Under a Black Sun (Thread by Raine)

[Matthias]

It is a dark time for the Galaxy.​

The City of Coruscant, once the glittering Pearl of the Republic,
now languishes under the ominous shadow of the Galactic Empire.
A bustling black market flourishes in the underworld,
controlled by the notorious crime syndicate, the Black Sun.

Hired to infiltrate a Black Sun outpost and retrieve vital data on a Bounty Hunter
who betrayed the Syke family and assassinated Suavee's beloved,
a small group of enterprising individuals work rapidly
to access the heavily encrypted Black Sun network,
as things take a turn for the worse…​

 

[Matthias]

Spoiler

OBJECTIVE:
To find the bounty hunger who betrayed the Syke family and help Suavee get retribution for the untimely death of his fiancee (killed by the said BH).

Welcome to Coruscant, the heart of the galaxy. This planet-spanning city is the seat of the Empire's power and home to over a trillion individuals. Even under the iron grasp of the Imperial forces, the sheer size of Coruscant makes it attractive to those who hope to make their fortunes, whether through legitimate enterprise or less-than-legal means.

As our adventure begins, the characters are inside a facility run by the Black Sun criminal organization, slicing into a computer network to gain information for their bosses, the Syke criminal family. The Syke Syndicate consists of a network of spice dealers who maintain outposts across the galaxy, and Enrico Suavee owes them big. Accessing the secured data networks of the Black Sun is no easy task, however, and the characters inadvertently trip an alarm the moment they download the files they were sent to retrieve.

EPISODE 1: HOT PURSUIT
The adventure begins with the characters having tripped an alarm inside the Black Sun facility and needing to make a hasty retreat with their data. They have, however, managed to download the file they were sent to retrieve, but it is heavily encrypted. With alarms blaring, there is no time to worry about that now!

The group makes its way from the building to a busy landing platform outside. Luckily, an automated speeder sits waiting for potential customers. Deciding to grab the speeder as their best chance of escape, the characters take off into the night, hoping to escape with their prize. They must decide how to proceed as the chase enters the heavily populated, skyscraper-packed areas of the city. They need to shake the crime syndicate thugs off their tail, and soon. The Black Sun forces continue to keep coming after the characters, in spite of their valiant attempts to knock out one speeder after another - and they seem to be getting closer, all the time. At the same time, they start looking for a possible escape route that can help them avoid further pursuit. Various members of the group spy open air vent tunnels, sewers, and tight alleyways between buildings. They make the swift decision to enter one of the air vent tunnels, diving into a dark entrance which - for the moment - engulfs the air speeder in a deceptively protective shroud of shadows.

Thus, our adventurers vanish into the labyrinthine tunnels of Coruscant's underlevels, seemingly 'safe' for the time being ... but for how long, exactly? And will the Black Sun follow them into the dubious entrails of the capital city's Underworld?

STAY TUNED..

Spoiler

PARTICIPANTS:

• Marius Shae
• Cassus
• Lana Star
• Dusty
• Matthias Jayne
• Raine (GM)

TIME RAN:

• 2.5 HRS (rounded off, to 3)

 

[Matthias]

EPISODE I, continued:
SOMETHING CRUSTY THIS WAY COMES...

Our adventurers speed safely along until some notice a creature lurking in the back of the tunnel. Everyone manages to disembark, save Lana and the Chiss driver Cassus. Lana is attempting to make some sort of contact with the creature which turns out to be a Duracrete Slug. Cassus, in the meantime, wants to ram the monster straight on - not realizing what the repercussions would be. As the speeder hits the slug head on, the front of the vehicle gets embedded in the creature's mouth. Cassus sustains life-threatening injuries and is rendered unconscious; Lana attempts to revive him and heal whatever injuries he has sustained. In the end, everyone manages to survive the speeder crash, including the Chiss who is still a bit disoriented, but otherwise fine. The trooper, Matt Jayne, decides to risk all and make friends with the non-sentient creature. He is repaid by being allowed to ride it. Since their speeder is now unusable, the group has no choice but to mount the slug and continue to explore the sewers...

To be continued...

