Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Dawn of Defiance
Main Page: A Reckoning of Wraiths
Preceded by Part 1: Depths of the City
Despite the trouble the heroes have caused in the Invisible Hand, no authorities are forthcoming in the depths of the Gnawer's Roost. The fighting is by no means unusual. As long as none of the locals, such as Klef or Tekkur, have been undeservedly harmed in the fighting, the residents won't bat an eye at the heroes.
Unfortunately, the heroes will find that any calls they make to the loyalist safehouse following the fight go unanswered. This should raise alarms in their heads, especially if they are in need of information or medical attention. Though they might find some use in remaining in Gnawer's Roost for a while (whether it's to ask questions or do some other investigations), their real concern should be to ensure that their loyalist friends at the safehouse are all right.
Safehouse of the Dead[]
The return to the safehouse is remarkably uneventful. Another taxi (or even the same one, depending on how the trip into the Gnawer's Roost ended) can be hired to transport the heroes, or they can make other arrangements. Strangely enough, Imperial checkpoints are positioned so as to keep citizens from entering the more dangerous portions of the city, especially since criminals and other miscreants can descend into the bowels of Coruscant and lose themselves there.
The quiet is perhaps the most disconcerting thing about the trip. The heroes' ears are still ringing from their last shootout, and nothing feels quite right. Every set of eyes that glances their way is suspect; every siren or alarm might be a result of their passing. Even more than before, there should be a sense of tension and paranoia in the air.
From outside, the tenement block that contains the safehouse apartments looks the same as when the heroes left for the Gnawer's Roost. Force-sensitive heroes have a distinct feeling that they are being watched, even though nothing is visible. Entering the building is just as uneventful, whether the heroes take a turbolift or climb one of the two narrow stairwells that lead up to the safehouse floor.
Once they arrive on the tenement's third floor, they know that something is definitely wrong. The ozone-sweet smell of blaster fire lingers in the air, along with a thin, smoky haze. The walls of the hallway are scorched and burned in some areas, and a dark substance- fresh blood- stains the carpet. Entering the safehouse through any one of the three doors (all of which are open), the heroes are greeted with the macabre sight of their loyalist hosts, dead.
Some of the loyalists obviously went down fighting, blasters held tightly in their stiffening fingers. It looks like a number of others were rounded up after the fact, put against a wall, and executed in a flurry of blaster fire. Despite their best efforts, the heroes find no survivors- everyone they met during their stay in the safehouse is dead.
The heroes probably seek to raid the safehouse's supplies, which have not been taken or tampered with. But they won't have much time to rummage around. Once they discover the dead and search the entirety of the safehouse for survivors, allow them to attempt DC 17 Perception checks. Success indicates that they hear the sounds of stealthy movement out in the hallway.
The Imperial Security Bureau tactical team that was sent to wipe out the loyalist contingent has been waiting in an upstairs apartment for signs that they missed someone. They have been monitoring life signals and motion using a bank of portable scanners, which have revealed the heroes' arrival and movements.
When the heroes appear to be occupied with supplying themselves, or when they seem to be leaving the premises, the tactical team moves into position and attempts to wipe them out. They attack from opposite sides of the building and take no prisoners.
In the event that the heroes venture upstairs to search for enemies, the tactical team sets an ambush, waiting for them to clear the turbolift or stairs before opening fire.
Critical Challenge[]
Once again, the critical challenge in this encounter is survival. The ISB tactical team is well trained and bloodthirsty, and the heroes should find themselves with a genuine fight on their hands.
Auxiliary Challenge[]
Salvaging as much of the safehouse's gear as possible goes a long way toward endearing the heroes to their masters. This is especially true of the HoloNet Transceiver, which is a large and expensive piece of hardware. Returning the transceiver to Bail Organa or his associates will earn their gratitude.
ISB Tactical Team[]
The heroes begin inside the safehouse apartments and should be positioned where they were when their Perception checks were made. The ISB tactical team starts in the hall on either side of the apartment doors, as depicted on the encounter map.
Read-Aloud Text[]
The agents are moving quietly but aren't trained for stealth, which means the heroes might hear them coming. Heroes who make a successful DC 17 Perception check hear the agents' movement in the corridor. If the heroes become aware of the agents, read the following text aloud.
The scent of blaster fire, mixed with the scent of fresh blood, is still strong on the air within the apartments that formerly comprised the loyalist safehouse. Bodies are strewn throughout the rooms and hallways of the apartments, gunned down and callously left where they fell.
Suddenly, there is a sound of surreptitious movement within the corridor outside the safehouse apartments- an uncharacteristic thump, as of booted feet moving swiftly over worn carpet.
