[M][OOC] Star Wars: Chronicles of Taris - Chapter One: Shadow of the Jedi-Killer
Rated Mature for possible fantasy violence, gore, drug use, sexual themes, etc.
Open and Recruiting!
The Clone Wars have begun, and the galaxy is engulfed in conflict. From the Core Worlds to the Outer Rim, clone armies under the heroic command of the Jedi generals battle the Separtists in a desperate bid to save the Republic. The devastation has claimed the many lives and forced countless people to flee their home planets. Many have found refuge along the Hydian Way Trade Route planet of Taris, the Coruscant of the Outer Rim in the Ojoster Sector, drawn to the world by tales of selfless Tarisian generosity.
But even Taris is not safe. Intent on improving their reputation in the war, the Separatists stationed a fleet on the outer edge of the Ojoster Sector. In swift response, the Republic dispatched a fleet of their own and an epic clash was inevitable. Seeking to counter the larger enemy force, the Republic deployed a prototype ship called the Infinity armed with a powerful laser to drive off the Separatists. Though successful in driving the enemy back, the Infinity was critically damaged and fell to the surface of the Taris. Determined not to lose this weapon, the Jedi Council dispatched Jedi Knight Kohr-Fal to the planet with a taskforce of Jedi and clones to recover what they could. However, nothing has been heard from them in some time and dark rumors have begun to swirl of a Jedi-Killer beneath the surface Taris.
With the fallen ship in peril, the Jedi missing, and massive Republic and Separatist fleets gathering once more on the sector’s edges, a new Republic taskforce has been organized to recover the ship and rescue the missing Jedi.
Welcome to the Chronicles of Taris Star Wars RP series. This will be the first of hopefully many RPs that I have planned. As the title suggests, this RP is based on the ecumenopolis of Taris and will feature a mix of Disney Canon and Legends material along with significant additions of my own to fill in the gaps and create a breathing world with varied environments and well-developed characters. Characters can discover more about the world by asking or exploring and information will be added to the OP of the OOC as more is discovered, but remember that information, misinformation, and deception are all vital components of this RP. Players will mostly control their own characters, with most significant actions taken with NPCs moderated by the GM in a D&D style where characters make actions and I determine the outcome.
Setting: TarisSpoiler: Planetary Overview
+++ Compiled by Agent Alexis of the 5th Regiment Attached to Republic Intelligence +++
Author’s Note: The following information is compiled based on corroborated data from the Senate Bureau of Intelligence, the Republic Security Organization, the Interstellar Consortium of Technology, and the Special Acquisitions Branch of the Library of the Republic in addition to Military Intelligence sources. Data may be out of date, incorrect, or invalid subject to change since last filing date.
Spoiler: Brief on Planet History
Taris is believed to have been colonized during the expansion of human fleets into the Outer Rim. Positioned adjacent to the Mandalorian Sector in the Ojoster Sector, Taris quickly flourished as a hub of trade along the Hydian Way Trade Route and the Mandalorian Road, allowing it to swap its jungles for a planet-spanning urban sprawl and earn the title of “Coruscant of the Outer Rim,” which it would retain to the present day. However, in time discovery of new hyperspace lanes rendered its position obsolete and corporations were incentivized to move to Taris as a replacement source of finance. Pollution from these industries fueled famine which in turn sparked a civil war as the wealthy aristocracy horded food and the poorer residents rebelled. After putting down the rebellion, the aristocracy banished many to the Lower City (see following sections on Tarisian Tiers) where many fell victim to the rakghoul plague, which arrived on the planet at an unknown date. Crime swept the lower reaches as swoop bike gangs took over and anti-alien (visa vis humans) took hold.
