First off, let me give credit where credit is due. Very little of the ideas here are actually mine and have been borrowed from another GM who has worked hard at creating this Alternate Universe. As you know, I have found the scenarios that he has created so terrific and amazing, that I have decided to run the game here for you.
I am a little torn... If you decide to search for the GM you might inadvertently spoil the story, at the same time I believe the person should be given proper honors and recognition. What to do??? Frankly, such a fine story arc needs to be accredited...
So my warmest and deepest thanks go to GM Chris from d20 Radio for coming up with such a fantastic concept, and thank you to the players who have followed me in this folly.
I hope you enjoy it as much I as do.
Alternate Universe Campaign: Event Timeline
(CSD = Campaign Start Date) -- slightly modified and adapted (and likely to change some more still).
CSD -35 years: The Battle of Coruscant; Count Dooku is slain by Anakin Skywalker, Palpatine is revealed as Darth Sidious and slain by Mace Windu. The Clone Wars come to an uneasy cease-fire as the Republic and Separatists scramble to recover after the death of Palpatine/Sidious. After days of heated debate, Senator Bail Organa accepts the post of Acting Chancellor with the backing of the Delegation of 2000 and the Jedi Council. Mace Windu is made to stand trial for the murder of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, but is exonerated after evidence gathered from Palpatine’s chambers reveals his duplicity and confirms his nature as a Sith Lord and instigator of the Clone Wars. Bail promises to re-open diplomatic talks with the leaders of the Confederacy of Independent Systems in the hopes of ending the war.
CSD -34 years, 10 months: After weeks of negotiation, the Separatists officially surrender to the Republic, bringing the Clone Wars to an end. The Separatist leaders are convicted of a wide array of war crimes and lose much of their fiscal and political power, with Nute Gunray receiving a death sentence for his actions, despite an impassioned plea from Senator Amidala to give him a life imprisonment sentence instead. With the war officially over, Anakin Skywalker informs the Jedi Council that he is leaving the Order, announcing his existing marriage to Padme Amidala and stating that he feels the Jedi have become tainted and corrupt, betraying their mandate. Amidst the controversy, Padme Amidala’s pregnancy is revealed, forcing her to step down from her post as Senator, traveling to Naboo with her husband to start a new life.
CSD -34 years, 9 months: Padme gives birth to twins, who are named Luke and Leia. Anakin is amazed to learn just how strongly the Force is with them, but resolves not to let the Jedi Order taint his children, and will train them without the Order’s interference.
CSD -34 years, 8 months: Bail Organa is formally elected as Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, and his first official act is to relinquish the emergency powers granted to that office under Palpatine's tenure. Days after the election, Sheltray Retrac is killed in a tragic accident, and as a result Bail and his wife Breha decide to formally adopt the now-orphaned Winter Retrac as their own daughter. In Dosh Ball circuits, there are several newscasts that claim that famous Doshian Battle Ball gladiator Kelda Kath and famous Droid Engineer Emrich de la Croix have given birth to a health baby girl, Claire.
CSD -32 years: Captain Fordo of the famous Muunilist 10 is killed in action while protecting a group of Senators from militant extremists, leading to the creation of the Clone Trooper Cross of Bravery, which to this day is considered to be one of the highest military honors in the galaxy, and is awarded to Fordo posthumously.
CSD -31 years: On the anniversary of the Battle of Geonosis, after an impassioned speech by a young Senator Joonan Marr, the Senate passes the Clone Trooper Recognition Act, retroactively making all clone troopers full-fledged citizens of the Republic with all the attendant rights and pay, plus setting up pension funds for those troopers that wish to retire from active duty. Many clones elect to remain enlisted, but they still slowly begin to explore life outside the military.
CSD -30 years: As the accelerated aging of the clone troopers begins to catch up to them, the Senate passes Senator Marr's Republic Military Enlistment Act, which opens membership in the Grand Army of the Republic to any and all citizens that wish to join and meet the necessary physical requirements. Many veteran clone troopers are asked to help train these new recruits, ensuring that their legacy of service continues long after the last of them has passed on.
CSD -29 years: After the premature death of Queen Breha at the hands of militant extremists, Princess Winter Organa is assigned a tutor to both help raise the young princess and teach her to be capable of defending herself if the situation calls for it. The idea of using decoys is put forth, but Winter vehemently objects, not wanting to put others in harm's way just for her own sake.
CSD -28 years: Against the wishes of her husband, Padme brings Luke and Leia to Coruscant to be presented to the Jedi Council, fearing that his lingering bitterness towards the Jedi Order was tainting the training he was giving the children. Impressed with their potential, the Jedi Council accepts the twins as potential Jedi in spite of their age due to the rudimentary training their father had provided them. Obi-Wan Kenobi reaches out to his former apprentice in an attempt to reconcile and convince Anakin to return to the Order, even offering to help ensure that Anakin can continue to have a hand in training them. Anakin is furious over his wife's perceived betrayal, and refuses to return to the Order. Although unable to bring himself to harm Padme, Anakin goes on a violent rampage that left their home ablaze and his lightsaber destroyed. He leaves Naboo and heads to Tatooine, taking up the life of a moisture farmer alongside the Lars family, but generally shunned others. Padme remains on Naboo, dedicating herself to a life of quiet service, opening a refuge shelter on the planet and starting medical clinics for the impoverished in dozens of systems. In such medical clinics, Tervax and Eso Terra take their first breath.