Encounter Setup[]
Tactics[]
The ISB Tactical Agents shoot to kill, and they never hesitate to pull the trigger. They move tactically, providing cover to one another as they bound forward. Unless ordered to do so by their lieutenant, they never retreat or surrender.
As commander of his cadre, Kar'eme allows his troops to do their jobs, though he dictates their initial movements. He does not favor leading from behind and stays with the main body of the group. Kar'eme uses his Talents, such as Deployment Tactics, to provide bonuses to his agents to improve their effectiveness.
If Kar'eme loses more than half his squad, he orders a withdrawal from the apartment block and calls for reinforcements.
Features of the Area[]
Furniture throughout the safehouse is considered to be Difficult Terrain to anyone who moves through it. Place corpses of the loyalists as desired.
Conclusion[]
Regardless of whether the tactical squad is wiped out, the heroes have little choice but to flee the premises with whatever they can carry. If any members of the squad survive, they take up defensive positions across the street from the apartment block and call for backup. If the heroes leave via the apartment's front entrance, these survivors attempt to pin them down with heavy blaster fire.
If reinforcements arrive, they consist of a dozen Stormtroopers and an Imperial Officer. Half an hour later, more reinforcements arrive.
Considering that the heat is definitely on, the heroes should strongly consider evacuating the planet. They have no visible means of support on Coruscant at the moment, and the entire Imperial machine is about to come down on their heads.
Where Giants Tread[]
Make it clear that the heroes are wanted more than ever before. Coruscant is no longer safe, and their faces, if not their names, are known to the authorities. The seat of the Empire is the last place they want to be. The heroes might be tempted to flee to the undercity (especially if they have cultivated allies there due to their actions in the Gnawer's Roost), but that merely forestalls the inevitable Imperial advance into that part of the city.
Of course, getting off Coruscant won't be a walk in the park. The planet crawls with Imperial troops, and every one of them is looking for the heroes. They should expect a difficult time of things, and tensions ought to be high, but the trip to the starport where their ship is located is easier than expected- suspiciously so, in fact.
When they arrive at the starport, they find it a ghost town until they see the Imperials waiting for them: four Veteran Stormtroopers, four Veteran Heavy Stormtroopers behind E-Web Repeating Blasters, and an AT-AT. The troops have been sent to stop the heroes from leaving Coruscant. The overwhelming force is meant to discourage the heroes from trying to leave in their own ship. The Empire doesn't give them credit for being foolish enough to face the challenge head-on.
If the heroes show their faces brazenly, the troops (including the crew of the AT-AT) have a chance of spotting them. A confirmed sighting is met by blaster fire. Though the AT-AT crew has been instructed to provide fire support for the troops on the ground, they haven't been authorized to destroy the terminal building. However, if the heroes become a nuisance or prove capable of posing a threat to the AT-AT, these orders will be ignored.
Critical Challenge[]
The goal of this encounter is escape. The heroes must neutralize or bypass the enemies in the starport so they can enter their ship and leave for safer pastures. One option is to run headlong into the fray, relying on their own skill to keep them alive against overwhelming odds. They also might consider going in quietly, attempting to sneak to their ship without being seen.
Both options have merit, but the quiet route is liable to be difficult considering that the tarmac is a wide open, empty space with only a few Starships to provide cover. If the heroes took the Missile Launcher from the safehouse, they might try to take the AT-AT out, but cracking its armor will be difficult.
Auxiliary Challenge[]
Even if the heroes manage to escape, they might be suspicious because the Empire had access to their ship for an undetermined amount of time. They are quite right to be concerned- the Empire's technicians have been busy in a number of nefarious ways.
The first problem is a large detonite charge attached to the reactor of their Starship. The charge is hidden well by Imperial standards; it requires a DC 20 Perception check to locate and a DC 20 Mechanics check to disarm. The bomb is linked to the ship's Hyperdrive and detonates only if the heroes engage light speed. The resulting explosion will destroy the ship, kill the heroes, and prematurely end the adventure.
If the heroes roll poorly or don't think to look for evidence of foul play, give them a few ominous hints, such as "Who knows how long the Empire had access to your ship?" or "A number of access panels around the ship seem to be out of place." You can also mention that there seem to be a large number of odd fluctuations as the heroes enter the Hyperspace coordinates into the navigation computer.
The bomb should not be a death sentence for unlucky heroes. It's designed to show that they are considered a huge threat by their enemies; they ought to be flattered.
In addition to the detonite charge, the Imperials placed three tracking devices throughout the ship. In case the heroes manage to recover their ship, disarm the bomb, and escape from Coruscant, the Empire wants to be able to track them down and finish the job. Two tracking devices are in relatively obvious locations, with little effort made to conceal them; they require DC 10 Perception checks to find. The third tracking device is hidden more carefully, deep within the recesses of the life support system; it requires a DC 20 Perception check to find.
