Force Using Tradition: The Blazing Chain

[shootingwomprats]

THE BLAZING CHAIN
The Blazing Chain is a group of nomadic raiders who ply their way through the Unknown Regions in search of poorly defended settlements and starships from which they can plunder whatever they need. Blazing Chain ships are painted with variations of a fiery chain wrapping across the vessel, an intimidating and fearsome symbol. Though many call them pirates, the members of the Blazing Chain prefer quick raids, living on the spoils for long periods of time. Unlike typical raider groups, however, the Blazing Chain uses the Force to gain the upper hand. The Blazing Chain does not adhere to a single philosophy of Force use. Members add powers and techniques to their Force repertoires through trial and error, through the admission of outside Force-users to their ranks, and through teaching the techniques commonly used in raids. Members of the Blazing Chain cannot build lightsabers and rarely use them. Those who manage to obtain lightsabers lack the training to use them effectively.

History
In the time of the Old Republic, the Blazing Chain starts deep within the Unknown Regions as a group of talented pirates and raiders, bolstered by members who have rudimentary Force abilities. After the Great Sith War, the Blazing Chain encounters Sith ships fleeing into the Unknown Regions. Although a few of the less powerful Sith join Blazing Chain crews, most encounters between the Sith and the Blazing Chain are violent and deadly. However, the Chain learns new techniques from the Sith, even though the group rejects the Sith's established philosophy.

Gradually, the Force-users in the Blazing Chain outnumber those without Force abilities. By the time of the Dark Wars, 90 percent of Blazing Chain members are Force-sensitive. The Blazing Chain operates as a dozen small autonomous fleets, scattered throughout the Unknown Regions. The fleets are made up of a wide variety of ships captured over the years. Each fleet is lead by an Adacap, a strong-willed, charismatic, and intelligent captain, able to keep his or her followers in line through threat, bribery, or genuine respect. Rarely does a single leader emerge to head the entire Blazing Chain. However, the fleets regard each other as brethren and rarely combat each other directly. United raids are carried out on an ad hoc basis.

One year prior to the Battle of Naboo, members of the Blazing Chain Blackshackle fleet fall to the dark side while under the command of Adacap Zonsoe. Inspired by tales of Sith power, Zonsoe exchanges the role of raider for that of conqueror and begins to take permanent control of some of the Blazing Chain's favorite targets and havens. Zonsoe defeats the rival Blazing Chain Arcblade fleet, absorbing half of its members into his ranks. Over the next five years, the remaining Blazing Chain fleets fight both alone and in concert against Zonsoe's forces, finally shattering the Blackshackle fleet in a massive space battle that leaves the surviving Blazing Chain fleets significantly weakened until after the Battle of Yavin.

Over the next few years, the Blazing Chain slowly rebuilds its strength, and its fleets establish strongholds on isolated worlds. The Blazing Chain expands its knowledge of the Force, paying greater heed to the difference between the light and dark sides. Although not shunning the dark side completely, the Blazing Chain is more aware of its influence and pitfalls. By the fall of the Galactic Alliance, the Blazing Chain is once again a formidable threat, operating widely in the Unknown Regions.

Location
The far-ranging and splintered Blazing Chain can be found in any part of the Unknown Regions, although it is commonly encountered within the galactic disk and surrounding cloud. A long-isolated fleet might emerge in an unexplored pocket of known space, but this is rare.

Most members of the Blazing Chain live aboard their vessels. The largest fleets use colony ships as self-contained cities operating far from any civilized world. However, a fleet typically operates in a particular sector or collection of systems, using deep space or planetary shadowports for resupply and socializing. Later Blazing Chain fleets establ ish well defended strongholds on isolated worlds, kept secret from outsiders and other fleets. Most strongholds are not homeworlds, but they serve as rallying points, supply caches, fortifications, and meeting locations.

Philosophy
The Blazing Chain adheres to no single Force philosophy, other than using the Force in any way that benefits its members and makes raiding easier. Although some adhere loosely to light-side principles, Blazing Chain raiders freely use their anger and aggression to call upon the dark side. Although some fall to the dark side, the vast majority of Blazing Chain members do not. To the Blazing Chain, members falling to the dark side is only a problem if it endangers the fleet, ship, or crews. Some ships and fleets run for years under a fallen commander. Force training is treated like gunnery or pilot or any other training. Skillful Force-users lead classes grounded in practical use, rather than theory or philosophy.

Membership: About 80 percent of the Blazing Chain's members are born into the fleet. However, the Blazing Chain accepts nearly any roguish Force user into its ranks, as long as the fleet can be persuaded that the candidate adds to the group's power and will not betray the fleet to opposing forces or rival Blazing Chain fleets. Non-Force-users are also admitted, although most find themselves at a distinct disadvantage and unable to rise through the ranks. A Force user who has clearly turned to the dark side is considered risky and is closely watched, especially after the fall of the Blackshackle fleet.

