An up-and-coming Hutt with dreams of talking his way to the top. A Gank cyborg with an unhealthy addiction to adrenaline and explosives. A Klatooinian heavy who dreams of buying or shooting his way out of the game. A Nikto brawler and thug who considers all this to be just another day job. 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 head to Hutt Space to meet a wannabe clan leader and his band of hired thugs, as we Meet the Party for Edge of the Empire from Fantasy Flight Games!

This particular Meet the Party draws from a number of different sources. Dangerous Covenants was one of the the first career sourcebooks for Edge of the Empire, giving our hired guns lots of new options. Lords of Nal Hutta gave us the infamous Hutts, several other species associated with them, and loads of information on Hutt Space and the kajidics. Most recently, Fly Casual provided a sourcebook for our smugglers. I’ve pulled from all of these to make the following, a band of mercenaries and hired muscle forming the basis for one Hutt’s criminal enterprise, just getting started.

Bil’ja Vanderijar, Hutt Smuggler/Charmer

Obligation: Family 20 (+10 for +10XP)

Motivation: Power

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

Wound Threshold: 16

Strain Threshold: 14

Soak: 5

Defense: 0 Ranged/2 Melee

Abilities: Free Rank of Enduring, Free Rank of Nobody’s Fool, Free Rank in Coercion

Talents: Enduring, Nobody’s Fool, Inspiring Rhetoric, Improved Inspiring Rhetoric

Skills: Coercion 1, Deception 1, Knowledge (Underworld) 1, Streetwise 1, Vigilance 1, Charm 1, Leadership 1, Negotiation 1

Equipment: Heavy Clothing, Comlink (Handheld), Blade-Breaker, Sabaac Deck, Chance Cubes, 160 credits

Bil’ja is the leader and ‘face’ of this little band, as is fitting for a Hutt of good standing. Whether he’s negotiating in good faith, lying his face off, sweet-talking, or making threats he’s equally skilled at picking the right words to say. Nobody’s Fool upgrades the difficulty of anyone trying to talk him into something. Enduring gives him some extra soak, and for a mostly non-combative indiviual he’s surprisingly tough. He’s . . . decent with his Blade-Breaker, but his real contribution to any fight is likely to be his Leadership. Improved Inspiring Rhetoric lets him help allies recover Strain and grants a boost die to all their checks; like any proper Hutt, Bil’ja is good at ordering around his underlings.

Talak Orden, Gank Hired Gun/Demolitionist

Obligation: Adrenaline Rush 20 (+10 for +2,500 Credits)

Motivation: Mayhem

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

Wound Threshold: 12

Strain Threshold: 12

Soak: 4

Abilities: Free Rank in Vigilance, Cyborg

Cybernetics: Adrenal Implant, Cybernetic Reflexes

Talents: Rapid Reaction, Rapid Recovery, Powerful Blast, Selective Detonation

Skills: Vigilance 2, Discipline 1, Piloting (Planetary 1), Ranged (Light) 1, Computers 1, Cool 1, Mechanics 1, Skulduggery 1

Equipment: DL-7H Heavy Blaster Pistol with Arakyd 900 Gene-Lock, Padded Armor, Imperial Army Military Pack, Utility Belt, Miltary Belt Pouch, Stimpacks x2, Detonite Charge x3, Plasma Grenade x6, Hand Scanner, 54 Credits

Talak loves destruction for destruction’s sake, and it shows. Between his overpowered pistol and the small armory of explosives and grenades on his person he is more than capable of attaining his personal mayhem quota on any given day. As a side effect of his efforts to find a way to make every possible thing explode, he’s a decent hand at mechanical and computer-based tasks, as well as various bits of skulduggery. He’s also the member of the group who responds fastest to the outbreak of hostilities, whether he sees them coming or not. His Cybernetic Reflexes, part of his cultural inheritance as a Gank, help with this, while his Adrenal Implant helps him recover after a fight.

