Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Dawn of Defiance
At a briefing aboard The Resurgence, Admiral Varth explains that part of his responsibility in a secret Imperial scheme known as the Sarlacc Project was to arrange the covert exchange of resources through a Hutt Crime Lord on the planet Cato Neimoidia. Captain Verana orders the heroes to travel aboard Captain Okeefe's transport to Cato Neimoidia, make contact with Darga, the Hutt gangster, and discover what he's trading with the Empire.
First, the heroes must find one of Darga's underlings- a Devaronian named Warrick Raden- at a ruined warehouse. Though Raden does not wish to help them, the heroes must convince him to lead them to a hidden location in the city of Zarra. The building is in fact Darga the Hutt's palace, which the crime lord took over after its previous Neimoidian inhabitant (a high-ranking member of the Trade Federation) vanished, leaving it abandoned. The heroes enter the palace and are granted an audience with the Hutt. Darga has ordered them brought to him so that he can size them up, and he offers to let the heroes stay in his court for a few days, giving them a chance to impress him and gain his trust.
The heroes stay in the palace's guest quarters. During the final night of their stay, any Force-sensitive characters begin to hear whispers, as though someone were trying to communicate with them telepathically, and they feel a tugging in The Force toward one of the other rooms. Following the whispers, they discover a secret set of chambers below the guest quarters. Inside is a comatose woman, older and gray with weathered features, who is hooked up to machinery that is keeping her unconscious. Once the heroes revive her, they discover that she is a former Jedi Master named Denia who has been kept comatose ever since she fell in battle during the Clone Wars. Unfortunately, the heroes' meddling hasn't gone unnoticed, and Darga calls the palace guards, leaving the entire building in an uproar.
As the heroes fight their way back to the upper levels of Darga's palace, they quickly discover that the Hutt is living up to his Species' reputation for cowardice. Terrified at the prospect of having a Jedi loose in his palace, Darga flees to his space yacht and takes off for the planet Bespin. Though the Hutt leaves town in a hurry, his minions remain behind to try to finish off the intruders.
Adventure Background[]
This adventure is designed under the assumption that you have run your heroes through the first Dawn of Defiance adventure, The Traitor's Gambit. The heroes should already be acquainted with Admiral Varth, Captain Sirona Okeefe, and Captain Adrian Verana of the Alderaanian Starship Resurgence. Beyond that, the heroes need to know only that there is much to be gained in working for Bail Organa, even indirectly, and that The Galactic Empire is up to something big.
If you aren't running Dawn of Defiance but would like to use this adventure in your home campaign, the heroes might be hired by an existing NPC in your campaign to investigate the dealings that a Hutt Crime Lord has with the Empire. They can try to discover what the Empire is trading with the Hutt and report back to their employer.
Additionally, it is highly recommended that you read the entire adventure thoroughly before running it. Some of the events can take place at varying times, and having full knowledge of the potential events can save you many headaches.
Opening Crawl[]
For Gamemasters who wish to have an opening crawl before the adventure, consider using the boxed text below:
Episode II
A WRETCHED HIVE
Between the stars in the blackness of space, the Nebulon-B Frigate Resurgence floats silently away from the prying eyes of the Empire.
Meanwhile, the galaxy continues to sink further into darkness. Each day, remnants of the Republic are crushed and a New Order is more firmly established.
Former Imperial Admiral Gilder Varth has provided Alderaanian agents with vital information on secret projects, and even now events are in motion to reveal the Empire's misdeeds to the galaxy...
Part 1: Cato Neimoidia[]
Main Article: Cato Neimoidia
In A Wretched Hive, the heroes must travel to the world of Cato Neimoidia, a planet ravaged by the Clone Wars and one of the many colony worlds of the Neimoidian people. Since their last adventure, the heroes have spent some down time aboard the Nebulon-B Frigate Resurgence, which is apparently owned by Bail Organa. The ship spends all of its time in deep space, between worlds and away from major Hyperspace routes, and it currently serves as a mobile safe house for former Imperial Admiral Gilder Varth.
Varth was recently rescued from an Imperial prison facility (either by the heroes, if they played in The Traitor's Gambit, or by other agents of Bail Organa if they didn't) and brought to The Resurgence to be debriefed. Captain Adrian Verana is the commanding officer of The Resurgence, and he has overseen Varth's safety and debriefing over the last few weeks. The whole time, Captain Verana has made it clear that no one should mention Bail Organa's name because the Senator cannot risk being known to be involved in case the Empire happens upon The Resurgence. Even Gilder Varth does not know for certain that it was Organa who had him rescued (unless the heroes told him, of course).
In the time between the end of The Traitor's Gambit and the beginning of A Wretched Hive, you should feel free to include encounters with Captain Verana, Gilder Varth, and Captain Okeefe (the owner and operator of the Baudo-Class Star Yacht, The Banshee). The heroes should get to know these three characters a bit better because all of them will have roles of varying importance throughout the campaign.
When A Wretched Hive opens, the heroes should be fully healed and have had a chance to obtain needed supplies and resources. The Resurgence is a well-stocked ship and can provide the group with most mundane items.
Part 2: Darga's Palace[]
Main Article: Darga's Palace
Once the heroes have subdued Warrick Raden, it is not hard to convince him to lead them to Darga's palace. The Devaronian is clearly terrified of what awaits him at the palace, but he is also afraid of the heroes, and as such he does not make any escape attempts. Raden has a speeder that can fit three passengers (or six, if they pile in on top of one another), and he wastes no time in zooming through the bridge city, weaving in and out of ruined buildings and taking shortcuts through the rubble. The trip to Darga's palace takes half an hour, and Raden's winding course leads the heroes into a dense cluster of buildings that blocks out their view of the Cato Neimoidian sky.