INTERLUDE 1 - BETWEEN 12/14/02 & 1/18/03

(from Mark) Players, O.K....don't poop your pants...but after speaking with Scott, Chris, and Mike Cross, I've decided we are going to convert to the d20 Star Wars game prior to our January 18th Game. Let me say that again...WE ARE CONVERTING TO D20 STAR WARS PRIOR TO THE JAN. 18TH GAME!

Now, a majority of the January 18th game will take place in Hell, with our D&D characters, and with the D&D d20 rules. But a small portion of the game will take place with our new d20 Star Wars characters. So, that leaves the question, "HOW DO I GET MY CHARACTER CONVERTED PRIOR TO THE JAN. 18TH GAME?"

I have a Star Wars rulebook (thanks guys), Chris has a rulebook, Mike Cross has a rulebook, and Scott is about to buy a rulebook. Scott has offered to get together with Steve and help him convert his character. Jeff can contact either Scott or I to get help converting. I'm going to make a character for Brian (I'll send you an e-mail about this today)...and by my estimation that takes care of everyone!

I think this is going to save us a lot of confusion...and get us ready for the future of our Star Wars campaign. Some notes on what level to make your character, and other things in on the Rules page of this website.

(from Chris) Gang, Mark and I talked about using the new d20 Star Wars system. It looks VERY good. If we can get everyone converted over before we play, we can give it a shot. It's just like D&D with feats, skills and levels. I will be hosting a Star Wars character creation session (or two) at my house. I have all the books, including the arms and equipment book. If anyone is interested, here are the dates I will be available:

Dec 26th, Thursday after 4pm.
Dec 27th, Friday after 4pm.
Dec 28th, Sat after 4pm.

If these dates are too soon, I am willing to meet anytime after work. For that matter, at work. Me, Steve, Scott, Mike H.and Craig are at the campus. Please reply back what works best for you. We can even have some mock battles to see how it works.

Please let me know when you are available. Thanks,...Stone, er...Zeek, doh!...Vette, yeah that's the ticket.

(from Chris, refering to "Gray Sunrise") Great story! Thanks for taking the time to spot-light Vette. He will probably be multi-classed, because he was a Jedi. I have the Dark Side book. Is it OK if I look through there to see what classes would be appropriate? I can play with player knowledge. You know I will go with the storyline. Hopefully I will get a response from a few of the players to create characters. Thanks, CS

(reply from Mark) Chris, You may look at the Dark Side Book. Remember, that since I don't own that book, you'll have to explain things you get from there to me (until I purchase it next month).

I figure that Vette got to about 5th or 6th level as a Jedi Guardian, and then all the dark side stuff happened. I think it is important for you to find RULES that back up what we are doing with Vette. If we find rules that are close, but not exact...then I think its important we ALTER our storyline to fit the rules. Know what I mean?

Also, we have played out Vette being tempted and turning. That is played-out for the most part. I would like us tell the story of Vette redeeming himself. I would like your goal as a player to be restoring Vette's goodness...and not playing out further break-downs, so to speak. I would like to go against the expectations of the other players...and take Vette in a different direction than he went before. Your thoughts? ...Mark

(back from Chris) Sounds good. I agree, we have been-there-done-that, no need to do it again. I will look at the rules and alter the storyline accordingly. I'll look at how the whole Jedi/Sith relationship works.

I like where it's heading, everyone being suspicious of him. But, he is no longer tempted by the dark side. I don't really want to play the 'paladin' seeking redemption. I would rather play him as a gritty, salt-of-the-earth type of character. Where his experience has tempered him and made him wiser. A quote from Vette might be: "There are worse things than slavery. Be glad you have a warm bed and food. Serve your master well and you will be rewarded."

He feels that the Jedi think too highly of themselves. This arrogance, he believes, is what is causing their downfall. "Be humble. Action without thought is only reaction." Vette would also look down on the Jedi's inclination of attempting to see the future and meddle with it. "What right do they have to shape the lives of others?"

(from Chris to Mike Cross) I just noticed that there is yet a third section on feats for the Jedi Guardian. You get a bonus feat at 7th level. That answers my question about the 7th level pre-reqs. Just for sanity, here is the number of feats a Jedi gets.