Given its state, Taris joined the Republic under somewhat suspicious circumstances, especially considering that the Jedi Tower was quickly built, and the Exchange established a presence soon after. During the following Mandalorian Wars, the Republic built a military base on Taris which was later used by the Jedi Revan as a staging point for forays into the neighboring Mandalorian Sector. This highlight was short-lived as the Jedi soon abandoned the planet following a rise in crime and political turmoil. Without the Jedi presence and the Republic garrison, the Mandalorians occupied the planet, claiming the Jedi Tower as their first direct strike against the Republic. Guerilla tactics were used by some of the swoop bike gangs to try to dislodge the Mandalorians, but the Neo-Crusaders would remain, leaving at some undetermined point after the Battle of Malachor V. Of the powers that existed prior to the Mandalorian Wars, only the Exchange reclaimed its position on Taris.
What many have regarded as the death knell for Taris came soon after the Mandalorian Wars when Revan returned from the Unknown Regions and launched the Jedi Civil War. Darth Malak, pursuing the Republic war hero Carth Onasi, the Jedi Bastila Shan, and the redeemed Revan, occupied Taris after destroying the Republic ship carrying them over the planet. When he proved unable to capture them, Darth Malak directed the Sith armada in orbit to bombard Taris. This act reduced much of the city-world to ruins and killed countless Tarisians. From this point forward Taris faded from public knowledge with only a paltry effort by the Republic during the Great Galactic War to rebuild which was eventually scrapped, abandoning the world to its fate.
Little is known about Taris as it exists today. Officially the world is represented in the Republic by Senator Raula Taris and his junior Tynnra Pamlo and possesses a semi-quarantine status owing the presence of the rakghoul plague in its uncontrolled zones. For those few travelers inclined to visit the world, they find that offworlders are often rebuffed out of hand by its grim denizens. Persistence reveals that much of Taris is inhospitable by galactic standards and that its relatively large population is generally clustered around citadels which provide hardy militia forces to combat outside threats. Due in part to its proximity to Hutt space, Taris also possesses a sizable mercenary population that makes its home on the outskirts of the civilized zones. Beyond these areas lie the vast tracts of ruined city-scape teeming with dangers which make up much of the planet.
Spoiler: Planetary Environs
Taris is classified as a ecumenopolis in the same vein as Coruscant and, barring bodies of water which cover roughly a third of the planet’s surface, this is correct as far as clear data goes. Broadly speaking, the denizens of Taris use a system of tiers and zones to divide the world into sector types.
The breakdown of this system produces spheres of habitation and safety in a strictly linear progression. Controlled zones and Upper/Middle City sectors are clustered around citadels which provide the armed patrols and law-enforcing bodies that maintain safety and order, generally respectively. These citadels in turn are scattered over the planet and most are controlled by several Tarisian warlords who typically control three to four citadels at once.
Spoiler: Zones
Blue Zones: Part of the so-called “controlled zones,” these areas are rigorous guarded by armed patrols and policed by law-enforcing bodies. Overall these are considered to be the safest parts of Taris, assuming that one does not get on the wrong side of the local warlord or those under the warlord.
Yellow Zones: Technically part of the “controlled zones,” these areas are split between the border regions of the blue and red zones and isolated communities outside of the spheres of influence of the citadels. Given the lethal nature of the Red zones, the border yellow zones are typically very small and little more than militarized no-man’s lands. Little is known in Republic records about those yellow zones beyond the reach of the citadels as they have a high turnover rate if they are not nomadic to begin with and often are closed to offworlders when they are not destroyed outright.
Red Zones: Lethal to all but the most prepared, the red zones are those regions utterly unclaimed by civilization, insofar as places can be when much of the planet is urban sprawl. Undeniably the largest of the three zones, these zones form an almost unbroken web across the planet’s surface, forming the “uncontrolled zones.” Red zones are home to a variety of dangerous fauna, some dangerous flora, and unsupported infrastructure. Few travel through these parts on land willingly, most preferring to explore any and all airborne options first.
