Arrival at Felucia (TTG)

*Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Dawn of Defiance*

*Main Page: The Traitor's Gambit*

*Preceded by Part 1: Prelude to Defiance*

Senator Organa gives the heroes as much time as they need to prepare for their journey and sees them off. The journey from Alderaan to Felucia is relatively uneventful and should give the heroes plenty of downtime before their mission begins.

Felucia is an out-of-the-way jungle world where massive mushrooms dominate the landscape. The native Felucians retreated into hiding many years ago when Gossam colonists came to the world. Though the fierce battles of the Clone Wars made their way to the planet eventually, Felucia was left largely unscathed, and once the Separatist forces were defeated, the newly created Empire mostly withdrew from the system. As Bail Organa explained to the heroes, the Imperial presence on Felucia is based primarily around protecting the small prison facility left on the world. The few cities on Felucia have Imperial garrisons, and the Gossam colonists remaining on the world after the Clone Wars must deal with Imperial persecution.

However, the heroes won't be going anywhere near the cities. The prison facility, which does not exist on any official maps, is located deep in the Felucian jungle. If not for the Alderaanian Security agent frozen in carbonite, neither Bail Organa nor the heroes would have any knowledge of the facility's location. The *Banshee* has the coordinates in its nav computer, and the course plotted by RX-13 should bring the ship out of Hyperspace on the side of the planet nearest to the prison facility.

## Evasive Maneuvers

As The *Banshee* emerges from Hyperspace, Crash informs Captain Okeefe that their trajectory was perfect and that they are approaching in a vector that will take them to the Imperial prison facility. Almost instantaneously, the sensor board lights up with contacts- Imperial contacts. The massive, dagger-shaped visage of a *Victory I*-Class Star Destroyer looms above the planet, and within seconds the flickering sensor board indicates that the capital ship has turned to intercept The *Banshee*. Captain Okeefe orders everyone to strap in so that she can make evasive maneuvers.

When the heroes comply, read the following text aloud:

***As the blue tunnel of Hyperspace fades away and the pinpoints of stars fill the windows of the cockpit, you get a brief glimpse of the planet Felucia hanging just below your ship. Almost instantly your eyes are drawn to the dagger-shaped starship looming ahead of you- an Imperial Star Destroyer.***

***"Hold on," Captain Okeefe says, "We're in for a bumpy ride."***

***With that, the captain slams the control stick forward, sending the ship tumbling rapidly into the atmosphere of the planet. As The* Banshee *passes through the thin cloud layer, you get a good look at the fungal swamps and jungles of Felucia, where towering mushrooms reach up into the air like skyscrapers. It would be beautiful if it weren't rushing up at you so quickly.***

***Eventually, Captain Okeefe pulls the ship out of its dive, a move accompanied by the sounds of metal shearing from somewhere in the rear of the ship. The transport lurches, nearly throwing each of you to the ground, and dips sickeningly down toward the fungal canopy. Another massive bump jostles the ship before the captain brings the vessel to a screeching halt, resting deep within the mushroom jungles.***

### Searching for Civilization

When the dust settles, Captain Okeefe and Crash quickly move around the ship, assessing the damage and ensuring that no one is injured. After a few minutes, the captain opens the hatch and steps outside into the jungle. The thick, humid air seeps into the ship almost immediately, and soon she returns with less than stellar news. While The *Banshee* has survived the landing mostly intact, it won't be taking off any time soon. Okeefe thinks she can make the repairs, and fortunately the ship is hidden by the Felucian jungle's canopy. However, she cannot give the heroes an estimate of when the work will be done. She suggests (if the heroes don't do so themselves) that they make their way through the jungle toward the prison. The ship's navigational systems brought the vessel down near the prison facility, so it shouldn't take them more than a day or so to trek through the jungle and discover the ultimate fate of Admiral Varth.

Although supplies are limited, Captain Okeefe offers to give the heroes whatever food or water she has. There are enough removable supplies on the ship to provide water and nourishment for a week's journey, though the heroes certainly shouldn't be gone that long. The captain provides them with the directions to the prison facility, which she can upload into any Datapads carried by the heroes. This should give them the location of the Imperial prison facility and the relative location of The *Banshee* so they can make their way back.

