titles such as Baron of Terkol, Pirate Queller of the Anto Rim, and Justiciar of the Fourth Quadrant. Many young Jedi admire him.
Master Maia Saffa
Master Maia Saffa is a Twi’lek Jedi Master and head of the Jedi Nursery on Ossus, where she has become controversial for her ‘childhood first’ philosophy. Master Maia advocates against the Jedi taking children at too young an age for training, insisting that even Force-sensitives deserve a normal childhood. This is in contravention of the current Republic policy and Council doctrine, which holds that for the safety of the galaxy as a whole, Force-sensitive sentients must be taken into the Jedi Order as soon as possible lest they fall to the Dark Side first. Trivial as the issue seems, the issue has seriously divided the Jedi and affected relations with the Republic Senate and several planetary governments. In the latest scandal, Master Maia was rebuked by the Council for sending several children home without authorization.
Senator Torsk Weyler
This influential Bothan senator sincerely believes it is in the best interests of the Republic for the Senate to have more control over the Jedi Order. He has sponsored several laws to regulate the Jedi and their conduct, especially their recruitment and training. His other strategy is to integrate more Jedi into the Republic’s system by having Jedi given military ranks or government functions – measures which the Jedi Council resists, as they want the Jedi to remain without exterior attachments or temptations.
Master Constantius Strayer
Master Constantius Strayer is a Jedi Master in exile, location currently unknown. Once a hero of the Unification Wars, he was stripped of his connection to the Force and his lightsaber destroyed for espousing a dangerous doctrine -- ‘To safeguard the galaxy, the Jedi must rule the galaxy.’ Master Strayer tried to run for Senator of Telor against the wishes of the Council. Master Jorav Trey was sent to reason with him, but a heated argument ensued and Strayer struck down Trey with his lightsaber. Trey survived, but the Council sentenced Strayer to the worst punishment the Order was allowed to impose on a Jedi. Strayer’s apprentices were given over to other Masters, and are all under surveillance against the possibility that they too might slip into the Dark Side.
