Either is good for me, really. You're going to end up working with the Republic, even if you're a more independent agent, so as long as that can be arranged (like, not having your main character goal be its destruction or something like that), being either career military, mercenary, or just a citizen who wants your skills put to use all lead to the same road. :D

I've been excited about it so I have almost all the answers fleshed out a little...

Rule number one whatever situation you find yourself in is good for business.

Rule two, lies are needed to start business sometimes and sometimes violence to conclude it but that's poor form.

A non-Hutt name allows one to do business a little more freely with people who would prefer to avoid the general stygma that is so frequently associated with the hutts. It opens more doors than it closes though sometimes people are shocked getting that first meeting puts the door open and from there diplomacy can get a job done.

Loe figures that his father would approve of the name change as it opens more business further away from the hutt control. That is a small consequence however when compared to the fact that Auntie Spika is possibly the most terrifying being that he could possibly imagine. She is a living Boogeyman the likes of which humans don't tell in their stories to scare small naughty kids. Loe can't be sure the grace of it's parent would stave off Spika's wrath... Loe doesn't want to see anyone eaten... Not again anyhow. Loe feels a little pressure to take the start up funds his uncle gave him and do well.

It hasn't been easy on Telos as a Hutt. Everyone double checks everything for dirty money or trade goods for a year and a half. He has barely managed to stay afloat busting his tail. A few times he has had people attack him on bias... so another cut to overhead to invest in personal defense but many regulars are getting used to him as an honest dealer if good at embellishments. Loe is minimizing overhead and dealing directly as a merchant middle man. Buy low and hope to sell high. Biggie is small time. If he can't conduct it himself he doesn't sign on for it.

A few sweet deals from now, Loe hopes to send double the start up to Uncle so Loe can be a good investment mark on his Uncle. He feels he owes his Uncle something and so, not planning to remain on Telos (the last place Auntie could certainly track him to) it would be nice to broker a holding here and establish some longer standing trade. Preferably black market to REALLY make Uncle happy though Biggy has no interest in that work himself. A good present to Uncle might just get Auntie to ease off but Loe doesn't know the specifics of their arrangement. Which leads to Rule number three, keep it about numbers.

Anything with positive accrual for Uncle is enough. He's trying to angle in on some armor deals and the Republic is a great place for commerce. Fair or not. Loe doesn't have a corporation or holdings to speak of but does keep a decent suite with almost no frills that also functions as an office when one is needed. People get bad feelings about massive weapons deals but armor... A scaling armor deal in plating would never go out of style. Ships, vehicles, even personal armor... If Loe could identify some shippers and figure out how to buy them out or recommend a hostile takeover to Uncle that might just do the trick.

And Rule 0, only meet Auntie on your turf or someplace neutral where gaining slaves is illegal and there is a decent military.

Rule 4, plagiarism is the sincerest form of flattery. :D

https://memory-alpha.fandom.co...Rules_of_Acquisition

I imagine most of these will come in very handy. And I like what you've got!

Do what you gotta do. You are the boss, I'm just enjoying the game already!

*briefly pours over some timelines before clapping the book closed*

That's it... We are crashing the Ord Mantell depot and causing it to become a trade center and then I'm founding the Heaven-Earth corporation.

Yup.

Wait, Ord Mantell is already a trade post. Sorry.

My internet is back up, and with it I am excited to bring in an updated opening crawl (new second paragraph added) and include more books to the game by default, in case our specialists want to specialize a little more!

If there's any particular ship design the party would prefer over others, let me know and I'll see about making it happen. The group won't have access to a ship just yet, even if we decide someone already owns one (because of the starting adventures being on Telos, you see), so we have time to pick something out. Or you could leave it to me to surprise you, if you so choose!

How about a 578-R Space Transport, nothing's more 'KOTOR' than the ship in the KOTOR rulebook?

Or a Kuat Wayfarer, one of my favorite Star Wars ship because of the magnificent asymmetry it possesses, a hallmark of Star Wars.

https://swse.fandom.com/wiki/W...ass_Medium_Transport

My main issue with the 578 is that it's just a really boring design. The Wayfarer has a lot more character to it, and I feel like we could find some art for a ship that's similar in style and apply the Wayfarer's stats to it, if we want to. But there are also a bunch of other options, too, like the Lethisk-class, or a modified KT-400 droid carrier (especially if I can finally find some deck plans to explain where the crazy amount of storage comes from in that scrawny design!). Lots of ways to go.

Speaking of, any thoughts on character concepts, SteamDragon? Figured I'd ask while I've got you here. :P

Something with a cargo hold or vehicle bay, and a large bathroom or you are NOT going like long flights with a Hutt.

I'll spring for some or most alterations if we can make it viable. I expect to have the most money, if only because I can buy low and sell high.

Are there any KOTOR ships that have deckplans?  Or better yet walkthroughs?

<a href="https://swtor-archive.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Starships">https://swtor-archive.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Starships</a>

In the link above are a list of different starships.  I don't know if there are stats for SAGA out there on the interwebs but some of the ship entries do have great deck plan pictures.

Disney+ has a starship fly through for a few different ships I think.

How 'bout a Dynamic-class Freighter, like the Ebon Hawk, the iconic starship of the KOTOR series of games?

<a href="https://swse.fandom.com/wiki/The_Ebon_Hawk">https://swse.fandom.com/wiki/The_Ebon_Hawk</a>

The kind of ship that we end up cruising around in is of little consequence to Loe at least in the beginning. He's got business on the world and if you can't find this guy then certainly not going to be able to make enough money help his uncle out of the situation. That'll also mean that he needs to get off world without taking much concern other than having a few grand worth of trade goods with him after ticket prices.

Of course I'll want more if I can have more... goods wealth is the goal of this world. Preferably buying out a small time merchant who is usually leaving the area to cover his tail.