When the heroes first step off of The *Banshee*, read the following text aloud:

***Your first steps onto the soil of Felucia make it clear that this planet is truly alive. Massive mushrooms tower overhead, their overhanging edges creating a canopy that blocks out much of the planet's sunlight. Every step on Felucian soil turns up insects and other fungi just beneath the surface. The noise of the jungle is loud and alien, full of the sounds of a hundred insects and animals moving through the mushroom swamps, all part of a living and vibrant ecosystem.***

Traveling through the jungle toward the Imperial prison requires frequent Survival checks to stay on course and avoid Hazards. The journey requires at least 12 hours' worth of successful progress from The *Banshee* to the facility. The heroes must make a DC 15 Survival check each hour of travel. Success indicates that they make progress toward their destination, whereas failure results in no progress. If the hero making the Survival check fails the check by 5 or more, the group might encounter a Hazard. Sample Hazards are described below, but you should feel free to include any other jungle hazards appropriate to the planet.

* Acid Pool (CL 2)
* Exploding Fungus (CL 2)
* Razor Mushroom (CL 2)
* Muddy Sinkhole (CL 1)

### Tactical Encounter

Once the heroes have made at least 6 hours' worth of progress toward their destination, they encounter a group of natives- a Felucian scout party, just returning from patrol. Of late, the Felucian villages have been plagued by Imperial agents capturing their scouts, and as a result the Felucians are extremely wary of outsiders. As the heroes enter a clearing, four Felucian Scouts emerge from the underbrush to attack, thinking them to be more Imperial agents.

The encounter begins in a swampy area with small islands of solid ground interspersed throughout a shallow pool of water. Each of the four Felucian Scouts is lying Prone on a different island, making Stealth checks to remain hidden from the heroes.

#### **Read-Aloud Text**

When the heroes enter the combat area, read the following text aloud:

***The cacophony of noise created by insects and other animals makes it nearly impossible to hear the splash of your footsteps through the Felucian swamp. The open area you walk into resembles a large, shallow pool of water with narrow islands rising out of the water, looking like stepping stones that are slightly too far apart to jump across. A faint mist hangs over the swampy ground, drifting over the still pool of water.***

##### **Tactics**

The Felucian Scouts move to melee range almost immediately, hoping to use their Felucian Skullblades (with the Mighty Swing Feat) whenever possible. If a distant hero targets one of the Felucian Scouts, that scout will often retaliate with their *Force Blast* power, though the Felucians usually save this for knocking down fleeing and injured enemies.

##### **Features of the Area**

The swampy water that runs through the middle of this area counts as Difficult Terrain, and any characters lying Prone in the water must hold their breath or begin to drown.

#### **Conclusion**

When all of the Felucian Scouts are out of the fight, or if more than half of the heroes have been incapacitated, a man's voice echoes through the swampy area. "Peace! Please, stop fighting!" Vazus Mandrake intervenes in the fight, begging the Felucians and the heroes to end the conflict. Mandrake knows that the fight is just a misunderstanding, and he hopes to bring peace between the Felucians and the heroes, who he can see are not agents of the Empire.

#### **Development**

After the heroes defeat the Felucians, they should quickly discover that they are on the outskirts of some kind of village. Once the noises of battle die down, the heroes can make out the sounds of panic just through the jungle. As they follow these sounds, they find a makeshift village on the other side of the undergrowth populated with more Felucians, as well as a few other surprises.

## Felucian Sanctuary

A hidden village deep within the Felucian jungle, this sanctuary is home to more than a dozen Felucian families. Additionally, a former Separatist soldier, now a hermit on the fungal world, resides in the village, hiding from the Empire. The sanctuary has remained a secret in the months since the Empire took over, and it is a place where the Separatist and the Felucians can live without fear of Imperial discovery.

