The Origins of MARVIN and Other Odds & Ends

Notes on Figures:

When posting pictures and game reports it is important to list what company manufactures the figures used, or about to be used in the game.  This way, other interested players know where to find the same figures to use in their games.

At the time I posted News Brief #5, I didn't have any information on MARVIN's origin.  The droid will be a new character (PC) and the player informed earlier today the figure was made by Reaper:

http://www.reapermini.com/Miniatures
Notes on Organizing Redshift Chronicles Post:

I've been blogging for just over two years now, but I must admit, I'm still getting use to operating here in cyberspace.  One of the comments made on a gaming website was my use of individual postings versus creating a thread.  I'm still trying to finesse that one, but what I did notice was how long the "SW Redshift Chronicles" thread on this blog was getting. 

For anyone who's read my Redshift posts since the beginning, this may not be a problem, but for someone just starting out, reading through my posts--in reverse order--can be a pain.  To help alleviate this, I've added a few more Labels to each of the entries in order to break it up into more readable chunks. 

I'll keep the Star Wars RPG Adventures and SW Redshift Campaign labels in order to provide an on-going narrative.  But for those not wishing to scroll through the entire cyber-tome, I've broken the campaign into the following categories:
SW Redshift Campaign News Briefs
SW Redshift Campaign Intelligence Briefs, and
SW Redshift Campaign GM Notes

In the future, I'll add a SW Redshift Campaign AARs category for any major confrontations that may occur.

I hope this reorganization is less annoying for the readers of this campaign.

News Brief #5: Amabassadors, Entertainers & Droids

Stardate: Thirday, 039-130 ABY/Fringe Info Network (FIN)--Tarsus Bureau

Subsector: Shannekam

"All the news that's fit to transmit"

Tarsus Elects New Ambassador

Eleonora Heraud, was elected Ambassador by a landslide in yesterday's plebiscite. 

She captured the hearts of 78% of Tarsus' registered voters (21,196,500), while her contenders, Dorn Repness and Lirin Terrik, only managed to gain 14% (3,804,500) and 8% (2, 174,000) of the vote, respectively.

Pictured above:  Eleonora Heraud (center foreground) is escorted to the Directory Building for the swearing-in ceremony by Prime Commissioner Winthrop Coghill (left foreground) and Gwyn Norrocks (right, foreground), General of the Tarsan Defense Forces.  In the background are Babric Delorko (left), head of the Tarsan Intelligence Service and Callithea Lockridge (right), administrative assistant for the Commission of Diplomatic Affairs (CODA).

Mrs. Heraud, will assume the responsibilities of her late husband, Fitzroy Heraud, who was killed in last month's Imperial-sponsored coup on Bongolaan.  However, she will have only a week planetside to become familiar with her duties.  After her in-processing, she is scheduled to attend a diplomatic conference on Merantis with representatives from the other member worlds of the star cluster.  While no agenda for the conference has been published, the most likely topic of discussion will be the Tarsan-Bongolaanian Trade Dispute, or as it is more commonly known as, the "Bantha-Gabaki Trade War."

Meanwhile, in entertainment news...

The Twi'lek celebrity, Shiri Blen, proved once again she can land on her feet.  Fleeing the Bongolaanian coup she arrived on Tarsus with nothing more than a worn skin-suit.  Or so everyone thought.  Apparently, she was able to access an unknown amount of her wealth, before it was seized or frozen by Imperial treasury agents.  With her new agent and business partner, Rensi Rabogo, a former Casmaanian councilman from Bongolaan.  Together, they purchased and renovated an old land speeder garage in Newland, turning it into a nightclub within a few weeks.

Shiri kicked-off the grand opening of Spazhouse Cafe & Bistro, with a brand new number, Twi'lek Dream.  Within hours the song skyrocketed to first place on Tarsus and will most likely reach number one within the Merantis Star Cluster by the end of the day. 

