The Edge of Wild Space

An introductory campaign for Star Wars: Armada.

Increased Anti-Imperial Activity in the Outer Rim

All along the outskirts of the Empire, unrest has begun to boil over.  Some worlds openly defy Imperial edict and rule, and are subjugated once again through force of arms.  However, sympathy for the Alliance to Restore the Republic has grown a great deal in the recent cycles.  The amount of equipment and support the Rebellion has garnered has surprised Imperial authorities when they began to suspect the extent of the rebel fleet scattered (for now) across the galaxy.

Imperial Sector Fleet Naugrelas was created to combat this threat.  Consisting of only a few small destroyers and their accompanying support craft, many captains in Naugrelas saw battle against the Alliance fleets on the other side of the galaxy.  The fleet's new commander's directive is to chase suspected rebel ships in the Outer Rim Naugrelas sector, and has already been alerted to the Alliance 'navy' in the area.  The Sector Fleet has already chased one such small fleet as it gathered ships across the Outer Rim, before finally losing them in Wild Space.

Wild Space is the frontier of the settled galaxy.  There is little law, outside of what power the Empire can project.  Sector Fleet Naugrelas is one such projection of that power.  The Fleet's admiral has already dispatched assault carriers and patrol craft to Kajj and is consolidating power at an orbital dock at Dekora.  Now, the fleet sets about searching the settlements and planets at the edge of Wild Space near the Unknown Regions for the rebel fleet they know is nearby.

The problem for Sector Fleet Naugrelas now becomes space itself.

The Unknown Regions are a dangerous area for starships, in the best of circumstances.  Light years of desolate, uncharted expanses stretch betwixt the stellar phenomena the area is known for.  Explorer teams have for thousands of years slowly plodded from one zone to another, methodically charting courses in, through and around stellar nebulae, black holes, and even stranger phenomena not seen elsewhere in the galaxy.

Pirate Star-Map belonging to so-called "Neo-Privateers".

The Birthwell is one such area.

Sector Fleet Naugrelas suspects the area is being utilized by pirate and rebel factions to stage attacks against Imperial trade or military goods.  The uncertain routes, along with the untrustworthiness of the phenomena, contribute to the hesitancy of the Imperial military to exert much force here.  Recently this has begun to change however, as Imperial patrols have now followed pirates INTO the nebulae surrounding area and identified nav points.  

In addition, overt rebel activity has increased near Yem'da, on the edge of the nebular vortex.  It seems fleet-level action is inevitable, and the Empire has sent several Victory-class destroyers to root out the pirates and engage any rebels they may find.  The threat of the black holes and nebular storms is great, but the glory to be won is greater.

Campaign Rules

The Edge of Wild Space is an introductory campaign for Star Wars: Armada.  The campaign will simply be a team league consisting of nine standard games.  The linear structure here will allow all players the chance to focus on the standard game and the rules for a while.  During the course of this event, players will discover their favorite ships and develop their own fleet tactics.

In this campaign, there are two factions:  Imperial Sector Fleet Naugrelas and Alliance Battlegroup Tarquinas.  Players who insist on calling themselves "scum", "neo-privateers" or "pirates" will be considered rebel alliance for purposes of this campaign and have access to all rebel assets. At the end of the campaign, the team with the highest win rate is declared the winner, and the ongoing narrative will use the statistics from the campaign to adjust the setting for the next wave of campaigns.

Imperial Sector Fleet Naugrelas will attempt to identify and engage hostiles at the rim of the Birthwell, particularly Yem'da and the nav-points from there to Kajj.

Alliance Battlegroup Tarquinas is to deter Imperial interdictions at all points of ingress to the Birthwell space, particularly the secret routes to Teyyaun.

Ongoing and Results

The Anomalies of Yem'da

The Lonely Planet of Yem'da

Alone in the darkness of space at the edge of the Birthwell's farthest nebula is the dimly-lit planet called Yem'da.  Alarmingly close to a black hole, the world spins in the light of a tiny red dwarf among thousands of smaller planetoids.  Largely unsettled since anyone can remember, there are many good reasons that Yem'da has remained a desolate and unpopulated place.