The village provides a place for the heroes to rest and recuperate a bit from their trek through the jungle. Additionally, the sanctuary offers a number of interesting roleplaying opportunities for the heroes, allowing them to interact with the locals and discover more about the conditions on the planet. If the heroes are reluctant to enter the village due to their recent conflict with the Felucian Scouts, feel free to use the following to motivate them:

* The former Separatist, an older man named Vazus Mandrake (described below in "The Translator"), invites the heroes into the village, explaining that their fight with the Felucian Scouts was just a misunderstanding.
* The heroes notice signs that the Felucians aren't friendly to the Empire- such as an effigy, dressed in Stormtrooper Armor, hanging outside the village.
* You can impress upon the heroes the fact that the village might be a good place to ensure that their directions are correct and learn about any other hazards leading up to the prison facility.

When the heroes enter the village, read the following text aloud:

***The village appears to have been carved almost completely out of the massive mushrooms that dominate the Felucian landscape. Each one looks old and petrified, making the mushroom huts appear far more solid than their still-living counterparts elsewhere in the jungle. In the center of the village, a number of native Felucians gather in a half circle, squatting by a cooking fire and turning to look at you as you enter. Though the village area has been cleared, small mushrooms and other plants still rise up from the ground, as though the jungle itself resisted any attempts at civilization.***

While in the village, the heroes are approached cautiously until they convince the residents that they mean no harm. If any of the heroes has (or is) a Protocol Droid or other Droid with a Translator Unit, they find that most of the villagers have an Indifferent Attitude toward the visitors. Unless the heroes are visibly pretending to be Imperial officials, the villagers are more curious about them than anything else. If the heroes can shift the Felucians' Attitude to Friendly, the natives are happy to take them in and provide them with food and shelter, at least for a short time. Most of the villagers believe any non-Imperial visitors to be victims of Imperial oppression, as they are, and the Felucians are always eager to assist anyone who is not an agent of the Empire.

The encounters described below can occur any time that the heroes are in the village. Feel free to use the location as a place where the heroes can recuperate and interact with the locals. In Part 3, Imperial Prison Facility, the heroes will confront captured Felucians that have been tormented and twisted by the Empire. Therefore, use this time to let the heroes get to know the natives so that they will be more sympathetic later.

### The Translator

Living among the native Felucians is a former Separatist commander named Vazus Mandrake. A middle-aged Human male from Corulag with a scarred face and stringy gray hair, Mandrake was stranded on Felucia during the Clone Wars after his mercenary unit was destroyed by Clone Troopers. Crawling off into the jungle while grievously wounded, Mandrake managed to escape execution by the Clone Troopers and nursed himself back to health. When the war ended and the Empire rose, Mandrake decided to make his home among the Felucians, where he has been living ever since. He also tends a small group of Kybucks that he imported to the world when his unit was stationed here. Although his unit fell, the Kybucks survived, and Mandrake has named them all after his former comrades.

If the heroes do not have a Translator Unit, Vazus Mandrake approaches them and offers to serve as their go-between with the villagers. Mandrake is an expert in the Felucians' guttural tongue, and he can converse with them fluently. He is immediately curious about the heroes and their intentions, and if they make it clear that they are not allies of the Empire, he treats them like old friends. Though bitter about his defeat at the hands of the Empire, Mandrake is genial and happily translates for the heroes. He begins with an Indifferent Attitude toward the heroes, which automatically shifts to Friendly if they mention that they are opposed to the Empire (no check required). If the heroes manage to change Mandrake's Attitude to Helpful, he will not only translate for them but also attempt to Aid Another on any Persuasion checks the heroes make on the Felucians.

Mandrake is an important ally for the heroes. In addition to his ability to translate for them, he has some knowledge of the Imperial prison facility. If the heroes mention the facility in Mandrake's presence, his face darkens and he becomes very serious. Mandrake has wanted to destroy the prison for some time now, though his new life among the Felucians has cooled his passions somewhat and he is no longer so gung-ho about doing the job himself. If he learns of the heroes' intentions to raid the facility, he begs them to help him with his sabotage. Mandrake produces a large explosive charge and explains that if they can set it in the facility's communications center, the blast should be powerful enough to destroy the prison and overload Imperial communications on Felucia for some time. That will also make it easier for the heroes to escape from Felucia. If the heroes agree, Mandrake gives them the explosive charge and shows them how to set the timer.

