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CREDITS FANTASY FLIGHT GAMES

QUALITY ASSURANCE COORDINATOR

EXPANSION DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

Zaeh Tewalthomas

Tim Cox, Jordan Goldfarb, Harrison Lavin, Monte Lin, Brandon Perdue, and Gareth,Michael Skarka with Tim Huckelbery

SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER

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Joh n Franz,Wichlacz

EDITING

SENIOR MANAGER OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

John Shortino

Chri s Gerber

PROOFREADING

EXECUTIVE GAME DESIGNER

David Johnson and John Shortino

Corey Konieczka

RPG MANAGER

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Sam Stewart

Andrew Navaro

EXPANSION GRAPHIC DESIGN

ASMODEE NORTH AMERICA

Scott Nicely

LICENSING COORDINATOR

GRAPHIC DESIGN COORDINATOR

Sherry Anisi

Joseph D. Olson

LICENSING MANAGER

GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGER

Simone Elliott

Brian Schomburg

PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

COVER ART

Jason Beaudoin and Mega n Duehn

Darren Ta n and Cnsti Balanescu

PUBLISHER

INTERIOR ART Lloyd Al lan, Jacob Atienza, Cristi Ba lanescu, Alberto Bontempi, Mark Bulahao, JB Casacop, Doug Chang, Aurore Folny, Tony Foti, Caroline Gariba, David Griffith , Aud rey Hotte, Leonid Kozienko, Adam La ne, Kate Laird, Ameen Naksewee, Chns Ostrowski, Vlad Ricean, Stephen Somers, Ryan Valle, Magali Villeneuve, and the Lucasfi lm art arch ives

ART DIRECTION Tim Flanders /

Chnstlan T Petersen

PLAYTESTERS Craig Atkins, Jeff Beck, Cra ig Bishell , DaVid Carro ll , ~ammy Carroll, Mark Charlesworth, Hwa n' YI Choo, Lachlan Conley, lain Davies, Kaitlin Davies, Jordan Dixon, Josh Jupp, Chase LeMaster, Mark McLaughlin, Branislav MIOko, Todd Monte, Jamie Morgon, Sebasti en Pacetti, Doug Ruff, Nathan Wi lkinson, and Aaron Wong

MANAGING ART DIRECTOR

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Melissa Shetler

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LUCASFILM CREATIVE DIRECTOR

SENIOR EDITOR

LUCASFILM STORY GROUP

M ichael Sig lai n

Fra nk PariSI

Leland Chee, Pablo Hidalgo, and Ma tt Ma rt in

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.'AN1'ASY FLlGH1' GM1~S

Fantasy Fl ight Games 1995 West County Road B2 Rosevi lle, MN 55113 LISA

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Ltd _No part of this product may be reproduced withou t speCific writte n permission. Fan tasy Fligh t Games and the FFC Logo are registered t rademarks of Fa ntasy Flight Games. App Store is a service mark o f Apple Inc. Coogle Play is a trademark of Google Inc

ISBN 978,1 ,63344,32 1,1

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CREDITS

LOIUMITB> POWER

MYSTICS OF THE FORCE

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rom the moment Uncle Oiven referred to Ben Ke nobi as a '\vlzard " (and "3 crazy old ma n"), Mystics have been a vita l part of Star Wars. The supernatura l ab ilities of the Jedi , and the ir opposites in the Sith, form a co rnerstone of the myt hology of a galaxy far, fa r away.

Du rin g t he days of t he Jed i Order, some Mystics lived clo istered lives 'Nit hin t emples spread througho ut the galaxy, see king to deepen the ir con nection with the Force t hrough constant rigorous study and medita tion With the rise of the

Empire and t he exte rmi nation of the Orde r, Jedi no longer fi nd Force-sensitive individua ls and offer a venu e fo r instruction and tra inin g. Those who lean toward the disciplines of the Mystic often now fin d themse lves un fe tte red to expand the ir knowledge of t he Force. Yet with this freedom comes danger-not only of discovery by agents of the Empire, but also of fal ling into t he t rap of their ow n hubris, reach in g too far, and risking the embra ce of the dark side of t he Force. UNLIMITED POWER greatly expands t he opt ions for Mysti c characters in your FORCE AND DESTINY ca m paigns_It prov ides players with new ways to run Mystics and gives Ga me Maste rs suggestions for inc luding Mystics in t heir sto ri es, from stand -alone encou nte rs to advice for incl udi ng t hem in ongo ing campa igns_ Along the way, it gives new equ ipmen t , new Force povvers, new rules for us ing the Force in different ways, and even advice for running charac ters who have falle n to t he dark side of t he Force

Chapter I: Lumi nous Beings introduces three new spe cies 'Ne ll-suited to the Mystic's deep co nn ect ion to the Fo rce t he Thisspias ian, the Vurk, and the Tholo thia n. The chapter also features the ,A., lchemist, t he Magus, and the Prop het, three new Mystic spec ializations tha t delve into the myster· ies of the Force in different ways. The Alc hem ist p ractices a lost art. never embraced by t he Jedi. to chan nel the Fo rce into physical form. They craft objec ts of great power, givi ng life to the in animate, and crea ti ng concoctions to hea l the body_ In Lhe past, va ri ous orde rs who used this art fe ll to the da rk side. The Alchemi st must wa lk a ca refu l pa t h. The Magus experiments wi th t he Force, seeking out so-ca lled forbidden know ledge, forgotte n ri tuals, and sLra nge practices. Unrestri cted by t he Jedi Order, the Magus can ma nip ulate t he Fo rce to exh ibit myst ica l powers, doing amaz ing and seeming ly imposs ible things Fina ll y, the Prophe t acts as an interpreter of the Fo rce to thei r fo llowers, offering a voice of hope in the struggle aga inst the dark. Where the Advisor offers counse l to an individual, Prophets influence entire commun it ies- pote ntially even t he enti re ga laxy, if given the means to spread their message. Wit h t hese species, specia lizations, new signature abi lities, and Force powers, th is chapte r IS ext remely useful fo r any cha racte r wi t h a Myst ic be nt.

Chapter II: Dangerous Crafts details new Items, weapons, and veh icles suitaole to t he species and the spec ializatio ns prese nted in th is boo k. From Ouro Blades, t rad itiona lly wielded by the Roya l Guard of t he Th isspiasian Blood Mon arch, to reli cs and esoteric mystical too ls like the Tholothian Puzzle Box, the gear presented in this cha pter offers a wide varie t y of opt ions fo r Mystic characters. Mystics often find themselves travel ing far from the beate n path, venturing far across the ga laxy to INherever their ca lli ng takes them. Veh icles like the T- 13 A irspeede r and t he Tagge Dustcrawler may offe r needed tra nsport, and sta rs hips such as the H-Type Nubia n Yac ht, the massive Ithorian he rd sh ip, and t he Man da lorian Pro tectorate "Fang" Sta rfigh ter al l co uld be encou nte red along the jou rne y, or utilized by a Mystic on thei r pat h to delve deep ly into the mysteries of t he Fo rc e Chapter III: Guided by the Force offers GMs extensive guidel ine s for integrating Mystics into an ongoi ng FORCE AN D DESTINY campa ign, as INel 1as providi ng example enco unters and adventure seeds gea red towards Mystic cha racters_ The Living Force is presented as a ca m pa ign eleme nt, offering GMs suggestions on usi ng visions. pre senting the wil l of the Fo rce as a narrative theme, and more. The chapter con ti nues wi t h a section on expanded Force powe rs, and new rules for flex ible and freefo rm Force use, as we ll as Force duelsco ntests pitting each ind ividual's maste ry of the Force aga inst the other. The ch apter conc ludes with a sect ion that expands upon t he materia l in FORCE AND DESTINY govern ing Player Characters fa lling to the dark side. The ma terial in t hi s chapter gives a GM guida nce on allmving a falle n cha racter to con tinu e as a da rk side Player Character-i ncluding the ra mifica tions of that fa ll for the campa ign, op portu niti es for cha racters to be in opposit ion, and t he effects on the Mo ral· ity ru les.

MYSTICS IN STAR WARS

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MYSTICS IN THE CORE

a foc us on the commo n peopl e, Mystics are wie lders of mo re pote nt powers, using the deepest secrets of the Fo rce. and influenc ing others for good or ill. They are draw n to a hi gher ca lli ng, a deeper und erstandi ng of the Force. whether to seNe

Mys tics are ra re sights in the dense ly-pop ulated Core. It is among t hese wo rld s where t he grip of the Empire is stro ngest-and IN here discove ry is the utmost danger. The light of hope is too easily ex tinguished in t he maze of sp rawli ng cities, and MystiCS 'Nit hin t he halls of powe r ca n attrac t too muc h atten t ion . As a Forc e se nsit ive in an era of persecu ti on, the ce nter of powe r is perhaps the last place one shou ld be

here are no Force users with a deeper con nection to the Force tha n Mystics, In man y ways, they are the diametric

opposite of the Consular. Whereas Consulars are disciplined, medi tative Force users who bring pea ce to t he galaxy through

others, or serve themselves. In t he days of t he Old Repub lic. few common citizens enco untered Jedi who wa lked the Mystic pat h. Few made

a point of traveling am ong t he populace. Most spent t heir time in study and co ntemp lation of t he Force, while others offered thei r tute lage in rarified company, comm unica ting t he will of the Fo rce to leaders of the ga laxy. Not all Myst ics we re Jedi, either: Myst ics followed othe r path s such as t he Gu ardians of the Whi lls or t he Night sisters of Dathom ir. This relative ra ri t y con tributed to t he mysterious reputation of the Mystics. Peop le spoke in hus hed tones abou t the clo iste red wizards in thei r towe rs, possessed of strange powe rs and offering counsel to th e very powerfu l.

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MYSTICS RESURGENT /

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Ironical ly, yv ith the rise of the Empire and t he sup pres sion of t he Jedi Order, it is now more common to en co unte r a Myst ic than it wa s du ring the days of the Repub lic. Many Mystics calle from worlds INhere th eir conne cti on to the Force made them a revered pa rt of the cult ure, eit her in a religiOUS or shamanic trad itio n or as a charismatic leader. In days past t hese in dividua ls wo uld have bee n found by the Je di and brou ght into t he O rder to receive instruction an d train ing, which te nded to remove t he m from everyday society. Now, Mystics tend to rema in wit hin the cultural trad itions of their home s. Ce rtainly, those who disp lay overt use of the Fo rce att ract t he attent ion of the Empi re and are soon elim inated. Ma ny, however, have been ab le to avoid notice. Wha t does the Emp ire ca re abo ut a village shaman on some bac kwa ter world in the Western Reaches? Mystics re ly upon the Force as the ir crucial guide and mento r, which teaches them to tru st t he ir instincts. These instincts have served to keep ma ny Mystics safe From notice as the da rknes s in the ga laxy has grown.

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The time has co me to ca st out t hat da rkness. Mystics, with t heir knowledge of the hidden secrets o f the Fo rce, ca n offer light and hope at a time wh en it is most desperately needed Force-se nsitive students are appearing, and the only t hing that can save them fro m either fal lin g to the da rk side of the Force or fall ing beneat h the might of the Emp ire is knowledge and in stru ction. Mystics, fol lowing the will of the Force, sea rch the galaxy fo r repos itories of hidden lore: ancie nt holocrons, powerfu l ve rgences, an d long-forgotten relics. Increasing their knowledge of the Force, Mystics hope to forge a new legacya new light aga in st the darkness. The Force can offe r hope and a path forwa rd_ Mystics light the way.

Yet t hese are also the worlds where the Jed i had their greatest te mp les. Whi le the Emp ire ha s crus hed the Order, torn down thei r te mples, and either dest royed or co nfiscated their treasures, there are still unknown cac hes and way stat ions t hat may co nta in secret knowledge vita l to a deeper understandi ng of t he Force. Forgotten rites or methods su ppressed by the Jedi Order could now be fou nd and utilized to serve the greater good . If one is wi lli ng to take t he risk, vital know ledge might even be stolen from wi thi n t he laby rin thi ne va ults of th e Empire itse lf. Mystics, prov ided t hey are ca reful, could discove r muc h in places such as these It IS also here, In the center of ga lactic civ ilization, where the message of hope ca n be most effec tivel y spread . Pro vided the opportun ity to commun icate t heir message, one might influ enc e not just Ind ividuals or sma ll comm unitie s, but entire syst.ems and beyo nd . The halls of powe r are filled with ind ivid uals whose decis ions affect billio ns of lives, and if t hose individuals could be given t he proper co un se l. the effect wou ld be immeas urab le. A sto ne thrown into that pond cou ld have ri pples felt in th e farthest co rn ers of the galaxy. The difficu lty would be in locati ng t hose in positions of power wh o are open to rece ive such counse l. With t he Emperor's disso lution of t he Ga lactic Senate, that task has become far more dau nti ng- al thoug h there are certain ly Mystics who may be draw n to se ize power for themselves, rathe r tha n re ly on counse lin g others. Afte r all, who better to enact t he changes required by the wi ll of the Force?

MYSTICS IN THE OUTER RIM The scattered world s of the Oute r Ri m are the far fronti er of the ga laxy- sma ll, spa rsely-popu lated se ttlements and undeve loped pri mi t ive worlds, fa r removed fro m the ma inst ream of ga lac ti c civilization. Th is is the t rue territory of the Mysti c. Among the dista nt and nearly-fo rgo tten world s, one might more easi ly avoid the ever-watc hful eye of the Empire. In an almost lawless region, where settlers, outl aws, criminals and Rebe ls alike all te nd to mind thei r own busin ess, the ~trange powers of a Myst ic might draw some degree of attent io n, but far le ss than t hey would in the Co re. Shou ld th e Empire take not ice, t here is always some forgotten co rner of the map where one might go to re ma in hidden.

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INTRODUCTION

UOLIMITED POWER

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Ancient secrets can also be found beyo nd t he edges of civilization. Lost planets, distant fortresses of ancient orders, long-forgotten Fo rce-sensitive tradit ions- ali po tential sources of new knowledge to deepen a Mystic's connect ion wit h t he Fo rce. Knowledge hidden for thousa nds of years and practices pe rhaps unknown eve n to the Jed i may lie shrouded among t he isolated and sec luded reaches. Rumors and hints of such things drift t hrough t he babble and chatter of trading posts and spaceports. the stufr of spacers' yarns told over a drink. A keen discernment and words in the ri ght ear can send a Mystic off in pursuit of the truth that lies behind such tates.

The charisma and captivating presence of a Mystic can also serve them well in the advancement of thei r goals in this part of the galaxy. Many find themse lves in posi t ions of influence in sma ll settleme nts, where they might fulfill a rel igious or a civic ro le. Tend ing to th e needs of a commun ity, whet her as a cou nse lor, a judge, or a shaman, one can offer help to those who most ne ed it. Other Mystics wield their influence more ind irectly. So me are val ued for their insight and advice to those in autho ri ty-w hi ch, in the Ou ter Rim, might include outlaws or crime lords. The benefit of serving suc h an unorthodox master. assum ing the Mystic can rema in true to thei r pri ncip les, is that often such organ izat ions do not ba lk at the strange powers of a Fo rce sensitive in their employ. A cri me lord may not be entire ly t rus tworthy, bu t might ma inta in someth ing approaching a sense of loyalty to an individua l they see as valuable. There is also no love fo r t he Empire among those ci rcles, wh ich offe rs a Mystic a certa in degree of assurance. Additiona lly, t he dens of in iq uity where out laws and criminals thrive tend to attra ct t ravele rs from all over the Oute r Rim, and a Mystic may find them a good place to acq uire inf0rmation and rumors to aid them in tMe diswvery of lost arts. At the edges of society, Force users might be able to be a bit more ope n with their powe rs, but even he re, remaining in place for too long is not recommended . Those who wish to curry favor with the Emp ire in order to. increase t heir own authority inevitably speak of what t hey have seen, and t he ri sk to others posed by the simple presence of a Mystic is too great a t hreat to ignore_Given th at, Mystics often drift from world to world, never staying in place for too long. They are cast about on the tides of the galaxy, washing up upon distant shores and touch ing the lives of others, on ly to move on aga in. A Myst iC who does sett le in one location does so as far from civil ization as poss ible, to avo id the risk to the mse lves and othe rs-a crazy hermi t, far out in the wil derness, practicing strange and esoteric rites.

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INTRODUCTION~ . ' UNUMrTED POWER

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MYSTERIES OF THE GALAXY

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f all of the Force-sensitive careers, Mystics deal most in the abstract. More tha n any other Force user, Mystics

concern themse lves with the untouchable and incorporeal. All Mystics tend to see ex iste nce in one of three ways: through an

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understanding of time, through an understanding of people,

and through an understanding of their own psychology_ /

Bei ng in touc h with time means see ing (though per haps

not comp reh end ing] the past and t he future as easily as one can see the presen t. The Force ebbs and flows, and through drea ms. visions, or mere intui tion, carries knowledge forward (or backwa rd) on the currents of ti me. By following that flow. a Force user can see and predict the future. Through the Force, knowledge is never truly lost or dest royed. Mystics are also in touch with people via the Liv ing Fo rce that flows through nea rly all bei ngs. The emotions, fea rs, hopes, pains, and trium phs of the galaxy's sentient beings call out to Mystics th rough the language of the Force. By sensing minor disturbances, Force users can tell if a person is suffering or in distress. By sensing st illness and peace, one can see hap p iness and ca lm. Lastly, all of the most powerful Mystics are in touch with their inner selves. Prejudices, b iases, personal terrors, and even hidd en desi res can bl ind Mystics from the truth. They cannot know the Cosmic Force without understanding the Living Fo rce, and th ey can not understand th e Living Force if they don 't understand their own mind s. True mastery of the Force req ui res deep in trospection, and even the most en lightened Mystics can be surprised by their own feeli ngs.

Once they master these three aspects, Mystics eventually perceive the broade r implications o f consequences, connect ions, and contro l. Kn owing the future doesn 't automatically mean knowing how to change the future. Actions over time, actions by people, and actions of the self resul t in consequences. Mystics must understand how action s rip ple through time. Even the Force changes through cause and effect, and understand ing those cha nges help s a Mystic und erstand the co nseq ue nc es Mystics need to know how to forge and break connections. The Force manipulates events such that two uncon~ nected people may find themselves at the right place and the right time with a commo n purpose. In regards to the Force, the re are no coi nc id ences. Mystics who can see those connect ions, or the frayed ends of a bro ke n connection, can tug on one string of a web and affect individuals, places, or events from afar. Lastly, M ystics must learn control over thei r powers. With out that con trol. a Force us er can do irrepa rable harm to peop le or t hings. Sometimes not using the Force at all can resu lt in a beneficia l cha nge. Understa nd ing one's own limitations represents a true understanding of one's control and discipline Ultimately, Mystics discover that they may not have any con trol at all. This terrif4es many disciples, but a few find th is rea lization freeing, pro mpting th ese enlightened Mystics Lo take the fi nal step and allow th e Force to guide them.

MYSTIC BACKGROUNDS

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he path of a Mystic is an unpredictable and mysterious one. While som e Mystics have meditated for deca des and rece ived only mi ld enlighte nm en t, othe rs have com e across Visions and hidden knowledge with little to no effort. Mystics also come from a wide variety of backgrounds, some enlightened, some agnostic, and even a few materialistic. What unites all Mystics is a willingness to peer into the infinite, regardl ess of whether their eyes have been opened through dedicated practice or sud den in sight.