1st - 1 for being human
1 for being 1st LVL
Force Training- Alter (page 61)
Jedi bonus
Force Sensitive
Exotic Weap Prof(Light Saber)
WP (Blasters)
WP (Simple)
2nd Bonus Feat page 61
3rd Force Training - Control
3rd Level Character Feat
4th Force Training - Sense
6th Character Level Feat
7th Jedi Knight Feat (Page 62)
8th Bonus Feat page 61


(from Chris…to Wizards of the Coast) Oh most high Jedi Consular, (or Conselor as it were) Can you hold a feat slot and spend it at a higher level? For instance, you get one extra feat at first level. Do you have to pick a feat right
then? Or can you wait and spend later, when you have met the pre-reqs for a better feat? It would be very cool to have a slot saved for when you reach 7th level and get two Knight Feats. What do you say? Thanks,

(Response from Wizards of the Coast) The rules don't let you hold feat slots to use at a higher level. Of course, if you want to permit that in your own campaign, that's entirely up to you. JD Wiker, Jedi Counseling

(from Chris) I understand your statement of "if you want to permit that in your own campaign, that's entirely up to you." However, we like to stick to the rules 99% of the time. The reason for my question is that the rules are not specific in this area. Where does it say you must use your feat when it is earned? Thanks for your help, Chris Stevens

(Wizards of the Coast again) I don't know that there's particularly any place where it spells out that you have to make the feat choice when you get the feat slot, but then, it also doesn't say you have to take your vitality points when you advance a level. It's just understood that that's what you do. JD Wiker, Jedi Counseling

(from Chris...also to Wizards of the Coast) How come there are no rules on Cybernetics?

Examples:
Darth Vader's Arm, body, etc.
Luke Skywalker's Hand
Princess Amadala's Captain had a cybernetic eye.
Lando's Assistant had a telepathic halo of some sort.

What gives???

(Response from Wizards of the Coast) We originally left these rules out because we wanted players to avoid the urge to go out and lop off their characters' limbs to get higher Strength or faster legs or whatever. We decided that a significant percentage of cybernetics was designed simply to give people what they had lost--rather than make them tougher--so creating rules that put people back to Square One seemed kind of pointless.

HOWEVER...That being said, we've included cybernetics rules in the upcoming Hero's Guide, due this summer. JD Wiker, Jedi Counseling

(back from Chris) Permanent Dark Side points would have solved your concern.


(from Chris) Just spoke to Mark. You may reduce an ability to 7 and receive an extra point. By doing so the total becomes 26 to spend. You can't simply take one ability to 7 and another to 15 from 14. It still costs two points to go from 14 to 15 and 15 to 16.

(from Mark) A quick note to those of you making new characters.

You will notice that some aliens get a reduction in some ability scores and an increase in other scores. If it hadn't occurred to you yet...if you get a plus two to an ability score you have already set at 16...and make it 18...you have gained two ability score points...BUT YOU HAVE ACTUALLY GAINED 6 OF THE COST POINTS. If this same race gets a minus two to an ability score you have already set at 11...making it 9...you have lost two ability score points...BUT YOU HAVE ONLY LOST 2 OF THE COST POINTS.

Bottom Line: By playing an alien race, and working your ability scores correctly, you can have 29 points to spend on ability scores instead of just 25. Just one of those benefits of being an alien! Just a thought....Mark


(from Mark) Scott,

I have looked through the Star Wars book extensively, as well as the dark-side book. I have not found any cybernetics rules there. Chris looked through the Arms and Equipment guide, and he found no cybernetics there either. Please let me know if you find anything.

Until we find some rules on that...we will say that they were able to replace your arm with a mechanical arm that for all means and purposes is just like the arm you lost. No better, no worse. (The same goes for Vette's eye...no better, no worse.) Do not give yourself any sort of strength bonus..etc.

I believe this is fair, from the standpoint that you spent points in Alternity to gain that arm, but since we are catching this early in the d20 conversion...you will not have spent any points on it in this game. Spend the points I would have made you spend in this game to get a better arm (if there were rules to govern it), to instead be better in combat...etc.

This d20 game is more balanced, and you will not need the cybernetci arm to be "equal" to the Jedi, if you think through the creation of your character properly. Any thoughts you have on this will be welcome, though you will have to find some rules in writing or have a SERIOUSLY convincing argument to cause me to change my mind and create new rules for this game system!

