| This article details the Fell Star Adventure Module found in Scum and Villainy. You may be looking for the Scum and Villainy Artifact of the same name, The Fell Star. |
Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Scum and Villainy
The Fell Star is a complete adventure that can be used as a launching pad for a Fringe Campaign. Ideally, this adventure will involve a group of four starting heroes, and it focuses primarily on the seedy side of life in the Star Wars universe. Heroes can come from any background, though characters with connection to The Fringe- especially Scoundrels- should feel right at home. This adventure can be set during any era.
If you are a player, you should stop reading now so that you do not spoil any surprises for yourself. If you are the Gamemaster, please feel free to continue on. As the Gamemaster, you should also read Point Nadir before running this adventure.
Adventure Summary[]
The heroes, whether part of an established group of starstruck adventurers or individuals with no prior connections to one another, are contacted for potential employment by an Anjiliac Hutt named Prello. The action begins on the desert planet of Tatooine, in the seedy underbelly of Mos Eisley spaceport.
Prello has lost one of her prized employees- a Balosar thief named Barin Trevina. Besides being a skilled crook, Barin also possessed valuable information. Despite her best efforts, Prello cannot locate Barin. She does not know whether Barin has gone into hiding, been kidnapped, or killed. She is willing to pay good money to see him returned to her unharmed.
The heroes' investigations of Barin's disappearance takes them to several locations in Mos Eisley and eventually leads them off-world to the mysterious shadowport of Point Nadir. Can they find Barin before it is too late and recover the artifact known as the Fell Star from the bowels of Point Nadir?
Opening Crawl[]
For Gamemasters who wish to have an opening crawl before their first adventure, consider using the read-aloud text below.
It's a time of adventure. Heroes and villains alike seek their fortunes across the galaxy. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Mos Eisley spaceport, a wretched hive of scum and villainy situated on the desert planet of Tatooine.
The Hutts command a strong presence in Mos Eisley, but they are not the only criminals. Rival syndicates and cabals prowl the dusty streets, making profits at the expense of one another, as well as society at large. Inevitably these disparate groups collide, their conflicting interests leading to open strife.
As unrest grips Mos Eisley's underworld, Prello the Hutt contacts a group of mysterious heroes, requesting their aid in locating one of her most valued retainers. Can they find him before his enemies do?Part 1: Lost and Found[]
Main Article: Lost and Found
Mos Eisley is a large starport with a long history of criminal activity. Even when under the firm control of The Galactic Empire, the criminal elements of Mos Eisley thrive, seemingly unhindered by the might of the galactic superpower. In fact, the war of the Rebellion does more to expand the black market on Tatooine than any efforts made by the Hutts in the centuries before or since.
During the starport's high points, Mos Eisley is primarily controlled by the Desilijic Hutts, but other contenders work on the sidelines. One such contender is Prello the Hutt, a self-described small-timer from The Anjiliac Clan. Prello's areas of expertise include burglary, stolen art, and obscure artifacts. Though she keeps none of these items for herself, Prello takes a personal interest in their acquisition and dispersal to interested parties. She is a fence- someone who can find a buyer for nearly anything of value that crosses her path.
In her line of work, Prello maintains a group of employees to perform specific duties on her behalf. Her retinue contains everything from con artists to spies to thugs for times when violence is the only alternative. One of her most valued employees, however, is a Balosar rogue by the name of Barin Trevina.
Trevina left the polluted filth of his homeworld and came to Tatooine in search of a better life. His cousin Olev secured legitimate employment, but Barin preferred to utilize his skills as a burglar for hire. He claims to be skilled enough to gain access to any building in Mos Eisley, and he has gone so far as to accept challenges from anyone willing to risk a wager. That was how he came to the attention of Prello, and he has proven a valuable asset to her ever since.
Recently, Barin has gone missing, and Prello is at a loss without her favorite thief at her beck and call. She had sent him out in search of information on a strange artifact known only as the Fell Star. Barin's last communication with Prello indicated that had found the location of the Fell Star, but he was not specific about where it was. He mentioned that he had attracted unwanted attention, but he assured her that could take care of himself.
That was over a week ago, and Prello has grown increasingly agitated as the time has passed.
Part 2: Point Nadir[]
Main Article: Point Nadir
Unless you have plans for the heroes that fall outside the scope of this adventure, passing time while they travel through Hyperspace to Point Nadir is a simple matter. If they received the blessing of Prello the Hutt, along with a transponder code, they have no trouble docking. The amount they are willing to spend on their docking facilities determines where in Fische's Cove they end up. If they dock somewhere in the Tethers, they need to arrange for a ferry or a skiff to take them into the shadowport proper. If they decide to dock in the Slips, they have an easier time accessing Point Nadir, but they pay more for the privilege.
According to Cel N'ero, Barin had only a twelve-hour lead on the heroes. Depending on a number of factors, such as how well the pilot navigates and the ship's Hyperdrive rating, they might even beat Barin to Point Nadir. For the sake of the story, however, assume that the heroes' arrival time is within 12 hours of Barin's.
Barin has one goal and one goal only: to hide from The Sable Dawn. Given that The Sable Dawn has a presence in Point Nadir, coming to the shadowport is a risky move on his part. That said, Barin suspects that the best place to hide from his enemies is right under their noses. Not only that, but once he feels the heat has cooled enough, he plans to venture into Point Nadir's mines and retrieve The Fell Star for Prello on his own.