ARTISTS The Fo rce grants people thoughts, visions, and emotions that some ca n' t process, so they turn to other means to communi cate these Idea s. Th ese artists often fin d them selves frustrated, driven to express an id ea bigger than the artistic med ium. While most artists create in order to find an audien ce, Mystic artists crea te to find answers. The an swers

LUMINOUS BEINGS

. . . . .nEDPOWER

can be personal, to seek en lightenment. The answers can be socia l, mot ivati ng oth ers to be and do better. Because of art's emotiona l nature, hovvever, arti sts ca n be tempted to the dark side. These artists use their work to shock, provoke, and upset~ not to illustrate a greate r truth, but to en hance those dark feelings, reinforcing hate and anger. Advisors with an artistic background tended to be teachers an d critics. Their aim was to improve ot her peopl e's creativity and means of exp ression, not only pointing out flaws but cul tivating improvemen t, encouraging strengths, and fostering growth. Over time, however, these would-be Advisors found themselves guiding their charges' emotional and spiritu al maturity, helping them be better peo ple as well as better crea tives. In turn, the menlo rsh ips improved the Advi sors ' ow n works, their own understanding of the galaxy, and their own psyches. Their stud ents' breakthroughs become their own breakthroughs. opening th eir inn er eyes to the ways of the Force.

Some Alchemi st s started out as sculptors. clothing designers, and body modifiers, working in the physical. They found them selves drawn to making a thing with a pu rpose, a reason given form. Admi rers would tell these artists that their works had a mind of their own , a life and personality. Th is praise, however, never felt true. They we ren't the ones who gave it life; something else. something unexplainable, did . Without realizing it. these artists had designed with the principle that Force follows form follows function, until one day they had discovered al l three meant the same thing.

Artist ic Seers confused their own ideas with Forceinspired insights. These tortured individuals jotted down these ideas, but words fa iled to convey the true meaning. This turned into a process of writing and ed iting that seemed endless, frustrating, and pointless_These writers and poets scribed long polemics eviscerating tyrants or oppressive systems, works of fiction that had a deep seed of truth. or manifestos urging people to rise up. When these writers managed to overcome their own parano ia and fears, they found themse lves with a renewed purpose as Seers.

It might surprise some that many Makashi Dueli st s did not start off studying com bat or warfare. A numbe r of them had an artistic be nt, an d being draw n to t he fluid motions of the body, tended to be danc ers. In t heir early stud ies, they moved their bodies to music, but that didn' t fee l quite right. In an epiphany, they danced in sil ence and found a rhythm that had no sound and no touch, bu t st ill felt real. Over time, their dancing helped achieve a meditative state, merging mind and body with a tempo indescribablethe Force.

Artists on t he pa th of the Magu s tended to make the medium th e message. These art ists blended diffe rent artistic forms but also integrated thei r ow n bodies into the art. The suffering t hey infli cted upon themselves represented the sufferi ng of the galaxy. The blood they shed expressed the vitality draining from society. The body modifications t hey endu red reflected the changes and distortions of oppression. Some of these artistic projects perfectly mirrored ancient rituals to enhance perception, bringing them closer to an unexpected enl ightenment.

Artists who eventually became Prophets combined sound and word, mixing and matching the cade nce of language with metaphor. Pitch, tone. and volume helped convey their message as much as the content. Not surprisingly, these proto-Prophets started off as spoken -word poets and singers, sometimes in a rel igious choir, but just as ofte n as street perform ers. When peop le. with no prompt ing what soever, shouted out, call ed bac k, and joined in the perfo rmance, these artists bega n to see words as a co nnecti ng power. From there, it didn't take much for the artist to hear the Cosm iC

Force calling back.

AUGURS Augurs served a straightforward function: they exposed the truth to those who listened. They could have been anything from a fortune-teller to a psychologist. offering insights on what people should do, but also revealing hidden truths

to help people make their own decisions. Some augurs received academic or institutionalized traini ng, while others simply had an uncanny intuition (such as a village elder or community lea der) , Most were content with this role. The few who had th e hum ility to delve deeper discovered the

Fo rce as t he so urce of th eir wisd om. Au gurs who fell to t he dark side encouraged their vic tims' darkest desires and instincts, en hanc ing t heir anger and push ing them toward viole nce. These augu rs sometimes inflicted ha rm on others, mistaking pain, deprivaUon. and violence for a means to understanding. Augury is the most common skill for an Advisor , although these individuals didn't on ly assist high-ranking officials or people in power. They were drawn to anyone in mental or emotional distress. In many cases. the disenfranchised and powerless suffer more anxiety and fear. Alchemists who bega n as augurs served a variety o f roles. Some experimented with chemicals to produce visions, ei ther through street drugs or corporate-sponso red researc h into mi nd-enha ncing medicines; Other alchemica l augurs produced va 9cines to inoculate a popu lation from an impen ding outb reak or produced analge· sics to ease pa in. A ll of them shared the ab ility of diagnosis, isolating the source of an ailment and pe rceiving a cure. Of all of the augur backgrou nds, Alchemists have the most practical of mind sets; looking forward to results, th ey take a little longer to accept the Force as a guiding principle.

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Augurs who would become Makashi Duelists frustrated those who came to them for advice. Sometimes these augurs wou ld give direct (and rather blun t) advic e, almost commands. Other ti mes, their word ing was so vague as to be worth less, a puzzle to provoke end less questions and doubt. Petitio ners wa ndered off confused and often angry. yet the words would stick in t heir minds. wh irli ng co nstantly in thei r conscious and subconscious, unti l understanding cam e with a flash of clarity. These augurs would often come to their own understanding of the Force in similar ways, unaware that they too need to be shocked or surprised out of their own limited vision.

Soon -to-be Proph ets usually served a community as an augur, sometimes in a religious role, but in others proselytizing a united ethos or philosophy. They may have represented a margina lized group seeking a coheSive Identity. a group of caf-house revolutionaries plotting rebellion, or even a rioting group of agricultura l workers who needed a voice. These augurs didn 't simply predict the future. Their wo rds linked each individual not only to each other, but to an ideal and legacy of resistance. In a way, these augurs served as condui ts of idealism and information, and it look little to see the Fo rce as the true sou rce of th is knowledge. Seers sea rch fo r tru th . Those who were once augurs may have been class ic wise men and wo men. but others took on pro fessions such as arc haeologists, scientists, and reporters. All of these augurs sha red an instinctive feeling tha t the current, common knO'ivledge didn't tell the full story. Arch aeologists dug to reveal a lost past, scientists experi mented and observed to find a hidden principle, and reporters researched and interJiewed to find an unspoken narrative. It takes veri little for augurs to become Seers; they have been seeking truth all thei r lives.

Some augurs I'I/ho vl/a lked the Magus pa th appeared mad . They wo uld act with no discernib le pattern. One day, they plas tered poste rs with images or ph rases t hat ca ugh t a pedestria n's imagination. On another day, they sent messages thro ugh the HoloNet to warn officials of incoming dangers. On sti ll ano ther day, these augurs shouted out warn ings on the street corner to change t he mood of a crowd Magus augu rs may appear not to act with a goal; however in actual ity t hey can see t he flow of the Force and do its willwhatever t hat will may be.

CON ARTISTS Fo rce sens itives don't necessa rily need to come from a backgrou nd of enlightenme nt and self-reflect ion . Especially during t hese tumultuous tim es, Mystics can emerge even from a history of gambling, t rickery, and swindl ing. So me used their ab ilities to con the wea lth y or powerfu l, ra t iona lizi ng t hat two wro ngs do make a right. Othe rs pulled co ns to make a living 'ivh ile doing what they cou ld to mi tiga te harm. A few did th eir best to ignore their conscie nce. What un ited these con artists wasn't t heir CrIm inal sk ill s, bu t a nagging se nse that life co uld offer somet hing greater. While a crim ina l life doesn't usually lead to en li ghte nmen t, when these con artists so ugh t answers, they found t hem rat her quickly. Afte r al l, they co uld recogn ize a good con, and whe n the Force turn ed out to be the rea l thi ng, they became ardent tru e bel ievers Advisors who starte d off as ca n artists saw fi rstha nd the tricks and t rade of the crimina l underwo rl d, and used t heir knowl edge to help others avo id t hese traps. In some cases, t hey worke d fo r cas ino owne rs and crimi nal bosses as spotters to find cheaters or as "coo lers ' to manipulate a table, making it harder for others to win. Pretty soon , even adv ising people of co ns and cheat ing felt inadeq uate; it only embo ldened more greed and gambling. These con art ists went on to find ot her answers. These budd ing Alchemists didn't use the ir ab ilities for goo d at fi rst. As co n artists, t hey created fakes: harm less chemicals instead of dangerous drugs, a "price less" pa inting for the ri ch, or even weapons that did n't function (for the trul y brave or foo lish). Whe n t he fakes some how helped improve live s, such as that dose of fake sp ice curing someone's addiction or t ha t co unte rfei t pa inting in spi ring the rich patron to dona te to charity, t hese con artists cha lked It up to happy acc id ents . Soon, th ey foun d t hemselves glad of these mistakes and gave up th e criminal life to do good When a con artist becom es a Makashi Duelist. it is usually due to a lifetime of moveme nt. These individuals know a wide variety of co ns and move fro m place to place, sensing whe n a place or a mark is "hot" or "co ld." In order to figu re out a target's mett le, they fi rst tested out st rengths, perform ing sma ll t ricks to gauge gull ibil ity and lying to buy t ime. When they saw an opportun ity, t hey wh ittled down their op pos ition With blows or word s- perfec t Makashi Duelist tech ni que.

Prophets who started as con arti sts sold futu res- literal futures- and tricked gro ups of people into believing t heir sp iritua l nonsense. They rationalized that it didn't harm anyo ne if people believed someth ing fa ke. Bes ides, fa lse hope is better t han no hope at all. When t he fabricated hope propel led people to do great th ings, no one was more aston ished t han t he can artist. These ind ividuals th en rea lized t heir higher ca lling, and th at thei r hope was not so false after all. Con artist Seers were fortune-tellers. On more civilized worlds, they served as entertainment ; eve n the audience knew t he performances were fake. Using tells, vague ph rasing, and eve n modern tech niques such as HoloNet da ta d ives or surve illance devices to eavesdrop before t he show, fake Seers pretended to read their audie nce 's past in orde r to predict t heir fu ture. Whe n t heir pred ict ions had more tha n a ring of t ru th in them, these can artists cou ld not deny t he source of their insigh t. The Magus way urged these co n artists to be skeptics Educating themse lves in the techn iques of stage magic, th ey spo tted shell games, sleigh ts of hand, body read ings, and a variety of other tricks . Often abrasive, they spen t a lot of time critiquing relig ious doctri nes, busting cu lts , and expos ing sca ms. When these skeptics discovered an ancient ritu al from an outdated religion ca ll ed the Force, they enth usiast ically tried to debun k it and failed . Th is drove t hem to dig deeper and fi nd more secret s, until they becam e devout Magi.

ECONOMISTS Econom ics is the stud:,1 of resource allocation, bu t deep in its heart, it IS t he study of peop le and t heir cho ices. Th ese proto -Mystics saw patterns, an' invisib le hand that moved resources to peop le in need, enric hed planets, and co nnecte d disparate commu nities, defying the black-and-white mora lity of a prof'it spreadsheet. Co ld econom ic t heories and practices can clash 'l'v ith the warm t h and light of the Force, however. If a po licy ca n ma ke five mi llion people te n t imes as wea lt hy. but at the opp ression of one mi llion, co uld t hat be argued as good po licy? What promotes a fa ll to the dark side more than t urning suffering in to mere numbers to be man ipulated? Eco nom ic Advisors served on po litica l councils, corporate boards, or in high -leve l academic positions. They had an unca nny knack for see ing tre nds and shifts in buye r and se ller behavior. Whe n their bosses decided to pick rap id but dest ruct ive profi t over slow, steady, and constructive growth, t hese eco nom ists beca me frustrated at how a si ngle individual could ca use such misery. Peers told t hem t hat economi cs has no moral ity and t hat the market wou ld right itse lf. Rejecting t his co ld concl usio n, t hese econo mists fo und that the Force anS'vve red the ir quest ions durin g their crises of consci ence

LUMINOUS BEINGS

UNUMITED POWER

!

Alchemists who were economists saw the distribution of goods as an indicator of health. Alchemists with this background tossed out supplies and balms, like messages in a bottle out into the ocean , thinking market forces delivered them to the right person at the right time. The patterns hinted at a benevolent intelligence, and the first test of this understanding came when they encountered individuals, organizations, or corporations that hoarded their creations. These econom ists began to push and disrupt these acts of selfish ness , a call to act ion from the Force. Some econ omi sts have seen people, comm unities, or eve n whole plan ets climb and fall in periodic waves. A[te ring t hese econ omi c va ri ances to so fte n the fall and ease the cli mb require d a variety of techn iques. Direct econo mic stimulus plans fo r short-term gains, gradua l educationa l support for long-term growth, and even the right word or phrase wh ispered in an inf[uentia l ear were all valid actions akin to the thrusts, footwork, and feints familiar to all Maka shi Duelists. By comparing macro-economic acts to individual physical actions, these economists began to understan d the Makashi form. Economists tend to predict doom and gloom. Every spike in productivity comes with a depressed fa ll. Every crash comes with predictions of lengthy austerity. Would-be Prophets predicted these disasters in Ho[oNet broadcasts, articles, or even old -fashioned declara tions on the street Their words brought despair (or merely eye ro[ls) to many, but helped just enough people to give these economists a glimpse of a high er purpose. This ca lling kept them seekin g the trut h until they discove red the Force Economic Seers saw planets as poo ls of wate r, al ternate ly evaporat ing (exports] and being fed by a river (imports). Th e idea of this flow of water tlck[ed ... something in the back of their minds. They researched, argued with academics, and

bothered experts, all in search of an unseen manipulator oiling the pool, carving out the banks. and damming up the flow. When they compiled this knowledge, they saw potential futures that could not be explained with straightforward supply and demand models. They saw the living and breathing Force staring right back at them. Some economists lived the life of their own convictions by budgeting their existence (usually due to impoverished backgrounds) . They spent their time sifting between their needs and desires, isolati ng what they could survive without. and identi fying what they absol utely needed. Taking a li t era l accountin g of one's li fe on an economic ba lance sheet can reveal essen tial sel f-t rut hs as much as any medi tation (th is is a reaso n why so me Jedi turned to a life of monastic auste rity) , [n some cases, desperation for a meaning beh in d the austerity drove t hese individuals on to the path of the Magus

LUMINO US BEI NGS UNLJMJTED POWER

POLITICAL EXPERTS Politica[ experts found themselves able to see the bigger picture and used thei r time to change (or maintain) [ocal governments. [f only people acted this way, these experts thought, then these problems would be solved. The needs and desires of the community should influence the laws of th e community, not vice versa. Emboldened or frustrated by the political process, these experts looked for something bigger and more meaningful, and awakened to the power of the Force. Not all po litica [ awa ken ings come wit h en lightenmen t Some political experts did n' t learn to serve their commu nit ies, and in stead tried to manipu late them by appea ling to their ba se de sires and fears, or punished them with restrictive Ja"vs. They sought to control others, a seductive desire from the dark side of the Force. Po litical experts who would become Advisors worked within the system, seeing the system as a network of people. Pol itics isn't an unfeeling machine after all, but a web of people pushing and pulling toward their own desires_ They pressed hands, spoke encouraging words. and made essential contacts. These politica[ experts became adept at pulling strings, seeing them reverberate throughout the web. This webbing began to resemble the connections Mystics see throughout the galaxy. Pol itical ex perts who saw the galaxy like Alchemists viewed law and governance as an unfeeling machine, and devised co ncoc tions and inventions to fix that mac hine Medici ne ca n treat the symptoms of a broken system. suc h as diseases cause d by a ma lfunctioni ng wate r pu rifier, and make t he whole fee l better. The infected communi ty ca n then become productive and vital. and thus provide the energy and will to fix the broken part. It is then a short step from thinking of a community as a living being toward seeing the Force as a living thing. Makashi Duelist-style tactics in politics utilize every social weapon: propaganda, speech writing, door-to-door campaigning, and personal connections. These political experts used this arsenal to push righteous taws or candi dates into action. They worked like a steady drop of water, ch ipping away at the rock of the status quo. Eventually, they led a tidal wave of support, motivating the people themselves into a mighty river, washing away the po[itical elites Their un derstanding of the Force happened in the same way: bu ilding wit h ea ch action, cresting at a single moment, and openi ng t heir eyes to t heir destiny.

Th e Prophets of the politica l sphere were pun dits, com mentators, or critical analysts- both professional and ama teur. They saw how a ca ndida te or pol icy cou ld affect the ir listeners and wou ld advise acco rd ingly. Whe ther motiva ted by do om and gloom or by a compassi on for their au dience, these polit ical experts began to see how their local commu nities were connec ted, then cities and planets, and eventual ly saw how systems across the galaxy influenced each other. Poli tical Seers sought long-term changes and balances. A bit removed from day-to-day politics. they came from aca demia or governmental analysis groups, or were self-ed ucated inte ll ectuals. Th ey were all united by a co mmon abil ity· they were able to forecast how a set of laws and systems allowed people the freedom to choose their own path. Yet they kept seeing something else, a greater law pushing and nudging in the background. When they pulled back the final veil, they discovered a vast system. that of the Force. A Magus utilizes rituals, but can also experiment, modify, an d apply new rites. Political experts of this background experimented like social scientists. They took a politica l system and subt ly influe nced a va ria ble, ch ipping away like a water drop on a stone to see wha t holes cou ld be crea ted. What patterns could they see, and could they replicate t hem elsewhere? Their awakening had begun the moment th ey realized they could influence these systems directly. They became a new variable, changing outcomes through shee r force of will. Their awakening arrived when they realized the variable was the Force.

RELIGIOUS ECSTATICS Ecstatics allowed the Force to flow through them uninhibited_ These people interpreted the Force through their own religions, adding insights and ideas that for some illuminated, others perplexed, and a few terrified. This "madness" and speaking for the gods were actually thei r attem pts to describe their thoughts and feelings of the Force. When they discovered t he Force to be a universal power, they didn 't abando n their re ligion, but sim ply fou nd the truth s wi thin. forging a new yet still traditional pa t h. Allowing unchecked emotion to fuel religious fervor, however, can take an ecstatic toward the dark side. Mistaking fear and anger for religious insight can lead people towa rd victimizing innocents. Instead of listening to the Force, these ecstatics listened only La pain, rage, and terror, and then chan neled it right back into the wo rld Quite a few ecsta ti c Advisors pra ctice d a kind of psychometry, tou ching peo ple to bring viSions. In so me ca ses, their communities ostracized them, so they didn·t reali ze their abilities were gifts, not curses. In other cases, peopl e kept the ecstatic a vi rtual prisoner. using their abilities to further their own goals. A few becam e the center of a religion, though perhaps not the leader. Self-actualization occurred wi th en lightenment; they no lon ger believed they were tool s for oth ers and beca me ac tive agen ts of the Force.

Alchemists who were ecstatics didn't sim ply use drugs recrea tionally, althou gh some Alchemists with this background did come to thei r enli ghten ment experim enting wi th mood-a ltering, consciousn ess-en hanci ng substances. Som etimes they worked to create an alternative drug. isolat ing the dangerous compounds while ex tracting the che micals that enhanced the body and mind. Why did they achieve visions and inSights, however. whereas ot hers merely experienced a high? After some searching, they discovered that they didn't need drugs to see the energy binding the galaxy together. Ecstatics who eventually became M akashi Duelists we nt through life wi th litt le int rospection , acting and reactIng nonsto p in a INhirling, spinning motion. They proc laimed a philosophy of living in the moment. Plenty of peop le got caught up in this whirlwi nd, drawn to their orbit but never really landing. Most of these ecstatics simply indulged their own self-gratification, but a few struggled to balance instinct, intellectual thoughtfulness, and caution. When they finally reconci led this struggle, they discovered the Makashi form fit seamlessly (nto thei r mlndset. Ec sta tic Prophets usually had so me connec tion with a fri nge religious group These ecstatics quickly gathered a following, one that either threatened the leadershi p of t he original rel igious group or the authority of the dominant culture. For some, these emotional bursts of Insight frigh tened them. Were they mad? When others found essential truths in their uncontrolled actions and babbling, these ecstatics began to won der if they did have a connection to something greater. Most ecstatics ten d to have a Seer-li ke quali ty; t heir attrac tion to sudden, life-changing vi sions or insights mim icked traditio nal seers, who used mind-alteri ng substances, isolation . meditation, and deprivation to achi eve similar states. Ecstatic Seers spent their lives seeking answers, trying more and more extreme activities-usually something

that defi ed death- to provoke an intense emotional reacti on. They ach ieved a sense of peace when they got in touch wi th t he Force, bu t they never lruly got away fro m the chaotic and ra nd om natu re of th eir visions Magus ecstatics fo und themselves usi ng strange ri tua ls and techniques to bring themselves to a higher state of consciousness. At first, they needed somethi ng to shock them out of their physical comfort, using fasting, icy cold or hot and sweaty immersions, and the like. Some pushed further, scou ri ng their bodies in order to bolster th e mind . A few adopted ri tuals to ch allenge thei r emotional or mental limits with pain, inte nse pleasure, disgust. or terror. Thei r use of t hese rituals bordered on obsessive and se lf-destruct ive. Eve n whe n they embraced the Fo rce, these Magi never quite gave up thei r extrem e ecstatic ways.

