Copyright Linda Whitson 2015
Commander Abyss [Nemesis]
Human ISB Elite Special Agent
Games: Age of Rebellion and Force & Destiny (Fantasy Flight Games)
Characteristics
Brawn 3 Agility 3 Intellect 2 Cunning 3 Presence 5 Willpower 4
Skills
Brawl 2
Coercion 3
Discipline 2
Knowledge (All) 2
Leadership 4
Melee 4
Perception 2
Piloting (space) 1
Ranged (lt) 3
Vigilance 2
Talents
Adversary 3 (Also use Additional Combat Turns [Sidebar, F&D, p. 421] if 4+ opponents)
Crippling Blow (Incidental. Increase Difficulty of an attack by 1; if successful, target suffers 1 Strain every move)
Improved Scathing Tirade (Action. Average Coercion check. For each Success, 1 enemy within short range suffers 1 Strain & takes 1 Setback on all skill checks for 2 rounds)
Other Abilities
Aura of Command (Maneuver. 1 Minion group may immediately take 1 maneuver or action. Add Boost to Action)
Imperial Valor (Maneuver. May cause all ranged attacks targeting Agent to hit engaged ally or helpless enemy until beginning of Agent’s next turn.)
Soak: 3 Melee Defense/ Ranged Defense: 1 /1 Wound Threshold: 24 Strain Threshold: 25
Force Rating: 0
Equipment:
Custom crimson ISB uniform w/light breastplate and latigo belt & boots (Armored Clothing Soak 1/Defense 1)
Blaster pistol, Superior Weapon Customization (Ranged[lt], Dam 7, Crit 3, Stun setting, +1 Advantage to all related checks)
Vibroknife, Superior Weapon Customization, Mono-molecular edge with 1 Pierce +1 mod (Melee, Dam +1, Crit 1, Engaged, Pierce 3, Vicious, +1 Advantage to all related checks)
Encrypted Comlink
Backstory: Amis Abyss started out in Imperial Intelligence, the beneficiary of political connections. Several of those benefactors came to regret it, when Abyss reported them to the Imperial Security Bureau for real, and fabricated offenses, to ingratiate himself with ISB. As he hoped, he was rewarded with a transfer to ISB.
Like many Imperials, Abyss considers non-humans lesser beings. Even lower than that, in his estimation, are Force-sensitives, who are “freaks.” A sentiment he hopes none of the Inquisitors he has worked with in the course of his duties ever guesses. His contempt is based in fear.
Abyss is a suitable thorn in the side of an experienced Alliance PC team, with the goal of bringing them to Imperial “justice.” The Inquisitorius occasionally borrows him to go after groups with one, or more suspected Rebel Emergents, to confirm, and set them up for an Inquisitor’s visit.
Conversely, the PCs could be tasked with capturing – or eliminating – Abyss, who is responsible for deaths and serious injuries to many Alliance personnel, and sympathizers. In a recent incident, he ordered a Force-sensitive prisoner to be given experimental drugs, then brutally knifed to death the Rebel SpecOps officer leading the extraction team that rescued the young woman.
Design notes: Although not an Inquisitor, Commander Abyss is built using that template from Force & Destiny. Therefore, he is too tough for a Knight Level, much less a beginning, party. My group first encountered him, when they were roughly at Knight Level; I used a less powerful version (lower Wound and Strain Thresholds, Adversary 2). I used similar stats to the above for his most recent appearance, when all PCs were over 300 total XP. For this version, I changed out a few abilities and weaponry that were tailored specifically to my group of PCs. And yes, his uniform is a nod to Imperial Intelligence Director Ysanne Isard of SW Legends fame.
GM notes: In combat encounters, Abyss will use Aura of Command, Imperial Valor, and his pistol to lead from behind and soften up opponents. If he knows details about PCs, their “hot buttons” and/or their family and comrades – which he does have the resources to find out if he hasn’t met them previously – he will use that information for his Improved Scathing Tirade, to scare or anger the PCs with threats to loved ones or graphic descriptions of a fellow Rebel’s last moments: “Is your ward all better now, or is she still screaming?” “I just ordered your home world’s garrison to take your clan into protective custody.” He does relish melee, particularly knife fighting, so he will be happy to fight any PC goaded into attacking him.
Be aware that since Abyss isn’t Force-sensitive and doesn’t have a lightsaber, he likely won’t fare well in combat against Force-sensitive PCs, particularly those with lightsabers. If you want to use Abyss against a typical F&D party – perhaps as a prelude to a later session with an actual Inquisitor – he should keep his distance from lightsaber wielders, letting Imperial minions and rivals take the brunt. He may even “appear” only via comm or holo, at least early on.
Credits: Thanks once more to my Friday Skype AoR group who finally gave this Agent what he had coming to him. Also thanks to Nikki Ackerman for copyediting and Jon Stevens for technical editing.
Linda Whitson
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