### Scrutiny of the Chief

*See also: Felucian Chief*

After the heroes have been in the village for a short time, they are approached by an elderly Felucian Shaman that Mandrake (or the heroes' Protocol Droid) describes as the chief. The chief is obviously extremely old, and the tendrils around his head appear to be shrunken and damaged. The shaman has also seen his share of battles; his body is covered in scars, and one arm looks withered and blackened as though infected with some kind of shriveling disease.

The chief comes to the heroes and scrutinizes them, looking them over without saying a word. If any heroes in the party have the Force Sensitivity Feat, the chief pays particular attention to them, and such characters hear faint, guttural whispers as he passes by. On the other hand, if any heroes have a Dark Side Score higher than 0, the chief appears to scowl at them, his gaze lingering just a bit longer than on the others.

After a brief examination of the heroes, the chief turns to them as a group and begins to speak. Particularly, he wants to know who they are, why they have come to Felucia, and what they intend to do about the Empire. (The chief secretly hopes that they might help discourage the Empire from staying on Felucia, though he shows no signs of it.) This encounter is one of the most important the heroes can have in the village, and much depends on how they treat the chief and how they answer his questions. The Felucian Chief begins with an Indifferent Attitude toward the heroes.

#### **Critical Challenge**

The most beneficial outcome of the meeting with the Felucian Chief is that the heroes gain the trust and help of the Felucian village. Specifically, if the heroes succeed in this challenge, the chief appoints a Felucian Scout from the village to guide them to the Imperial prison facility. To achieve this, the heroes must shift the chief's Attitude from Indifferent to Friendly. Once the chief has been made Friendly, he is willing to consider providing them with a guide. The chief speaks of the numerous dangers in the jungle (many of which the heroes might have encountered already) and cautions them not to proceed lightly. Although they have made it this far, there are many hazards that they have not yet faced, among them massive predators such as the Felucian Bull Rancor.

If the heroes indicate that they will do something more permanent about the Imperial presence on Felucia (such as planting Mandrake's explosive charge), the chief agrees to provide them with a Felucian Scout who can lead them directly to the facility. On the other hand, if the heroes keep their intentions closer to the vest (or if they refused Mandrake's request), they can win the aid of the chief in other ways.

* If the heroes leave any of their supplies (such as those taken off The *Banshee*) for the villagers, the chief is grateful and grants his aid.
* Similarly, if the heroes offer to help the village in any other material way (such as by arming the Felucians with advanced weapons or providing them with medicine), the chief is grateful and provides his aid.
* If the heroes discover and heal the sick Felucian children (see "Sick Children," below), the chief automatically grants his aid.

#### **Auxiliary Challenge**

One other thing the heroes can do during this encounter is learn a bit more about the Imperial prison facility. If the Felucian Chief can be made friendly to the heroes and any hero asks about the prison, that hero can make a DC 10 Gather Information check to learn more about the facility. If successful, the heroes learn that the villagers call it the "Vanishing Place" and steer clear of it whenever possible. The chief explains that many Felucians have disappeared in the area around the Vanishing Place, and when the Felucians sent a few shamans to investigate, they had to leave quickly before they were overwhelmed with pain. The chief believes that many of the missing Felucians are being held in the prison facility, and that the Empire is causing them great pain. The chief also tells the heroes that the source of the pain seems most concentrated on the west side of the facility.

#### **Auxiliary Challenge**

Force-sensitive heroes have an opportunity to impress the Felucian Chief and gain some of his knowledge. If the chief is Friendly to the heroes, he can be convinced to give up a bit of Force lore. Any character who acknowledges his or her own Force Sensitivity to the chief also gains his interest. The chief is eager to learn more about the ways of The Force, especially from outsiders, and he is willing to trade knowledge. If any hero demonstrates an aptitude for The Force that the chief himself does not have- perhaps in the form of a Force Power or a Force Talent with visible results- that hero receives some Force tutelage from the chief. Specifically, the hero learns the *Force Blast* power without the need to learn it from a master. Alternatively, this is a chance for you (the GM) to introduce any new Force Powers or Force Talents into the campaign that might be available only to certain Force-users, especially powers or talents that differ greatly from those in the *Saga Edition Core Rulebook*.

