Dawn of Defiance

The Dawn of Defiance campaign opens some months after the rise of the Empire, with the Clone Wars a very recent and vivid memory for most beings in the galaxy. The Empire has tightened its grip on star systems throughout the galaxy, and Darth Vader stands at the newly declared Emperor’s right hand, crushing any opposition and hunting down the last remnants of the Jedi Order. In these short months since the fall of the Republic, many have joined the Empire willingly, including the Core Worlds whose human nobles stand to benefit a great deal from. Similarly, many others have rebelled against Imperial oppression, finding themselves driven out of their homes (or worse) and forced to live in a galaxy that tolerates no opposition to the Empire. Throughout the Dawn of Defiance adventure, the heroes must deal with the reality that the Empire is a monolithic threat with no kind of organized opposition and dealing with agents of the Empire can be dangerous. Despite the difficulties the heroes face in terms of Imperial dominance, they are in a unique position to deal the first significant blow against the Empire. In the first adventure, the heroes will come face to face with the man who will become their clandestine benefactor, Senator Bail Organa. The Empire punishes seditious acts harshly, and the heroes will find that they must be extremely cautious in their actions. With nowhere to run and nowhere to hide, the heroes of the Dawn of Defiance campaign may find that a one-way trip to Kessel is the best they can hope for if they fall into the hands of the Empire. The first act of the campaign introduces the heroes to one another and to some of the key figures in the campaign. Over the course of the first arc, the heroes discover the Empire has a secret project in the works that could have dire consequences for the galaxy if it comes to fruition.     Certain kinds of heroes will find it easier than others to flourish in the Dawn of Defiance campaign. Foremost, the heroes should view the Empire as both a threat and an enemy. Feared and loathed, the Empire serves as the major villainous entity of the campaign and characters with Imperial sympathies will find themselves in conflict with the overarching plot. Otherwise, the heroes can come from almost any background and profession. As long as they are willing to fight against the Empire (both covertly and openly), they should find the campaign engaging and exciting. Not every hero needs to be an idealistic freedom fighter; smugglers, bounty hunters, and free traders have just as much to gain from weakening the Empire as rebellious troops do. If the heroes’ motivation is personal profit or increasing their own power, they could do worse than to work for Bail Organa. Not only is he rich, but he is also powerful and influential, and his influence could very easily be transferred to any heroes that get on his good side.