Spoiler: Tiers
Despite the number of ecumenopolis in the galaxy, few if any reach the lethality of Taris. As a result, most visitors to Taris have difficulty grasping the vertical nature of the world. This is a mistake that few have the opportunity to correct. The “surface” of the world is more of a catchall term to refer to those places where sunlight can reach, meaning that locations at radically different altitudes are all considered part of the “surface.” In addition to the difficulty it adds to navigating the world, the poorly maintained state of much of Taris’ infrastructure can be as lethal as its inhabitants. Given this, it is vital to understand the tier system of Taris to determine where the safe areas are.
The tier system of Taris verifiably dates back as far as the first Tarisian civil war (see Brief on Planetary History above). In many ways it proved to be the most enduring part of pre-bombardment Tarisian culture, much of which has changed (see Culture and Customs below). In spite much of the Upper City being destroyed, it has been restored to a large extent. Four official tiers are recognized in the Tarisian Tier system: The Upper City, the Middle City, the Lower City, and the Undercity.
The Upper City houses the cream of Tarisian society including the aristocratic ranks, the politicians, the wealthy, the warlords, and those in service to them, as well as favored clients. Usually localized around the primary stronghold of a citadel on the topmost floors of the highest spires, the Upper City is generally the safest part of Taris, except when the lower tiers rise up. Reclaimed after the bombardment of Taris destroyed most of it, the Upper City is the opulent and typically attempts to mirror the architectural styles of the pre-bombardment.
As its name implies, the Middle City is located between the Upper and Lower Cities. This is where the few well-to-do Tarisians not in the ranks of the wealthy live, typically subsisting on skilled work or contracts from the Upper City. To the extent of Republic knowledge, the Middle City is the most densely populated of the tiers, essentially existing as the general population clustered around the citadels. The furthest edge of the Middle City includes the yellow zones, meaning that they are constantly under threat.
Originally the Lower City was the border region between the Upper City and the Under City. With the rise of dangers following the bombardment of Taris, the Lower City has been virtually abandoned. Although it is technically all red zone with the exceptions of the odd isolated community, the Lower City still sees routine patrols from those citadels that can afford to send them. Doubtlessly the most vertical of the tiers, the Lower City is essentially the extent of the areas claimed by citadels but that are in actual fact uncontrolled for the most part.
Located at the bottom of the tier and zone system in all meaningful senses, the Under City is beyond even the outskirts of civilization and is where only the most suicidal go. Little is known about the Under City other than that it goes all the way down to the surface of the planet and perhaps even beneath the surface. That is where the fifth tier, the mythical Promised Land, exists, of which nothing is known.
Spoiler: Culture and Customs
Due to its isolation from the rest of the galaxy, Taris has developed a dialect of Galactic Basic that is near ubiquitous among its native inhabitants. This dialect is typically used between Tarisians as little to nothing is ever taught to offworlders, with the rare exception usually pertaining to names and titles, which by nature must be translated or transliterated to Basic for used by outsiders. As best as can be determined, the dialect is highly contextualized and indirect, with a number of translations being possible for any given word or phrase. This frequently results in offworlders receiving awkward renderings that may not convey the entirety of the meaning. In spite of this, it should be noted that most Tarisians are perfectly capable of speaking Basic in the same manner that many galactic species can in spite of using their own native species’ language.
The use of the Tarisian dialect is perhaps nowhere as clear as in what may be referred to as the belief in the Long Night, the name itself being derived from the local language. Also known as the Old Night (also translated), little is known about this enigmatic belief system as its adherents rarely discuss the matter with offworlders. What is known by Republic intelligence is that the majority of Tarisians outside the Upper City appear to adhere to this belief to one degree or another and that every generation one individual is granted the title of Shepard of the Long Night or Night Shepard.
Finally, it should also be noted that many Tarisians are skilled in martial arts, a legacy of the dangerous environment they live in. With even as deep into the controlled zones as the Middle City being under constant threat of attack, Tarisians place a high emphasis on the value of martial and survival skills. This manifests in the well-trained if not necessarily well-equipped militias maintained in most parts of Taris.
