General Discussion

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

Also the analyst has many buff talents that deal with research but his research is music so would he be able to use his research buffs to help anyone playing music?

[SavageBob]

I am definitely liking that talent tree and how it can generate bonuses for other bandmates, making me kind of like a support player adding skill buffs, i want to ask a few things though, is it possible to house rule for the sake of the band angle that the talents codebreaker, encoded communique, and natural programmer so that they can be used with relation to the active music skill of knowledge education?

Let me think about it. I don't think it'd be a problem. But you'd sacrifice the Computers buffs, and Computers is a skill that might come up in other situations away from the stage. Or it could come up on stage if you want to play something like a digital synthesizer or DJ.

Also the figurehead has a talent that deals with duty specifically, are we using duty or can that be houeruled to somthing differnt like fame?

Yeah, I've added language to the character-generation rules to cover this. In short, if a Talent calls for raising Duty, we'll play it as lowering Obligation by a similar amount instead.

Also the analyst has many buff talents that deal with research but his research is music so would he be able to use his research buffs to help anyone playing music?

Yes, that's right. DeepSpacer was thinking of doing something similar with his Archaeologist concept. The research or knowledge might represent his own knowledge of classical musical styles and music theory that he is then able to use to help the others. How you interpret that is up to you; does he scream things out, or does he simply change his rhythm in such a way as to guide his bandmates onto a more agreeable tempo or harmony? Narratively, there's room for either approach (or one I haven't thought of).

[SavageBob]

One point to emphasize to everyone is that I enjoy being creative to reinterpret talents and skills to fit a performance context. But they all retain their non-performance uses, as well, so your Researchers and your Inspiring Rhetorics work whether on stage or off.

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

Oh yea I wasn’t even thinking about out of performances, computers and astrogation could come in handy then it’s true, and I could frame it as skulls he learned in order to survive on as a sliver on the streets after being cut off.

[DeepSpacer]

The concept of a high-society classical artist slumming with a rag-tag cantina band seems to be a difficult one to grasp hold of, IMO. Maybe something equally nonsensical (like being in love) would explain it?

To me, if is t is classical background, and I have a classy Twi'lek dancer , then maybe we should play the upper-to-middle class scene. Those seem to fit that genre. If it is a street-level hard-luck street band, then maybe something else is more appropriate that doesn't requires several illogical leaps to get there.

In my Pathfinder group consisting of Sun God followers eliminating evil and retrieving artifacts, one guy came out with. Dhampir half-vampire who is healed by evil negative enerrgies. After several months of playing twice a month, it just never sits right. He had a long explanation, of course. The concept of stretching it to make it fit is my concern. Rather than shoehorn it in, I'd rather play high-end musicians.

[SavageBob]

Your Twi'lek can go either way (low-brow or high-brow). She's a former slave, right? So there's an easy fit into a more hard-luck storyline.

For Boutrose, I agree; the Chiss having strong ties with the Ascendency and just being in the Empire for grins is somewhat implausible. I'd rather he be orphaned and perhaps not know much about his species so that he fits the hard-luck angle more easily.

Most of the adventure ideas I have rely on the hard-luck angle, incidentally. It's far more compelling for me as GM. But if folks really want to do Mozart in the Jungle—low-ranked orchestra musicians try to become high-ranked ones—I'm not sure how to do that. I'd need to go back to the drawing board on what the adventures will be. I'm having trouble figuring out where the fringe is, where it fits into Edge of the Empire.

[ThreeBFour]

Personanly I like the "Hungry"-musician type, although I may change the instrument my character plays. But I'm thinking Donald "Duck" Dunn or Blue Lou from Blues Brothers as a base idea.

[Vergence]

I support any background the party desires. From personal observation, the background class of the musicians doesn't really matter for EotE themed plot hooks. Attending New York to Miami & everywhere in between, the 'proclaimed' highest social class venues to warehouses, its the same scum & villainy If you have the Suns of Fortune sourcebook, it basically demonstrates similar ways of portraying the same vice in all the different environments.

