Episode 3.07: Chapter 13: The Desert Menace

Star Wars

Shards of Exploration

Episode 3.07: Chapter 13: The Desert Menace

The battle above CHALCEDON has subsided for now. Two fronts have emerged. One is along the outer planets of the Chalcedon system and the other on the world of Chalcedon itself. Attacks are frequent from both BLOODSMITH RAIDERS and home-grown warlords in the deep deserts.

Meanwhile on Chalcedon, the heroes landed safely but found themselves pulled in separate directions. For Danar Vorpadaran, it’s a return to the identity of General Vance Kerplokin and its politics. Vanya, Aerena, and the Mentat Reese are drawn into the border fighting along the edge of Port Etmar. So’Zen finds himself helping the newly revived Mandolorian Armorer acclimate to the current generation.

Little do the heroes know that ALMON D’JOY has already set plans in motion with his TOR CETI mutations that will threaten the fragile Freedworlds Republic and the freedom it fights for…

Components

Goals

The computer core has been recovered from the forgotten Separatist Holdout base on Dotera and the missing Jawas have been rescued. There has been no response from the message to Simon Tam or to the message sent by Kal Holst warning about the Eborrean invasion force.

However, due to the security footage from the old Separatist base, one answer seems clear: Almon D'Joy seems to be the one responsible for having the almost every sapient being of the Crimson Knight Order eliminated.

But there are yet more loose ends to wrap up...

Almon D'Joy had the Crimson Knights killed and possibly even the two Judges from the Order of Solicitors. Yet, how does this connect to that mysterious 'Sargon' person and the system of Byss?

Almon D'Joy has taken captive Ivan Vorpatril, Jem Vandos, Genog Druqod, and Talow Kit'Sedda ... where did he take them? Why did he take them? What are his plans for them?

Also! As Ivan was last in the presence of his "paramour" does that mean Almon D'Joy knows of ... if not has captured this "paramour"? Who Vanya and Danar know is the Imperial Princess, High Lady of Melantha Province, Katianna Vortapani.

What is the unusual dark crystal holocron that contains recordings spoken in an old Mando'a dialect?

Then there is the captured Eborrean pilot, Salbur. From him, our heroes have learned that perhaps even the Eborreans are under mind control... by the same parasite creatures the heroes encountered on Thyferra!

Anatoli Cuylin. The ancient Mandalorian Armorer who the heroes rescued from the ruins on Kiskua's moon of Dotera. He has some connection to the Sith Lord, Errol Von Dromas. But what?

The Mysterious Dark Side Force Ghost that has taken a sudden interest in the heroes. Is this the evil presence from the moon of Dotera?

The sector ranger, Andan Jouric and his young charge, Pek Rondoon took their leave of the others to head out to handle the issues around young Pek. However, this still leaves Pek a person of interest by Aerena Kolene's aunt and the Corellian Intelligence Agency over the mysterious Tau Ceti creatures!

Almon D'Joy. He has shown that he just might be the source of the problem. Especially on Chalcedon. The heroes are aware that the Tleiaxu Mentat has brought venomous Tor Ceti creatures to infect the world of Chalcedon. The heroes want to put a stop to this but also learn what Almon is up to.

Also, Danar - as Vance Kerplocken - is expected to make a future appearance alongside Chancellor Nalerine Kanter and greet Emperor Gregor Vortapani ... a man Danar works for and knows personally.

And what of Zaye and her two children, the adopted noghri daughter and grandchildren of Grakkus the Hutt? All of whom happens to be on Chalcedon this very moment. Will Danar honor the noghri bond he has with her as "Vance Kerplocken" ... or not?

Then, there are first two loose ends that started it all ...

The missing Jedi artifacts. Who was collecting them, only to destroy them? Or is one person collecting them, and another destroying them? Has it, in fact, been Almon D'Joy all along?

Relations

Protagonists

Jedi Knight VN Ysadora

Jedi Knight So'Zen Al Saba

Alliance of Worlds Captain Aerena Kolene

Tapani Imperium agent, Danar Vorpadaran (in one of his many cover identities)

Crimson Knight Sir Davish Tam

Sabine Tri'elle, exiled leader of the Shalent Aw'akeen.

Allies

Kal Holst ( field technician and slicer ), former Bloodsmith Raider. His anger and rage over his past lead him to the Bloodsmith Raiders. However, Jedi Knight VN Ysadora showed him there was another way. Now with silicon antibodies from Sabine Tri'elle freeing him from Almon D'Joy's influence, the young man has made his choice: to work with the heroes and the Aw'akeen exiled leader to stop the Slave Lords and the Eborrean threat.

Hicks. A male Clone Trooper of the now infamous 257th Clone Detachment that survived over 30 years in stasis.

Adversaries

Bloodsmith Raiders. One of the most fanatical pirate organizations in the galaxy that are obsessed with wiping out the coming threat of an Eborrean from Wild Space. They will use any means, any method necessary to accomplish this goal. No matter how high, or lethal, the cost.

Almon D'Joy, rogue Mentat and Dark Side practitioner. A brilliant, mad, genius who sought to overthrow the Tapani Imperium for his own gains. Now he has new, mysterious plans in motion that could cost billions of lives, all for his own personal gain.

Piotr Sparaval, a male human who works with Almon D'Joy for his own plans. The smuggler-pirate maintains his own batch of cybernetically linked clones, effectively making him both near-immortal and an 'army of one'. He bears a grudge against the heroes that they have yet to understand.

Madalitso Cardea, a male human working for the Crimson Nova bounty hunter guild. The heroes raided the Crimson Nova and ruined their contracts with the Slave Lords. The guild now wants their blood as repayment. Madalitso looks to take on that bounty.

Nassha Tomesta, bounty hunter working for Almon D'Joy. What is her stake in all this? Is it only credits?

Hutt "Slave Lords", a syndicate of Hutt Kajidics that are the main foundation of slavery in many parts of the galaxy ... who are in league with an Eborrean invasion force!

Plot type

Chapter

Parent Plot

Episode 3.07: Revenge of the Slave Lords

Related Characters

• Aerena Kolene
• Almon D'Joy
• Danar Vorpadaran
• Davish Tam
• Hicks
• KitKat the Mentat
• So'Zen Al Saba
• VN Ysadora

Related Organizations

• Freedworlds Republic

Related Locations

• Chalcedon
• Chalcedon system
• Port Etmar

Related Session Reports

• Episode 3.07, Chapter 13: The Desert Menace Report