As a side note, I have informed Chris (and now you), that due to the atmosphere of the Star Wars Universe, and the balance between the living force and the corruption of the dark side and technology...body part replacement is possible for almost any body part lost in battle, BUT THERE IS A DARK SIDE COST TO OPTING TO REPLACE PERFECTLY GOOD BODY PARTS WITH CYBERNETIC ONES. Such is the bias against cybernetics (and the moral cost) that the Cordawans would only have given you a mechanical arm able to replace equally the one you lost.Thanks,....Mark

(from Scott) Does my race have a Score trade? +2 dex , -2 Personality maybe?...Scott A. Bower

(from Mark) Cordawan's are extremely social, and extremely friendly. I would consider giving the Cordawan a Charisma +2, and a -2 on Constitution. Up to you on that. You could just consider them to be red faced humans if you'd like. Let me know.....Mark

(from Scott) Well I had all ready worked him up over at Chris's house as a red faced human (Probably something in the water). So will stick with that. Chris and I worked on the Obsidian staff and came to the conclusion it fit into the area of a masterwork +2 staff. Only + 2 to damage and can block energy. I toyed with it being in the weapon finesse class but that seems to be more of and energy based hand weapon area and since the weight of the obsidian id probably close to metal and given the damage pluses that would attribute to hardness and impact weight giving it the extra damage this makes sense. I have worked up Kenai as a prestige class. his first 6 levels as a soldier to meet the prerequisites to be a Elite Trooper. so he is now a second level Elite trooper if this meets with your approval. the abilities fit more with his past abilities...Scott A. Bower

(from Mark) Sounds great!


(from Mark) Steve,

I need some input from you regarding your character. I believe you will find being a Force Adept (character class) is a very good fit for your character. This will easily mirror the Jedi-like abilities that you pursued early in your character's gaming career.

That brings us to the Fire stuff. There is no good mirror to the fire spells you had in this new system. So we have two choices at hand. I am willing to go with either one:

1. You can focus all of your d20 character making on the Force Adept rules and powers as they are written. Storyline-wise we can say that your close affinity with the Force allowed you to use some of the Fire Mages' power and energy on Milos, but now that Milos is destroyed...you have let those powers slip away...focusing all of your energy and learning on your Force Adept stuff. One cool thing the Force Adept can do is use the force to make his hand-held weapon resistant to lightsabers...allowing you to fight one on one with a dark jedi without your weapon being destroyed.

2. You can write me a e-mail letting me know what Fire spells you had. I will create a new Feat (or two) and Skills (several) to allow you to purchase the fire spells in the d20 system we are now playing. This will reflect our storyline better, but may spread your abilities a bit thin between the Force and Fire Feats and skills. I have been resisting any changes to this new game system until we play it, but this is one I am willing to make in order to let you make the character that you want.

Steve, I am willing to go either route. It is completely up to you. Please let me know soon, for it will take me about a week to design the Feats and Skills required for you to purchase fire spells! You called me yesterday...I will call you back today!...Mark

(from Chris) Mark, Steve and Scott came over today and we made characters. Steve's character sheet is attached. We decided to make Morgan a Force Adept and stay as close to the rules as possible. (There are enough new rules to try to figure out as it is.) There are two areas that could round out his character.

We could easily make two concessions to make the character somewhat like he was in the old game. One is to allow the skill, Force Lightning, to be used without the penalty of a dark side point. (This could be Force Fire if you wanted to keep the fire genre.) This skill would replace the 'Fiery Bolt' and/or 'Storm of Flames' that Morgan had.

Next is to allow the 'Block' ability found on page 62 to be a class benefit of the Force Adept when using his 'Force Weapon'(Found on page 55). This would replace one of his spells 'Cloak of the Phoenix' and 'Limited Force Field' that aided him in defense of ranged weapons.

These changes will keep the game balanced while at the same time allow the history of the character to continue and evolve. Morgan can then use the other Force related feats that mimic the old character.

Let me know what you think. Thanks, Chris


(from Mark) Mike Haun, I spoke with Chris about your thoughts on a character for the Star Wars game. He said you were convinced that a Jedi would be the best character for you...and that this was the way you wanted to go. That is fine with me...WITH CONDITIONS.

