Savage Star Wars: The Perfect Storm

Creating your character

We will create characters before the first session so that everyone can start play ready to jump right in. You will work with me (the GM) to build a Seasoned-level character using the Savage Worlds Core Rules and the Science Fiction Companion. We may reference the Savage Star Wars book for inspiration, but we will not be directly using its mechanics unless I approve something specific. Each player will choose a Faction that their character aligns with. Your faction choice will shape your starting resources, equipment, and story hooks—and it will give you both a benefit and a drawback that help tie your character into the political web of Nyriaan. Here are your options: Natives of Nyriaan – Tough, resourceful, and underestimated. Galactic Republic – Loyal Republic citizens. Jedi Council – Jedi peacemakers. The Guilds – Profiteers of the Mining Guild and Hyperspace Navigator’s Guild. Tapani Nobility – Political manipulators. Corporate Sector Authority – Corporate operatives. Criminal Element – Shadowy power players. Free Agents – Unaligned opportunists. We will finalize stats, Edges, Hindrances, and gear together to make sure everything fits the tone of the game. Think about how your character’s faction, personality, and goals might create tension with the other characters—this is a story of betrayal, shifting alliances, and political maneuvering, so strong motivations will make the game shine.

Preparing for the session

In order to prepare for this game you will need an account for Roll20 and you will need to join Discord as we will use it as the client for discussing that game and playing it.

What Jacob “Jake” Stick brings to the table

First and foremost, I will ensure this table is a safe space for everyone to explore the story, take risks with their characters, and enjoy themselves. We’ll use safety tools and check-ins as needed so that everyone is comfortable with the tone and content of the game. This campaign is built around mystery, political intrigue, and shifting alliances. I’ll provide an evolving world full of secrets to uncover, factions to manipulate, and characters whose agendas will clash with your own. Expect dramatic reveals, tense negotiations, and the occasional shocking betrayal. Mechanically, I run Savage Worlds with a focus on tactical combat and following the spirit of the rules. I value fairness and consistency, but I also embrace cinematic storytelling when it serves the drama if something is exceptionally cool and makes sense within the story, I’m open to bending the rules to make it happen. You can expect a mix of social intrigue, dangerous missions, and tense combat encounters. I may use character voices for key NPCs to make them memorable and will include ambient music or sound effects to set the tone when appropriate. Above all, my goal is to make the game fun, engaging, and something we all look forward to each week.

Homebrew rules

Savage Worlds is all about Setting Rules here is a brief summary of the setting rules that will be in play: ##Betrayal Political maneuvering, assassination, and shocking reversals are part of Nyriaan’s deadly game. To reflect this, Soak rolls cannot be made against Wounds caused by The Drop, nor can Bennies be spent to resist a Knockout Blow when the attack is a true betrayal. The GM decides when The Drop applies, but it must represent a genuine surprise: a butler striking a guest mid-dinner, a lover stabbing their betrothed, or assassins turning on allies during a tense negotiation. Betrayal only counts when the target is truly unsuspecting. ##Faction Alignment Factions are the heart of Nyriaan’s power struggle. At character creation, each player chooses a faction or begins as a Free Agent. Faction Members gain the Connections Edge for their chosen faction plus unique benefits and drawbacks (will be described in character creation once accepted). Free Agents receive no starting boons or Hindrances, but may align with a faction during play, gaining Connections at that time. Each additional faction aligned with beyond the first gives a –1 Persuasion penalty when dealing with members of those factions. ##Faction Status Faction Status tracks the shifting political balance on Nyriaan. At the start of the campaign, 20 Faction Tokens are distributed among the major factions based on the current political landscape. Through their actions, players may shift these tokens, representing victories, alliances, sabotage, and betrayals. The GM will present opportunities for players to affect the distribution of tokens and reshape the planet’s fate. ##Favor & Status Status represents a hero’s place in society—their wealth, influence, and how others perceive them. Your hero’s starting Status is 2 (Working Class) +1 per Rank, modified by Edges, Hindrances, and actions taken during play. Status can grant Favors: boons from allies, institutions, or society at large but can also be lost through scandal, disgrace, or betrayal. Conduct matters on Nyriaan, and ignoring proper decorum may have serious social consequences.

How Jacob “Jake” Stick creates a safe table

The tool that I have found most useful is Lines and Veils. We will have a session 0 to go over anything that might be important to keep everyone safe and discuss anything that you might not feel comfortable with. I will have a forum post with my Lines and Veils and provide players with a means to send me their own. After every game, we will do a check-in and make sure that there is nothing new that needs to be flagged.