Star Wars VI- Without the Emperor

[janus methedor]

Hello folks. I'm a GM That allows divergences, though however prepared I thought I was for thinking of divergent effect... now I'm not so sure. So I'm going to post my thoughts and I would like yours.
First though is some information: (Yay PCs)
It's a few months before the RoJ and the Emperor has essentially been killed, his energy sealed in an artifact and dissipating.

1) With Vader in command Luke wont be able to convince him of "the good within him". As I understand it he (Vader) only turned when Luke was being killed by Palapatine. This would result in a slightly Darker Luke as he would most likely have to Kill his Father.

2) Vader doesn't die and will live on ruling some or all of the Empire. Probably finding his Masters Sith artifacts and growing Far stronger.

3) Like gets killed by Vader

4) Due to Vader having different plans and such is able to save the Death Star II by fleeing into hyperspace during the Alliance attack and having it completed in an undisclosed location.

5) Without the Emperor buffing his forces the Imperium slowly crumbles.

*)Needless to say this will drastically affect "Dark Empire" I'm not even sure how the EU will turn out.

I welcome feed back.

[Whill]

Cool! A very interesting What If scenerio. Did the rescue of Han from Jabba happen the same? What happened to Yoda? Did he and Obi-Wan foresee this possible dark future and change their plans? Did the ghost of Obi-Wan appear to Leia to plead with her to visit Yoda before he died? Is Vader looking for a Sith Apprentice now that he is the Sith Master and Luke is dead? How are the PCs involved?

[TinMan]

I think this would be a cool time travel mishap adventure. Something in the time line get's changed which allows the Emperor to be killed maybe even in some mundane shuttle accident etc.

The PC's are approached by some sort of time traveling super being who needs their help to fix things.

I have been bouncing a Jedi Knight PC around on occasion fixing little things in the timeline (mainly stuff that only effects the group).

Cool concept the players actually would have to save the Emperor :-)

[Cryonic]

Hello folks. I'm a GM That allows divergences, though however prepared I thought I was for thinking of divergent effect... now I'm not so sure. So I'm going to post my thoughts and I would like yours.
First though is some information: (Yay PCs)
It's a few months before the RoJ and the Emperor has essentially been killed, his energy sealed in an artifact and dissipating.
(SNIP...)
4) Due to Vader having different plans and such is able to save the Death Star II by fleeing into hyperspace during the Alliance attack and having it completed in an undisclosed location.


Don't forget -> Palpatine: "Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design. Your friends, up there on the sanctuary moon, are walking into a trap, as is your Rebel fleet. It was I who allowed the Alliance to know the location of the shield generator. It is quite safe from your pitiful little band. An entire legion of my best troops awaits them. *mockingly* Oh, I'm afraid the deflector shield will be quite operational when your friends arrive.

If the Emperor is dead, then this part of the event doesn't happen... So, now the rebels will be facing a fully operational Death Star II instead of a stationary, but heavily shielded one...

[barrataria]

I love alternate SW futures!

Why would the Empire necessarily crumble, if Vader is running the show, presumably with more power, and a Death Star (and the Tarkin Doctrine) at his disposal?

Maybe this depends on how you want to run your game, but to me it looks like an excuse to keep running original trilogy type rebel v. empire games. And keeps alive the coolest villain of all time, of course, a nice little side benefit :)

[janus methedor]

Excellent! The Death Star would most likely be completed at Endor! Thank you all for your thoughts and I'm looking forward to more.

A long the same lines without the Emperor what do you think is going to happen to the Viper Automatons, the World Devastators and the Galaxy gun?

I would think the Automatons and Devastators would get captured by by the Republic or more probably by a Pirate group. Since Pirates seem to be able to get their hands on anything.

The G.Gun though I would think not of been built. Since if I recall correctly it was Palpatine that ordered its construction.

[RocketDad]

What might be interesting is what would happen when Thrawn returned from the Unknown Reigons...He had no respect for Vader, and was the absolute best tactitian the Empire ever had. I think he would still fight his campaign to reclaim the Empire...against Vader. If so, whould the Rebellion be able to stay relevant? Trawn wasn't speciesist (other than being mildly disdainful of everybody) and the anti-alien bias was one of the huge unifying factors in the Alliance. Also, Thrawn wouldn't have had access to the Nhogri if Vader was still alive...

