History of Empire: The Spark Before The Flame: Role-Playing in the Time Before Star Wars: A New Hope

The Spark Before The Flame

Role-Playing in the Time
Before Star Wars: A New Hope

A Closer Look: Star Wars History of the Empire

By Sean Patrick Fannon
Illustrated by Matt Wilson
and Richard E. Emond

A Closer Look

What follows is an extrapolation from the sources about and is one interpretation of the sequence of events.

During the latter part of Palpatine's reign as a Senator, he helped to outline the idea of the "New Order," a political philosophy designed around the idea of "cleaning out" the garbage and the waste that was the current Republic and seating a more efficient and better run government.

In fact, Palpatine was the instigator of the New Order idea, but he was shrewd and patient enough to let many others take the credit and glory, especially Crueya Vandron. He happily remained in the background, advising and suggesting, but always avoiding showing a direct leadership.

Shortly before Palpatine was elected President, the Commission for the Preservation of the New Order (COMPNOR) made its presence known as an active and steadily-growing political party. Its most visible figurehead was Crueya, who had become a close and personal friend to Palpatine. When Palpatine was elected, COMPNOR announced their full support of the new President and his ideals.

Compnor

Like the Communist Party in Stalin's Russia and the Nazi Party in Hitler's Germany, COMPNOR became an increasingly powerful and pervasive influence in the govemment. Over an amazingly short amount of time, there was little that COMPNOR wasn't involved in, and anyone who wanted to remain in good standing joined the party. Somehow, Palpatine managed to maintain his distance from the direct workings of COMPNOR; he was even able to present himself to various factions as an outsider who was simply bending to the wishes of "the people."

There was no doubt to those who were "in the know," however, that Palpatine was the undisputed master of the COMPNOR organization. The mysterious Select Committee, once a large "social club" of political and intellectual elitists that formed the leadership of the party, changed drastically over the first year of Palpatine's presidency. It became a shadowy, dangerous force that answered to no one save Palpatine, and its activities were centered solely upon consolidating Palpatine's power.

One organization that Palpatine didn't have to subvert was that which became Imperial Intelligence. As the Old Republic was dying the leaders of four different intelligence and security agencies got together to decide what should be done. They realized that their resources and agents were being misused terribly by corrupt Senators and bureaucrats, and that the government they served was quickly approaching dissolution.

Rather than join in the infighting and aid the process of anarchy, they united and pooled their resources. They also made it clear to Palpatine that his idea of the New Order was a sound one as far as they were concerned. Thus, Palpatine practically had the Empire handed to him.

Shortly after this, Palpatine declared that the New Order was a reality, that COMPNOR was the Grand Bureaucracy that would operate that New Order, and that he would lead the millions of worlds under his rule to glory . . . as their Emperor.

Not So Fast

Even though the Senate found itself with the appellation "Imperial" attached, there were still many who resisted the whole idea. Sadly, they were outnumbered and largely ùineffectual. The damage was done, and with the support of the military and security agencies, the influence of the COMPNOR party, and the backing of too many Senators who saw this as their shining opportunity to further exploit available resources and gain power, it looked as though all hope for a restored Republic was lost.

However, such Senators as Mon Mothma of Chandrila, Garm Bel Iblis of Corellia, and Bail Organa of Alderaan still had enough influence to keep the Senate from completely collapsing into nothing more than a puppet organization for COMPNOR to manipulate. Garm left the Senate floor in protest the day that Palpatine made his declaration and was not seen amongst the Senate again until the formation of the New Republic.

Bail Organa attempted to mediate from within, to show patience and moderation (all to no avail), and Mon Mothma spoke out loudly against this New Order and its depredations. Eventually, Mon Mothma was branded a traitor and Imperial Security Bureau agents (COMPNOR's equivalent of the Gestapo) were dispatched to arrest her. Bail Organa, maintaining the pretense of siding with the New Order, secretly aided her escape, and what was to become the Rebellion was born...

A Time For Heroes

It is recommended that a GM begin their campaign roughly around the time that Palpatine declares himself Emperor. This is around the time that Luke and Leia Skywalker are bom and hidden away by Obi-Wan Kenobi, about eighteen years prior to the events of A New Hope.

This is a very chaotic and turnultuous time, and this fact should be emphasized to the players. Their characters are operating in a sea of uncertainty as vast and sweeping changes are taking place. Names, buildings, and uniforms are changing, replacing the appellations and trappings of the Republic with that of the Empire.