Yem'da possesses a thick atmosphere, and is actually inhabitable - but a continuous and thick sulfurous compound continually emits from many areas on the surface.  In addition, there is little plant life on the barren surface.  The very minimal oxygen level is maintained by continuous chemical reactions in the high atmosphere, which can damage ships on entry and exit - to say nothing of the dangers in orbit.  The wildlife of Yem'da is equally distempered as the surface itself, mainly consisting of rock-like reptilians and insectoid animals - some examples of which are large and quite dangerous.

The surface of Yem'da is regularly pelted with impacts from the various bits of space debris in the small system.  Much of this debris is collected in the rings, but atmospheric flares of tiny objects entering the atmosphere can be seen in the sky almost constantly.  Despite all these dangers, Yem'da has provided a safe haven to those seeking respite from the Empire.  Yet this remote and desolate world possesses its own secrets...

Taxicor, the Solemn Moon

The rings of Yem'da are filled with micrometeors, and the system itself has moon-size planetoids swirling all around.  No less than sixteen small planetoids and moon-sized asteroids have found themselves seized by Yem'da's gravity, but one moon is large enough to be called a small planet.  This is Taxicor, called the Solemn Moon by the neo-privateers who have long used it as a safe haven and nav-point.

Located just beyond the rings of Yem'da, some of the smaller planetoids in the system actually orbit Taxicor.  The moon maintains a thin, wet atmosphere - though oxygen-breathers are advised to have supplemental survival gear.  All along the surface, liquid water falls in a light drizzle constantly.  Shallow seas appear and shift over the face of the moon, changing with the season.

For half it's rotational cycle, Taxicor is on the far side of Yem'da.  For this time, the seas of Taxicor freeze and the shadow of its parent world bathes the moon in darkness.  It is lit only by the light of the many satellites and the reflecting rings of Yem'da.  When it comes back into the light of the red dwarf, it is warmed enough that the water melts and the small creatures that call Taxicor home rise to the surface.  

Haven of the Neo-Privateers

Orbital points around Yem'da have long been used as rendezvous zones for the neo-privateer guilds.  Shipping contraband is a risky business once you enter a controlled trade zone, no matter whether the authority in that zone calls itself the Galactic Empire or the Galactic Republic.  Yem'da was one of the first (or last) spots around the Birthwell that staging of cargo could be performed with multiple associated ships.  This was most useful for dispersing imports or congregating exports, but also a neutral zone where disputes could be settled and any evidence thrown into the black hole.

As such, Yem'da had relatively more traffic than other entry points to the Birthwell.  However, now it is being threatened by Imperial cordons, and most neo-privateers believe this is because the Rebel Alliance has led the nexu to the portal, so to speak.  There are dozens of hidden caches on both Yem'da and Taxicor...caches that the neo-privateers will not countenance losing.

Rebel Interests

Yem'da is the southern entry point to the Birthwell, and the one furthest from Imperial space.  Along with the northern point at Narrow Gap, this entry point around the black holes at Yem'da represent the only practical way a fleet could navigate the space around the Birthwell. Controlling these nav-points are vital to the efforts being conducted on Teyyaun, and as such the continued operation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic in this part of the galaxy.

Battlegroup Tarquinas must maintain the security of the Yem'da nav-point.  To that end, the Alliance has designated multiple 'safe' points in the darkness around the system for the fleet to use.  The interactions between these fleets and the spacefaring neo-privateers has been mixed.  For every space-casino that floats by, a hostile flotilla of small privateer craft strafes the safe points.  These are dangerous, but considered a bit of an annoyance by those who understand the real enemy is coming to bear...

Imperial Interdictions

Pirate activity has been documented in the sector for some time, and only now are Imperial resources being diverted to address this threat.  Imperial forces are eager to prove themselves, and some command staff have the suspicion that it is rebel activity, not merely pirates.  As of now, there is little intelligence on the matter.

