Transmissions
News from the Living Force Campaign: October 2001

By Jae Walker
Living Force Campaign Director

We've managed to survive Gen Con and the Living Force campaign is going strong. So strong, in fact, that we're launching a second plot line - "Law and Order." I'll tell you more about it, but first, a few items of news.

Metagaming Certificates
We managed to get all of the metagaming certificates from Winter Fantasy done in time for Gen Con. If you didn't pick up your certificates there, they should be arriving in your mailbox soon. If you still haven't received them by the time you read this, please contact us {{mailto LFMeta@living-force.net}} with your name, RPGA number, character name, current Land Mail address, and an explanation of what it is you think you should have.

Stickers, Stickers, One More Time!
HQ has mailed stickers to everyone for whom they had scoring packet results. I also wandered around Origins stickering just about everyone I could find. Still, there are undoubtedly some of you without stickers for your passports. If you are still missing stickers for events already played, you can send me a self-addressed stamped envelope and a list of events for which you need stickers via Land Mail. My faithful minions will send you stickers (at least until we run out)! The address is:

LF Stickers
P.O. Box 838
East Lansing, MI 48826

Rule Announcements, Clarifications and Errata
The following are rules in effect for the Living Force Campaign at this time. This is not an all-inclusive list - please refer to the core rules, the Living Force Campaign Guide, and the Living Force Character Creation Guide for more information. For unofficial discussion and announcements regarding the Living Force campaign, join the RPGA-Living Force mailing list.

    Retirement at 13th Level - When we conceived the original story arc, we anticipated 13 or 14 scenarios a year, and we didn't worry about retirement because we were controlling advancement by the number of scenarios we released. When our second storyline came on the scene, we realized that we had to look at the speed of hero advancement and what it could do to our plans in general. Rather than requiring people to run a different hero in "Law and Order" (which we have a pretty good idea people wouldn't like, and which would be nearly impossible to enforce), we instead looked at where we're going. At 13th level, Jedi can become Masters, and we don't really have any interest in dealing with high-level issues. We are, first and foremost, telling a story. It's a story that depends on the heroes for the plot to advance, but our focus is on story, not power. We have a multi-year story arc planned out (naturally, things get sketchier the further in the future they are, given the campaign's reliance on the choices the heroes make), and it doesn't include groups of Jedi Masters careening around the galaxy looking for something tough enough to challenge them. We are also, I need to point out, telling this story during the Rise of the Empire era - as time goes on, things are going to get darker. (Yes, the campaign is intended to extend beyond the release of Episode II, but we have to wait for it to solidify some of our story issues.) So when heroes reach 13th level, they will no longer be eligible to play in the Living Force campaign. And, honestly, I'm not going to worry a whole lot about it right this minute, as it's years away. With only one storyline (13 to 14 scenarios a year), you'd get to 13th level in about six years. Even with 26 to 28 scenarios a year, it's still going to be three years or so before a hero maxes out, and that's assuming that full points are issued for each scenario. Living Force isn't D&D, and it's not an exercise in accounting/dice rolling. We don't award experience based on how much you kill or damage. We reward accomplishing goals, and we reward cinematic roleplaying. We're trying to "think outside the box" in this campaign, and so far we think that it's been pretty successful. This is, incidentally, in keeping with the Star Wars Roleplaying Game core rulebook (see "Awarding Experience" on page 205).

    Wookiee Jedi, Raging, and Dark Side Points - Given the excellent material presented in The Dark Side Sourcebook on the subject of Rage and Dark Side Points, Wookiee Jedi who use their racial ability to rage will receive a Dark Side Point for doing so. This is in addition to any evil act they perform while in such a rage that would normally warrant a DSP as well. Raging is a natural thing for Wookiees to do, but it is also a process by which they become filled with anger and hatred. They channel this into incredible strength and endurance, but they do so by giving in to their feral nature. Wookiees do not normally draw a Dark Side Point for doing this, but Wookiee Jedi are much more vulnerable. Having opened themselves to the Force and accepted the Jedi code, they are more susceptible to the depredations thereof. Giving in to fear and rage is something no Jedi can allow, regardless of his or her heritage or physiology. Currently, this rule applies only to Wookiee Jedi, not all Force-sensitive Wookiees. The Living Force campaign staff reserve the right to append this rule as they see fit if later campaign developments insist that we do so. Also, further clarifications will be presented as the staff has time to review the book, but because this relates directly to a question asked recently, the staff conferred and decided upon this official position. On a related note, we're still reviewing The Dark Side Sourcebook and hope to have an answer shortly on its allowability and application to the Living Force campaign. However, since we don't allow dark side characters, don't look for much from the book to be approved for the campaign.