#### **Ad-Hoc XP Award**

If the heroes succeed in the critical challenge of this encounter and obtain a scout, grant them Experience Points as though they had overcome a CL 4 opponent.

### Sick Children

Several of the younger Felucians in the village have fallen ill in recent days, many of them deteriorating to the point of paralysis. The Felucians have hidden these children away in one of their mushroom huts, and only a hero who makes a successful DC 15 Perception check while walking through the village notices their anguished cries. If the hero investigates further, he or she discovers four Felucian children who lie on cots, frail and nearly immobile except when they cry out in pain. In truth, the children have contracted a virus engineered by Captain Vischera in the Imperial prison facility (see Imperial Prison Facility for more information on Vischera and his experiments). The children's skin has faded to a sickly gray, and their muscles have thinned to the point that they are visibly too weak to support their weight.

A hero Trained in Treat Injury can treat the virus as per the Treat Disease application of the skill. The Treat Injury DC for the disease is 10, and curing the children requires the standard 8 hours of tending. Feel free to let the heroes take this time, since there is no real time restraint during this part of the adventure. Although the heroes should feel the illusion of pressure (reaching the prison facility before some ill fate befalls Admiral Varth), they should not be punished for an altruistic act.

#### **Ad-Hoc XP Award**

If the heroes cure the sick children, award them Experience Points as if they had defeated a CL 2 enemy.

## Imperial Scouts

Once the heroes have had a chance to interact with the villagers and deal with the encounters above, have them make DC 10 Perception checks. Any hero who succeeds notices a low whine coming from the outskirts of the village, as though a repulsor were passing around its edges. Upon further investigation, the heroes spot a Scout Trooper on a Speeder Bike zooming away from the village, headed into the deep jungle. They catch only a glimpse of him before he speeds out of view, but it seems certain that the Scout Trooper saw them.

If the heroes don't realize it immediately, Vazus Mandrake does: the Scout Trooper will report the hidden Felucian village- and the presence of the heroes- to his superiors, and soon after, Stormtroopers will descend upon them. Fortunately, though, the mushrooms in the area have chemicals in their stalks that block long-range communications, so there is little chance that the Scout Trooper could report his findings before reaching his base. Thus, Mandrake begs the heroes to take his Kybucks and chase the Scout Trooper down. He assures them that the Kybucks are tame (which is true) and urges them to catch the Imperial scout before it's too late.

If all of the heroes fail the Perception check above, they still notice the Scout Trooper, but each hero takes a -5 penalty on his or her Initiative check when the chase sequence begins.

### Zone 1: The Chase Begins

The heroes mount their Kybucks, and the chase begins! Have each hero roll Initiative as normal; this will determine not only the order in which they act, but also their Initiative Order in the encounter at the end of the chase sequence. On the first round of the chase sequence, the heroes can mount the Kybucks as normal, making a Ride check if they wish to attempt a Fast Mount. As promised, the Kybucks are tamed and ready for riding. With a Move Action, a hero can spur his or her Kybuck out of the village and in pursuit of the Scout Trooper.

Kybucks move very, very quickly, and as the beasts lurch forward, the heroes realize that they'll have no trouble keeping up with a Speeder Bike. Large mushrooms and other huge fungi streak by faster than the eye can see, and the ground whips by at an incredible pace. The Kybucks provide a relatively smooth ride, and it is clear that the animals know the terrain far better than any of the heroes might. Each Kybuck leaps, turns, twists, and dodges between the massive growths of the fungal forest. Throughout the chase sequence, be sure to emphasize the speed at which the heroes are moving.

On the first round of the chase, the heroes streak out of the village and into an area of sparse growth. Although Ride checks are not needed to control the Kybucks, have each hero make a DC 10 Ride check during the first round regardless.

