Werewolves…in Star Wars…now that is an interesting subject. With Halloween just around the corner, finding a truly spooky or fear causing adventure for my PCs seems like an interesting challenge. When I was pitched the idea of writing about how to use werewolves in the Star Wars RPG, I figured that would be a great way to bring that fear filled adventure to my PCs. As I began some research on this idea for this article, I quickly discovered that what I was truly doing was writing a full fledged adventure. So I thought I could bring that same process to you. First, I will lay out my research and thought process on how I came to integrate werewolves to be used in a Star Wars game and then I will provide you with a rough draft adventure (really the skeleton of the adventure) that shows how I ended up with this idea and hopefully inspire you with your own ideas for a truly spooky adventure!
Research
I know many players want a plausible reason for werewolves in a game before I throw those types of threats their way. You basically need to answer the Who, Where, When and How for your PCs. I thought about lots of different ways you could end up with a part-man, part wolf/beast adversary. Ideas that come to mind are genetic experimentation, Force manipulation, or perhaps a new semi-sentient wolf-like creature. After some research, I decided that I would go the route of genetic manipulation. This led me on a several hour-long foray into the bowels of Wookieepedia to discover a few nuggets which I found very helpful. First, I realized there was already a humanoid wolf/dog based alien in Star Wars: the Shistavanen. I also discovered, to my joy, that the Shistavanen were genetically engineered as a part of their evolutionary process. I decided that I would use this fact as a basis for my adventure. So this helped answer the “How,” now I needed to move on to the “Where.”
I obviously needed a good setting. I wanted my setting to be in a forest or jungle – something that could be creepy and foggy–and where I could force my PCs to be in an environment that will be dark with deceptive shadows everywhere (and of course I will have them doing this at night!). My research eventually gave me the planet of Corva Yag. Published material doesn’t give Corva Yag’s environment description, but I discovered it was the location of a massacre of over 300 colonists that the authorities attributed to some malfunctioning 87-RM Scout Collector droids. Furthermore, rumors state the real reason for the deaths was that the colonists discovered a secret Imperial base and were eliminated. Now I have my “Where.”
The next thing I wanted to do was flesh out what type of research could be going on at a secret Imperial base that could cause genetic experimentation that could result in wolf-beasts. I eventually came up with the Clone Wars era T-series tactical droid “Doctor.” This droid nearly caused the destruction of a Republic world by engineering a genetic neurotoxin to kill everyone on the planet. He even had a pet named Seventeen – apparently the number of animals the Doctor used to genetically create this “pet.” I decided that the Empire recovered and repaired this droid after theClone Wars to do genetic testing for them. I now had the full answer to the questions “How” and “Who” and had a pretty cool villain to boot!
Overall, I hope this gave you a good idea on how one could go about utilizing werewolves (or any sort of spooky adversary) into your games. Below I have included my rough draft (again, this is a rough skeleton draft) adventure outline for your use and/or inspiration.
Credit: I created the stat blocks using OggDude’s Star Wars GM Tools and Character Generator which I highly recommend.
Massacre at Corva Yag – Adventure Summery
The PCs get a mission to investigate the massacre of 300 colonists on Corva Yag– perhaps from the Alliance wanting a propaganda source or perhaps from some other source, like a concerned or upset family member or an investor who had bought into the colony where the massacre took place. The PCs will investigate the massacre and will be told amazing tales of terrible beasts in the jungle that kill settlers and leave no bodies, stories of humans who go into the jungle and come back as monsters or perhaps just simple – no one comes back from that jungle alive.
Massacre at Corva Yag – Part I – Initial investigation
Give the PCs a brief on the planet and an initial mission brief from their employers/superiors/contact that includes basic information about the massacre and some vague hints that nothing seems to add up in the official investigation report. Be sure the PCs have an easy opportunity to discover the 300 colonists were mostly Shistavanens.
Once on the planet, have the PCs go to a cantina for information and have them pick up/hire Rosalyn Kane, a local hunter and scout to help them. (This could be whoever you’d like. I included a basic human scout here) Have her give more vague hints about the massacre and be sure to have her give rumors of werewolves and perhaps she will mention stories of people missing in the woods or those who are missing returning and going crazy or worse yet, turning into wolves or other beasts. Make sure some of these rumors are echoed by others if the PCs ask around the settlements.
Have the PCs go to the abandoned settlement which is the site of the massacre to do further research and have them find more clues that show the initial investigation report was obviously misleading. At some point, have the PCs follow Kane into the jungle – perhaps to show the PCs a place where she saw some strange beast – or perhaps have one of the PCs spot a wolf-like creature at the edge of the settlement and they are tracking it.
At the end of the day…get the PCs in the Jungle…at night. Be sure to explain all the spookiness…lots of fog, strange noises….and distant growls. Have them get lost. Be sure to include Fear checks here. Eventually the PCs are ambushed by a group of humans that are in various states of transformation to wolves – elongated noses, claws, teeth…walking on all 4s, etc. This encounter isn’t about damaging the PCs, it’s about getting them afraid. Give them just basic details, not a lot to go on…and then have the PCs win unexpectedly as the werewolves take their dead and wounded into the jungle. The PCs will follow the trail of blood to find the hidden imperial facility.
Massacre at Corva Yag – Part II – Exploring the Facility
The PCs find the facility with just a few Stormtroopers guarding the gate. Have the PCs either fight or sneak their way inside. As soon as they get into the facility, they trip an alarm which traps them – they only can explore deeper. Have them get deeper into the facility and discover administrative areas (good opportunity to get information on the genetic experiments going on and hints as to the nemesis). The place looks evacuated. Even deeper, they then get to the genetics labs and animal pens which look as if they have all been opened. There are signs of struggles and blood is everywhere…to make matters worse…the lighting seems to be failing in the facility as power seems to be going out. There are even signs of Stormtrooper helmets and it looks as if large animals tore apart something and dragged it away. But at this point…no bodies (build the suspense and make it obvious when the Fear checks will be coming).
As the PCs move deeper into the facility they are again faced with another werewolf attack, but this time they kill all of them and can inspect them more clearly to see they are mostly human or once were.
The next level down is more animal pens, but these pens are much larger. The lights continue flickering and the PCs find more blood…this time partially eaten bodies of Stormtroopers. The only way down is a hall with no lights. It is dark and they move into a large room where they hear more noises and they will suffer yet another ambush, this time the larger were-Shistavanens.
Massacre at Corva Yag – Part III – The Doctor
The PCs finally find the lowest level where Doctor is completing his research. The PCs find this nemesis in addition to his new “pet”- Eighteen – a genetically combined Wrix and a Dark Wolf. Depending on the Party size, include more were-humans and were-Shistavanens.
After the PCs triumph (or if not, Doctor gets away), the PCs discover a computer terminal which shows the Doctor intended to betray the Empire, wipe out Corva Yag’s entire population and then find a new, hidden base where he could perfect his genetic masterpieces and eventually cleanse the galaxy of pesky biologics..
GM Lance
Latest posts by GM Lance (see all)
- Desktop Tuesday- Tuebor Interview – A brief look at a dystopian future - December 1, 2015