LUMINOUS BEINGS

UNUMrTED POWER

MYSTIC MORALITY

m

ystics, more so than any of t he other Force discipli nes. have a danger of losing sight of the ind ividual. t he sm all. th e sup posed ly in signif"icant. and risk becom ing rem oved from life as they get cl oser and close r to t he Cosmic Force

When t he Fo rce and the galaxy move at t he pace of millenn ia. wha t is t he sign ificance of a single su ffering pe rson?

So me Force disc ip lines, suc h as the Sentine l. suffer f rom

be ing too persona l. Mystics and t hei r emo tional wea knesses suffe r from distance. Mystics tend to trave l to re mote locations to get away fro m the struggles of th e ga laxy. Most Jedi did this to clear their heads and hearts, bu t Myst ics mis take th is iso lat ion as the goa l ra ther tha n the method, turning distant and co ld. Parad oxically, Mystics can fall to the ot he r ext reme and become ove r'vvhe lmed by the suffe ring and pain of the ga laxy. They fee l and empat hize wit h t he hurt, but to t he poi nt of para lysis, falling victim to the angu ish they should be striving to succor. These Mystics remove themselve s from society, becomi ng worthless to others and costing t he galaxy a vital force for good ,

I~

In li ght of this , Mystics' emotional stre ngths te nd to focus on the here and now. Alleviating t he hurt of a si ngle indi vidual , be it through charity, shared co mpass ion, or enco uragi ng hope, may make only a t iny cha nge, but it remi nds the Mystic that tiny changes move rivers and moun tai ns.

I

Perso n-to-pe rson contact also remi nds Mystics whom they serve. Th ey may thin k they are se rva nts of t he Fo rce , but in reality, the Fo rce also se rves the living. breathi ng people that inhabit th e ga laxy. This cyc le of life feed ing t he Fo rce and t he Fo rce feed ing life requires t he Mystic to pa rticipate in t he day-to-day activ it ies of the so -ca ll ed unen lightened masses Wi t hout them , the Fo rce is emp ty and wi t ho ut purpose. Players may rep lace Table 2 - 1: Morality on page 50 of the FORC E AND DESTIN Y Co re Ru leboo k with Table 1- 1: M ystic Moralit ies on page 17. Players may choose to ro ll ra ndoml y on t he tab le or se lect a Moral ity based on their background, core phi losophy, or desired cha racter arc Each character starts play wit h a Morality va lue, as described on page 49 of the FORCE AN D D ESTINY Co re Rulebook.

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LUM INOUS BEINGS

UNUMrTED POWER

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TABLE 1-1: MYSTI[ MORALITIES

diDO 01 -08

Emotional Strength

Emotional Weakness

Compassio n: Mystic compassion is differen t .

Sorrow: The galaxy is a big place. and with so many people suffering, it can overwhelm a Mystic. How can a

representing a universal compasSion, a love for aU life, from the lowly worm to the most noble of philosophers.

single person help anyone else when the re is so much unhappiness? The Mystic lets sorrow paralyze. or worse, affect thei r use of the Force.

All beings belong with the Force and all deserve to know

Its peace.

09- 16

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Fear: So much can go so wrong. The Force is in a precarious bal ance. Perhaps it's best IO let a liLUe suffering

Caution; The Cosmic Force moves in a span of eons. Pushing loo hard usually re quires turn ing to l he dark. side of the Force. That desire, that fea r, is the reason ror the fall. Best move carefu lly and let the Force move at its own pace.

go unimpeded now so the futu re can be more certain. Perhaps this is sa fe. un less t hat future never co mes

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17-24

Ce r tainty: Th is doesn't simply cover confidence o r pos it ivity, but also an unsha ka ble faith of the Force. The Myst ic dives into confl ict without hesitation , for there is no con fli ct, only the Force ebbing and flowi ng.

Egoism: Confidence can t urn into reckl essness or stubborn ness. When Mystics think themselves invu lnerable or correct at all times, t hey thin k the Force revolves around them. This egoism may cause a Mystic to make a fatal error and bring others to harm .

25-32

Clarity: Certainty relies on faith . Clarity relies on knowledge. These Mystics know without a doubt that the path they walk is the right one and can communicate it LO others without misunderstanding.

Confusion: With visions come possibilities. The fu ture isn 't set in stone, but a river that can flow in one direct ion or another. When Mystics de lve deep into the future, they may become paral yzed by the myriad of possibilities.

33- 40

Hum ility: The Force is so much bigger than anyone individual, and Mystics know they are merely drops in the pond. This frees them to act when needed without fear that they are taking on too much.

Wor t hlessness: Knowing oneself to be insignificant in the light of the Force can overwhelm anyone, and a Mystic more so . The Force always has a purpose and a place for everyone, but Mystics may feel t heir actions are useless.

41- 48

Discipli ne: M ystics especially need diSCipline to keep from be ing overNhelmed by the Force. Some Mystics want to be oveM helm ed and lose themselves. The Forc e provides so much peace and unde rstanding. but the Mystic must focus so (he physica l world can rece ive th is insighL,

Coldness: Mystics have a special vulnerability to removing themselves from mortal emotions and concerns. A single life has no sign ificance to the Force, and so these Mystics turn co ld l o lh e wo rld.

49-56

We llness: The Mystic gai ns a form of ha pp iness and satisfactio n in good works and knowin g one's place in the communi ty. They work. which is good; t hey depend on others. which is good; and they prosper, which is good,

Rigid: Knowing o ne's place sometim es means beco ming comp lacent, becom ing unable to change, grow, or conceive of a better way. They think the way things are should always be the same . ..

57- 64

Pride: While pride m ight seem dangerous, l his is a pride in being part of something bigger, wi t h a greater purpose. Prideful Mystics know they can make a change for the better.

Arrogance: By tapping into the Cosmic Force, Mystics can control tremendous amounts of power. This may deceive Mystics into believing lhey are gods.

65-72

Modesty: Mystics eschew credit and thanks. After all , anyone can do this worle Th is attitude ensures discipline and focus to the task at hand, and thus the Mystics focus on hel ping others and reducing suffering.

Vanity: The Mystic turns self-deference Into false modesty, denigra ting themselves and expecting others to bolster their ego. A twisted passive-aggressiveness can emerge, in which the Mystic demands recognition for this modesty

73-80

Joy: Despite, or because of, Mystics' ability to see into the past and the fu ture, some learn to enjoy the beauty of the mo ment. person, or place in front of them . Each instance is uniq ue, even in t he timelessness of the Cosm ic Fo rce.

Antipathy: UnlikE Coldness, t his Mystic still has emotional engagements, but simply doesn't und erstand the magn itude of pa in. This kind of insen sitivity ignores the fact that pain, even when fleeting, ripp les ha rm throughout t ime and space.

81-88

Fond ness: Th is Myst ic has a kind of men tor-like love, the good fee ling that comes with guid ing and helping people. Th is feeling should be unconditiona l; they wish t heir students to grow, change, and surpass their teachings.

De manding: Someti mes over-protecLiveness turn s into control ling behavior. How else to save someone than to prevent them from making mistakes? This behavior treats people as smaller. less than even a pet, requiring constant control

89-96

Independence: With trust in t he Force comes an independence and a lack of reliance on other people, This isn't a bad trait; these Mystics may still enjoy the company of others, butlheir happiness doesn't reqUire others to act or think in a certain way. This allows Mystics to appreciate a person for who they are.

Obstinance: Trust in the Force sometimes turns dark and becomes a denial t hat other people, especially those who aren't experienced in the ways of the Force, can ever have knowledge or feelings more relevan t , more important, or better-suited to a situation than the M ystlc's,

97- 00

Roll twice on this chart. The PC has multiple emotional strengths and weaknesses

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LUM IN OUS BEINGS

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NEW SPECIES

m

ysticism, the exploration of the spiritual and the divine.

exists throughout all species across the galaxy. There are

even

rumors of droids who have developed their own mysticism La explain their sentience in a galaxy full of organics. The desire to understa nd the world beyond the mere physical isn't an offshoot of intell igence, but a necessary part of it.

The Galactic Empire, despite al l of its power and efrective fear tactics, ca nnot suppress this natura l desire.

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Th e Galactic Emp ire has plenty of its own fea rs rega rding spiritua lity. Mysticism ignores the sup remacy of the Empi re. A be lief in a greater power literally means a disbel ief in the supremacy of the Empire. The Empire hasn't developed a way to mon itor thought (yel), and so can 't detect belief and fa ith in the divine. Lastly, the rank and file of the Empire don' t realize this, but mysticism, specifically the ability to connect with the Force. provides a way for individuals to pass knowledge and power to others across vast distances. Worse yet. it allows a vital, sentient desire to pass from planet to planet, unhindered by Star Destroyer blockade, undeterred by ISB propaganda, and uninhibited by the looming presence of the Emperor: a desire called hope, A Force user of any species can become a Mystic. The following species have a special talent, unique history, or cultu ral tenden cy to embrace mysticism and th us become a Force-using Mystic. When individua ls accept the spi ri tua l, they step closer to th e Force. The Empire underestimates the power of an individual voice. Embracin g the Livin g Force empowers the Cosmic Force, mu ch like an individ ual si nger melds into a rich, multifaceted choir, Soon, that choir can overpower the sound of even the most insidious of Imperial propaganda.

THISSPIASIAN Thisspiasians are a people with great passions tempered by measured calm and discipline. They are attached to tradition but also quick to adopt the new, blending both together seamlessly_The Galactic Empire has failed to supp ress their spirit. In fact, their defiance migh t spawn a new wave of Force-sensitive warnors.

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Physiology: Th iss piasia ns are lwo-meter tal l serpentine crea tures with fo ur arms, distinct flowing beards, and long hair su rro unding th eir hea ds and faces, The lowe r two sets of arms are so mewha t vestigial in nature, and Th issp ias ians usually keep the m hi dden beneath t heir clothes. Their rept ilian nature enco urages constant movement and activity to maintain blood flow. Though Thisspiasians sleep for a couple of hours a day, thei r main form of rest is a physiological condition sim ilar to a tra nce that can last for minutes or hours The trance provides the neurological repa ir necessary for good mental and physical health. Just like how other sentient beings who miss sleep can become emotional and irritable, so do Thisspiasians if they skip this trancelike state_

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LUMINOU S BEINGS

IN.JMJTED POWER

Society: Outsiders consider Thisspiasians walking (slithering) contradictions. Their history values tradition, and their cu lture continues to practice several dozen small rituals and practices (such as eating their food live) taken from a myriad of historical Thisspiasian cultures and civilizations. This doesn't mean that Thisspiasians are rigid or dogmatic. They have been remarkab ly fluid in adapting to new tech nology and spacefari ng cultural norms. Plenty of pl anet-born Th isspiasia ns have loa th ed giving up ea ting live thi ssp mi ce, but once offwo rld. t hey quick ly adopt t he pract ice of cooking thei r meals without comp laint. (When ret urn ing to their homeworld, however, a common pract ice is to gorge on a live mouse banquet.) Most outsiders know Thisspiasians only because of the fighters who volunteered to serve in the Galactic Republic's mili tary during its in itial founding. Tales depicted them as passionate and aggressive in one moment and ca lm and reasoned the nex t. Th is is no doubt due to the nature of their work; war and combat have a tendency to bring out extremes in any sentient being. Outsiders who first meet a Thisspiasian perceive then as tranquil and ca lm, but amongst friends, fam il)!, or on their homeworld, the individual in qu estion might be loud and boisterous, Perhaps the initial impression wa s si mply a self-imposed politeness in a sea of alien faces. The confluence of reaso ns why the Th issp iasians joined the Rep ublic requi res an un dersta ndi ng of the Thissp ia sia n character. A co nstitut iona l monarchy ruled the homewo rld at t he time_ The Blood Monarchy, a hered itary li ne that led bac k over twen ty thousand years, techn ically provided cultural leadership, but a democratic parliament maintained practical. day-to-ctay governance. Even before the Galactic Republic, the monarchy was already a holdover from ancient times_The then-current Blood Monarch saw an opportunity

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lhisspiasi an

to expand Th lssp ias ' eco nomy but to also secure her reign by join ing th e Republic. The dec ision was met with the usual acceptance of a society in flux: via loud , angry discussions

and some mild violence. At the same ti me, the planet saw a resurgence of ancient Th iss pia sia n martial disc ip lines (see lhe sid ebar Warriors

for the Galactic Republic on the preceding page). The Blood Monarch gave these warrior-monk societies. generally conservative and pro-inde pe ndence, a purpose: join the

Repu bli c and fi ght for Th isspiasian glory. The gambit worked, and the plane t's monarchy bec ame a paradoxical sym bol for galactic democracy.

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Currently. an Imperia! Governor con trols the politics and governance of the planet. b ut the population seethes with anger. frustration . and rebell ion. Originally. the Empire had occupied the planet to su ppress Republic loyalists, but also to rec ruit Thi sspiasians to th e Em pire in light of t heir "b loodthirsty and ba rbaric" warrior cu lture. Floo ding t he pl anet with ant i- RepL. b lic propaganda, the Empire hammered on the decadence and distance of the Republic and offered the Thisspiasians a chance to fight for the Empire. The Thisspiasians answered with reSista nce. Orbital bombardments followed , and t he Th issp iasia ns answered with more resistance. Fi nall y, the Governo r rem oved the Blood Monarc h and demand ed subservience. Instead. the empty monarchica l seat serves as a potent symbol for insurrection.

lholothian

Vurk

On the othe r ha nd , many Th isspia sia ns stil l co nsi der the hered itary li ne wa ste ful and archaic. This tension between royalists and monarchical abolit ion ists has been both dampen ed in some ways and intern;ified in others. The Imperia l occupation rorced these differing factions to wo rk together and . on the surface, t he groups hold no ani mos ity toward ea ch ot her. Th isspiasian s can already see frac tures, however. Roya lists wear the quills of the gian t ystervark both as a symbol of their loyalty and as a makeshift weapon. A few carry a small via l o f blood, a statement of their genetic link to the Blood Monarch's line. Abolitionists, in tu rn, wea r a small pin in t he shape of a cygna t (a sma ll nat ive biting pest). Th is pin con cerns even some mode rate Thissp iasia ns, since nearly two hundred years ago the terrorists who assassinated the Blood Mona rch wore a similar symbol. IF Th isspias survives the Ga lactic Civil Wa r, hi storians wond er which sy mbo l and resu ltant rit ua ls will be come the dom ina nt part of their cul tural lexico n: the ystervark quill, t he cygnat pin, or the Imperial crest? Or perhaps Thisspiasians will buck trad ition and choose a new symbol altogether? Homeworld: Thissp ias is a rocky, temperate world in the Exp ansion Region . The homeworld jo ined the Ga lactic Republic ent husia sti ca lly despite its distance fro m Co ruscan t, sendin g warri ors to bolster the fledgli ng Re pub lic army. As a result, Th iss pias has ben efited from membership in the Senate whi le acting as a magnet for trouble in other moments in history.

LUMINOUS BEINGS

lNJMlTED POWER

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Fo r exa mple, because of its cl ose assoc iati on with the Galactic Re public and physical loca tion in the galaxy, Thisspias has been the site of many historical battles, such as t he conflicts during the Great Mani fest Period. These various battles have been immortalized with monuments or t hrough the actua l re lics of war.

language: Alth ough planet-bo und indivi duals are mostly literate in Thisspiasian, those who travel ed offworld learned to read and write Basic quickly. The Em pire has been trying to stamp out their language, but each attempt only emboldens them more. A few eschew learning Basic altogether in protest , but they are ch ided as fool ish

On the othe r hand, membership in the Galact ic Sena te allowed Thisspias to wield plenty of influence, especially to protect the homeworld. As pivot point.between the Core and the Outer Rim , Thisspias benefited from a volume of trade and cultu ral exc hange. Their pe op le have plenty of reasons to rema in loyal to t he Galac ti c Repu blic.

Perception of the Force: Some Th isspia sians practice meditation whi le in their tranceli ke rest, using guided focu s and discipline to sort thoughts and feelings. A select few push further, opening their minds and spirits to touch upon the Force. Furthermore, Oppo Rancisis, the Blood Monarch heir who lived deca des before t he rise of the Em pire, becam e a Jedi Master and refused to ta ke t he throne. Th is historical connection to the Jedi Order and the common practice of meditation give Th isspiasians a strong connection to the Mystic tradition and to the Force.

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Wound Threshold : 10 + Brawn

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Strain Threshold: 8 + Wi llpower

"",,...,,;; . Starting Experience: 100 XP •

Special Abilities: Thisspiasians begin the game with one rank in Discipline. They sti ll may not train Discipline above rank 2 during character creation.

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Rest and Meditation: Thisspias ians need very little sleep to funct ion. They only ne ed to sleep for two hours to heal all stra in they are suffering from, instead of for a full night (they cannot sleep multiple times in a day, howeverD. In addition, once per session Thisspiasians ma y spend ten minutes meditating; if they do so, they heal st rai n eq ual to twice t heir ra nks in Di scipline

THOLOTHIAN A near-human species from one of the oldest planets (at least politically) in the Republic, the Tholothians are an unassu mi ng spec ies, once full y in tegrated into galact ic soc iety, but now contained on their homev..'orld by the Galactic Empire.

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Physiology: Tholo thians are a humanoid species with various shades of darker skin tone and a varie ty of blue and viol et eye colors. Instead of hai r, they have scales on their head s and several pale tendrils that descend from their backs. In all other aspects, they resem ble humans in physiology.

/ LUMINOUS BEINGS

u........a>POWER

Society: Historica lly, Tho lothian civili za t ion cha nged and adapted re latively smoothly, especially co mpared to ot her spec ies, For examp le, Tho lot hian astronomers had predicted t he ex iste nce of ot her civilizations cen turies before t he first ou tsider hyperdrive exp lorat ion sh ips encou ntered Th olot h, and the ho meworld did not suffer the cu lture shock that norma lly comes wit h initia l contact. In fact , Tho loth ian cu lture has bee n remarkab ly adaptab le and flu id, chang ing with the times with less-t han-expected bac klash, t rad itional ist outcry, or nativist anger. Once highl y ega litaria n and cosmopo litan , Tholot h's popu lat ion was majority but not plura lity Tholothian, Over centu ries, hund reds of cultures and spec ies t raveling thro ugh the system to sett le in the Sli ce instead stayed on the plane t. Tho lothian society has added bits and pieces of th ese va rious cultures into th eir arc hitect ure, art, and language [with various loanwords), Li ngu ists ca n t race historical layers in language, grammar, and even ve rb tenses. Techno logica lly advanced but not obsess ively so, Tholoth's economy has always bee n slow and steady Thi s Th oloth ian cu lt ural fUSion changed when the Empire took con t ro l of their homewor ld . Imperial censors re moved anything co nsidered fore ign (including non -Tholothians) fro m Th oloth, impos ing homoge ny on to the language, cultu re, and art If t he censo rs cou ld t race the origins of th e offe nd in g materiallo a non-Th olothi an species, out it wen t. Th e Emp ire t hen promot ed a differen t kind of uni ty; fo r examp le, Tholot h's cit ies have slov'o,'ly take n on t he stark, imposing black and v'o,' hite structures of the Empire. Th is in turn has brough t on unprecedented cultural shock Tholottl lans struggle now to und ersta nd wr1 at sho uld be co nside red truly Tholothian, (See t he sidebar rega rding Tholothian Seedpods.) As they resist aga inst t he Em pire, t hey also resist aga inst this revis ioni st history, wondering If they shou ld also reject their cosmopolitan past Some sc holars fear that even if Tholoth does throw off the yo ke of the Empire, Th olothian identi ty mi ght be irrevocab ly altered Whether or not this doubt and Imperial influ ence becomes a perma nent pa rt of Th olothian soc iety re mains to be seen.

