Welcome to the HoloNet Uplink, citizen. This new series focuses on Fantasy Flight Games’ Star Wars Roleplaying Game, with content aimed mostly at the Gamemaster. Threats, adventure seeds, rules supplements, and more are all to come for those who access The HoloNet Uplink.
So, before I begin, I just want to say that it took me far too many passes to replace every instance where I wrote “Korriban” with “Moraband” – thanks George. With that little comment out of the way, HoloNet Uplink returns to the crunchier side with adversary stats for two of Moraband’s most iconic Legends creatures: the tuk’ata and the shyrack.
Some readers may recall I had nitpicked the lack of Sith beasts in my Force and Destiny Core Rulebook review, specifically calling these two creatures out as missing. This is of course from the fond memories many gamers have of their presence in both Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic games. Although these beasts are most commonly found on Moraband, both have spread across former Sith worlds. In particular, the tuk’ata can be found in many tombs and ruins from Athiss to Yavin IV. It was a pleasure reviewing the lore for both these threats and I hope you enjoy springing them on your players as much as I enjoyed writing them.
Tuk’ata (Rival)
A living testament to the power of the Dark Side, the malevolent tuk’ata have been twisted by alchemy into the overly muscled hounds that guard Sith tombs to this day. The Dark Side has touched not only their bodies, but also has enhanced their minds beyond mere animal cunning. Tuk’ata are able to communicate with one another to coordinate ferocious ambushes on intruders, a trait they exploit by targeting the weakest member of an interloping group. Fearless and without mercy, these guardians will not stop biting and clawing until their victim is dead. However, the ancient alchemists long ago implanted deference to the Sith within the hound’s psyche. Force users who have embraced the Dark Side may be able to cow a tuk’ata into submission.
Characteristics
Br 4, Ag 3, Int 2, Cun 3, WP 2, Pres 1
Soak 4, W. Threshold 20, M/R Def 1/0
Skills: Brawl 3, Coercion 1, Cool 3, Perception 2, Stealth 1, Survival 2, Vigilance 2
Talents: Adversary 1 (upgrade difficulty of all combat checks against this target once), Intimidating 2 (when attempting Coercion, tuk’ata can suffer up to 2 wounds to downgrade the difficulty of the check once for each wound suffered; when targeted by a Coercion check, tuk’ata can suffer up to 2 wounds to upgrade the difficulty of the check once for each wound suffered), Force Rating 1
Abilities: Dark Side Force User (uses Dark Side results instead of Light Side results, see FaD 281), Force Power: Sense (the tuk’ata may spend a force point to sense all living things within short range [including sentient and non-sentient beings]), Dark Servants (when making checks to handle, tame, or otherwise socially interact with this creature a character may add Force dice to the check and spend Dark Side results to add success or advantage) , Pack Tactics (add a Boost die to combat checks when engaged with another tuk’ata)
Equipment: Rending claws (Brawl; Damage 5, Critical 2, Range [Engaged]; Pierce 2, Vicious 1), rows of teeth (Brawl; Damage 6; Critical 3; Range [Engaged]; Ensnare 1, Vicious 2)
Shyrack (Minion)
Fiercely territorial, the bat-like shyrack make their nests in the caves and tombs of Moraband in massive swarms. These blind avian predators prefer to live and hunt in dark, enclosed spaces where their echolocation grants them the advantage. Although they will defend their nests with reckless frenzy, shyracks will not normally attack any but the smallest prey. This reclusive nature is mysteriously abandoned every 63rd summer on Moraband, when shyracks spill out of their caves to fill the sky. Old Republic biologists speculated this phenomenon was the result of tectonic resonance creating powerful ultrasonic noise, and that ultrasonic emitters could frenzy or even control shyrack swarms. With the rise of the Empire, such research has been removed from all but the most remote of libraries.
Characteristics
Br 2, Ag 1, Int 1, Cun 2, WP 2, Pres 1
Soak 2, W. Threshold 4, M/R Def 0/0
Skills (group only): Brawl, Vigilance
Talents: None
Abilities: Echolocation (ignores concealment caused by darkness up to medium range), Flyer (can fly, see FaD 208)
Equipment: Razor teeth (Brawl; Damage 3, Critical 3, Range [Engaged]; Pierce 1)
Afterword
So concludes this week’s HoloNet Uplink. As always, leave your feedback, comments, and questions below. Readers have now had a chance to see a few different takes on this series, and I would like to take this time to open a dialogue. I want to hear your impressions on the series so far, what has been done well, what not so well, and what you want to see from it in the future.
Coming up, we have more interviews, stats, a follow up on my High XP Stress Test, tips on running campaigns in other eras, and more adversaries just to name a few topics. But I want to know what you want to see in this space. More articles like my Walker Assault rules? Something I havn’t mentioned? Let me know in the comments below.
Christopher Hunt
Latest posts by Christopher Hunt (see all)
- Command School – Deterrence and Compellence - July 11, 2019
Updated Dark Servants to the following:
Dark Servants (when making checks to handle, tame, or otherwise socially interact with this creature a character may add Force dice to the check and spend Dark Side results to add success or advantage)
I think this better reflects the intent that a character can use the dark side to force the tuk’ata, and other future dark side creatures, into submission. Characters would of course gain conflict for use of Dark Side results.
Moraband…every time I see the name…so much rage.
Awesome to see some more creepy crawlies, I recently listened to the Beast Rider episode of Order 66, and it really lit a fire under me to get more creatures into my campaign. I’ll save these for when my PCs finally get to a dark side world.
Let us know how it goes!