Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Threats of the Galaxy
Legendary in its influence, The Bothan SpyNet is one of the most far-reaching intelligence organizations in the galaxy. Obtaining information from The Bothan SpyNet is no simple matter, since it wilt not just give information out to anyone with credits. Making contact with an agent of the SpyNet requires a DC 25 Gather Information check to locate a hidden individual. Once contact has been made with The SpyNet, a hero can request information that might normally be out of his or her reach.
A hero who has made contact with The SpyNet can put in a request for information, and The SpyNet makes a Gather Information check on his or her behalf. Depending on how much money an individual is willing to spend, SpyNet agents will put more effort Into discovering the sought-after information. A SpyNet agent then makes a Gather Information check at a bonus that varies based on how many credits the hero paid for the agent's time and efforts.
For every 350 credits the hero spends; the SpyNet agent's Gather Information bonus increases by 1. Thus, for a Gather Information cheek at +5, a hero must pay 1,750 credits. For a Gather Information check at +20, a hero must pay 7,000 credits. The credits go toward the expenses associated with discovering the information, as well as to the SpyNet agent's personal funds.
Unlike most Gather Information checks, a SpyNet agent's Skill Checks are not limited to the local vicinity or even to information available on a computer network, and the information can be about almost anything in the galaxy. Normal rules for Gather Information checks still apply (though credits paid to a SpyNet agent count as bribe money).
Bothan SpyNet in The Dark Times[]
Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Force Unleashed Campaign Guide
Among the foremost information-gathering organizations in the galaxy, The Bothan SpyNet makes knowledge its business. A natural outgrowth of Bothan society and culture, the SpyNet represents the labor of thousands of Bothans and their allies throughout the galaxy. No other spy network in the galaxy can claim the level of organization and expansion that The Bothan SpyNet boasts; the Bothans have agents in almost every government in the Empire, and though the Empire's policies of antialien discrimination keep them from reaching the highest levels of the military they have still managed to win (or buy) the assistance of high-ranking Imperial personnel.
Not all members of The Bothan SpyNet are, in fact, Bothans. Were that the case, Bothans everywhere in the galaxy would be shunned even more than they already are. Instead, the SpyNet's most senior leaders are Bothans, while informants and agents are members of a variety of Species. The SpyNet is a vast web of interconnected information networks; a Twi'lek majordomo working for a Hutt crime lord might pass information along to the SpyNet in exchange for information about the Hutt's rivals, while a Podracer pilot might obtain plans for a new military-grade engine in exchange for spying on his noble sponsor from the Tapani Sector. The SpyNet trades information for information, money for information, or information for money.
The Bothan SpyNet does not obtain its information solely through trade and bribery. Bothan Spies, among the most talented espionage and observation agents in the galaxy, are often dispatched to bring back information of critical importance. Though it will be many years until the SpyNet's agents obtain information on the Emperor's visit to the second Death Star, Bothan Spies are constantly roving the galaxy on important missions. They are dispatched to the farthest reaches of the galaxy, traveling far from Bothawui in search of whatever information their commanders need. Each Bothan Spy is a master of infiltration and espionage, and loyal to the SpyNet and all Bothans above all else.
The Bothan SpyNet spans thousands of worlds throughout the galaxy. Agents on these worlds pass information up to their higher-ranking contacts, who pass it along to their higher-ranking contacts, until the information reaches the highest levels of SpyNet command. Though the SpyNet does not have one central base of operations, the leading members of the SpyNet collate, sort, and analyze the information that flows in, then disseminate the information throughout the galaxy as they see fit. The information network acts as a series of chains connected to a central hub, with information traveling up and down each chain on a regular basis.
Bothan SpyNet Nonheroic Units[]
See also: Nonheroic Units
| NAME | CHALLENGE LEVEL | AFFILIATION NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Threats of the Galaxy | ||
| Bothan Spy | CL 8 | An agent of the SpyNet, fiercely loyal to organization. |
| Web Enhancements | ||
| Bothan Commando | CL 5 | Military infiltrators with specialized combat training. |
Bothan SpyNet Organization Data[]
Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Force Unleashed Campaign Guide
Playing a member of The Bothan SpyNet can be easy to do without creating any conflict within an adventuring party. Like all good spies, a member of The Bothan SpyNet need not tell anyone that he is, in fact, a spy. However, concealing this information can have some dangerous consequences if it is later revealed that the character has been a spy all along.