Soldiers and pilots are discovering that they are now considered Imperials. Policies and procedures are undergoing sweeping adjustments and whole-cloth changes, throwing everything into temporary chaos in the process.

It is also important to emphasize that these changes are hardly for the better, at least as far as individual rights and liberties are concerned. Customs policies will find freighter captains facing stiff fines and even impoundments for infractions they didn't know existed. The media will experience a rapid "blackout" and stringent restrictions.

Military personnel will be asked to do things they would have never dreamed of, committing atrocities under the watchful eyes of COMPNOR "observers." Local law enforcement officers will find that they are being supplanted by "party approved" operatives.

In working through each character's "back-story," it will be important to create the motivation to be unhappy with this New Order. In fact, in some cases, it might be better to leave certain characters ignorant of the exact details of what is going on. Let them be surprised to find out that the Republic is dead, replaced by this so called Empire.

The player characters' first adventures should be centered around getting together (through circumstances beyond their control, normally) and crossing paths with New Order operatives who see them as threats. It is best to encourage one or more of the PCs to go ahead and be actively working against the new Empire, while others have to be talked into it. This will create some great role-playing opportunities as the activist PCs passionately argue with the others, trying to get them to see what is happening and join in the fight against it.

Eventually, they should end up in contact with one rebellious faction or another. Bear in mind that in the early days, there are numerous fractional elements that resisted the New Order and the Empire, but they did not become an organized body until Mon Mothma and others like her struggled to unite these factions.

The PCs might even end up starting their own rebellious faction, one that will ultimately become well-known for its actions against the Empire and be asked to pin the new Alliance.

The Bad Guys

It is important for the GM to note that this is the early days of the Empire. As such, certain recognizable elements are not necessanly in place yet. Specifically, the GM should hold off on introducing Imperial Stommtroopers until a good bit later in the campaign, and TIE-Fighters shouldn't show up until a couple of years after the Empire is formed.

In the place of such "standards," the GM should utilize Imperial Army and Naval Troopers for the typical Imperial ground or shipboard encounter, and Z-95 Headhunters for most initial space battles. Stats for these and other appropriate ships and soldiers can be found in almost every sourcebook that West End Games has published (especially the STAR WARS SOURCEBOOK).

However, in the early days when chaos reigned and COMPNOR's word was law, there were operatives that any enemy of the Empire was likely to face. The following are some of these types.

COMPNOR ISB AGENT

An ISB agent might be from any one of a number of branches, including Surveillance, Interrogations, and Internal Affairs. However, PCs are most likely to encounter Investigations agents. There is no standard uniform for such aqents; they tend to wear fairly conservative suits unless they are incognito (in which case they will wear whatever best aids their cover).

Normally, ISB agents will be armed with little more than a hold-out blaster (3D) and they rarely wear armor; they leave the heavy stuff to other agents or soldiers.

COMPNOR ISB ENFORCEMENT AGENT

ISBs enforcement agents are a different breed from the rest of the Bureau. In fact, many of them aren't COMPNOR members, a fact that bothers COMPNOR "purists" and Internal Affairs to no end.

As Enforcement agents are rarely called in unless an operation has reached a more overt stage, they will almost always be encountered ready for a conflict. They are normally armed with heavy blaster pistols (5D) and amored in at least blast vests (or the equivalent). Their uniforms consist of dark blues with grey piping and trim.

CompForce Assault Troopers

The fanaticism that drives CompForce troopers is a frightening thing to behold. Whereas the Stormtroopers that the heroes will encounter later go about their deadly business with silent and precise determination CompForce Assault soldiers are berserkers in combat, throwing themselves at their enemies with a nearly religious zeal.

The training methods of the party are such that only the toughest even survive, much less go on to gain the coveted status. They lack real technical training or enhancement of skills, but they more than make up for it with zeal and sheer toughness.

COMPNOR sees to it that their own troops receive priority on special gear and weaponry. CompForce troops wear a distinctive white and grey uniform, complete with partial armor (lD+1 vs Physical, +2 vs Energy). They are typically armed with blaster rifles (5D) and at least three grenades. Their helmets come with sensory enhancements (+1D Perception) and minor life support capabilities.

In addition, enemies of the Empire will likely encounter Imperial Intelligence operatives, however, it is best if these agents are done up individually, as their specializations and capabilities will be wide and various. For simplicity's sake, though, the GM might simply use the stats for an ISB Agent or ISB Enforcement Agent when needed.

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