Edge of the Empire Book

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