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Homeworld: Tholot h, located in t he Co lonies region at t he base of the Slice, has a wa rm , tem pera te clima te. As one of the closest plan ets in the expansion path of the Sl ice, Tholoth be nefi ted highly from trade and temporary immigratio n. The Tholoth ians estab lish ed st ro ng rest rict ions upon deve lopm ent ; they we lcom ed immigrant s, of co urse, but new construction needed to integrate with their ecosystem and infrastructu re. Tho lot h's cities too k on a cosmopo litan cha racter, ble nding and integratin g differen t architectura l styles t hat some how still felt Tho lot hian. As a resu lt, Tholot h has avo ided the giant metropo lises or ec umenopolises t hat see m to dominate the Core \Vorlds.

THDLDTHIAN SEEDPODS

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ndent Tholothian cultural practices centered around a durable tree used in their agriculture. When these people traveled, they carried at least one seedpod with the blessing that if they found a new home, they would tear open the pod, plant the seed, and connect their new home with their old home. Tens of thousands of years later, Tholothians who journeyed away from their homeland would continue this tradition, some carrying a single seedpod in a pack, integrating them into artistic objects in their homes, or wearing them as jewelry. Stories abound that these Hometrees were mystically connected in some way, and that by placing their ear against the bark, Tholothians could hear Tholoth's wind welcoming them home. With the Empire's dismantling of Tholothian culture, this practice has re-emerged stronger than ever in an attempt to get back in touch with their roots (so to speak).

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Certain areas throughout the planet we re designate d wil dlife prese rves, and up unti l t he founding of t he Galac tic Empire, Th olot h had mai ntai ned an arborea l repu tation. The heavier in dustries remain ed offworld in t he surroun di ng planets of the Tho lot h system . Before the Empire, Th oloth was a democracy utilizing a govern mental struc ture similar to the Galac ti c Republ ic, with a head exec utive cha ir and a legis lative se nate

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Due to the homeworld 's posi ti on in t he galaxy and its ax ial t ilt, for half of the yea r Th oloth's night sky is dominated by t he light of t he Deep Core, a bright, bri lli ant ell ipse from hori zon to horizon, brighte r than rn ost moons. The other half of the year, Tholot h's sky faces t he arms and t he edge of t he galaxy, still bri lliant, but muted and da rk Curre nt ly under heavy Imperi al con t rol, Tholoth, at least to its inhabitan ts, now feels like a prison . Imperial command ers have set up estates he re, t urn ing the planet (o nce a sa nctuary to the Jedi) in to a vacation spot. The local popu lation and econo my have been retoo led to serve Imperial desires to turn the pla net in to an officers' garden ret rea t language: Duri ng the Galactic Republ ic era, Tho lothians spoke BaSIC, although differen t co mmunities on the homeworld were more iso lated than others, lending regional accents to their pro nunciation . Because of their cosmopo li tan nature, Tholothia ns co mm on ly knew at least one or two add itiona l languages based on need or pe rsona l interest. Near the end of t he Republi c, educa tors on the homeworl d headed a movemen t to preserve th e na t ive Tho lothian language group, but upon Imperial contro l of t he planet, th is movement we nt undergrou nd. Many fear the Empire's slow, method ica l "Impena liza tion" of Tholot hian cu lture will cause the death of t he Tholoth ian language as we ll

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LUMINOUS BEINGS

UNUMITED POWER

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--Perception of the Force: As longtime mem bers of the Galac tic Republic, Tholothians have had continual contact with the Jedl and the Jedi Order Jedi who wished to remain in contact wi th the temple on Coruscant but needed to get

away from the people, smog. and skyscrapers woul d come to Tholoth to med ita te, Some would hike and cam p out in the vanous nature preserves, givi ng t hem tim e away from the galaxy without fear of wi ld. dangerous beasts. Th e time of year could also be useful for medi tation due to the night sky: Jedi were known to come on Core or Spiral Pea k nights to medita te on the light and the dark and the Republic and the Ou ter Rim. focus ing on the inne r and the oute r respective ly.

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Sin ce Imperia l occupat ion. Tholot h has gone a li ttle wild. The mountains. forests. hills. trees, and snow-covered regions have become un kempt and feral. While the Empi re destroyed the obvious Jedi bu ildings. claiming the old aesthetic ruined Tholoth's natural beauty, storm troopers missed the sm aller. hi dden refuges. Small cave system s with a preternatu ral sense of peace. a one-story ston e stru cture bui lt by a Jedi monk. or the hot spring in the snow-capped mountains all have been grown over by· brambles, hidden by rockslides, or bu ried in ice. Some Tholothians still journey to these location s. A few use them for shel ter to hide from the Empire. Eac h of them holds a t in y bit of history o f the old Jedi Order and perhaps preserves something for a searchi ng Force-sensitive.

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Wound Threshold: 10 + Brawn

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Strain Threshold : 10 + Willpower

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Startin g Exp eri ence: 95 XP

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Special Abilities: Tholothians begin the game with one ra nk in Knowledge (Xe nology) . They still may not tra in Knowledge (Xenology) above rank 2 during charac ter creation.

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Cultural Adopters: When making a socia! skill check to intera ct INith non-Tholoth ians, Th oloth ian s add automalic -tJ. to th e resu lts.

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Natural Roots: When making a check to heal strain while in a natural or wild setti ng, Tholothians heal one additional stra in.

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LUMINOUS BEINGS

UILMTED POWER

VURK This reptilian race has extended their nomadic tradition to the galaxy. Galactic society underestimates them due to their lack of inte rest in heavy industrialization and technology. Th ey have. however, a co mplex system of perso na l govern ance and pol it ical invo lvement t ha t baffles Core Worl d pol iticians and philosophers. Physiology: Reptiles with dark, bulbous eyes and tall head cres:s, Vu rks can brea the underwater as well as they can breathe open air. Th e warm wa ters and atmosphere of their homev'w rld provide much -needed external energy for their metabolism. Although they can function away from such optimal conditions, Vurks do find cooler climates (and most spaceships) a bit uncomfor tabl e. Most Vurks journeying offwo rld utilize a wide variety of tricks to mainta in their body temperature, from wea ri ng heavy clothing, using carefu l medita tion, imbibing hot beverages co ntinua lly throughout the day, or retiring to a nice, hour-long warm bath. Society: Vurks are sem i-nomadic, but in a different way than other species. It is not unusual for a Vurk commun ity or a whole village to decide to move on, not on ly based on the changing of a seaso n, but also for a phi losoph ical need Instead of the vil la ge relocati ng together, eac h Vu rk (and perhaps close friends or acquaintances, but not necessa rily family) may choose to travel together. For all intents and purposes, that village no longer exists. Vurks instead integrate with other communities or form new ones based on needs and desi res. It is not unusual to find a mature Vurk who ha s already been in hal f a dozen successfu l comm unit ies. The galaxy considers them a primitive people, but Vurks have a sophisticated community and social status system based on reputation . Vurks judge each other by their ind ividual accomplish ments. deeds, and actions, and read ily di scu ss those perce pt ions with other Vurks. They don 't conside r this gossip or id le chatte r, but part of the process of being in a community. Of course, two Vurks may perceive a third Vurk in two different ways, but none of lhem see this as a negative. After all. no individuals see things in the exact same way. Vurks don' t expect outsiders to participate, but those traveling offworld na t urall y exte nd thi s pract ice to friends and loved ones. This discussion of reputation and perception leads to continual interpersonal conflicts whe re two or more Vurks may disagree or socia! or economic matters. These con flicts then lead to com pro mises or expe ri ments whe re Vurks try one so lution before attem pt ing an other. In t he end , these di scussions lead to a set of casual ru les governing behavior for each community, prompt ing even more discussion. Those who don't participa te in the dialogue either choose to go with the majority or sim ply leave to found a new commu nity While thiS social stru cture may seem ana rc hic, Vurks don' t object to laws or SOCial structu res per se ; t hey simply believe t hat these concepts are things to be discussed and negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

THE STRICTURE DF VIOLENCE

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n Vurk society. when is violence acceptable? Again, this is negotiated on a case-by-case basis,

but nearly all Vurk agree that causing a death, be it through self-defense or murder, is reprehensible (barring euthanasia). With death, that individual's ability to voice a new opinion, thought, or argument

is silenced forever. From this basic concept, Vurks have developed a Stricture of Violence (although most Vurks don't call it that). The Clone Wars and the Galactic Civil War have left Sembla (mostly) untouched, and thus Vurks haven't had to modify this Stricture. Those traveling offworld, however, have seen a galaxy not only torn apart by war, but also torn apart by injustice. Can killing be justified if it means freeing a group of slaves? Can freedom be preserved with war? Now, with an Imperial presence growing on Sembla, Vurks as a society must eventually reconcile their feelings about the Stricture. In the end, however, each individual Vurk has to struggle with what the galaxy is, versus what they grew up believing.

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Each time a Vurk integrates or fo rms into a new communit y, a new discussion over mores and consent develops. Those who disagree, leave. Those who agree. stay. This social and cultural p ractice has developed and changed for as long as Vurks have had recorded history. To outsiders, this makes Vurks appea r merc uria l or constan tly changing in ethics and mora ls. In real ity, Vurks consta nt ly question concepts of eth· ics and mora ls in ord er to understand where they stand. There are outliers. of co urse. There are those who in tentiona ll y break these social or cultural mores . those who wi thho ld informati on and lie in order to gain som e form of adva ntage. and those who com mit violence to resolve t hei r is sue s. These ind ividua ls gai n a rep utation that ge ts passed on to each co mmu nit y t hey encou nter. Eventuall y, these outli ers get exiled. effective ly turning the m into a commu ni ty of one. Homeworld: Sembla (or Utavu rk) is located in the Outer Ri m . in the Mahrusha sector. at the far end of the Perlemian Tra de Route. With four moons, tidal stresses keep the Vu rk homewo rld tecto nically active, with shallow seas and volcanic islands

Becau se Sembla doesn't sit near any major or minor trade routes, ships hardly travel there. The planet has been histori· ca lly isolated from all of the Galactic Republic's wars. Some Imperial scientists, however. have established a resea rch base to study Sembla as a source of geothermal energy and to experimen t with the planet's unique magnetic magma As a result, the Imperials have also undertaken strip-mining operations to buil d an d power the base. pressing Vurks into a cheap source of labor and destroying nearby islands in the process

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The Empire doesn't respect the working conditions the Vurks mu st end ure. and variou s pockets of resistance have

appeared throughout the homeworld. Vurks on th e other

ers, and oceans. While Vurks don't have a speciflc connection to, or affinity for, the Force. certain concepts are easier for them to grasp due to their cultural background. Failure isn't a setback , but simply a new experience. Pick up and move on. This gives them an openness to try something different or try aga in in a new way. a perfect atti tud e for a Mystic Of the Vurks who initially tried to join the Jedi Order, mo st failed due to th e rigid di sci pline. Instead of becom ing bitter or discouraged, these petitioners merely saw this setback as part of th eir co nt in ua l migration. Perhaps th is was not the community they should be joining at this time. Od dl y, a few of those who fa iled the ini tial tes ts later came back as better candidates.

side of the pla net don't see the results of Im perial power and have not decided yet to take up arms. In this ca se, the habi t the Vurks have of discussing and witnessing firsthand an individual's bad actions may not be fast enough to unite the planet againsllhe Empire. language: On their homeworld, Vurks speak primarily Sem blan. There are of course several hundred dialects and unrelated languages, but ages ago, through an in tense period of planet-wide discussion, the majority of Vurks decided on Semblan as their language. (As a consequence, they also changed the name of their homeworld from Utavurk to Sem· bla to reflect th is decision.) Plenty of Vu rks disagreed an d thus formed communities that speak other languages. Those who jou rn ey offworld, however, learn Basic.

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Perception of the Force: Describing the Force as water or a river fi ts we ll with Vurks, who not on ly live on an aquatic world, but have wandered thei r planet much like the rain, riv-

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Wound Threshold: 11 + Brawn

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Strain Threshold : 11 + Willpower

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Starting Experi ence: 100 XP

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Special A bilities: Vurks begin the game with one rank in Negotia tion. They still may not train Negotiation above rank 2 during character creation.

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Amphibious: Vurks can breathe underwater wi thout penalty and never suffer movement penalties when traveling through water.

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Cold Blooded: Vurks add . to all checks they make while in cold environments (in addition to any other penalties).

NEW SPECIALIZATIONS

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NLIMITED POW ER provides three new specializations: the Alchemist. the Magus, and the Prophet. These don't replace Advisors, tvlakashi Duelists, or Seers, but simply add more optio ns to the expansive nature of the Mystic. The power of the Force, after all , is unlimited.

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During the time of the Jedi Order, Guardians thought in broad terms. How best to serve the ga laxy, to help the most wi th the least resou rces, to urge the ga laxy to\\rard peace withou t sacrificing too much? Mystics thought in even broade r te rms . How best to se rve t he Fo rc e, La urge t he ga laxy toward the lighl, to move bill ions upon billions of people tovvard enlightenment and self-actua lization? To explain how a Mystic might see the Force, it is best to use the analogy of water, speciflcally a river. Wate r can be slow and calm (and suffocating), or it can be rapid, powerful, and overwhe lm ing. A river provides life but can also drown it. Water can be liquid. gaseous, or solid. It can change physical properties, but in the end, it can return to its prev iou s slate. Mystics learn to read. ride, or redi rec t this river.

TALENTS WITH CONFLICT COSTS

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ertain talents give the Player Character who possesses them Conflict at the beginning of each session. The knowledge associated with these talents is dark enough that simply understanding it can tempt a PC to the dark side; see page 51 of the FORCE AND DESTINY Core Rulebook for more on Conflict. These talents are delineated with the following symbol in their header:

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TALENT NAME

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LUM INOUS BEINGS

UNc-TED POWER

:::: .J1·I=vr L:1~hJ,

ALCHEMIST

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uring t he era of t he Galactic Republi c, t he Jedi Order never emb raced alchemy. Vario us sp Irit ua l orders that had

worked in alchemy also all ied wit h the dark side of the Force.

The Sith, the Nightsisters of Da thom ir, and t he Frangawl Cult on Ba rdotta all used the dark side to powe r thei r weapons, ta li sma ns, and magicks. Whether or not the Jed i t ho ught that alchemy led t o the dark side of t he Fo rce has been lost to time. Perh aps the Ord er fel t t hat giving li fe to t he in animate,

pourin g the Force into a dead object. replicated the act of giving li fe, of giving birt h, or of playing god, and wou ld ca use the Jedi to become pridefu l With the rise of the Empi re and t he loss of t he Je d i O rder, now no one ca n "varn a pot ent ial Alche mist away fro m pra ct icing th is lost art. This might be ju st as well. Just like any technology, it isn't the object but t he user tha t makes it good or bad, li gh t or dark, us efu l or de stru ctive. In add it ion , t he Force flows thro ugh everyth ing, eve n in an imate object s Rocks have a measure of t he Force in t hem . How else co uld a Je di move them? W ith tha t reaso ning, not hing should prevent a Jed i fro m imbu ing a machine wit h the Force. save the Jedi 's ovvn fea rs, hat red, and obsessions.

GIVING LIFE TO THE INANIMATE An A lchemi st's add itional career sk il ls are Kn owledge (Education) , Kn owledge (Xenology) , Medicine, and Resilience . Upon cha ract er crea t ion, if t his is t he characte r's fi rst spec ialization, pick two of t hese skills to automaticall y ga in one rank in eac h

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The Jed i bu..ilt their ow n lightsabers not only for r itua l or trai ni ng pu rposes, bu t t o infuse a bit of t he ir own essence

into th e weapon. The Jedi consc iously and delibera tely bu ilt these weapons both as a t echn ical t est and as a med itat ive t est. It cou ld be argued t hat a lightsaber co nta ins the prese nce of its crea tor-and perhaps it s user (sJ . Fo rce alche my extends th is idea and disc ip line furt her, cra ft ing physica l ob jects infused wit h the power of t he Force These objects appear to have a life of the ir own, and in the eyes of a Force se nsit ive, pe rhaps they do . This creates a met aphysical conundrum: if an object possesses a measure of t he Fo rce, how is it d ifferent from a living be ing? A lchemist s te nd to focus on medici nal co ncoctions, since the healing of a physica l body is the most d ire ct met hod of using and influ enc ing the Force. The flo w of a m edic ine, tincture, sa lve, or d ra ugh t mi mics t he flow of t he Force. A lchem ists can work in ot her mater ials, but t his requ ires more tra ining and atte nt ion . A malfo rm ed or malfuncti oni ng mach ine can't be fixed wit h an infusion of t he Fo rce. In many ways, it might exacerbate t he da mage. Fo lk ta les and popular ho lovids of mac hi nes coming t o life and te rroriz ing their creators and innocents m ay be based on t rue sto ries of Alchemist s who fell to the dark side of t he Force. Force- infused objects ca n be tortu red as much as any living creature. \Nhe n t he Alc hemi st is a dark side user, alchemica l m ac hi nes take o n a sinister and da ngerous aura , "ma lfunct io ning" to ca use harm or, in the case of a weapon, increasi ng suffe ring wh en it does cause harm.

' . LUMINOUS BEINGS

UNUMITED POWER

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MYSTIC: Alchemist Career Skills: Charm, Coercion, Knowledge (lore), Knowledge (Outer Rim), Perception, Vigilance Additional Career Skills: Knowledge (Education), Knowledge IXenologv1, Medicine, Resilience

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GRIT

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Cain + 1 stra in threshold

STlMPA[K SPECIALIZATION

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RESEAR[HER

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ACTIVE

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PASSIVE

~ FOR[E TALENT •

BLOOOED Add D per rank of Blooded

Remove. per rank of Researcher from all Knowl-

to all checks to resist or re cover from poisons, ven-

oms, or toxins. Reduce dura tion of ongoing po isons by I round per rank of Blood-

r

k

ed, lo a minimum of 1

•

RESEAR[HER

•

Remove . per rank of Researcher from all KnO'" I-

1l

Ta ke Ule Slim Application Action; make an Average Medicine check. If successfu l. I engaged ally increases 1 characteristic by 1 for the remainder of the encounter and su ffers 4 stra in.

STIMPA[K SPECIALIZATION

•

BLOOOED

•

When performi ng Stim Appl icalion Aclion, may increase difficu lty of check to Haro and ra cget only suffers I strain

1+++)

•

KNOWLEDGEABLE HEALING

\

IMPROVED BLOODED

Add D per ra nk of Blooded

As an action . make a Ha"rd Resilience check

(ttt)

cover from poisons. venoms, or tox ins, Reduce duration of ongoing poisons by 1 round per rank of Blooded, to a min im um of I.

IMPROVED STiM APPLICATION

1/

add 0 or. to resu lts

to all checks to resist or reo

•

GRIT

Aller making a check 1.0 (fafl (l potion or tal isman, may suffer stre. in up to twice ra nks in Alc hemica l Arts. Fo r eve ry t,,'o stra in,

(t t )

edge checks. Resea rching a su bject takes half the time.