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

Hey guys I alreciate the constructive back and forth, although I’m not entirely on the same page when it come to the background for gause because, maybe because I haven’t seen the same source material, but I understand the need to vibe on this.

The idea for why the character is in empire space instead of chias space is very similar to the one for the commander, they are trying to find thenselves and their music by escaping form a ridged unimaginative society into one where they can more freely express themselves.

Guy can’t go back because he is disgraced and will likely face reprisal if he returns after deserting.

For gause I get the feeling that there is a perception that he can go back to the ascendency any time he wants to? That’s not what I was trying to show, I mean for him to be a genuine riches to rags who has sacrificed everything in order to play the kind of music that they want to play, not someone who is just slumming it for kicks, if there is something I need to add to make that clear let me know but if in the end this character doesn’t jive with everyone that’s ok because I have the two concepts.

Also just to clarify thy are not trying to play classical music, they played classical music in the ascendency, they are trying to play something new and different, that is why they left the ascendency and are starting from nothing in the empire.

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

For Boutrose, I agree; the Chiss having strong ties with the Ascendency and just being in the Empire for grins is somewhat implausible. I'd rather he be orphaned and perhaps not know much about his species so that he fits the hard-luck angle more easily.

So being familiar with the ascendency and rejecting it is kind of key to both of these character concepts, neither of them do it because they just want to slum it they do it because they love the music that they want to play and feel they can’t do it in the ascendency.

I don’t personally see how having a prominent past that they no longer have access to in any way would make gause not be down on his luck but I can figure out a way to change it.

Maybe instead of being from a prominent family he was from a military family, and saw the orchestra performance put on by commander guy because his parents were under his command. Then when the event that disgraced guy happened his parents would have died and he would be an orphan. He would have gotten a scholarship to swuliard through programs set up for orphans of chiss soildiers but abandoned it when he realized it wasn’t the music he wanted to play.

Most of the adventure ideas I have rely on the hard-luck angle, incidentally. It's far more compelling for me as GM. But if folks really want to do Mozart in the Jungle—low-ranked orchestra musicians try to become high-ranked ones—I'm not sure how to do that. I'd need to go back to the drawing board on what the adventures will be. I'm having trouble figuring out where the fringe is, where it fits into Edge of the Empire.

So neither of my characters want to become high ranked orchestra musicians they want to be band musicians and would come with no resources or any other place to return to so they would definitely be hard luck.

And I am honestly very excited about the idea of playing starving artists trying to make it because they don’t have any other choice.

Edit: again really want to emphasize that I'm open to changes and suggestions, especially if the current build is going to hamper suspension of disbelief, also if there's too much issue with the Gause character then I'm still totally open to binning him and going with guy since i enjoy them both equally.

[DeepSpacer]

He could have answered an ad in the paper, so to speak. Coming from a highly structured culture were variation is frowned upon, he may have learned to discover music at an organic level.

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

He could have answered an ad in the paper, so to speak. Coming from a highly structured culture were variation is frowned upon, he may have learned to discover music at an organic level.

that could work for either of the backgrounds, much more likely for the guy one though.

I just put the motivations in for them now with desire, fear, strength, and flaw, honestly the ones for Guy are the strongest and best thought out ones.

[SavageBob]

I support any background the party desires. From personal observation, the background class of the musicians doesn't really matter for EotE themed plot hooks. Attending New York to Miami & everywhere in between, the 'proclaimed' highest social class venues to warehouses, its the same scum & villainy If you have the Suns of Fortune sourcebook, it basically demonstrates similar ways of portraying the same vice in all the different environments.

I might be able to work with this. It helps with the adventure design of the band is willing to play seedier venues, like a crime lord palace, but there will be potential to get gigs at fancy dress parties, casinos, and eventually dedicated concerts. As long as everyone has some Obligation that makes their lives a bit precarious somehow, I can work with it.

In other words, we don't necessarily need to make you all street kids trying to make it big, but some of you can be street kids, and some of you can be washed up, and some of you can be middling performers trying to make it or find yourself. The trick then is to figure out why you're all together and in a band. My thought was you all grew up together, but you've all concocted other backstories, so we need to figure out some other way the group formed.

