A trader quite literally addicted to wheeling and dealing, always dreaming of piles of riches waiting to be found. An archaeologist who can’t walk away from the search, always preparing for another expedition but needing to support a family at the same time. A hunter who lives to bag the nastiest creatures of the galaxy, all in an effort to discover what she is capable of. A scout who does official work exploring the galaxy and finding new planets, secretly passing information to the Rebellion every time he finds a good hiding place. Each Meet the Party article gives you an entire group of ready-to-play adventurers (maybe even some heroes) for your gaming needs for a variety of systems and settings. It’s time to leave the literal Edge of the Empire behind and enter the unknown reaches of the galaxy as we make the jump with a crew of Explorers!

Enter the Unknown was actually the first of the Career sourcebooks for Fantasy Flight Games’ Star Wars: Edge of the Empire game, and it’s always intrigued me. Like the Colonist, the Explorer career is one that doesn’t necessarily have to make the Edge one that relates to the law and order of the Empire. A campaign focused on exploration can resemble a more traditional adventuring group, with an entire galaxy that still has huge swathes of territory unexplored and a good few more abandoned or forgotten for the crew to travel to. Explorers can leave the Empire behind entirely as they test their skills along untested or dangerous hyperlanes to find things either brand new or long since lost. Sounds like fun, right? Well, now Meet the Party is finally ready for the Unknown Regions, so let’s see who’s on the crew!

Nelia Guga, Toydarian Explorer/Trader

Obligation: Addiction 20 (+10 for +5 XP, +1000 credits)

Motivation: Treasures

Characteristics: Brawn 1, Agility 1, Intellect 2, Cunning 3,  Willpower 3, Presence 4

Wound Threshold: 10

Strain Threshold: 15

Soak: 3

Defense: 0 Ranged/0 Melee

Abilities: Silhouette 0, Hoverer

Talents: Know Somebody, Convincing Demeanor

Skills: Cool 1, Knowledge (Lore) 1, Knowledge (Outer Rim) 1, Perception 1, Deception 1, Negotiation 2, Knowledge (Underworld) 1

Equipment: Holdout Blaster Pistol, Padded Armor, Audio/Visual Translator, Comlink (Handheld), Chance Cubes, 89 Credits

Nelia Guga serves multiple purposes for the crew, all focused on a different facet of being the most social member of the party. With her high Presence and her Translator she’s the best choice for ‘first contact’ situations when the crew is far afield. Back in civilization she’s the one likely selling anything the crew has managed to acquire in their travels, while also buying whatever they need for their next expedition. With her rank in Deception and Convincing Demeanor she’s also the best liar, and her Knowledge (Underworld) makes her the crew’s inlet to less than legal business ventures. Out on expeditions she’s smart, perceptive, and can fly where the others can’t reach.

Geyytobuck, Wookiee Explorer/Archaeologist

Obligation: Family 20 (+10 for + 5 XP, +1,000 Credits)

Motivation: “Anywhere but here!”

Characteristics: Brawn 3, Agility 2, Intellect 3, Cunning 2,  Willpower 2, Presence 2

Wound Threshold: 17

Strain Threshold: 10

Soak: 3

Defense: 0 Ranged/1 Melee

Abilities: Free Rank in Brawl, Wookiee Rage

Talents: Well-Rounded (Mechanics, Melee),

Skills: Brawl 1, Knowledge (Lore) 2, Knowledge (Outer Rim) 1, Perception 2, Survival 1, Athletics 1, Knowledge (Education) 2, Melee 1, Mechanics 1

Equipment: Rykk Blade, Excavator’s Precision Tool Kit, Syntherope, Comlink (Long-Range), Tool Kit, Utility Belt, Ration Pack x4, 42 Credits 

Geyytobuck is an adventuring explorer, a furry Indiana Jones in a galaxy far, far away. Whether it’s studying ruins and artifacts or scaling ancient towers and spelunking into dusty tombs he’s equally adept, able to talk shop about the items of his work while also pursuing them in the field. While his Rykk Blade  lets him slash his way through jungles on long-forgotten worlds, it of course also makes him the best melee combatant in the group, and his Wound Threshold far outstrips the others’. Finally, with his toolkit and Mechanics he is responsible for keeping the Daragon’s Gamble flying smoothly.