Unfortunately, SteamDragon, you can't create links like that. [a href] only works for GMs. :P

But yes, I do indeed have a love of deckplans. Since my plan already hits several KotOR beats, I'm worried that using another Dynamic freighter will feel like we're just rehashing the game, which isn't the feel I'm after. It is a good suggestion, however, because it's very iconic for the time period. I did find a list of ships active in this era, organized by type and affiliation. Many are from the Star Wars: The Old Republic era in about 300 years, but a huge chunk are appropriate.

https://malgus-rp.enjin.com/mo...d-republic-starships

I'm narrowing down my thoughts from there, and this list will keep being useful for a good long while. Ships that I, personally, like for the group include:

Quartermaster-class Supply Carrier
Lethisk-class Armed Freighter
Class VI bulk freighter
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 02:12, Thu 14 Oct 2021.

All good choices.  And I do love my deck plans ever since I found a set of the original Enterprise deck plans from Franz Joseph.  Did you know the original Enterprise had a bowling alley?

So that's why my links wouldn't work.  I shall now be drunk with power in my game. ;-)

A bowling alley? Why don't my starships have bowling alleys? :o

Also, still looking for a character concept from you, SD. Need info so I can prep our opening, y'know?

I'm so sorry, my friend.  I thought I had posted the character.  OK, I have now posted the character stats and chosen the portrait.  I will get the character backstory up in a day or two (and I apologize for such a delay) but, in essence, my character is a Miralukese Level 1 Jedi (the human variants without eyes but with Force sight).

The species advantage of a Miralukese are such that you can make a Jedi that punches above their weight class even at 1st level and they are very KOTOR.  She is a 'self-taught' padawan but now she has 'peaked' at Level 1 and needs a teacher or at least a path.  She 'fell' slightly and now has learned Force Lightning.  Now and then, she has a temptation to fry someone and that comes with corruption and a Dark Side point...

Very cool! Also, Miraluka are the people, Miralukese is their language. :P

How did she become self-taught? Any thoughts about having her associated with Nomino and the Mirialan Jedi Enclave? How do others react to your willingness to form your hatred into pure torture? And, of course, what's your name?

What role do you see her filling, in terms of combat, social, other skills, all that? Nomino is leaning towards a straight up frontline tank, Biggy Loe is our businessman and diplomat, and Hassik is a miracle pilot. (Looking at her, my first guess is "Force Wizard". Six powers, that's a lot of juice.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:52, Sat 16 Oct 2021.

Lesson number seven: lie with consistency keeps you in practice in case you need it later.

Lesson number nine: tell the truth more often than not 1) people will never suspect it and 2) when you look someone in the eye and tell them that if they don't take the deal you're going to pull their lungs out of their chest through their sinuses they might just believe you and take the deal.

Lesson Ten: A little mystery keeps everyone interested. (See Lesson Eight.)

As I learn more about our party, I'm working to integrate each other's backstories a little. Here's hoping it's enough to get ideas going.

I see a pilot (aka a way away from being owned by the Hutt Life), a tank (what businessman doesn't have someone to absorb damage from rivals or opportunists?) and possibly a killer (useful for those times I see opportunity to make a move. If she follows Jedi traditions then I just have to prove it is for a greater good and I don't have to pay money).

I'd probably try to persuade everyone to my cause although that is a little fiscally irresponsible with just a starting character's money.

Just posting to hope each of y'all is well.

My sincere apologies for taking so long to reply.  Real-life is strong with the Dark Side this week.  I will try to get you details of Anja (working name, deliberate misspelling of Ajna after Ajna Chakra, the mythical third eye) as soon as I can.  If the game has to start without her, go ahead.  I will catch up later (if there is still room aboard).

So what role does this cocky little Miraluka play within the group?  Well, that depends.  Amongst other things, she is a decent backup pilot (I mention this as Piloting is an exclusive and thus not universal skill) that shouldn't overshadow our hotshot pilot.  To be honest, Anja would consider herself to be the team Jedi (please, no need to thank her) whether this title is deserved or not, a ship position as valid as gunner or medic.   IMO, a Jedi is not just a useful 'career' but a necessary plot element of Star Wars.  If you don't have a self-doubting, flirting-with-the-Dark-Side Jedi somewhere in the party, you aren't really playing Star Wars.

It occurs to me that such a concept can steal the thunder of other Jedi characters and I don't want that.  But Anja can be the 'one that falls' or the 'one that saves the other one that falls' as needed.  This young and quite arrogant padawan can go down any number of paths for that is the nature of youth.

There are two very interesting aspects of Miraluka that intrigue me besides being very KOTOR.
1.  All of them use the Force at least to see if for no other purpose.  And Force Training comes very naturally to them.  The Force isn't a gift to the average Miraluka, it is simply a major at university, one of many.
2. The Miraluka largely follow a Force philosophy which sees the Force as a purely scientific (although not completely understood) phenomenon with no spiritual elements at all.  This is a terrible mistake that I believe costs the Miraluka greatly as time marches on.  There are no Miraluka mentioned during the Era of Rebellion as proof.  I doubt the Emperor would allow a naturally Force-sensitive people alone.

I owe you more than this but I'm pressed for time.  Anja is an arrogant child prodigy who believes that, being a scientific phenomenon, the Force simply can not have a 'Dark Side'.  Such a thing could only be psychological weakness on the part of the young student.  And thus, Anja tried to learn the Dark Side powers, knowing that she at least would be strong enough to resist.  She Fell.  Just a little, mind you, and was saved by others.  But the seed of corruption is now within her and the Dark Side made sure she learned how to cast Force Lightning.  That power is addictive and whispers to her at night.  Will she fall again.  I guess it depends on her friends.

More just as soon as I can get to it.