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In this third article for my Target Package sub-series providing seed content for Age of Rebellion adventures. On offer is a target more suited for Diplomats and Spies eager to exercise their more subtle approach to the Galactic Civil War. Alliance High Command has identified a senior Corporate Sector Authority (CSA) executive for conversion to the Rebel cause. Gamemasters can expand on the provided skeleton to flesh out a full adventure, or drop what is provided in game and improvise an instant intrigue in your next session.
Like my other Target Packages, this article is broken down into two sections. The Player Section is meant to be releasable to your players. Simply copy and paste, tweak as desired, maybe add a picture and some formatting, and you’ve got yourself a handout. The GM Section provides more direction on how to run this Target Package at your table. In the GM Section you will find an NPC checklist, additional GM-only details about the target for players to learn during play, and other options to consider implementing into your adventure.
Player Section
Target: Aeryn Koerg
Type: Corporate Sector Authority Assistant VicePrex
Description: Assistant VicePrex in charge of Weapons Research
Desired Effect: Recruitment to the Rebellion as a covert agent
Priority: High
Rationale: Alliance intelligence suggests Koerg may be suitable for recruitment as a high-level covert agent based on personality assessment and background factors. Koerg’s position as Assistant VicePrex could be leveraged to provide advanced weapons to the Alliance. Further, intelligence could be gained on weapons projects contracted by the Empire, providing technical readouts on those weapons and opportunities for sabotage.
Personality Profile: Aeryn Koerg, a human female in her mid 40s, is assessed as driven and organized, unsurprising for an Assistant VicePrex. However, unlike her more ruthless counterparts she is noted for progressive (bordering on radical by CSA standards) management of work disputes. Koerg has a record of charitable giving, most notably to medical charities in memory of her deceased husband, the noted xeno-physician Alain Koerg. Despite her non-standard CSA methods, Aeryn Koerg is a rising star known for producing fantastic results. Koerg is extremely proud of her achievements and appears to have a very high opinion of herself, a factor which may exploited during face to face engagement with her.
Security: Very high. Koerg is constantly protected by a veteran Security Police bodyguard. Her offices are safeguarded by state of the art security systems and her databases are within the heavily encrypted CSA network.
Commentary: The death of Alain Koerg occurred under somewhat mysterious circumstances. Alain Koerg was participating as a volunteer doctor with a non-governmental organization that provides medical services to those in need in the Outer Rim. He was reported killed during a break-and-enter at a volunteer field hospital on Ryloth. Alliance Intelligence suspects Imperial Destabilization agents were conducting operations to break the will of the Ryloth resistance at that time, suggesting a possible link.
GM Section
NPC Checklist:
- Corporate Sector Authority Security Police (Minion) – EotE pg. 401
- Espo Bodyguard – use Corporate Sector Authority Security Captain (Rival) – EotE pg. 401
- Aeryn Koerg – use Corporate Sector Authority VicePrex (Nemesis) – EotE pg. 402
- Protocol Droid (Rival) – EotE pg. 412
Recruitment Possibilities
Convincing Aeryn Koerg to support the Rebellion will be no easy task. The PCs will have to be armed with a convincing argument to stand a chance. The following three approaches serve as options for the PCs to discover through gameplay.
The Truth about Alain Koerg
Aeryn Koerg’s deceased husband, Alain, was killed by undercover Imperial Destabilization agents. The Empire grew concerned that the brutal conditions on Ryloth would be reported by Alain, a growing celebrity in the medical field. By killing Alain and pinning it on “ungrateful” Twi’leks, Destab hoped to not only suppress information unfavorable to the Empire, but to also paint the local Twi’leks as barbarians in need of Imperial enlightenment.
Learning the above information could range from a few investigation skill checks to a full blown session, depending on the GM’s preference. At the minimum I recommend it involve tracking down Imperial records (Computers check), Alain’s former comrades (Computers or Knowledge [Education]), and questioning Alain’s comrades or former patients (Social checks to convince them to tell the truth) as the truth about her husband would significantly improve any attempt to recruit Aeryn Koerg.
Leveraging the truth about Alain’s death grants the PCs two Upgrades on Charm checks to recruit Aeryn Koerg. If the PCs are callous about Aeryn’s loss then any Social check should have its difficulty Upgraded once.
Appeal to Conscience
As her personality profile hints, Aeryn Koerg is by all accounts a progressive and principled businesswoman. Investigation into her dealings in corporate records, and even behind closed doors, confirms this. As such, any argument which calls upon higher principles in opposing the Empire’s tyranny will appeal to Koerg’s sensibilities.
Appealing to Aeryn’s conscience in this manner grants two Boost die on social checks to recruit her.
Appeal to Ego
It is no secret that Aeryn Koerg has a healthy ego. She is very much the public face of the Weapons Research division, appearing prominently in promotional material. Her offices are adorned with many awards for her achievements and holographs featuring Aeryn with key personalities in the CSA and the Empire.
Appealing to Aeryn’s ego grants a Boost die on social checks to recruit her.
Making Contact
While not under direct Imperial control, PCs travelling through the Corporate Sector Authority should expect no respite from draconian security measures. See EotE p. 352-353 and EotE p. 379-380 for general information about the Corporate Sector and Corporate Sector Authority. Rebels operating in the CSA would be wise to tread carefully and with a well established cover story.
Aeryn Koerg’s offices are located on a world at the GM’s discretion. For an extra challenge, she may have her headquarters on the extremely secure world of Bonadan. This may be advisable for GMs seeking to drive home the social, rather than violent, nature of this mission. Arranging an appointment with Assistant VicePrex Koerg should be next to impossible without a plausible cover. Aside from receiving information about Alain, Koerg is far too high up to be bothered by common spacers. The PCs may try to pose as nobles, Imperial bureaucrats, or perhaps journalists in order to secure an audience. Another approach may be for the PCs to arrange a “chance” meeting after hours assuming they can covertly monitor Koerg’s movements.
Once the PCs meet with Koerg it must not be forgotten they are asking for her to commit treason against the Empire and to betray Corporate Sector law. Multiple Setback dice (four or more, as desired by the GM) should be applied to any check to recruit her outright, unless mitigated by skillful conversation to shape her opinion. Koerg will be very reluctant to discuss anything frankly with her bodyguard and protocol droid present. The droid may be easily dismissed, but the bodyguard must be removed more delicately lest suspicion be raised. The meeting with Koerg should be a significant encounter combining opportunities for creative roleplaying with challenging social skill checks.
If the PCs can successfully convince Koerg to join the Alliance as a covert agent, then the Rebels will gain a significant source of intelligence and advanced weapons. This should provide significant increases to the Intelligence, Recruiting, and Tech Procurement Duties. Failure to recruit Koerg could prove extremely dangerous. Large amounts of Threat or Despair could be spent by the GM to have Koerg react with outrage at the PC’s suggestions, or fear that she will be the subject of a CSA purge – either way results in the PCs immediately being hunted by Espos. Less dramatic failure can result in Koerg remaining neutral to the Rebellion, but unwilling to join. This leaves the door open for future recruitment attempts.
Christopher Hunt
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