Spoiler

PARTICIPANTS:

• Lana Star
• Marius Shae
• Radiant Tide
• Cassus
• Matthias Jayne
• Raine - Presiding GM

TIME RAN:

• 3 HOURS

 

[Matthias]

EPISODE II - The "Chop Shop":

The group decides to board the concrete slug, letting Lana help guide it out of the tunnel. As they head in the original direction their speeder took before it crashed, Dusty receives an encrypted transmission to her comlink, sent by one of the Sykes' informants. He tells the group to bring the chip with the information they stole, to a rendezvous point called "Chopper's" - a small, out of the way garage and speeder repair shop. "Chopper's" is also home to a Sykes confidant and employee - a Besalisk named Cho'pa'ailor. Everyone refers to the fourarmed repairman as "Chopper" due to his skills with a laser saw and as a play on his name. The characters make their way to his shop via a speeder which meets them at the exit of the tunnel - piloted by a Ugnaught in Sykes' employ - and hey manage to arrive at "Chooper's" without further incident.

After Chopper greets the group, he quickly ushers them from the floor of the shop and into his private office in the back. He is anxious to hear how the job went and asks the characters numerous questions about how they gained the file and the ensuing chase. Although the group tells Chopper only the most vague details of how the operation went down, the Besalisk decides to help them regardless. After a brief discussion, Chopper asks to have the file downloaded to his terminal in the office. He begins breaking the encryption to furnish the group with further information. While he works on the heavily secured file, Chopper invites the character to ask any questions they may have. The group wants to know more about the bounty hunter they are after. Chopper reveals to them that this particular mercenary was operating under an alias. He was working for the Sykes to dispatch a rival smuggler and intercept the large spice shipment the rival was carrying. The bounty hunter betrayed the Sykes and took the shipment for himself instead, delivering it to the Black Sun mobsters who offered him a bigger bounty. This cost the Syke Syndicate hundreds of thousands of credits, and jobs with them have dried up ever since. Hopefully, this file will reveal the hunter's real name, so that the group can bring him to justice for his betrayal and ensure that the Sykes will have work for them in the future.

"Do they want him dead or alive?" is another inquiry posed by someone in the group. The Sykes have a bit of unfinished business with the bounty hunter that they'd prefer to wrap up, given the chance, but the syndicate will look weak if he gets away. If the group can't manage to capture him, they should instead make sure it's the last time he'll ever double-cross anybody again, or before they know it, they'll find they have a bounty of their own. "How much are we going to get paid?" Marius wonders. Perhaps the bounty hunter still has some of the credits Black Sun paid him for the spice shipment and bounty; this would go towards helping to offset some of the Sykes' losses. At any rate, the characters should make sure to bring anything of value they find on him back with them. Once they successfully dispatch the bounty hunter the Sykes will pay them 10,000 credits each.

After answering the group's questions, Chopper finishes his decryption of the file. He informs the characters that the bounty hunter is Kaa'to Leeachos, a Nikto formerly bound in servitude to the Hutts. Since gaining his freedom, Kaa'to has made his reputation with a number of high-risk, unauthorized bounties and is considered a formidable operative. Chopper also mentions that he is familiar with the Nikto hunter and knows of a few places he frequents or has been seen: the Umbra Club, the Spyder, and Zelcomm Tower. He suggests that the party should consult with any other contacts they have to gain more insight on their foe before confronting him. Before leaving Chopper's shop, the Besalisks gives the party some names associated with the three locations he mentioned - so that they will at least know where and whom to start asking questions. Wishing them well, Chopper sends the characters on their way and returns to his work in the garage...

To be continued ...

 

[Matthias]

EPISODE IIIa: CITY OF SPIRES & STRIFE (The Umbra Club)

Our adventurers leave Chopper's to continue their search for the elusive Nikto Bounty Hunter named Kaa'to Leeachos, using a speeder Chopper gave them 'on loan' (the same vehicle they were brought to his shop in). Before they make any decisions as to where to go first and in which order, they begin to jog their memories for details regarding the three places that Chopper mentioned were frequented by the bounty hunter. After they put their heads together, the information they come up with, is as follows:

• The Umbra Club: A seedy den of death stick dealers, caters to criminals in Coruscant's underworld. Speng, a male human death stick dealer, might have heard about a certain bounty hunter trying to offload some spice.
• The Spyder: A sabacc parlor frequented by many gamblers in the employ of the Black Sun, the Spyder is known by all the criminals of Coruscant. There, certain patrons wager information at their tables, winnable by those with enough skill or dumb luck.
• Zelcomm Tower: The skyscraper is the home of Zelcomm Industries, a shipping company specializing in cargo transportation between the Core Worlds and the Outer Rim. The tower is a known front for weapons smuggling. It's possible that Kaa'to might have outfitted himself there.