•

•

STiM APPLICATION

to

immedialely recover

from all poisons and sideeffects of drugs, Reduce difficulty once per ra nk of Blooded

•

GRIT

•

OEDI[ATION

When making a cra fting check. may add 0 no greater lhan Force rating Spend C) to add ~ and spend () () to add tJ to check.

When hea ling an all y. spend 1 Desti ny Po int to hea l add it ional wo un ds eq ual to ranks in Knowledge lXeno logy j

After being exposed to a substance. as an out of turn incidental . .rnay roll 0 no greater than Force rating. Spend ()() to immediately identify it.s cornposition and effects

Once per session. as an action. make a Hard Knowledge (Xenology) check, adding 0 no grea ter than Force rating to create 1 dose of a poison or drug wi th rarity of Intellect + + ()spent or lower.

Permission: granted to print and photocopy this p,age for personal use only. 19 lFl © FFG

(ttt)

:rr

•

MAGUS

T

o hear of a Ma gus, even during the time of the Galactic Republ ic, would be a ra re event ; to meet one, eve n more so. The Jedi Order, in its wa ning days, ha d become quite

conservative regard ing explorations into the Force. The Jed i either avoided or out ri ght fought the myriad of sect s an d cu lts exhibiting mystica l powers th roughout t he ga laxy. The Force, they reasoned, was all t hey needed. Other teach ings and expe ri ments deviated too much fro m t he clea r path of t he

,.

Jed i and thus da nced too close to illusion and self-deception . lead ing to tem ptat ions toward the da rk

Paradox ica lly. a Fo rce user may be more likely to beco me

a Magus during t he Gala cti c Civil Wa r. Wi t h hope and the ligh t in short supply, some discip les may be more open and will ing to seek out so-ca lled forb idden knowledge. A Magus develop s and collects a hodgepodge of strange rituals and od d practices to co mmune wi th the Cosmic Force. They have no trai ning, but at the same t ime, t hey have no teac hings that would convince t hem not to t ry. The danger, of co urse, comes from a lac k of ove rsight. Wi t hout a guiding hand or p rope r se lf-reflection , a Magus has a greate r chance to ex pe riment INith powers fueled by the dark sid e of the Fo rce.

side of the Force.

FOLLOWING A DIFFERENT PATH The Magus rece ive s Coercion, Discipl ine, Know ledge (Lore) , and Medicine as addi tional ca ree r sk ills. When starting with t his specia lizat ion, the Magus may choose two of t hese skill s and gai n one free rank in eac h. Kn m·v ledge, espec ially forb idden know ledge . fuels the Magus. Un restricted by the Jedi Order, de fi ant of the Ga lact ic Emp ire, t he Magus seeks a con nect ion to the Force through knowledge. The sourc e of that knO'.A/Jedge doesn' t matter; ritua ls, objec ts and p laces of power, and ancient religious and magical texts al l hint at a si ngu lar so urce of energy. Whil e so me Magi crave know ledge for its own sake, most exp lore the Magus path in orde r to con trol t he Fo rce itse lf

f

/

If t he Force fl ows t hrough everyt hi ng and IS a part of everyt hing, t hen by man ipu lat ing the Fo rce, the Magus can man ipulate rea lity. The Force ca n be used to make ma tter, affect matte r. affect life. and perha ps .. .even create life With t his power, the Magus can do amaz in g and impossi ble th ings. No, not im po ss ib le. fo r not hing is impossib le if one be lieves in th e Force.

( I

This confide nce, however, is t he biggest trap for Magi. They ca n do impossib le th ings, ye s, bu t It is the Force t hat allQ',\IS them to do so , not their knowledge or talent. Des pite what they may think, Magi still have mortal t rappin gs. They have hi stories, memories, ea rly tho ughts, and em otio ns t hat can neve r be truly removed. Hubris may be the grea test enemy for Magi. Thi s hubris can trick Magi Into t hinking t hat pushi ng here or pu ll ing t he re mi ght be for t he good of all, or for t he good of t he Fo rce, but in reality. they are ma nipulat ing the Fo rce fo r t heir own se lfis h needs. Many a Fo rce-using t yran t became a Magus before falli ng to t he da rk side.

LUMINOUS BEI NGS

UNUMITED POWER

MYSTIC: Magus

TOUGHENEO

•

I

decrease

•

PASSIVE

•

CONFIOEN(E May

ACTIVE

b

Career Skills: Charm, Coercion, Knowledge [Lore), Knowledge (Outer Rim), Perception, Vigilance Additional Career Skills: Coercion, Discipline, Knowledge (Lore), Medicine

•

•

dirticully

FOR(E TALENT

RESOLVE When inVOluntarily suffering strain. suffer 1 less strain per rank of Resolve. to a minimum of 1.

of

Discipline checks LO avoid fear by 1 per rank of

Confidence

t.:,

•

(ONFIOEN(E

• Arter rolling O. fer wou nd s up to twice ranks in Chan nel Ago ny to add automatic . for every two wounds suffered to the results.

May decrease diffi cu lty of Discipline checks to

avoid fea r by 1 per rank of Confidence

•

,;

•

INhen healing lrVOunds due to Healing Trance. make a Qitical Injury Difficulty of the check equals severity of the Critical Injury.

Remove .

per rank o f Se-

cret Lore from all Knowledge (Lore) checks. Reduce the difficulty of all Knowledge (lore) checks by 1.

RESOLVE 'Nhen involuntarily suffering strain, suffer 1 less

Remove . per rank of Secret Lore from all Knowledge (lore) checks. Reduce the difficu lty of all Knowledge (Lore) checks

Resilience check to heal a

strain per rank of Resolve. to a minimum or I.

by L

I

'.

• After rolling

r

SECRET LORE

SE(RET LORE

0,

•

TOUGHENEO After rolling 0, may suffer wounds up to twice ranks in Channe l Agony LO add auto mati c . for every two wounds suffered to the results.

may suf-

fer wounds up to twice ra nks in Channel Agony to

add automatic .

MINO OVER MATTER The character may spend one Destiny Poinl to recover strain eq ual Lo Wil lpower ra ting.

fo r ev-

ery two wounds suffered to t he results.

• Once per session, may perform the Power of Darkness maneuver. Increase ....,ound threshold and strain threshold by 1 per Dark Side destiny point currently in the Destiny pool untit the end of the encounter.

OEDICATION When making a Crafting check, may add 0 no greater than Force rating_ Spend () to add :tf and spend () () to add -tJ. to check.

LUMINOUS BEINGS

UNLIMITED POWER

Permission' granted to print and photocopy this page for personal use only_ © LFl © FFG

PROPHET

T

A CANTOR FOR A CHOIR

ca us ing resentme nt and anger, which promises a fall toward th e dark side. So for Prophet s. they proselytized not to convert, but to offer a voice of hope and an opportunity to lea rn

Prophet s ga in the fol lowing additio nal caree r skil ls: Charm, Coercion, Deception , and Leadership _ Charac ters who start with t his spec ialization fi rst get one rank in two of these skil ls without spend ing experience.

he Jedi Order's prose lytizi ng ebbed and flowed , mu ch as the Force did throughout t he Old Rep ubl ic. Understand in g

of the Force co uldn't be press ured upon a stude nt without

about the power of the Fo rce. Now, dest royed

with and

the

Jedi

the

Republ ic shattered,

Order

Ga lactic

Prophets

carry a fervor not seen before In the history of the ga laxy_ To

them, their knowledge of the ligh t side of the Fo rce reflects the struggle aga inst the dark If the Galactic Empire is the shadow blotting out the stars, then Prophets are single poi nts of light. hoping to ignit e a candle here and t here to light up the sky

'.

like Advisors, th is spec ialization d irectly int eracts wi th people, gran tin g them insight and cou nse l when needed. Unlike Adv isors, Prophets address the crowd, no t the ind i· vidua l. The ir message has t o reach as many ears as possib le, in the hope that the ir ideas or warnings catch fi re. Proph ets influe nce communities, cities, o r even pla net s if given a med ium and a message. Th e med ium co mes in a variety of forms: a sermon on a soapbox or an alta r, a HoloNet posting or recording, rlyers or tracts passed fro m hand t o claw, or even images on a poster, pai nt ing, or pi rat e transm iss ion. It doesn't matter what med ium, o nly the passio n and tru t h of t he message. The message might be filtered th ro ugh a re ligious lens, but not always. Prop hets are keyed into t he Cosmic Force mo re keen ly, and images of the future provide wisdom, guidance, and, fo r fol lowers, an ide ntity. Si nce Prop hets are on ly mortal, they can only t ry to interpre t with mortal con cep ts and me tap hors. Th ey then have to t rans late that message into simple language, furt her diluti ng the content. The next person 's limited unde rstand in g then further alters t ha t message_ The real q uestion is whether thi s con stanl alteration by verbal or Visual t ra nsm issio n d isto rts t he message or en hances it ju st as the Force inte nd ed. Prophets who use their abili ti es for evil or se lfish ends have an easier time now durin g the Ga lactic Civi l War. Those sufferi ng from the Empire's ru le want a voice of hope to give them a reason to live on , and as long as the message doesn't violate Imperi al restrict io ns on re ligion or po litical sedition , Prop hets can enjoy a safe (and profi table] career. Eve n on planets free fro m t he Emp ire, other sources of oppression (slavery, Hutt in fluence, corporate int erests, and the like] may drive people to a religious charlatan, especially one who can produce miracles. Even well -mean ing Prophets should be wa ry, si nce It is much too easy for them to insert their own desires, need s, or fears int o t heir visions, dist orting them into their mvn ends, man ipu lati ng t he ir fo llowers into be li eving their own egos .

LU MINOUS BEINGS

UNUMITED POWER

b

•

MYSTIC: Prophet

•

GRIT

ACTIVE

•

PASSIVE

:tJ

Career Skills: Charm, Coercion, Knowledge ILore) , Knowledge IOuter Rim), Perception, Vigilance Additional Career Skills: Charm, Coercion, Deception, leadership

•

•

RAPID RECOVERY

•

'When healing strain after an encounter, heal I additlonal strain per ranK of Rapid Recovery.

S[ATHING TIRADE

•

Take a Scathing Tirade action; make an Average Coercion check. Each causes one enemy in short range to suffer 1 strain . Spend tJ to cause I affected enemy to suffer 1 additional strain.

-,I

•

•

INSPIRING RHETDRI[

(+ + 1 l eadersh ip check

*"

Each causes 1 ally in close range to recover 1 strain, Spend Q to cause 1 affected ally to recover I additional strain

•

RAPID RECOVERY an encounter. heal I additional strain per rank of Rapid Recovery.

FEARSOME When an adversary becomes engaged with the character. the character may force the adversary to make a fear check, with the difficulty equal to the characte(s ranks in Fearsome.

Characters affected by Overv.'helmingAura add automatic Y to fear checks the character causes and aulOmatic to fear checks not caused by ile character.

*"

TWISTED WORDS When ta rgeted by a social check, may spend @ or @ @ and suFFer 1 strain as an incidental to inflict stra in equa l to ranks In Coercion on spea ker.

WIlen healing strain after

•

RAPID RE[DVERY VVhen healing strain after an encounter, heal 1 additlonal strain per rank of Rapid Recovery.

Take the Inspiring Rhetoric action; make an Average

Remove • per rank of Plausible Deniability from all Coercion and Deception checks

(+ +) *"

•

PLAUSIBLE DENIABIUTY

CONGENIAL May suffer a number of strain to downgrade difficulty of Charm or Negotiation checks, or upgrade difficulty when targeted by Charm or Negotiation checks, by an equal number. Strain sur· fered this way cannol f>.x. ceed ranks in Congenial.

•t

•

FOR[E TALENT

•

GRIT

•

IMPROVED INSPIRING RHETORI[

•

Each ally affected by Inspiring RhetoriC gains D on all skill checks for a number of ro!"'nds equal to ranks in Leadership,

CONGENIAL May suffer a number of strain to dovmgrade difficulty of Charm or Negotiation checks, or upgrade difficulty when targeted by Charm or Negotiation checks. by an equal number: Strain suffered this way cannot exceed ranks in Congenial.

Once per session, may take the Font of Power action Until the end of Lhe encounter, characters within medium range add automalic 0 or • to checkS based on alignment

LUMINOUS BEINGS lJNIMfTED POWER

Permission granted to print and photocopy this page for personal use only_ © lFl © FFG

,I

...

NEW TALENTS

T

he followi ng pages describe each new talent introduced Each en try includes the information

In U NLIM ITED POWER.

required for gameplay. See page 135 of th e FORCE TlNV Core Rulebook for more information on talents_

AND

DES-

ALCHEMICAL ARTS Activation: Active (Inc idental)

Ranked: Yes Trees: Alchem ist

Force talent. After making a crafting che ck to create a potion or talisman, the character may choose to suffer strain no greater than twice their ranks in Alchemical Arts. For every

two strain, they may add

0

or •

to the results. If they

choose to add . , they also suffer I Conflict per .

BLOODED Activation: Passive Ranked: Yes Trees: Alchem ist The character adds

0

per rank of Blooded to their checks

to resist or recover from the effects of po isons, venoms, and other tox ins. Reduce the duration of any related ongoing effects or damage from loxins. venoms, or poisons by one round per rank of Blooded, to a minimum of one

FONT OF POWER Activation: Active (Action) Ranked: No Trees: Prophet Force talent. Once per game session , the cha racter may perform the Font of Power action. For the remainder of the encou nter. if the character is a light side Force user, wheneve r anoth er Force use r withi n med ium ra nge rolls 0, add automatic 0 to the res ults. If the character is a dark Side Force user, whenever another Force user withi n medium range rolls 0 , add automatic . to the resu lts.

IDENTIFY INGREDIENTS Activation : Active [Incidental. Out of Turn) Ranked: No Trees: Alchem ist Force talent. After being expos ed to any unknown sub· stance, as an out of t urn inc iden tal, the character may ro ll no greater tha n the ir Fo rc e rating. They may spend etet to immediately iden tify the composilion and any effects of th e subSLance.

o

At the GM's discre lion, this might provideD to the character's later attempts to recreate this substance.

BLOODED (IMPROVED)

IMPROVISED CONCOCTION

Activation: Active (Action] Ranked: No Trees: Alchem ist The character may take the Improved Blooded action, making a Hard Resilience check. If they succeed, they immediately recover from the effects of all poisons and the side effects or aftereffecls of all drugs. Reduce the d ifficulty of the check onc e per rank of Blooded, to a minimum of Simple (-) .

CHANNEL AGONY

Activation: Active (Act ion) Ranked: No Trees: Alchem ist Force talent. Once per encounter, as an action, the characte r Knowledge (Xenology) check, may make a H ~rd add ing 0 no greal er than t heir Force rating. If the character succeeds, they create 1 dose of any potion , poison. or drug (such as the ones found on page 81 or page 181 of the FORCE AND DeSTINY Core Rul ebook) out of available materials The rarity of this item must be lower tha n or equal to t he cha racte r's Intellect + + spent.

Activation: Active (I ncide nLal) Ranked: Yes Trees: Magus Force talent After rolling 0, the cha racte r may choose to suffer wounds no greater than twi ce their ranks in Channel Agony. For every two wounds, they add . to t he results. A character who has purchased this tal ent automatically ga ins I Confl ict pe r rank purchased at t he begin n ing o f a ga me sess ion

Activation: Active (Action) Ranked: No Trees: Prophet The character may take the Inspiring Rhetoric action, making an Average leadership check. Fo r each one ally within close ra nge recovers one strain . For each tJ-. one ally benefiting from Insp iring Rhetoric recovers one add itional SLrain.

CONGENIAL

INSPIRING RHETORIC (IMPROVED)

Activation: Active (Incidental) Ranked: Yes Trees: Prophet When attem pting a Charm or Negotiation check, the cha racter may suffer a nu mber of SLra in to downgrade the difficulty of the check a number of times equal to strain suffered. This number can not exceed their ranks in Conge nial. When th e characte r is t he target of a Charm or Negotiation check, the cha racter may suffer a number of strain to upgrad e the dirficulty of the check a number of times equal to strain suffered. This number cannot exceed their ranks in Congenial.

Activation: Passive Ranked: No Trees: Prophet Each ally affected by Inspiring Rhetoric ga ins D on all skill checks for a number of rou nds equal to this character's ranks in Leadership; this d oes no t stack with itself.

(t t t)

LUM INOUS BEINGS ~POWER

(t t t )

*- et

INSPIRING RHETORIC

(t t)

*"

MIND DVER MATTER Activation: Active (Inci denta l) Ranked: No

Trees: Magus The character may spend on e Desti ny Poin t to recover strain equal to their Wil lpower rating.

OVERWHELMING AURA Activation: Ac tive (Mane uver) Ranked : Yes Trees: Prophet

Force talent. The character may take the Ovenvhelming Au ra mane uver. suffering 1 strain and committing a number of 0

no greater than their Force rating or ranks of Overwhelming Aura. The character adds automatic

tI equal to 0

commit-

ted to their social checks. Opponen ts within short ra nge add automati c @ equa l to 0 comm itted to their soc ial checks.

OVERWHELMING AURA (IMPROVED) Activation : Passive Ranked: No

Trees: Prophet Force colent While Overwhelming Au ra is active, characters affected by this characte r's Overwhe lmin g Aura talent add automatic T to fear ch ecks the character cau ses and automatic to fear checks not caused by the character. A cha racter who has pu rchased this talent automatically gains 1 Con fli ct at the beginn ing of a game se ssion

*"

POWER OF DARKNESS Activation: Active (Maneuver) Ranked: No Trees: Magus Force tolent. Once per session, the cha racter may pe rform the Power of Darkn ess maneuver. If they do so. they in crease the ir wound threshold and strain thresh old by J per Dark Sid e Destiny point currenLly in the Destiny pool un til the end of the encoun ter. A character who has purchased this talent automatical ly gain s 1 Conflict at the beginning of a gam e session. RESOLVE Activation : Passive Ranked: Yes Trees: Magus When the character suffers strain. they suffer one less strain per rank of Resolve, to a minimum of one. This does not apply to volu ntary strain loss. SCATHING TIRADE Activation: Active (Action) Ranked: No Trees: Prophet The character may ta ke the Scathing Ti rade action by making an Average Coercion check . Fo r each ~ . one enemy within short range suffers one strain. The cha racter can also spend t) ; for every U spent. one target already affected suffers J additi onal strain.

SECRET LORE Activation: Passive Ranked : Yes Trees: Magus The ch aracte r removes . per rank of Secre t Lore from their Knowledge (Lore) check s. The cha ra cter reduces the diffic ulty of all Knowledge (Lore) checks they make by I (this does not increase with additional ranks of Secret Lore). STIM APPLICATION Activation: Active (Action) Ranked: No Trees: Alc hem ist The character may take the SUm Application action. To perform this action, they must have access to drugs. a medpac. or stim packs. They make an Average Medicine check. If successful. on e all y they are engaged with (including themselves) increases one characteristic of the character's chOice by one for tne remainder of the encounter and suffers four strain. A sin gl e character's individual characteristics may each only be increased once by Stirn Application duri ng an encounter.

(++)

STIM APPLICATION (IMPROVED) Activation: Active (Incidental) Ranked: No Trees: Alchemist As an inciden tal, when performing the St im Appiicalion action, the character may increase the di ffic ulty of the Medicine check to Hard If they do so, the target of the action surfers on e stra in instead of four.

(+++).

TRANSMOGRIFY Activation : Active (Incidental] Ranked: No Trees: Alchemist. Magus Force talent. When making a cra fting check, the character may add 0 no grea ter tha n Force ra ting to the check. Th e character may spend () to add to the resu lt. and may spend ()() to add \1 to the result.