Miith’ono’rance, Chiss Explorer/Big-Game Hunter

Obligation: Obsession 20 (+10 for +5 XP, +1,000 Credits)

Motivation: Self

Characteristics: Brawn 2, Agility 4, Intellect 3, Cunning 2,  Willpower 2, Presence 1

Wound Threshold: 12

Strain Threshold: 12

Soak: 3

Defense: 0 Ranged/0 Melee

Abilities: Free Rank in Cool, Infravision

Talents: Stalker

Skills: Cool 2, Knowledge (Xenology) 2, Perception 1, Survival 1, Ranged (Heavy) 2, Stealth 2

Equipment: Blaster Rifle, Heavy Clothing, Beast Call, Chem Lure, Electro-snare, Macrobincoulars, Comlink (Hand-held), Extra Reloads x2, Modular Backpack + 3 Extra Pouches, Ration Pack, 68 Credits

Miith’ono’rance‘s job description is probably ‘wilderness guide and expedition security’, and she certainly meets the requirements. She’s the best shot among the crew by far, with the nastiest weapon and plenty of power packs for it. As the sneakiest member of the crew, enhanced further by Stalker, she makes a great lone scout and ambusher. No slouch at Survival, she’s also very well equipped to lure in and deal with the wild beasts the crew might encounter, and with her Knowledge (Xenology) is the best candidate for understanding whatever alien life-form the crew comes upon. Used to being on her own, ‘Honor’ always keeps a cool head in stressful situations.

Vuko Farr, Rodian Explorer/Scout

Obligation: Sponsorship 10, Criminal 10 (+10 for +5 XP, +1,000 Credits)

Motivation: Overthrow the Empire

Characteristics: Brawn 2, Agility 4, Intellect 3, Cunning 2,  Willpower 1, Presence 2

Wound Threshold: 12

Strain Threshold: 12

Soak: 3

Defense: 0 Ranged/0 Melee

Abilities: Free Rank in Survival, Free Expert Tracker

Talents: Expert Tracker, Grit, Let’s Ride

Skills: Survival 1, Astrogation 2, Knowledge (Outer Rim) 1, Perception 1, Piloting (Space) 2, Medicine 1, Piloting (Planetary) 1, Ranged (Light) 1

Equipment: X-30 Lancer Blast Pistol, Medical Backpack, Heavy Clothing

Vuko Farr is the pilot of the Daragon’s Gamble, capable of getting the ship into and out of some of the most dangerous parts of the galaxy. He’s not much worse at controlling anything confined to an atmosphere, either. Let’s Ride makes expediting a quick getaway just that much easier, which is useful in all sorts of exploration situations. While not up to Honor’s standards he’s still a damn good shot with his X-30, which has a surprisingly long range. No dummy in a group of smart sentients, he is an expert astronavigator, a good source of information on the Outer Rim, and the crew’s resident medic.

Pretty much everything our crew here can do or has comes either from the Edge of the Empire core book or Enter the Unknown. The sole exception is Geyytobuck’s culturally appropriate Rykk Blade, which he got out of Dangerous Covenants. I’ve picked out an alternate ship idea for this crew from Enter the Unknown: a YV-560 Light Freighter. It’s a fast ship that handles well, with decent Encumbrance Capacity and lots of Consumables storage for long trips into unexplored territory. Specifically designed for exploration expeditions, it also comes with scientific computers, specially made cargo space, and amazingly good scanners. The Daragon’s Gamble obviously isn’t necessary for this crew to be able to explore the wilder parts of the galaxy, but I think it’s an interesting option to work with.

 

Who They Are

Nelia Guga knew that there were plenty of ways to find a pile of treasure to sit on among the planets of the known galaxy. The problem with all of those ways is that everyone knows about them, of course, which means Nelia will have lots of competition in trying them. While the diminutive Toydarian loves sitting down and making deals, to the point that she can’t really make herself resist the opportunity to do so, she does prefer to maximize profits if at all possible. In order to break the mold and find the Big One, she struck upon the idea of finding something completely new to make her rich, and that meant leaving the known galaxy behind.

Geyytobuck has been exploring the galaxy for almost a century now, driven by a wanderlust that sent him deep into the forests of Kashyyyk and eventually on to the stars above them. Seeking out artifacts and intellectual discoveries, he was able to make a pretty good living; good enough that he was able to pay his family’s way to safety when the Empire started enslaving the Wookiees. That ate up most of his funds and continues to eat up more, but Geyytobuck is willing to make the sacrifice. He loves his family, and getting rich was never really the point of it all anyway: even today, it’s all about seeing a new star rise over a new horizon.