The constant tension between maintaining a cover and remaining loyal to the other heroes can be a compelling conflict for a member of The Bothan SpyNet, and the Gamemaster is encouraged to present situations in which a character's loyalty to his friends is tested against his need to maintain secrecy. After all, it's hard to trust a spy when you find out the truth about them the hard way.
Type: Business/Professional
Enemies and Allies: No one likes to be spied on. For this reason, many people throughout the galaxy- even normal, law-abiding citizens who have nothing to hide- revile The Bothan SpyNet for its information trafficking. Most of the SpyNet's enemies are corporations and governments that don't want their private information available for others to see.
Moreover, since the SpyNet often obtains and then redistributes sensitive information (such as blueprints for a prototype Starship, or the travel plans of Grand Moff Tarkin), thousands of people throughout the galaxy wouldn't be opposed to killing a SpyNet agent just to keep that information from getting out. By the same token, just as many organizations use the SpyNet to obtain information on their own enemies and competitors. As a result, one who might be an enemy today could just as easily be an ally tomorrow.
Scale: 15 (Galactic Region)
Criteria Tables: Becoming a member of The Bothan SpyNet in any meaningful capacity usually involves earning the trust of an existing member. Sending relevant information along the SpyNet's channels is the only way to become trusted; informing the SpyNet that a group of travelers was attacked by wildlife on Felucia likely isn't relevant unless one of those travelers is a major personality.
| CRITERIA | MODIFIER | |
|---|---|---|
| POSITIVE CRITERIA | ||
| Experience | +1/2 Character Levels | |
| Member of the Bothan Species | +2 | |
| Possess a level in the Infiltrator Prestige Class | +1 | |
| Possess a Talent from the Bothan SpyNet Talent Tree | +1 | |
| Possess the Skill Focus (Gather Information) feat | +2 | |
| Trained in Deception | +1 | |
| Trained in Gather Information | +1 | |
| Ten or more years in The Bothan SpyNet | +1 | |
| Successfully sends information over pirated Holonet signal | +1 | |
| Uncovers information to be passed along the SpyNet | +1 | |
| Infiltrates a base of operations of another organization | +1 | |
| Uncovers a major secret about an individual or organization | +2 | |
| Establishes a SpyNet cell on a new planet | +2 | |
| Causes the arrest, capture, or death of an enemy by passing along information | +1/4 Opponent's CL | |
| NEGATIVE CRITERIA | ||
| Fails to obtain information requested by SpyNet superiors | -1 | |
| Fails to pass along important information | -2 | |
| Not Trained in Deception | -2 | |
| Not Trained in Gather Information | -5 | |
| Reveals oneself as a member of the SpyNet | -5 | |
| Provides information about the SpyNet to another organization | -10 | |
Titles, Benefits, and Duties: Members of The Bothan SpyNet do not wear any outward identification, nor do they use formal titles. Informers, Agents, and Spies are referred to merely as "Agents" regardless of their actual rank in the organization, and SpyNet Agents base their hierarchy on the amount of information that flows through an individual person, not on any artificial ranking system.
Though the leaders of the SpyNet are clearly in charge, those in the middle and lower ranks of the organization consider their station to be very fluid. SpyNet Agents are expected to constantly feed information into the network, and any Agent who fails to do so will quickly find their power and influence waning among SpyNet Agents.
| RANK | SCORE | BENEFITS AND DUTIES |
|---|---|---|
| None | 0-3 | None |
| Informer | 4-8 | An Informer is a low-level member of the SpyNet who passes along information and rarely works directly with those who might actually broker information.
|
| Agent | 9-18 | SpyNet Agents are the lowest members of the organization with any leadership responsibilities. Agents are more than merely informants; they are exposed to large amounts of sensitive information as it flows through their hands and up the chain of command.
|
| Spy | 19-30 | A Spy for The Bothan SpyNet is usually one of the most trusted agents in the organization.
|
| Spymaster | 31+ | The Spymasters are the highest-ranking members of The Bothan SpyNet. Each one typically specializes in a certain field or region. One Spymaster might be in charge of all information pertaining to Imperial activity in The Outer Rim, while another might be concerned solely with corporate espionage.
|