*"

TWISTED WORDS Activation: Active (Inc idental. Ou t of Turn) Ranked: No Trees: Proph et When the character is targeted by a socia l check, th e cha racter may spe nd @ or @ ~§> and suffer I strain as an incidental to inflict a number of strain equal to their ranks in Coercion on the character who made the ch eck.

(++1

LUMINOUS BEINGS

....."",-

j }

MYSTIC MOTIVATIONS

m

otivation might not have a defi nitive mechan ica l impact on a character dunng most game sessions. However, because it is more focused on the narrative elements of a

story, Motivation serves as a crucial cho ice fo r defining a characte r and the ir actio ns. A Mystic's Mot ivation should connect to the Mystic'S past and future, and should even to uch on a Mystic's Fo rce t raditions and the ir approach to how they view and how they use t he Force. We lt-developed characters with d istinct Motiva tio ns are usually mo re fun to roleplay t han aimless ones, because such cha racters have a reason to act on their own init iative and not ju st in response to the stimulus of the plot Estab lishing the se kinds of detai ls he lps the player tell a bette r story involving t he character

/

/

/

\

/'

\

LUM INOUS BEINGS

----

UNUMrTED POWER

TABLE 1-2: RANDOM MYSTI[ MIlTIVATIllNS

diD

Result

1-2

Amb ition

3-"

Cause

5-6

Fa ith

7- 9

I---10

,

I

-- ----

Mysteries

, ROI I once on each of a~y two categories

- - -- - - - - - - - -

At the same time, when a PC has an interesting Motivation, it he lps the GM crea te scenarios and challenges that prompt t he character to react , develop, and reveal ot he rwise unsee n nuances, For examp le, a character who wa n ts to unlock the myster ies of life itse lf may be templed to resc ue a wise sage from an Imperia l labor camp so that the character can gain a measu re of thei r wisdom for themselves,

MYSTICS AND MYSTERIES The FORCE AND D ESTINY Core Ru lebook presen ts t hree pri mary categories of Mot ivation - A mb it ion, Cause, and Faitheach of IN hich co ntai ns numero us examples, In addition to these, Unlimited Power offers an entirely new selection of Motivations created with Mystics in mind, under a new category: Mysteries. Naturally, characters of other careers are also welcome to choose a Mystery if there is on e they are particularly devoted to pursuing.

Any being can be motivated by their ambition or a cause, but a Mystic Lends to be deeply interested in th e most fundamental mysteries of their universe. They wan t to understand t he ir world on a pro found . even in st inctual leve l, and ofte n esch ew world ly t hings for such knowledge. So metimes they seek the answers to these mysteries for personal growth and enlightenment. Somet imes they seek them for power_ And somelimes. as they seek one, they nnd the other as well.

/

Players can choose the Motivations that fit their characters du r ing character creation. or they can roll random ly. To choose randomly from the expa nded list, a player first rolls o n Tab le 1-2: Random Mystic Motivat ions instead of usi ng t he correspond ing Ta ble 2 - 3 : Ra ndom Motivation from the FORCE AN D D ESTI NY Core Rulebook, on page 85, A player who rolls Mysteries then rolls again on Tabl e 1- 3 : Specific Myst eries to determine which Mystery to use as the character's Motivation, Otherwise, the player should consu lt the appropriate table in the F ORCE AND D ESTI NY Core Rulebook for the category rolled,

TABLE 1-3: SPECIFIC MYSTERIES dlDD Result 01-10

11 - 20

I,I Death: What happens to beings when they die? Is death a necessary part of existence, or is something to be fought , ,I

against at every opportunity? Can someone cheat death and, jf S0, what is the cost? These are the questions that drive

the character.

! The Force: What is the Force? How and why does it exist, and does it have a will of its own? Does the Force determine l one's actions. or obey one's commands? Or is it both, and if that is true, how is tha t possible? Many ancient Jedi I meditated on the mysteries of the Force, though to solve them all is likely impossible. ,

21- 30

r

1 Destiny and Fate: Th e character wants to know if destiny tru ly exists. Do all bein gs have a fate set down for t hem at the moment of the if creation? Can one thwart their fate. or is it an exercise in futility? And if one fulfills their destiny, what

then? Above all, the character wants to know what their own destiny

IS,

and must deCide whether to fulflll or avoid it

31 - 40

Happiness: What is happiness? What docs it mean to be satisfied and happy with one's life, and is it fair to obtain happiness while it is denied to others? The character strives to undcrstand the true nature of happiness, and hopes that by unlocking this mystery, they may find happiness ror themselves as well.

41-50

Balance: Does the universe require balance? For every good thing in the galaxy. must there be a bad thing as well? Can the light ever win ou t over the darkness, or must they always be locked in eternal struggle? The character strives to discover these mysteri es. and may see the mself as dU ly-bound to bring balance to the ga laxy. for good or for ill.

51-60

Suffering: Why is there suffering in the galaxy? If the Force exists. created by life. why does it al low beings on countless worlds to spend lives in agony and pain? In fact. how could any benevolent higher power allow suffering to exist? By understanding the nature of suffering. the character hopes to unlock its role in existence. and gain some insight into why some people must bear burdens of pain and unhappiness

61 - 70

The Jedi: The Jedi existed for thousands of years before being wiped out by the Sith and Darth Sidious, In that time, they grew and changed in many ways, until their origins were a mystery even to themselves, The cha racter hopes that by uncovering the mysteries of the Jedi, they might finally understand the role this order played in the galaxy.

71-80

Ot her force Traditions: The Jedi are not the on ly prac tit ioners to t ry an d understand, and even use, the Force. There have been many Force~us i n g t raditions Lhroughout the ga laxy, some of which still ex ist today, The character wishes to understand these other trad itions, Perhaps they know some fundamental truth or the Force that the Jedi, or t he Sith. never truly understood,

81-90

The Dark Side of the Force: What is the nature of evil? The character seeks to truly understand the Force's dark side and. in doing so, hopes to gain some insight into what it means to be evil. The character may plot to use this knowledge to further their own sinister aims. or hope to use this knowledge to combat the darkness, However. there is always the risk that by trying to understand evil, It may corrupt the character in some way,

91- 100

,

I

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Life: Is life simply a biologica l and chemical creation? Or is it something more? Force users have an understandi ng lhal the Force is linked to life. and li fe to the Force. Howeve r, what it means to be a living being is sti ll la rgely not understood, They also grapp le with t he queslion, is life someth ing sacred that must be protected? Or does life have no meanin g without death, and thu s death is something to be welcomed just as assuredly as one welcomes life?

( LUMINOUS BEINGS

......ITU>POWER

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SIGNATURE ABILITIES

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n addition to the specializations available within a given career, a character also has access to that caree(s signature abilities. These abllities are special, elite talents for only

experienced characters of the specified career. They are feats only possible through skill and ability gained over a long and

successful career.

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SIGNATURE ABILITY BREAKDOWN

The Mystic ca ree r has access to two signature abi lities: Prophecy and Unma tc hed Destiny.

A signature ability is composed o f three elements: the nodes linking it to a ta lent tree, the abi li ty's basic form, and a series of upgrades that augmen t the abil ity.

SIGNATURE ABILITY: PROPHECY

NODES Each signature ability has four nodes lined up across its top. These four nodes match up with the four talents on the bottom row of a talent tree. Each node can either be active, showing a bracket facing upward, or inactive, remain ing blank, To be able to attach a signature ability to a tree, the character must own all of the ta lents along the bottom row of the destination ta lent tree that match up with the active nodes on the signature abi lity.

ABILITY BASIC FORM To acquire a signature ab ility, a character must flrst purchase the basic form of the abil ity. Thi s takes up the en ti re first row of the signa ture ability tree and is purchased with expe rience points. The experience cost of each upgrade is listed in its box.

UPGRADES

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To attach a signature abil ity to a talen t tree, the character must own all of the talents along the botto m row of the destinat ion ta lent tree that match up with the active nodes on the signature ability. Then, once a signature abili ty ha s been attach ed to a ta lent tree, the character may purcha se the ability 's basic form and its upgrades using experience. just as if they we re talents

After purchasing the basic form of a signature ability, a character can further customize the ab ility by purchasing upgrades. Upgrades, much like talents, are purchased with experience poin ts, and each upgrade may only be purchased if it connects to the basic form of the abi lity or a previously purch ased upgrad e. The experience cost of each upgrade is li sted in its box.

ACQUIRING SIGNATURE ABILITIES Before pu rchasing a signature abi lity or any of its upgrades, a cha racter must "attach" l hat abil ity to the bo ttom of one of thei r current in -career talent trees. Once a signature ability has been attached to a tree, no other signature abilities may be attached to that tree, and the attached ability cannot be removed or switched to a differen t tree. A character can only acquire a signature abil ity from thei r career and can on ly attach that ability to in-career talent trees.

LUMINOUS BEI NGS

UNUMITED POWER

The future is always in motion, and trying to predict it through the Force is a tricky and even dangerous endeavor Even if one can sift through the shi fting strands of fate and pick out the futu re most like ly to occur, trying to bring about or stop that future may cause one to take actions that end up having the opposite effect. Nevert heless, many Force users delve into the dangerous art of prophecy, because if they succeed, the rewards can be great beyond measure.

BASE ABILITY Once per game session, the charac ter may spend 1 Des tiny Po int and make a Hard 1+ + + ) Vigil ance ch eck to utter a prophecy. If they succeed on th e chec k, they correct ly foretell a single eve nt that focuses arou nd themselves They must describe th e~even t in a brief summary. The GM can rule if the description is too involved; for exam ple "I see mysel f sitting down at a table, and receiving a great fortune " is an acceptable prophecy, wh ile · 1 see myself Sitting down at the sabacc table in the Misty Rancor Cantina and win ning 1_2 million cred its· is not. At any time before the end of the current game session, they may spend 1 addit ional Destiny Point. at which point the foretold event tra nspires. The CM should in terpret the prophecy to fit the scene, and possibly reveal an interpretation of the prophecy that the character did not expect. The CM can . however, decide that the prophecy cannot come to pass at that ti me (generally becau se it does not fit the CM's planned narrativel_ In this case, the foreto ld event does not transpire, but the GM must flip all dark side Destin y Po ints to ligh t side Destin y Points. After all. the fu tu re is always in motio n

UPGRADES Proph ec y has several upgrades that can improve its effects and make it easier to use. Any upgrades that appear in Prophecy's tree mu ltiple times have their effects stack. Destiny Upgrade: To activate Prophecy. the character does no t have to spend a Destiny Point. They stHI must spend I Destiny Point to trigger the occurrence of the pro phesied event.

Mystic Signature Ability Tree: Prophecy

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PROPHECY BASE ABILITY Once per game sesSlor]. me character may spend I Destiny Point and make a Hard (• • + 1 Vigilance check to utter a prophecy. If they succeed, they foretell a single event, the rocus of which is centered around the mselL At any ti me before the end of the game session. they may spend 1 Destiny Point, at which point the fore:old event transpires. The GM should interpret the prophecy to fit the scene. possibly revealing truths the character did not foresee in the process

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REDU[E SETBA[K

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RE[URREN[E

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FLOWOFTHE UNIVERSE

One add iLional time before the end of the game session. the character may spend 1 Destiny Point to have th e

prophecy's foretold event recur, likely in a different form.

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SHARED REVELATION

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REOU[E SETBA[K

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DESTINY Prophecy cosl S 1 fewe r Destiny Points Lo activale It still requires a Destiny Point to trigger the occurrence of the prophesied event.

Doom Upgrade: Add . to any checks a character makes to prevent the foretold event from occurring.

Reduce Difficulty Upgrade: Reduce the difficulty of the skill check to activate Prophecy to Average

Flow of the Universe Upgrade: The character adds 0 to checks they make to attempt to bring the foretol d event to fru ition

Reduce Setback Upgrade: The character removes . the check to activa te Prophecy.

Recurrence Upgrade: One additional time before the end of the game session. the character may spend 1 Destiny Point to have the prophecy's foretold event recur, likely in a different form.

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Shared Revelation Upgrade: The prophecy may pe rtain to any on e oth er character who hears it, instead of the character making the prophecy.

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~ Mystic Signature Ability Tree: Unmatched Destiny

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UNMAT[HED DESTINY BASE ABILITY Once per game session. after making a Force power check. the character may spend 2 Destiny Points to rerali up to 2 Force dice. Conflict generated as part of this Force power check is doubled

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IN[REASE NUMBER

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Reroll up to 1 additional Force die per Increase Number upgrade.

DESTINY

IN[REASE NUMBER

ber upgrade.

SIGNATURE ABILITY: UNMATCHED DESTINY The most powerful Mystics have an unmatched mastery of the Force. Their connection is so deep and so instinctive that they can call upon it at will. However, this powerful connection has a cost. and these Mystics risk open ing th emselves

to the dark sid e of the Force.

BASE ABILITY Once per game session, after making a Force power check,

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the character may spend 2 Destiny Points to rerall up to 2 Force dice. If the characte r gains ConFlict as a resu lt of the check. the Conflict they gain is doubled.

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UPGRADES Unmatched Destiny has several upgrades that can improve its effects and make it easier to use. Any upgrades that appear in Unmatched Destiny's tree multiple times have their effects stack.

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Destiny Upgrade: Unmatched Destiny req uires one fewer Destiny Po ints to activate. Frequency Upgrade: Unmatched Destiny can be used one add itional time per session .

SHARED DESTINY Unmatched Destiny can be used after another character at short range makes a Force power check

vate.

Reroll up to 1 additional Force die per Increase Num-

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IN[REASE NUMBER

Unmatched Destiny costs I fewer Destiny Points to acti-

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UNLEASHED PDWER

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FREQUENCY

For each 0 0 reSU lt, add aulomatic 0 to the check. For each • • resu lt. add automatic . to the check.

In crease Number Upgrade: Reroll up to one additional Force die per Increase Number upgrade. Shared Destiny Upgrade: Unma tched Destiny can be used after another character at short range makes a Force power check to allow them to rerall a number of their Force dice up to the number that the cha ra cte r would be allowed to reroll. Unleashed Power: For each 0 0 genera ted on t he Force powe r check. add one automatic 0 to the results, For each • • generated on the Force power check. add one automatic . to the results.

FORCE POWER: CONJURE

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orn e of the more esoteric uses of the Force can seem like magic to the ignorant and uninformed. While most Force users can move objects with the ir min d and sense what's going on aro und t hem with otherworldly perception. some Force -sensi tives can do far stranger and more won drous things. These individuals often learn the ways of the Force as a part of one of the many minor Force traditions

scattered around the galaxy, Organizations such as the nowdestroyed Nightsiste rs of Dathomir or the secre tive Dagoya n Order teach ways to use the Force that would seem strange to most of t he ancient Jedi. or those who now struggle to inherit the ir mantle. Th e Nightsiste rs \-vere known to be ab le to use the Force to summon a glowing green ichor known as the ·Water of Life." With this, they could form tools, weapons, and even facsimil es of living creatures. While this power could not create co mp licated tec hnological implements such as a blaster or a speeder bike, the most powerful Nightsisters were said to have been abl e to conjure blades th at co uld with stand

a Jedi's lightsaber, and even imbue the bodies of the dead with a ghastly parody of life.

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BASIC POWER The basic power for Conjure allows the user to create an approx imation of a close-comba t weapon or other small objecl using the Force. which lasts fo r a short ti me befo re ceasi ng to exi st. The power has one basic effect. •

The Force user may spend () to create a facsimile of a Brawl or Melee weapon with the following profile: (Brawl or Melee; Damage + 3; Critical 3: Range jEngaged]: Corto sis). Th is item appea rs anywh ere within short range of the user. The item fu nctions as normal. but at the end of the user's next turn. the item diSSipates. If the item is moved beyond short range From the Force user, it also immediately dissi pa tes. At the GM's discretion, th e user can also conjure a simple tool or other useful low-tech item that has an encumbrance of no greater than one t his way. The user may not activate this mu ltiple times.

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• Force Power Tree: Conjure

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FOR[E ABILITY

Prerequisites: force Rating 1 +

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[ONJURE BASI[ POWER The Force user calls forth a spectral object to their hand. which lasts for a short time.

The user may spend () to create a facsimile of a Brawl or Melee weapon anywhere within engaged range. At the end of the use(s next turn, this item dissipates. At the CM's discretion. the user can instead conjure a simple tool and other useful low-tech item with an encumbrance no greater than 1

.OURATION

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Commit 0 to sustain 1 conjuration per Duration upgrade purchased while it remains at medium range.

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NUMBER Spend ()C) to

• m~ale

addi-

Spend() to incre_

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EXPANDED FORCE POWERS

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layer Characters in

FORCE AND DESTINY

possess a great

adva ntage in their co nn ectio n to the Force. Within the game, this is most evident in t he use of Force powers. However, the Force is myst erious, subtle, and capable of nea r-endless possibilities. The Force should always be an important,

even centra l, part of the narrative in any FORCE AND

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DESTINY

campa ign. It not only enables the pes to accompli sh the ir goa ls, but often drives their objectives and adventures For Crvls and players who wan t to fu rther exp lore the ro le o f the Fo rc e in thei r game, this section provides adv ice

for inco rporating the Force into the narra tive. In addition, optiona l rules suggest some ways GMs can mecha nically reflect the influ ence of the Force, giving it a bigger part in chec ks and other r ules outside of defined Force powe rs

THE ROLE OF THE FORCE /

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The Force is a central part of Star Wars , eve n if its influence is no t always appare nt t o the characte rs . In FORCE AND DESTINY, however, th e Fo rc e not only plays a co nstan t and im po rtant part in the story, bu t the pes active ly, if not always con sc iously, uti lize it to ac hieve the ir goa ls. Whet her t he charact ers willfully use t he Force or su bco nsciously cha nnel it , the results ca n reach fa r beyond the immediate chal lenge, and are no t always pos itive , Force sensitive s exhibi t many abi lities and benefit from t heir co nnecti on even wit hou t t he t rain ing to util ize it to its fu ll exte nt. Even when the Force manifests in subtle ways, these ind ividua ls risk d rawi ng upon t he dark side and sl ipping into a spiral of corruption

THE FORCE AS A NARRATIVE AID /

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In many FORCE AND DESTINY ca mpai gns, the Fo rce and th e pes' understanding of it (o r lack t hereon is a d riving pa rt of the story_ Whether this is the case or no t, t he Fo rce can - a nd o ften shou ld- infl ue nce the narrat ive In more subt le ways as wel l. Every roll the playe rs make both originates fro m and d rives the game's narrat ive, If the re are no d rama tic consequences of the activ it y, then it probably does not ca ll for a check in t he first place. If an act ivity is importa nt enough to wa rra nt a check- whether to advance the action or reveal more of a character's personal story- it is important enough for the Force to playa part , at least as long as it makes sense wit hin t he narrative. One direct and natu ral way to use the Force to en han ce the na rrative is to inco rporat e its prese nce into checks and othe r eve nts outside of Force powers. This sim ply means describ ing a characte r's acti o n as drawi ng on t he Force_ Fo r examp le, GMs usua lly describe Pe rception checks as using one of the five standard senses most sapient beings possess to detect a t hreat or somet hing of interest in th e sce ne A Force-sensitive character, howeve r, might very well notice

GUID ED BYTHE FO RCE UNUMITED POWER

t he same thi ng through the sixth sense t he Force offe rs. The eM ca n ca ll fo r a Perception check as norma l, sim ply narrating that t he character expe riences a sudden rea lization of danger or subtle tre mo r in the Fo rce, rather than heari ng Hie enemies unho lste ri ng the ir blast ers just out of sigh t Som e players migh t incorporat e t he Force into the ir descriptio ns of "m undane" actions t hey t ake in th is way wit hout any pro mpting. Fo r ins tance, a playe r who suspects enem ies lu rking in amb ush might describe thei r cha racte r clos ing their eyes and reac hing out wi th the Force. A GM should genera lly encourage this and inco rp orate It into their ow n deSC ript io ns for t hat sce ne_

A great way to incorporate t his so rt of na rrative interaction of t he Force into a game is by tailo rin g such "soft" Fo rce actio ns to the characte r, The previous example of a Perception check is particularly appropriate fo r a Mysti c charact er, someone who customari ly sees the ga laxy in terms of the Force. A eM can encourage players to draw on the un iq ue affi nitie s of t he ir characte rs in describ ing t heir actions, and can weave pe rsona l tra it s into t he ir own narration . Of cou rse, the "h ov"" of an action ofte n becomes clear on ly once th e d ice are roll ed and the results interpreted . In this way, the eM and players can use the influence of t he Force on a check to he lp exp la in pa rticu larly good - or unusua lre su lts_A great Vigilance check in the face of an ambu sh , a I,ve ll -placed b laster shot, a fa ll of a long di stance wi th on ly negligible Injuri es, and almost any other remarkab le resu lt of a sk il l chec k co uld refl ect th e characters us ing the Force, whether they rea lize it or not. These so rt s of narrative uses of the Force do not nece ssa rily gra nt any mechanica l rules advantage. However, du e to t he narrative nature of Star Wars Ro leplaying, it can influence checks and other aspec ts of the game even within the norma l app li cation of the ru les, just as with other narrat ive detai ls.