(Twi'lek Dream was inspired by Teenage Dream, sung by Katie Perry).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98WtmW-lfeE

And now a word from our sponsor...

Introducing the entirely new and upgraded Mobile Android Recovery Vehicle Improved Negotiator (M.A.R.V.I.N). Here at the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation we are pleased to offer MARVIN with the new prototype GPP (Genuine People Personalities). As we like to say at Sirius “Your Plastic Pal Who’s Fun to Be With."  In addition, this Type-1 droid has the most sought-after skills and abilities in the galaxy. With a memory capacity as big as a planet there’s no end to the number of tasks that you can delegate to MARVIN.

From the Science and Technology Department:

A prototype MARVIN was purchased five months ago by the Tarsan Defense Forces and assigned to the 1st Battalion/3rd Lift Infantry Regiment as an infantry support droid.  After a 6-month evaluation phase, the plan was to purchase an additional 72 MARVIN droids, assigning one to each platoon, along with an additional droid assigned to company, battalion and regimental headquarters. 

One month before the evaluation phase was to end, the Tarsan Defense Force Public Relations Office (PRO) announced that it was no longer pursuing the MARVIN contract with Sirius Cybernetics Corporation.  No explanation was given and when asked about the prototype, a PRO spokesman merely commented that the droid was "being re-assigned."

Notes on Figures:

I didn't get who makes the droid figure from this campaign's new player.  I'll be sure to add it to future posts. 

The other figures are from Wizards of the Coast Star Wars Miniatures.

Shannekam Subsector Gazetteer, or "The Big Holograph"

(Click on images to enlarge)

Star map of the Shannekam Subsector

Current as of:  035-130 ABY

Bordering the coreward edge of the Gulf of Tatooine, Shannekam is centered in the Arkanis Sector and named after its most populated planet.  Of the 15 known systems comprising this subsector, only Bongolaan and Tatooine have been incorporated into the Fel Empire's Outer Rim.  While Emperor Roan Fel may wish to extend his interstellar ambitions further into this volume of space, he is most likely preoccupied with consolidating his position at this time.  Whether the fringe worlds of this subsector resist or acquiesce to any future advances by the Empire remains to be seen.

Beyond Imperial borders, the only coalition among the fringe worlds is the Merantis Agricultural Co-op (MERAGCO), which consist of the planets Mokar, Tarsus and Merantis; all within the Merantis Star Cluster.  Beyond piracy suppression, there is no political-military alliance among MERAGCO worlds.  However, this could change depending on how future relations with the Fel Empire unfold.  As of now, the Tarsan-Bongolaanian Trade Dispute is limited to these two warring planets.  This conflict is not expected to escalate beyond espionage, commerce raiding and sabotage operations.

Systems within the Shannekam Subsector:

1. Avastyn--an arid, poor, non-industrial planet with a Class C starport.

2. Mokar--a temperate, rich, agricultural and non-industrial planet with a Class B starport.

3. Banchu--an ice-capped planet with a Class C starport.

4. Tarsus--a temperate, agricultural and non-industrial planet with a Class B starport.

5. Merantis--a temperate, agricultural planet with a Class B starport.

6. Ku Crassus--an arid, industrial world with a Class B starport.  This world's climate is a result of a meteor storm that devastated the planet nearly 150 years ago. 

7. Zandamak--a temperate planet with a Class C starport.

8. Talchis--an arid, non-industrial planet with a Class C starport.

9. Gulnok--a temperate, non-industrial planet with a Class C starport.

10. Bowman--a sparsely populated asteroid belt with a Class D starport.

11. Bongolaan--a temperate, agricultural world; almost exclusively devoted to growing gabaki, has a Class B starport.

12. Tarknal--a temperate, rich, agricultural planet with a Class C starport.

13. Shanneka--a tropical, densly populated, non-agricultural planet with a Class A starport.

14. Tatooine--a desert world known throughout the galaxy as a "wretched hive of scum and villainy."  Despite the heavy trading of illicit goods, Tatooine's numerous starports are categorized as Class D.