Spoiler: Flora and Fauna
Although Taris has remained largely isolated from the rest of the galaxy for centuries, with many restrictions placed on exports from the world, it has succeeded in importing a number of species that have helped to diversify its flora and fauna. However, given the inhospitable nature of the environment, to say nothing of Taris’ native ecosystem, only the most dangerous these creatures have survived, inhabiting the red and yellow zones.
Spoiler: Flora
In spite of originally being a jungle world, Taris has lost most if not all of its native flora. Conservation efforts prior to the first Tarisian civil war (see Brief on Planetary History) preserved some specimens in isolated and controlled environments while rampant pollution killed off most everything else besides the famed Tarisian kelp inhabiting its oceans, which were in turn believed consumed to extinction by the Tarisian nobles. Although it was widely believed that Taris’ native flora has long since been destroyed, some Tarisian explorers claim that there are pockets where it has regrown.
Beyond native flora, Taris is known to have imported flora from offworld, either on purpose or by accident. The most common of these is a vine that covers parts of the ruined city and an assortment of trees that may be of native descent but are most likely foreign in origin. Neither are considered particularly deadly, though some engineers have expressed concern about their effect on the weakened infrastructure of Taris, especially in the uncontrolled areas. Other, more deadly flora are said to exist deeper in the red zones.
Spoiler: Fauna
Like with its flora, Taris has few of its original native fauna and all of those that remain are deadly. These include the coin-crab, the bogstalker, and the Ferrazid hound, the former being an edible crustacean from Taris’ coastlines and the latter two being as lethal as their names suggest.
Among the non-native fauna of Taris are the K’lor’slug, which likely arrived on visiting starships. Being a ubiquitous species throughout the galaxy, it is impossible to determine when these arrived as they remain a dangerous pest even today. Likewise the Tach arrived from the forest world of Kashyyyk, possibly as part of a conservation effort meant to rehabilitate a domestic ecosystem. Regardless, the Tach was far more welcome to Tarisians, who used its glands to make Tarisian ale, a potent inhibitive.
By far the most infamous of Taris’ uninvited fauna are the rakghoul, who arrived at an undetermined point in Taris’ past and are so intertwined in Tarisian myth as to be suggested to have originated on the planet. If so, and this is a much-protested idea by many Tarisians, it is undoubtedly the most unfortunate of the world’s native inhabitants. Like all rakghoul known throughout the galaxy, the specimens on Taris are capable of spreading their infection far and wide by the merest scratch. They are the primary reason for Taris holding a semi-quarantine status and it is arguable that, should Taris ever approach to its former prosperity and standing in the galaxy, it would need to be fully quarantined to prevent the rakghoul plague from spreading. It is even rumored that there is a sentient mutation spreading among the rakghouls. Then again, it is a testament to the dangers of Taris’ other creatures such as the Ferrazid hound that the rakghoul do not roam all of the red zones.
Spoiler: Points of Interest
Adilis - The location of the primary spaceport on Taris, Adilis is the seat of one of the largest citadels on Taris. It is the home of Taris’ official government and the cream of Tarisian society. The people of Adilis are a mixed group that includes a high number of offworlders ranging from traders to diplomats to mercenaries. Of the latter, Adilis’ yellow zone houses one of the largest mercenary concentrations on the planet. This constant if small influx of outsiders has made the people more welcoming to non-Tarisians, but only warily. In spite of its importance in galactic terms, Adilis has the smallest sphere of influence, one that reaches barely beyond its own borders. It is also rumored that the remains of the Jedi Tower are nearby, though this is impossible to say for sure as it has never been found.
Idris – The citadel of the warlord known varying as the Night Shepard or Taris, Idris is another of Taris’ major population centers and arguably holds the largest sphere of influence, touching even isolated communities in the red zones. The aforementioned warlord is acknowledged as one of the most powerful on Taris. Many claim that the location of the citadel, which lacks significant strategic importance like Adilis, was chosen specifically to emphasize its warlord’s ability to project power across Taris.
