“The 2-1B Is In” is an occasional segment focusing on various aspects of healing and medicine in Fantasy Flight Games’ Star Wars RPG. Since Rise of the Separatists is the next FFGSW release, I look at a drug associated with the Clone Wars Era–Bota.
Bota was a very rare fungus valued for its “miracle drug” medicinal properties during and even after the Clone Wars. The literal battles over bota are chronicled in the Star Wars Legends novels MedStar I: Battle Surgeons and MedStar II: Jedi Healer.
Bota only grew on one planet, Drongar, a hot, humid world of fungus and mold “jungles.” Its healing effects varied depending on the species. It could do anything from cure terminal illnesses and mortal injuries to relieve severe pain, among other uses. Some Jedi reported bota could intensify one’s connection to the Force but often with side effects. Any research into the Force effects by the Jedi Order was cut short by Order 66. Bota swiftly degraded and rotted once harvested, so was immediately frozen in carbonite for for storage and transport. Bota is generally administered via hypospray or intravenously, and must be either freshly (within 1 day) harvested or unfrozen and reconstituted.
All of these factors made bota a high-priority asset for both the Republic and Confederacy during the Clone Wars, with both sides having harvest and processing operations on Drongar, and their respective troops protecting these–or destroying them so the enemy couldn’t use them (Asset Denial). Unfortunately, bota was deemed so valuable that it was stockpiled by the governments (for non-specified urgent/emergency needs) and not used to heal troops or refugees. Indeed, per Grand Army of the Republic regulations, military medics and surgeons could be court-martialed for treason if discovered diverting bota to treat their patients. Naturally, such a valuable commodity was as attractive to criminal organizations, like Black Sun, as it was to governments.
It would soon be even more coveted. Like most Drongar fungal and plant life, bota was extremely prone to mutations, and it soon mutated to the point where all its pharmaceutical properties were lost.
BOTA
A dose of bota adds 2 Success to a Medicine check to treat an injury or illness OR removes the most severe critical condition affecting the patient. (One bota dose allows a Force user to make a Hard (3 purple) Discipline check to add one Force pip to the result of their next Foresee, Sense, or Seek Force power check, with the exception of any upgrade affecting the user’s combat checks. The Force user takes 3 Strain if the Discipline check is failed.)
|
ITEM |
COST |
ENCUMBRANCE |
RARITY |
|
Bota (1 dose) |
500 credits (R) |
0 |
9 or 10 |
|
Bota (100 doses, in carbonite) |
20,000 credits (R) |
4 |
9 or 10 |
Clone Wars Adventure Hooks
1)The Republic Grand Army or Judicials might task the party with tracking down diverted carbon-frozen bota. Alternately they may be ordered to steal CIS bota shipments–or destroy them. The latter makes for a little moral dilemma.
2) The Jedi Council has persuaded the Grand Army Command or the Senate to allow them bota samples and the PCs are sent for them. Perhaps this is one of Chancellor Palpatine’s gambits against the Jedi…
3) A crimelord (or non-government faction, a noble desperate to save a loved one, wealthy pharmaceutical CEO, etc.) is paying very handsomely for a team to intercept processed bota. (EotE)
4) A scoutship has discovered bota on a second planet. The race is on… And what (or who) else is on that planet? Is this really bota? Is the whole thing a trap?
Rebellion (or later) Adventure Hooks
1) The Alliance/New Republic has learned of a cache of carbon-frozen bota and assigns the party to retrieve it, racing another faction to the cache.
2) The party or their mentor has learned of bota’s purported Force-effects and that samples were preserved in a distant Jedi Temple, cache, or even the crash site of an Order spaceship. They go to retrieve them, hoping they are still viable–and that there are no guards or other seekers at the site. (F&D)
Design & Play Notes: While the MedStar novels depict a variety of healing effects from bota treatment, for the sake of game balance and fast, fun play, I stuck with very simple effects. Other effects can be story description, or from spending Advantage/Triumph. Likewise, any “bad trips” (beyond the Strain due to a failed check) from a PC attempting to enhance their connection to the Force should be the result of of Threat or Despair on the Discipline check.
Credit: Thanks to Donovan Morningfire for mechanics feedback and suggestions.
Linda Whitson
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