Since Barin's departure from Mos Eisley, a number of events have taken place. Assuming he survived the encounter with the heroes, Cel N'ero eventually has a run-in with The Sable Dawn. They are none too gentle with him, so he tells them what they want to know. Whether he makes it out alive is another question entirely, depending on whether you want keep him around for your campaign. The choice is yours.
If N'ero dies in "The Woodoo Dunes" encounter or is disposed of by particularly bloodthirsty heroes during or after questioning, he obviously will not be confronted by The Sable Dawn. Nevertheless, The Sable Dawn can reliably guess that Barin is no longer on Tatooine and find out how he managed to get off the planet. With The Sable Dawn's wide net of contacts, they take only a short while to determine which ships left Mos Eisley between time they started their search and the time they ended it. They can then analyze the trajectory of each ship that left Mos Eisley within that time frame to get a general indication of where they were headed. Regardless of the method used, time is on their side.
The Sable Dawn sends a transmission to Point Nadir to warn them of Barin's impending arrival on a YT-1300 Transport called The Mad Line. If the heroes have been registered as a thorn in their side, The Sable Dawn might even make a concerted effort to track their ship, too.
Part 3: Barin's Rescue[]
Main Article: Barin's Rescue
The heroes know where Barin is, and they have learned that he is traveling under an assumed name. They also know that he is staying in a safe house in Point Nadir's Fissure District, and that the safe house is not necessarily all that safe. They have a short time to find the safe house, make a plan, and break Barin out. Given The Sable Dawn's resources, they probably take only twelve more hours, at most, before they start checking their own safe houses for signs of Barin.
Part 4: Into the Mines[]
Main Article: Into the Mines
Barin has spent a long time working out the location of Fische's Legacy. He first learned of the legendary treasure while on an acquisition assignment for Prello. Being in Prello's employ, he is no stranger to Point Nadir and has traveled to the shadow port on a couple of occasions to sell particularly hot items on his boss' behalf.
Barin learned that Fische's Legacy is not a single treasure trove. Instead, it is a series of bolt-holes spread throughout the most distant portions of the comet's unexplored areas. Some of the caches might even be on the comet's surface, but none have been discovered there yet. Some of Fische's caches have already been found, either by Anjiliac lackeys or lucky explorers; more remain undiscovered, waiting for the day when a fortunate thief like Barin Trevina might come along and plunder them.
One of Barin's contacts, a crippled old pirate by the name of Ghorus Mel, swore that he and his companions had uncovered one of Fische's caches. All manner of wealth was hidden there; the most stunning piece was a pendant in the shape of a seven-pointed star, studded with blue stones that seemed to glow with an inner light. The pirate and his friends, drunk on their impending fortune, fell to fighting over the most desirable of the trove's treasures. Severely wounded and driven off by his former allies, Ghorus managed to return to Point Nadir, but he was never able to return to claim his portion of the treasure.
Perhaps the pirate had taken Barin for a fool, but it was Mel's description of the seven-pointed star that drew his attention the most. The description matched that of The Fell Star, an artifact that Prello had been contracted to find on behalf of an anonymous client. Unfortunately, no sooner had Barin learned of The Fell Star's potential location that he was set upon by assassins from The Sable Dawn. Fearing for his life, Barin left Mos Eisley and come to the one place where he hoped he would be safe.
If the heroes agree to accompany Barin into the depths of the comet, they are in for an adventure. Barin has only his memories of Ghorus Mel's story to guide him, but he does not let the players know this. The way he sees it, Barin might need them before this heist is done, and they are more likely to stick with him if they think that he knows exactly where he is going.
Epilogue[]
Main Article: Epilogue
What happens now? This depends a great deal on whether the heroes survived their foray into Point Nadir. Those who did manage to pull through have several choices; the most obvious is to take Barin and The Fell Star back to Prello the Hutt on Tatooine so that they can get paid. Barin might have thoughts about this course of action. In fact, he might attempt to escape, sending the heroes off on another adventure entirely. If the players were reluctant to allow Barin to have The Fell Star, perhaps intending to keep it for themselves, they can expect Barin to attempt to abscond with it while they sleep.
As to the powers of Point Nadir, the heroes might feel that they are in an unfavorable position with The Sable Dawn. This might be true, but The Sable Dawn also understands that business is business, and its leaders hold no grudges against individuals who are just doing their job to the best of their ability. Besides, it is possible that Prello the Hutt's anonymous client is, in fact, a member of The Sable Dawn. This point is left deliberately ambiguous, allowing you as the Gamemaster to make your own decisions.
The heroes have potentially made a valuable inroad with Epsis, Point Nadir's technological crime syndicate. They know Puzell, which can lead to all sorts of future adventures. They have also been to Point Nadir and lived to tell the tale, which means they can return to the shadowport as their duties require. With the minimal wealth they have no doubt accumulated, they might find that a shopping spree is in order before they return to Mos Eisley.
If they successfully return to Tatooine with Barin and The Fell Star in tow, Prello the Hutt pays the heroes as agreed. If either Barin and/or The Fell Star have been lost, Prello is not pleased. Being an understanding matriarch, she gives each character a token fee of 500 credits each merely for trying, regardless of whether Barin or The Fell Star were returned.
As it is, the seedier side of galactic life is now open to the heroes, for better or for worse. Only time will tell what other adventures await them in the space between Tatooine and Point Nadir, or within Point Nadir. In fact, a crate filled with bullion still needs to be claimed.