After a brief deliberation, the characters decide to visit the Umbra, first. A recent speeder chase through the city that included blaster fire has put the Coruscant Underworld Police on a heightened alert. However, the group is lucky enough (this time) to avoid being pulled over by local law enforcement. They arrive at the Umbra unscathed and without delay. Located in Sector 1459 of the city, the Umbra Club is a cantina and nightclub that caters to a less-than-upstanding clientele. A frequent haunt of death stick dealers and addicts, this club is not on any must-see lists in the galactic travelogues. The elaborate holovids outside the club portray it as an upscale dancing establishment, though that is far from the truth.

As soon as they enter the cantina they notice the smell; the combined odor of stale liquor, burning death sticks, and other rank substances washes over you. Inside, a collection of sparse tables, half-broken chairs, and tattered couches adorns the main room. A series of private booths line the right wall, each with a ragged curtain pulled shut. In the center of the room, a large, brightly lit dance floor pulses with colored lights in an almost hypnotic pattern. A handful of patrons relax at various tables and couches, all lost in their own reveries. Behind the bar, a gruff Gotal slings drinks to a group of humans clustered at one end.

Omacala, a Gotal who cares little about what goes on in his cantina as long as he is paid for the drinks, runs the place. He sees and hears a great deal of what occurs in his establishment, but he is not inclined toward idle gossip. For the right price, however, he is willing to share some of his information. Through Marius' intervention, the bartender tells the group that he has seen the Nikto bounty hunter in the cantina recently, meeting with a skittish death stick dealer named Speng. The dealer is here now, in a private booth conducting a transaction. He further informs the party that Speng's death stick dealings provide him a decent income, and he does whatever he must to maintain his lifestyle. He is constantly on edge and very nervous, so be careful how you approach him.

As Marius prepares to secure the back exit, Cassus decides to head straight for the booth and pose as a potential buyer - not really worried about interrupting the transaction that might be taking place within. As he does so, the rest of the group follows him and watches aghast as Speng turns to face Cassus and levels a disruptor at the Chiss' poker face. Needless to say, he is not amused by being barged on in the middle of his deal. Across from him stands a hollow-eyed human female who is handing over a small stack of credits for a black pouch. She quickly scurries away when Cassus and his comrades enter the booth. But Speng will have none of Cassus offers nor will he entertain any questions from the characters regarding the bounty hunter they are looking for. He soon gets very jittery and calls for backup - and as several of his Klatooinian body guards enter through the back of the bar with their blasters drawn - a firefight ensues.

The goons get luckier than anyone would have predicted, downing a couple of characters and injuring another. Thankfully, the group is given a slight reprieve when two unexpected friends arrive on the scene to help out - Davin and Callista, who had been on Coruscant for some time, have heard via Suavee that their friends will be coming to the Capital world to do him a favor. Though they were unable to commit to the job with the others at the time, Callista and Davin did eventually make it down to Umbra - having previously learned from Chopper (a long-standing acquaintance of Davin's), where the group was thinking of heading first. As the remainder of Speng's guns are gunned down (with a couple managing to flee), the group gets busy attending to their wounded. In the meantime, using the firefight to his advantage, Speng manages to flee from the cantina and heads into the back alley, trying to lose himself in the crowds. Fortunately for the adventurers, Davin manages to plant a tracking device on the death sticks dealer before he gets out of sight.