* Any hero who succeeds on the Ride check by less than 5 is accepted by his or her Kybuck, and the beast dashes through the jungle with no ill effect for the rest of the chase.
* Any hero who succeeds on the Ride check by 5 or more (in other words, with a roll of 15 or higher) also gains a +2 circumstance bonus on Ride checks for the remainder of the chase sequence.
* Any hero who fails the Ride check by less than 5 can make a DC 10 Persuasion check as a Free Action to calm his or her Kybuck for no ill effect. Failure means the hero takes a -2 penalty on Ride checks made through the next round.
* Any hero who fails the initial Ride check by 5 or more takes a -2 penalty on Ride checks made through the next round.

The Scout Trooper is almost completely out of Zone 1 when the chase begins. During the first round of combat, the Scout Trooper is out of line of sight from the heroes. You (the GM) should roll Initiative for the Scout Trooper as normal, moving him from zone to zone just as the heroes move, though the scout technically begins the chase at the far end of Zone 1. As such, even though a hero might advance to the next zone before the Scout Trooper does, the scout will always be farther ahead of the heroes in the next zone when the heroes' turn comes up. On subsequent rounds, the heroes might have a chance to draw closer to the Scout Trooper on his Speeder Bike. In any round in which the heroes manage to draw close enough to the scout to stop his progress (with a ranged attack, a Force Power, or some other means), another Scout Trooper zooms ahead from a hidden post, moving into the next zone and out of line of sight immediately. This allows you to keep the chase going while letting the heroes gain Experience Points for defeating any Scout Troopers they manage to catch.

After the first round of the chase sequence, all of the heroes who move their mounts into the jungle automatically advance to Zone 2.

### Zone 2: Fungal Swamp

The second zone of the chase is a massive fungal swamp. In this zone, shallow pools of water litter the landscape, and the Kybucks send up huge splashes as their hoofed feet pass through the puddles. Large, multicolored fungi droop low over the landscape, and huge birds swoop down to scoop up prey. The fungal swamp is so thick that the heroes can hardly see in front of them; anything beyond 20 squares is out of their line of sight. The Kybucks have no difficulty navigating the swampy terrain, though the heroes should feel as though the jungle is closing in on them.

On each hero's turn, have that character make a DC 10 Ride check.

* Any hero who succeeds on the Ride check by less than 5 manages to lead his or her Kybuck out of the fungal swamp.
* Any hero who succeeds on the Ride check by 5 or more also moves within Long Range of a Blaster Pistol (72 Squares) of the Scout Trooper. If the hero chooses a different path than the scout (see below), he remains within that range for Zone 4 as well.
* Any hero who fails the Ride check by less than 5 can make a DC 10 Perception check as a Free Action to keep from getting lost in the thick undergrowth. Failure means the hero and his or her Kybuck get lost in the fungal swamp and do not advance to the next zone of the chase on the next round. Although this does not have immediate consequences, it can prevent the hero from joining his comrades in the encounter at the end of the chase.
* Any hero who fails the initial Ride check by 5 or more gets lost in the fungal swamp and does not advance, as described above.

Each hero who advances through Zone 2 to the next zone of the chase must choose a path to follow. On each hero's turn in this zone, describe two paths: one that appears to go through thick foliage, and another that travels through the hollowed-out trunk of a massive Felucian tree. Randomly determine which path the Scout Trooper takes with his Speeder Bike. Any heroes who choose the path through the foliage proceed to Zone 3A below. Any heroes who choose the path through the tree proceed to Zone 3B below. Both paths converge again in Zone 4.

### Zone 3A: Hazardous Terrain

Any heroes who choose the path covered with thick overgrowth soon find themselves in treacherous terrain. This zone is filled with sinkholes and trenches, causing the Kybucks to leap over the small gorges and chasms with bouncing grace. As the animals bound through this zone, the heroes dip and rise along with the terrain, making it difficult to see very far ahead.

On each hero's turn, have that character make a DC 10 Ride check.

