Adventure Idea: Assassinating the Emperor

[SemperSarge 127]

On page 21 in ‘Nexus of Power’ there is brief mention of the Emperor having a personal retreat on his homeworld of Naboo. I immediately thought a cool idea for a brave, or foolish, group of F&D characters would be to try to sneak into the retreat and kill the Emperor. Depending on how much a group adheres to canon, various outcomes could be possible from the Emperor being absent, to this being a secret trap set by inquisitors, the ISB, etc. Regardless, I wanted to ask for some help for ideas.

 

What kind of defenses do you think the retreat would have? Also, would the retreat contain any dark side adepts? What would you think the Emperor would keep in his personal retreat that would be cool?

 

Also, I’m curious about the F&D characters gaining conflict. If the characters are setting out with the purpose to assassinate somebody (even if it is the Emperor), wouldn’t that justify earning conflict? While all F&D characters would agree the Emperor is evil and needs to be defeated, I foresee some of the characters feeling uneasy about sneaking into someone’s retreat in the middle of the night to kill them in their sleep or by any means necessary. If anything, this 'conflict' aspect of this idea intrigues me the most. 

 

I’d appreciate any ideas. Thanks!     

[Cynthorus 52]

Palpatine is one of the most powerful force users in the Galaxy, compared only to Vader and Yoda, do you think the players will really be able to take him out?

It's ok for the answer to be no, as a large number of other situations could arise from their attempt.

As you've already suggested a trick by the Inquisition or the ISB would be a fitting plot twist perhaps with the goal of them acquiring some fantastically useful tactical data for the Rebellion or maybe the location of the Inquisitions training base.

As for threats on the inside, I imagine it would be heavily guarded by troopers (probably Dark Troopers) and Royal Guards.

Perhaps with Palpatines own personal darksider guardian/inquisitor in overall command.

The retreat itself would seem unremarkable past its lavish look but then with secret paths only accessible through the force which would contain all manor of traps.

[SemperSarge 127]

Palpatine is one of the most powerful force users in the Galaxy, compared only to Vader and Yoda, do you think the players will really be able to take him out?

It's ok for the answer to be no, as a large number of other situations could arise from their attempt.

 

Personally, I do not believe basic F&D characters could defeat the Emperor. My group and I fiercely adhere to canon as well, so there's that too. At least for our group, something else interesting would need to happen. Although, I haven't ruled out a scenario where the F&D characters meet the Emperor in some way, possibly to their detriment depending on how foolish they wish to role-play their characters. 

 

Has there ever been anything written that could help describe what the Emperor's chambers would look like? What kind of weird security, decorations, or guards would most likely be present?

 

I like your idea of secret paths only accessible through the Force. I was thinking the retreat itself could be built on a dark side nexus of the force. This could enable the Emperor to rejuvenate himself quicker and easier. A rumor could be that Darth Plagueis is entombed deep inside the retreat, and that helped create this dark side nexus of the force.

 

Perhaps the characters risk falling to the dark side themselves the longer they remain on site. So not only are the characters undertaking an impossible task of defeating the Emperor, there is also a time limit of sorts due to the strong dark side nexus of the force.     

Edited March 27, 2016 by SemperSarge

[KungFuFerret 4,120]

Well, if you aren't sticking to canon, and your players are the heroes of the setting, then sure, kill the Emperor.   I'd try and do it sort of like  Smoking Aces in a way though.   And I don't mean "over the top action with crazy cinematography" (though that would be kind of fun actually).   I just mean, have it be a known location that they are going to have to hit hard, or hit sneaky.   But have multiple challenges.    Random thoughts on ideas for their approach challenges:

 

1. Gathering information on the location in the first place

2. Establishing security patterns, and trying to find holes in them to exploit.

3. Obtaining credentials to gain them access  (or ordinance to blast their way in if that's their thing)

4. Personnel they have to eliminate

5. etc etc

 

Have the place split up into sections, or floors, and have a different set of challenges for each floor.  But also have ways for them to bypass them.  Like how Padme and her squad just used ascent guns to climb up to the top in Phantom Menace, and screw all that climbing stairs crap!    Plan for them to think around your defenses, and build those ways around into your strategy, so you aren't caught flat footed.

 

Basically, watch the various heist movies or similar to get ideas on what kind of defenses they'd have, and how to get around them.

[Cynthorus 52]

There's a description of it here http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Emperor's_Retreatbut I'm not sure how 'cannon' that is.

It also makes it sound pretty impenetrable by al bar some serious espionage.

I like the idea of it being a dark side nexus though perhaps rather than a time limit have the force amplify emotions like fear and switch the strain penalty from the dark side to the light side as it'll be easier to channel is such a place .