Once everyone has been properly looked after, our adventurers decide to resume their chase for Speng. Tracking Speng through the crowds and alleyways of Sector 1459 would not have normally been easy, but Davin's tracking device helps make short work of what could easily become an otherwise irritating and arduous chase. In the meantime, Speng decides to make the 'clever' and bold move by double backing to the club - hoping the group will not anticipate his return there. Sadly, he is to be gravely mistaken - for just as he prepares to slip back inside the club via rear exit, the door opens with the characters walking out, their eyes widening as they recognize their target. Though he attempts to flee, Speng trips on a broken piece of durasteel pipe laying in the alley and falls on his backside, stunned and shaken. Meanwhile, the characters surround the hapless death sticks dealer, making note of the fact that in spite of being clumsy (and rather stupid for having come back to this place), he is still a rather sharp dressed man ...

 

[Matthias]

EPISODE IIIb: CITY OF SPIRES & STRIFE (The Spyder)

As the characters circle Speng, the death sticks dealer realizes he is heavily outnumbered and decides to cooperate. He tells the group that he knows Kaa'to and that the bounty hunter comes around here sometimes to move merchandise he acquires on his jobs. He likes the sabacc over at the Spyder, and Speng hears he owes them a lot of money. That's why he always brings the death sticks dealer valuable objects he finds on his jobs, since Speng likes the finer things in life. He also informs the characters he knows where Kaa'to stays. He has been known to hole up somewhere around the kelerium processing plant in Sector 943. It's an out-of-the-way place that no one is supposed to know about. He stays there when he's on Coruscant so he can work without prying eyes on him.

After interrogating Speng, the group decides to let the death sticks dealer go free. He stumbles out of the alley, disappearing from view. The group then decides to head to the Spyder. Many locations throughout Coruscant offer games of chance and gambling, but the Spyder has earned a reputation among the gamblers of the city as a place for large payouts and larger sources of information. Many high rollers frequent the sabacc tables to make their fortunes—and more often lose them.

The sights and sounds of the Spyder are similar to those of many sabacc parlors, with a central pit of card tables surrounded by various electronic games. The establishment is crowded and noisy; the cheers that accompany winning hands and lucky rolls ring out across the room. Behind the bar, a two-headed Troig deftly passes out drinks using all four arms, chatting with down-on-their-luck gamblers or himself intermittently. A quick scan of the room shows that the Nikto bounty hunter is not here, so the group must rely on the various patrons and employees for information.

The right and left heads of the Troig bartender, Pillaat and Nerro, have worked at the Spyder for many years and are very familiar with the regulars. The Troig loves to discuss the comings and goings of the city, especially the underworld activity, and is quick to share some gossip after a few credits pass his way. As the characters begin inquiring about Kaa'to, the Troig's two heads exchange furtive glances and seem slightly on edge. Offering a generous tip/donation sets him more at ease, however, and Pillaat informs the group that the bounty hunter is very quick to anger and has in-jured a number of customers over games that have not gone his way. He avenges these losses outside the establishment, to keep from negatively affecting his admittance into the Spyder. Nerro also shares that Kaa'to owes the Spyder's owner a great deal of money and has only recently begun paying it back.

Further, the group learns that Korsin Fenn, a male Bothan and a clansman of Jovel's, runs the Spyder. He can be found here most nights, overseeing the operation and resolving any disputes.
He is a reserved individual, but he warms quickly to anyone who proves trustworthy. After finding the Bothan at the main sabacc table, Korsin Fenn is very reluctant (at first) to divulge any information on his clients. He knows that maintaining strict confidence is necessary to keep patrons coming back. Matthias Jayne points out that Kaa'to has already forfeited his privilege of privacy by betraying numerous employers and owing the Spyder some credits. This sways Fenn to offer the group 1,000 credits to split if they successfully lay a trap for the bounty hunter and make an example of Kaa'to to other debtors. In addition, he tells the group that the spice shipment Kaa'to offered was bound for Black Sun, which is another reason Fenn thinks it's too hot to take himself.