[Vergence]

That's an understandable concern. It could be as simple as, 'Hey, I heard you could use another player' or 'I'm digging your sound, mind if I jam along?'. We could begin with selecting where our physical business of operations is located and say we met up there for ease. The Chiss players always have to be inventive on why they're no longer in the Unknown Regions, being counterculture towards the species. However, that probably easily fits with the theme we are shooting for Even with widely different backgrounds, we could roleplay it as knowing each other prior for a year, creating our present sound.

[SavageBob]

Yes, absolutely. Let's figure out how you all know each other and have been together for at least a little while. I'd prefer that to "you all met through a want ad" or something--that's too much like the clichéd fantasy tavern. One option I suggested before is that you were all backup musicians for some famous person but left their band for some reason (whether artistic differences, getting fired, blackmail, or something else). But that's just one possibility.

[Vergence]

Shall we of met in Coreilla? It's diverse and highly populated with locals & offworlders; I'm open to suggestions. My character could been temporarily working costume/lighting/scenery/theatrical stagecraft for a venue when meeting the party performing and fell for the band's sound. I plan on explaining my character as more of a fan than coworker, hoping the band will succeed.

[DeepSpacer]

Yes, absolutely. Let's figure out how you all know each other and have been together for at least a little while. I'd prefer that to "you all met through a want ad" or something--that's too much like the clichéd fantasy tavern. One option I suggested before is that you were all backup musicians for some famous person but left their band for some reason (whether artistic differences, getting fired, blackmail, or something else). But that's just one possibility.

Yeah, there is no band sound until there is a band to begin with. No band to admire and join until there actually IS a band. Plus, we're not going to be very good, anyways, to begin with.

I prefer being ordinary people who are able to play music, but have skills to do other things. Playing music is just ONE way to make a living. Better than panhandling, thieving, or bartending. Maybe, then, catch a break or pick up a key performer.

Already being a band makes more sense than meeting in a cantina, answering an ad, or be admiring fans of each other. I like being players who lost their manager or lead-singer, and are then disheveled, not knowing where their next paying job is coming from. Plus, we'd all have someone to beat up on (and later, to be our adversary!!). We could even be understudies or backup band members who lose our spots. Then we get angry and form our own band.

[Vergence]

I'm just expecting a battle of the bands like in Scott Pilgrim VS the World

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

I'm just expecting a battle of the bands like in Scott Pilgrim VS the World

That is definitely what I am hoping for as well.

So as for reasons for being together I like the idea of all being fans of the same band? Or maybe even fans bands performing at a similar concert together like the shelova festival on mandalore where we all saw the kyber crystals or something.

I feel like that could also easily work for the explanation of why guy is in empire space, he has heard this type of music before while on a mission and he knows it exists in places outside the ascendency and being burnt out and washed up decided to take the risk to find it and be able to play that kind of music.

And since we need a reason for playing in five bars and I haven’t outlined obligations yet I was thinking of going with bounty for guy, since he did desert and would be wanted in the ascendency, would explain why he can only play in seedier locations, but this could pose an issue later on if we want to make it big.

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

So for play I think I’m really just going to focus on developing Guy since he’s the most thought out so far with the least complications and no skill overlap. This way deep can also play his int based character and it’s not just a bunch of int based characters rolling around.

I’m still going to develop Gause’s story but only because I think he is an interesting npc that could be in guys back story, or maybe even Guy’s employee that he gets?

[Boutrose Saba-Norr]

Yo so you know how I said it would be cool if we met at a concert, i kind of got this idea that for at least one other player Guy would have met them by heckling them a bit while they were playing and yelling out instructions about beat and tempo until he just got frustrated and took over as drummer for whatever group they were in which would have gotten that player kicked out of the band somehow and they decide to form their own?

[SavageBob]

I prefer being ordinary people who are able to play music, but have skills to do other things. Playing music is just ONE way to make a living. Better than panhandling, thieving, or bartending. Maybe, then, catch a break or pick up a key performer.