THE FORCE AND CHECKS The na rrat ive d rives eac h game of FORCE AND DESTINY . ju st as the resu lts o f checks propel that story in new d irectio ns. Wit h any ski ll check, t he narrative circumstances ca n mod ify the check by add ing D or • . The flow of th e Force is no exception, and when weaving the Forc e into the narra tive outside of forma l Force powers, as al ready described, the GM should co nsider mod ifying checks accordi ngly. As described previously, GM s may encourage playe rs to describe t heir characte rs dra wing o n t he Force fo r seemi ngly mundan e checks_ To recogn ize and re ward particularly good and creative ideas for how the Force migh t aid a characte r in an action, t he eM can ad d 0 or mo re to the d ice pool, just as with any other circumst ance the players use to t hei r adva ntage, O f course, unlike environment al features and the like, t he Forc e is always there as a pot en tial aid _To prevent players from Si mply gai ning 0 t o every ro ll t hey make by claimi ng the ir charact ers are us ing the Force, a GM can do a few thi ngs.

First, t he GM shou ld restri ct such bonus 0 to situations where it feels appropriate and in wh ich the player comes up with a good and creative exp lanati on for how the cha racter draws on the Force. If a playe r simply claim s, "I use the Force to jump higher: t he GM might not allow an extra D, but simply suggest t ha t t he player shou ld use the Enhance power, or spend XP to acqu ire it if they have not already! However, If t he player describes how the character reflects on a men tor's adv ice in order to fi nd the inner strength to make what wou ld otherwise be an intimidating leap ove r a chasm, the GM cou ld add D. Th is stil l is not as potent as even the basic Enhance power. but it is a good example of roleplaying and weaving the story into the roll - exactly the sort of th ing that cou ld add pos it ive dice to any check

Anot her way to ensure the Force benefits ordina ry sk ill checks on ly in a way that refl ects and reinfo rces t he narra t ive is to app ly the same risk that comes with any use of the Force - namely, t he temp tation of t he dark side. Primarily, a GM can represe nt t his by spen ding @ and"@ the check gen erates to give the PC one or more Con fli ct. Like t he addi t ion of D in the first place. this shou ld only be done if it makes sense narratively. Going back to the example of the Force se nsit ive leap in g t he chasm, if t he chec k generates seve ral @ , the GM and player might decide t ha t th e PC gives in to thei r anger toward the NPC they are chas ing, giving an edge but also bringi ng the PC closer to the dark side Of course, there are other narrative risks associa ted with using the Fo rce, whic h apply both to Force powers and when cha racters use the Force in more subt le ways. Other Force -sensitive characters might sense the activity or even the identity of t he PC, if the two have previously encountered one another. Other NPCs- those who are not Fo rcesensitive- migh t even no tice so mething out of the ordina ry about the PC's action, and in t urn might re port it to Imperial authori ties, try to blac kmai l the Pc. or otherwise make trouble for the pes. Both of these sit uations, as well as other appropriate reperc ussio ns, cou ld co me about as a result of @ or ~ on checks in which a PC uses the Force to gain a benefjt. or from t he use of Force powe rs t ha t req uire com bined checks Although rarer, the re are also circumstances in which t he Fbrce might add. to checks t he PCs make. This might represent an indfrect co nseque nce, such as. to socia l checks when interacting with NPCs who distrust Force users or are wary of being associa ted wit h them. In other cases, a PC's attunement to the Force may in Itself be a disadvantage. For example, when confronted wi t h a powerfu l Sith or Imperial InquiSito r requ iri ng a fear chec~k, a PC who can se nse t he enemy's power migh t add . , while a PC smuggle r wit hout Force"'sensitivi ty does not

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AND DESTINY Destiny Points are a powerful tool for players to influence the story. as well as an additional tool at the CM's disposal. To some eXlent, Destiny Points always represent the im pact of the Force on proceedings_ However, this is doubly true in F O RCE AND DESTINY, as compared to other Star Wars Roleplaying games. Unlike o ther pes, Force-sensitive characters are likely to realize when the Force influences events around them, while consciously drawing on and ma nipulating it to arrect l he res ul ts. Desti ny Po ints are an effective wa y to represe nt t his. Much as with . and D. both the GM and players ca n na rratively describe how th e Force influences events in such a way as Lo upgrade a check or its difficu lty. A p layer migh t spend a Destiny Point to upgrade a chec k, flipping the token as they describe their charac ter closing thei r eyes and focusing on the Force between lining up a blaster shol. Or the GM might describe the pes detecting a subtle disturbance in the Force as they spend a Destiny Point to upgrade the difficulty of a check. Destiny Points, of course, also represent the influence of destiny over the events of the game. Appropriately, these are two sides of the same coin - the cu rrents of the Force nudge events toward a predestined outcome, and in many ways the Force and the desti ny of both the PCs and the galaxy are one and the same. When the PCs spend a Destiny Point to add an importan t item or other feature to the scene, il cou ld represent the culmina tion of a chai n of events set in motion years or decades before. Once in a wh ile. th e pes might eve n see a link in th is cha in, such as noticin g tha t a muc h-needed power ce ll tha t shows up at a crucia l time bears t he mark of a trader they assisted in a previous adventure. Such details are not necessary, but can be used on occasion to add depth and remind the players t hat the Cosmic Force and its influence extend throughout the ga laxy,

CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT

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When deciding how to spend XP to advance their characters, players should consider not only how they want their character to advance, but what the charac ter has been through . In both cases, it is important to also consider the impact of the Force on the character's development, and not on ly when it comes to Fo rce talen ts and Force powers. With some thought, players and GMs ca n wo rk together to ensure tha t characte r adva ncement reflect s the influence of th e Force on the PCs' lives. just as do checks and other in-pl ay eve nts One way the Force can affect charac ter adva nc emen t is fo r the p layers to look to narrative Force uses (as described on page 86) as a cue. In some cases, a character's narrative use of the Force, whet her or no t it adds D or • to a check or otherwise has a mechanical impact, might resemble an existing Force power, albeit less potent. For instance, if the GM or player narratively described the character as using the Force to detect danger with an ordinary Vigi lance check, the player might decide to spend XP to acqu ire the Sense power, possi bly at the CM's suggestion

Lea rning more of the Force and how to use it is often a major motiva tion for FORCE AND D ESTINY characters. Obta ining holocron s, locating potential teachers, and uncovering ancient lore are all lil(ely goals that provide a perfect narrative reason for pes to spend XP on Force powers and tal ents_ Tying together narrative and mechanical rewards like this can reinforce the ro[e the Force plays in the pes' ongoing develop men t. A GM might want to suggest appro priate Fo rce powers and ta lents that reflect what the characters learn in-game, or just work wi th the players to craft a suitab le na rrative

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INDIVIDUALIZING FORCE POWERS The Force and how a charac ter manifests t heir particu lar affin ity for it ca n influence not only what ab ilities the cha racter acquires, but how those apply. The same power might appear very different when used by different characters. Force powers aren't quite as standardized as they might seem from the rules. There have been many Force traditions throughout history, each learning how to harness the Force in different ways and to varying ends. Different schools of Force use might teach very differently but arrive at sim ilar results, at least in terms of game mechanics. Even within a particular Force tradition , such as that of the Jedi, users put their own spin on similar techniques. In fact, some Force users are identifiable by their unique abilities. When it comes to differentiating different schools of Force use or the idiosyncrasies of individual users, the description proVided by th e GM or player is usually enough to distinguish powers. Variations might be subtle or sign ifi can t. Whi le one player migh t describe the Unleash powe r as bo lts of crac kling energy, another character might mani fest the ab ility in t he form of telekinesis that drops or hurls objects at the target In rare cases, a "reskin· of an existing power, even with the upgrades available, might not adequately represent the sort of ability a player wants for their character. In this Situation. a GM might decide to apply the new ru les for flexible Force powers or free form Force use presented on this page and page 90.

NEW RULES The existing rules for skill checks and the Force are more than adequa te to cover very nearly any situat ion that might arise in game. Still , whether to better represent uniq ue Force powers t he pes develop or to encou rage players to thin k (eve n more) creat ive ly wh en it comes to using t he Force. a CM can choose to imp lement so me or al l of the new ru les presented in this section

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FLEXIBLE FORCE POWERS Force powers open up a variety of options for pes, from the abi lity to circumvent impeding terrain to new combat options. However, players are likely to come up with uses for their characters' powers that seem to stretch the limits of a power, either because they seem too potent or because how

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I GUlDED BY THE FORCE

UNUMITED POWER.

TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS

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oree-sensitive characters have a variety of additional abilities at their disposal. Not only are these

a great advantage, but they can sometimes allow these pes to all but circumvent traditional challenges and obstacles. In some cases, Force powers simply remove the need for specialized equipment. Other times, creative pes might surprise a eM with a quick or "easy~ solution to an intended challenge. Thi s may

be especia lly true for a game utilizing the additional rules presented here.

This can at first seem frustrating for a GM, but it doesn't have to be so. From a player's perspective, ove rcoming obstacles in interesting and exciting ways can be one of the most enjoyable aspects of an RPG. Rather than lament how "easy" it was for PCs to resolve the challenge, a eM can be satisfied both in success in one of their primary goals-making an enjoyable game for everyone-and with the entertain ment, excit ement, or humor of the scene. It is always good to keep in mi nd that a creative solution to a

to resolve the effect is no t entirely clear. Rather than restricting the players' options to what is clearly defined in a Fo rce power's description. it is ofte n better to view it as a sta rting poi nt. Allowing mo re flex ibili t y with Force powers ca n give playe rs a fee ling of em powerment, reward clever thin king, kee p th e ga me mov in g. and ju st add exci tem ent.

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In many cases. th is d oes not necessi t ate new ru les o r d eviations from the ru les at all. FORCE AND DESTINY is a flexibl e, narratively-driven ga me. and it is importa nt for everyone at the table to remember tha t the sam e fle xib ili ty ap plies to Force powers as all other activities characters might attempt. While a Force power's description states certain effects. these need not be seen as limits- although the eM should aVOid allowing players to duplicate the effects of power upgrades without purchasing them. During combat encounters, most actions the pes take require checks. 'ncluding Force powers. The tables on page 212 o f the FORce AN D DeSTINY Core Rulebook presen t common and suggested uses for spending positive and negative dice symbols in com bat. These o ption s app ly to attacks usi ng Force powers and tale nt s as much as those made with blasters, whether or not the act io n involves a light saber. Fo r insta nce, while the M ove power ex pl icit ly states a cha racter ca n use it to pul l a weap on fro m an oppon ent's grasp . a player cou ld also spen d t:} t:} t:} or as part of the Unleash power-as with any attac k- to ca use the target to drop a weapon. Whether this represe nts the ta rget drop ping it because of the pain or the PC pu ll ing it from their grasp with the Force is a matter fo r the players and eM to decide. When it comes to Force powers outside of combat, the GM and olayers shou ld likewise work together to devise eXCIting outcomes based on the result of a ch eck.

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challenge does not really mean it was easy, but that the players overcame it with clever th in king inst ead of reliance on obvious methods or purely on dice rolls. In a game featuring EDGe OF THE EMPIRE or AGe OF REBElLION characters. it might also be a concern that a player who finds creative uses for Force powers might t ake more than their share of time in the spotlight, solving problems that would normally requ ire the skills and talents of other careers. Of course, there are limits to what a PC can do with t he Force, even when using the optional r ules in this section. It's unlikely that a Force sensitive can o utperform other characters in their areas of expertise on a regular basis. A eM can employ the same strategies here they use any time there is a risk of one player having a prominent part at the expense of others' enjoyment. The rules for assista nce offer a good comprom ise when two PCs have promisi ng and compati ble solu tions t o a challenge.

Of cou rse. the player and GM can also spend dice symbo ls when a player at t empts an unusual use of a power that the eM d eterm ines req uires a check. Force powers are intent iona lly b road. but so meti m es a p laye r mi gh t at temp t to use a Force power in a wa y that is clea rly outside the limitatio ns of the power. In such a sit uati on. ra the r tha n si mpl y dis allowi ng th e use. a GM m ight co nsi der all ow ing it so long as il does nOl replicate the e Ffects of a diffe ren t Fo rc~ power. This is pa rticularly appropria t e for Knight-level characters. who are capable of a d izzying array of ap plications of the Force. and likely to develop their own unique tech niques. Even with lessexperienced characters, t he potential to add exciLemenL and enjoyment to the game should usua lly outweigh minor concerns abou t game ba lance. If a player's unusual application of a Force power is particu la rly potent or importa nt to the story, it should requi re a com bined check. This is especially true if the power targets an NPC (see Resisting Force Power Checks on page 283 of the FORCE AND DESTINY Core Rulebook). For insta nce. a GM might al low a PC to use the M ove power to hurl M inion N PCs thro ugh the air or push them ove r a ledge. No rma lly, M ove can on ly target objects, but the GM might dec ide t hat t he M in ions are eas ily di spa tched, and allow t he p layer to atte mpt it anyway, basing t he d iffi culty of the chec k on the weight of the NPCs, or reso lved as an opposed check aga inst their Resil ien ce.

A check is also ap propriate if a PC uses a Force power unde r particu larly diffi cult circumstances. such as using Enhance to lea p onto a landspeeder as it zooms past In general. jf a check would be need ed for a similar ~mundane· action. a combined Fo rce power check is appropr iate.

GUIDED BY THE FORCE UILIMITED POWER

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If a combined check is already required as part of a Force power. the GM might want to increase the difficulty of the check or add . for a particularly unusual application. In some cases, it might be preferable to simply allow a player to spend t:J and ct> for effects outside the usual appl ication of the power. For instance, if a PC is using Enhance to leap between two buildings to escape pursuit and the GM decides the importan ce of the situation calls for a check, the player might spend (j to instead land on a passing speeder and make a clean getaway

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FREEFORM FORCE USE As broad as Force powe rs are, some players migh t want additional options, or consistently attempt actions emu lating Force powers they have not yet purchased. For reasons such as these, GMs might consider allowing more freeform use of the Force_This is emirely optional and solely at the CM's discreLion, as it has the potential to alter the game significantly. It is particularly appropriate for Mystic characters. for whom the Force affects every aspect of life in ways that even other Force sensitives do not see. When a PC altempts to use the Force for an action that is not covered by any Force power they possess, the GM can allow them to make a combined Force power check. The difficulty of the check is at the eM's discretion based on the task attempted, but should generally be at least Average Likewise. the GM decides how many () the check mus t generate to ach ieve t he player's sta ted effec t. The skill used for the check should co rrespond to the action, particularly whe n it represe nts a more poten t (or stylish) version of an action a cha rac ter might attemp t withou t use of the Force. For insta nce, a character draw ing on the Force to staunch an ally's bleeding wound would make a combined Medicine check. If no other skill seems particularly appropri ate, Discipline works well for most · pure" Force uses.

RISKS OF FREEFORM FORCE USE Another option if a eM feels players are abusing their access to freeform Force use is to apply additional risks and penalties in the form of Conflict. Force powers represent tried and true methods of harneSSing the Force, honed ove r generations of Jed i, 5ith. or practitioners of other Force disciplines. Experimenting with the Force outside of these established methods often poses a greater danger for the user to give in to negative emotions, from frustratio n at their inability to achieve the desired effect to hubris when they do succeed . Add itio nall y, bending the Force to new and un t ried uses dUring battle or ot her te nse and dangerous situations, as opposed to carefu l experimen ta tion un der co ntrolled condit ions, is physically and mentall y tax ing.

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FREEFORM USE AND EXISTING POWERS Th is sort of freeform Force use should not take the place of existing Force powers. If a player describes an action that replicates the effect of a Force power, the eM COuld ei ther let the player know their character does not possess the expertise yet (and suggest the player invest the proper XP to show their character's pursuit of this ability!. or possibly allow them to achieve similar but lesser results, and only with a combined check of at lea st Hard diFncu lty. As a guideli ne, it shou ld also requ ire double t he number of () as the existing power. Thi s reflec ts the difficulty of such untrai ned use, and enco urages players to invest XP in powers they plan to use again. Regard less of the relative difficu lty of the check or the () generated, it should not mimic the results of any Force power upgrades. Such control is simply beyond the grasp of a cha racter without extensive practice in the technique.

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This latter method allows players to effectively "try our different Force powers before deciding if they want to commit the XP necessa ry to purchase them . Narralively, it might represent a Force sensitive experimenting with their abilities, or the train ing process to master the basics of a power {with additional expertise coming in the form of upgrades pu rchasedJater).

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A GM ca n spend @ and tSf on comb ined checks to infli ct strain or Conflict on a character, as narrative ly appropri ate. eMs who invoke this op tion often migh t eve n conside r red ucing the diffi cu lty for ski ll chec ks mad e as part of free fo rm Forc e use, both to kee p the app roac h feasi ble for the pes and to tempt t hem with the prom ise of easy powe r_

FORCE DUELS Star Wars is rep lete with instances of Jedi . Si th, and others engaged in Fo rce du els, locked in a co ntest pitting each in dividual's sheer powe r an d mastery of the Force against the ot her's To bette r re prese nt these dra ma tic comba ts, e Ms ca n use the rules prese nted here, in wh ich opposi ng characters enter into a co ntest tha t takes mult ipl e ro unds to resolve Force duels are often visually inte nse affa irs, wit h clas hmg energies and flyin g objects

Parl of wh at makes Forc e duels so exci ting is l heir rela tive mfrequency compared to "n ormal" co mba t. even lightsaber duels_To prese rve t his drama and exc itemen t, it is best to use these ru les only fo r cli mac ti c encounters betwee n PCs and Nemesis NPCs (or poss ibl y between PCs- see Player Characters in Opposition on page 94).

BEGINNING THE DUEL

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A Force duel is more than an ordinary attac k, al though it migh t begin as one. When a characte r uses a Force power aga inst another Force user, and befo re reso lvin g t he check, t he player of the target cha ract er, or the GM in t he case of an NPC. ca n declare they are de fend ing agai nst the power by ini t iating a Force duel. The defend ing characte r chooses to resist either with the sa me Force powe r as the attacker or with a different app ro priate powe r; thi s might be a t hema t ica lly co ntrary powe r, or sim ply one app ro priate to t he situ ation_The GM ha s t he fin al say on wh eth er a powe r can

be used in the duel. A Force duel is resolved as a compet itive check (see page 33 of the FORCE AND DESTINY Core Ru leboo kJ t hat is also a combined Force pQl."Ier check, except where noted . The difficu lty of the check is Average unl ess the e M decides otherwise. The skill fo r t he ch eck depen ds on t he Fo rce pow er use d; if t he duelists use diffe rent powers, t his might mean th ey use di fferen t skill s_If a power does no t norm ally requ ire a ch eck. the GM and playe r decide on an app ropriate sk ill_ If no oth er skill seems appropriate, use Disc ipline

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Bo th duel ists roll and determi ne a winner as wi th any competitive check _ However, t he Force powers do no t have their usual effects, eve n on a successful check. Instead , eac h cha rac ler inrlicts 1 strain per on t he ot he r. If both duelists are stil i be low the ir strain t hresho lds after reso lving the comp etitive check , the duel con t inues next rou nd.

