However, leaving this rough-and-tumble life might
not be as easy as it seems. The character may still have
family left behind in squalor, former comrades that take
a dim view of him leaving a gang, or former "employers"
that want the character to finish up their "contracts."
MIDDLE CLASS STRUGGLES
Sometimes a character comes from modest, but com-
fortable conditions prior to entering a life of adven-
ture. The character and his family did not come from
vast wealth and they know the meaning of hard work
to get ahead. This "middle class" background may
be the hardest of all to leave, for the character had
a taste of the good (or at least decent) life and finds
that getting into adventuring is harder than it appears.
This broad category could include anything from a
skilled technician, minor political official, professional
soldier, or any other lifestyle that typically involves
hard work—but with the pay to make it worthwhile.
The character lived comfortably, but put in long hours
to make ends meet. He's no stranger to hard work and
certain levels of injustice, but may have been shielded
from the truly darker side of the galaxy—crime, cor-
ruption, slavery, and conflict.
THE HIGH AND MIGHTY
As the saying goes, the bigger they are, the harder
they fall. Even characters from high social standing,
great wealth, or an existence of comfort can still be
subject to the whims of fate and find themselves cast
out from the life they once knew. This fall from grace
could come in many forms—scandal, poor business
decisions, war and revolution, or revenge from ene-
mies. Regardless of the method, the character is ir-
revocably wrenched from his world and cast into the
murky shadows of EDCE OF THE EMPIRE.
Characters from this type of background include
landed gentry, wealthy business owners, doctors, politi-
cians, and any other position or upbringing that brings
with it money, power, and status above that of the com-
mon rabble. After the events that push them out of that
world, however, these previously entitled characters find
a rough life ahead. The character might find himself
fleeing his former life with only the (admittedly upscale)
clothes on his back and nothing else but his abilities,
skills, and will to survive in the unforgiving galaxy.
A character from this background typically finds his
Obligations tied to the cause of his downfall. Perhaps
his fall came from a huge gambling debt, blackmail
from a family enemy, or bringing shame upon his clan
that results in exile. As the wealthy and powerful typi-
cally rub elbows with those of their own social level,
enemies or "holders" of the character's Obligation
are also typically wealthy, powerful, and influential in
their own right.
THE OUTSIDER
A character from this background came from a society
outside of the galactic norm. This includes isolated plan-
etary systems not yet marked on the maps, prison colo-
nies, or even the rare case of a character growing up in
solitude out in the wilderness. The character is probably
ill-informed about or completely unaware of the politics,
customs, and even technology of the rest of the galaxy.
He may be superstitious of the strange sights around
him or embrace the wonders that he encounters.
This choice works better for some careers than oth-
ers—a Mechanic from a primitive world stretches cre-
dulity, for example—unless the player and GM come
up with a good reason for this to happen. Maybe the
Mechanic character was the sole survivor of a downed
ship on a backwater planet and learned his skills from
tinkering with the ship's equipment.
Of course, the player must come up with a good rea-
son regarding how the character managed to leave his
isolated or primitive upbringing. Perhaps his character
was brought back to civilization by an explorer or slipped
on board a trade vessel that landed on his planet.
ENTERING LIFE AS A
MISCREANT
Once a player determines his character's former back-
ground, he should then consider what caused him to
enter into the nebulous and dangerous world of EDCE OF
THE EMPIRE. Was it because of a single, traumatic event?
Was the character put into an untenable situation from
which he had to flee? Figuring out the "last straw" that
pushed a character into a life on the fringe is an excellent
source of inspiration for both the player and the CM.
Presented here are several "hooks" that describe
ways in which a character moves from his former life
into one of adventure and danger.
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
The simplest reason for a character to live on the fring-
es of society is the basic desire to grasp some opportu-
nity or challenge oneself. A character from a hard, poor
background may strive to better himself and jumps at
the first chance to improve his lot. A well-off character
may be bored with the steady rhythms of high soci-
ety or realizes that his chances for advancement must
come from his own hard work rather than waiting for
things to occur. Lastly, this could be as simple as mak-
ing a spur of the moment decision to board a starship
bound for some far-flung part of the galaxy.
A HIGHER CALLING
Even in the rough-and-tumble world of EDGE OF THE
EMPIRE, there are those who strive to change the
CHARACTER CREATION
EDCE OF THE EMPIRE