Bill is the gamemaster. Greg is playing Thannik, a bounty hunter. Paul is playing a protocol droid named GT-9R (C-3PO is a protocol droid). Peter is playing Dirk Harkness, an outlaw (and all-round scoundrel). Amy is playing Rhen, a brash pilot (who thinks she’s something of a hotshot). Finally, George is playing a kid named Cev Rees (young Cev is something of a mischievous
pest).
BILL: “You enter the Dancing Dewback. It looks a lot like the cantina from Star Wars. There’s about 15 people here — some are human, but most of them are aliens. Off in the corner you can see a Devaronian — you know, the guy in the cantina scene with the short, pointy horns — downing a glowing red drink that seems to have a small electrical storm hovering over the cup. He looks like the contact you’re supposed to meet. What do you want to do?”
PAUL: (As GT-9R, doing a typical droid-like mechanical voice) “Master Thannik, we are supposed to meet our contact in this… establishment. What a rough place. No one respectable would be found here.” (Now using his normal voice, telling Bill) “What else can I see? Do my sensors pick up anything unusual, or any signs of weapons?”
GREG: (As Thannik) “Look, Niner, this is my kind of place. A good bar fight waiting to happen!” (Looking at Bill, speaking as the player) “I’m not taking any chances. Where are all of the entrances? If we have to fight our way out, where can we go? Who’s heavily armed?”
PETER: (As Dirk) “Well, friends, it’s not polite to stare. I’m going to the bar for a drink. Anyone with me?”
AMY: (As Rhen) “I’m in.”
GEORGE: (As Cev) “Me too… I want a Reactor Core! I hear they’re good!”
AMY: (As Rhen) “That’s enough, Cev. You’ll get a fizzyglug and like it. And don’t try picking any pockets like last time.”
GEORGE: (As Cev) “I never get to have any fun. And how many times do I have to tell you… it’s ‘Cev,’ like with a ‘k,’ not with an ‘s!’” (To Bill) “I’m going to pretend to do what Rhen says but I’m looking out for someone I can pick-pocket.”
PETER: “Here we go again… you know, last time you nearly got us all killed.”
BILL: (To Peter) “You don’t know what Cev is doing so don’t worry about it.” (To everyone, pulling out a sheet of scrap paper) “Here, let me draw you a sketch of the room. There’s a front door — where both of you are standing now — plus a bar in the center. Dirk, Rhen and Cev are already at the bar. The room’s about 20 meters square, so it’s a decent size. There are booths and tables everywhere.”
(Bill sketches a rough square, drawing in the front door, the bar and its approximate size, and several booths. He draws a booth in the back and circles it.)
“This circled booth is where the Devaronian is. At first glance, you don’t see a lot of the bar — the lighting’s not very good. There are several humans and one Wookiee in the front — they look like smugglers or traders. You see three Duros — the guys with the big green heads and glowing red eyes in the first movie — in the back, clustered around a table. One is clearly arguing with the other two, and there’s a deck of sabacc cards and several stacks of coins on the table.
“In the back corner is a Gamorrean — you know, Jabba’s piglike guards in Return of the Jedi — and he’s really out of control. He’s standing by himself, well, stumbling is more like it. He’s punching at thin air and screaming lots of curses in his language.
“If you want to notice anything else, you’ll have to take a few more seconds to scan the area and make Perception checks; if anyone is antsy, they’ll probably notice that you’re checking out the place if you keep on standing at the door.”
GEORGE: “Have I found anyone to pick-pocket?”
BILL: “You’re sure you want to do this? Most of the people here look pretty tough.”
GEORGE: “That’s what makes it a challenge.”
PETER AND AMY: “Oh no.”
BILL: (Smiling evilly) “The guy next to you is a big, burly spacer-type. He’s got his back turned to you and there’s several empty glasses on the bar. His wallet’s half out of his back pocket. Easy pickings…”
GEORGE: “I’ll go for it. Besides, he won’t beat up on a kid…”
BILL: “Make your pick pocket roll.”
GEORGE: “My pick pocket skill is 4D+2…” (Rolls four dice) “I got a 2, 4, 5, 5; with the +2, that’s an 18!”
BILL: “You reach over and tug on the wallet and it comes right out. The guy doesn’t even notice.”
AMY: “Can I see any of this going on?”
AMY: “I didn’t improve search, but it’s a Perception skill, right? My Perception’s 3D …” (Rolls three dice) “… a 3, 4, and 6; that’s a 13.”
BILL: “Out of the corner of your eye you see Cev pulling the wallet out of the man’s pocket. The guy’s huge… he could probably press Cev one-handed.”
AMY: (As Rhen, whispering to George) “Cev, what are you doing?”
GEORGE: (As Cev) “Nothin’ Don’t come over here… there’s nothin’ to see.” (To Bill) “What’s in the wallet?”
BILL: “Not much. An ID card and about 20 credits.”
GEORGE: (As Cev) “Cool!”
BILL: “The bartender walks up to the spacer, gives him a another drink and says, ‘Here’s your lum, Fenn. Two credits.’ The guy reaches around to his back pocket and starts feeling for his wallet.”
GEORGE: (As Cev) “Uh-oh! See you later, Rhen!” (To Bill) “I duck into the crowd.”
AMY: (As Rhen) “No you don’t!” (To Bill) “I grab the wallet from Cev.”
BILL: “Now you need to make what’s called an opposed roll. Both of you roll your Strength. High roller holds on to the wallet. Amy, add a +5 modifier to your roll. You get a bonus because Cev is trying to sneak away and isn’t really paying attention to you.”
AMY: (Rolls dice) “A 12… with the +5, that makes my total
17!”
GEORGE: (Rolls dice) “A 10.”
AMY: “Got it!”
BILL: “Just as you grab the wallet and Cev ducks into the crowd, the spacer realizes his wallet is missing. He turns to look at you, Rhen.” (Bill imitates drunken spacer) “‘Hey, where’d my wallet go… hey, what are you doin’ with it?’”
AMY: “Um, I’ll offer to buy him a drink.”
BILL: “C’mon, play it out.“
AMY: (As Rhen) “Uh, you just dropped your wallet on the floor… here. Let me buy you a drink.”
BILL: (As spacer) “‘Sure. Say, what’re you doin’ later on?’”
AMY: (As Rhen, muttering under her breath) “I’m gonna kill that little twerp…”
Okay, now you’ve seen a little of how the game works. What next? Well, first is the “Star Wars Player Handout.” It’s sort of like a “cheat sheet” that speeds
up play. Feel free to make copies for your players.
Then Greff Carga himself will take you through character creation in Chapter Two. And we’ll wrap up the Player Section of this book with Chapter Three, which tells you all you’ll ever need to know about attributes and skills.
Keep reading and keep listening. I’ll be back to check on you later.