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A participan t In the du el who does not generate at least one () inflicts no stra in on th e oppo nent , regardless of how ma ny t he chec k generates

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CDNTINU I NG THE DUEL In su bseq uent rou nds, t he characte rs engaged in the Fo rce duel act simul taneou sly at the lowest in itia tive step avai lab le to t he cha racter INh o in itiated the duel. leaving an ext ra initiat ive slot for th e alli es of the charac ter who did not init iate it. [The Force duel requi res t he fu ll atte ntion and concentra tion o f bo th com batan ts, leaving them slower to respo nd to ongoi ng events_) The duelists make anothe r competiti ve chec k using the sa me Force powers th ey sele cted in the flrst rou nd of the du el. A cha racter may use a di fferent Force power instead, but ad ds . to t he check , as eve n t he brief moment taken to change app roac h could leave an open ing for t he enem y Th e winner of the previous round's check upgrades t heir skill check for the current round . Th is re prese nts t he character pre ssing t heir advan tage and forCing t hei r oppo nent on the defensive. At any po int in the round , a du elist ca n opt to take an avai labl e in it iat ive slot. ending their part icipation in t he duel However, a Force duel is an intense affair, and a characte r wh o takes a different action in thiS way leaves t hem se lves ope n to t he oppo nen t If t he oppos in g du eli st chooses, t hey can make a check fo llow in g th e rules for a duel, rega rdless of the init ia tive step t hey now choose to act on _The character makes t he chec k as above, bu t be cause t he oppo nent has ceased to pa rticipate in the duel, it is not reso lved as a co mpetitive check . In add itio n, t he diffi culty of t he chec k is reduced one ste p fro m previ ous rounds. As long as one of t he characters cont inu es t heir pa rti cipat ion in the duel. it is co nsidered to be ongoing. Th is means th at: t he othe r character can choose to rejoi n the duel in t he next ro und , and it proceeds as descri bed_ In this way, characters ca n in terru pt the duel 'N~h ligh tsaber swi ngs, blaster shots, and ot her attacks, while the duel itself co ntin ues Pa rtic ipan ts in a Force duel ca n use maneuve rs to move abo ut without ending the duel, so long as both part icipants remai n wit hin range for th eir chosen Force powers.

ENDING THE DUEL A Force duel ends whe n a participan t's strain exceeds their stra in threshold (even if the lOSing character ended their pa rticipation in the duel already du ring the sa me round). Whe n reso lving the check that end s the duel, in add ition to app lying strain to both participa nts, the win ner of the du el now app lies the effects of their Force pO'Ner. Note that this is not an op posed check, and so the resul ts of the losing character's ro ll do not reduce t he effect iveness of the victor's Force power. It is possible both duelists migh t exceed t hei r strain t hres holds at the same time (wi th the results of t he same simultane ous com petitive check). In t hi s case, resolve t he effects of both partic ipants' powers aga inst the oth er before ap plying the resu lts of excess ive strai n.

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If both cha racters end their participa t ion in t he duel by ta king a different actio n or selecting a diffe rent target , the duel ends wit hout any add it iona l effe cts. Likewi se, if a character moves out of range of t hei r- or the other duel ist'sForce power and the oppone nt does not move within range on the next rou nd, the duel en ds.

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DARK SIDE PLAYER CHARACTERS

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includ es bot h ru les and eM guidance for Player Characte rs falling to the dark side of th e Fo rce. Thi s section expa nds on the mate ri al presen t ed in the Co re Ru lebook. and is aimed at GMs who an ti cipate the pOSS lbliit y of a PC fa ll ing to the dark sid e. On e questio n a GM sho uld co nsider up fron t is whether or not dark side pes are appropnate for :he campa ign. A GM might make Lh is det erm inatio n on their own, but it is usuall y a good idea to discuss the prospec t with players, If a p layer has a strong des ire to playa dark side characte r. it is best to address this early to make sure the game is enjoyab le for everyo ne. OReE AND DESTI NY

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WHY PLAY A CARE( SIDE CHARACTER? Th ere are ma ny reasons a player migh t wa nt th eir charac ter to fall to the dark si de, and understand ing the specific sit ua tion can be helpful in dec iding whet her it IS approp riat e for the campa ign. The re is a big differe nce betwee n a player wan ting to exp lore the sto ry arc of fall and rede mptio n and one wh o just wa nts to t rave l t he ga lax y mu rde r ing and committing wanto n acts of eVi l. The Mora lity syst em and Con flict introd uce an element of uncertai nty to the consequences of a chara cter's decis io ns This does not mea n, howeve r, t hat players have no or little control over whethe r or not the ir charact er fall s to t he da rk side. A charact er might earn a numb er of Co nflict during a sess ion from evil actions or usi ng dark side result s t o ge nerate Force poi nts and see no change in Moral ity, or even an increase. Th e inverse is not tru e, however. A charac te r who do es nothi ng to earn Conflict can not decrease in Mora lit y. As not ed In the FORCE AND DESTINY Core Ru leboo k, the GM al\·vays info rm s a player when an act ion will genera t e Con fl ict. Fo r a cha rac t er's Mo rali ty t o d ro p below 3 0 , resulting in a fa ll to t he dark Side, the pl ayer must co nsist en tly choose act io ns t hat lead down this pa t h, A player has a gre at deal of cont ro l over their characte r's Moral ity and aware ness of how close the cha racter is to t he da rk side.

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Of course, a p laye r's knowledge and cho ices are not the same as t he characte r' s. W hi le a playe r co nsc iously decides t o take actions tha t resu lt in a decrease of Morality, the characte r migh t well be una ware of the spiritual reperc ussions o f the ir act io ns, or how close they are drawing to the preci pi ce of the dark side. Charact ers in Star Wars ofte n del ude t hemselves, refusing t o admi t they have fallen to the dark side unt il we ll afte r th e fact. Eve n once a characte r t ruly fa ll s and com mits b latantly evil actions, th ey are unl ikely to v iew the mse lves tha t way Playe rs also have the optio n to begin pl ay with a Moral ity of 2 9 , playing a charact er who has already fa ll en to the dark side. If this is Inappropriat e fo r the ca mpa ign, the eM shoul d let t he players know. Although players have a great deal of co ntro l in crea t ing an d developi ng thei r cha racters, the GM always has the fi nal say on what is per miss ible in thei r campa ign, Most players will respect t he decisio n not to allow da rk side cha racters at the outset , although it can

GUIDED BY THE FORCE UNLIMITED POWER

be benefic ia l for t he eM to d iscuss their reaso ns with the p layers. Whether the GM vva nts a ga me Wit h no da rk side users at all o r only prefe rs t hat charact ers make the t ransition to t he dark side du ring play ca n influence other aspec ts of cha racte r creatio n and d evelopment. Wh ether a player requ est s to begin t he game with a dark side user or play out the ir cha ract er's fa ll du ri ng the cam paign, it is a good idea for t he playe r and GM t o d iscuss the p laye r's reasons for wantin g to playa dark side charact er, and any plans re lating to this goal . O f cou rse, a player might not have a fa ll t o the dark side in mi nd when first creat ing their cha racte r, bu t the same principles app ly should a charact er's actio ns indicate a pote nti al slide to dar kness. Al th ough t he re are end less reasons why a playe r might wan t t o playa da rk side characte r, th ey broadl y fall into t wo cat ego ri es. Some players wan t to experience th e d ra ma tha t comes wi th a fall and possi bl e redemptio n, whi le others want the freedom (and possib le novel t y) t hat co m es with playing an "evil·' cha ract er. Of cou rse, some players might ho ld eq ua l interest in bot h aspects. In any case, it is importan t for a player to be open so t he GM unde rstands what im pact a dark side charac t er is li kely to have on t he cam paign , Thi s allov'iS a GM to bet t er pla n for any po te ntial iss ues , and to best accommoda t e the p laye r wh ile ensu ring other players also have an enjoyab le exp erience.

THE DARK SIDE IN A CAMPAIGN Ir a GM decides da rk side charact ers are appropnate fo r t heir ca mpaign, there are a num ber of consid erations to look at. So me touc h on mec han ics, but most relate to practic e, suc h as whether or not players wi ll conceal t heir cha racte rs' M oralit ies from the other playe rs. If none of the players express an in terest in plaY in g a dark side charac ter, th ese co nside rations can \va it, at least until som eone does start down that path. Shou ld a eM dec ide aga inst da rk side pes. t here rem ai ns the questi on of how to hand le charac ters who fal l bel ow 3 0 Mo rality, As sta t ed , players have a great d eal o f con tro l over t he ir charact ers' M orality, and are high ly unlikely t o fall wi th out inte nt. Rega rdless, and partic ularly if a eM not ices play ers repeat edly engaging in act ions t ha t ga in Co nfl ict or us ing da rk side results to gen erate Force po int s withou t heed ing t he co nsequences, It is best to lay out ju st wha t wi ll happen shou ld a cn aract er fa ll to the da rk side of the Force. For rnost campa igns, the best approac h is simp ly fo r the pla yers and GM t o wo rk toget her to ensure th is doe s not hap pen, crafti ng a story in which a characte r might co me cl ose, bu t red eem t hemselves before straying too fa r. In som e games, however, it might be necessa ry to lay out a clea r conseq uence. If t here is tru ly no pl ace fo r da rk sid e pes in a ca mpaign, t he GM might let t he players know up fro nt that any chara cte r who falls below 30 Mo ralit y becomes an NPC. The new NPC migh t flee fo rever or return as an antago nist or erstwh ile ally. b ut is und er the e M' s cont ro l in any even t.

For a GM, Player Characters falling to the dark side can present exciting new story options. The fall to, and redemption from. darkness is an integra l and classic element of Star Wars , and such a story has great potential in an RPG. Of course, it is important not to place too much emphasis on one character's story arc to the exclusion of others. A character's slide to evil can easi ly take place as pa rt of a larger story. Few dark side users are blatantly evil, at least at first, and admirable motivations can lead down th e path. A char· acter might undertake callou s or crue l actions as part of the group's larger attemp ts to enact good in t he ga laxy.

DARK SIDE USERS IN THE PARTY There are a number of consid erations for a GM with dark side users in the PC group. It can have a considerable impacl on the story for a va riety of reasons. NPCs who suspect dark side use in the pa rty might change their attitudes toward the PCs, whether positively or negatively. A dark side user might even attempt to keep this secret from the other pes, which can require mechanical adjustmen l s if the player and GM decide to collude to keep the other players unaware.

While FORCE AND DESTI NY cha racters generally find it advantageous to keep their Force use hidden from the public, a dark side user migh t actually be in a better position should an Inquisitor track down the group. Lower-ranking Imperial officials are not likely to be aware of the distin ction between light and dark side Force use, simply seeing all Force users as criminals and subversives. A campaign in which a single character falls to the dark side is qu ite different from one based around an entire group of da rk side users. The latter case is certain to be quite different from more tradition al campaigns, both in the PCs' goals and the methods they use to acco mplish th em Th e GM must kee p this in min d when des ignin g or adap ting adventures for the group. However, it is a hidden dark si de user am id a group of "normal" Force users that poses the most complexity for a GM When a character falls to t he dark side, and prefe rably in adva nce, the GM shou ld decide whether this will be player knowledge. even if the other pes are unaware. This is one place where hidden Mora lity values (see page 96) can make a big difference. Because of the potential for frustration. it is generally best to keep things transparent when it comes to dark side users in the party. That IS, the playe rs should all be aware of a PC's fall to the dark side, even though their characters migh t not know. However, some groups might enJoy the surprise and uncerta inty. It is ultimately up to the GM to make this decision, likely in conference wi th the player of the dark side Pc. If possi ble. th ough. t he best solutio n is to d iscuss t he matte r wit h

all players before the campaign begins. If everyone agrees that a secret dark side user in the group might be fun, Morality values can be hidden from the outset.

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At the other extreme from secret dark side use is to not only be open about the character's fall, but actively involve all the players in crafling the story. One adva ntage to this is that it keeps everyone involved, mi tigating the

risk that a single PC's fall and (possible) rede mption arc sidelines the other characters. While the emergent. communal, and improvisational nature of RPGs means it is never possible to completely plan for a campaign's events, players might even discuss the various parts their characters could play in the story. If one player really wants to be the one to redeem-or possibly vanquish-the party's fallen comrade, it can help ensure that happens if everyone knows it and is on board with the plan.

CONCEALING OARK SIDE USE A PC who attempts to conceal their fall to the dark side from their allies is certain to encounte r great challenges in doing so. likewise, should th e GM and playe rs opt fo r secrecy in handli ng Moral ity and PC dark side users, mainta ining sec recy req uires ce rtai n co nsiderations for the GM and, to a lesser ex tent, t he player of the dark side user. One issue that arises should a character's fal! be hidden from the players IS maintaining the ruse when it comes time for the dark sid e user to make a Force power check. Because dark side users follow different rules for harnessing Force points, the other players can easily see the truth. There are a few basic approaches presented here to add ress this without overly complica ting play, although individual GMs and groups might come up with other methods tailored to their needs and resources. For instance, groups playing over the Internet are likely to have an easier time concealing dark side use, possibly going so far as to have the player make "fake" rolts visi ble to the other players, while they or the GM make lhe "real" rolls in secret. The first approac h is the simplest. but the most d ifficult for the dark side player. Tha t is to simply assume tha t it is not poss ible to hid e active use of th e dark side from ot her Force users in close physical and emotiona l prox imity. Just as all players see when a normal Force user suffers Co nflict and strain to harness dark side results, the players also see when a dark side user does so without suffering strai n. or suffers strain in order to use light side resu lts. This approach is certain ly the simplest for the GM, although it is unlikely a player can conceal their character's fall for long, since the other players are sure to note a reluctance to use the Force at all. Consequently. this method is best if the GM and dark side player want a shocking reveal for the rest of the group, followed by a confrontation of some sort.

GUIDED BY THE FORCE

UILOoUTED POWER

Other options are more complicated, and require some variation from the normal rules for dark side Force users. One possibil ity is to ignore the requirement for a dark side user to fl ip a Destiny Pai nt in order to harne ss 0. This way, the player at least has the option of using the light side to manifest Force powers, even tho ugh usi ng. is stU l apparent to t he others. With this approac h, the player might surrepti tiously note the strain gained from usingO, or the GM could even...track it separately. Another option is to simply have the player follow the

standard rules for a light side Force user, with the player and GM aware that, narratively speaking, the character is really harnessing the dark side. However, this approach risks lessening the impact of a fall to the dark side, and should only be used if secrecy is truly important for the campaign. Even then, the GM should consider secretly noting Conflict whenever the PC uses 0, reflecting that. in rea lity, the character is drawing on the dark side.

PLAYER CHARACTERS IN OPPOSITION In a campa ign in which a single character, or only part of the grou p, fa lls to t he dark side, there is great potential for confl ict between Playe r Characters. This is not necessari ly a ba d t hing; in fac t, it can make for some of the most dramatic and memorab le moments in ro leplaying. However, it is im portant to ensure that opposition and even combat between PCs does not spill over into hard feelings between players. Some GMs might already know how their players respond to intra-party struggles from other games and campaigns. If not. it is a good idea for a GM to discuss the possibility with players at the outset of a campaign. or once it becomes clear that one or more PCs are on the path to the dark side. This migh t negate any possibility of keeping a character's fall hidden from the players (and not just the PCs). but such secrecy is best to avoid anyway unless a GM is confident the players will enjoy it.

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Even if a PC can conceal use of the dark side [see page 94). other characters should have some possibility of detecting it , at least once they have a reason to be suspi ~ cious. The Foresee and Sense powers might. at the eM's discretion. be able to uncover a dark side user's duplicity. In addition. a PC might become aware of another character drawing on the dark side of the Force through the Perception or even Discipline skills, likely as an opposed check. This is part cularly appropriate for Mystics and similar characters who are deeply in tune with the Force

Another option is to simply reduce the result of any potentially fatal Critical Injuries to a less severe result. Whi le this might leave the defeated character at the victor's mercy. it ra rely ma kes sense for any character involved to kill a helpless former ally. No matter how far a character migh t have fallen to the dark side. for the sake of the game, we can assume the spark of decency within them stays their hand from fi nishing off a one~time friend. And it shou ld go without sayi ng that the other party members would be no better than the dark side user if they chose to execute them.

If it is possible for PCs to detect a dark side user's activity. it might also be possible fo r that characte r to take add i tion ~ al steps to concea l t he truth. In ad dit ion to the Decep Lion sk il l and Misd irec t or Influence powers, a character migh tappropriately enough-turn to suc h potent but dangerous arts as 5ith alchemy and sorcery.

Of co urse, rega rdle ss of t he outcome. su rviving combatants are li kely to co me away with lasting injuries. For Lhose fallen to the dark side, t hese grim scars co ntin ue to fuel t heir hate. For others. t hey are pa inful rem ind ers of th e price of corruption- assum ing they do not give into the anger the memories of such wounds inspire!

When players are aware of a character's fall to the dark side, it can sometimes be difficult to ma intain the distinction between cha racter and player knowledge. One effective way to determine wha t a PC actually knows is through ski ll use. In particular. Perception, Discipline, Vigi lance, and Deception might come into play. Opposed checks between the dark side user and suspicious PCs are appropriate. Players shou ld abide by the outcome. and in fact might fi nd it highly entertain ing to roleplay the ignorance of their characters even as they, as players. are fully aware of th e other PC's use of the dark side of the Force and other wicked deeds. Shou ld PCs learn of an ally's fall to the dark side. comba t betwee n Pl aye r Chara cters shou ld usual ly be a last resort No t on ly is it the most likely issu e to result in hard fee lings outside t he game. but certa inly t he pes themselves would prefer to redeem their friend rather t han resort to violence. If combat between PCs becomes inevitable. t he eM and players should all take enorts to ensure it is a dramatic, cli~ mactic, and enjoyable scene. and not a source of fru s tra~ tion or disappointment for any of the players involved. Even when the pes are in their darkest moments, the game should be enjoyable for everyone. One way to encourage a positive outcome for everyone is to have one character, likely the dark side user. escape (whether intentionally or notl rather than figh l things out to the bitter and possibly fatal end. This is a great use for or @ results on com bat checks at any point during the fight. even with what might otherwise be a killing blow.

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To aid this outcome, the eM shou ld try to arrange events so th e encou nter takes place in a setting with mu ltip le pote ntial escape routes. Fortu nate ly, this is easil y done in Star Wars. Ai rlocks. viewports. generator sha fts. ventilation ducts. superweapon exhau st ports. and conveniently-placed shuttles or landspeeders are just a few of the possibilities for a quick escape.

USING MORALITY Morall ty is a major component of any FORCE A ND DESTIN\! campa ign , but it can be worthwhile to give it some additiona l attention in games focusing on the sp iritual aspects of the Force. This section offers additional guidance and sugges· tions for implementing Mora lity.

ADJUSTING MORALITY Normally, Morality is adjusted on ly as a result of Conflict. However. some actions are so heinous tha t it simply does not make sense for the re to be no resulting reduction in Morality, or even an in crease in Mora lity at the end of the sess ion. likewise. if perhaps eve n more rare, certain actions might be so se lfless or noble tha t the eM fee ls an in crease in the PC's Morality should not be left to the roll of the dice. This is particularly appropriate in the climactic events of a personal story arc of redemption for a character fallen to the dark side. or in danger of doing so. In such rare and crucial situations, a eM might decide to directly raise or lower a character's Morality.