Yes, this is certainly the idea. You're all trying to make it professionally as musicians, but you're not there yet. And from a game standpoint, performing scenes will only be scattered here and there, much like combat encounters in a typical game, so it'll make for more versatility if folks don't hyper-specialized into music-related stuff. (That said, some folks love hyper-focused characters, but I've given fair warning! )

Already being a band makes more sense than meeting in a cantina, answering an ad, or be admiring fans of each other. I like being players who lost their manager or lead-singer, and are then disheveled, not knowing where their next paying job is coming from. Plus, we'd all have someone to beat up on (and later, to be our adversary!!). We could even be understudies or backup band members who lose our spots. Then we get angry and form our own band.

Oh, I really like this idea. Gives me something to work with for plot hooks and such. Maybe you have all been in a band on [planet] for a good while (a year at least), but your lead performer just got picked up by a major slug label and fired you all. You're like the Heartbreakers trying to make it without Tom Petty, the Dave Mathews Band without Dave Mathews, the Coral Reefers without Jimmy Buffett. (Not in terms of style necessarily, but in terms of how important the lead singer is compared to the backup performers).

How exactly the betrayal/firing/severed ties happened is up to y'all, provided you run with this idea.

[SavageBob]

Shall we of met in Coreilla? It's diverse and highly populated with locals & offworlders; I'm open to suggestions. My character could been temporarily working costume/lighting/scenery/theatrical stagecraft for a venue when meeting the party performing and fell for the band's sound. I plan on explaining my character as more of a fan than coworker, hoping the band will succeed.

Somewhere in the Corellian sector isn't a bad idea; plenty of opportunities for both high- and low-brow hijinks. I might suggest somewhere other than Corellia itself (just because I prefer to avoid overused Star Wars planets). Talus or Tralus, perhaps? That said, I understand the appeal of popular planets, so if y'all are deadset on Corellia, we can do that. If you're still interested in Hutt Space and its environs, you might consider Randon or Ubrikkia.

[SavageBob]

So for play I think I’m really just going to focus on developing Guy since he’s the most thought out so far with the least complications and no skill overlap. This way deep can also play his int based character and it’s not just a bunch of int based characters rolling around.

I’m still going to develop Gause’s story but only because I think he is an interesting npc that could be in guys back story, or maybe even Guy’s employee that he gets?

Just keep in mind that it looks like @DeepSpacer will be playing his Presence-focused Twi'lek rather than his Intellect-focused hippie now. Either way, though, you're going to have some overlap; your Cool-focused guy would presumably have decent Presence, but your Intellect-focused guy would overlap somewhat with @ThreeBFour's Droid Tech. Just play the character you feel most drawn to; Genesys-style social combat makes it so that overlapping face skills shouldn't be a big problem as long as the characters have other areas where they diverge.

[DeepSpacer]

Plus, we're musicians who all have some stage Presence. I do prefer the dance artist to the hippie, based on what others have put forth. Something more Woodstock-like would suit that idea better.

Looking at the comparisons between characters and lining them up on a spreadsheet, I am finding the Guy-Chiss concept compelling. Inspiring Rhetoric, goes well with being a lead singer or piano-keyboard artist. The guilty survivor background seems to have a melancholy, country music story-telling to it. I find it easy to imagine a lead singer (Insp. Rhet.) while playing a keyboard with a Twi'lek dancer performing the expressive dance to go along with the music, while the technician works on mood lighting, sound and stage effects. Truthfully, it is almost like a performing artist opera/play idea. Music that means something or tells a story. Part of what Wahfamo does is set us up to do performances. Some of our own creation, some customized songs and stories to act out with song, music, and dance.

I think the drums work with something more rock-n-roll. Pianoes or keyboardists can express something all by themselves (Billy Joel, Elton John) that drums cannot do. With the Rian concept, Researcher has some background value in setting up the performance as a buffer, but less to do with stage performance. With a researcher, Wahfamo, and a droid, it leaves little to be performers.