Tarmac Attack[]
The tarmac of the landing field is divided into a number of docking bays, each one holding a different starship. The heroes' vessel is near the end of the tarmac, and an AT-AT has been positioned nearby with a wonderful view of the area. In addition to the AT-AT, two E-Web Repeating Blasters have been set up on the tarmac, each crewed by two Veteran Heavy Stormtroopers. They are in such positions as to complement one another, allowing them to engage advancing opponents in a crossfire.
Besides the AT-AT and the two E-Web emplacements, four Veteran Stormtroopers have been assigned to guard the heroes' ship. They've created some rudimentary Cover out of cargo crates and similar materials near the ship's access ramp, and they are waiting for the action to begin.
The heroes begin on the far end of the tarmac, directly opposite the AT-AT.
Read-Aloud Text[]
Read the following text aloud when the heroes arrive at the landing field. The Imperial forces manning the defenses aren't attempting to hide, so no Perception checks are needed to spot them.
You take in the landing field with a quick, sweeping glance. The gray permacrete surface is embellished by countless lights and endless lines painted in reflective enamel. Several ships and space transports are parked upon slightly raised landing platforms, with your vessel at the far end of the field.
Curiously, you don't see any of the usual activity one would expect on a busy spaceport tarmac: no Labor Droids moving cargo to and fro, and no customs officials inspecting the assembled ships.
Then you realize that the landing field is well guarded, with a massive Imperial AT-AT standing almost directly above your transport like a huge, armored watchdog. Its head moves slowly back and forth as it searches for prey.
A number of Stormtroopers are assembled near your ship, and two large repeating blasters, mounted on tripods and manned by Stormtroopers, have been positioned on opposite sides of the field.
Encounter Setup[]
Tactics[]
The Veteran Heavy Stormtroopers are broken up into two teams, each manning an E-Web Repeating Blaster. One Heavy Stormtrooper controls the E-Web, while his partner regulates the E-Web's power each turn. Aside from the E-Web and their Frag Grenades, these Stormtroopers are unarmed.
The Veteran Stormtroopers assigned to the landing field have been ordered to guard the heroes' ship and prevent them from boarding. They fight to the last to carry out those orders, remaining behind their defensive positions and firing at the heroes from a distance. Given the presence of the AT-AT, they aren't particularly worried about the opposition's chances of survival.
The AT-AT Pilots remain within its armored bulk unless forced to evacuate. Their standard orders are to remain with their vehicle as long as possible, using the walker's weapons unless doing so becomes unviable. If they emerge from the AT-AT, they seek Cover, engaging the heroes only if attacked directly.
The AT-AT is present to provide armored support and to ensure that the heroes are easily neutralized. The Empire doesn't believe that anyone would be foolish enough to confront an AT-AT. On the off chance of an attack, the crew's orders are to support the troops and prevent the heroes' ship from taking off. If the heroes are able to man their vessel, the AT-AT is to focus fire on it and destroy it. If the ship somehow manages to take to the sky, the AT-AT crew is expected to shoot it down.
Features of the Area[]
Squares that contain cargo containers and similar objects are considered to be low objects that provide Cover. If specifically targeted, these metal objects have DR 10 and 10 Hit Points each.
Objects marked as fuel tanks contain a mixture of volatile substances used to recharge or refuel Starship systems. If targeted or hit by blaster fire that overcomes the canisters' DR, they explode violently. This results in a +5 attack against any character within the 2-square blast radius, inflicting 5d6 slashing damage. Neighboring barrels also might be affected, causing an explosive chain reaction. The barrels are considered low objects that provide Cover (if anyone is foolish enough to hide behind them).
Conclusion[]
If the heroes defeat the Imperials, they can board their ship and take off. This is met by radio chatter from the landing field's control tower along the lines of, "Stand down! You do not have authorization to depart!" The heroes likely ignore this radio contact. Meanwhile, the tower personnel contacts the local authorities to inform them of the breach. This causes a number of TIE Fighters to scramble, but unless the heroes stick around an inordinately long time, they should be able to make orbit and go to Hyperspace in short order.
If the heroes did not destroy the AT-AT and both E-Webs, the Imperials take a few shots at the heroes' ship as it starts its engines and takes off.
Embracing Your Destiny: Destruction[]
Heroes with the Destruction Destiny take a major step toward that destiny when they destroy or disable the AT-AT, allowing them to reach their ship and escape from Coruscant. Grant those heroes the 24-hour Destiny bonus.
Continued in Part 3: Resurgence of Evil