Hey, bounty hunter -- need some quick credits? Bounty Postings is a new regular series of articles giving you a variety of targets to use in your Star Wars Roleplaying Game Saga Edition adventures. Some of these marks are relatively easy pickings, though a few will definitely test your tracking skills.

History

The youngest son of a powerful nobleman from Iridia, Oorn Noth was often considered a spoiled brat among the tough-minded, practical Zabrak. Despite his upbringing and a bevy of opportunities available to him, Oorn was interested in only two things -- racing and the fame that came with it. Fortunately for Oorn, he was a talented pilot. He used his father's money to purchase his first starship and his winnings to continually upgrade it.

Eventually, Oorn's good graces with his father ran out, and he was on his own. He traveled from system to system, looking for races where he could enter his starship, the Five Coins. During one race in an asteroid system in the Sullust system, his ship was struck by an errant rock, knocking out its thrusters. After losing the race, Oorn became desperate and did what he swore he would never do -- seek corporate sponsorship.

Turning to certain unsavory types in the SoroSuub Corporation, Oorn was given money to repair and upgrade his ship to race on behalf of the company in a variety of dangerous runs. Of course, 75% of his winnings went back to the company for "research and maintenance."

For a time, Oorn was satisfied with the arrangement, winning a series of races by huge margins. The money started pouring in, and he gained quite a reputation. However, as his renown grew, so did the caution of his investors, and they kept him out of the most dangerous races more and more frequently. Frustrated, Oorn began to throw races in hopes of getting out of his contract. But his sponsors eventually caught wind of his plan and threatened him with more than simply losing his contract if he didn't start winning again.

That pushed Oorn past the edge. He played the role of the chastised servant and prepared to race once more, all the while planning his escape. Piloting a new, cutting-edge ship -- the equivalent of an Eta-2 Actis-class Interceptor -- Oorn rapidly outpaced and outmaneuvered his competition. As he zoomed past the finishing point, winning the race and enthralling the observers, he turned his ship and went into hyperspace, never to return.

Oorn's former patrons became his enemies. They hired several bounty hunters to find the Zabrak and return the stolen vessel, which he has since renamed the Last Laugh. Today, Oorn is constantly on the run, bouncing through the seedier systems to find races that will provide enough credits to keep his ship in order -- and, of course, for the sheer thrill of competition. He knows that it's only a matter of time before he gets caught, but he's determined to lead his pursuers on quite a chase first. Oorn supplements his race winnings with a little smuggling on the side, adding to his list of crimes for which a bounty hunter might try to bring him to justice.

Psych Profile

Oorn is young, brash, and arrogant. His privileged upbringing led him to believe that the galaxy exists to serve him. Oorn is a thrill-seeker and lives life on the edge, preferably while going very, very fast. Although estranged from his family's fortune, he remains the heir to its vast wealth and power and could possibly be lured back to defend or reclaim it.

Adventure Seeds

Here are some ways to incorporate Oorn Noth into your adventures.

• If the heroes ever become involved in a starship race, Oorn is sure to be there. Anyone who follows the racing circuit knows that a substantial bounty has been placed on both him and the ship he pilots.
• Desperate for cash, Oorn offers his services as a pilot for the heroes. Once deep in space, however, he sabotages the life-support system of the ship in hopes of killing off the crew, ejecting them out the airlock, and selling their ship for more credits to support his racing addiction.
• Another bounty of sorts is placed on Oorn's head -- this time, by his father, Donloor Noth. The elder Zabrak hires the heroes to find his son and bring him home to Iridia, alive and well, before any other bounty hunters get him first.

Saga Edition Statistics

Oorn Noth

CL 11

Medium Zabrak scoundrel 4/noble 3/ace pilot 4
Force 2; Dark Side 4
Init +13; Senses Perception +9
Languages Basic, Durese, Huttese, Quarrenese, Rodese, Sullustese, Zabrak

Starship Modifications

If you have a copy of Starships of the Galaxy, you can modify Oorn's statistics to take advantage of the feats, talents, and, of course, spaceship designs in that book. Make the following changes:

Feats: Replace Weapon Focus (heavy weapons) with Starship Tactics (and the starship maneuver afterburn).

Starship: Replace Oorn's ship with a SoroSuub Patrol Fighter that has the following modifications:

About the Author

Eric Cagle cut his teeth at Wizards of the Coast but now lives the extravagant freelancer lifestyle. Look for his name on everything from Dungeons & Dragons to d20 Modern and Star Wars products. Recent credits include the Grimm roleplaying game, Tome of Salvation, and Hollow Earth Expedition. Eric is currently the Managing Editor for No Quarter Magazine. He lives in Seattle, where the coffee is dark and bitter -- like his goddesses.

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