* Any hero who succeeds on the Ride check by less than 5 manages to help direct his or her Kybuck to the next zone without any difficulties.
* Any hero who succeeds on the Ride check by 5 or more also gains a +5 circumstance bonus on Ride checks in the next round.
* Any hero who fails the Ride check by less than 5 takes an immediate -2 penalty to Initiative, moving him or her down in the order for the next round.
* Any hero who fails the Ride check by 5 or more takes an immediate -5 penalty to Initiative instead.

Each hero who advances to the next zone automatically advances to Zone 4. Any hero who managed to close with the Scout Trooper in the previous zone can make attacks or use Force Powers against the scout in this round (but only if the scout followed this path, of course).

### Zone 3B: Natural Tunnels

Heroes who choose the path through the hollowed-out tree find themselves traveling through a series of hollow logs and underground tunnels. The heroes and their mounts must lower their heads to prevent scraping the ceiling of these natural passageways. As the Kybucks zip through the underground tunnels, chunks of moss and other fungi droop down from above, while breaks in the ceiling let occasional rays of light shine down on the heroes.

On each hero's turn, have that character make a DC 10 Ride check.

* Any hero who succeeds on the Ride check by less than 5 progresses to the next zone without incident.
* Any hero who succeeds on the Ride check by 5 or more also closes further with the Scout Trooper, drawing within 72 squares (if the hero had not closed with the scout on previous rounds) or within 60 squares (if the hero had previously closed with the scout).
* Any hero who fails the Ride check by less than 5 rides too close to a grasping set of roots that hang down into the tunnel like tentacles. That hero must succeed on an opposed Grapple check (versus the roots, which have a +2 Grapple bonus) to continue to the next zone. A failed check means that the hero and his or her Kybuck becomes stuck in the natural tunnels, and on the following round the hero can take a Standard Action to disentangle from the roots.
* Any hero who fails the Ride check by 5 or more runs into the hanging roots at full speed and is knocked off the Kybuck. The animal stops and waits for the hero to mount up again the following round, but the hero is delayed in advancing until the following round.

Any hero not snagged in the natural tunnels automatically advances to Zone 4. Any hero who managed to close with the Scout Trooper in the previous zone can make attacks or use Force Powers against the scout in this round (but only if the scout followed this path, of course).

### Zone 4: Awakening the Beast

When the heroes advance to Zone 4, they encounter a deadly specimen of Felucian fauna: a Rancor. Fortunately, the creature is dying, and its death throes are all that it can bring to bear against the riders.

When the first heroes move into this zone, the ground in front of them erupts. The Rancor had buried itself under the dirt and undergrowth, and now it rises up and attempts to grab a hero and a Kybuck as a last meal. The Rancor is sluggish, but as it rises to its full height, pieces of debris and detritus fall off its body, creating a rain of soil and plants that spatters any heroes who race past.

On each hero's turn, have that character make a DC 10 Ride check.

* Any hero who succeeds on the Ride check by less than 5 manages to lead his or her Kybuck past the dying Rancor without being slashed by its claws.
* Any hero who succeeds on the Ride check by 5 or more avoids any attack by the Rancor and increases his or her Initiative by +2.
* Any hero who fails the Ride check by less than 5 is attacked by the Rancor. However, the attack is a glancing blow, dealing 1d8+5 points of damage on a success.
* Any hero who fails the Ride check by 5 or more is attacked by the Rancor. The creature makes a melee attack against the hero at a +8 bonus, dealing 2d8+5 points of damage on a success.

Even if a hero is attacked by the Rancor, all heroes who make it through the zone advance to Zone 5, an Imperial outpost.

### Zone 5: Valley Outpost

After encountering the Rancor, the heroes leave the area of dense fungal growth and move into a clearing with a small river cutting through it. Though the river is shallow, it is relatively wide, and the Kybucks splash through the river as it turns north toward a narrow valley. The Scout Trooper flies through this area just above the river, the Speeder Bike's repulsors splitting the water and kicking up a wake. Several large, bulbous mushrooms rise out of the riverbank, creating large obstacles for anyone moving through the zone.