Say, could...Could I sit on a game, maybe?

Please?

[janus methedor]

This is a Table Top RPG so unless your in Richmond Virginia? It would be cool if you could though.

[TinMan]

Do what my group does we meet via web cam. If you only have one person who isn't in the area you can get away with MSN or any free service.

[Tetsuoh]

I wish I was a good programmer.

I'd write a networking software that allowed networked voice/video conferacing - with a dice roller build in.

you select the dice and roll - the dice type and result show on your connection screen to the network.

[janus methedor]

That would be awesome!

[TinMan]

I wish I was a good programmer.

I'd write a networking software that allowed networked voice/video conferacing - with a dice roller build in.

you select the dice and roll - the dice type and result show on your connection screen to the network.

We just use the honor system, seems to work just fine. If you don't like that just point the cam at the dam dice after each roll :-)

[Tetsuoh]

True and we've done that before as well. I just ment it would be cool to makw a video conferancer specifically for rping is all. I get bored easy and think of ideas like this, but usually dont have the means to see them to fruition.

[barrataria]

On the original post: Janus, did you consider leaving Luke alive? I'm starting to ponder your alternate ending and now I'm trying to consider what would have happened if Luke and Vader cut down the Emperor instead.

I suppose the Death Star still goes down, and I think the fleet would still be in disarray with the loss of the SSD. I'd expect the rebels THINK they've won... and without Luke they wouldn't have a darkside-detector to tell them otherwise. Maybe Porkins' ghost comes to the teddy bears' picnic to warn everyone?

[RocketDad]

Barrataria: Do you mean that Luke turns to the dark side? and he and Vader really do "rule the galaxy as father and son"? That would be pretty green...but there would still be Liea as a dark side detector...and learning the Force without a mentor would be interesting for her, to say the least...

[Rerun941]

Not that I'm a big fan of The Force Unleashed video game (cuz I'm not)... but how about Vader's apprentice actually succeeds in killing the Emperor? or maybe they kill each other? Leaving Vader large and in charge several years before the Battle of Yavin.

Forget the Emperor's scheming and playing different factions in the remaining Imperial Senate. Vader rules the Empire with an iron fist! The Senate gets wiped out early. Oh, and if you believe TFU canon, then the apprentice never unites the scattered rebel activities into the Rebel Alliance.

[barrataria]

Barrataria: Do you mean that Luke turns to the dark side? and he and Vader really do "rule the galaxy as father and son"? That would be pretty green...but there would still be Liea as a dark side detector...and learning the Force without a mentor would be interesting for her, to say the least...

Yes, that was the thought I had, not unlike his father v. Mace Windu in a film marginally related to SW I saw once.

Maybe Luke decides killing Palpatine is the "lesser of two evils", or that his dad's sales pitch on Bespin was better as he thought about it, especially as his "insignificant rebellion" gets caught in the trap. Or maybe the dark side "call" is stronger from father to son, and Vader gives a harder sell right in front of the Emperor.

As to Leia, I don't think she'd be able to figure much out unless Luke called to her. She'd still get the "yes, he's alive" feeling she had in the film, and they'd still have the ewok barbecue, but they keep looking up to see if Luke comes walking down the path ...and instead of the force theme over the funeral pyre, it's... Luke and Vader seen from the back on the deck of another Star Destroyer watching the fleet assemble, or reviewing several ranks of new Dark Jedi apprentices.

I suppose then she'd have to find a teacher, maybe racing Luke and Vader, trying to get there before they cut down whomever she's looking for:D

[Whill]

the remaining Imperial Senate

Actually, the Imperial Senate was disbanded by Palpatine in 0 BBY. But in this alternate reality, perhaps the Senate had to be reinstated after the first Death Star was destroyed to maintain control of the government?

[Torg Smith]

As with any centralized communist government, when the center figure is removed without a successor planed you get a power vacuum. The Empire would fracture as many different power groups tried to gain power. The New Republic would be one of them. The new republic may not be as powerful at that time as they in the actual timeline. Maybe then only have a strong base in the southern part of the galaxy. Darth Vader may have a significant holding, and other key Grand Moffs may control other areas of the galaxy.