15. Zenya--a tropical, non-industrial planet with a Class B starport.

Map Key:

1 hex = 1 parsec, or lightyear.

Large yellow circle: Non-aligned fringe world.

Large red circle:  Member world of the Fel Empire.

Half-moon symbol:  System-wide asteroid field.

Small brown circle:  Indicates the presence of a gas giant within the system.

Straight line (can be various colors):  Indicates the path of a hyperlane or hyperspace run and holo-net communication system.

Red lettering: Indicates a desert world.

Highlighted lettering:  Indicates a high population world of 1 billion inhabitants or more.

The Galactic Map:

The red circle on the map below illustrates where the Shannekam Subsector is located in relation to the rest of the galaxy.  (Not to scale).

(Image from:  Star Wars Insider: Issue #65)

News Brief #4, The Bantha-Gabaki Trade War

Stardate: Thirday, 032-130 ABY/Fringe Info Network (FIN)--Tarsus Bureau

Subsector: Shannekam

Bongolaan Declares a Trade War against Tarsus

Five days ago, the Bongolaanian Ministry of Intersellar Affairs declared a trade war to be in effect between the Peoples Democratic Republic of Bongolaan, the newest member-state of the Fel Empire, and the fringe world of Tarsus. 

All Tarsan-registered vessels will be considered pirate ships and will be pursued by forces protecting Bongolaanian interests. 

Following-up the Ministry of Intersellar Affairs, the Bongolaanian Ministry of Justice declared all Tarsan bantha-beef to be considered contraband.  Individuals transporting Tarsan foodstuffs will be apprehended and detained as smugglers.  The transportation of illegal goods is considered a major felony and convicted smugglers could face a 5,000 CR fine and/or 5 years incarceration for their first offense.

Non-Tarsan starships transporting enemy bantha-beef will be impounded until the sentence is fulfilled and fines are paid.

Bounties posted against known smugglers conducting operations against the People's Democratic Republic of Bongolaan will start at 7,000 CR.

In retaliation, the Tarsan Commission of Trade and Finance declared all Bongolaanian gabaki products to be contraband.  The penalties for importing Bongolaanian gabaki will be similar to those listed above.

The Bongolaanian declaration of trade warfare came as a result of the Tarsan plebiscite on 022-130 ABY, regarding Bongolaan's demands for reparations and the extradition of former President-for-Life Bharzi; along with any known associates.  Tarsus, a participatory democracy with 27,175,000 registered voters, decided the following issues:

1. Should Tarsus pay the 2,218,800 CR reparations demanded by Bongolaan?

An overwhelming 90% (24,457,500) voted no, while 8% (2,174,000) voted yes, with 2% (543,500) abstaining.

2. Should the former President Zeveg Bharzi, be extradited to Bongolaan?

A mere 55% (14,946,250) voted no, while 29% (7,780,750) voted yes, with 16% (4,348,000) abstaining.

3. Should any of Bharzi's associates and/or crew of the Aimless Drifter be extradited to Bongolaan?

A clear majority of 69% (18,750,750) voted no, while 19% (5,163,250) voted yes, with 22% (5,978500) abstaining.

Yesterday, the Tarsan Commission of Justice destroyed the 82 tons of Bongolaanian gabaki carried on board the Aimless Drifter. 

Before the gabaki fires burned themselves out, an anonymous source reported the Tarsan Commission of Diplomatic Affairs (CODA) was relieved to hear that Imperial forces will most likely not involve themselves in the Tarsan-Bongolaanian Trade Dispute.  Apparently the CODA received a terse communique from the Office of Valeska Hallard, Grand Moff of the Geonosis Subsector, stating:  

"While Bongolaan is now part of the Fel Empire, the Imperial Government does not concern itself with the affairs of individual planets--for the time being."