On each hero's turn, have that character make a DC 10 Ride check.

* Any hero who succeeds on the Ride check by less than 5 advances to the combat encounter with no incidents and no special penalties or bonuses.
* Any hero who succeeds on the Ride check by 5 or more also gains a +1 circumstance bonus on attack rolls in the first round of combat.
* Any hero who fails the Ride check by less than 5 takes a -1 penalty to all Defense Scores in the first round of combat.
* Any hero who fails the Ride check by 5 or more takes a -2 penalty to all Defense Scores in the first round of combat.

When the heroes advance through Zone 5, they move into the encounter area, where combat takes place.

### Tactical Encounter

This area, found at the end of the chase sequence through the jungles of Felucia, is actually a watchpost for Imperial scouts and serves as a waystation for Imperial Vehicles. Several towering mushrooms litter the area, placing the jungle watch outpost in the middle of a massive forest of fungi. The four Stormtrooper Recruits are stationed near the communications computers, while the two Scout Troopers are ranging out away from the computers, scouting the area.

The Scout Troopers waiting in this area at the end of the chase sequence ride 74-Z Speeder Bikes that are slightly weaker than normal. Due to the increased levels of plant life and airborne particles on Felucia, many of the Empire's Vehicles suffer debilitating malfunctions in their repulsor systems and other mechanical parts. Recent upgrades to air filtering systems have improved the Empire's capacity to operate Vehicles on the planet, but these Speeder Bikes have not yet received that upgrade. As a result, each Speeder Bike has a Persistent Condition and has moved -2 steps down the Condition Track.

#### **Read-Aloud Text**

When the heroes complete the chase sequence and arrive in the final area (after Zone 5), read the following text aloud:

***Several huge mushrooms tower over this area, nearly obscuring the Imperial outpost that stands across a narrow stream. The stream winds through the middle of a forest clearing, splitting around both sides of a humongous mushroom whose cap hangs like an awning over much of the battlefield. The outpost consists of little more than a few small barricades and a tall computer system with a rotating satellite dish at its top.***

#### **Encounter Setup**

* 4 Stormtrooper Recruits
* 2 Scout Troopers with 74-Z Speeder Bikes (-2 steps on the Condition Track)

##### **Tactics**

The Scout Troopers attempt to distract the heroes, zooming around the battlefield to make it more difficult for them to approach the outpost. Due to interference caused by chemicals in many of the local fungi, it takes nearly 1 minute to establish communications with the nearest Imperial facility. Thus, the Scout Troopers try to distract the heroes for 10 rounds, hoping to buy time for one of the Stormtrooper Recruits to call for reinforcements. If the heroes fail to defeat the Imperials in this time period, the call goes out, and six more Scout Troopers on Speeder Bikes arrive 2 minutes later.

##### **Features of the Area**

Like the swamp in the "Felucian Hospitality" encounter (see above), the stream that runs through the middle of this area counts as Difficult Terrain, and any characters lying Prone in the water must hold their breath or begin to drown. Additionally, the massive mushrooms in the area can be destroyed by weapons fire. Each mushroom has 50 Hit Points and no DR, and a destroyed mushroom no longer provides Cover to anyone behind it.

#### **Conclusion**

If the heroes defeat the Stormtroopers and seize control of the communications facility, they have an opportunity to wreak some havoc with Imperial communications. A successful DC 15 Use Computer check tunes the communications array to the same frequency as the interference generated by the Felucian plant life, essentially broadcasting white noise across the entire Imperial communications spectrum. Doing so also scrambles the navigational arrays built into Scout Trooper Armor, which prevents reinforcements from arriving.

#### **Development**

If the heroes successfully deal with the Stormtrooper Recruits and Scout Troopers at the outpost, they prevent the Imperials from alerting the prison facility about their presence or the existence of the hidden Felucian village. Award the heroes Experience Points as if they had defeated a CL 3 enemy (in addition to any Experience Points they earned in combat). At that point, the heroes can return to the village at their leisure and either recuperate further or set out for the facility.

*Continued in Part 3: Imperial Prison Facility*