Miith’ono’rance, who more commonly goes by her core name of ‘Honor‘, never really fit into her own society in the Chiss Ascendancy. The Chiss are a careful, cautious, and somewhat reactive people, but Honor always wanted to push herself in order to find out what she was really capable of. Leaving her people under self-imposed exile, she started off doing mercenary work of a sort, but her company’s encampment was one day attacked by nexu. Managing to bring the beast down, Honor felt that she had finally found a way to truly test herself, and left the mercenary life behind. Now a hunter and scout for exploratory expeditions, she is always seeking out bigger and nastier prey to pit herself against. It’s possible her hunt to prove herself will last as long as she lives.

Vuko Farr is an officially licensed scout for the Bureau of Ships and Services. He is specifically tasked with gathering astronavigation data during his travels, helping the BoSS keep up to date on hyperlanes and newly discovered parts of the galaxy, so that such information can be properly disseminated. Vuko has a dangerous passion, however:  he despises the Empire, and knows just how to help thwart it. The Alliance is always looking for an advantage, and that advantage can manifest in hidden bases and secret hyperlanes for their use beyond the prying eyes of the Empire. Whenever he finds a likely candidate Vuko slips the information to the Rebels, sometimes neglecting to mention his finds to his superiors. The BoSS doesn’t care so long as Vuko keeps producing enough viable data, and the Empire can’t take on the Bureau itself, so they’ll have to go after Vuko personally. Good luck catching him.

How They Interact

Nelia doesn’t get how Geyytobuck is always sending his cut of the profits off to a family he doesn’t even get to see very often. Not being much of a family sentient herself, it’s a drive that’s just outside of her understanding. The Wookiee is the crewmember most likely to find the Big One though, so he can use his cut however he likes. Honor has a terrifying habit of attracting big and nasty creatures that might find Toydarians a delectable morsel, which is definitely not Nelia’s favorite thing. The Chiss has proven herself capable of keeping Nelia alive, though, so that helps. Monster pelts can fetch a decent price, too. Vuko’s a solid professional as well, treating the expeditions as less of a passion and more of a business, which Nelia appreciates. Sometimes it seems like Nelia and the Rodian are the only ones focused on the proper goals of leaping into the unknown.

Geyytobuck has an equal lack of understanding of Nelia, not getting how the Toydarian is always immediately exclaiming about how much something could be worth instead of pausing to wonder at it. That being said, the Wookiee does have his family to think of, and Nelia’s an expert at turning his finds into the profits he needs. Honor is a sentient after Geyytobuck’s own heart: it’s not about the profit, it’s about the journey and what you discover along the way. Granted the Chiss has a somewhat disturbing habit of shooting the things she discovers, but no Wookiee is going to have anything but the highest respect for a hunter of her caliber. Every explorer needs a way to get to the next new find, and Vuko provides that. Geyytobuck loves trading stories of the places the two visited before joining the same crew.

Honor likes Nelia: she can let the Toydarian do all the talking for her. Aside from that, Honor looks back on the poverty of the recently-exiled that forced her into mercenary work with disdain: being broke makes it very hard to hunt her prey. Nelia can provide the funds to keep Honor on the hunt, and for that she is grateful. Geyytobuck is like a looming, furry inspiration: his wanderlust would have fit in among the Chiss even less than Honor ever did. Whenever she questions her choices or becomes homesick, Honor thinks of the Wookiee and how fulfilling his life of travel seems to be, and then aspires to achieve the same peace. Vuko isn’t all that he appears; Honor knows that the pilot sometimes trades information with those outside of the BoSS and the Empire, and that the Empire prints wanted posters for him. It’s none of her business: the Empire has nothing to do with her people, and Vuko is crew. She trusts him to take care of his own affairs.

Vuko considers Nelia to be great cover for his own illicit activities: with a Toydarian about trying to sell artifacts on and off the black market, who is going to look at the Rodian who just flies the ship? Aside from that, she’s not a bad sort, and the pair have wiled away a few nights in hyper over the dejarik board. Geyytobuck is secretly an example to Vuko that he’s doing the right thing: the Wookiee shouldn’t have to pour blood, sweat, and credits into a bottomless pit to keep his family safe and comfortably outside of the Empire’s reach. Vuko sometimes considers speaking to Geyytobuck on the matter, but has so far shied away from it. Honor knows. She walked in on Vuko transmitting data one night, but merely nodded and walked out, and has never spoken of it again. It makes Vuko nervous, but he has no reason to act against her. Yet.

The Future

It’s a big galaxy out there, and explorers are the ones that shed light on the parts that nobody else can. What kind of new worlds will the crew of the Daragon’s Gamble find? Are ancient Jedi tombs and artifacts of the Infinite Empire in their future? What kind of foes, whether sentient and crafty or big and terrifying, will they face as they enter the unknown? That’s for you (and your dice) to determine!

Originally posted 11/27/15 on the Mad Adventurers Society!