Carga Endel, Klatooinian Hired Gun/Heavy

Obligation: Servitude 20 (+10 for +2,500 Credits)

Motivation: Out of the Game

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

Wound Threshold: 14

Strain Threshold: 13

Soak: 3

Abilities: Free Rank in Ranged (Heavy),  Free Rank in Non-Career Skill (Piloting (Space))

Talents: Burly, Grit, Toughened

Skills: Ranged (Heavy) 1, Piloting (Space) 1, Athletics 1, Ranged (Light) 1, Resilience 1, Vigilance 2, Gunnery 2, Perception 1, Discipline 1

Equipment: Flechette Launcher, Heavy Clothing, Imperial Army Military Pack, Comlink (Handheld),  Extra Reloads x 9, Utility Belt, Military Belt Pouch, Stimpack x2, 113 Credits

Carga goes places, and then things at those places die. Messily. Whether it’s a sentient being or a vehicle, Carga’s Flechette Launcher will shred them in equal measure, and he has enough reloads to keep at it for a good while. Should he run out, however, he can grab pretty much any ranged weapon and use it well, and he’s also the gang’s pilot when they’re moving from planet to planet. His Gunnery ranks, meant to work with the launcher, also mean he’s the top choice for vehicle-mounted weaponry.

Carga’s Servitude Obligation is actually taken from Fly Casual, as its description is a good match for the cultural Klatooinian enslavement to the Hutts.

While I got the idea for a Klatooinian Heavy from one of my own players, the idea to hand Carga a flechette launcher was inspired by the Selonian Hired Gun known as Puncture, from the Society’s own  STAR WARS: AGE OF REBELLION – THE CLANKER TRAIL.

Jiran, Kadas’Sa’Niktos Hired Gun/Enforcer

Obligation: A Score to Settle 20 (+10 for +10XP)

Motivation: Blood Money

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

Wound Threshold: 17

Strain Threshold: 13

Soak: 5

Abilities: Free Rank in Coordination, Boost to Climbing With Claws, Claws

Talents: Intimidating, Fearsome, Toughened, Durable

Skills: Coordination 1, Athletics 1, Brawl 2, Melee 1, Resilience 1, Coercion 2, Knowledge (Underworld) 1

Equipment: Vibroknucklers, Heavy Clothing, Comlink (Handheld), Stimpack x3, 86 Credits

Jiran could get by just fine being a deadly melee combatant between his claws and his vibroknucklers. Fortunately for the group, he brings quite a bit more than that. He’s not just dangerous, he’s downright terrifying;  Fearsome can force engaged opponents to make a fear check. and Intimidating can make his already good Coercion checks easier while also making Jiran himself harder to coerce. Toughened makes him the hardiest member of the group, and Durable makes him more resilient against Critical Hits.

Who They Are

Bil’ja Vanderijar is a young member of the Vanderijar kajidic, an old clan that doesn’t shy away from smuggling and piracy operations that irritate the Empire. Bil’ja is just as bold as the rest of his clan, which is why he has struck out on his own with a few handpicked enforcers and servants. Although he is young enough to still be forced to heed the dictates of Corlir the Hutt and the kajidic’s other leaders, he is determined to take his small operation and build upon it until it can be used to attain great power within Hutt Space. Vanderijar’s seat on the Hutt Ruling Council is not beyond Bil’ja’s aspirations.

Talak Orden is a member of a Gank pack in service to the Vanderijar kajidic, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Some other Ganks are stuck working for kajidics who are too cautious, who slither around and away from conflict with the Empire. While Talak has no particular hatred for the Imperials, there is the fact that they occupy a large portion of the galaxy. If not for Vanderijar’s brashness Talak might not get to blow up that portion, which would be an unbearable loss. When Bil’ja asked for a member of his pack to join his retinue Talak was quick to volunteer, eager to ply his deadly trade.

Carga Endel was born into servitude to the Hutts, like millennia-worth of Klatooinians before him. He was raised as a fighter, his childhood and adolescence spent training with increasingly large and devastating weaponry. But in a galaxy in turmoil, with the Alliance sending out the call for freedom, Carga began to dream of living his life for himself. While he takes a certain amount of professional pride in his skills, since he certainly earned them, he now uses them while dreaming of the day when he’ll be able to buy or otherwise earn his way to freedom.

