                                Star Wars 

                           Wizard's RPG Stories

          source : http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=starwars/newsarchive
          upload : 10.IV.2006


     Winter Fantasy Preview

     By Morrie Mullins

     Former Living Force Plot Director and Campaign Designer

     Two years ago, the "Eyes of the Sun" trilogy marked the  introduction  to
the RPGA's Living Force campaign, a first chance for the citizens  of  Cularin
to become heroes, and a first chance for players the world over to  experience
a Living campaign set in the Star Wars universe. That first trilogy  premiered
at Winter Fantasy 2001 and saw the introduction of the Metatheran Cartel,  E1-
6RA, and a great many other NPCs - - and, more importantly,  the  introduction
of the heroes of Cularin to the limelight.

     Cularin has changed in ways no one could have predicted. The dark side  -
- always a threat, particularly with so many current and future Jedi present -
- has lashed out, warping  everything  it  touches,  creating  dissension  and
anger, fear and mistrust, hatred and suffering. Now,  ten  years  (game  time)
since that initial foray into Cularin, the galaxy is at  war,  and  there  are
many forces at work. Winter Fantasy 2003 is therefore  happy  to  present  the
"Forces of Cularin" trilogy by Matthew Domville.

     It has been a long, long time since  all  was  well  in  Cularin.  Master
Lanius has sensed a disturbance in the Force, and he has communicated  to  me,
on many occasions, that he is not certain how the disturbance may be resolved.
Since we emerged from that non-space, or whatever it was, that the  dark  side
created to pocket us away from the remainder of the  universe,  I  have  spent
much time in meditation.

     It is not my natural way, to sit and wait. I have always  favored  action
over inaction. It is one of my flaws. But I will continue to meditate until  I
have come to some deeper understanding of the business of the system.

     A great deal of pain emanates from the Tarasin settlements on Cularin. It
seems apparent that all is not well there, but the Tarasin have long tended to
keep to themselves when things went badly. I cannot blame  their  mistrust  of
outsiders. It was, after all, outsiders  who  cut  their  ch'hala  trees,  and
outsiders who instigated the bloody and  unfortunate  uprising  several  years
ago. The Jedi have maintained good relations with them, but the failing health
of Mother Dariana threatens to remove one of  the  unifying  elements  of  the
system. She is a truly good individual who has seen the path of  darkness  and
has denied its power over her. She is a model that more Jedi could justifiably
choose to follow.

     So much anger I sense in my students. I speak with them, and then they go
out into the world and use their anger against others. I can  sense  the  dark
side growing in some of them, but for every one we send from the Academy,  two
more pop up with the potential to cause trouble. The students  must  learn  to
police their own; they will not always have  us  around,  and  if  they  begin
losing their fellows to the dark side, they must understand  that  they,  too,
are a step closer to the darkness. All of  us  must  work  to  understand  the
sources of anger, and to work past such negative emotions.

     There are rumors that the Believers have brought another fallen  Jedi  to
their cause. How they find so many, I do not know. How few  we  lost,  for  so
long, and now, how many we have seen! I hope that our Padawans and our Knights
can find the strength and skill to do what must  be  done,  and  to  keep  the
system safe.

     It would be easier, I suppose, if we could stop the trappings of life. It
would be easier if we could put a  moratorium  on  gatherings,  meetings,  and
celebrations. But life must go on, and we must watch, protect, and  serve  the
will of the Force. I have a bad feeling, though, about many  of  the  upcoming
gatherings in Cularin. That we are suddenly "back" does not mean it is a  good
idea for everyone to come here. That novelty provides too  good  a  cover  for
those who wish to do ill.

     I must meditate on these thoughts.

     - - from Master Kirlocca's personal logs

     The "Forces of Cularin" trilogy, to  premiere  at  Winter  Fantasy  2003,
begins with "Force Concession," follows with "Force Contention," and concludes
with "Force Convention." An interactive  event,  "Force  Conflagration,"  will
also play at Winter Fantasy. Come - see what has Master Kirlocca so concerned.
..