You have to come up with a unique angle on this whole jedi-thing. Obviously a D&D group with 3 paladins would be really boring without some unique approaches to each character...and the same goes for Jedi in a Star Wars Campaign.

I think you should be a jedi from the Republic. In the Fiery Path story, Quinn Roldoon mentions he is supposed to meet a Jedi named Oaht-Goth (pronounced "Oat-Goth").

You could either be Oaht-Goth...or someone sent to replace him. I would expect you would make something OTHER THAN HUMAN. I think the Zebrak's are cool, but you can have your choice really. Make sure a Jedi of that Species makes sense (there are notes in the book under each species regarding this topic.)

I think that your character should have a secret...a big secret. I would not mind if you wanted to play a "tainted jedi" who is struggling with the dark side a bit, either. Let me know soon, because we need to work out the story details, etc.

Bottom Line: You may play a Jedi, but you will need to work to make it unique and interesting...Throw some ideas back at me! I'm working on the website (drawings of all the characters, character profiles, etc.), so let me know as soon as you've made some decisions!....Mark

(response from Mike H.) Mark - I appreciate the feedback. I closesly reviewed each class in the game, and the Jedi style is the one that would the most interesting. I know that you didn't want a lot of Jedi characters, so I did make an attempt to look other routes. The thing which kept hitting me in the face, was another Oren character.

While I really like Oren in the D&D campaign, I didn't want another brute force. I wanted to play with a character which had other potential besides, "swing!". I did even create a soldier character last night. He is very simular to Oren in strength and power. I even named him Nero (Oren backwards). But, I appreciate you letting me be something different. I will come up with a big secret, plot, and background. I didn't want a human character anyways. :)
Thanks, Mike

(back from Mark) Mike, Let me know the species you will be playing as soon as possible. And the name of the character (if you use Oaht-Goth or another). I am trying to get drawings of the characters up on the website, as well as character information.

There are many character types that would be interesting in this game, besides a super-deadly soldier (Nero) or a Jedi. Han Solo is cool...Chewabacca is cool...Boba Fett is cool...Greedo is cool, Lando is cool (well you get the idea). Smugglers, Con-Men, Gamblers, excellent pilots, etc. But I respect a player getting to play what he wants to play...

I intend to focus this game AWAY from the sort of combat that favors the Jedi over other types of characters. I want to focus on Role-Playing...while still having action. It will be fun regardless of how "powerful" a character a person comes up with. I'm not exactly pleased with rule-raping, and power-gamers these days...but I know that is not what you will focus on. You're always good at coming up with an angle. Don't feel like you have to make your Jedi into an "Oren" in order to have a part in the game....So let me know (soon!) Thanks, Mark

(from Mark) Players, well, the game is coming up on Saturday, 1/18/03, at 5:00 pm, at Chris Steven's house. E-mail Chris if you are unsure how to get there! Bring your D&D and Star Wars characters. If you can't make it...let me know as soon as possible!

On December 23rd, when I asked everyone to come up with d20 Star Wars characters, I couldn't have known how well you would respond. THANK YOU for the time you took to get ready for that part of the game. I'll do my best to make it pay off for you!

In one month we've gone from NO Star Wars web-site...to having a fairly complete one. It is accessible from VoidPulp.Com. Check it out. I've recently completed re-typing in the LAST of Quinn, Morgan, and Kenai's character information (that was not fun!) Their pages are complete. I will get to Vette next (saving the most material for last). Bot Welo is a new character...and all his stuff is in there so far.

Game summaries are clearly marked...but INTERLUDES are a little harder to find. The are labelled, "one," "two," three," and are just to the right of game summaries. By clicking on the Star Systems on the map you can go and read more about them...and I will continue to add more information as I get time.

On the Archives page you will find a lot of information (more to come with time) on our past adventures...the old Star Wars campaign. Take some time when you are bored at work...or get an hour of free time at home (ha ha) in order to read about the other characters in the campaign. Or read about the Shadow War. Or go read about a past adventure in the earlier campaign.

I'd like to thank Scott for e-mailing me some of the old information, and also everyone who offered to help me re-type information we only had on paper. I think the websites are the best thing to ever happen to RPG games...and any suggestions you have to make ours better...let me know!

Thanks again, See you at the game, Mark Stinson

STAR WARS - E-MAIL - VOIDPULP.COM