CSD -26 years: Despite his initial reservations, Obi-Wan Kenobi agrees to take Leia Skywalker as his Padawan Learner at her own insistent requests; she argues that Obi-Wan did as fine a job training her father as any Jedi, but that it was Palpatine’s influence that tainted her father.
CSD -25 years, 8 months: After years spent traveling the galaxy, Jedi Master Casiadne Jhones returns to the Jedi Temple, and to the surprise of the Order and the Council asks to take Luke Skywalker as her Padawan Learner. Grand Master Yoda argues that an unconventional apprentice such as the young Luke would require an equally unconventional master, and the request is granted, making Luke the maverick Jedi Master’s apprentice. A tiny infant is found on the steps of the Jedi Temple. Among the objects found on the infant, a small note names her Mirax Bey.
CSD -22 years: A young Republic fighter pilot named Han Solo disobeys direct orders from a superior in order to help liberate the prisoners of a Zygerrian slaver ship, among them the wookiee Chewbacca. Han is dishonourably discharged after striking his commanding officer. Chewbacca swears a life debt to the young pilot, and the two become independent traders. At around the same time, somewhere on the Blood Carver homeworld of Batorine, Mi Truev screams out for the first time; somewhere in the Chiss Ascendancy, Chemosh screams out for the first time, and somewhere nearer to home, Tehrk grabs his first breast.
CSD -21 years: Luke and Casiadne travel to Tatooine at the Jedi Master’s urging to give the boy a chance to make peace with his father. The three of them end up working together to protect several moisture farms from a horde of Tusken Raiders. Anakin accepts that Luke wishes to become a Jedi Knight, and thanks Casiadne for being the one to train his son so as to ensure that Luke doesn’t become another mindless Jedi drone. A few weeks later, what will soon be known as Kal Wennyn, splits from its ancestral offshoot and becomes sentient.
CSD –20 years: Han Solo wins the Millennium Falcon from Lando Calrissian in the final round of the Cloud City Sabacc Tournament.
CSD -19 years: Casiadne Jhones and Luke Skywalker are called upon to rescue Princess Winter Organa and her entourage after her ship is taken prisoner by pirates that intended to ransom the girl back to her father. Luke and Winter meet for the first time, each quickly becoming enamored of the other, much to Casiadne’s amusement, and marks the beginning of a long-standing friendship between the two.
CSD -17 years: Lando Calrissian becomes the Baron-Administrator of Cloud City after winning the title in a high-stakes game of sabacc with the previous Baron-Administrator.
CSD -15 years: After a pitched duel with the Dark Jedi Valin Draco, Luke Skywalker is granted the title of Jedi Knight by the Jedi Council, who are deeply impressed with his prowess in the Force and the simple humility that his father always lacked. To the Council’s chagrin, Luke has also inherited the independent nature of his father and his Master, and spends much of his time abroad, although he maintains regular contact with the Council. The training of her apprentice complete, Casiadne once again departs to continue her wanderings.
CSD -14 years: After undergoing a more formal set of Jedi Trials than her twin, Leia Skywalker is promoted to the rank of Jedi Knight.
CSD -12 years: Grand Master Yoda passes away at the age of 900. His resting ceremony is attended by Jedi from across the galaxy, including several Jedi that had willingly left the Order years prior, as well as the latest Supreme Chancellor, Mon Mothma; High Prince Bail Organa and Princess Winter. A modest memorial for the ancient Jedi Master is established in the courtyard of the Senate building as a token of respect for the diminutive leader.
CSD -11 years: Although they do not inform the Senate of this, the Jedi Council begins to worry as they feel a darkening of the Force similar to the one that began just prior to the blockade of Naboo by the Trade Federation several years ago.
CSD -10 years: Republic Military Intelligence agents uncover crucial evidence that points to the existence of a Dark Side cult with Sith connections having made their headquarters on Telos. The Jedi Council assigns both of the Skywalker twins to verify this and root out the cult. Working in tandem, they are able to discover the Sith cult have made their base in an abandoned temple in the polar regions, and that their leader is one of Count Dooku’s former Acolytes making use of a Sith holocron stolen from the Almas Academy ruins. Luke defeats the would-be Sith Lord in single combat and Leia procures the Sith holocron to bring to the Jedi Archives for safe-keeping.