Jiran doesn’t have a pack or an ancient pact tying him to Vanderijar. Jiran came to the kajidic because they offered paying work, and he needed to make a living. He takes no particular joy or pride in his work or skills, seeing them simply as good workplace assets. Only Bil’ja is more profit-minded than Jilran, and that’s only because the Nikto is practical above all else. Rather than dream about a big score, Jiran prefers to maintain a steady income, and that simple drive is behind most of his decisions. Bil’ja’s little enterprise is a little more risky than Jiran prefers, but if it works out then the enforcer will have gotten in the ground floor of something solid. Jiran’s one unprofessional vice is an old grudge from before he signed up with Vanderijar. Then a member of a mercenary band, he was one of the only survivors when an Imperial commander took umbrage with the mercs and moved to wipe them out. Jilran hasn’t told anyone this, least of all Bil’ja, but he keeps a watchful eye for his opportunity to arise.

How They Interact

Bil’ja sees Talak as an amazing asset with a lot of profitable use, but the Gank is definitely a ‘high-risk’ asset. The cyborg is certainly good at blowing up Bil’ja’s problems, but he likes it so much that if Bil’ja isn’t careful Talak might make more problems just to have a chance at more explosions. Carga is equally useful, but if anything he’s more high-risk than Talak; the Klatooinian makes Bil’ja a little nervous. Knowing of the heavy’s aspirations, he offered Carga freedom in exchange for helping the Hutt to the top, but Bil’ja will have to make sure that Carga doesn’t get ideas about shooting his way out early. Now, Jiran he understands and trusts perfectly. The Nikto is after profit, and that’s that. Aside from being a handy lever to control the enforcer, Bil’ja can trust that motive to align with his own at all times.

Talak is glad to follow Bil’ja into whatever escapade the Hutt can come up with. Normal Vanderijar operations often involve high levels of violence, but a small operation like this needs that much devastation to deter predators. The Hutt doesn’t always seems appreciative of the explosions, though. The Gank is somewhat envious of Carga’s flechette launcer, and respects the chaos it wreaks, but genuinely can’t comprehend why the Klatooinian would ever want to leave this life behind. Jilran’s a lifer, just like Talak, so the demolitionist believes that the Nikto is a fellow enthusiast.

Carga follows Bil’ja’s lead and trusts the Hutt – but only to a point. He’s seen the charmer be honest before, but he’s also seen him tell the most bald-faced lies imaginable. Carga’s willing to work for Bil’ja in good faith that his freedom awaits on the other side . . . but he’s considered speeding up the process if the Hutt goes back on the deal. Talak’s a good bit of cybernetic crazy to have on your side, but the Gank is a common reminder of some of the reasons Carga wants out of this lifestyle. The reek of detonite and plasma gets old after a while, too. Jilran’s a little baffling. Carga doesn’t know if he, like the Nikto, would have chosen to live this sort of life. On the other hand the brawler seems to be the sanest of Carga’s companions besides that choice, so at least he’s dependable.

Jilran wonders if Bil’ja is counting his throneworlds before the colony ships have landed, but very little in this business is won by the meek, and the Hutt is certainly not meek. With the right muscle behind the Hutt’s efforts this could be a really successful venture. Talak is good for business; sometimes you need something a little messier than vibroknucklers to get the point across. Still, the Gank can be a little unprofessional from time to time. Jilran doesn’t get why Carga would want to leave a perfectly good business venture willingly, and assumes that the Klatooinian is trying to earn his freedom so that he can work for himself. He’s considering offering Carga a partnership when the heavy gets his freedom.

The Future

There are plenty of opportunities for a silver-tongued Hutt and his band of hired guns. Between the kajidics jostling for power and markets and with the civil war ramping up it’s the perfect time for some up-and-comers to blast their way into wealth and power. Still, those same opportunities also make life dangerous for a Hutt without an established power base, and whatever happens to the Hutt probably happens to his muscle first. Will Bil’ja guide his enterprise to the heights of power in Hutt Space, or will the young upstart and his lackeys get chewed up along the way? That’s for you (and your dice) to determine!

Originally Posted 10/1/15 on the Mad Adventurers Society!