Playing a Member of the Blazing Chain
Blazing Chain members begin as scoundrels, scouts, or soldiers. Some who have command abilities begin with the noble class, but few start with the Jedi class. Those of the Jedi class normally concentrate on talents from the Jedi Guardian and Jedi Sentinel, and virtually none has experience with lightsaber combat. Members select Force powers that make them difficult to see or hit, such as Force Haze and Elusive Target. They also prefer powers based on the Alter and Control aspects of the Force. Those who have a 1 or more Dark Side Points often have one or more Dark Side Force powers.

Additional Blazing Chain ONLY Force Powers

Force Directed Shot
Negate and Redirect
Rising Anger
Rising Panic

Sources: The Unknown Regions (p.32-33)
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter

[shootingwomprats]

Force Haze
Sense Difficulty: Moderate
Alter Difficulty: Opposed by targets Control or Perception
This power may be kept "up".
Effect: You can create a "Haze" that hides you and your allies from the perception of others. You can hide a number of creatures in line of sight equal to the D you have in Alter. Make an Alter check opposed by the Control or Perception of any opponent that moves into line of sight of anyone hidden by your Force Haze. If your check is successful, all hidden creatures are treated as if they have total cover against the opponent. Force Haze is dismissed instantly if anyone hidden by the Force Haze makes an attack.
Sources: Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook Saga Edition (p.40-41 "Jedi Guardian Talent Tree"), D6 mechanics by +Oliver Queen
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter

[shootingwomprats]

Elusive Target
Sense Difficulty: Easy
This power may be kept "up".
Effect: When fighting an opponent or multiple opponents in melees, other opponents attempting to target you with ranged attacks recieve a +5 modifier to their difficulty. This penalty is in addition to the normal +5 penalty for firing into melee, making the penalty to target you -10.
Sources: Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook Saga Edition (p.40 "Jedi Sentinel Talent Tree"), D6 mechanics by +Oliver Queen
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter

[shootingwomprats]

Force Directed Shot
Alter Difficulty: Moderate
Note: This power is typically known only to members of the Blazing Chain.
Effect: You use the Force to alter the flight of your blaster bolt, projectile, or similar missile from a thrown or ranged weapon. As an action, select a spot within 20 meters of you and in line of sight. Treat this as the origin spot for your next ranged attack, determining target cover as though you were firing from that spot. You must also have line of sight to the target of the attack from your location.
Sources: The Unknown Region (p.33), D5 mechanics by +Oliver
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter

[shootingwomprats]

Negate and Redirect
Control Difficulty: Moderate
Sense Difficulty: Attackers skill roll
Required Powers: Absorb/dissipate energy
Note: This power is typically known only to members of the Blazing Chain.
Effect: You can absorb ranged energy bolts aimed at you and redirect some of the shot's energy at an enemy target. As a free action immediately following your successful skill checks, choose one enemy you can see within 10 meters of you, making a Control difficulty check based on the range of the weapon being redirected.
Sources: The Unknown Region (p.33), D5 mechanics by +Oliver
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter

[shootingwomprats]

Rising Anger [Dark Side]
Control Difficulty: Easy
Required Powers: Concentration
This power may be kept "up".
Note: This power is typically known only to members of the Blazing Chain.
Effect: You tap directly into your anger to increase the effectiveness
of your attacks. At the beginning of your round, select a target for your anger, you gain +1D modifier against this target applied to either your skill roll or damage roll. If you do not attack your target, at the beginning of each round, you may make another check to maintain your focus on them, gaining an additional +1D modifier. You may do this up to three rounds.
Sources: The Unknown Region (p.33), D5 mechanics by +Oliver
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter

[shootingwomprats]

Rising Panic [Dark Side]
Control Difficulty: Moderate
Sense Difficulty: Easy modified by proximity, opposed by target's control or Perception
Alter Difficulty: Moderate
This power may be kept "up".
Note: This power is typically known only to members of the Blazing Chain.
Effect: You start a rising panic in an enemy, inhibiting the enemy's ability to respond. Each round
you may choose one target. Use your Sense roll opposed by the targets Control or Perception:

0-3 -1D to all skill checks for the rest of this round and the next
4-8 -1D to all skill checks until the end of the scene
9-12 -2 to all skill checks and must immediately flee
13-15 Falls unconscious for 3D minutes
16 Falls unconscious and takes 1 wound

Sources: The Unknown Region (p.33), D5 mechanics by +Oliver Queen
_________________
Don Diestler
Host, Shooting Womp Rats
The D6 Podcast
http://d6holocron.com/shootingwomprats
@swd6podcast, Twitter

[Xain Arke]

These alternate traditions/groups are really interesting takes on how the Force is used by non-Jedi.

Are there more of these groups you are going to convert?

[shootingwomprats]

[Forceally]

shootingwomprats, I actually created a Force compendium of sorts detailing powers that have appeared in the novels and sourcebooks that haven't been stated. It should be somewhere on the forums. I've been doing some edits to include new powers that have appeared in the Force and Destiny RPG books, the cartoons, comics, etc. BTW, thanks for the link. It definitely saved me time and money.

If you can't find it, let me know. I'll see if I can make it available again, though I think I'm going to need you or someone from the forums to give me instructions on how to do that again.

[Whill]

[Xain Arke]