Jedi Tower – The former home of the Jedi presence on Taris, this tower was abandoned by its titular masters long before Taris was bombarded by the Sith. Following the bombardment the tower gradually became harder to locate until it was impossible to find at all. In the opinion of many Tarisians, this is the best of the possible outcomes, but it has not stopped many scavengers, archeologists, mercenaries, and the occasional Jedi from trying to find it. None have been successful since the loss of its location.
Character CreationSpoiler: Skills
Use this list for the CS, but remember that this is more for shorthand so referencing what characters can do is easier and it is not set in stone; more skills may be added as the RP progresses as suggestions come up. Keep in mind that characters may encounter varied situations, so it is important to balance what is reasonable for a character to be able to do while accounting for possible circumstances. Some options may only become available when skills are combined, but remember that multiple player character can collaborate on objectives.
Melee Weaponry: Although the Jedi are acknowledged as the preeminent masters of melee combat, this does not stop many from trying to match or surpass them. Few Tarisians train in this skill as the fauna of Taris means that anything close enough to hit with a melee weapon will probably kill them first. However, this also means that those who do learn are masters of the art.
Heavy Weaponry: A skill mostly reserved for the security forces of the citadels and higher, heavy weaponry includes everything from heavy repeating blasters to rocket launchers.
Ranged Weaponry: Both in and outside of the uncontrolled zones, Taris is a dangerous world that demands every being be able to defend itself from attack and so most sentient denizens train in the use of blasters or similar weaponry.
Demolitions: In spite of explosives generally being illegal in the controlled zones, many Tarisians possess or at least know someone who possesses this ability. Useful for clearing obstacles as well as combat, demolitions requires a high amount of knowledge to use correctly, especially in the confines of the city-world’s lower reaches where structural strength must be remembered when considering whether to use explosives. Most Tarisians adhere to the philosophy that if one doesn’t know how to maintain a blaster, they have no business using explosives.
Fauna Affinity: From the granite slugs of Coruscant to the aiwha of Kamino, the galaxy is brimming with all sorts of fauna… and those able to influence them. While Taris’ selection of creatures tends to be more lethal than their off-world counterparts, the uncontrolled zones still have those that can be tamed.
Mechanics: As a planet covered in a city, Taris demands more than a basic understanding of physics from its inhabitants, something that mechanics provides. This collective understanding of the universe’s basic laws enables the skilled to conduct maintenance or repair on weapons and vehicles. It may also allow clever individuals to open new paths to objectives.
Science: By itself little more than the theory to the practical application of other skills, when combined with other abilities science can propel people to new heights. Those knowledgeable in creatures can predict enemy weaknesses; those who can manipulate computers can rewrite or create new programs; those who have learned physics can modify old technologies or fabricate new ones. Even the merest operators can design their craft anew.
Slicing: In a galaxy of computers, almost anyone needs to know how to use one; those skilled in slicing can learn what others used those computers for. The art of hacking enables people to discover locked information or change the directives of the machines under the computer’s control. This skill is greatly valued on Taris by those willing to brave the uncontrolled zones as there are many doors and containers that remained locked centuries after the destruction wrought on the planet.
Survival: Although few worlds can match the harshness of Taris’ uncontrolled zones, many still demand the ability to operate in hostile environs. This skill gives them a fighting chance to do just that.
Airspeeder/Starfighter Operation: Legends has it that Taris was the birthplace of the swoop bike, which mimics the airspeeder in function, and the culture around it, something that is worn proudly by the people of Taris. More importantly it is a vital method of transportation for those who seek to move over large distances quickly and relatively safely, something prized given the dangers of the uncontrolled zones. Starfighters are rarer than airspeeders on Taris, but can still be found in the upper levels.
Freighter Operation: Larger than starfighters but generally without the maneuverability of warships, freighter operation requires skill and patience in equal measure lest the pilot crash it into a dock or building by accident. Those with a mechanical bend may be able to buff out moderate damage though. On Taris these may be used for mass conveyance of people or materials, but are more typically in the hands of the few offworlders than locals.
