The galaxy can be a very dangerous place -- ask anyone who's played Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game. Next month, Gamemasters and players alike have an assortment of new challenges to add peril and excitement to a storytelling game session in the form of the hardcover release from Wizards of the Coast, Threats of the Galaxy.
This beautifully illustrated book gives Gamemasters ready-to-play game statistics, tactics, and encounter ideas for more than 140 creatures, droids, and characters from the Star Wars universe. The various threats presented in this book are drawn from the Star Wars feature films and the Expanded Universe of comics, video games, and novels. GMs designing their own Star Wars adventures need to look no further than this book for encounters to challenge heroes of every level.
Here's a sample of one of the dangers lurking in a galaxy far, far away... the Dark Jedi warriors known as the Reborn, who first appeared in Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast video game.
The Reborn
The Reborn is the achievement of the dream of artificially imbuing the ability to perceive and manipulate the Force into beings that didn't have it before. Working as Dark Jedi warriors, the Reborn serve as the foot soldiers of the faction known as the Empire Reborn, dedicated to returning the ideals of Emperor Palpatine back to the galaxy at large.
The Reborn originated with Desann, one of Luke Skywalker's former students at the Jedi Praxeum who fell to the dark side, and Hethrir, a former apprentice to Darth Vader and servant of the Emperor. By deceiving Kyle Katarn into giving away the location of the Valley of the Jedi and the Force nexus located there, Hethrir increased his powers fourfold by absorbing energy from ancient Jedi and Sith spirits. After gaining that power, the two Dark Jedi were able to imbue others with the power of the Force and use them as warriors to threaten the New Republic and Skywalker's New Jedi Order. Dispatched by Desann and the Empire Reborn, the Reborn worked in conjunction with units of the Imperial Army to perform various missions across the galaxy. Desann used these missions not only to further the cause of the Empire Reborn but also to help train the Reborn for Desann's ultimate goal: the death of Skywalker and the destruction of his Jedi. They were stopped by Kyle Katarn and Rogue Squadron.
A short time later, those Reborn who survived the assault assembled under the leadership of Tavion Axmis, Desann's apprentice. With the assistance of the Imperial Remnant, Tavion created a Sith cult called the Disciples of Ragnos and named it the New Reborn. Striving to continue Desann's work, the cultists eventually made their way to Korriban, where they were defeated within the ancient Sith tombs in the Valley of the Dark Lords by Jaden Korr and a band of Jedi from Skywalker's academy.
The Reborn are easily recognized by their orange cloaks and simple, redbladed lightsabers. Even though they have been granted the ability to use the Force, their aptitude to wield it is not very strong, but their ability with the lightsaber compensates for this shortcoming.
The Reborn CL 2
Medium Human nonheroic 6
Dark Side 12
Init +9; Senses Perception +9
Languages Basic
Defenses Ref 12 (flat-footed 11), Fort 12, Will 11; Dodge
hp 19; Threshold 12
Speed 6 squares
Melee lightsaber +5 (2d8 +4)
Base Atk +4; Grp +5
Force Powers Known (Use the Force +7): battle strike (2)
Abilities Str 13, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 9
Feats Dodge, Force Sensitivity, Force Training, Skill Training (Use the Force), Weapon Proficiency (lightsabers, pistols, simple weapons)
Skills Endurance +8, Initiative +9, Perception +9, Use the Force +7
Possessions lightsaber, orange cloak
Threats of the Galaxy is by Gary Astleford, Eric Cagle, Robert J. Schwalb, John Snead, Patrick Stutzmann, and Rodney Thompson. It is scheduled for publication by Wizards of the Coast on May 20. For more information about this and other products, visit their official website here.