The group can surmise that Kaa'to is extremely dangerous and known for using any means necessary to achieve his goals. The double-crosser is quickly making a great number of enemies by turning on his former employers. Fenn speculates that it won't be long before Kaa'to betrays Black Sun, and he wonders aloud if perhaps the organization should be made aware of this fact. The Bothan has no particular love for Black Sun, and, if the crime syndicate would send some thugs of their own to investigate, it could help whittle down the Nikto's firepower and strength. Finally, Fenn reveals that Kaa'to's debts have increased greatly due to a bout of bad luck two months ago at the sabacc tables. He now owes the Spyder close to 20,000 credits, and he has become desperate to find new sources of income to alleviate this debt. Fenn banned Kaa'to from the Spyder until the debts are paid, though he is becoming increasingly worried that he will never see his money. The Nikto did offer Fenn a shipment of spice to offset his debts, but Fenn wants nothing to do with that business.

Before the characters leave Fenn's office, the Bothan points out a group of Black Sun members, including an influential underboss, playing sabacc at a nearby table. Perhaps someone would like
to be dealt into the game?

 

[Matthias]

EPISODE IIIb: CITY OF SPIRES & STRIFE (The Spyder Sabacc Table)

Two of the group (Cassus and Matthias) decide to join in the game at the main Sabacc table and pay the 25 credit entry fee. Verannis, a Falleen underboss from the Black Sun, is the dealer. With mostly everyone else backing out of the final game having already lost more than they bargained for, the two are left playing opposite a single remaining challenger - an Aqualish - coincidentally, also a member of the Black Sun and an associate of Verannis. As the third round of the game ends, Cassus manages to get a pure sabacc and wins. The prize pot is just over 1 million credits, Verannis announces. But before he offers the winnings to the stunned Chiss, he casually mentions that he could help the group take out Kaa'to - for a price. As the characters agree, Verannis quotes them the price of 1 million credits. The deal now finalized, he dispatches his guards to seek out the bounty hunter and bring Kaa'to before him at his headquarters. He curtly thanks the group and leaves the Spyder with his guards and associates, in tow.

The characters are then left with one last thing to do - contacting Suavee and letting him know how everything went down. Since it will be Suavee extracting our heroes, the group hopes he finds the news satisfactory. Still, Suavee will not be contacting them for another 24 hours - so up until then, the group has some time to kill. They have a speeder - so the means to go where they will - or they could hang out at the Spyder, passing the time between gambling, greasy food and expensive drinks...

 

[Matthias]

EPILOGUE

After a little deliberation, the group decides to go to Sector 943 - the Works. Having arrived and landed safely on the only available platform littered with crates of junk, they face a large building which houses some office and a kelerium refinery. Before heading in, Junie decides to take a closer look at one of the crates and finds herself a kilogram of electrum, which she happily decides to take with her. As the adventurers head through the factory door, they bypass some busy droids working various office tasks. One of the supervisors, a suspicious Mustafarian - attempts to interrogate the group as to their purpose in the factory - but Marius' timely use of a Jedi Mind Trick sends the alien cowering, to hide in the refresher. No longer being accosted by nosy hostiles, the characters continue past the office and into the refinery proper, where they have to utilize numerous catwalks to move around safely.

(NOTE: Lana Star sustains an eye injury while attempting to climb a stairway which is laden with booby traps and one misstep causes the staircase to explode.)

As they search for Kaa'to's possible 'secret lair', Marius finds a doorway that is sealed from the inside - but Radiant manages to find a hidden side entrance that is booby trapped by explosives. After the explosives are safely disarmed, they stride into a chamber that seems abandoned and littered with more crates of junk. There is a large hangar bay door visible to the north - and after making sure that the Nikto bounty hunter is not in the first chamber, Radiant charges outside, toward a parked Z-95 headhunter. While the rest of the group follows, Matt tosses a stun grenade into the starfighter's cockpit, causing the bounty hunter's lower body to go numb. After several attempts to pull the Nikto out of his ship, Junie finally succeeds, just as Marius sends his lightsaber down toward Kaa'to - as a symbol of threat and warning. Unfortunately, as Junie lifts the Nikto upward, his head meats the lightsaber blade - and he is killed on the spot. Regretful and upset with this unfortunate accident (as the group wanted to bring Kaa'to to Suavee alive), they head back to rendez-vous with Suavee. The Black Sun (and Chopper) pay them the amount they were promised - and now 55,000 credits richer AND having gained the respect of the Black Sun - they set out for their temporary home on Nar Shaddaa.