    Move Object to Disarm - (This ruling is based upon a posting from JD Wiker on the RPGA Star Wars message board. As such, we consider it to be definitive errata.)
    The target can either be an object, creature, or character, and receives a Reflex saving throw based on the Move Object skill check. Note that unattended objects never receive a saving throw. Attended items - objects held by a character (grasped, touched, or worn, for example) - receive a saving throw just as if the character were making the saving throw. Grasped items also gain the character's Strength modifier as a bonus to the Reflex save.
    Move Object roll up to 20 = DC 10
    Move Object roll 21-30 = DC 15
    Move Object roll 31+ = DC 20

    Jedi and Lightsaber Creation - All Jedi in the Living Force Campaign are Padawan learners at the Almas Jedi Academy. These Jedi create their lightsabers between 6th and 7th levels, completing the process at the time they advance to the level of Jedi Knight (the 7th level). While it's theoretically possible for a Padawan learner to attempt to create his first lightsaber as early as 2nd level, this is not what is done at the Almas Academy. 

"Law and Order"
Earlier this year, we were fortunate enough to have Megan Robertson (aka Mexal, aka Red Leader) join the Living Force campaign staff. Living Force is a global campaign, and with the addition of Mexal, we also discovered we had acquired a wonderfully devious and creative mind. Mexal (with Morrie's assistance) produced a proposal for a second storyline. After a number of struggles and pitfalls, the series launched Labor Day Weekend in both the UK (at UK Gen Con) and in the United States (at Dragon*Con in Atlanta and ConQuest in San Francisco). Mexal tackled and defeated some ferocious deadlines to bring the first trilogy in on time.

"Law and Order" takes place in the Cularin system, during the same timeline as the main Living Force campaign. There will be locations and nonplayer characters in common, but the storylines are nonetheless separate. We recommend you consider starting a character for this storyline. The intention is that characters will become involved in various events connected with the maintenance of law and order, and thus have the opportunity to serve the community. Employment opportunities will be available within law enforcement and investigative organizations, or as independent operators - private investigators or bounty hunters, perhaps - while those whose primary interests lie elsewhere may be caught up as bystanders or enlisted upon the occasion to help.

Trilogy 1: Trade War
The first three scenarios pick up on the growing uncertainty in the mercantile community on Cularin. With the increasing Cartel presence, the in-system concerns become ever more eager to gain every possible advantage over each other in light of what they see as an external threat to their businesses' profitability. Naturally, as they jockey for position, disputes arise, some developing into what is almost outright war. However, such disputes are conducted so sneakily that, much of the time, people will be hired to undertake tasks without being able to trace them back to the main protagonists, even should they realize the need. At this stage, the characters see only the tip of the iceberg, and various events that show that all is not well within the commercial sector.

    By the time you read this, all three scenarios for Trade War will have been released. They are:

    Consignment - "Wanted: Trustworthy individuals to arrange reception and transportation of cargo from starport to warehouse." A merchant explains that he is expecting an important consignment but for personal reasons will not be able to oversee its delivery himself. Can you help?

    Mix 'n' Match - You are hired by the head of security of Culpharm, a leading Cularin-based independent pharmaceutical company. A consignment of valuable research specimens has gone missing, and she doesn't know whom within her own department she can trust.

    Find the Lady - Your assistance is required to locate the missing daughter of the Baron-administrator of one of the Cularin platform cities. Where could she have gone?

Throughout the next year, the story will unfold, challenging the heroes to choose a path between the darkness and the light.

May the Force be with you!

Learn more about the Living Force Campaign!