Sunday, April 18, 2010

Clone Wars Campaign: Greesh Leedo, Cybernetic Assassin


Greesh Leedo died in the most recent session of the Clone Wars Campaign (Session 48). I really liked the character, a cybernetic Rodian assassin created a few years ago by the person who plays Marpa/Daal. It's not often that players in my game take the time to create an NPC and write up their background, so I really appreciate it--it's a chance for me to run characters I would never have come up with on my own, and it adds something special when the NPC does encounter the PCs if he's tied into one of the character's backgrounds in some fashion. In other words, awesome work Mario!

Greesh was a fun character to role-play, as I gave him a rough-and-tumble accent and demeanour and envisioned him as the type of guy who would fit right in at a (swoop) biker bar or back-alley gambling den. Just off the top of my head, here's some of the really fun moments I remember involving Greesh in the campaign:

* His first appearance, hiding underneath the body in a coffin on the way to a funeral so he could assassinate one of the mourners. When the jig was up, he busted out of that coffin, guns-a-blazin' before making a quick getaway.

* His next appearance, an assassination attempt (successful, though he got caught) at an aquarium--Greesh smashed through the tanks, flooding the place with water and fish, leading to a quite memorable battle.

* His enjoyment at seeing Marpa/Daal finally getting tripped up by Jocasta and forced to obey orders.

* His banter with Doxen--it was brief, but the two seemed like guys who would end up getting along well.

Here's his original character background. (normally I wouldn't post anything that reveals something secret about a PC, but Balan/Marpa/Daal's ties to the Separatists have come out in the game)

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Greesh Leedo, Cybernetic Rodian Assassin

When Marpa was being trained by the Techno Union, he shared a room with Greesh Leedo, a talented Rodian hunter. While Marpa was recruited to be an officer, Greesh had been selected to become a cybernetically enhanced assassin. Preparation for their eventual transformation into cyborgs quickly encompassed every aspect of their lives, leaving them isolated from the outside world. As a result, the two bonded over the few hours of free time they had each day before lights out, in order to stave off loneliness.

They learned much about each other in what time they had. Greesh was a product of the harsh Rodian homeworld. Although born into a warrior caste, Greesh avoided the carnage of the gladiatorial arenas by selling his services as a tracker to various nobles and government agencies. Surviving this way was hard, but fortune soon blessed the determined Rodian. He was hired by a Quarren bounty hunter to track down a fugitive who had fled into Rodia's dense jungle. His success landed him a sizable reward from the gracious Quarren, and enabled Greesh to pay his way off world and explore the galaxy at large.

Seeking to improve his skills, Greesh wandered the galaxy taking odd tracking jobs wherever he could find them. The thrill of the hunt was his sole motivation, and this attitude guided him to his second great success. On a whim he accepted a posting by Techno Union security officials searching for a corporate spy who had absconded with several company secrets. Efficiently locating the spy brought him to the attention of the Union's cybernetic research team, who found him a perfect candidate for their enhancement program.

Marpa's and Greesh's shared desire for power gave them common ground. They came to understand, respect and even depend on each other as friends will do. When training became nearly unbearable they pushed each other to succeed. The two made a pact to complete their respective programs and then unleash their full potential upon the galaxy. As a result, Greesh was very surprised to hear of Marpa's defection from the Techno Union. Feeling abandoned, he berated himself for taking solace in something other than the glory of the hunt. Promising never to be so trusting again, Greesh enthusiastically went ahead with his cybernetic surgery. After several weeks of adjustment to his new body, Greesh began his career as an assassin for the Separatists, hunting down and eliminating several key Republic officials and sympathizers.

Greesh has found great pleasure in his new life and capabilities. He knows that one day he will be able to return to Rodia and claim the title of Hunt Master. But between missions his thoughts sometimes turn to his old friend Balan, and he wonders if their paths will ever cross again . . .

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Below is his most recent character sheet. For some minor NPCs, I simply keep them at the same level throughout the campaign. But for important ones, like the Sun Runners, I make sure they're always high enough level to provide a challenge. I usually do more detailed sheets with Feats & Talents, but I knew it was unlikely Greesh would be getting into combat.



1 comment:

The Wife said...

Greesh was alot of fun. My favourite moment of his was the funeral. The player running the Tarn character (a Jedi PC, now an NPC)had warned us to expect an attack, but forgot to share the info he had been given: namely that the assassin was a cybernetically enhanced Rodian, whose name was Greesh Leedo. Might have been useful - especially for Marpa, considering their background...was pretty funny actually. Tarn then had to go in and deliver the service since the Priest had fled....