However...

There have recently been probe reports of ship signatures in this normally uninhabited zone.  Reluctant to commit large starships due to the celestial phenomena surrounding the Birthwell, the Imperials are slowly mapping out hyperdrive routes.  There have even been a few interesting navigational plans retrieved from captured pirate ships.  As details like this are collected, it's only a matter of time before the Imperial Security Bureau will begin to see the larger picture.

For now, Yem'da is largely avoided as much as possible.  There is an exclusion zone around the black hole, as well.  Imperial commanders are not yet willing to enter into any fleet action in the zone until enough astronomical data can be collected to justify such movements.  Until then, Yem'da is held in a loose cordon - much to the chagrin of both neo-privateers and the Rebel Alliance.

An Overview of the Baklunish Pantheon

Inspirobot knows that the most important gods are the ones everyone else is worshipping.

Hello, dungeon friends!  Today, an overview and quick reference guide to the Baklunish pantheon for explorers in the West.  These are 'major' cults of note that are unique to the heritage of the western Flanaess. 

It should be noted that these are not the only cults that will show up, as other deities and cults from the Flanaess are shared throughout.  That said, it can be observed that the Baklunish do not readily take on foreign cults.  This probably stems from their cultural distinctions and how they view their own pantheon.

The Baklunish folk of the West are a separate people from the folk of the rest of the Flanaess.  They have many practices that might cause foreigners to balk.  Their society is ancient, and their culture has had many centuries to develop.

The universe to these people is a constant clashing of opposed forces.  In life, one can either ally themselves with such forces or seek peace and attempt to be totally apart from the world.  The world is one of dualities, and each has their conflict.  This is reflected even in their practice of magic, which is rooted in arcane principles and manipulation of fundamental forces.  The elements are seen as the domain of genies, and to seek allegiance with such is to seek conflict.

And so it goes that their gods tend to be impersonal, representing clashing forces.  They are more akin to ideas rather than personified characters.   These more powerful beings do have dedicated worshippers and temples, but they are not always so prevalent in people's lives.

Rather, the Prophets of the Baklunish people have a more direct role in day to day life.  These mortal champions each achieved a divine wisdom, and now provide and direct a path to divinity for others to follow.  The Prophets are powerful demigods and hero-deities, subservient to the more powerful gods but more prevalent in the culture of the West.

The Baklunish Deities

• Istus
• The primary and most powerful deity of the Baklunish West.
• Geshtai
• Daughter of Istus, Protector of Waters.  Represents conservation and fertility. Opposes Sevelkhar.
• Sevelkhar
• Son of Istus, Bringer of Waste.  Represents drought and loss.  Opposes Geshtai.
• Al-Zarad
• Alias of Boccob the Uncaring.  Represents understanding and planning.  Opposes Ralishaz.
• Ralishaz
• Master of Misfortune and Chaos.  Represents bad luck and all things F.U.B.A.R.  Opposes Al-Zarad.
• Al-Asran
• Alias of Pelor the Sun-Father.  Represents life and light.  Opposes Tharoth.
• Tharoth the Reaper
• Alias of the Death God Nerull.  Represents darkness and death.  Opposes Al-Asran.

The Baklunish Prophets

• Al'Akbar
• How to be the best lawful good cleric or paladin.
• The Cup and Talisman of Al'Akbar are powerful and famous artifacts.
• Azor'alq
• How to be the best lawful good warrior. 
• Dwells on the Prime Material Plane at the Pinnacles of Azor'alq.
• Daoud
• How to best maintain humility and also get with the understanding.
• Mouqol
• How to be the best merchant and trade the best goods.
• Xan Yae
• How to be the best rogue, ninja or psychic.
• Dwells in the ACTUAL Tower of Iron Will.
• Zuoken
• How to be the best kung-fu monk.
• Disappeared? (As of 505 C.Y. / 3165 hegira)