Warship Operation: A relatively rare skill in a galaxy of small planetary security forces and an even smaller Republic Army, this skill has seen a resurgence in the years leading up to the Clone Wars. It is a combination of starfighter and freighter operation and yet utterly different, requiring skill that humbles both. Typically requiring dozens to pull off even the most basic maneuver and hundreds or thousands to operate properly, a single operator is just a cog in the machine and even those armed with mechanical knowledge are usually more skilled at taking one apart than repairing damage. With virtually no unified planetary security force, few Tarisians possess this ability.
Spoiler: Jedi AbilitiesThis RP uses this list as a reference for Force abilities. However, although the Force is better understood in the current era, this RP handles the Force as Ben Kenobi described it in A New Hope: as a mysterious energy field created by all living things. This means that even though individuals can control the Force to a certain extent, there are always things beyond their abilities and understanding.
In line with that, all Jedi character abilities are closely scrutinized and will be mercilessly pruned if they are excessive - this will include both in the OOC and the IC. What Force abilities characters can use should be proportionate to their age, knowledge, rank in the Order, and innate Force talent. Don't pile up Force abilities; if you have questions, just ask. There are admittedly few hard and fast rules for this because this RP prefers to give players room to create interesting characters, but basically be mature about the selection and use of Force abilities and there won't be any problems.
Here is a sample list of abilities that a padawan might have, though their proficiency will vary depending on the individual:
Control Abilities
Alchaka: Allowed
Art of Movement: Allowed, but limited
Breath Control: Allowed
Center of Being: Allowed
Detoxify Poison: Allowed, but limited
Flashburn: Not allowed; insufficient rank
Force Body: Not allowed; insufficient rank
Force Enlightenment: Not allowed; insufficient rank
Force ghost: Not allowed; insufficient rank
Force Healing: Allowed, but limited
Force Speed: Allowed, but limited
Force Stealth: Not allowed; insufficient rank
Hibernation trance: Not allowed; insufficient rank
Morichro: Not allowed; insufficient rank
Tapas: Allowed, but limited
Cloak of Shadow: Not allowed; insufficient rank
Sense Abilities
Force Listening: Allowed, but limited
Force Smell: Allowed, but limited
Force Meld: Not allowed; insufficient rank
Force Sense: Allowed
Precognition: Allowed, but limited
Battle Precognition: Allowed, but limited
Shatterpoint: Not allowed; insufficient rank
Psychometry: Not allowed; insufficient rank
Force Empathy: Allowed, but limited
Farsight: Allowed, but limited
Force Sight: Allowed, but limited
Force Vision: Not allowed; insufficient rank
Telepathy: Not allowed; insufficient rank
Comprehend Speech: Not allowed; insufficient rank
Shadow Vision: Not allowed; insufficient rank
Force Push/Pull: Allowed
Force Jump: Allowed
'Allowed' means that it could be expected of an older, proficient padawan.
'Allowed, but limited' means that a padawan is unlikely to have a firm grasp of this ability.
'Not allowed; rank insufficient' means that a padawan cannot do this outside of an aberration in the Force and is probably forbidden to learn it/ the Jedi wouldn't teach it to someone so young.
Keep in mind that there is a 'rule of realism' where Force abilities are concerned: just because a character can Force Jump doesn't mean that they can jump high enough in every instance - the success of employing an ability is sometimes separate from it having the intended effect.
Spoiler: Character SheetName:
Age:
Gender:
Species:
Skills: (See the list. Please limit to 2-3 if Jedi.)
Force Abilities: (If applicable.)
Profession: (Jedi, mercenary, clone trooper, etc.)
Appearance:
Equipment:
Personality:
History:
Important NPCs:
Warlord Taris
Jedi Knight Kohr-Fal
Senator Raula Taris
Junior Representative Tynnra Pamlo
Player Characters:
Yutha Taris – Imperial1917
R2F8 - Derpnaster
Confirmed Players with CS WIP:
Stormwolf
Leanna
IejirKothar
Aki Shinome
Originally Posted by Lady Celeste
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