CSD -9 years: The Red Claw Brotherhood, a band of vicious space pirates begins staging attacks along the Rimma Trade Route. The Republic faces great difficulty in stopping these attacks until a Republic strike force under the joint command of Jedi Master Casiadne Jhones and Commander Cinowyn Antilles uncovers the pirate’s central base of operations and decimates the pirate fleet. Obi-Wan offers Casiadne a seat on the Jedi Council as a sign of respect for his fellow Jedi's accomplishments, but the maverick Jedi Master declines, citing “she’s not ready to retire with the old folks’ just yet.” It was Casiadne's last public appearance, although it is believed that she is still wandering the galaxy and is actively working to protect the people of the Republic.
CSD -8 years: Princess Winter is elected to the Senate to represent Alderaan, with the intent that the experience will make her a more suitable ruler when the time comes for her to assume the throne.
CSD -7 years: Famous smuggler baron Talon Karrde manages to organize several of his fellow smugglers into a single cohesive organization dubbed the Smuggler’s Alliance, which quickly becomes a criminal faction to rival the Hutts and Black Sun in the areas of information brokering as well as smuggling, and also gains a reputation for ensuring that any attacks on their members are avenged. Under Karrde’s leadership, the coalition is wildly successful.
CSD -6 years, 6 months: Mace Windu is killed during a sneak attack after attempts at negotiation with the Yevetha fail, resulting in a ferocious war that will leave the Yevetha nearly extinct and dozens of Republic worlds devastated. Master Leia Skywalker is able to broker a peace after Obi-Wan succeeds in spearheading a decisive offensive action that leaves the Yevetha leaders at their mercy. In recognition of her actions, insight and wisdom, Leia is promoted to the Jedi Council, and soon becomes the Council’s primary liaison with the office of the Supreme Chancellor.
CSD -6 years: Master Obi-Wan Kenobi accepts the position of Grand Master of the Jedi Order.
CSD -5 years: Anakin Skywalker, aged before his time and having become a notoriously bitter and surly old hermit, was found dead in his Dune Sea hut by local traders, who gave him a simple burial in the sands of his homeworld. In spite of her clear vitality, Padme begins to suffer a deepening illness that defies all medical diagnosis and attempts at treatment.
CSD -4 years, 10 months: Padme passes away after having spent decades helping those in need, and despite having stayed out of public life since her children were accepted for Jedi training, she is given a state funeral that is attended by the current Queen, the Supreme Chancellor, both of her children, and hundreds of thousands of beings from across the galaxy.
CSD -4 years, 9 months: In the wake of his parents’ passing, Luke appears to fall into a state of depression, and begins spending more and more time researching something in the Archives, as well as taking extended leaves of absence, although he refuses to go into detail as to what he is searching for. The Jedi Council expresses the concern that he is becoming obsessed with his parents’ deaths and that this is in turn affecting his ability to perform his duties as a Jedi.
CSD -4 years: Senator Joonan Marr is elected Supreme Chancellor.
CST -3 years, 6 months: While dodging Hutt enforcers on Nar Shaddaa after a botched spice run, Chewbacca gives his life to protect Han, allowing the smuggler to escape Jabba’s goons. It is a blow that takes Han many years to recover from, during which time he operates the Millennium Falcon by himself.
CSD -3 years: Under mysterious circumstances, Master Luke Skywalker goes missing, his quarters empty of all personal effects, the body of a slain Jedi librarian discovered in the archives, and the Sith holocron that he and Leia had recovered from Telos now missing.
CSD -2 years, 6 months: After months spent fruitlessly searching for the missing Jedi Master, the Jedi Council has no choice but to inform the Senate of Luke’s troubling disappearance. This sparks a series of heated debates, as many older Senators remember Palpatine and Dooku’s respective betrayals, and many younger Senators begin to feel a sense of distrust towards the Jedi Order and their secretive tendencies, although Leia spends a great deal of effort trying to assuage fears after rumors ignite of a Jedi-led coup of the Republic.
CSD -2 years: On the anniversary of her brother’s disappearance, Leia informs the Jedi Council that she has recently been having troubling visions of her brother, swathed in shadows, and fears that he may have begun delving into the dark side after his disappearance, particularly as the Sith holocron recovered from Telos was discovered missing shortly after Luke’s disappearance.
CSD -2 weeks: Republic Military Intelligence receives a sketchy report about a sighting of renegade Jedi Luke Skywalker on the planet Koshibal in the Outer Rim, but it is the most tangible lead they have gotten in years. A quick conference between Chancellor Marr, General Crix Madine, and Jedi Master Leia Skywalker leads to the three of them agreeing to a secret joint venture between their respective organizations to investigate this lead, with the hope of getting a confirmation of Luke’s presence.
CSD 0 years: Campaign Start Date: A small group of individuals are selected or contracted to investigate the report of Luke’s reappearance, with explicit instructions to do so in as discreet a manner as possible to avoid igniting a political firestorm. This message was last edited by the GM at 20:56, Wed 10 Dec 2014.
